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and I am now directed to acquaint you that they have appointed a number of gentlemen of their body to attend the conference proposed to be held in your city on the 18th of this month, in order to agree upon and direct the mode of electing members for a Provincial Convention, a measure which they conceive to be extremely proper in itself, and highly necessary in the present situation of our affairs. The gentlemen nominated by the Committee are Messrs. Henry Haller, Bodo Otto, Jacob Morgan, Benjamin Spycker, Nicholas Lutz, Valentine Eckert, Charles Shoemaker, Daniel Hunter, Joseph Hiester, and myself, who will attend at the time appointed. By order of the Committee. I am, gentlemen, your very humble servant, MARK BIRD, Chairman. To the Committee of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia. GENERAL PUTNAM TO GENERAL WASHINGTON. Head-Quarters, New-York, June 1, 1776. DEAR GENERAL: I have this moment (by express) received the enclosed letters from Generals Schuyler and Sullivan, which I think of such great importance I shall immediately forward you, together with my answer to General Schuyler. I wrote you yesterday, but was too late for the post; shall forward it on with this; since which five ships have arrived at the Hook, three of which I suppose to be men of war. I am truly sorry for our defeat in Canada at the Cedars; hope Congress will immediately take the importance of that country into serious consideration, and immediately send on reinforcements, or 1 fear we shall lose what we had possession of. I am in so great haste I know not but I shall forward on some papers which are of no consequence. Both expresses now wait. I have the honour to be, dear General, with esteem, your Excellency’s most humble servant, ISREAL PUTNAM. To His Excellency General Washington. GENERAL PUTNAM TO GENERAL SCHUYLER. Head-Quarters, New-York, June 1, 1776. DEAR GENERAL: General Washington not being here, I sent forward a number of cannon, two tons of powder, intrenching tools, pork, &c., agreeable to your desire in your last letter. Your express this moment arrived. I shall forward the letters on immediately to the General, who is yet at Philadelphia with the Congress. Depend, sir, nothing shall be wanting in my power to forward and assist the troops gone to Canada this campaign. Powder and lead we shall soon forward on. The little I sent you on with the guns, &c., I hope is safe to hand before this. Provisions will be forwarded on as you could wish, and I doubt not Congress will immediately order on a reinforcement of men, which it is not in my power to do. I beg you will write for every article you want as soon as possible, and it shall immediately be sent on. It is with pain I hear of Colonel Bedel and the brave Major Sherburne’s defeat at the Cedars. For God’s sake, if possible, forward on relief to the Caughnawagas immediately, or I fear we shall lose them all. I know them to be a very brave nation, and think it of importance they should be secured to our interest. Five ships, supposed to be men-of-war, have just arrived at the Hook, and I trust we are ready for them, come as soon as they will. I am, in the greatest haste, dear sir, your most humble servant, ISREAL PUTNAM. To General P. Schuyler. P. S. Colonel Knox tells me there is plenty of cannon for ships at Crown-Point. JOSEPH BULL TO HENRY REMSEN. New-York, June 1, 1776. DEAR SIR: When I was in town last week I expected to, but missed seeing you. On my return home met with your letter, but cannot by any means comply with the contents. My business is of such a nature that I cannot leave it. My books, say the books of Corse & Bull, are in the country, to which, with many other matters, I must attend; and as my residence is now there, I think some person ought to be appointed in my stead. Had I been commissioned, I should before this have resigned; besides all this, I am by no means a friend to independency, which I think has or will take place soon, and shall not in any capacity arm in defence of it. I am, with much esteem, your obedient and very humble servant, JOSEPH BULL. To Colonel Remsen. LORD STIRLING TO GENERAL WASHINGTON. June 1, 1776. SIR: Agreeable to your request, I left New-York on Sunday last, in order to view the fortifications on Hudson’s River, in the Highlands. I took with me Colonel Putnam, Chief Engineer, and Captain Sergeant, of the Artillery. The winds were so adverse that we did not reach Fort Montgomery until Wednesday evening; but with the help of our boat, we employed our time in visiting several other parts of the river that appeared proper for fortifying. At the mouth, or south end of the Highlands, about four miles below Fort Montgomery, there is a post which to me appears well worth possessing, on many accounts; should the enemy be in possession of it, we should be cut off from our best communication with the whole country below the Highlands, eastward as well as westward. There is a very remarkable spot of ground, easily fortified, which commands the passage of the river as well as either of the other posts; it also commands the mouth and landing of Peek’s Kill, from which there is an excellent road into Connecticut, which is only twenty miles off; on the opposite side is an excellent road into New-Jersey and Pennsylvania. The sketch of this part of the river (No. 1) will best show the propriety of its being fortified. In the passage from this place to Fort Montgomery is a large island, which would be very useful to the enemy in their approaches to that place. Fort Montgomery is situated on the west bank of the river, which is there about half a mile broad, and the bank one hundred feet high; on the opposite shore is a point of land called Anthony’s Nose, which is many hundred feet high, very steep, and inaccessible to anything but goats, or men very expert in climbing. A body of riflemen placed here would be of very great use in annoying an enemy, as the decks of every vessel that passes must lie open to them. The works begun and designed at Fort Montgomery are open lines, as may be seen by the plan No. 2, and all lie on the north side of a small creek called Pooplopen’s Kill, on the south side of which is a point of land which projects more into the river, commands all the principal works, and is within two and three hundred yards of them. On the top of this point is a level spot of ground, of near an acre, commanded by nothing but the high inaccessible mountains, at about twelve hundred yards distance; this spot, I think, should by all means be fortified, as well for the annoyance of the enemy in their approach up the river, as for the protection of the works at Fort Montgomery. Indeed, this appears to me the most proper place I have seen on the river to be made the grand post; and, in my opinion, should be a regular strong work, capable of resisting every kind of attack, and of containing a grand magazine of all kinds of warlike stores. The whole would then command the passage of the river with so formidable a cross fire as would deter any attempt to approach with shipping. The works finished, designed, or begun at Fort Montgomery are, each of them, distinguished in the plan No. 2. Those built are all faced with fascines, and filled in with strong good loam; but as they are liable to take fire, the Commissioners who have the care and direction of the works, propose to roughcast the faces of the embrasures with a strong mortar made of quicklime and sharp sand, of which there is plenty at hand. I advised them to try the experiment on part of the work as soon as possible. As these open lines are entirely defenceless on the land side, it will be very proper to erect a small redoubt on the hill, in the rear of them, marked A. Fort Constitution is about six miles above Fort Montgomery
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