Head-Quarters, New-York, June 29, 1776.

Ensign Miller, of Colonel Wyllys’s Regiment, under arrest for leaving his Guard at the City-Hall, and suffering a prisoner to be absent from thence, to be immediately tried by a General Court-Martial. Notice to be given to the witnesses to attend.

After Orders. —Till the reinforcement intended for this department arrives, and some general regulations take place, Brigadier-General Mifflin is to take charge of the two Battalions from Pennsylvania, commanded by Colonels Shea and Magaw, but is to remain in the City of New-York till further orders. Before him all prisoners and all deserters are to be carried for examination; the former he will order to be escorted to such place as the Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety of New-York shall assign, and the latter to have removed to a distance from the Army, reporting to the General all extraordinaries. General Mifflin will also turn his attention, in a particular manner, to the Gondolas, Fire-Rafts, &c., causing the work to advance with all possible despatch, and seeing that nothing is omitted which can complete and forward them.

Jonathan Mifflin, Esq., is appointed Brigade-Major to General Mifflin, and is to be obeyed as such.

The Commanding Officers of the Militia from the several Counties are to see that each Private is furnished with twenty-four rounds of Powder and Ball, by applying to Commissary Cheever, as fast as they arrive, and to form them into Battalions as early as possible.

Evening Orders. —As many useful men belonging to the Army have been drafted, and others have been hired, for the different works of the Camp, and as their assistance may be wanted to repel the enemy, such Carpenters, Armourers, Smiths, and other Artificers as are now under the directions of Captains Post, Pollard, Bruin, Ford, and Bacon, are forthwith to be formed in a distinct Corps, under the command of Colonel Jonathan Brewer and Mr. Parke, Assistant Quartermaster-General, who are to act (pro tempore) as their Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel. Mr. Parke to parade them on the Common, near the Park of Artillery, at ten o’clock to-morrow morning. He is to order an account to be taken of their Arms and Accoutrements, and to form them into Companies of fifty, and then report to the General, who will nominate such temporary Officers as will be necessary to complete the several Companies. This Corps to continue during the present exigency, after which they will return to their former employments. At the same time they are not to be exempted from their ordinary duty while under the present arrangement, except while they are arranging or called out to action.

The Quartermaster-General to deliver to General Putnam’s order all the Sandbags in his possession. He is also to engage such a number of Cart-Horses in the City as Colonel Knox shall think sufficient, for the use of the Train of Artillery, and, with the assistance of Colonel Knox, to arrange them in such a manner as to prevent confusion in time of service, and best answer the design of employing them. He is to procure as many sound empty Hogsheads as he can, and deliver them to General Putnam’s order. He is to procure all the Row-Boats and light Pettiaugers in and near this City, and is to station them, with all other boats belonging to the Army, and not in use, in the dock, between the Exchange Slip and Albany Pier.

The Commissary-General to lodge a fortnight’s Provision on Governour’s Island, Paulus Hook, and in all the detached posts. To enable him to do this with precision, General Putnam will furnish him with a list of the men in the several posts.

The General expects that all Soldiers, who are intrusted with the defence of any work, will behave with great coolness and bravery, and will be particularly careful not to throw away their fire; he recommends to them to load for their first fire, with one musket-ball and four or eight buckshot, according to the size and strength of their pieces. If the enemy is received with such a fire, at not more than twenty or thirty yards distance, he has no doubt of their being repulsed.

The Brigadier-Generals to order Chevaux-de-frise and Fascines, sufficient to shut up the sally ports of their respective works, to be immediately provided and lodged near the works.

Head-Quarters, New-York, June 30, 1776.

The Brigadiers are to order the officers and men belonging to their several Brigades (not on duty) to march from their respective regimental parade to their alarm posts at least once every day, that they may become well acquainted therewith. They are to march by such routes as are least exposed to a fire from the shipping; and it is expected that all officers, from the highest to the lowest, will make themselves well acquainted with the grounds, that they may at any time be able to make advantage of it.

Upon the signal for the enemy’s approach, or upon any alarm, all fatigue parties are immediately to repair to their respective corps, with their arms, ammunition, and accoutrements ready for instant action. The working parties in no other instance are to be interrupted. The finishing of our lines of defence, and other works expeditiously, is a matter of so much consequence, that the General is persuaded, from the known zeal of the troops, that officers and men will stand in no need of arguments to stimulate them to uncommon exertion upon the occasion. His anxiety for the honour of the American arms, and the noble cause we are engaged in—not a distrust in the officer’s care—induces him once more, and while time will allow it, to recommend a thorough inspection to the men’s arms and ammunition; to see that every soldier is completed to twenty-four rounds, and has a good flint well fixed into the lock; in short, to be well prepared for an engagement, is, under God, (whose divine aid it behooves us to supplicate,) more than one-half the battle.

The General desires that each Colonel, or Commanding Officer, of the established Regiments, will furnish him with a list of the vacancies therein; and that the Field Officers of those Regiments would recommend proper persons to fill them. The Commanding Officer, for the time being, of such Militia as shall arrive in this city from New-Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts-Bay, is to give in Returns thereof to the Adjutant-General of the parties as they arrive. He is immediately to discharge every man who comes without arms; and is to see that all the others are completed with their twenty-four rounds per man; and that they do their proportion of all duties, as will fatigue as other duty.

Captain Josiah Fay, of Colonel Ward’s Regiment, to act as Major of the said Regiment, till further orders; he is to be obeyed as such.

After Orders. —Twenty-six thousand Musket Cartridge to be sent Colonel Prescott on Governour’s Island, with some Flints.

The Brigadiers to order a circle to be marked round the several Redoubts, by which their officers are to be directed in giving orders for the first discharge. Small brush may be set up to make the line more distinct and familiar to the men, who are by no means to be ordered to fire before the enemy arrive at the circle.

The Countersign, in future, to be delivered by the Adjutant-General to the Brigade-Majors and Adjutant of Artillery, at six o’clock P. M., who are to send the same, sealed, to their respective Brigades, and to the Field Officers of their respective Brigades, if required by the latter, and to no others.

Captain Stephen Brown, of Colonel Durkee’s Regiment, to go immediately to Newark, and apply for assistance in procuring and fixing Boats near the Ferries for facilitating the passage of the Troops from New-Jersey to New-York.

General Heath to order the House and Barn on Governour’s Island to be consumed.

CAPTAIN SMITH (PRISONER) TO ROBERT VAN RENSSELAER.

New-York, June 30, 1776.

SIR: I mentioned to you yesterday evening that, as I heard there were to be some British officers, who are now prisoners in this or the neighbouring Governments, to be sent to Canada, in exchange for some officers of the Continental Army, who are now prisoners there, I would be extremely obliged to you if you will be so kind as to mention to the Congress that the officers of the Forty-Second or Royal Highland Regiment, who are prisoners in this Government and Rhode-Island Government, would be much obliged to the Congress if they could be amongst the number of officers that may be exchanged. Lieutenant Robert