out orders to raise men, I inlisted a number of men, in good credit and of good estates. On their desire I promised them that I would not return them till I found who their Captain was to be. We came down to Colonel Reed, at Winter-Hill, and he went with me to Brigadier-General Sullivan, and we talked of this affair; the General told me that there never should be a Captain put over me, if Captain Ogden did not come, if he could help it: Witness Colonel Reed and Colonel Stark. I relied on his promise, and I spared no pains nor money. I have inlisted forty-four with the assistance of one Sergeant. After some time I heard that Mr. Wilkinson was appointed my Captain. I informed General Sullivan of it; he told me if he was, he did not know it; I then was easy. After we came to this city, it was put in Brigade orders that Mr. Wilkinson was to take the command of the company that was called Captain Ogden’s. I then went to the General again with Lieutenant Maxwell, and told him we were uneasy and the company very much cast down; after some talk, the General told us he would inform his Excellency of this matter, and may be, he will make this easy for you all, for Captain Wilkinson tells me he expects to be Major. All this time Mr. Wilkinson never came to see nor speak to any of the company, save in the Colonel’s room he offered me my commission. I did not hear him speak. Colonel Reed told me that was my company. Last Sunday Mr. Wilkinson came in my room; I was much disturbed when he said he was come to take the command of this company, and called for the muster-rolls. For him to step in at this time, when I was looking for some help from the General; to think Mr. Wilkinson never inlisted but one man; and I had such promises, and spent so much money in raising this company, it set me in a passion. I did not treat him like a gentleman.

THOMAS GROVER, Lieutenant.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 8th, and referred to Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Rodney, Mr. R. H. Lee, and Mr. Whipple.]

New-York, May 5, 1776.

SIR: I have so often and so fully communicated my want of arms to Congress, that I should not have given them the trouble of receiving another letter upon this subject, at this time, but for the particular application of Colonel Wayne, of Pennsylvania, who has pointed out a method by which he thinks they may be obtained. In the hands of the Committee of Safety at Philadelphia, there are, according to Colonel Wayne’s account, not less than two or three thousand stand of arms for Provincial use; from hence, he thinks, a number might be borrowed by Congress, provided they are replaced with Continental arms as they are brought into the magazine in that city. At a crisis so important as this, such a loan might be attended with most signal advantages, while the defenceless state of the regiments, if no relief can be had, may be productive of fatal consequences. To give Congress some idea of our situation with respect to arms, (and justice to my own character requires that it should be known to them, although the world at large will form their opinion of our strength from numbers, without attending to circumstances,) it may not be amiss to enclose a copy of a return which I received a few days ago from the forts in the Highlands, and add, that by a report from Colonel Ritzema’s Regiment, of the 29th ultimo, there appeared to be only ninety-seven firelocks and seven bayonets belonging thereto, and that all the regiments from the eastward are deficient from twenty to fifty of the former. Four of those companies at the fortifications in the Highlands belong to Colonel Clinton’s Regiment; but in what condition the residue are on account of arms, and how Colonel Wynkoop’s men are provided, I cannot undertake to say, but am told most miserably, as Colonel Dayton’s (of New-Jersey) and Colonel Wayne’s (of Pennsylvania) also are. This, sir, is a true, though melancholy description of our situation; the propriety therefore of keeping arms in store, when men in actual pay are wanting them, and who, it is to be presumed, will, as they ought, bear the heat and burden of the day, is submitted with all due deference to the superior judgment of others. I cannot, by all the inquiries I have been able to make, learn what number of arms have been taken from the Tories, where they lie, or how they are to be got at.

The Committee of Safety for this Colony have assured me that no exertions of theirs shall be wanting to procure arms; but our sufferings in the meanwhile may prove fatal, as men without are in a manner useless. I have therefore thought of employing an agent, whose sole business it shall be to ride through the middle and interior parts of these Governments, for the purpose of buying up such arms as the inhabitants may incline to sell, and are fit for use.

The designs of the enemy are too much behind the curtain for me to form any accurate opinion of their plan of operations for the summer’s campaign. We are left to wander, therefore, in the field of conjecture; and as no place—all its consequences considered—seemed of more importance in the execution of their grand plan than possessing themselves of Hudson’s River, I thought it advisable to remove, with the Continental Army, to this city, so soon as the King’s troops evacuated Boston; but if the Congress, from their knowledge, information, or belief, think it best for the general good of the service that I should go to the Northward, or elsewhere, they are convinced, I hope, that they have nothing more to do than signify their commands.

With the greatest respect, I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the President of Congress.

A Return of the state of the Garrison at FORT CONSTITUTION, April 23, 1776.

ISAAC NICOLL, Commanding Officer.

A Return of the state of the Garrison at FORT MONTGOMERY, April 29, 1776.

A true copy of the Return made by Captain Billings, examined and compared at Fort Constitution.

ISAAC NICOLL, Commanding Officer.

GENERAL ORDERS.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 1, 1776.

The Majors of Brigade are to see that every Regiment, in their respective Brigades, take their proper share of all duties that the service requires.

After Orders.

Colonel McDougall’s and Colonel Ritzema’s Regiments to be mustered on Saturday morning, at ten o’clock, upon the Common, near the Laboratory, where the Commissary-General of Musters will attend.