GEORGE BRENT TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

May 26, 1776.

HONOURED GENTLEMEN: As I conceive it will be of the highest importance to the safety and welfare of the people in Skipton District, that a small quantity of powder and lead be lodged there, in case of an Indian war, and as it is most probable the same may happen this summer from our ill success against Quebeck, I beg that two hundred pounds of powder, and a proportional quantity of lead, may be sent to the Committee of that District, to be in readiness for the above-mentioned contingency.

I am, honourable gentlemen, your obedient servant,

GEORGE BRENT.

To the Honourable Council of Safety of Maryland.

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, May 26, 1776.

SIR: To prevent any mistake in consequence of my letter to you of yesterday’s date, I am to inform you that the Battalions of Associators are to form distinct from your Corps, and to be solely commanded by their own officers. This you will please to notice, and post your troops in the field in such order as not to interfere with the disposition of the city troops.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To the Officer commanding the Continental Troops in Philadelphia.

CAPTAIN HAMILTON TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, May 26, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I take the liberty to request your attention to a few particulars, which will be of considerable importance to the future progress of the company under my command; and I shall be much obliged to you for as speedy a determination concerning them as you can conveniently give.

The most material is respecting the pay. Our company, by their articles, are to be subject to the same regulations, and to receive the same pay, as the Continental Artillery. Hitherto I have conformed to the standard laid down in the Journal of the Congress, published the 10th May, 1775; but I am well informed that, by some later regulation, the pay of the Artillery has been augmented, and now stands according to the following rates:

By comparing these with my pay-rolls you will discover a considerable difference; and I doubt not you will be easily sensible that such a difference should not exist.

I am not personally interested in having an augmentation agreeable to the above rates, because my own pay will remain the same that it now is; but I make this application on behalf of the company, as I am fully convinced such a disadvantageous distinction will have a very pernicious effect on the minds and behaviour of the men. They do the same duty with the other companies, and think themselves entitled to the same pay. They have been already comparing accounts, and many marks of discontent have lately appeared on this score. As to the circumstance of our being confined to the defence of the Colony, it will have little or no weight; for there are but few in the company who would not as willingly leave the Colony, on any necessary expedition, as stay in it, and they will not therefore think it reasonable to have their pay curtailed on such a consideration.

Captain Beauman, I understand, inlisted all his men on the above terms; and this makes it very difficult for me to get a single recruit; for men will naturally go to those who pay them best. On this account, I should wish to be immediately authorized to offer the same pay to all who may incline to inlist.

The next thing I should wish to know is, whether I might be allowed any actual expenses that might attend the inlistment of men, should I send into the country for that purpose. The expense would not be great, and it would enable me to complete my company at once, and bring it the sooner into proper order and discipline.

Also, I should be glad to be informed if my company is to be allowed the frock, which is given to the other troops as a bounty. This frock will be extremely serviceable in summer, while the men are on fatigue, and would put it in their power to save their uniform much longer.

I am, gentlemen, with the greatest respect, your most

obedient servant,

A. HAMILTON, Captain.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Fort George, May 26, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Since my last of the 24th, I have received sundry letters from Canada, of which the enclosed are copies.

The five batteaus sent with provisions on the 14th, ar-rived at St. Johns on the 17th, as I have already observed to your Excellency in my last. I have now three hundred barrels of pork here, part of which will go in the large boat, which I momently expect; but I cannot send any in bat-teaus for want of men, nor can Colonel Wynkoop (to whom I sent for two companies) supply any without stopping all there. I have sent for troops to Albany, but do not expect to procure many.

Mr. Deane, who left Montreal on Thursday last, informs me that a part of the Eighth Regiment, with about one hundred and seventy Indians, had actually arrived near the Cedars; that the Caughnawagas are friendly, but refuse to take up arms in our favour.

I wish it could be so managed that the Indians, on their visit to your Excellency, were detained as long as possible, and by some means or other induced to go to Philadelphia and other places, that they might serve as a kind of hostages for the peaceable demeanour of the others.

Yesterday, I received the enclosed from Colonel Dayton. From the declaration of Lady Johnson, that we shall soon hear where he is, I suspect he is only gone towards Oswego, to meet with Major Hamilton, who, I find, from an inter-cepted letter to one of our prisoners, was to fall on the Co-lony in that quarter. This has induced me to order Colonel Dayton to remain in Tryon County until further orders, although he is much wanted in Canada. Your Excellency will please to signify your pleasure on this measure.

The two last corps of General Sullivan’s Brigade have thrown all the communication on Hudson’sRive r in the greatest confusion. They took the wagons stationed at the different carrying-places, and consequently stopped the trans-portation in batteaus; and all this directly contrary to clear and explicit orders given them before I left Albany, and in spite of the Quartermasters and Commissaries, who showed and read my orders. This infamous manoeuvre has greatly retarded the provisions in their way up. I am fully deter-mined to suspend the next officer that shall offend, until the pleasure of Congress is known. I know this to be a stretch of power, but necessity will oblige me to it.

I am, dear General, with the most respectful sentiment your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To His Excellency General Washington, &c.

COMMISSIONERS IN CANADA TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Montreal, May 16, 1776.

DEAR SIR: We are favoured with yours of the 7th in-stant. The Army here is suffering for want of provisions, particularly pork. None, or next to none, is to be procured in Canada. For God’s sake send off pork, or our troops will be greatly distressed for want of provisions, and may mutiny and desert to the enemy.

The enclosed letters from General Arnold will give you the latest intelligence we have received from below. Gene-ral Thompson and Colonel St. Clair sailed from this place yesterday for the mouth of the Sorel; which place we hope he reached last night. They intended to proceed to Des-chambault immediately. We hope we shall be able to main-tain that post, if Carleton has no more forces than mentioned in Arnold’s letters, from the intelligence given by Mr. Bon-field.