morning, at nine o’clock, for the trial of all such prisoners as may be brought before them.

Colonel Nixon, President. Members: Lieutenant-Colonel Shephard, Major Wells. Captains: General Heath’s Brigade, 4; Lord Stirling’s 2; General Spencer’s, 4.

The names of the prisoners to be tried, together with their crimes, and evidences, to be given in to the Judge Advocate this afternoon. All evidences to give due attendance on the Court.

James Grant, of Captain Waterhouse’s Company, in Colonel Parsons’s Regiment, tried at a late General Court Martial, whereof Colonel Ritzema was President, for “destroying his arms, abusing the Sergeants, and insolently affronting his officers,” is found guilty, and sentenced to pay for his arms, and receive twenty lashes on his bare back.

The General approves of the sentence, and orders the corporal punishment to be inflicted to-morrow morning, at the head of the Regiment, at guard-mounting.

Daniel Kitts, of Colonel Ward’s Regiment, and Captain Allen’s Company, tried at the above Court-Martial, for “stealing a shirt.” The General thinks proper to postpone his sentence until further orders.

Joseph Lent, of Colonel McDougall’s Regiment, and Captain Hoyt’s Company, tried at the above Court-Martial, for “disobedience of orders and striking his commanding officer, Ensign Young, when in the execution of his duty,” is found guilty of disobedience of orders, and sentenced to be confined five days on bread and water, in the Provost dungeon.

The General is not a little surprised at the sentence of the Court on the prisoner, Joseph Lent, and thinks the punishment so inadequate to the crime, that he disapproves of the sentence. The General hopes this hint will make future General Courts-Martial more particular and severe on the heinous crime of a soldier striking, or attempting to strike, his officer, or disobey his commands.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 30, 1776.

Head-Quarters, New-York, May 31, 1776.

The Provost-Marshal to make a report in writing, every morning at Head-Quarters, of the prisoners he has in charge, specifying their names, regiments, companies, by whom confined, crimes, number of nights confined, tried or not tried.

Edmund Britt, of Captain Butler’s Company, and Colonel Nixon’s Regiment, tried at the General Court-Martial whereof Colonel Nixon is President, for “desertion,” is found guilty, and sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes.

Ahimaas Sherwin, of Captain Butler’s Company, and Colonel Nixon’s Regiment, tried at the above Court-Martial, for “desertion,” is also found guilty, and sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes.

The General approves of the sentence on the above two prisoners, and orders it to be put in execution to-morrow morning, at guard mounting.

After Orders, May 31, 1776.

General Washington has written to General Putnam, desiring him, in the most pressing terms, to give positive orders to all the Colonels to have colours immediately completed for their respective Regiments.

ELIAS BAYLET TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

GENTLEMAN: In consequence of a resolve of Provincial Congress respecting the returning of the inhabitants of the city of New-York who left the same since the 1st of June last, this Committee gave personal notice to all such persons as had moved into this District, requesting them to comply with the said resolve, limiting them to what this Committee thought a reasonable time for the same; and, as many of them, at the expiration of the said time limited, had not satisfied this Committee of their leave of absence from the said city; therefore, we send such of those persons down to the city as we can get, the others keeping themselves concealed. But before this method was taken, publick notice was again given by advertisements, requesting them to satisfy this Committee of the reasons of their non-compliance; which they have not done.

By order of the Committee:

ELIAS BAYLEY, Chairman.

P. S. This Committee are of opinion that John Livingston, Jun., ought to be kept in custody till he produces one Smith, his hostler, who is kept secreted by Livingston’s family.

SAMUEL BREWSTER TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

In Committee, New-Windsor, May 31, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We have this day ordered back to the city of New-York a certain Isaac De Witt, who lately came here without a certificate from his Colonel or commanding officer, as directed by the Congress. We find, on examination, that he is a person who may well be suspected as inimical to the liberties of his country, never having signed the General Association; and his coming here contrary to the orders of Congress, (of which he did not pretend ignorance,) confirm this opinion. He goes back under the care of Lieutenant Anthony, of the New-York Militia.

There are some persons in this District whom (though they have signed the General Association) we have great reason to suspect as unfriendly to the cause of liberty and America; and as we have no reason to expect any aid from those persons, it would, we conceive, be prudent to put it out of their power to injure us by leaving them possessed of arms which we much want, and they may use against us when most needed. We wish, therefore, to know whether the resolve for disarming suspected persons in the city and administering a certain test to them extends to the Province at large, and who are vested with power of executing the same.

It gives us pain to find any person counteracting the orders of Congress, and more especially so when it happens with those who profess friendship to the common cause. This has lately been the case with a certain Mrs. Lawrence, wife of Captain Jonathan Lawrence, who is a Commissioner under Congress at Fort Constitution, and his son a Clerk there; both in the pay of the Continent. Mrs. Lawrence, early in the spring, settled in this Precinct, opened a shop here, then, knowingly contrary to the resolve of Congress, has retailed Bohea tea at eight shillings per pound; and, to evade the resolve in that respect, pretends to sell her tea at six shillings per pound, but will not let the purchaser have the tea unless he takes a paper bag to put it in at two shillings, and so in proportion for a greater or lesser quantity. There is something so disingenuous in this kind of conduct, that we view it in a worse light than an open violation of the rule.

Upon having this complaint laid before us, we thought proper to depute one of our members to wait on Mrs. Lawrence, (in tenderness for her sex,) and treat with her on this matter, by letting her know that, if she would desist from her present conduct in that particular, return the money extorted to the persons from whom she received it, and sell her tea at the price fixed by Congress, in that case we would make matters as easy as we consistently could. But she has refused to comply with this reasonable and indulgent proposal; and the remainder of her tea has (as we are informed since) been removed to Fort Constitution, under the care of her husband and son, which has much disgusted the inhabitants, as they conceive it as a kind of insult to have that fortress made an asylum for that useless herb and the illegal venders of it. We thought it proper, as also being in duty bound, to inform you of this matter, that what is right may be done therein, and in future the resolve of Congress may not be violated or evaded in this manner for want of punishing those who have already transgressed.

We have the honour, gentlemen, to be, with all due esteem, your most obedient, humble servants.

By order of the Committee:

SAMUEL BREWSTER, Chairman.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York.