I have also ordered the Deficiences of the Levies from the Northern Regts. of Genl. Ten Broeck's Brigade ab't 66 men and the Deficiencies of the Regts. of his Brigade amount'g to 74 (includ❜g 25 at Schoharry) to the western Frontier & I shall use all my Influence to have this force continued, and with the aid that may be derived from the Inhabitants, I doubt not the Enemy will be deterred from making any further attempt upon your Part of our western Frontier. I feel most sensibly for the keen distresses of your County & sincerely regret that it has not been in my Power to afford them more ample Protection by giving more adequate Force to the Gentleman who is appointed to Command in that Quarter. I am perswaded he is sensible that the ordinary Militia was the only Resource in my Power for the Defence of the Frontiers & that my repeated Orders I issued to them, were such as to give me every Reason to hope that he woud have had a more ample Force under his Command. I am, Sir, &c. [G. C.] [To Colonel Clyde and others.] [No. 3144.] The Army Depending Upon the States for Sustenance. Tapan 14th August 1780. Sir, The army is now become numerous and Consumes large Quantities of Provisions daily, Our Continental Supplies are quite Exhausted, and our Total dependance is on state supplies, agreeable to the Requisition of Congress and their Committee at Head Quarters, We are now without a magazine of any specie of Provisions, feed from hand to mouth (on the Receivals. of this day, depends the Issues of tomorrow); in this Critical Situation is an army, which Consumes Twenty five thousand rations daily. A great number of those Troops of the field, for want of Provisions in Camp, Under those Circumstances, a failure of two days supply, might be attended with the most fatal Consequences, which might not be in the power of his Excellency the Commander in Chief to prevent. Have, therefore, in the most pressing Terms to request your Excellency and Council to use every possible measure which may facilitate the Purchases required of your state, and order Punctuality in delivering and forwarding the same. I have great reason to doubt the want of spirit & Exertion in many of the agents who are Impowered to Purchase, which I hope will be a sufficient appology for my being so Pointed on that head, Shall take it a particular favor to have a line from you, informing what your prospects are respecting supplies. I have the Honor to be very respectfully, Your Excellencies Most Obedient and most Humble Serv't Governor Clinton. [No. 3145.] Eph. Blaine, C. G. P. Ab'm Yates Reports to the Governor the Receipt of the New Bills. Albany 14th Aug't 1780. D' Sir, I have rece'd the new mony yesterday accompanied with a letter from M. Hillegas C: T: and a Receit the Escort had given; Copy of both I enclose as also an abstract of the Resolves of Congress of the 18th March last; but have not r'd any appointment or authority to sign the Bills which I suppose should have been sent, you will observe in said Resolve the words "a Commissioner to be appointed by Congress for that purpose." Whilst I am writeing, Genl. Schuyler calls in and in Conversation about the matter, and the letter the Legislator r'd at Esopus from our Delegates, to name two Persons to sign on Behalf of Congress, and the answer of the Legislator and Nomination of myself and Mr. Ab'm Y. Lansing, he advised me to go on immediate and sign, that the situation of the Contry will not admit of Delay, and inform Congress of it: he supposes that it is done and probably neglected to be sent-which however, as the Commissioners that are to sign on Behalf of the State have not yet their Commission (so the Speaker tels me) if otherwise it was adviseable would answer no valuable Purpose. I am not without my hopes that you may have some account of it that may cast light on the matter and that it may be adviseable to proceed; in such case you will be pleased to send me your opinion, and the Commission for the State signers by the Bearer. But should you be of opinion that it is absolutely necessary to have the appointment from Congress, before I sign, I will be obliged to you to write to Congress, Treasury Board, or our Delegates which you may judge most adviseable to get the matter compleated. As it is a matter of the first Importance, every body looking out for it, and Congress and the State more espetially interested in it, I have applied to Coll. Lewis for this Empress, who I furnish with mony 200 Dollers to bear his Expence as far as Poghkepse; if you have no rider or yours otherwise imployed, he has leave to go on, but in that case will want money to bear his Expences, which you will please to furnish him with, and if required shall be returned, in either case a few Lines will be very acceptable to, your very Hum. S't, Gov. Clinton. Ab'm Yates, Jun. [No. 3146.] Captain Norton Suggests to the Governor a Method of Raising Hard Cash. Camp Tappon August 15th 1780. Sir, Agreeable to your Excellency's Orders I Proceeded up to the frontiers on the Recruiting Service, & thro' much Difficulty, & without Cash, have Inlisted a Considerable number of men about twenty of which is during the War, who now Insist on having their Bounty Paid them, which if I had it, I might Engage three times the Number. Your Excellency may Remember in Conversation, I mentioned that there was a probability of getting some hard Cash from Long Island if thought proper, the Importance of the affair and the probability of filling up the Regt. in the Occasion of my taking the Liberty once more to mention the method, I proposed, Viz. Major Davis & myself on the Credit of our State, might Procure hard Cash of our friends upon the Island by our Connections with them; it is well known by those who are acquainted in Suffolk County that the Inhabitants in General are our Stanch friends, and am apt to think would, in a Secret manner, aid and assist us all that Lays in their power, Major Davis & myself have had Considerable Experience with them. Since the Commencement of this war, and know of numbers who have Considerabe Quantity of hard Cash, I am with all due Respect and Esteem your Excellency's most Obed't Humb'e Serv't Nath'l Norton, Capt. 4th New York Regt. His Excellency, Governor Clinton. |