lieved from below. Our little hand full of men behaved with the greatest spirit & chearfulness & are determined to defend the fort while they can get a horse or dog to eat; what pity such brave troops should be used in such a scandalous manner. I remain in haste yours

Sir, I am favoured with Col. Cortlandt & Wissenfel's Letter of the 22d Instant. Their Reasons for opening Capt. Black's Letter are perfectly satisfactory. I have transmitted a duplicate to his usual Place of abode & you may rely upon it that the moment he can be found he will be directed to pay the strictest & most assidious attention to the Duties of his office & the least Evidence of neglect will not pass unoticed. Capt. Wiley has been with me & recived his appointment with a Warrant on the Treasury for £150,000 & has engaged to pay an immediate attention to the Business of procuring Supplies for the Troops & I flatter myself from his Zeal & Activity you will soon experience the comfortable Effects of his Agency.

You may remember that in my last, I informed you that the Council of Appointment was to meet the 1st Day of next Month. I now enclose you a Copy of a Letter from Lieut. Glenny complaining of Injustice in the Arrangement lately made by the Council of the New York Line a Copy of which was transmitted you by Capt. Norton. You will have observed that the Council

in their appointments have proceeded upon the Returns made by the four Regts. of the Brigade attested by the Commanding Officer, without the least Deviation from it, so that if any Error has taken Place it is to be imputed to the Returns, for it was imposible for the Council to procure any other Evidence of the particular Periods in which Promotions were to take Place. For my own Part I must confess I am not as yet convinced of the Justice of the Principle upon which Mr. Glenney founds his claim of prior Promotion, nor am I satisfied that the Practice of the Brigade woud justify it; & if Returns are regularly made to the Board of War, which I presume to be the Case, I cannot conceive how Commissions can be issued on this System, as the Promotions woud be found to differ essentially from these Returns, notwithstanding Mr. Glenny may have Injustice done him when compared to the Case of Mr. Bagely & others which he aludes to. I have, therefore, to request your Report with the Sentiments of the Field Officers on this Subject in Season, to lay it before the Council at their next meeting, that the Arangement may be compleated & the Warrants for the Commissions transmitted to the Board of War. We wish to do the Officers the strictest Justice with Respect to Rank. It is neither our Interest or Inclination to impede their Promotion; but at the same Time, we wish not be chargeable with Inconsistency or Injustice to the other Gentlemen of the Army by making undue Promotions in our Line. I am, Sir, &c.

Brig'r Genl. Clinton.

G: Clinton.

[No. 3110.]

Colonel Van Schaick's Letter to Governor Clinton in Regard to Supplying Fort Schuyler with Provisions.

Albany July 28th 1780.

Sir, On the 1st Instant I did myself the Honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellencies favor of the 29th Ultimo, informing your Excellency that the order from the Commander in Chief directed to any Com'sy to the Eastward for one hundred Barrels of Beef or Pork had been forwarded to Mr. John Watson of Hartford, a principle agent in the State of Conecticut with a requisition to forward the above mentioned Beef or Pork without loss of time. I have not yet rec'd an answer from Mr. Watson nor am I able to obtain an Express in order to make the necessary inquiry for the want of money in the Quarter Master Department.

I have not hitherto been able with the utmost Exertions to throw into Fort Schuyler, more provisions then to feed them from hand to mouth, & Capt. Horton, I have been inform'd, has inlisted the chief part of the Levies Stationed at the German Flatts; those it's said are on their march down with a few Stationd at Stone Arabia & Fort Plank & were the only alternative I had for an Escort to the Boats & Cattle going to the Fort. Altho I shall leave no means untried to have the Garrison of Fort Schuyler supplied, it is at present out of my power to promise that I shall be able to accomplish it. Provisions & men to guard them up are wanted. I am most respectfully your Excellencies, most Obedient Servant

Governor George Clinton.

G. V Schaick.

[No. 3111.]

General Van Rensselaer Reports to the Governor that Fort Schuyler

is Cut Off.

Fox's Mills 28th July 178 [0] 10 O'Clock P. M.

on my March to the German Flatts.

Dear Govenor, I am this moment favour'd with some very interesting Intelligence from Fort Schuyler. Time will only permitt me to inform your Excellency, that the Communication between this, and Fort Schuyler* is cut off, by a body of Eight hundred Indians and Tories, and from Major Graham's Letter, it appears they expect a body of Regular Troops; for more particular information must refer you, to Col. Van Schaick Letter who I have desired to write you. I have one hundred men with me. Col. Clyde is now at the German Flatts with one hundred. I may get Eighty men from the German Flatts, and Lieut. Col. Veyder is now on his march with I immagine one hundred more. I have made application to Genl. Ten Broeck for assistance, and shall take every step in my power to assist the Garrison and defend this County. I am Dear Gov'r, yours Sincerely

To his Excellency Gov'r Clinton.

Robt. V'n Rensselaer.

From headquarters, Peekskill, July 31, Washington wrote to Brigadier General Fellows of the Massachusetts militia:

By advices just received, I hear that the Enemy have cut off the communication with Fort Schuyler; and, as the place is not well supplied with provision, there is reason to fear the loss of that valuable post, unless it is speedily relieved. You will therefore be pleased instantly upon the receipt hereof to detach five hundred of the militia under your command properly officered, with direction to the officer to march and put himself under the command of Brigadier-General Van Rensselaer of Tryon county. I have written to Colonel Van Schaick at Albany, to supply provisions, wagons, and whatever else may be necessary to expedite the march of the detachment. Governor Clinton has written to the same effect to Colonel Van Schaick, and to General Van Rensselaer. When you consider how very essential the post of Fort Schuyler is to the security of our whole frontier, and that the saving of, the harvest of the fine country upon the Mohawk River depends upon the immediate removal of the enemy, I am convinced you will not lose any time in marching off the detachment, that they may form a junction with the militia of the State of New York. Ammunition will be ready at Albany."-Washington's Writings, Volume VIII.

Head Qurs. Peeks Kill 31st July 1780.

Dear Sir, I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letters of the 27th & 28th Instant & to inform you in consequence of the Disagreable Intelligence communicated by them, his Excellency Genl. Washington has ordered a Detachment of five hundred of the Massachusets Levies now at Claverack to march with the utmost Expedition into Tryon County & put themselves under your Command. It is expected that this Reinforcement with the assistance which may be derived from Genl. Ten Broeck's Brigade, will enable you to cover the Country, open the Communication with Fort Schuyler & expel the Enemy out of that Quarter. I have wrote to your Brother Colo. Van Renselaer & Colo. Van Schaick, to facilitate & expedite the March of their Troops by every means in their Power, & for this Purpose have enclosed them Warrants to impress Provisions & Cariages. With the fullest Reliance on your Exertions, 1 am, my D'r Sir, yours &c.

[G. C.]

By Intelligence received by different ways from Canada the Enemy's force is said to be principally collected at Quebec, where they are apprehensive of an attack, so that it is not probable that they can have any considerable Force in the Rear of those between you & the Fort.

[To General Robert Van Rensselaer.]

[No. 3112.]

Hannah Van Buren's Petition.

To his Excellency, George Clinton, Esqr. Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the State of New York.

The petition of Hannah Van Beuren, of Scodook humbly sheweth, That whereas an act passed the Honourable General