points as were necessary for his giving me final instructions; before this could be done, Sir Henry Clinton took the command of the Army, and it was then found necessary to wait the answer of the Congress to the terms proposed by the Commissioners. Immediately after the French Fleet blocked up this Port, and prevented any Vessels from sailing; but all these delays and difficulties are at length surmounted and I am this day to embark for Quebec from whence (if I am fortunate enough to escape the Cruisers) I propose to write more at large. Your Lord will have heard before this can reach you of the successful incursions of the Indians and Loyalists from the Northward. In conformity to the Instructions I conveyed to my Officers, they assembled their force early in May, and one division under one of my Deputys (Mr Butler) proceeded with great success down the Susquehanna, destroying the Posts & settlements at Wioming, augmenting their number with many Loyalists, and alarming all the Country, whilst another Division under Mr Brandt, the Indian Chief cut off 294 Men near Schohare and destroyed the adjacent settlements with several Magazines from whence the Rebels had derived great recourses, thereby affording encouragement and opportunity to many friends of Government to join them. As the Indians and well affected Inhabitants had long expected either a movement of the Southern army up Hudson's River or by some Rout that might be favourable to a junction, they have hitherto kept their ground and sent in several persons disguised, requesting orders for their future Govern', and wishing to know, what movement was intended, favourable to their hopes and expectations, but as the state of things has not admitted of it, and the Season is already far advanced I do not apprehend it will be practicable for them to continue much longer embodied this year, so that I propose on my arrival at the Northward to concert measures for rendering them as usefull as possible the ensuing season, and for preserving order & an attachment to Govern' among them, as well as for prosecuting any part of my plan which may meet with the General's approbation, in affecting which, acts of Savage cruelty may be avoided.—My Officers to the Northward have enlisted several good Woodsmen, and from my knowledge of the people, I am persuaded I can raise a large body to accompany the Indians if authorized. As my voyage and means of supply of cash and necessaries are from present circumstances attended with a risque, that may be highly injurious to myself and family, I am hopeful that whilst my endeavours appear to be directed by judgement, and attended with success, I may experience the necessary aid and countenance of Government. I have the honor to be with much respect My Lord. Your Lord's most obedient and most humble servant. G Johnson. As I have some good reasons to apprehend that difficulties may arise respecting my Rank as Colonel of the Six Nations, which seems the more extraordinary, where Men never in any service are Colonels and Brigadiers, I could wish this point was obviated, a request I humbly presume to be the more reasonable, as I desire it principally in cases where the service renders it necessary. G J. N° 59. My Lord. Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. [New-York Pspers (S. P. O.) CLXIX.] New York. 8. October 1778. Having in a second excursion brought all the Inhabitants on the East end of Long Island as far as Montaulk Point, under an oath of peaceable behaviour to His Ma^'' Govern' (and with good humour,) I acquainted Sir Henry Clinton therewith, and that I now only waited to receive his orders to act under his command. He has accordingly this day, ordered me to join the Corps above King's Bridge, under the orders of Gen1 Knyphausen.1 I therefore beg leave to repeat my earnest solicitation that the Civil Govern' of this Province may be put into other hands, hoping His Maj" will grant me a Military one in exchange. It is my present purpose, before the King's Commiss" return to England, to resign my Govern' to them, and to endeavour to obtain S Henry Clinton's leave to go to England. The Manifesto and proclamation herewith transmitted is greatly approved by the Inhabitants within the King's Lines and will I conceive work powerfully without the lines towards a reconciliation. I have been honored with Your Lordp's dispatches of the 5th and 7th of August, at the same time with the necessary powers, from the Lords Commiss" of the Admiralty to grant letters of Marque and reprisals against the French, which are taken up with great avidity. As I have not been able as yet to get any proper place in this City to confine the prisoners, that have been brought into this Port by Privateers; I have left the Commissary of Prisoners hitherto, to take charge of them as other prisoners, until the letters of Marque can procure the Admiral's protection against pressing, out of those ships at fitting out. Most of the Men, who would be adventurers in those ships, abscond, and are backward in entering into that service. Few of the privateers have yet sailed, waiting the Admiral's pleasure, for his license & protection. I am with all possible respect My Lord. P. S. Your Lord's most obedient & very humble serv Wm TRYON. M' Chief Justice Horsmanden, died at Flat Bush on Long Island the 23rd of last September. 1 Lieutenant-General Baron Knyphausen commanded the Hessian troops, in the British service, in this country during the Revolution. He retired to Prussia after the war, and died at Berlin in June, 1789, aged 69 years. Allen. — ED. 95 Vol. VIII. N° 18. Lord George Germain to Governor Tryon. [New-Tork Papers (8. P. O.) CLXIX. ] Whitehall. 4 Nov 1778. Sir, I received your dispatches N0' 56 & 57. & have had the honor to lay them before the King. It gave His Maj* much satisfaction to learn that so many of his Subjects had availed themselves of the power granted to them, for fitting out letters of Marque, and His Maju trusts that the success, which will follow that laudable spirit of enterprize, will prove not only detrimental to the Commerce of His Maju' Enemies, but lucrative in a considerable degree, to the owners of the privateers so fitted out. Your expedition to Long Island, seems to have answered the End proposed, in securing the Cattle, and in obtaining such assurances of the peaceable Deportment of the Inhabitants there, as the oath which you administered to them required. Nothing could have been more moderate than the terms in which that oath was prescribed, or more just, than that those, who would not give such a pledge of their allegiance, should absent themselves from a place, in which if they continued, they would probably be employed in purposes injurious to His Maj'*'* interest. I trust that notwithstanding the Detachments which have been made, the good condition in which you described the remaining Troops to be, and in which opinion every body concurs, the superiority of our Fleet, and the gracious terms held out by His Maj' thro' His Commiss" are circumstances which will make the American dependency on Great Britain less precarious, than you seem to apprehend, especially when the confidence of the Rebels in their own Force, as well as in that of their Allies, has in fact so much subsided. I am much concerned at the Damage done by the Conflagration, but am in great hopes that if that misfortune befell. the Town from design, the perpetrators of it will be discovered & punished. Nothing could be more proper than the handsome manner in which you express yourself towards His Majesty, on your being appointed to the Command of the 70th Reg', and obtaining the Rank you desired, and I can assure you that it gives His Maj" the sincerest pleasure to do Justice to an Officer of your merit and zeal for his service. I am ettc. Geo: GERMAIN. N° 65. My Lord, Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. [New-York Pipers (8. P. 0.) CLXX. ] New York. 16. December 1778. The situation of public affairs here, seems the same as when the King's Commissioners left this Port. More letters of Marque have been taken out, but principally for ships going to Europe and the West Indies. The Admiral has been pleased, from representations I made to him, to order his Secretary to publish an encouragement for sailors from the Enemies quarters, to enter on board letters of Marque, which I believe will have a good effect. I have been obliged from the frequent duties that the Militia of King's and Queen's County, have been called upon to perform, to appoint an Aid de Camp, an Adjutant and assistant to execute my orders, and to summon and regulate the Militia, in the two Counties, with the pay of the Army of Aid de Camp and Adjutant to the two former, and three shillings a day to the Assistant. Viz' Col: Archibald Hamilton,1 Aid d' Camp and Commandant of the Militia of Queen's County, Mr Long Adjutant for d° and Mr de Peyster Assistant to Col. Axtell Col: of King's County Militia. I have the honor to be with all possible respect ettc. Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. Wm TRYON. N° 67. My Lord. [New-York Papers (8. P. 0.) CLXX. ] Out Post King's Bridge 24. December 1778. By the arrival of the October Packet, I have had the honor of your Lord^'s Duplicate dispatch of the 2Dd Sept" (N° 17.). communicating His Majesty's pleasure that in the present circumstances of affairs in America, I should continue a certain time longer in my Govern'; to which Royal command, I beg His Maj* may be informed, I shall pay the most dutiful and zealous obedience. On the ground, My Lord, the King's Commissioners Manifesto has rested the war with America, I aın sanguine enough to believe her allegiance is to be restored to great Britain, and in that idea will hazard my sentiments on some measures, that I esteem will cooperate with what may be the grand operations of the next campaign, for the accomplishm' of so desirable an end. 1 Colonel Archirald Hamilton entered the British army in 1755, and in Feb., 1757, received a commission as Lieutenant in the 1st Royals, which regiment served in the expedition against Louisbourg in 1758, and accompanied Amherst up the Northern lakes in 1759. He was promoted to a Captaincy in October, 1761, and joined the 31st foot on 12th April, 1765, and served in America until 1774, when he left the army on his regiment returning to Europe ( Army Lists), and settled at Flushing, Long Island. On the approach of the English army to New-York, the Provincial Congress ordered his arrest on the 5th June, 1776. Journal, 477. He was admitted to parole on 24th (Onderdonk'i Queen's County, 66); in August following, he was again taken up and sent to New-York, when General Washington, "for special reasons and a confidence he reposed in " him, sent him to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, by whom he was permitted to reside at New Brunswick. On 23d September following, he was permitted to return home to his wife and family. American Archive*, I., 934, 1614; IL, 1374. He soon after joined the Loyalists and was put at the head of the Queen's county militia. Riker'i Annalt of Newtown, 201. In January, 1780, his house at Flushing was destroyed by fire. He was in active service until the close of the war. * Captain Frederick Dk Pit3tkr, fifth son of James De Peyster and Sarah Reade, was born in New-York 10th December, 1758, and after the breaking out of the Revolution he commanded the Axtel guards, a corps raised to protect his grand ancle, Colonel Axtell, at Flatbush, and was afterwards Captain in the New-York Volunteers, commanded by LieutenantColonel Turnbnll. He was wounded in 1780, and was taken prisoner at the Lower Pedee, with twenty-eight of his men. After the peace he emigrated to St. Johns, New Brunswick, and was a magistrate in 1792. He eventually returned to the United States. Captain De Peyster was twice married, first to Helen, daughter of Commissary-General Hake; second, to Ann, daughter of Gerard G. Beekman and grand-daughter of Lieutenant-Governor Van Cortlandt. De Peytttr Genealogy, 34. -ED. That a Proclamation from the Crown or Parliament issue, with a reward of one thousand pounds for every Member of the General Congress, & Civil Governors, Usurpers, that shall be delivered up to the King's Troops. Also a Proclamation of Pardon (and revocation of transportation) for every transport in America that will enter into the King's service, and at the end of the War to have their passage paid to their native Country, if they procure a certificate of their faithful services from the Commanding Officer of the Corps they served with. It is well known, that the main stay of the Rebel Army, are the old Country Men. This grace may Detach them from so unnatural a connection. That every American prisoner, without distinction or consideration of expence be sent to England and that the Rebels (if an exchange of prisoners is thought proper) be obliged to pay their passage back to America. One hundred Men thus sent home would make more impression than one thousand killed in the field of Battle. That higher bounties be given to Provincial Recruits, and the clothing of Provincial Regiments (at least I wish of those raised in this Province) be sent from England to the Commanding Officers of said Corps, who might be made answerable for them. That two or three squadrons of ships with Troops on board, during the proper season, do make continual depradation on the Coasts and up Navigable Rivers, most, if not all of which, are vulnerable. This would draw the Enemy out of their fastnesses, and open an opportunity of bringing on by certain junctions & maneuvres a general Action. That the Indian Nations lying between Quebec and West Florida be let loose on the Frontiers of the revolted Colonies, unrestrained, excepting to Women and Children. That a display of political courage firmness and wisdom be manifested on this side the water, & go hand in hand with the vigorous exertions of the King's Troops. These measures, My Lord, accompanying whatever may be the general design of the campaign, must accumulate distress to the Enemy, animate the friendly part of America and most probably draw the War to a decision in favour of Govern' These hints are humbly submitted to your Lord's contemplation, being objects that strike me from a nearer view of His Majty's affairs here, than your Lord can possibly have from your remote distance from them, and which may be subject to more sudden variations, from the designs and movements of the Enemy, than from the wisest sistematical plan, projected in the Cabinet of State. I have been honored with your Lord's dispatches of 2d Sept and 4lh Novr (No 17 and 18). The adventurers in the letters of Marque derive great comfort and encouragement in the expressions of His Maj'' satisfaction, you are pleased to communicate, on their laudable spirit |