your Excellency with the above, as perhaps it might have some influence upon your orders or conduct relating to those matters, and they have ordered me to inform you accordingly. This goes by express.

By order of said Committees, I am your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

MARK HOPKINS.

To General Washington.

BALTIMORE COMMITTEE TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

In Committee, Baltimore, May 27, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Captain John Sterrett’s Company of Militia being appointed an Independent Company, and Captain George Wells’s Company, consisting chiefly of ship carpenters employed in working on the Continental frigate, having petitioned to be formed into an Artillery Company, which we presume will be granted, we think proper to add to the Baltimore-Town Battalion, Captain Thomas Rutter’s and Captain Frederick Deams’s Companies of Militia, as the most convenient to join the same; and their situation is such that they cannot with propriety join any other Battalion.

By order of the Committee:

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, Jun., Chairman.

Frederick Deams, Captain; Absalom Price, First Lieutenant; George Campbell, Second Lieutenant; John Demmit, Ensign, and 79 Privates.

N. B. Captain Rutter has already received commissions for himself and his officers.

These are to certify to the honourable Council of Safety, that the following Returns have been made to this Committee of Companies of Militia in Baltimore County, viz:

One Company in Baltimore-Town, containing 76, who have elected William Buchanan, Captain; John Smith, First Lieutenant; Robert Alexander, Second Lieutenant; George Woolsey, Ensign.

One Company in Baltimore-Town, containing 82, who have elected John Sterrett, Captain; Bennet Eichelberger, First Lieutenant; Hugh Young, Second Lieutenant; Daniel Bowly, Ensign.

One Company in Baltimore-Town, containing 65, who have elected Henry Sheap, Captain; Brittingham Dickenson, First Lieutenant; Robert Moore, Second Lieutenant; Caleb Shields, Ensign.

One Company in Baltimore-Town, containing 58, who have elected William Galbraith, Captain; James Toole, First Lieutenant; John Deaver, Second Lieutenant; Joseph Gehe, Ensign.

One Company in Baltimore-Town, containing 71, who have elected William Richardson, Captain; John McCabe, First Lieutenant; George Sewell Douglass, Second Lieutenant; Fergus McIhoy, Ensign.

One Company of Artillery, in Baltimore-Town, containing 66, who have elected George Wells, Captain; James Morgan, First Lieutenant; John Hayman, Second Lieutenant; James Foster, Third Lieutenant.

The above Companies, together with Captain Zachariah McCubbin’s and Captain James Cox’s, who have received commissions, we recommend to be formed into a Battalion.

We are, gentlemen, your most humble servants,

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

WILLIAM PALFREY TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 29, 1776.]

New-York, May 27, 1776.

SIR: Enclosed I send you a weekly return of the state of my office, from the 19th to the 25th of May, inclusive.

As I wish to have my accounts examined and audited once a month, I should esteem it as a particular favour if the honourable Congress would either appoint proper persons here for the purpose, or direct General Washington to do it. In my humble opinion, the best mode would be for three or more persons to be appointed by warrant from the General, who should examine the accounts, compare the vouchers, count the remaining cash, and certify the same on the back of the warrants.

I have the honour to be, with the utmost respect, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

WILLIAM PALFREY, Paymaster-General.

To John Hancock, Esq., President of Congress.

GENERAL PUTNAM TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 27, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: Nothing material has happened since I last wrote you. The articles General Schuyler wrote for are all forwarded; they went from this last Saturday in a vessel bound to Albany.

Lord Stirling, Colonel Putnam, and one officer from the train, went from this up the North River yesterday. I could not think it prudent to send Colonel Knox, as he was much wanted here. The lead General Schuyler wrote for was not to be had.

I have written General Ward for the following articles which were taken in the last prize, viz: Sand-bags, 10,000; mantelets of cured hides, 100; broad-axes, 100; hand-hammers, 50; hand-hatchets, 500; felling-axes, 300; handbills, 500; spades, 1,000; shovels, 500; powder, 25 tons; one half of the spikes and nails; the whole of the carpenters’ tools; all the carbines, complete; and two tons of lead out of the old stock.

Captain Putnam I have sent on express to forward the above articles with all possible despatch. My proceedings in this matter I hope may be approved of by your Excellency, as I thought it absolutely necessary for the good of the service.

Last night an express arrived from Canada, with a letter from General Schuyler, dated Fort George, May 21st, which mentions he had forwarded on all the provisions then on hand; and a letter from General Thompson, dated Chambly, May 14th, which says matters are in a very confused state. He mentions Colonel Greaton’s and part of Colonel Bond’s Regiments had gone forward; Colonel Patterson’s at Montreal; Colonel Poor’s at Ticonderoga, waiting for provisions. He expected to go down the Sorel and join General Thomas that evening. These letters I should forward you, but expect your Excellency in town this day or to-morrow. Have detained the express till your arrival.

I am, with esteem and respect, your Excellency’s most obedient and very humble servant,

ISRAEL PUTNAM

To His Excellency General Washington.

JONATHAN LAWRENCE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Newtown, May 27, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: On complaint of Waters Smith, Esquire, Captain Nathaniel Woodard, and several others of the inhabitants of this town, against John Moore, Jun., of a fresh insult offered to the United Colonies, by hoisting a large flag, or suffering the same to be hoisted, on his grounds in imitation of a King’s standard, the Committee ordered him to be taken into custody, and brought before them; and as he has not given sufficient satisfaction, the Committee thought proper to order him safely conducted to your honourable Board, and in the care of Captain Abraham Remsen, for further examination.

By order of the Committee:

JONATHAN LAWRENCE, Chairman.

N. B. The flag which was taken we have sent by Captain Remsen.

AARON STOCKHOLM TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE.

New-York, May 27, 1776.

SIR: Be it known, that we, the subscribers, being present at a funeral yesterday, did hear the following persons, viz: Peter McLean, Samuel Galsworthy, Francis De La Roche, and a young man in military clothing, who appeared to be an acquaintance of said Galsworthy, make expressions which we thought highly dangerous to the cause of liberty. McLean in particular said that persons who did not at present take up arms in the cause of the country were used worse than any persons had ever been used in Rome, or any other Romish dominions.