nothing but the zeal of those gentlemen, who live with me and act in this capacity, for the great American cause and personal attachment to me, has induced them to undergo the trouble and confinement they have experienced since they have become members of my family.

I give in to no kind of amusements myself; consequently those about me can have none, but are confined from morn to eve, hearing and answering the applications and letters of one and another, which will now, I expect, receive a pretty considerable addition, as the business of the Northern and Eastern Departments (if I continue here) must, I suppose, pass through my hands. If these gentlemen had the same relaxation from duty as other officers have in their common routine, there would not be so much in it, but to have the mind always upon the stretch, scarce ever unbent, and no hours for recreation, make a material odds. Knowing this, and at the same time how inadequate the pay is, I can scarce find inclination to impose the necessary duties of their office upon them. To what I have here said, this further remark may be made, and it is a matter of no small concernment to me, and, in its consequences, to the publick, and that is, that while the duty is hard and the pay small, it is not to be wondered at if there should be found a promptness in them to seek preferment, or in me to do justice to them by facilitating their views; by which means I must lose their aid when they have it most in their power to assist me. Influenced by these motives, I have taken the liberty of laying the matter fully, and with all due deference, before your honourable body, not doubting its meeting with a patient hearing.

I am, sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esquire, President of Congress.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 4, 1776.]

New-York, April 23, 1776.

SIR: That I might be in readiness to take the field in the spring, and prepared for any service Congress should think proper to send me upon this campaign, I desired Colonel Reed, when he left Cambridge in the fall, to get me a set of camp equipage, tents, and a baggage wagon made at Philadelphia, under his own inspection, and send to me; this he informs me is now done and ready to come on. I have therefore to beg the favour of Congress, through you, to order payment of them from the Treasury, as it will save the expense and hazard of a remittance from hence, where we stand much in need of every farthing we have.

I have the honour to be, with great respect and esteem, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of Congress.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO LORD DRUMMOND.

New-York, April 23, 1776.

MY LORD: Understanding that the Committee of Safety of this Colony have given your Lordship permission to visit Bermuda, for the benefit of your health, I take the liberty of wishing you a pleasant voyage, and a speedy and perfect restoration of it.

With respect, I have the honour to be, your Lordship’s most obedient and most humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Lord Drummond.

COLONEL RITZEMA TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, April 23, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: General Washington and my Lord Stirling are extremely anxious for the speedy completion of the New-York Regiments, and I am daily called on to know the reason why my regiment is not completed; in answer to which I inform the Generals of your orders for the companies to come down, and that they have been issued for some time, and of the arrangement that has been made in it. This does not seem to be satisfactory. I am therefore ordered to request of you that you will be pleased to exert yourselves in fully completing the Third Regiment.

Captain Riker’s Company not exceeding nineteen men, and not ten of them, in my opinion, fit for actual service, I submit it to your better judgment whether some company that is full had not better be substituted in its room, and also that the eighth company be added.

I am, gentlemen, with respect, your very humble servant,

RUDOLPHUS RITZEMA.

To the Chairman of the Committee of Safety.

SETH MARVIN TO TEUNIS COOPER.

Oxford, April 23, 1776.

SIR: After proper respects, I must desire you not to mention that I did not incline to have warrants sent up to us without they were returned in a week; but if any should be returned at all, I should be glad to have them sent as soon as possible.

I am, with much esteem, your friend and humble servant,

SETH MARVIN.

To Mr. Teunis Cooper, Esq., in the Committee of Safety, at New-York.

LEVI PAWLING TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Marbletown, April 23, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Enclosed you have a return from the four gentlemen who were appointed a sub-Committee by the General Committee for the town of Rochester Your Honours will be kind enough to send up the commissions as soon as possible. There can be no reasonable objection made why the three gentlemen returned should not be commissioned. The reason of the vacancy in Captain Schoonmaker’s Company is, that one of his subalterns is an officer in the Continental service, the other two in Colonel De Witt’s Regiment of Minute-men.

Your compliance will oblige your most humble servant,

LEVI PAWLING.

To the New-York Committee of Safety.

GOVERNOUR COOKE TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Providence, April 23, 1776.

SIR: I did myself the honour, in my letter of January 21, to enclose to your Excellency a copy of a Memorial from the General Assembly to the honourable Continental Congress, to which I beg leave to refer you; and when I had the pleasure of seeing you here I laid before you very fully the distressed situation of the Colony, and the enormous expenses we were necessarily put to in defending such an extensive line of sea-coast, which I thought you very well convinced it was impossible for the Colony to support.

I prevailed upon Colonel Knox, who passed through this town on his way to Norwich, to take a view of Newport, and to direct such works to be thrown up as he should think necessary for the defence of the place. He is clearly of opinion that the town of Newport may be secured, and hath left some directions, which I have ordered to be carried into execution. They have begun the works, and I believe will this day complete a battery which commands the north entrance of the harbour. To-morrow they begin the fortifications upon Fort-Island. And if it be in our power to complete the works, I have no doubt it will put a total end to toryism in this Colony. As Colonel Knox’s stay was very short, his plans are not particular nor exact. If it were possible for your Excellency to spare from your Army some person acquainted with fortification, to assist, were it only for a few days, you would do us a particular favour, and a most essential service to the common cause.

Colonel Babcock hath given such incontestable proofs of insanity, that his officers were obliged to put him under an arrest, and send him under a guard to Providence. The General Committee have continued the arrest, and referred the matter until next week, when the Assembly meets, who will most certainly dismiss him.

I beg the favour of your Excellency to represent the state of the Colony to Congress, and to recommend to them the taking our Brigade (which is inlisted to serve in any of