Last Thursday, a prisoner escaped by swimming from on board the Rose man-of-war. He is a native of Boston, well known to many officers and men from thence, in the Train. Was last summer in the service. He was taken by the Rose, on his passage from Ipswich to the West-Indies; so that his information respecting those worse than freebooters may be relied on, viz:

That by the conversation of the Rose's crew, he found that they expected, on coming up, to be joined by five hundred Tories, who were to have driven down with them plenty of stock of all sorts; that they had been informed great quantities of provision and goods of all kinds were deposited in the stores at Peekskill, which they were to have destroyed, and then, proceeding through the Highlands to Poughkeepsie, were there to destroy our men-of-war on the stocks; that they appeared highly mortified in finding everything in a situation so different from what they had been made to expect; that the Rose had on board one hundred and ten men, (boys included,) and twenty marines; that in passing New-York, the greatest damage they received was from the batteries at Paulus-Hook Ferry, and the Blue-Bell; that the cook and another man had each a leg, and another his thigh, taken off by a cannon-ball; that two twelve-pound shot lodged in the head of the foremast just below the hounds, one went through and through the quarter, one into the quarter gallery and cabin, and three were cut out just above her black streak. Her shrouds and rigging were much hurt.

The Phœnix's damage he was unacquainted with, and, being a prisoner, it could not be expected they should inform him. He only heard, accidentally, that she had a twelve-pound shot in her bowsprit.

CAPTAIN WYNKOOP TO GENERAL GATES.

Skenesborough, July 23, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: I send you down one gondola, and I expect to send you one more the latter end of this week. The vessel and one gondola which are now on the stocks, I expect to have done next week, and will send them down also.

I have sent this day to the saw-mill concerning boards, and there were none sawed. But I am going to-morrow to the saw-mill myself, and I will have them sawed as quick as possible, and sent down to you.

There are this day twenty-nine carpenters more arrived at this place. There are none of General Waterbury's men arrived yet; so that I find I am too weak at present to supply the saw-mills and carpenters with what they want to forward the business.

I would be glad if the General would order those two small companies of my regiment now in the Fort here to help me. Then I think I would be able to forward the work in a proper manner.

I find thirty men here of Colonel Van Dyke's regiment. I would be glad if the General would please to order them over to Ticonderoga, where part of their regiment now lies; for as they are Militia, I find them to be under no command, and I am tired of being plagued with people of so many different corps as I have been already this year.

I would be glad if the General would order some rum over here for the carpenters, for we have none at all; and among rum, I would be glad of one barrel of West-India.

I find we want one set of blacksmith's tools more, which I have sent for by express to General Schuyler, at Albany.

I have no more; but conclude, dear General, with my compliments to you, and so remain your affectionate friend and humble servant,

CORNS. WYNKOOP.

To Major-General Gates, at Ticonderoga.

GENERAL GATES TO COLONEL HARTLEY.

Tyonderoga, July 23, 1776.

SIR: Your letter to me of the 21st instant, with that to General Arnold of the same date, are now before me. Mr. Brown was brought here by your party. I am much obliged to you for your address in securing him. The Indian goods are received, and sent forward to General Schuyler. The raft, with the party under Captain Peramus, of Colonel Burrell's regiment, arrived last night. If the procuring the boards and timber is attended with all the labour and difficulty you mention, I think Colonel Wait had better desist, and return to his regiment; but he should first destroy the remainder of the raft, and such ship-timber as may be useful to the enemy.

When the command down the Lake returns, you will be strengthened by their reinforcement. Mr. Hops is intended to be employed in the capacity you mention, where I wish his behaviour to be such as to merit further promotion. The service in the vessels will be the post of honour. Those who distinguish themselves therein may depend upon my protection. I will direct Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin to send down the carpenters of your regiment as soon as possible, to be employed at the saw-mill in the manner you recommend. I will consider whether it be proper and convenient to send smiths to Crown-Point. If that is determined, such as can be spared from hence shall be sent there.

This will be delivered to you by Major Bigelow, of the Artillery, who goes by the positive command of General Washington, and the honourable the Convention of the United States of America, with a letter to General Burgoyne. You may send your orders to Onion-River by him, and he should be directed to send back all the parties now upon the scout down the Lake. The commanding officers of those parties should have some private signals, that they may not attack or interrupt each other's discoveries. They ought all to be called in, and desist from further progress, while the flag of truce is going up and down the Lake. As some more batteaus will go to Crown-Point to-morrow morning, I shall consider what I have further to say to you, and write by that opportunity.

The oars for the gondolas should be forwarded with all expedition. I am, sir, &c.,

HORATIO GATES, Major-General.

To Lieutenant-Colonel Hartley.

GENERAL GATES TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER AT ALBANY.

Tyonderoga, July 23, 1776.

SIR: The prisoner (Brown) who is sent with this, has been a conductor of artillery stores, and is accused, among many acts of villany, of selling the publick stores of ammunition, &c. He is suspected, likewise, of attempting to escape to the enemy. He has, by some means, put the principal evidence in this case out of the way, so that, at present, it is not possible to proceed in his trial. For this reason, I send him to you, with my orders to confine, him in close jail, under care of a guard, in the city of Albany, till you receive orders from me to release him.

I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

HORATIO GATES, Major-General.

To the Commanding Officer at Albany.

REUBEN FOSTER TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

Newbury, Cohos, July 23, 1776.

SIR: The bearer of this, Monsieur Traversé, having come over to this part of the country from the parish of St. François, by a tedious journey, claiming our protection, as being in danger of suffering there by his attachment to the general cause of American liberty, and having served as Captain of Militia in the said parish, under commission of Captain Goforth, while commanding a party at Trois Rivières, as appears by his papers; by which, and the account he gives of himself, we think him an honest man, and have shown him all the civility in our power, at the same time taking the most prudent and cautious method of conveying him through the country to the Head-Quarters of our Northern Army, where he expressed his desire of going, having been known to Major-General Sullivan, and several officers of our American Army, that he might give the best intelligence he could. We hope for your approbation in our conduct; and, with our warmest wishes for the success of our Army under your command, remain, very respectfully, sir, your most humble servants,

REUBEN FOSTER,

SAMUEL BAYLY,

Chairmen of Committees of Newbury and Haverhill.

To the Hon. Major-Gen. Sullivan, or the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army at Crown-Point.