the commanding officer at Fort Constitution for the use of this County; application was accordingly made to Colonel Nicoll, who gave for answer that he had no powder to spare; and if he had, he could not deliver any to our order, as he had no order from Congress for that purpose. We are at a loss to judge what can be the reason for this conduct, unless through hurry of business the honourable Congress has forgotten to give the necessary orders. We must now inform your honourable Board that the good people of this County are very uneasy and in a distressed situation for want of that article; yet would be more particularly so should any disturbances break out on our frontier; we therefore request that, instead of half a ton, as before-mentioned, the honourable Congress will be pleased to order them fifteen hundred or two thousand weight, if it can be spared consistent with the publick safety.

We are, gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servants.

By order of the Committee:

ROBERT BOYD, Jun., Chairman.

COLONEL LIVINGSTON TO LORD STIRLING.

Fort Constitution, June 14, 1776.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP: I did not receive your favour of the 5th until the 11th instant. I had taken the liberty to prevent the persons confined by the Committees from being set to hard labour; and have since sent a copy of the resolve of Congress to the Committees who sent them. Colonel Nicoll quitted this post, and resigned the command on the 11th instant. Ere this reaches your Lordship you will probably see him at New-York.

I remain your Lordship’s most obedient, humble servant,

HENRY B. LIVINGSTON.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Stirling, Brigadier-General in the American Army, New-York.

N. B. My respects to General Putnam. I should be happy to see him here.

ALBANY GENERAL COMMITTEE.

Albany General Committee-Chamber, June 14, 1776: Present—

Abraham Yates, Jun., Chairman.

First Ward. —John Barclay, John Price, Myndert Roseboom, John Williams, Jacob Roseboom, Jun.

Second Ward. —Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Rutger Bleecker, John J. Beekman.

Third Ward. —Dirck Ten Broeck, John M. Beekman, Isaac Van Clernam, Abraham Yates, Jun.

Schenectady. —Cornelius Van Dyck, Harmanus H. Wendell, Cornelius A. Van Slyck, John A. Bratt.

West Side Manor Rensselaer. —Anthony Van Schaick, Philip P. Schuyler, Henry Quackenbush, Cornelius G. Vandenburgh, Bastian T. Visscher, David McCarty, Barent Mynderke, Philip Van Vechten, Francis Nicoll.

East Side Manor Rensselaer. —Killian Van Rensselaer, John H. Beekman, James Magee, Rynier Van Alstyn, Frederick Berger, George White, Jacob C. Schermerhorn.

King’s District. —Matthew Adgate, John Beebe.

Coxsacky. —John L. Bronck, William Van Bergen.

Grote Imboght. —John Van Orden, Goose Van Schaick.

Manor Livingston. —Peter R. Livingston, Walter Livingston, Dirck Jansen, Samuel Ten Broeck.

German Camp. —Wessel Ten Broeck, Peter Sharp.

Schoharie. —Johannes Ball, Peter Becker.

Saratoga. —John Taylor, Joseph Row.

Half-Moon. —Rutger Lansing, Wilhelmus Van Antwerp.

Schaghtekocke. —Michael Van Dercook, Lewis Van Antwerp, Nathaniel Ford.

Ballston. —Hezekiah Middebrooks.

Claverack. —Henry J. Van Rensselaer, James Sexton, Stephen Graves.

Hosick. —Jacob Auderkerke, Fenner Palmer.

Cambridge. —John Younglove.

Mr. Henry Wendell applied to this Board for their recommendation (in case a new form of Government should take place in this Colony) for the sheriffship of this City and County, and Mr. Matthew Visscher made the same application for the clerkship of the said City and County; and, thereupon, this Board unanimously agree to recommend those gentlemen to the Provincial Congress, as persons, both in principles and abilities, fit for the different offices they have severally applied for.

Extract from the Minutes:

ABRAHAM YATES, Jun., Chairman.

Attest: MATTHEW VISSCHER, Secretary.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

[Hartford, June 14, 1776.]

SIR: Your letter of the 22d ultimo was received with pleasure, and, being read in Assembly, am desired to transmit you the enclosed resolutions; and further to acquaint you that we have altered the form of oaths heretofore used wherein was expressed any duty or obligation to or connection with the King of Great Britain; that the form of military commissions in the Colony are now granted on the authority of the people, in the name of the Governour; and those for the civil department, as well as all processes in law or equity, are henceforth to be issued in the name of the Governour and Company of the Colony.

Whilst we are humbly looking up to Heaven, and our senior sister Colonies, to point out some ways and means to extricate ourselves and countrymen from those unprovoked oppressions and accumulated grievances with which we have been so long exercised, it gives us the most sensible satisfaction to see the ancient and patriotick Colony of Virginia have nobly advanced to authorize and instruct their honourable Delegates to propose in Continental Congress to declare the United Colonies free and independent States, form foreign alliances, and forward a more perfect confederation of the Colonies; in which sentiments and wishes (urged by foreign tyranny and encouraged by this laudable example and invitation) we most cordially concur.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

To the Hon. Speaker of the Convention of Virginia.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE OF HARWINTON, CONNECTICUT.

At a meeting of the Authority, Selectmen, and Committee of the Town of Harwinton, with the advice of the Committee of the Society of Torringford, held at Harwinton, on the 14th of June, 1776—Major Abijah Catlin, Chairman:

Mark Prindle, Jesse Potter, Jonathan II. Colt, Ashbel Porter, and Medad Hall, all of Harwinton, were arraigned before said meeting for inimical expressions against the honourable Continental Congress, and likewise against the honourable General Assembly of this Colony, and were all found guilty; but after making humble acknowledgments, and promising reformation, were all forgiven, except Mark Prindle, who stands bound in a bond of three hundred Pounds, to answer to the allegations at the next Superior Court, at Litchfield, in Litchfield County.

JOHN WATKINS, Clerk of said meeting.

COMMODORE HOPKINS TO LIEUTENANT HACKER.

Newport, June 14, 1776.

SIR: You are to proceed to New-York, and there deliver the cannon agreeable to Messrs. Hollingsworth and Richardson’s orders. If you can get any men, you are to take as many as you can inlist. You are to apply to Mr. Jacobus Van Zandt for pig-iron for ballast, or any other necessaries you may want.

You may call at New-London as you come back, and take two guns, with a sufficient quantity of shot and cartridges, out of the bomb-brig, and give Mr. Shaw a receipt for what you take; and return to me as soon as possible.

Your humble servant,

ESEK HOPKINS.

To Hoysted Hacker. Esq., Commander of the Fly.

Newport, June 17, 1776.

Last Friday, the 14th instant, arrived here from a cruise the brig Andrew Doria, Captain Biddle, who, about fourteen days before, took two transport-ships from Greenock, in Scotland, having on board each one hundred Scotch troops. Captain Biddle took out the officers, navigators, and sailors, to the number of forty, with all the small-arms and baggage of value, manned the ships with his own men, and kept company with them thirteen days, when, being a little without Nantasket Shoals, they were chased by five vessels, (one a pretty large man-of-war,) upon which he ordered the prizes to steer different courses, and though the man-of-war chased him, night coming on, he soon lost sight of them. We hope soon to hear of the prizes being arrived at some safe port. The prisoners brought in were landed here on Friday evening, who report that they were part of thirty-three sail of

*