General Spencer’s: Colonel Parson’s and Colonel Wylly’s to Bayard’s Hill; Colonel Huntington’s to Red-Hook; Colonel Arnold’s to Fort Stirling; Colonel Ward’s, fifty men with four days’ provisions to cut pickets. These men to be provided with axes this day, and to parade tomorrow morning, at five o’clock, on the Bowling-Green. The remainder of this Regiment’s working party at Fort George; a party of which will be reserved to load boats.

Lord Stirling’s: Colonel Nixon’s, Colonel Webb’s, Colonel McDougalls, and Colonel Ritzema’s, on Governour’s Island, every day until further orders.

As there is great complaint of officers not attending properly, the Majors of Brigade are every evening to send an exact detail of the number of officers and men they furnish for fatigue, to Colonel Putnam, Engineer. They are always to furnish to every two hundred men one Field Officer, three Captains, nine Subalterns, twelve Sergeants, and twelve Corporals.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 26, 1776.

“IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, NEW- YORK, May 25, 1776. —Messrs. John Berrien and Robert Harpur, two of the Members of the General Committee of the City of New-York, delivered in the Report of (he said Committee, which was read and filed, and is in the words following, viz:

“Committee-Chamber, May 24, 1776.

“Doctor Foster appearing before the Committee, says that information was given to General Putnam that several persons had been inoculated at the house of one Fisher, in Stone Street, contrary to a resolve of the Provincial Congress of this Colony; he, the examinant, (agreeable to General Putnam’s order,) immediately went to the house of the above-mentioned Fisher, where he discovered that Lieutenant-Colonel Moulton, Captain Parks, Doctor Hart, and Lieutenant Brown, had been inoculated by Doctor Azor Betts.

“Doctor Azor Betts being sent for, appeared before the Committee, allowed the charge against him, and offered in his vindication that he had been repeatedly applied to by the officers of the Continental Army to inoculate them; that he refused; but, being over-persuaded, he at last inoculated the persons above-mentioned.

“Resolved, That Doctor Azor Betts be committed to the Jail of this City, and be kept in safe custody until released by the Provincial Congress.

“Ordered, That a copy of the Minutes relating to Dr. Azor Betts’s case be handed to the Provincial Congress.

“Extract from the Minutes:

“JOSHUA WINTER, Secretary.”

“ Messrs. Berrien and Harpur further inform, that the wife of Azor Betts, on her examination, says, that Lieutenant Seymour, from Long-Island, had informed her that seven persons of the Army (officers, as she understood) on Long-Island were taking mercurial preparation, and, as he supposed, were inoculated or preparing to be inoculated for the small-pox.

“Ordered, That a copy of the Report of the General Committee to this Congress be delivered to Major-General Putnam; that he give such direction to the Continental Army, for preventing the small-pox among them on Long-Island, as he may think necessary.

“Extract from the Minutes:

“JOHN MC KESSON, Secretary.”

The General presents his compliments to the honourable the Provincial Congress and General Committee, is much obliged to them for their care in endeavouring to prevent the spreading of the small-pox (by inoculation or any other way) in this City, or in the Continental Army, which might prove fatal to the Army if allowed of at this critical time, when there is reason to expect they may soon be called to action; and orders that the officers take the strictest care to examine into the state of their respective Corps, and thereby prevent inoculation amongst them, which, if any soldier should presume upon, he must expect the severest punishment.

Any officer in the Continental Army who shall suffer himself to be inoculated, will be cashiered and turned out of the Army, and have his name published in the Newspapers throughout the continent as an enemy and traitor to his country. Upon the first appearance of any eruption, the officer discovering it in any soldier is to give information to the Regimental Surgeon, and the Surgeon make report of the same to the Director-General of the Hospital.

The working party from Colonel Nixon’s Regiment are to be ordered every day to Long-Island, instead of Governour’s Island, as mentioned in yesterday’s orders.

The form of a Morning Report (which the Captain of the lower barrack guard is to make every day to the Field Officer) may be had by applying to any of the Brigade-Majors; and it is expected this form will be duly attended to.

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

Nathaniel Stanley, of the First Company of Colonel Wylly’s Regiment, tried by a late General Court-Martial, whereof Colonel Ritzema was President, for “absenting himself from, and refusing to join said Company, after he had received a month’s pay and blanket-money:” The Court find the prisoner guilty of a breach of the eighth article of the Continental Rules and Regulations, and do sentence him to be whipped thirty-nine lashes on his naked back, and be confined seven days upon bread and water.

John Brown, of Captain Scott’s Company, in Colonel Wylly’s Regiment, tried by the above Court-Martial, for “desertion:” The Court find the prisoner guilty of the charge, and sentence him to be whipped twenty lashes on his bare back for said offence.

The General approves the above sentences, and orders the execution of them to-morrow morning at guard mounting.

Captain Harwood is not to take any other men more than his own Company at present, from Colonel Learned’s Regiment, to serve on board the whaling-boats, &c., except by the consent of Lieutenant-Colonel Shephard; whose consent the General imagined Captain Harwood had obtained, when he gave him the order this morning.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 28, 1776.

Colonel Prescott’s Regiment to be mustered at nine o’clock, Thursday morning, on their Regimental parade.

Three men from each Regiment in the three Brigades of Generals Heath, Spencer, and Lord Stirling, together with two Subalterns and two Sergeants, to parade at General Putnam’s Quarters, to-morrow morning, at six o’clock. These men are to be such as understand rowing.

The General Court-Martial, of which Colonel Ritzema was President, is dissolved, and the officers to return to their ordinary duty.

A Wheelwright from each Regiment in the three Brigades above-mentioned, to parade in front of the Laboratory, at eight o’clock in the morning, and receive their orders from Mr. Hughes, Assistant Quartermaster-General.

After Orders, May 28, 1776.

A Sergeant, Corporal, and twelve men, to be immediately detached from the upper barrack guard to Paulus-Hook, who are to guard the works there and secure the working tools. This detachment to be immediately replaced by a like number from any one Brigade, who will be allowed their quota in to-morrow’s detail. From henceforward the guard at Paulus-Hook are to take with them four days’ provisions, and to be relieved every fourth day, commencing to-morrow.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 29, 1776.

One man from each Regiment to parade to-morrow morning, at six o’clock, at General Putnam’s Quarters., to go on board the Mijflin armed schooner. These men are to be such as best understand the business.

A reinforcement to be added to the upper barrack guard, of one Sergeant, one Corporal, and twenty-four Privates. The above guard is to furnish four additional sentries over the Laboratory, and four over the magazine of forage. For the placing those sentries, and the orders they are to receive, application is to be made to Mr. Hughes, Assistant Quartermaster-General.

A General Court-Martial, consisting of one Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel, one Major, and ten Captains, to sit to-morrow