to arrange the companies of every regiment in the County; and as the arrangement of the regiment of Colonel Pawling was brought before the County Committee on Monday, the 13th day of May instant, and by their arrangement they have made Jacob Hasbrouck First Captain, Frederick Schoonmaker Second Captain, Andrew Bevier Third Captain, and myself the Fourth; wherein I find myself and my subalterns and company wronged, for the following reasons:

1st. Because if any preference should be allowed to former commissions, I should be at least Second Captain in the regiment, and Frederick Schoonmaker First, as the said Captain Schoonmaker was First Lieutenant under Captain Andrew De Witt, of Marbletown, who was then the youngest Captain in the regiment, and I was Second Lieutenant under Captain Jacob Hoornbeeck, who was then the oldest Captain in the regiment, and no other subaltern officers are in the regiment promoted to Captains.

2dly. If no preference is allowed to former commissions, then I humbly conceive the rank of the Captains must either be allowed from the time of our several elections as Captains, or from the day of qualifying, or from the companies. From the date of the commissions it cannot, as the same are of equal date; and if from the time of the several elections, then Jacob Hasbrouck will be First Captain in the said regiment, as being voted in the beginning of June, 1775, and I Second, as being elected in the latter end of the said month of June, and Frederick Schoonmaker was elected in September, and Andrew Bevier in the latter end of September or beginning of October; which again brings me Second Captain.

3dly. If from the time of qualifying before the Chairman of the Committee, then Frederick Schoonmaker is first, 1 second, Andrew Bevier third, Joakim Schoonmaker fourth, and Jacob Hasbrouck fifth Captain.

4thly. If from the companies, then I have the command of the oldest company in the regiment, and one of the first formed companies in the County; and as Captain Andrew Bevier never was an officer, civil or military, before, and his commission is for the Second Company of the town of Rochester, and mine for the First of the said town as aforesaid; and said Captain Bevier being now placed in the regiment before me, gives such an affront and uneasiness among the men of my company that the greater part of them absolutely say they will not stand in a lower rank in the regiment than Captain Bevier’s company, and such as is due to them.

Wherefore, gentlemen, I must appeal from the arrangement of the County Committee to your honourable Board, humbly praying that your honourable Board, in your wisdom, will be pleased to ascertain and settle the rank of my company in the said regiment, according to your own rules and discipline, and 1 shall rest myself satisfied therein; for I humbly conceive the above arrangement of the County Committee is unjust, against right and reason, and therefore I must coincide with my company not to comply therewith; and although I count it a great honour to myself to serve the continent as one of your officers, yet I am determined not to serve as an officer under my proper rank. Wherefore I do send you enclosed my commission, and do humbly pray that if your honourable Board, in your wisdom, do not choose to alter the above arrangements, or to proceed thereon, that you will then please to appoint another Captain in my place; for I will rather serve as a common soldier than an officer in a confused and displeased company.

So, gentlemen, I rely myself on your wisdom, and will wait on your directions; and beg leave to subscribe myself your most obedient and most humble servant,

PETRUS SCHOONMAKER.

To the New-York Congress.

P. S. The above four reasons I am willing to prove, at any time, with the two Colonels (Pawling and Hoornbeeck) of the regiment.

MEMORIAL FROM A NUMBER OF THE MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY OF RHODE-ISLAND.

[Read May 29, 1776.]

To the most Honourable the Delegates of the United Colonies, in Congress assembled, at PHILADELPHIA:

In the absence of the Governour and Deputy-Governour, Commodore Eseck Hopkins hath applied to us for the re-delivery of twenty pieces of cannon which he had landed in this Colony. We have thought it absolutely necessary to detain them until your Honours shall be made acquainted with the circumstances of the Colony, not doubting but that, upon mature consideration, it will be thought best for the common interest to permit them to remain here. We beg the most favourable construction of this measure, and assure your Honours that no persons living are more sensible of the necessity of establishing the authority of Congress, nor more ready to pay obedience to it.

Your Honours have doubtless frequently with pain reflected upon the unhappy state of the town of Newport, which was entirely defenceless, surrounded by a powerful naval armament, and daily threatened with and in danger of immediate destruction; for it was incontestably in the power of the British fleet to destroy it at pleasure. In this situation, it is not at all strange that near a third part of the inhabitants removed, and that a majority of the remainder were induced to temporize, and even to assume an appearance rather unfriendly to the United Colonies. To this situation, alone, is the former conduct of Newport to be attributed, and not to want of spirit or love of their country. In this state of affairs, the British fleet quitted the harbour, and Commodore Hopkins most providentially arrived with twenty-six cannon and some shot, which he offered to the town. The inhabitants, elated with the prospect of having the means of defence, assembled in a full town-meeting, and unanimously voted to work upon the necessary fortifications, and to defend the town; and immediately-entered upon it with vigour. This decisive resolution gave every friend to the United Colonies a new spring, as many of us looked upon Newport as worse than lost to the common cause. Three considerable works have been erected. These cannon have been with great expedition mounted upon carriages, and placed upon the platforms, and the town of Newport is now capable of being defended against all the frigates in the British Navy. Fortifications are also making at Bristol Ferry, and on the east side of Rhode-Island, which, when completed, will effectually secure a communication with the continent, and enable us to defend that most valuable island.

We were happy in the idea of having put a total stop to supplying the enemy, of destroying the very seeds of disaffection in the Colony, and of being a united people. We looked upon the saving the town of Newport, the commanding the harbour—in which, from its easiness of access, vessels from sea may find a quick protection under the cannon of the forts, and which will at all times afford a safe asylum to the Continental ships, and to privateers and their prizes, as well as to other vessels, and which, by means of the works now erected, may pass in and out in spite of all the British fleet—as objects of very great importance to the common cause. But our pleasing prospects are greatly interrupted by the order to deliver twenty of these cannon to Messrs. Hollingsworth and Richardson, to be transported to Philadelphia. From the face of it, which is directed to the Commodore, and in his absence to Mr. Tillinghast, it appeared clearly to us that your Honours thought the cannon were barely landed here, and had no idea of their being fitted with carnages, and planted in forts erected purposely for their reception.

We beg leave to refer you, for a general state of the Colony, to the memorial from the Assembly, which is now before your Honours, and is in no degree exaggerated, by which you will be able to judge of the exposed situation of the Colony, of its great exertions for the common as well as our own defence, and of the utter impossibility of our defending ourselves; to which we would add, that there are now in the Colony, exclusive of those brought by the Commodore, but twenty-four pieces of heavy cannon, being twenty-four and eighteen-pounders. The Assembly had contracted with the owners of furnace Hope for sixty more; but the Commodore having brought twenty-six heavy cannon into the Colony, the Assembly consented that the cannon for the Continental ships should be first made, as the owners of the furnace could not possibly supply both de-partments in season; so that we have yet had but four eighteen-pounders from them, nor can the others be made under a long time, unless a stop be put to those making for the ships.

We are informed by the Commodore that he landed