family supposed to be in bed. After travelling about five miles, either Poor or Johnston (he don't recollect which) mentioned that there was a swamp before them, and it would be better to lay by for the night, and pass it in the morning. The party lay by that night without making any fire, and proceeded early next morning. Johnston led the way in the morning across the swamp, the horses next, and then the gentlemen and servants with this examinant. They travelled all that day, stopping but once at a spring while they eat some cold ham and bread. Saw no house that day nor for twelve days after. Either Johnston or Poor were foremost always, and constantly walked next each other. Lay by at dark, and next morning set off again, proceeding through the woods as before, and lay by at night again, Poor being still with them. The next morning when the examinant and the party got up, he (the examinant) found that Poor was missing, but had left his mare, having travelled and been with them three nights and two days. He says the officers showed no uneasiness at Poor's having left them, and knows not whether it was with their knowledge or not. That he (this examinant) travelled with those gentlemen and Johnston, as the leader, after this, about ten or eleven days, through the woods, the horse and mare carrying the provision and some cloth, which was used as a tent, till they arrived at Hickman's, about twenty-five miles (as he was told) above Wyoming. Says that he wanted frequently in the way to leave the party, but Johnston told him he would lose himself; that now he determined to do it, and, getting a conveyance in a canoe, came down to Wyoming. Upon the way down, the man in the canoe with him, one Trip, told him that it was noised abroad that the English officers had escaped from Lebanon, and he supposed it was them he (this examinant) had been in company with at Hickman's; that examinant then told him he was informed they were Virginians, and did not know whether they were officers or not. Trip then told him they were strict people at Wyoming, and if they should ask him about the officers, he should or had better say he had hot seen them; that he concluded so to do; that when he came to Wyoming he was about engaging to work at the shoemaking business, and some noise being abroad of his arrival there, he was asked by one Carrigan if he had seen or been with the officers who had escaped from Lebanon; to which he answered, no. The next morning the same Carrigan and another man asked him again about it, he told them that he had been with some gentlemen, where he met with them, how he had travelled with them, and where he left them, but did not know if they were officers or not. Upon this they told him he must be examined before the Shamokin Committee, and ordered him down there. He arrived there in a few days, and was again examined by the Committee of Sunbury; from there he was sent to John Harris's; and from thence to Lancaster. Says he did not know these gentlemen were officers at the time he first saw them in the woods at Poor's, nor at any time after, either by conversation with their servants or otherwise.

GENERAL MERCER TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read July 29, 1776.]

Perth-Amboy, July 26, 1776.

SIR: There are now on duty, of the Pennsylvania Provincial Battalions, and the Associators of the same Province, three thousand rank and file in all, cantoned from Bergen-Neck, near to Middletown, in South-Amboy; these are the only troops who have joined. A battalion from Maryland go on to New-York. Some shallops passing from Fishkill into Rariton Bay yesterday afternoon brought on a cannonade. Our field-pieces did little or no execution, and the small-arms were not used, the distance being too great. The enemy fired four, six, and twelve-pound shot very briskly for the space of an hour; we lost one man of the Militia, and had two wounded, not dangerously. Some iron four or six-pounders might be mounted on flats or scows we have here to answer very well against such vessels as passed us yesterday. Some have gone down today. I did not think it proper to waste ammunition with so little probability of effect. Some such pieces as are mentioned above are to be had at Philadelphia. We have shipwrights and smiths here could mount them. Captain Dawson is appointed assistant to the Engineer, who is planning some works of defence for securing the passage along the Sound, and at the mouth of Rariton River.

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

HUGH MERCER.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

P. S. We were of opinion that the shallops were sent with flour round to the fleet; but I am this moment informed by the officer of the guard on South-Amboy shore that soldiers appeared, thick on their decks after getting round Billup's Point into Prince's Bay. This morning they fell down to Sandy-Hook. A flag was seen hoisted this morning on the Light-House, which is an unusual thing.

GENERAL MERCER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Perth-Amboy, July 26, 1776.

SIR: I find by intelligence from our guards at South-Amboy, that some shallops (five in number) that passed us yesterday from Fishkill, were full of soldiers, who appeared on deck after getting round Billup's Point into Prince's Bay. As the shallops passed, our field-pieces played on them, but with little effect. The enemy returned the cannonade briskly during the space of an hour, with four, six, and twelve-pounders. One of our Militia was killed, and two wounded, but not dangerously. Two more shallops passed this morning, and one remains up the Sound in view. The Fly sloop-of-war, Captain Edgar, lies at Brunswick. I ordered her down yesterday upon the appearance of the shallops, but she is not yet fallen down the river.

I am collecting all the craft, of which a return will be transmitted. General Heard is out examining the creeks. I would send Morgan to Head-Quarters, were his principles steady enough to resist the arts of Tryon and Skinner, &c., which I much doubt. This morning a flag was seen hoisted on the Light-House.

The Maryland battalion passed Woodbridge yesterday. Orders from hence would reach Colonel Smallwood this morning, to detain him at Elizabeth-Town.

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

H. MERCER.

GENERAL MERCER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Perth-Amboy, July 26, 1776.

SIR: When I mentioned this morning the unusual appearance of a flag being hoisted on the Light-House, I had not then understood that any ships were seen in the offing; but find by a person just now from South-Amboy that some have been seen, and now six have come into the Hook. I am, sir, your Excellency's most obedient servant,

H. MERCER.

Perth-Amboy, July 26, 1776, two P. M.

A deserter from the Asia, examined at Elizabeth-Town, says that ten ships arrived some days ago with two thousand Highlanders.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE CAMP AT PERTH-AMBOY, DATED JULY 26, 1776.

Yesterday afternoon we had a smart cannonading with the enemy, occasioned by four or five shallops coming down the Sound. The General directed a smart battery, mounting two iron four-pounders, to fire on them; this brought on a heavy firing from the enemy's battery, from an eminence that overlooked ours.

Captain Moulder, with his two field-pieces, was ordered to the shore, but being encamped at some distance, before he could come up the shallops had all nearly passed. However, he began a well-directed fire, and though they had got to a considerable distance, hulled one of them.

When the vessels were passed, the firing ceased on both sides. We had the misfortune of losing one of the Second Battalion, and having another wounded. The young man's name who was killed is Owens, belonging to Captain Weed's company; he was shot right through the heart; the ball, a four-pounder, entering his left side, and coming out of his breast. This morning he was (Juried with the honours of war. The other, who is wounded, is one Freeman, a Sergeant in Captain Boyd's company; his wound is not dangerous, the ball having first taken the street, and rebounding