shall seem most meet; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.

TICONDEROGA, July 17, 1776.

DANIEL TILLINGHAST TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Providence, July 17, 1776.

By yesterday's post I wrote your Excellency, and therein enclosed copy of an invoice of S A, No. 1 to 3, three cases Scotch arms. With this you will receive, via New-London, to the care of Nathaniel Shaw, Esq., Nos. 8 and 9, two cases more Scotch arms, as per invoice herewith; and likewise Nos. 4 and 5, a chest and barrel, containing arms and flints, from Thomas Greene, Esq., being Continental property in his hands, as per invoice herewith; all of which wish safe to your bands; and am, with the greatest respect, your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,

DANIEL TILLINGHAST, Continental Agent.

To His Excellency General Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the American Army, at New-York.

Providence, July 17, 1776.

Invoice of one case and one barrel containing twenty small-arms, thirty cutlasses, and fourteen thousand five hundred gunflints, sent by Joseph Bradford, from Thomas Greene, of Providence, to Nathaniel Shaw, Esq., at New-London, and by him to be forwarded his Excellency General Washington, at New-York, viz:

No. 4, a chest containing twenty small-arms and seventeen cutlasses; No. 5, a chest containing fourteen thousand five hundred flints, in the chest and in the barrel; thirteen cutlasses packed in S A No 9, a case.

Errors excepted:

Per THOMAS GREENE.

I have examined and received the contents of the within.

EZEKIEL CHEEVER, Com. Artillery.

New-York, July 27, 1776.

Providence, July 17, 1776.

Invoice of two cases containing seventy-five Scotch arms, &c., sent by Joseph Bradford, from Daniel Tillinghast, of Providence, to Nathaniel Shaw, Esq., at New-London, and by him to be forwarded to his Excellency General Washington, at New-York, viz:

S A Nos. 8 and 9, cases of Scotch arms, viz: No. 8, a case containing thirty-nine arms, thirty-nine bayonets, and eleven broadswords; No. 9, a case containing thirty-six arms and thirty-six bayonets.

N. B. Packed in No. 9, thirteen brass-mounted hangers, belonging to Mr. Greene's invoice.

Errors excepted.

Per DANIEL TILLINGHAST,

Continental Agent.

I have examined and received the within mentioned arms.

EZEKIEL CHEEVER, Com. Artillery.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Lebanon, July 17, 1776.

SIR: Agreeable to your request in your letter of the 12th instant, which I had the honour to receive by the return of our post, I have employed suitable persons to procure the felling-axes you mention, and have furnished them with £300 to defray the expense, and make no doubt I shall soon be able to send them forward. In the mean time, should be glad to be advised whether you would have them with helves and ground, or whether it will answer to send them forward without either.

I have also issued a proclamation promising pardon to such deserters from the Northern Army as shall return to their Colonies by the 12th day of August next, and enjoining all officers, civil and military, to apprehend all such deserters found in this Colony after said 12th August, and confine them in some prison, giving notice, that they may be returned to the respective corps to which they belong.

The scarcity of materials renders it extremely difficult, if not impracticable, to supply the troops now raising in this Colony with tents. May not temporary barracks be erected at a moderate expense to supply the want of them?

I took the liberty in a former letter to inquire whether a considerable number of the old gun-barrels and locks taken at Ticonderoga and Crown-Point, were not yet on hand, and to propose that they might be sent and fitted for use here. One hundred and eighty were formerly sent me, out of which one hundred and seventy good arms fit for service have been made; which encourages me to repeat my inquiry and request respecting other arms under like circumstances, and to hope for like success with them; and the teams returning that carry the axes may bring them.

I have advanced out of the Colony Treasury £50 to each of the head carpenters sent forward from this Colony to join you agreeable to your request, which it is expected will in proper time be replaced.

I hope the design of Dr. Ely's journey to the northward may not be mistaken. The infection of the small-pox in the Northern Army, accounts of which were spread by every traveller from thence, and represented in such a light as induced a belief that it was inevitable by any who should join that Army, greatly retarded the levies for that service, as scarcely one in twenty of our people have had that distemper. To prevent the bad effects of this terrour, almost universal, it was judged expedient to send a person of known skill in that distemper, who might examine the true state of the matter upon the spot, in confidence that his report would lessen the apprehensions of danger, and facilitate the raising of men to join and support that Army. We meant not to invade your province or the business of the physicians in the Army, nor did we entertain the shadow of a doubt that you would use every prudent and practicable expedient to stop the progress of the infection and provide for the safety of the Army. To obviate the ill effects of exaggerated reports from weak or designing men, by which the levies for that service in this Colony were obstructed, was our only motive to send Dr. Ely to that quarter. His great skill and experience in that distemper generally known here, as well as his character for candour and probity, will naturally gain the fullest credit to the favourable report expected from him, and enable us speedily to fill up the battalion destined for that service. It is with great satisfaction that I receive your information of the measures concerted for preventing the further progress of the infection, and hope the same may be effectual for that purpose.

I am, with great truth and regard, sir, your humble servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

To Major-General Schuyler.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Lebanon, July 17, 1776.

SIR: Your favours of the 7th and 9th instant were duly received. It gives me pleasure to meet your approbation of the measure of sending our regiments of Horse to join you. I make no doubt they will cheerfully acquiesce in whatever you shall direct respecting their horses, as the general good of the service ought to be, and I believe is, their governing principle. I find our battalions are filling up fast, and moving to your assistance.

The stock of horned cattle and sheep are removed from Fisher's Island. Block Island lies in the Colony of Rhode-Island, and the Elizabeth Islands and Martha's Vineyard are in the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay; I cannot, therefore, with propriety, give any orders for the removal of the fresh provisions from them.

I am sorry it is not in my power to comply with your requisition for heavy cannon, without leaving our port and harbour of New-London in too defenceless a state. By a return from the overseer of our cannon foundry at Salisbury, I find they have cast fourteen six, eighteen nine, and eight twelve-pounders, and are proceeding to bore them out and fit them for use. He has my orders, when the twelve-pounders are finished, to deliver them to your Excellency's order, to be used where they may be most wanted, without waiting for further orders from me. Ball for twelve-pounders are also to be had there. Should you have occasion, you will please to give orders accordingly. I expect eighteen-