I have endeavoured to Investigate the Communication betwixt V. & the Enemy and from every thing I can lern it is nothing more than a treaty for exchange or ransom of Prisoners. Dr. Wms. informs me that its said a Copy of E. Allen's Letter to G. Clinton, was sent to the Grants which has desided against Allen's influence or Command in the military there. Members of their assembly say his commission was made out, but since receipt of s'd copy of his letter declare he shall not command in their state. [No. 3725.] John McClung Finds Sentiment Strongly Favors Vermont's Expansion. Sir, I did not receive yours of the 27th ult., till after the sitting of the Convention, nor did I know of my Commission being continued from the last Sessions. Yet, nevertheless, I have conversed with several members of the Convention, who inform that the different districts seemed very much inclined to a union with the state of Vermont, as the only mean for their defence against the common enemy, & has agreed with a Committee of the Legislature of Vermont to articles of union to be laid before the different districts on Tuesday 22d inst. The result of which God only knows. I am informed many great ones favours it, & in my aquaintance few stands against it. But I perswade myself that such healing Measures will be adopted that it may not endanger the general confederation of the United States; nor be detrimental to the glorious cause of America. I am, Sir, with great Respect your most Humble & obed't Serv't Cambridge, 19th May 1781. His Excellency George Clinton, Esqr. &c. John McClung. [No. 3726.] THE FUTURE OF FORT SCHUYLER. Governor Clinton Advises General Clinton to Confer with Generals Schuyler, Van Rensselaer, Gansevoort and Others on the Subject. Pokeepsie, 19th May 1781 9 oClock A. M. Dear Sir, Your Letter of the 16th Instant, was delivered me late in the Evening of the 17th. Business of Importance which I was then engaged in and which woud not admit of Delay or my absence, made it impossible for me to wait personally on the Genl. as you requested & had this not been the Case I was apprized of his Intention of setting out early next morning for Weathersfield & was apprehensive I should not have been able to reach Fishkill in Season to see him without riding all night. 1, however, wrote to him by the same Express which carried your Letter, stating your Ideas respecting the abandoning of Fort Schuyler & establishing a Post at the German Flatts. The inclosed Letter from his Excellency which was left open for my perusal will inform you of the Result. I consider it a Point of a great Importance and delicacy; I could have, therefore, wished that the Genl. (who is possessed of every Information that I am) had favoured us with his Determination on the Subjest, especially as the Propriety of repairing & maint[a]in the present Post or the abandoning of it & establishing a new one. at the Flatts, may in a great measure depend either upon the Opperations of the ensuing Campaign or the regular Force, which may be employed for the Defence of the Northern & Western Frontier, of both which I am utterly ignorant. If offensive Opperations to the northward shoud take Place or a respectable Regular Force ordered for the Defence of the Frontier it woud in my oppinion be most elligible to hold Fort Schuyler; but if neither shoud be the Case under our present Circumstances, a Post at the Flatts will afford the greater Security to the frontier Settlements of Tryon & be supported with least Risk & Expence. I will not, however, venture at this Distance to give any possitive Oppinion on the Subject. I have directed Genl. Renselaer, who commanded last year in Tryon County, & forwarded suplies to Fort Schuyler immediately to repair to Albany, that you may avail yourself of his Sentiments on this Occassion & I woud advise that Genl. Schuyler, Genl. Gaansevoort & such other principle gentlemen on whose Judgm't you can depend, be consulted, & that you be governed in your Determination on the Subject by their Sentim'ts, as far as Circumstances will admit & you may rest assured I shall chearfully acquiece. I am using every possible Exertion to draw out the Levies for the Defence of the Frontiers; & I have Reason to hope they will soon be complete. Yours affectionately Brig'r Genl. Clinton. G. C. [No. 3727.] Jonas Caniff's Application for a Permit to Retire to New YorkReceived 19th May, 1781. To George Clinton, Esqr. Govenor of State New-York. May it plase your Excellancy, whereas, I find myself much opress'd by the present laws of this Country, for (as it is said) not being attach'd to the present procedings of this Country must, therefor, beg your Excellancy's permission to retire with my family from the state, to put myself under the protection of the Troops of Great Britton, must likewise beg leave to take with me a waggon and one pair of Horses, and as much provis'n as will serve my family three months, and due respect remain, yr. Excellancy's, most obedient hum. s't Jonas Caniff. [No. 3728.] Solomon Baker Convicted by a Court Martial and Sentenced to Death as a Spy. A General Court Martial held at Poughkeepsie the 17th Day of May Anno Domini, 1781 by order of his Excellency, the Governor, for the tryal of Solomon Baker, charged with having adhered to the Enemy, comeing out from the Enemy, and secretly lurking within a part of this State. The Court being duly sworn proceeded to the tryal of Solomon Baker upon the above Charge. The Prisoner being arraigned Pleads, not guilty. Peter Weaver, being duly sworn deposeth & saith that he has seen the Prisoner with the Enemy at V'r Planks Point, which was then in their Power; that he was a Soldier in Robertson's Regiment & Further saith not. William Burch, being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he once saw him in the woods back of Fredricksburg ab't six weeks since. Q. Where do you live? A. In the mountain Fredriksburgh. Q. What time of day was the Prisoner at your house? A. In the evening. Q. Court. Had you heard the Prisoner was in your Neighbourhood before you saw him? Ans. I heard of it a day or two before. Q. Who told you he was in the Neighbourhood? A. Isaac Taylor who also told me that the Prisoner was comeing to my House in order to go to a hiding place near a swamp. Q. Did you direct the Prisoner the way to the Cave? A. I went to the door with him & pointed out the way. Q. Did you go no further than the Door with him? A. Yes I went part of the way with him. Q. Did you understand at that time, there were any Persons in the Cave to which he was going? Ans. Yes. Q. Who were they? A. John Warden, Price Cooper, John Start & William Dunbar & Samuel Tid. Q. How came you to know of their being there? A. John Warden told me. Q. Did either of the Persons in the Cave tell you they were going to N. York? Q. How far is the Cave from your house? A. A half or 2 Quarters of a Mile. Q. Was you never at the Cave while these People were there? A. No. Q. Did Worden tell you he was going to the enemy? A. He did. Q. How long did you know of Baker's being lurking ab't the Woods? May 19th 1781. The Court met according to Adjournment. Colo. Platt being detained, Colo. Frear is appointed President, Capt. Fort in Lieu of Colo. Frear as a member, & Lt. Colo. Griffin not attending Lt. Rosecrans is appointed a Member in his stead. The several Orders being read and the new members duly sworn, the Court Proceeded on the Tryal. The Prisoner being arraign'd, and Capt. Pierce call'd as a Witness, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that on or about the 1st of April he heard of a Number of men being lurking ab't the Rocks which this Deponent determined if Possible to detect them, he accordingly collected a Party, & by means of two spies whom he had employ'd, found the Way to the Cave, on the night of the 19th of April, 1781 in which Cave was the Prisoner, (Solomon Baker) with several others, vizt. John Warden, William Dunbar & Saml. Tid. Qsn. Court: Did you see Solomon Baker in the Cave? Ans. Yes. Q. At what time of Night? A. After 12 OClock. Q. Was Baker armd? A. There was a gun there that my spies told me Baker brought there. Dunbar also told me so & there were two other guns there, all three well charged. Witnesses in Behalf of the Prisoner appearing, the Court proceed to their Examina tion. Saml. Haight, being sworn deposeth & saith that he heard the Prisoner read a Pass from the Governor of Virginia & that he worked openly ab't the neighbourhood in the Nine Partners. John Cherry, being sworn deposeth & saith that he saw a Pass from the Governor of Virginia & that he worked openly about. Reuben Baker, being sworn, saith that the Prisoner came to his father's house in Feburary & show'd his pass from the Governor of Virginia, and was openly there; staid there four or five days. The Prisoner in his defence says that he has been a Brittish Soldier and that he did not come out voluntarily but was cut off from his Party, that he allways behaved well and asks the Mercy of the Court and Country. After hearing the Law, and the Testimonies of the several witnesses read, the Court took into serious Consideration the Circumstances & evidence and were of opinion, unanimously, that the Prisoner comes under the Description of the act entitled Ian act for subjecting all Persons who shall come out from the Enemy and secretly lurk in any part of this State to Tryals by Courts martial as Spies," and that he is guilty of being a Spy; and do Sentance him to suffer Death. The Court adjourn'd 'till further orders. John Frear, President. Solomon Baker, formerly an Inhabitant of Dutchess County, about 3 years ago went to North Castle, in Westchester, and there meeting with one Solomon Blindbury, went with him to New York, and there enlisted in Robinson's Regiment. When the Enemy were in pos'n of Verplanks Point, he left them by the consent of his officers to see his Father John Baker, of Beekmans Pre't & other friends, and to return to the Regt. again in the spring; was taken at Crum Pond, and pretended to be a deserter, was carried to Gen. Washington who gave him a pass to go home; remained in Beek's Prec't the winter of 1780; in the spring Coll. Rob'n sengt a Wm. Bennet for Ex't with a |