COLONEL TUPPER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Sandy-Hook, June 21, 1776—10 o’clock A. M.

SIR: I landed here the evening before last, and, by reason of several inconveniences, could not make an attack until this morning at four o’clock, when I advanced within one hundred and fifty yards of the Light-House, in so secret a manner that my party were not discovered. I advanced with an officer, and desired to speak with the commanding officer, and, after a few words, he fired several shot at me, but, as God would have it, he missed me. I returned to my party and ordered the artillery to play, which continued an hour, but found the walls so firm I could make no impression. I retired toward the shipping, not thinking but, as there were two men-of-war arrived yesterday, that they would have been so complaisant as to send a party on shore to have attacked me, but could not provoke them. I occupied the ground about two hours and a half between two smart fires, viz: from two men-of-war on one side, and the Light-House on the other; but, what is remarkable, I had not: one man killed, nor one wounded so much as to apply to a surgeon.

I then repaired leisurely to the south end of the cedars, to my camp, and, having refreshed my men, sent off fifty to go and show themselves; and I mean to occupy the ground in like manner to-day by relieving, to let the poor mortals know we are ready to meet them in the field. This manoeuvre cannot be attended with danger, as the land between us and them is a broken thicket of woods. I mean to return by night with my party, that they may not know from whence I came or where I went. It is a little strange I received no assistance from the Jerseys, though earnestly requested. My party are all well and in very high spirits.

It is thought, and it looks probable, that one of the three ships which arrived yesterday was a prize.

I know of nothing further extraordinary, and remain your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

BENJAMIN TUPPER, Lieut. Col. of 2lst Reg’t.

To His Excellency General Washington.

N. B. It is very certain they got intelligence of our intent by their reinforcement.

[Memorandum by General WASHINGTON, on the back of this Letter:— “22d. Wrote him to desist from the enterprise, as it seemed dangerous, and not to promise success.”]

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
[Read June 24. Referred to the Board of War and Ordnance.]

New-York, June 21, I776.

SIR: I was this morning honoured with your favour of the 19th instant, with sundry resolves of Congress, which came to hand after I had closed mine of the 20th. I shall appoint a Deputy Mustermaster-General as soon as I can fix upon a proper person for the office, and desire him immediately to repair to Canada.

Mr. Bennett, the bearer of this, delivered me a letter today from General Schuyler, enclosing the proceedings of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs at a meeting at Albany, in consequence of the resolution of Congress, (as they say,) which I transmitted the 7th instant, for engaging the Indians in our service. The gentlemen appear to me to have widely mistaken the views of Congress in this instance, and to have formed a plan for engaging such Indians as were not in contemplation. I cannot account upon what principles they have gone, as a part of their proceedings show they are about to hold a conference with the Six Nations. I suppose they esteemed what they have done a necessary measure; a copy of which I have the honour to enclose you.

I shall now beg leave to lay before Congress a proposition made to me by Captain Leary, of this city, in behalf of a body of men who are desirous of being employed in the Continental service as a troop of horse, and at the same time to offer my opinion that such a corps may be extremely useful in many respects. In a march they may be of the utmost service in reconnoitring the enemy and giving intelligence, and have it in their power to render many important benefits. The terms on which they are willing to engage are enclosed, which appear to me moderate and reasonable. I am also informed that another company might be readily made up, and most probably upon the same terms. I would, therefore, submit the propriety and expediency of the measure to the consideration of Congress, and wish their opinion whether it will be agreeable to them that both or either of them should be formed, and incorporated in this Army, in a manner as has been proposed by Captain Leary, if it can be done.

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

GEORGE WASHINGTON..

P. S. General Schuyler in his letter mentions ten dollars paid Mr. Bennett there.

CAPTAIN LEARY’S PROPOSITION.

One Captain, one Lieutenant, one Cornet, one Quartermaster, two Sergeants, two Corporals, thirty Privates, one Trumpeter, one Clarionet—whole amount, forty.

JNO. LEARY, Jun., Captain.

PETITION OF WILLIAM GODDARD.

[Read S4th June, 1776; referred to the Board of War. Read before the Board of War, and referred for further consideration.]

To the Honourable Commissioners or Delegates from the several AMERICAN States, now sitting in General Congress in the City of PHILADELPHIA:

The Memorial of WILLIAM GODDARDmost respectfully showeth :

That the intolerable severity of Ministerial oppression having exposed to innumerable hardships your Memorialist, and other Printers who manifested their zeal in defencs of the invaded rights of America, and the iron hand of tyranny, having, by means of the Parliamentary Post-Office, pressed upon him more heavily, perhaps, than upon any other, —his own sufferings and an ardent desire of serving his country prompted him to devise a plan for the total abolition of that engine of Ministerial extortion, fraud and revenge, by substituting for it a Post-Office on constitutional principles.

His undertaking was countenanced by all the friends of American freedom, several of whom contributed largely towards raising a fund sufficient to prosecute his plan, which the artificers used by the tools of despotism to discourage it rendered more expensive than it might otherwise have been. He was, however, very near reaping the fruits of his labour, and reimbursing his friends, when your most honourable House appointed one of your colleagues to superintend that important department under your direction; but the worthy officer intrusted with it not having been authorized to indemnify your Memorialist or his friends for the expense incurred by establishing Postmasters, hiring riders, and bringing the temporary establishment, in all its parts, to that state where your officer found it when it was resigned with all those advantages, a great loss is sustained by your Memorialist, as well as the persons who were more intimately connected with him in that voluntary service of the publick.

The Secretary and Comptrollership (the two principal places which the Congress instituted under the Postmaster-General) having been disposed of, it was judged that, as your Memorialist has repeatedly travelled through most of the Colonies for the purpose of carrying on his own projected plan, he was more capable than many others to make a proper choice of inferior officers, and knew many local circumstances that would be essentially useful in the regulation of that Department, should he be invested with the surveyor-ship in the present establishment.

To serve his country he accepted it, insufficient as the salary was to afford him a decent maintenance, and though he well knew that the greater his exertions should be the sooner the office must be discontinued, all sinecures being inglorious to the incumbents, and burdensome to the State. Having brought the surveyorship to that period, for one year at least he entreats your honourable House to favour him with an opportunity to serve his country in the Army, where-ever the scene of action may be, if he be permitted to share in the glorious struggle in which his country is now engaged, and be rendered as serviceable as may be reasonably presumed from his known principles and character.

He is informed, by officers of distinction, that there are three vacancies, one of which, the Mustermaster-General’s,