[No. 3088.] Apprehending Tories Who Had Started to Join the Enemy. A copy of a Letter from Capt. Brouwn Dorlach July the 14th 1780. S'r, This morning or yesterday William Heyntz is taken Prisoner with all his Famelly and his Efects & provision and horses, is Carried of by the Enemy. I have ordered Persuit and as we imagin they are gone down the Sisquehanna. So if you Possibly can make any men op to Persue. I think by what I can learn they are but a small party. From, Sir, your Friend and most Humbly Serv't Signed Methew Brown, Capt. To Coll. Vroman, at Schohary. A copy of a Letter. Schenectady, July 18th 1780. Sir, we have just now Rec'd information and from good authority that a party of Tories from the Helbergh, Neskitha and Beavordam, to the amount of near a hundred is set out to go and join the Enemy at Neagara, and that their is an Express along with them who is lately com from New York. They were to meet last Night at Captain Palls at the Beavor Dam and to proceed from thence to Unandilla; we will Emediatly order a party of men from here to go in pursute of them but being a prehensive that they may have got too much the start of us, we would Request, that on Recipt of this you will order out a party to indeavour to intersept them on their Rout. We Remain, Sir, your most Humbl. Serv'ts Signed Ab'm Wempel, Coll, Hugh Mitchell, Commessioner. To Coll Peter Vroman, Schohary. A copy of a Letter. Helbergh, the 19th July 1780. Sir, Yesterday twelve o'Clock we wrote to you by Express acquainting you that we had just then Recived Information that a large party of Tories from Helbergh, Nisketha and Beaver Dam was assembled together in order to go to Niagara and join Buttler and Brant, and that they wer to meet last night at Capt. Palls at the Beavor Dam; as soon as the Express was sent of to you we Emediatly set out with a party from Schinectady to try to come up with them; we marched all Night and at Day breek got to Capt. Pall's house, Serounded the house and Barn and found three of the party in the Barn with arms, amunition, Provision and Every thing Compleat for their jurney; we took them all pressoners and have them now in Custodey. The pressoners confess their Intention of going to the Enemy, and say that they wer to be joined by fifty men of their party this morning on a hill just by Palls House, but suppose that the noise we made at the house had alarmed them, so we could see nothing of them; we are also Informed that they are to go by the way of Pachtetachken and again must Request, that you will use all Dilligence to apprehand and way lay them for we belive they are now on their Gurney; we also send this by Express. We are, Sir, our Humbl. Serv'ts Myndert M. Wemple, Major. Hugh Mitchell, Commessioner. A copy of a letter. Helbergh, July the 20th 1780. Sir, I am just now informed by Christian Corsbort that the Enemy's Party is one Hundred man Strong at Pasick, but could not just say what spot; and we are about thirty men and will lodge by Capt. Dietz at this Nite, and we will Proceed after them. Possible could be Rainforsed by your Troops by tomor row morning. I hope you will be Pleased; then I am, Sir, your humble Serv't Signed To Coll. Peter Vroman, at Schohary. Capt. Jacob Van Ernam. [No. 3089.] Du Simitiere Abandons Hope for Aid from Congress. Copy. In Congress July 14th 1780. Whereas, Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere of the city of Philadelphia hath with great industry, and at much expence collected materials for a literary work to be intitled "Memoirs and Observations on the Origin and Present State of North America" and hath Sollicited Congress to grant him encouragement in preparing and publishing the Same, and whereas, Congress are fully Satisfied that a work of this nature will greatly tend to diffuse useful knowledge; Resolved, that for the encouragement of the said M's Du Simitiere in carrying on and compleating his said undertaking, it be and it is hereby recommended to the several states upon his application, to afford him such assistance as may be most beneficial to him in rendering his said work compleat and use ful. Extract from the minutes. Chas. Thomson, Secry. Sir, I have to acknowledge the reception of the letter which your Excellency has honoured me with, inclosing an act of Con gress of the 14 inst. relating to my work on the civil history and geography of North America. It is with concern that I observe, that, there is nothing in that act that answers the purposes of my memorial to Congress, and of my letters to your Excellency, requesting the patronage and support of that hon. Body, consequently it can be of no Service to me. I beg leave, therefore, to return it to your Excellency requesting, that it may not appear in the Journals of Congress, and also presenting my apology to that hon. Body for having taken up so much of their time and assuring them that I shall not presume do the same in future and requesting their forgiveness for my intrusion. Sir, I had some reasons to entertain hopes that the sovereign council of the United States would have granted a decent support for the compleating of a work pronounced of the greatest utility to the people of these states, in the pursuit of which I have now spent the best years of my life, but those hopes being now at an end, and it not being convenient for me to be at any further expence or loss of time, it is with great regret I see all the works I have applied myself to for so many years buried in oblivium, and the materials of my most valuable collection (the only one of the kind in private hands) in a short time perhaps be scattered and lost. There are many persons of the highest rank and learning who have favoured me with their friendship, have taken the trouble to view my collection and are perfectly well acquainted with its value; these may perhaps hereafter lament that nothing was done to encourage the possessor of it or at least to prevent its loss. I shall leave it to some more fortunate and better qualified than myself to undertake the arduous task, but none will ever surpass me in the zeal and the desire I had in being really usefull to the people among whom I have lived so many years and for whom I entertain a real Esteem. May I beg leave to request that the plan of my intended work which was annexed to the report of the committee on my affair may be return'd to me, and, if consistent with the rules of Congress that I may be favour'd with a copy of the original report of the said committee. I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant, Philadelphia July 20th 1780. P. E. Du Simitiere,* of Geneva. His Excellency, the President of Congress. [No. 3090.] Ab'm Yates to Governor Clinton Regarding the Protection of the Frontier-With Governor Clinton's Reply. Albany 20 July 1780. Dear Sir, I have r'd your favour of the 13th Instant. I differ with you in opinion upon that part where you say (speaking on your genl. orders) "it is certainly calculated for the Ease of the Fronteer Regiments and Safety of the Settlements not to diminish the Force now on the Fronters." I conceive that every man taken from the Fronteers diminishing the Force: for the militia is the Force of the Frontiers as well as the Levies-But this is not all I have found by experience, that when ever the Fronteers are attackd one from an other place is worth two; they have not the same cares for their famely or Effects and as such they have a different and a more resolute way of thinking and acting which gives spring to the other; another part of your Letter (mentioning the number of men See Volume IV, pages 533-535 and footnote, pages 607-609; also Volume V, page 492. |