[No. 3219.]

Colonel Van Schaick Reports the Men of His Regiment "in a Manner Naked"-Governor Clinton Meets the Proposition.

Albany, September 12th, 1780.

Sir, His Excellency General Washington, has directed me to march my Regiment to the Grand Army immediately after they are relieved from Fort Schuyler, The want of Cloathing amongst the men is such that it requires my utmost Exertions to procure them, altho out of the Line of my Duty. I should not give your Excellency any trouble about this matter was it not that the men are in a manner naked, & that I apprehend on their arrival at Schenectady, great Desertions will take place if we have nothing to give them. There are a small Quantity of shirts & Linnen in the hands of Mr. John N: Bleecker, one of the Gentlemen directed by a late Law to collect Cloathing for the Continental Battallions of this State, & Mr. Bleecker informs me their is some more expected. I must intreat the favour of your Excellency to furnish the bearer, Lieut. Abraham Ten Eyck, Paymaster, with an order on Mr. Bleecker to deliver all the shirts & Linnen he may have in his hands, provided it does not exceed one shirt & a pair of Overhalls pr man. As the Regiment has not received any kind of Cloathing since the first of December last, it is easily judged the Condition they must be in, Should your Excellency disapprove the measure, my attachment and zeal for the service, & in order as much as in me lays to prevent mutinys and Desertions, will I flatter myself sufficiently appologize for troubling your Excellency on this subject. I am most respectfully your Excellencies most obedient humble servant

His Excellency Governour Clinton.

G. V. Schaick.

Pokeepsie Sept. 14 1780.

D'r Sir, I have just rec'd a Letter from Colo. V. Schaick of the 12th Inst. in wh'ch he informs me that he has rec'd orders for his Regt. to join the army, that they are almost destitute of Cloathing, especially of Linnen, and if they are not supplied before they reach Albany, he much apprehends that it will be impossible to prevent a Number of them from Desertion. Under these Circumstances, he solicits you to issue an order in Favor of the Paymaster of the Regiment on John N. Blecker, Esqr., of Albany for the Shirts & Overalls or Linnen still rem'g in or which come to his Hands of the Gratuities in Alb'y & Tryon County, provided it does not exceed a shirt & overall pr man. If this can be done consistent with the Justice due to the other Regts. I will do it; you will, therefore, be pleased to furnish me with a Return of what they have respectively rec'd, that I may be enabled to ascertain what Quantity ought to be given to Colo. Van Schaick's Regt.

[G. C.]

[To General James Clinton. ?]

18 Sept. 1780.

Sir, Agreable to your Request you have enclosed an Order for the Cloth'g in the Hands of Jno. N. Bleecker for the use of your Regt. not to exceed one shirt & one overall pr man; this your Paymaster is to rec't for and you will please to for ward me a Duplicate of the Rec't which I shall have Occasion for as a voucher.

[To Colonel Van Schaick. ?]

Colonel Pawling Ordered to the Command of Fort Schuyler. Pokeepsie, 12th Sept. 1780. Dear Sir, I inclose you a Letter from Col. Malcolm calling upon you to take the command of Fort Schuyler. The present garrison of that post is by the Commander in Chief's orders to be relieved by the Levies raised for the defence of the Frontiers and those stationed in Albany, Tryon and Charlotte Counties will be taken for that Service. This renders it necessary that they should be commanded by an officer whose Continuance in Service will be equal with that of those Troops and are among the Reasons which I suppose have induced Coll. Malcolm to call upon you. I have wrote to Colo. Malcolm mentioning that I doubted the Propriety of removing you from your present Station, least it might render the Inhabitants uneasy, whose Confi. dence I am sensible you possess. I have, however, informed him that I should forward his Letter to you but at the same Time submit to your Discretion to send Major Dewitt on that Service if you shall judge it most proper. It will be necessary, therefore, that either yourself or the Major immediately repair to Albany. I have wrote to Colo. Malcolm mentioning the Propriety of detaching from the Troops with him a Company or two as a Reinforcement to the Guards on the Frontiers of Ulster and Orange. I am, D'r Sir, your most Obed't Serv't

Colo. Pawling.

[No. 3220.]

Geo. Clinton.

Difficulty Between Colonel Malcom and Captain Lush.

Albany, 13th Sept'r 1780.

Sir, I find some difficulty has arose betwixt Colonel Malcolm

as commanding officer and Capt. Lush as my assistant, Your

*From Volume XXIV, Clinton Mss.

Excellency will I doubt not remember it was not only originally my opinion that a jealousy would arise in the army we were to supply, from our not being amenable to their laws in case of a real or supposed neglect or misconduct, but that we might be made so, if your Excellency should be of the same opinion; lett me request you will represent to the Legislature the propriety of a clause being annexed to the law for that purpose. I am, most respectfully, your Excellency's most obed't and very humble Ser't

Governour Clinton.

[No. 3221.]

Udny Hay.

Another Letter to the Governor of an Importunate Character. Albany, 13 Sept'r 1780.

Sir, Upon my arrival here, I found an allmost total want of every supply necessary for the army; flour, however, will soon be obtained, at least the prospect is such as gives me reason to think so; but as to beef, without some much more coercive mode is adopted than what the law has yett pointed out, I am sure we shall not be able to furnish the necessary supply.

I this day saw a small drove of Cattle from Ulster County, which I imagine must have come from Judge Wyncoop; they were eight in number, not one of them really fit to kill, and two of them so poor they could scarce walk. I am far from intimating to your Excellency that this arises from any fault or neglect of the Judges; it is owing totally to the want of patriotism in the people; must, therefore, beg your Excellency would represent to the Legislature the necessity of empowering the Assessors not only to determine the weight each Creature shall be

(agreeable to a letter I formerly took the liberty of laying before you on the subject) but that the persons assessed shall be oblidged, under some certain Penalty, to deliver their quantity in such Cattle as by proper judges shall be deemed fit for the knife.

I sett off immediately for the New Hampshire grants, and upon my return shall go to the westward where I have already taken the best steps in my power to have the people sounded respecting making voluntary sales of their grain upon the security of the State.

I am sorry to be constantly troubling your Excellency upon subjects that must be so disagreeable to you, but find myself in self defence constrained to do so, and at same time am not without hopes that the Legislature will be able in some measure to remedy the defects I mention. I am w'h the utmost respect, your Excellency's most obed't & very humble Ser't

Udny Hay.

Governour Clinton.

[No. 3222.]

Expenses Attending the Construction of a Blockhouse at Palmerton. Saraghtoga 13th September 1780.

Sir, The seventh of August last his Excellency General Schuy ler wrote a Letter to the Inhabitants of Saraghtoga District directed to Derick Swart, George Palmer, Cornelius Van Veighten & John McCrea requesting the sense of the People might be taken with respect to the necessity and propriety of erecting a Blockhouse at Palmertown, at the same time signified to us your Excellency's concurrence and approbation in the measure; the Inhabitants were immediately called together, who readily