[No. 3300.] Colonel Klock Directed to Call Out Tryon County Militia-Colonel Bellinger to Send 20 Men of His Regiment to Fort Dayton and 20 to Fort Herkimer. Fort Renselaer, Oct. 23d, 1780. Sir, The late Invasion of the Enemy has delayed the raising of the Troops which were intended to relieve the Levies in this County; and it will be some days hence before any Troops can be collected for the Defence of the several Posts on the River; you will, therefore, order out from the County Militia such number of men to those Posts as the Officer commanding the Department shall require, and you may be assured they will be relieved as soon as possible. I am &c. [G. C.] To Col. Klock, commanding the militia in Tryon County. (Copy) To Colo. Bellinger; Fort Herkemer, Octo. 23d 1780. Sir, Until Troops can be raised for the Defence of the County, it is necessary that the Militia be detached to hold the Frontier posts. You will, therefore, order Twenty men of your Regiment into Fort Dayton, and the same number into Fort Herkemer, this day. There will be officers left at those Posts to direct the Duty, and your men will be releived as soon as possible. I am &c. [G. C.] [No. 3301.] Colonel Vroman Ordered to Garrison the Schoharie Forts. Head Qrs., Fort Herkimer, 23d Oct'r 1780. Colo. Vrooman is without Delay to embody as many Men of his Regiment as he shall deem sufficient for the garrisoning of the several small posts at Schohary, & for keeping out scouts on that part of the western Frontier, and to station them as he shall esteem best for the protection and security of the Inhabi tants and to relieve them occasionally. Such of the Levies raised for the Defence of the Frontiers as are in that Quarter are to remain there and be continued in their present Service. By order of his Excellency, the Gov'r. L Stephen Lush, A, D, Camp. [No. 3302.] Systematizing the Gathering of Army Supplies. In Congress Oct. 24th 1780. Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter of the 17th Instant from E. Blaine, Commissary General of Purchases, Whereupon, Resolved, that Colo. Blaine, Com'y Genl. of Purchases, be directed to make accurate returns to Congress of the supplies furnished by each State since the last day of December last. That the State Agents transmit to the commander in chief, and to the Com'y Genl. respectively, monthly returns of all the provisions which shall be drawn into their hands, specifying the articles & magazines or places where they shall be deposited. And as this regulation is of the utmost importance to the safety of the army and the success of military operations, it be earnestly recommended to the several legislatures to enjoin it as a duty on their State Agents under penalties which will enforce a prompt & punctual obedience; and that the com'y General transmit copies of all such returns to the board of war without delay; and that he also lay before Congress a general monthly return of all provisions which shall hereafter be furnished by the States. That a copy of the letter of Colo. Blaine & its enclosures, be transmitted without delay to the several States, who are hereby requested to take into their serious consideration the present want and distresses of the Army; That they furnish & forward by means the most efficacious, the supplies requested from them respectively, and that this subject from the advanced season of the year, the critical state of our affairs; and the calamities consequent on the disolution of the army ought in the opinion of Congress to engage the unremitted attention of the States. Extract from the minutes. Chas. Thomson, Sec'y. [No. 3303.] Colonel Webster Reports the Movements of the Enemy on Lake Champlain. White Creek, Oct'r 24th 1780. D'r Governor, Ever since the 10th Instant we have been all armed and embodied. Ever since our return from Fort Edward the alarms came both from the westward and north. I keep -out Scouts betwen Fort Edward and Skeinsborough and shall continue till otherways provided for. I received last night a letter from General Allan, a copy of which I should a sent your Excellency, if the want of paper had not prevented me, but this much he says: the enemy my scouts have discovred them and been reconitring their motions from Saturday; yester day eight days ago their shipping lay off Mount Independence; they moved down the Lake lay awhile at Putnam's Point. A large body of them at the same time occupied the westward shore, as appeared from their fires and passing to and from their shipping; they moved from thence to Buluagge and Grog Bays, Rayments Mills and its Vicinity; the last scout informs that they reconitred those bays and other parts of the lake from the beutifull relm in Panton, but discovred none of the enemy on their shipping, tho 5 of their Vessels had been discovred in those bays the day before; they further add that they herd a brisk firing of small arms down the Lake but it being foggy they could not see the enemy; this contains the particulars. Date Oct'r 22nd 2 of the Clock P. M. 1780. Sir, as I have wrote to you before and have received no answer and as we jointly joined officers and principle Inhabitants in Council and sent Major McCracken and Squire Russel with our resolves to your Exellency, and as they by hearing of your being at Schenactedy only wrote and sent the resolves, I can only add I do my best to keep the people from moving off and act upon the defensive till I here from your Excellency; being in great heast [haste] most begg to be excused, and remains your Excellency's Very Ob'dg Humble Servant His Excellency George Clinton. Alex'r Webster. [No. 3304.] Disastrous End of an Expedition Sent to Destroy the Enemy's Boats on Onondaga Lake. Extract of a Letter from Capt. Jona. Lawrence, Jun'r., to Colo. Saml. Drake, dated at Fort Schuyler, Oct'r 24th, 1780: "On the 22d Inst. agreable to Orders from the Gov'r & Cool. Malcom, a Party of 2 2 4 & 50 Privates commanded by Capt. Vroman, Joshua, the other Capt. was sent out in order to harrass the Enemy's front & flank & if possible to destroy the Boats in Onondaga Lake, which could it have been effected, would have been the means of the whole of their force falling into the Hands of Genl. Rensselaer who was following them in their Rear. On their arrival at Canasheaga, the found the Enemy had just moved off, & that 7 men of the Party had deserted, & finding the Enemy to be numerous by their Tract & the militia not pursuing their Rear so close as they had Reason to expect, the Officers agreed to retreat back to the Fort; they had returned three miles destroying the Indian Settlements when unfortunately, my unhappy friend with the Party were surrounded by about 500 who they discovered not until the Enemy gave the Indian Shout. Two of the Party, after the Enemy begun to disarm them, pushed thro' them, who fired several Shots, but fortunately they escaped; one of them was my man, who Joshua, had taken as a waiter; he arrived about an Hour since." [No. 3305.] Inhabitants of Schenectady Petition That Their Regiment be Allowed to Remain at Home to Protect Their Own Frontier. To His Excellency, George Clinton, Esqr. Governor of the State of New York &c. &c. &c. And, whereas, the present situation of this place is become a frontier Town, which we have reason to believe the Enemy aims to destroy, and which we your memorialist are a good deal concerned about, particularly when we Consider the Different Settlements round about us, if we turn our eyes to the north, we find a Settlement called Galloway, and another called Peasly, who are all enemies to the Country and even Balls Town a great part of them; To the southwest from us we have the Hellebergh, which are likewise mostly Tories, at which places the enemy may lay conceald untill they find an opportunity to destroy this place. And one half of our Regiment are joining to these Settlements. We, your memorialist, therefore, humbly pray that your Excellency will take our Situation in Consideration and grant that our Regiment may remain at Home to defend this place. And as Balls Town is likewise exposed to great Danger of an other |