Head-Quarters, New-York, July 11, 1776.

General Spencer's Brigade, instead of repairing to their alarm post, to hold themselves in readiness to march to-morrow morning, at four o'clock. The Brigadier-General will attend at Head-Quarters this evening for orders, which he will deliver on the parade to-morrow morning to the Brigade.

As the weather is very warm, there will be the greatest danger of the Troops growing unhealthy, unless both Officers and men are attentive to cleanliness in their persons and quarters. The Officers are required to visit the men frequently in their quarters, to impress on them the necessity of frequently changing their linen, cleaning their persons, and, wherever it can be avoided, not to cook their victuals in the same room where they sleep. If any of the Officers apprehend themselves crowded in their quarters, they are to represent it to the Barrack-Master, who is ordered to accommodate them in such a manner as to be most conducive to health and convenience. The good of the service, the comfort of the men, and the merit of the Officers, will be so much advanced, by keeping the Troops as neat and clean as possible, that the General hopes that there will be an emulation upon this head; and as a scrutiny will soon be made, those who shall be found negligent will be punished, and the deserving rewarded.

Head-Quarters, New-York, July 12, 1776.

Thomas Blunfield, of Captain Darrow's Company, Colonel Parsons's Regiment, tried by a General Court-Martial, whereof Colonel Reed was President, was found guilty of "desertion," and sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes. The General approves the sentence, and orders it to be executed at the usual time and place.

Lord Stirling's Brigade to be on the parade at four o'clock to-morrow morning, with their arms and accoutrements, ready to march. They will receive their orders from their Brigadier at the parade.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL GEORGE CLINTON.

Head-Quarters, New-York, July 12, 1776.

SIR: Two ships of force, with their tenders, have sailed up Hudson's River. I am apprehensive that they design to seize the passes in the Highlands by land, which, I am informed, may be done by a small body of men. I must therefore request you instantly to desire General Ten Broeck to march down as great a force as he can collect to secure them, particularly the post where the road runs over Anthony's Nose.

Send off an express directly, if you please, to the west parts of Connecticut, desiring them to collect all their force at the same point, since I have the highest reason to believe it will be absolutely necessary, if it was only to prevent an insurrection of your own Tories.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

GO, WASHINGTON.

To Brigadier-General George Clinton, New-Windsor.

P. S. A return must be immediately made to me of the number of men you collect.

EBENEZER HAZARD TO GENERAL GATES.

New-York, July 12, 1776.

DEAR SIR: In my last I told you of the arrival of the fleet from Halifax, under General Howe. The troops under his command are about eight thousand in number, and have taken possession of Staten-Island, which has been peaceable hitherto, but very probably will not be so long, for I believe it is in contemplation to attack them before an expected reinforcement under Lord Howe arrives. No attempt has been made on this city or the adjacent country yet. Imagine General Howe will do nothing before he is reinforced. Desertions are frequent among them: almost every night some men make their escape. I do not learn that they bring any material intelligence.

Enclosed is the Congress's Declaration of Independence. It has been proclaimed in the State-House at Philadelphia, and in the Army here, and received, as might naturally be expected, with great joy. The King of England's Arms have been burned in Philadelphia, and his statue here has been pulled down to make musket ball of, so that his troops will probably have melted Majesty fired at them.

Our Convention now sitting at White-Plains have entered fully into the spirit of Independency, and have ordered it to be proclaimed by the Chairman of every Committee in the Colony within their respective districts.

No news from Boston lately; only Gordon writes that the Assembly are going to make thorough work among the Tories; and that a servant maid of Colonel Irwin's has returned from Halifax with a number of letters for Tories in and about Boston, which, instead of delivering them as directed, she put into the hands of the Committee. The contents of them have not yet transpired, but it is expected they contain useful information. I have not had the pleasure of a letter from you yet. Have only time to add, that I am yours

EBENEZER HAZARD.

To General Gates.

NEW-YORK CONVENTION TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read July 18, 1776. Referred to the Board of War.]

In Convention of the Representatives of the State of

New-York, White-Plains, July 12, 1776.

SIR: Nothing but regard to their duty could induce the Convention of New-York again to call your attention to a subject so disagreeable as complaints against the arrangement of the Canada Regiment formed by your honourable House. They this day received certain papers relative to that business from a number of officers, who think themselves deeply affected by it, of which papers the enclosed are copies. From thence it appears that, besides other appointments out of the line of rank, three Sergeants, a Corporal, and a Lieutenant Fireworker have been raised over the heads of commissioned officers.

I have the honour to be, sir, the Congress and your most obedient servant.

By order:

NATHANIEL WOODHULL, President.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress.

New-York, July 8, 1776.

We, the subscribers, do hereby resign the appointments we held in the regiment lately ordered to be raised and commanded by Lewis Dubois, Esq., for the following reasons:

First: We have been ungenerously superseded, which the old arrangement of officers made by the Provincial Congress will fully evince; for we assert that the youngest Lieutenant in the Third Regiment, to which Mr. Dubois belonged, is appointed a Captain over the heads of the First Lieutenants of the First and other regiments; likewise that Sergeants and Corporals, who went out in said Third Regiment, have superseded officers who bore commissions in the last campaign.

AARON AERSON, Lieutenant.

JONATHAN PEASE, Lieutenant.

RICHARD PLATT, Lieutenant.

DANIEL GANO, Lieutenant.

GARRET H. VAN WAGENER.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress,

White-Plains, July 12, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Whereas we, have had the honour to serve in the Continental Army by your appointment last year, we beg leave to mention to you a state of facts which we esteem as real grievances, and look up to you for direction or redress.

When first the dire alarm of war was sounded in our land, we willingly stepped forth and offered our services to our bleeding country, and were much pleased with the appointments which you honoured us with. Urged on by the same motives which first induced us to engage, we endured all the hardships of a most severe campaign, with a pleasing fortitude, not doubting but whilst we were doing our duty we should meet with the applause of our country; that an equal distribution of honour would have been conferred on those who had not merited the reverse. But this has not been the case; a few have been promoted to high rank, while others, of equal standing and merit, are superseded or entirely neglected. Among the many instances of this procedure