honourable; and I most devoutly pray that Providence may crown your arms with abundant success.

Given under my hand, at Head-Quarters, New-York, June 24, 1776.

G. WASHINGTON.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

New-York, June 24, 1776.

DEAR SIR: On the 20th instant I received your two favours of the 15th and 17th, by Bennett, and yesterday evening that of the 19th continued to the 20th, with General Sullivan’s letter and return, and the several copies you enclosed.

The accounts transmitted by General Sullivan are truly alarming, and I confess I am not without apprehension lest the next advices should be that the unfortunate defeat and taking of General Thompson has been succeeded by an event still more unfortunate—the destruction of a large part, if not the whole, of our Army in that quarter. The weak, divided, and disheartened state in which General Sullivan represents it to be, does not seem to promise anything much more favourable, and is what General Arnold appears to be suspicious of. From the whole of the accounts, supposing the facts all true, there was nothing left to prevent their ruin but a retreat: that I hope has been made, as the only means of saving themselves and rendering their country the least service. By reason of the succession of ills that has attended us there of late, and this last one, I fear we must give up all hopes of possessing that country, (of such importance in the present controversy,) and that our views and utmost exertions must be turned to prevent the incursions of the enemy into our Colonies. To this end, I must pray your strictest attention, and request that you use all the means in your power to fortify and secure every post and place of importance on the communication. You are as much impressed with the necessity of the measure as any man can be, and with confidence I trust that nothing you can do will be wanting to effect it. If the troops have retreated, they will, in a little time, I am hopeful, complete such works on the passes as to bid defiance to the most vigorous efforts of the enemy to penetrate our country, especially when you are assisted by the Militia, which most probably are on their march ere now. Had this unfortunate defeat not happened, the Militia were designed not only to reinforce the Army in Canada, but to keep up the communication with that Province, as you will see by recurring to the resolve directing them to be employed. Major-General Gates, whom Congress had appointed to command after General Thomas’s death, will set out to-morrow, and take with him one hundred barrels of powder, out of which the supplies necessary for the different posts must be drawn. I have also directed Colonel Knox to send up the cannon you wrote for, if they can possibly be spared from hence, with some Artillerists and a proper quantity of ball and other necessaries for them, and will, in every instance, afford you all the assistance I can; at the same time I wish, if there are any cannon at Ticonderoga, or other necessaries there or elsewhere that you may want and which can be spared for any other post or purpose, that you would get them in preference to any here, as the number we have is not more than sufficient for the extensive and important works necessary to be maintained for the defence of this place.

In respect to the proceedings of the Commissioners for raising two companies of the Mohekander and Connecticut Indians, they appear to me not to answer the views of Congress, as I presume they live within the Government of Connecticut, and are to be considered in the same light with its inhabitants, and that their design was intended for those who were not livers among us, and were of hostile character or doubtful friendship; but in this I may be mistaken, and there may be a necessity of engaging those you have to secure their interests.

As to your doubts about the officer commanding in Canada his right to punish capitally, I should suppose that necessity, independent of anything else, would justify the exercise of such an authority. But Congress having determined that the commanding officer there should inflict exemplary punishment on those who violate the military regulations established by them, has put the matter out of question, and I apprehend every commander there has such power, and of right may and should exercise it.

As Colonel Parsons has requested you to send down the person who is supposed to have murdered his brother, I have no objection to your doing it if you judge necessary. He, from what I have been told, designs to apply to Congress for instituting some mode of trial for the offence.

I am, dear sir,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Major-General Schuyler.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED NEW-YORK, JUNE 24, 1776.

My last to you was by Friday’s post, since which a most barbarous and infernal plot has been discovered among our Tories, the particulars of which I cannot give you, as the Committee of Examination consists of but three, who are sworn to secrecy. Two of Washington’s guards are con-cerned, the third they tempted to join them made the first discovery. The general report of their design is as follows: Upon the arrival of the troops they were to murder all the staff officers, blow up the magazines, and secure the passes of the town. Gilbert Forbes, gunsmith in the Broadway, was taken between two and three o’clock on Saturday morning, and carried before our Provincial Congress, who were then sitting, but refusing to make any discovery, he was sent to jail and put in irons. Young Mr. Livingston went to see him early in the morning, and told him he was sorry to find he had been concerned, and, as his time was very short, not having above three days to live, advised him to prepare himself. This had the desired effect; he asked to be carried before the Congress again, and he would discover all he knew. Several have been since taken, (between twenty and thirty,) among them our Mayor, who are all now under confinement. It is said their party consisted of about five hundred.

I have just heard the Mayor has confessed bringing money from Tryon to pay for rifle-guns that Forbes had made. Burgoyne is arrived at Quebeck with his fleet.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED NEW-YORK, JUNE 24, 1776.

Yesterday the Mayor was examined twice, and returned prisoner under a strong guard. We have now thirty-four prisoners, and many more, it is expected, will be taken up. A party of our men went over to Long-Island on Saturday last to take up some of the Tories; they returned yesterday, and brought to town one Downing, who is charged with being in the hellish plot. They took six more prisoners, and put them in Jamaica jail on Long-Island. The Tories made some resistance, and fired on our men in the woods. Our people returned the fire, and wounded one man mortally, when they called for quarters. This morning a party of three hundred men is ordered, but on what business is not known. I cannot give you the particulars (but was told, by good authority, it will surprise every honest man) of this hellish plot. I am told the Mayor acknowledges he paid Mr. Forbes, the gunsmith, who is one of the gang now in irons, one hundred and forty pounds, by order of Governour Tryon. Yesterday the General’s housekeeper was taken up; it is said she is concerned.

NEW-YORK COMMITTEE TO PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

Committee-Chamber, June 24, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The General Committee of this City and County beg leave to represent to the honourable the Provincial Congress now sitting, that immediately upon their first meeting after receiving the resolves of their body respecting the last Association to be tendered to the inhabitants of this City and County, they appointed sub-Committees to go through the different Wards and tender the same to the inhabitants, and also that agreeable to their recommendation of the 21st instant, they immediately sent for William Mucklevaine and Stephen Fountain; that upon Mucklevaine’s signing the last Association, acknowledging that he had represented falsehoods to the Congress respecting the Committee, that he was sorry for his past conduct in refusing to sign the Association or deliver up his arms upon oath, and that it proceeded from ignorance and not with any evil intention, the Committee resolved to discharge him from confinement; that with respect to Fountain, they find that he was sent from Blue-Point, on Long-Island, and therefore his case not coming under their cognizance, they have