GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Albany, June 17, 1776.

DEAR SIR: The liberty the Commissioners of Indian Affairs have taken in the enclosed resolutions [of June 13] needs an apology. They were really at a loss how to accomplish the intentions of Congress without your aid, but, assured of your zeal and attention to the common cause, they hoped your Honour would excuse their freedom. I shall be happy to be honoured with a line, conveying to me your opinion on the subject of the enclosed, and whether you think the company can be speedily raised.

By a letter from General Sullivan of the 6th instant, our affairs in Canada have begun to regain a more favourable aspect. May gracious Heaven indulgently smile on our future operations, and baffle the most nefarious intentions of our inveterate foes, is my most fervent wish.

General Washington has ordered me to send your Honour a route by which I might wish the two battalions of Militia from your Colony destined for Canada should march. I have ordered all the battalions out of Lake George to Ticonderoga, from whence they will be conveyed to Skenesborough, to which place I wish the battalions to march by the most direct road, advising me by express some days before they begin the march, that I may take measures accordingly. If they have any baggage it must be sent with a small guard by this place to Fort George, in such time as to arrive at Ticonderoga before the troops, and should therefore set out five days before the troops.

Be pleased to forward the enclosed by express as directed.

I am, with sentiments of respect, your Honour’s most obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Honourable Governour Trumbull.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

Albany, June 17, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: I enclose you a letter from his Excellency General Washington, which arrived last night. Yours to him of the 5th and 6th had not yet come to hand, as it left this on the 12th at night.

Major Sherburne having informed me that it was your request that the prisoners should be sent back, I immediately gave the orders; but as I yesterday received letters from the commanding officers at Ticonderoga and Fort George that numbers of them had deserted, I suspect that very few will join you. Fifteen, fit for duty, of Bedel’s, were only left at the former place on the 10th instant, and twenty of Burrel’s went off in a body from Fort George a few days ago, and are not yet apprehended.

The following is an extract of his Excellency’s letter to me of the 13th instant:

“If the account of Colonel Bedel’s and Major Butter-field’s conduct be true, they have certainly acted a part deserving the most exemplary notice. I hope you will take proper measures, and have good courts appointed, to bring them, and every other officer that has been or shall be guilty of malconduct, to trial, that they may be punished according to their offences. Our misfortunes at the Cedars were occasioned, it is said, entirely by their base and cowardly behaviour, and cannot be ascribed to any other cause.”

General Montgomery, on a similar occasion, conceived that he was not authorized to order the sentence of a General Court-Martial to be put into execution, where any one was capitally convicted. The Department being under my command, 1 accordingly sent him an order to do it whenever he should think it necessary. General Wooster had the like order. I conceived that I should be justified in delegating that power, especially as delay in executions, when immediate examples may be necessary, may have dangerous consequences.

I do therefore request, that if any officer or soldier in Canada should be capitally convicted, that you will issue warrents to the proper officer for carrying the sentence into execution, unless you should judge it proper te extend mercy. But if any doubts arise in your mind on the propriety of doing this, you will please to transmit me all the proceedings of the Court-Martial, that, being enabled to judge, I may give the necessary orders.

Intelligence from various quarters seem to confirm the report that the French King has protested against the sending foreign troops to America. We ought not, however, to make any dependance on it, lest it should be thrown out to make us remiss in our defensive preparations. I am anxious to learn the events of the expedition under the command of General Thompson. I hope it will be a happy one. Adieu, my dear General.

I am, very truly and with much esteem, your obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHULER.

To General Sullivan.

MEETING OF INHABITANTS OF HARTFORD.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of New-Hartford, legally convened on the 18th day of June, 1776:

Whereas of late there has been an extravagant advance on West-India goods, Rum in particular: It is resolved by said inhabitants, That they will not purchase any West-India Rum at a higher price than four shillings and six pence per gallon by the hogshead, and four shillings and nine pence per gallon by the barrel, and six shillings per single gallon; and they will not purchase any New-England Rum at a higher price than three shillings and three pence per gallon by the hogshead, or three shillings per gallon by the barrel, and four shillings and three pence per gallon. And also, resolved by said inhabitants, that the choice of the Delegates for the Continental Congress is vested in the freemen.

Test:

JOSEPH MERRELL,

Second Clerk of said meeting.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read June 27, 1776.]

Hartford, June 17, 1776.

HONOURABLE SIR: We cannot but express our uneasiness, disappointment, and surprise, at the late resolution of Congress for the removal of the cannon from New-London. When we had—relying upon the faith of that respectable body, in consequence of their former resolution, made upon mature deliberation, as we imagined, and upon a full hearing and knowledge of the circumstances and importance of that port, not only to this Colony in particular, but to the Continent in general—proceeded to lay out a large and expensive plan of fortifications, got the works in considerable forwardness, provided carriages, mounted cannon, and all going on with the utmost despatch, for the purpose of making an effectual defence; now to be thus at once so suddenly, unexpectedly, and without a hearing, stripped naked and left defenceless, without a possibility of present relief, as must inevitably be the case if that number of cannon be taken from us, we think extremely hard and unaccountable, and flatter ourselves that, upon a reconsideration of the matter, the second resolve will be altered and made more consonant to the first, especially when we consider no Colony has exerted itself more in the common cause, and none received less assistance from the Continent. We have never had any Continental troops employed for our internal defence, neither has the Continent heretofore afforded us any assistance towards fortifying our sea-ports, which has not been the case with respect to most, if not all the other Colonies.

We do place the greatest confidence in, have the highest esteem for, and pay the utmost deference to, all the resolves of your respectable body. But suffer us, as it becomes freemen ever jealous of their rights and zealous for their defence, to query, why we are to have our principal port thus stripped and left defenceless?—a port which is confessedly the key of this Colony, and of the Sound, and the best asylum for the Navy, and which, if taken possession of by our enemies., will inevitably stop all communication by water with New-York and elsewhere.

Again, we beg leave to query, why such great requisitions are made upon us from every quarter for men so far beyond our quotas and abilities? and what a situation shall we be in, thus exhausted of our arms, cannon, and men, in case our enemies should make inroads upon our coasts? and how is it possible for us, thus exhausted, to afford those supplies of provisions necessary for the support of our armies, whose dependance, therefore, especially of the meat kind, has been almost wholly on this Colony? However, notwithstanding all these embarrassments under which we labour,