GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

Albany, June 20, 1776, 10 o’clock P. M.

DEAR GENERAL: Your despatches arrived at a quarter past eleven this morning.

I very seriously deplore the disagreeable situation of you and your Army in Canada, and although I applaud your magnanimous spirit, yet I cannot, by any means, approve that you should “think only of a glorious death, or a victory obtained against superior numbers.” These sentiments should take place when every other resource is cut off, and when a defeat may not be attended with decisive consequences against us. The evacuation of Canada will certainly be attended with many disagreeable ones; but will not the total destruction of our Army, and a consequent loss of the country, be attended with those infinitely more fatal? Surely it will. I only mention that the enemy will, in that case, be able to penetrate into the Colonies by the way of the Lakes; not so if our Army retreats in safety. Every effort of theirs to accomplish it, at least for this campaign, will prove ineffectual; but should they ever be able to advance to the most southern extreme of the Lakes, our Army, with reinforcements from Militia, will there stop their progress. I am therefore of opinion, if it should be still in your power when you receive this, that you ought not to remain any longer at Sorel than you have a prospect of retreating with safety, and that the better to secure your retreat, every batteau, as I have formerly observed, which you can possibly spare ought to be sent without the least delay to St. Johns. I think I am fully authorized to give this opinion from what you say of the strength of the enemy in your letter to his Excellency General Washington and me, and I have informed his Excellency that I would give you the above advice.

Colonel Dayton is in Tryon County; we shall, I believe, have our hands full in that quarter. I am preparing everything to take post at Fort Stanwix, and to repel the threatened invasion of the Mohawk River. No part of Colonel Wayne’s is as yet arrived here, nor any of the Militia ordered by the resolutions of Congress which I transmitted you on the 12th instant.

I have ordered Colonel Wynkoop to send all the batteaus he can to St. Johns, agreeable to General Arnold’s and Colonel Poor’s request, signified in their letters of the 13th inst. This will deprive me from forwarding the Militia; but if you should not want the batteaus, I entreat you to order them back to Ticonderoga, under the command of an active officer, and as many others as you can spare, that the Militia may be sent without delay.

Please to make my compliments to Major Scammel; the four blank commissions I have are at Fort George, and I will order one to be forwarded to you to be filled up for him.

The ague, which now attacks me every day with the utmost violence, has considerably reduced me, and a few fits more, unless they become more moderate, will render me equally unfit to think or act.

God bless you, and may Heaven smile propitious on your endeavours.

I am, dear sir, with the best wishes for your health and happiness, your obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To General Sullivan.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
[Read July 2, 1776.]

Hartford, June 20, 1776.

SIR: Since my last to you, per Mr. Huntington, I have procured an accurate map of the harbour of New-London, with the adjacent Sound and shore, which I now transmit, by which you will be better able to see and judge of the great convenience and importance thereof, and hope and trust that all due attention will be given thereto. The mouth of that harbour is so narrow, and the shores of such a make, that guns placed near the Light-House, and over against them on the eastern shore, would prevent any ship from lying nearer than without Blackledge.

This, in case of an invasion by sea, would secure a passage for vessels, out or inward bound, eastward or westward, unmolested by the enemy. Advantageous posts are pitched upon on the two sides of the harbour-mouth, and travelling carriages, prepared for guns, on each side the harbour for the above purposes. The river is navigable for large ships for three or four leagues above the town; the river is narrow, and the shores on each side hilly and mountainous, so that if the enemy should ever gain possession of the harbour, shipping might easily run up and be entirely secure. No harbour for vessels of any considerable burden is on all the north side of Long-Island, although there is one or two which serves for common coasting vessels.

Acquainted you in my last (to which refer) that we were endeavouring to raise troops with all possible despatch, agreeable to the late requisitions.

Have procured, with much difficulty, eighteen hundred pounds in hard money, and forwarded to the Paymaster-General in the Northern Department.

Have not room to add but that I am, with due respect and esteem, your humble servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

To Honourable President Hancock.

WESTFIELD (MASSACHUSETTS) COMMITTEE.

The Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety, of the town of Westfield, having heretofore had many complaints of the inimical temper and disposition of Captain John Bancroft, of said Westfield, towards the grand struggle for the preservation of American liberty: And whereas information being had that the said John received into his house, fed, and refreshed the notorious Captain McKay and his attendants, on his escape (and most infamous breach of parole) from Hartford, and endeavour to get through the woods to Quebeck, there to join the Ministerial butchers, to cut the throats of our brethren in Canada : In consequence of such information, we summoned the said John to appear before us; and it appearing, on examination, by his own confession, that he was well knowing that one John Graves was gone to Springfield or Hartford for the purpose of piloting prisoners off, and that, on his appearing at his house with said McKay, he was at no loss what their business was; whereupon a motion was made and seconded, whether the feeding, refreshing, and not giving notice of parole, or any prisoners, on their escape to our most inhuman enemies, does not fairly prove that the said Captain John Bancroft is an enemy to American liberty? It passed in the affirmative: Therefore,

Resolved, unanimously, That the said John ought to be held up to publick view as an enemy to American liberty, and all persons cautioned against holding correspondence or connection with him until he is of a better temper and disposition of mind, and that he be confined within the limits of his own farm until further orders of the Committee.

Voted, That the foregoing proceedings with regard to the said John Bancroft be by the Clerk of said Committee procured to be inserted in the Connecticut Courant and one of the Boston newspapers.

SAMUEL MATHER, Chairman.

Westfield, June 20, 1776.

COMMODORE HOPKINS TO GENERAL GREENE.

Providence, June 20, 1776.

SIR: I received yours of the 24th May, and, through a continued hurry, found no opportunity to answer it before. I am greatly obliged to you for the intelligence you give me in it. I have nothing new to acquaint you with, save that the brig Andrew Doria has taken two transports, with two hundred men on board, and I believe they are both retaken by the men-of-war in coming in here. We have lost twenty-four seamen by the bargain, and have in their room four Scotch officers and twenty-six of the ships’ crew, with about one hundred broad-swords and one hundred and sixty small-arms, which Captain Biddle took out.

Captain Whipple had a small engagement the day before yesterday, in which he lost one man, with the Cerberus, of twenty-eight guns, and six small guns on the quarter deck and forecastle. There are three frigates round Block Island, which makes it difficult to get in or out, as our force is not sufficient to engage them. Shall endeavour to make some other rendezvous as soon as I can get the vessels all out; at-present think Boston the best I can find on this coast.

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