and it behooves you to be prepared for the different divisions of troops that are ordered against you. Lord Cornwallis is at Cork, with three thousand troops, and nearly ready to sail; he is designed for Virginia, to meet General Clinton. The intention is, to march through that country and attack Philadelphia. Ministry declare they shall have an array in America by June consisting of thirty thousand men, but most of them will be Germans. They have not yet procured the sanction of Parliament. The business is, however, considered as done, and the uniform compliance of that abandoned Assembly does not justify a doubt respecting it. Lord George Germaine (formerly Sackville) is Minister for the American Department. Lord Howe is appointed chief commander of the fleet. Shuldham is to be recalled. Lord North as yet keeps his ground; though it is strongly suspected that, at the end of this session, he will resign the helm to another pilot, and the Minden hero will probably be the man. The conduct of Lord Dunmore is generally reprobated, and we wish the Virginians could lay their hands on him. By the Sampson, Captain Coupar, from New-York, we have advices as late as the 10th January, though no confirmation of the surrender of Quebeck. That event must, we think, long since have taken place, and measures are concerted by Government accordingly. Burgoyne is to command the Tories designed to retake Canada—ten thousand are said to be the number. These particulars you may depend on. The recruiting parties in the different parts of the country meet with but little success. The bulk of the people are averse to war; and though such numbers of the merchant ships are laid up, it is with great difficulty seamen can be procured to man the frigates. At this hour a press is very generally expected. To victual the transports the more readily, an embargo is laid on all provisions from Ireland except to England and the Plantations in the West-Indies. The Irish are displeased, and the Protestants there, to a man almost, except the dependants of Government, are favourers of America.

As very few ships arrive but to Government, we are imperfectly informed of your transactions. The Gazette of London, (become as infamous as the Gazette of Brussels,) when it gives any intelligence it is so mutilated that the shadow of the fact only remains. When any event of importance happens in your favour it would be very material and advantageous if a circumstantial account was immediately transmitted. When you succeed, the people are in triumph and the Ministerial advocates are depressed and silent.

Colonel Boyd is again in London. I hear he came through your camp, and that on your making a discovery of him, he hastily departed. Many Americans are here; some dumb, others sanguine in the common cause; others, to their eternal disgrace, advocates for the Ministry. I send you some of the latest newspapers, and also some Irish ones, with which a friend has just obliged me.

Are there no opportunities of your conveying a line with safety? Through Philadelphia or New-York I should imagine it might easily be accomplished. Our friend Wilkes is a candidate for the Chamberlainship, in the gift of the Livery. Alderman Bull is in a poor state of health; a warmer friend America cannot boast, though I fear he will soon be removed to a more peaceful state. The cause has been the object to which he has sacrificed. Lee, the elder, is an Alderman; he behaves with spirit. Sayer has brought his action against Lord Rochford for false imprisonment. You heard, I doubt not, of that childish plot. Nothing has disgraced the judgment of Administration so much, except their blundering American conduct. The Somerset man-of-war is just arrived; what news she brings we cannot yet learn. We are often amused with the reports of disunion among the Provincials. These reports answer the purpose of a day, but nothing further. Men who have taken up arms in so glorious a cause will sacrifice to each other, and not permit anything to operate to the prejudice of the common good. Union cannot too strongly and frequently be inculcated; all depends upon it.

Having stood forth in defence of the common rights of mankind and the freedom of your country, may Heaven protect you; and that your life may be prolonged to enjoy in domestick tranquillity the blessings which result from an establishment of peace, is the wish of, dear sir,

—— ——.

P. S. Lord Cornwallis sailed from Cork with Sir Peter Parker’s squadron last Monday, the 12th instant. A vessel arrived here yesterday and brought us this intelligence. No confirmation of Quebeck’s surrender yet.

Bristol, February 18, 1776.

COLONEL LIVINGSTON TO JOHN MCKESSON.

Fort Constitution, May 19, 1776.

SIR: As you expected on my arrival at this post that Colonel Nicoll would have given up the command, and look upon himself as properly relieved by a Continental officer; also as many of the gentlemen of the Committee were then of opinion that it would be too great an expense to keep us both here, I must beg leave to inform you that Colonel Nicoll does not think my orders from General Washington, nor your letter to him, a sufficient reason for leaving the command of these forts in my hands. I have made no dispute about the matter, but have issued all necessary orders in his name, having first (as I thought it most prudent) obtained his approbation of them, though I cannot by any means say I approve of his keeping the command, as he knows it to be disapproved of by the gentlemen in Committee. He left this place about four days ago. I then wrote to General Washington that I had taken the command, and made my returns, acquainting him with our situation; but he has since returned.

We are furnished with no arms yet from the Committees of Ulster and Dutchess, but expect an answer every moment. A storehouse for provisions, and an infirmary, are much wanted here. Our store will not hold provisions enough for six hundred men one month. It has in it now two hundred and fifty barrels; two-thirds of them are provisions belonging to Mr. W. Livingston, and cannot be dealt out at all, as they are not purchased by the contractors for these garrisons. These two hundred and fifty barrels take up the whole store. The Commissioners see the necessity of both these buildings, but do not care to undertake them without orders. Our barracks are quite too confined even for the small number of men here; should a greater number of troops be thought necessary we should be much distressed for want of room. The officers are now obliged to huddle in with the men, sick and well all together. It is quite impossible to keep up a proper decorum, as all distinction is lost, while they are, from their situation, under the necessity of being intimate.

Major Schuyler will do himself the honour to present this to you. I wish he could be continued with us, as our officers are quite uninformed; he is very intelligent, and might be of great service to me in the management of these posts.

Our men are getting the scurvy very fast, owing to their not having been furnished with fresh provisions, through the carelessness of the contractor’s commissary at this place. Fifty-eight arms are just now arrived from the Committee of Dutchess County; most of them are out of repair and useless. We are now in such a situation that I should dread the consequences of our being attacked by one hundred well-armed men. From the situation of these posts one would imagine them too important to be left at the mercy of our enemies. An exact map would convince that should the enemy get possession they would not easily be driven out again. We are much in want of money to pay our men and officers.

As we have no Quartermaster to our regiment, I must beg leave to recommend to that office Nehemiah Carpenter, now at Fort Montgomery; he is honest, industrious, and a good accountant, and, in my opinion, qualified for that post. I have put him on duty as Quartermaster till the pleasure, of the Committee be known; he begins to officiate the 13th instant.

A Sergeant-Major would be very useful to the regiment. They do not know that any provision is made for one in this establishment. I have also, as the barracks were very filthy, prevailed on a Sergeant to do the duty of Barrackmaster—by no means a useless office. If you should think as I do with respect to this matter, you would oblige me if you would propose a provision for him.

I remain your most obedient humble servant,

HENRY B. LIVINGSTON.

To Mr. John McKesson, New-York.

N. B. Money and rum for the men are much wanted here; an allowance of the latter has always been made to men on fatigue.