Officers, they were admitted. Captain Rosekrans requested Crocus or Beds for his Company.

Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius deliver to Captain Rosekrans Crocus or Beds for a full Company, and take his receipt for the same.

Captain Abraham Swartwout, of Dutchess County, requested the supply of sundry articles engaged to the Troops raised in this Colony, for fifty men inlisted in his Company.

Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius deliver to Captain Swartwout a due proportion of each article, (ordered to be provided for the Troops raising for the defence of this Colony, ) for fifty men of his Company, and take his receipt for the same.

And Ordered further, That Colonel Curtenius deliver to Captain John Belknap a due proportion of each article ordered to be provided for the Troops raising for the defence of this Colony, for a full Company, and take a receipt for the same.

Die Jovis, 10 ho. A. M., April 25, 1776.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present: Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esquire, Chairman.

FOR NEW-YORK.—Major Stoutenburgh, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Prince, Mr. Randall, Capt. Denning, Colonel Lott, Mr. Scott, Mr. Evert Bancker.

FOR ALBANY.—Mr. Oothoudt.

FOR KING’S.—Mr. Polhemus.

FOR ORANGE.—Mr. Cuyper.

FOR SUFFOLK.—Mr. Tredwell.

FOR WESTCHESTER.—Mr. Van Cortlandt.

FOR RICHMOND.—Mr. Adrian Bancker.

A Letter from Walter Livingston, Esq., dated at Albany, on the 7th day of April instant, was read. For the reasons therein mentioned, requesting that four hundred barrels of Pork may be sent to him for the use of the Northern Army, to be replaced by the like quantity ordered from Connecticut by Contractors appointed by General Lee,

Ordered, That Mr. Van Zandt and Mr. Randall wait on General Washington, and show him the said Letter.

Messrs. Van Zandt and Randall returned, and reported that the General had informed them that the four hundred barrels of Pork ordered from Connecticut was coming down, and might be soon expected, and that it will go to Albany without unloading; but that the General requested that the said Letter might be shown to Colonel Trumbull, Commissary-General.

Ordered, That one of the Secretaries show the said Letter to Colonel Trumbull.

Alexander Moncrief informed the Committee, that the Provost-Marshal of the Army refuses to let him have the use of the Jail-Room which he formerly had, and that he is thereby hitherto prevented from obeying the order of this Committee, given to him yesterday with relation to sundry Prisoners therein named. *

* NEW-YORK, April 24, 1776.

HONOURABLE SIR: I went according to your direction to Colonel Mifflin; I gave your compliments to the Colonel, desiring if he would be pleased to hear my complaint on the Provost-Marshal of the Army, and to give me redress for the abuse he gave me. His Honour was pleased to say he would look into it, and put a stop to the rude proceedings of said Provost-Marshal. Whether Colonel Mifflin has spoken to him on that subject, I cannot tell; but still the said Provost goes on at me with most scandalous abuse, that the like I never got since ever I could remember myself. So much of this abuse proceeds from clashes and lies that Thomas Varnom, hatter, now a prisoner in Jail, told on me to the said Provost: that when I had the prisoners in charge, that I used them ill, and barbarously abused them; likewise drew money from the treasury for prisoners, and never gave said moneys to them, but they were obliged to maintain themselves. This the Provost-Marshal upbraids me with, in a clamorous and satirick manner, by the base report of that infamous liar, Varnom; and when this matter is tried and examined, I will prove said Varnom to be an infamous fellow; and for my part am confident that I am innocent of what is laid to my charge, and will prove myself to be a person faithful to trust, and an honest man; requesting of your Honour to bring this matter to a trial or examination.

The Provost-Marshal is very much concerned about Varnom. He finds a vast many faults with the Committee of Safety for detaining of said Varnom in prison, and promises him he will apply to the Commander-in-Chief for his enlargement, or releasement out of prison.

I am, your most obedient servant,

ALEXANDER MONCRIEF.

To the Honourable Colonel McDougall, New-York.

Mr. Randall informed the Committee that his son has an inclination to purchase the Sloop Bishop of Landaff, and therefore he would not choose to be concerned in making the sale.

Mr. Van Zandt informed the Committee that Mr. Robert Randall had offered four hundred Pounds for the said Sloop, and he requested their advice in the premises. The Committee were of opinion that the said Sloop is worth more, and desired that Mr. Robert Randall should be informed thereof, and know the utmost that he would offer.

A Letter from Colonel Gilbert Drake,* dated the 24th instant, was read and filed. He thereby informs that Captain Hyat with his Officers have seventy men ready for the service; that on encouragement formerly given him, he has waited to know if there is any vacancy for the Company. Captain Hyat was desired to call in the afternoon.

Two Letters from General Washington, one dated the 20th and the other the 24th, were read.

Ordered, That they be delivered to Mr. Scott to prepare a draft of an Answer.

Ordered, That Colonel McDougall be desired to make a Return of the state of his Regiment to this Committee, with all possible despatch.

A draft of a Letter to Major-General Schuyler, to be delivered by Captain Wynkoop, was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety, New-York, April 25, 1776.

SIR: Your letter of the 8th ultimo, requesting seamen for the service on the lakes, came to hand on the 16th. The Provincial Congress on that day sent Captain Wynkoop to Major Douglass on that subject. His answer was not satisfactory. The Committee of Safety wrote to him. His letter in answer was in our opinion indeterminate. Captain Wynkoop was ready for the service, but refused to serve under Major Douglass. The Committee of Safety immediately recommended Captain Wynkoop to Congress for the command, enclosing copies of all the letters on that subject, and requesting they would give immediate directions, which we have not yet received. On the 13th instant, on sight of your letter to the General, we found that Major Douglass was gone to Connecticut. We then prevailed on Captain Wynkoop to undertake that service, on condition to have leave to resign and leave that department if any person should arrive there to take the command of the vessels as his superior. Nothing but the pressing necessity of the case, an attachment to the service, the cause of his country, and to you, sir, as his General, would have prevailed on Captain Wynkoop to inlist the men, and proceed to put the vessels in order, under the present uncertainty of his station. Should the appointment of a superior oblige him to quit that department, we hope, sir, it will not be considered to his disadvantage.

It was not in our power to send you seamen without an officer. We assure you, sir, that we have done everything in our power in this matter; and had it not been for the difficulties which arose from the appointment of Major Douglass, you would have had the seamen in due season, and in the month of March.

We are, with the highest respect and esteem, sir, your very humble servants.

To Major-General Schuyler.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted.

A Letter from Samuel Tucker, Esquire, President of the Committee of Safety of the Province of New-Jersey, was read and filed, in the words following viz:

“In Committee of Safety, New-Brunswick, April 20, 1776.

“GENTLEMEN: This day were brought before us, three persons belonging to Westchester County, in your Province,

* April 24, 1776.—DEAR SIR: I take the freedom to write to you by Captain Hyat, the bearer hereof, to let you know that I have kept Hyat hack till this day not to join the Continental Regiments; and, sir, if you remember, that it was agreed in the Committee that if all the warrants were returned in by Wednesday, and Captain Hyat would come down with a list of his men for a company, that he should have a commission with his officers. Sir, he tells me that he, with his lieutenants, have got about seventy men ready, if he can get the commission, to join any regiment in the Continental service. Sir, I hope that you will assist and forward the expedition, and not let it be deferred for want of men, when so good a company offers.

From yours to serve,

GILBERT DRAKE.

To John Morin Scott, Esquire.