and shall not let the Army suffer. I am fully of opinion with you in regard to persons holding criminal correspondence with our enemies, and shall treat them accordingly. The proclamation you hint I think is both just and reasonable, and the only resource we have left to maintain an Army in this country. I think the places you mention for magazines proper, and in addition beg leave to mention St. Johns as the principal.

I have had in contemplation the collecting all the wheat on the Sorel; but my attention has been and is still taken off here. I have sent Lieutenant-Colonel Shreve and fifty men to Bertier, and proposed to send two hundred men before I received your favour. I hope General Sullivan will arrive soon. Mr. Romans’s conduct, by all accounts, has been very extraordinary.

Blankets and coarse linens are exceedingly wanted. Most of our men, returned from below, are naked. Will it not be advisable and justifiable to seize on all such goods in Montreal as we are in absolute necessity for, and pay them the value? Government has set us many precedents, and necessity will doubtless justify retaliation. This I submit to your better judgment; and am, with my hearty respects to the ladies and Mr. Carroll, (when he arrives,) and with great respect, esteem, and good wishes, dear sir, your obedient humble servant,

B. ARNOLD.

To the Honourable Samuel Chase, Esq.

P. S. Colonel Campbell is much wanted here. I have been obliged to appoint a Deputy Quartermaster-General in his room, pro tem.

B. A.

COLONEL DAYTON TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Johnstown, May 24, 1776.

SIR: In my letter sent yesterday, by the Rev. Mr. Caldwell, I informed you of my intentions of possessing Johnson-Hall. A guard and sentries are so placed as to intercept effectually any communication with any part of the country. Previous to this, I sent an officer with a letter to Lady Johnson, informing her of my design, and requesting all the keys, in order to examine Sir John’s papers. Colonel White, Major Barber, and myself, waited upon her shortly after. She immediately produced all the keys, with a considerable number of papers. The letters were carefully perused in presence of herself, and a few selected, copies of which I transmit you by this express, retaining the originals in my own hands until I shall have the pleasure of seeing or conveying them more safely to you. The house, also, was examined in every part. Since Mr. Caldwell left this place, I am more assured that Sir John, with his party, marched from these settlements on Monday last, for Niagara or Canada. Lady Johnson assures me he is on his road to Niagara, and that we soon shall hear where he is. As the guards and sentries around the Hall must increase the pain of her situation, I have requested her to remove to Albany, where, as I understand, she has several friends. To this she seems averse, but for what reasons I know not; and I would therefore be glad to receive your directions on this head also.

In consequence of an express despatched to Colonel Harkaman, I understand he has collected his Militia, in order to prevent Sir John’s escaping through that part of the country.

I am, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

ELIAS DAYTON.

To General Schuyler.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Fort George, May 26, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Since my letter of this morning, Mr. Livingston, my Aid-de-Camp, whom I sent to Albany to hasten up to this place whatever of Van Schaick’s and Wynkoop’s Regiments might be there more than were wanted to man the batteaus employed in transporting provisions, is returned here, and informs me that the men of both those regiments at that place are not sufficient to man the batteaus. This information is corroborated by a letter from my Secretary, and gives me great uneasiness, lest our Army in Canada should again be under difficulties for want of the necessary supplies.

By the enclosed return your Excellency will see that I have only ninety-one rank and file fit for duty; twenty-eight of these are constantly employed in the batteaus that bring the timber for building others; eight in the large boat, and ten in various other services; so that I have only forty-five left for duty, and all raw and undisciplined—a force so trifling that it leaves us exposed to the insults of any very inconsiderable party, who may destroy our boats and buildings, and thereby greatly distress, if not totally render useless, our Army in Canada. Permit me, therefore, to beg your Excellency to order me a reinforcement the soonest possible; and should I find myself hereafter in a situation to dispense with them, Colonel Van Schaick will then be immediately sent into Canada.

I forgot to mention to your Excellency that the small note I enclosed you this morning I received with the other papers, but do not know whether intended for the Commissioners or for me; if for me, I am not in a condition to comply with it, as I have not a person here who understands the construction of gondolas. I wrote for such persons to the Congress in the course of last winter; but if I had proper persons here, it would be needless to build them, as the waters in a few days, if not already, are too low to get vessels of that construction down the falls of Chambly.

I shall try to procure batteaumen at Albany and its vicinity; they are cheaper at eleven dollars and a quarter per month, than soldiers with the additional pay of one shilling per day, because they are more to be depended on.

Please to order up some flints, with directions to have them forwarded to this place without delay.

I am so weakened by the ague, which still continues to torment me, that I cannot bear the fatigue of visiting the communication to Albany, where I am much wanted.

I am, dear sir, most sincerely, your Excellency’s obedient and humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To His Excellency General Washington.

Return of the Garrison at FORT GEORGE, May 26, 1776.

All effectives. The above is extracted from the returns of the several Commanding Officers of the Companies now stationed at Fort George, by

JOHN LANSING, Jun.

MARK HOPKINS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Great Barrington, May 26, 1776.

SIR: A Convention of the Committees of Berkshire and the parts adjacent, have lately, by two expresses, communicated to your Excellency their suspicion of a plot being formed for the destruction of these United Colonies, by a combination of a number of persons among ourselves for that purpose, with the evidence upon which that suspicion was principally grounded. Amongst other persons accused, General Schuyler was one, whose important station would give him peculiar advantages to distress us, by withholding support from the Army in Canada, if he were inimically disposed. The said Convention, therefore, took all those methods they could devise to find out the sentiments of the General; and it is with the greatest pleasure we are now able to acquaint your Excellency that said Convention are satisfied that their suspicions respecting him were wholly groundless. That there has been a plan forming among our enemies in the Colonies, is beyond doubt, and we hope the whole will soon be brought to light; but that some wicked and designing men have greatly magnified it, and falsely asserted divers persons of distinction and merit to be concerned in it, in order to influence the timid and ignorant and promote jealousies amongst us, is indisputable. The Committees of this town, Sheffield and Canaan, thought it their duty to acquaint

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