EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM JOHN ADAMS, DATED PHILADELPHIA, JUNE26, 1776.

Our misfortunes in Canada are enough to melt a heart of stone. The small-pox is ten times more terrible than Britons, Canadians, and Indians, together. This was the cause of our precipitate retreat from Quebeck; this, the cause of our disgraces at the Cedars. I don146;t mean that this was all: there has been want approaching to famine, as well as pestilence. And these discouragements have so disheartened our officers, that none of them seem to act with prudence and firmness. But these reverses of fortune don146;t discourage me; it was natural to expect them, and we ought to be prepared in our minds for greater changes and more melancholy scenes still. It is an animating cause, and brave spirits are not subdued with difficulties.

Amidst all our gloomy prospects in Canada, we receive some pleasure from Boston. I congratulate you on your victory over your enemies in the harbour. This has long lain near my heart, and it gives me great pleasure to think that what was so much wished is accomplished. I hope our people will now make the lower harbour impregnable, and never again suffer the flag of a tyrant to fly within any part of it.

The Congress have been pleased to give me more business than I am qualified for, and more than, I fear, I can go through with safety to my health. They have established a Board of War and Ordnance, and made me President of it151;an honour to which I never aspired151;a trust to which I feel myself vastly unequal. But I am determined to do as well as I can, and make industry supply, in some degree, the place of abilities and experience. The Board sits every morning and every evening. This, with constant attendance in Congress, will so entirely engross my time that I fear 1 shall not be able to write you so often as I have. But I will steal time to write to you.

The small-pox ! the small-pox! What shall we do with it? I could almost wish that an inoculating hospital was opened in every town in New-England. It is some small consolation that the scoundrel savages have taken a large dose of it. They plundered the baggage and stripped off the clothes of our men who had the small-pox out full upon them at the Cedars.

LEBANON (PENNSYLVANIA) COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF WAR.

Lebanon, June 36, 1776.

SIR: We received yours of the 21st instant, and in compliance therewith, hereby inform you that we often insisted on the prisoners of war, in your letter mentioned, to sign the paroles; but they still refused so to do, as they alleged they were fully bound by their former paroles. But our principal reason for not reporting their non-compliance was occasioned by their continually pretending that they would only continue a short time in Lebanon. We also received a letter from the Committee of Safety, dated the 18th day of May last, shortly after they (the said prisoners) were stationed here, which confirmed our opinion that they would be soon moved from this place, as the Committee of Safety 147; was willing to indulge those gentlemen in any station that will be most convenient and agreeable to them, 148; consistent with the rules of Congress; which, together with our never having the least apprehension of their making an escape, is all the reason that we can advance touching the whole affair. As soon as we found they had made their escape, we despatch-ed expresses to the Committee of Lancaster and Berks Counties, and also parties of men in search of them, but have as yet received no intelligence concerning them.

We are, sir, your humble servants,

PHILIP GRUNEWALT,

JOHN LICHT.

To Richard Peters, Jun., Esq., Sec146;y of the War-Office.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL WARD.

New-York, June 26, 1776.

SIR: Being in the greatest distress here for arms, without the most distant prospect of obtaining a supply, and as several have been lately brought into Boston, belonging to the Highlanders that have been taken, I request that you will immediately forward the remaining two hundred carbines which, in my letter of the 28th ultimo, I directed to be kept at Boston, to the person at Norwich to whose care the others were intrusted, with orders to send them here with all possible despatch, together with the three hundred mentioned in your letter of the 9th instant, remaining part of my former order, which have not yet arrived here. You will direct him to send the whole by land, in wagons, without delay, if, when they arrive there, there shall appear the least risk in their coming by water. The places of these last two hundred can be supplied out of the arms lately taken; an exact account of which, with the amount of the prisoners and stores, if any, I shall be glad to have transmitted me. I am, &c.,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To General Ward.

JOSEPH REED (ADJUTANT-GENERAL) TO HENRY REMSEN.

Head-Quarters, June 26, 1776.

SIR: The taking proper measures for apprehending a person of dangerous principles and conduct last evening, prevented my writing you as I proposed respecting the prisoners brought in yesterday. I mentioned what passed between us to the General, but, on referring to the resolution of Congress, we found the disposition of prisoners wholly given to the Congresses, Committees, &c., of the respective Colonies. In this view his Excellency did not choose to give any directions about them; but at the same time suggested his wishes that they might be removed out of the city as soon as possible. How far the Colony of Connecticut might choose to take prisoners captivated in other Provinces, unless sent by the Continental Congress, must be left to the wisdom of your own Convention. They now have many under those circumstances. If any further guard is necessary, upon receiving an intimation on that head it shall be immediately complied with.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

JOSEPH REED.

To Henry Remsen, Esq., New-York.

To the Honourable Brigadier-General HEATH:

The Memorial of the Surgeons146; Mates, of the several Regiments under your Honour146;s command, humbly showeth :

That your memorialists meant to be included in a late petition presented to your Honour by the gentlemen Surgeoas in the Brigade under your Honour146;s command, for an augmentation of their wages; but through a mistake of the mate146;s signature of a particular brigade, or by some other means, no notice has been taken of the said petition in their behalf, and your memorialists find (while employed in the common service of their country, which service they have, and always meant to discharge, with the greatest care and fidelity) that their present pay will not support them in the character of gentlemen, even if used with the utmost frugality and economy. Your memorialists, therefore, earnestly request your Honour to represent their aggrieved state to his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, and pray him, in their behalf, to lay the same before the honourable the Continental Congress, or take such other measures as shall, in your Honour146;s wisdom, be most expedient. And your memorialists, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

New-York, June 26, 1776.

Proceedings of a General Court Martial of the Line, held at Head-Quarters, in the City of NEW-YORK, by war-rant from his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq., General and Commander-in-Chief of the forces of the United American Colonies, for the trial of THOMAS HICKEY and others, June 26th, A. D. 1776.

The warrant being read, and the Court first duly sworn,