WILLIAM WHIPPLE TO JOHN LANGDON.

Philadelphia, July 22, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I have your favour of the 6th instant. In answer to the part of it respecting the commissions, I can only say, I am perpetually dunning the President to send them. If any alteration in the wages of the commission officers, they will be higher; so there can be no difficulty with them. If any are lowered, it will be the mates, midshipmen, coopers, sailmakers, and perhaps some other of the petty officers, and perhaps boatswain, carpenter, and gunner. If the three last are altered, it will be but a trifle—say one dollar. The number of men I sent you some time ago: eighty seamen, eighty landsmen, and eighty or ninety marines; but it is my opinion, if a greater proportion of seamen are entered and less landsmen, there can be no harm done. If the officers have boys, no doubt they must be on the roll. It cannot be a question whether the men are to have hammocks—to be sure they must. The men to be entered for a year, and as much longer as you can get them. If you can get arms, the sooner the better. The Agent will have a commission for the business he does; therefore, I suppose, will employ what clerks he thinks necessary.

I always thought you had ample powers to fit the ship for sea, and I believe it is so understood by the Committee. It is impossible to get the exact dimensions of the guns, as there are but few made here, and it is altogether uncertain whether they can be sent to you. The furnaces here have met with many accidents, and I am of opinion your guns must come from Providence, or some other furnace eastward. I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you so soon as I hoped, as some very important matters are now on the tapis, which I want to hear debated; besides, I would fain have the marine matters settled before I leave this. I therefore think it will be the latter end of August before I shall be able to enjoy that satisfaction which I have flattered myself would be much earlier.

How goes on the courtship? Have you well considered the matter? I would just beg leave to remind you of an observation of one of the first philosophers of the age: that a man who thinks of marrying a woman twenty years younger than himself, ought to consider who is to be her husband twenty years hence. I hope you won't think by this hint that I have any objection to the connexion. So far from it, you may be assured, my dear sir, that whatever contributes to your happiness will be an addition to mine.

I am in pain for the frontier settlements in our Colony; not that I think there is any immediate danger, but I know that the people must be alarmed. I think there should be scouting parties immediately placed on the frontiers. I wish I may have directions to make application to Congress for that purpose.

Our late successes at the southward are almost a balance for our misfortunes in Canada, considered Continentally. Must refer you to the papers for news. I hope the bravery of the Carolinians will inspire the Yankees with new courage, and not let it be said that they have transferred the whole of that virtue to their southern brethren.

This Colony and New-Jersey are all alive. The Associates are all gone from this city. Men of fortune don't think themselves too good to march in the character of private soldiers, and I hope won't be ashamed to face the enemy. Colonel Dickinson, and all the other Colonels, have marched with their battalions. In short, the Declaration of Independence has done wonders.

I have Mr. Hancock's promise that the commission and blank warrants shall go off in a day or two by express. The gentlemen are appointed agreeable to your recommendations. There can be no difficulty in their acting, though they have not their commissions, as they will soon have them.

I am much obliged to you for mustering the regiment. It would give me great pleasure to see them in as good order as the battalions of this city; but that is next to impossible, owing to their being so much scattered, and the want of uniforms. However, we must do the best we can with them. I am, with great respect, yours,

WILLIAM WHIPPLE.

P. S. The order the Officers stand appointed: Peter Shores First Lieutenant, John Wheelright Second Lieutenant, Josiah Shackford Third Lieutenant; George Jerry Osborne Captain Marines, Stephen Meads First Lieutenant, Nathaniel Thuing Second Lieutenant.

Warrants will be filled up with the names you sent.

PETITION OF LEVI ALLEN.

To the Honourable the Continental Congress: The Petition and Memorial of LEVI ALLEN, humbly showeth:

That he has the greatest reason to believe that his brother, Colonel Ethan Allen, is now a prisoner on board the British fleet lying off the coast of South-Carolina; that he is in a low state of health, occasioned by the inhuman usage of barbarous enemies; that his wife and children, with his relations and friends, have the greatest anxiety for and desire to recover him from the chains of captivity, and the wretched state worse than death into which he hath fallen in the defence of his injured country. Your petitioner, therefore, moved with the highest principles of fraternal regard for a suffering brother, most humbly requests the honourable Congress to take this matter under their consideration, and make out an order for the immediate exchange of his brother, together with the prisoners taken with him, for such other prisoners, and in such way and manner, as they shall think proper, and that the same order may be transmitted to all the General Officers or Commanders-in-Chief for the time being in the Continental Army, as your petitioner determines to spare no cost or trouble until this exchange is effected, if within the bounds of possibility, being now on his way to South-Carolina, where he has no doubt of finding his brother, if the British, fleet should not quit the coast before his arrival. Your petitioner has the highest assurance of the interposition and assistance of the honourable Congress in this particular. It is clear and evident that at the time of his brother's engaging in the hazardous enterprise in which he was taken, the late General Montgomery assured him and Colonel Brown, that in case of captivity, every method should be taken and proposed for his or their redemption as soon as might be.

And, as in duty bound, your petitioner ever prays, &c.

LEVI ALLEN.

Philadelphia, July 22, 1776.

To the Honourable Congress of the free and United States of AMERICA:

We, whose names are undersigned, take the liberty to recommend Mr. Levi Allen as a person fit and proper to be intrusted with a flag to the fleet of the King of Great Britain, now within the harbour of New-York, in order to recover his brother, Colonel Ethan Allen, from his captivity, who is supposed to be on board said fleet, under such instructions and limitations as the honourable Continental Congress shall think proper.

JOS. SPENCER, Brigadier-General.

G. SELLECK SILLIMAN, Colonel.

SAML. WYLLYS, Colonel.

JOHN TYLER, Lieutenant-Colonel.

RUFUS PUTNAM, Lieutenant-Colonel.

SAML. H. PARSONS, Colonel.

J. WARD, Colonel.

JED. HUNTINGTON, Colonel.

CHARLES WEBB, Colonel.

COMFORT SAGE, Colonel.

LEVI WELLS, Major.

STREET HALL, Lieutenant-Colonel.

THOMAS SEYMOUR, Lieutenant-Colonel.

ELISHA SHELDON, Major.

WILLIAM HART, Major.

New-York, July 13, 1776.

JOHN BROWN'S CERTIFICATE RESPECTING COLONEL ALLEN.

This certifies, that at the Isle-aux-Noix, at the time when Colonel Allen was sent on the enterprise in which he was taken prisoner, Generals Schuyler and Montgomery promised and engaged that in case Colonel Allen should have the misfortune to be taken prisoner, that every proper method should be taken for his redemption and exchange consistent with the rules of war in such cases.

JNO. BROWN.

July 22, 1776.

COLONEL THOMPSON TO LANCASTER COMMITTEE.

July 22, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The bearers hereof, viz: Messrs. Ross, Johnston, and Paxton, are Captains of three companies in Colonel Porter's battalion, who have more men in their companies willing to turn out in defence of their country