enclosed is a copy. We had thought the step necessary, which Congress have been pleased to intimate, of inquiring through what channel a letter had been conveyed from Lord Howe. You are now possessed of the letter, which will speak for itself.

The very agreeable and important news from the southward, for which we had felt the anxiety of brethren for brothers in danger, gives us a joy we cannot name. We hope it is a happy presage of our own success. It will at least animate our people, and was greatly contribute to our exertions.

We shall do everything in our power respecting the cattle. We have such an extent of shore, (more than three hundred miles,) all of which is more or less exposed, and a great part of it in such a situation that the owners have no places to which they can remove their cattle, that the task is not a little difficult. The Tory cattle of all kinds we shall lay our hands upon at every opportunity.

We are, sir, your most humble servants,

By order of Congress:

SAMUEL TUCKER, President.

To the Hon. John Hancock; Esq.

July 19, 1776.

DEAR SIR: The letter you mention is marked on the back, "Favoured by Lord Howe" and came to Mrs. Reed enclosed in a packet from her brother. While my clerk was copying it, my barber came in, and he told Hewlings. Hewlings desired a sight, which, as it was expressly desired to be communicated to the Assembly, I did not think myself (though really inclinable to do it) at liberty to deny. He then desired he might take a copy, which copy was immediately (I have reason to think) carried and shown to Odell; since which I have shown it to such as have applied to me. I have sent, or rather written a copy to send, to our Delegates, which I intend to forward by the first opportunity. This is all the information you request.

I am, with esteem, your obedient servant,

J. KINSEY.

To Samuel Tucker, Esq.

Bridgetown, Cumberland County, May 6, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: As our situation on the Delaware exposes us to the frequent depredations of our enemies—we having already had two alarms, and this day a number of our cattle killed and taken away, and we not having a sufficient quantity of powder and ball in store to protect our shore, and hourly expecting more visits from the ships that lie in the bay—I am directed to apply to you to solicit the Congress for a further supply of two hundred pounds of powder and one thousand pounds of lead. Your compliance will oblige your very humble servants.

By order of the Committee:

THOMAS HARRIS, Chairman.

To the Delegates of New-Jersey in the Continental Congress.

GENERAL MERCER TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Referred to Board of War.]

Head-Quarters, Elizabethtown, July 20, 1776.

SIR: Your favour of the 17th instant, with the resolves of Congress of the 16th, which I had the honour to receive yesterday, I shall pay all possible attention to.

Some days ago I came to this place with a view to execute a plan to surprise some of the enemy's posts on Staten-Island, formed by consent of General Washington. From what we could observe, and the intelligence we received, there were three stations, including the New Blazing-Star, which, together with some few houses off from the Sound, contained from five to six hundred men. Two creeks enclosed these stations all but a narrow neck of land, so as to prevent an easy access of reinforcements.

It was intended to pass the Sound from the mouth of Thompson's Creek, a little below this town, to Staten-Island, at a proper time of night, so as to be on the back of the enemy's quarters before1 daylight appeared. We were first to have secured, by a strong party, the neck of land between the two creeks, and then to have divided our force in such a manner as to have attacked all the posts at once as soon as it was light, then to have retired, if successful, by the ferryat the New Blazing-Star. The night before last was fixed for this enterprise. The first division, consisting of Continental troops under Major Knowlton, marched with me to the mouth of Thompson's Creek by nine o'clock, with design to pass the Sound. Immediately the two battalions of the Pennsylvania Riflemen, together with the first battalion of the Pennsylvania Militia, were to follow. The whole force would then have consisted of about thirteen hundred. Some of these troops were rendered unfit for service by having had a very fatiguing march from Brunswick. This obliged us to think of contracting our plan; but very tempestuous weather corning on, obliged us to desist altogether from the enterprise, some gentlemen, being well acquainted with the passage there, being of opinion that we should endanger the loss of our whole party in attempting to cross in such boats as we were provided with.

I have troubled you with this narrative, partly with design to point out the necessity of having boats of a proper construction built for the service of this Army, either to afford a safe and speedy passage to the troops for the attack of the enemy on Staten-Island, or to move our men with expedition to New-York or Philadelphia, should the service require their assistance at either place.

I have relieved with the troops sent from Pennsylvania all the Militia of New-Jersey, who occupied sundry posts from South-Amboy to Paulus Hook, to enable them to secure their harvest. When that is effected, they will again cheerfully give their assistance.

The command of the Flying-Camp, which the Congress have been pleased to honour me with, will render the assistance of an Adjutant-General and a Secretary very necessary. Mr. David Boss, a young gentleman of Maryland, had joined me in hopes of having the appointment of Brigade-Major. I beg leave to represent him to the honourable Congress as fit to perform the duty of Deputy Adjutant-General, or of Brigade-Major, as may be thought most expedient.

Give me leave to add my most hearty congratulations on the happy success of our arms in South-Carolina, this moment communicated to me by yours of the 19th instant.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

HUGH MERCER.

To the Hon. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress.

(Copy to be forwarded to General Washington.)

PHILIP B. BRADLEY TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Bergen, July 20, 1776.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: I have made strict inquiry, pursuant to your orders, into the conduct of Captain Ephraim Burr; and, upon examination, find that, by order of General Putnam and Colonel Moylan, he was authorized and empowered to secure the property and effects of all the Tory refugees which he could come at, and am of opinion that he no more than fulfilled his orders. I believe that some of his men, without his knowledge or approbation, did take some things which were the property of persons whose principles were not inimical; but these, together with those secured by himself, are safely deposited in the hands of a gentleman in the Jerseys, by orders which he produced from under the hand of Colonel Moylan. Captain Burr has fully satisfied the owners of the last mentioned effects as to his conduct, and the principles by which he was actuated. Upon the whole, am of opinion that Captain Burr's conduct, upon the strictest scrutiny, will appear unexceptionable.

Nothing worthy of observation hath transpired since I reported last to your Excellency, except that our men discovered this morning, on an eminence near the Ministerial shipping, that the enemy were erecting a fortification.

I have the honour to be, with every possible mark of esteem and respect, your Excellency's most humble servant,

PHILIP B. BRADLEY.

To His Excellency George Washington, Esq.

GENERAL WADSWORTH TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

New-York, July 20, 1776.

HONOURED SIR: Mine of the 18th instant not going by the conveyance I expected, gives me an opportunity of enclosing a return of my brigade, mentioned yesterday, by