letter directed to him as a private gentleman. I was sent down to meet the flag. A gentleman (an officer of the Navy) met us, and said he had a letter from Lord Howe to Mr. Washington. I told him we knew no such person in the Army. He then took out a letter directed "To George Washington, Esq.," and offered it to me. I told him I could rot receive a letter to the General under such a direction. Upon which he expressed much concern, and said the letter was rather of a civil than military nature; that Lord Howe regretted he had not come sooner, that he had great powers, and it was much to be wished the letter could be received. I told him I could not receive it consistently with my duty. Here we parted. After he had got some distance he put about, and we again met him. He then asked me under what title General—but catching himself, Mr. Washington chose to be addressed. I told him the General's station in the Army was well known; that they could be at no loss; that this matter had been discussed last summer, of which I supposed the Admiral could not be ignorant. He then expressed his sorrow at the disappointment, and here we parted. I cannot help thinking but that we shall have a renewal of it today, or a communication of the business in some other way. For though I have no hopes that the letter contains any terms to which we can accede, or, in short, is anything more than a summons of submission, yet the curiosity of the people is so great, and if it is, as may be supposed, couched in strong and debasing terms, it would animate the Army exceedingly to do their duty.

EXAMINATION OF DESERTERS FROM THE FLEET.

New-York, July 15, 1776.

The examination of Nathan Spicer and Mathias Iselton: Spicer, a Connecticut roan, taken by the Cerberus frigate, in the Macaroni, on the 9th of last May, left the Prince Rupert, a transport ship, Sunday evening, the 14th July, says: The troops have all landed, and have consumed all the fresh provisions—the sailors got none. The ships that passed us up the North-River were the Phoenix and Rose. Said they had gone to land men to come down on our backs. The fleet which left Spithead five days before Lord Howe sailed, is hourly expected. The Eagle and Asia, it is said, are to come up and fire on the town the first wind. The Jersey people killed one officer and four privates on Saturday night firing on the Island; this account they had from Lieutenant Wheeler of the Thirty-Fifth Regiment. No baggage yet landed from the ships. About nine thousand men in the Army. The ships weakly manned. The old troops seem disinclined to the service; the new, fond of it. Lord Howe had nine weeks' passage from Spithead. Lord Howe's fleet consisted of eighty sail of transports, two or three frigates, one sixty-four, and one fire-ship.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM NEW-YORK, DATED JULY 15) 1776.

Yesterday Lord Howe sent up a flag with the Captain and Lieutenant of the Eagle man-of-war. The Adjutant-General met them after some little ceremony, but as their letter was directed "For George Washington, Esq.," he would not receive it. The officers insisted much on his receiving it, saying it was of a civil nature, his Lordship being invested with unlimited powers, and was sorry that he had not arrived a few days sooner. This morning we have accounts that the ships, &c., which passed the town, are thirty miles up, opposite Tarrytown, where the river is four miles wide, and where they may lie safely. It is reported that they attempted to land, and were beat off. We expect another flag up.

NATHANIEL WOODHULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

In Convention of the Representatives of the State of New-York,

White-Plains, July 15, 1776.

SIR: Your letter of the 14th was read in Convention. They see the importance of securing the passes your Excellency mentions, and will immediately take the measures you are pleased to recommend, and every other which they conceive will tend most to the security of this State.

Your Excellency was informed, by our letter of the 13th, of the precautions we had used in order to prevent any intercourse between the disaffected people of our State and the ships of the enemy, and to repel any attempts they might make to land. They see the necessity of watching with the utmost vigilance the steps of the Tories in this and the neighbouring Counties, and shall give your Excellency the earliest notice of any resolution that they may form for this purpose.

I have the honour to be, your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,

NATHANIEL WOODHULL, President.

To His Excellency General Washington, Head-Quarters, New-York.

NATHANIEL WOODHULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

In Convention of the Representatives of the State of New-York,

White-Plains, July 15, 1776.

SIR: One or two pettiaugers have been observed going to and from the ships of war at Tarrytown. Had the detachment of Militia stationed there been supplied with boats, they would certainly have taken them. The Convention, therefore, take the liberty of requesting your Excellency to send them four whale-boats, which they will take care to man.

I am directed by the Convention to transmit the enclosed resolution to your Excellency; and have the honour to be, your Excellency's most obedient servant.

By order:

NATHANIEL WOODHULL, President.

To His Excellency General Washington.

WESTCHESTER (NEW-YORK) COMMITTEE.

In Committee of Safety for the County of Westchester,

White-Plains, July 15, 1776.

Whereas this Committee has received the fullest information that many persons, unfriendly to the liberties of the United States of America, have frequent meetings in divers parts of this County, with intent to frustrate the measures now pursuing for its safety; and as this Committee conceives such meetings are dangerous, and ought to be prevented: Therefore,

Resolved, That if any person or persons shall, after the publication hereof, presume to allow or permit any persons (knowing or suspecting them to be unfriendly to American liberty) to hold any meeting or meetings at or in their respective houses, they shall be treated as enemies to their country. And all persons are hereby required to take up and commit to close confinement all such persons as shall act in opposition to this Resolve, and give in their names to the Chairman of this Committee.

By order of the Committee:

JOHN THOMAS, Jun., D. Chairman.

GENERAL GEORGE CLINTON TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Fort Montgomery, July 15, 1776.

SIR: I received your favour of the 13th instant yesterday, at this place; previous to which, about nine o'clock on Saturday morning, the signal at Fort Constitution being given, and the masters of two sloops, which about the same time came to opposite my house, having informed me that the enemy had attacked New-York the evening before, and that they judged by the reports of the cannon that their shipping had passed by and were up the river as far as King's Bridge, I thought it my duty to put the neighbouring Militia in motion, and accordingly issued orders to three regiments: one immediately to march into these works, another into Fort Constitution, and the third to rendezvous at Newburgh, on the bank of the river, about nine miles above Fort Constitution, with orders to march and reinforce that garrison upon the next signal given. At the same time I issued orders to all the regiments in my brigade to stand ready to march on a moment's warning, and despatched expresses to all owners of sloops and boats, twenty miles up the west side of the river, to haul them off so as to prevent their grounding, that as many of them as were necessary might be ready to carry down the Militia to the Forts. The residue I ordered down to Fort Constitution, as I believe, by drawing a chain of them across the narrowest part of the river and fixing them properly to be set on fire, should the enemy's shipping attempt passing by, they would answer a most valuable purpose. Early in the afternoon of that day I inarched into Fort Constitution, with about forty of my