of Flour and Beef Cattle. I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect & esteem your Excellency's most obedient

Serv't

Governor Clinton.

[No. 3374.]

W. Heath.

A RISKY TRANSACTION.

Mr. L'Hommedieu Suggests Raising Ten Thousand Pounds in Cash for the State at the Peril of His Reputation.

Middletown, Nov'b 17, 1780.

S'r, Not seeing any probability of our State's being able to procure cloathing for our Troops this winter, or to raise any considerable sum in specie by the sale or mortgaging of confiscated Estates, Colo. Floyd, Mr. Hobart and myself have concerted measures for procuring from the East end of Long Island, for the use of the state, about ten thousand Pounds in cash, and as much in cloathing, the particulars of which Colo. Floyd will inform you. In transacting this Business, it will be difficult to save our Reputations, and prevent popular clamor, unless great precaution be used. By a conversation we have had with the Gov'r of this state, we have every Reason to expect the assistance & Protection of him & his Council upon a formal application from the Governor of the State of New York. I do not see why the act impowering the Governor to grant warrants of Impress &c. (tho' I have not the act by me) will not justify your sending a proper person with a small Force perhaps 8 or ten men, to impress those articles for which we have agreed and to give certificates for the same, and at the same time, as the articles must be brought into this state, to request Governor Trumbull's assistance upon which he will

furnish as many Boats & men as may be necessary to transport the Goods. This appears to me, to be the most feasable and unexceptionable mode of conducting the Business. Probably you may think of some other mode which will better answer the purpose, which we shall gladly pursue. As there is great probability of procuring considerable of the cloathing & money. I should be glad as soon as may be, to be informed what measures you will adopt in order to assist in procuring those articles, that I may know how to proceed, if I should be informed that the goods were ready. It is certain that without the assistance & protection of this state, they cannot be procured, & they will give no assistance or Protection without an application from you for that purpose. I expect Mr. Hubbart and Mr. Benson will return in about eight or ten days, by whom I shall write, if any thing material in this Business occurs between that time & now. I have the Honor to be, with the greatest Esteem & respect your Excellency's most Humble Servant

His Excellency George Clinton, Esq.

Ezra L'Hommedieu.

[No. 3375.]

General Clinton Declares Colonel Weissenfels "Remarkably Slow" -The Quakers.

Albany Nov'r 19th 1780.

D'r Sir, The Bearer William Lees, of the Denomination of shaking Quakers, who has been confined on suspision by the Commissioners here and has been inlarged, has made application to me respecting his sister, Ann Standivin, who, he informs me, has been confined some time past in or near Poughkeepsie,

on a similar account.

You are better acquainted with the circumstances relating to her, than I can be; you can best determine what is to be done with her, and if nothing material has been proven against her, I shou'd suppose she may [be] released agreeable to their requisition.

There is nothing in this Quarter worth communicating. The times of the Enlistments of those Levies under the command of Major Hughes will in all probability expire before or very soon after they are relieved by Col. Weissenfels, who has been remarkably slow in his progress to the Fort. None of the six weeks men have yet arrived, except a few from Dutchess County, owing, as I suppose, to the late alarms. It will, therefore, be necessary to make application to Head Quarters for a body of men sufficient to keep up the communication on the Mohawk River, as the 3d Regiment is stationed at Saratoga and its appendages. I am, with perfect Esteem, Dear Brother, yours sincerely

Gov'r Clinton.

[No. 3376.]

James Clinton.

Lieutenant Colbrath Makes Requisition for the Balance of Bounty Men for Recruits.

Albany 20th November 1780. Sir, The pressing Impertunities from the men I Inlisted last Summer by order of your Excellency for the 3d N. York Regt. I am Constrained to apply for the Balance of the account Rendered last August, of 410 dollars of the New money.

If it could be convenient for your Excellency to order the payment of said Sum, it would oblige, Sir, your most Obedient & Humb. Serv.

W. Colbrath, Lieut. 3d N. York Rigt.

To his Excell'y Gov'r Clinton.

[No. 3377.]

The Governor Directs General Clinton to Abolish Sutlers-Prisoner McGinnis Ordered Liberated-Spy Van Driessen Further Reprieved.

Pokeepsie 20th Nov'r 1780.

D'r Sir, I Two Days since received your Letter of the 12th Instant. I apprehended great Difficulties (from what I exper ienced myself) in procuring a Competency of Provission for the Northern Department, &, therefore, pressed Colo. Hay & his Assistance to use every possible Exertion to collect the neces sary Supplies in Season & the more effectually to enable him, granted an Impress Warrant authorizing him tó seize to the ammount of the Deficiencies of the assessments in the Different Districts. This was giving every assistance in my Power & fully complying with my Promise to the Com'r in Chief. Colo. Hay now informs me that a sufficient Number of Cattle are now on their Way to you & that he has promising Prospects of being able to afford you a competent Supply of Flour.

I am informed that the public Service is much Injured by a Number of Idle Persons becoming Suttlers in the different small Posts on the Mohawk River & the Morals of the Inhabitants who have fled into them for safety, debauched. I have to request, therefore, that you will issue your orders possitively prohibitting the Practice in future. There is a certain McGinnis in Albany gaol, confined in Consequence of the Sentence of Court Martial, whom I promised in Consideration of his executing the two Spies lately convicted at Albany, to liberate. I thought the Sheriff woud of Course have discharged him, but I am informed this is not the case. I request, therefore, you will order him to be released and Vandriesen to be further reprieved until the first of February next. I have no news. Your Family were

well the last I heard of them. I am, with great Regard, yours affectionately

[G. C.]

The Grass Hopper came down with Colo. Malcom, but none of the ammunition or Stores taken with it. The Colo. tells me they were plundered; cant we find out by whom that they may be punished.

Genl. Clinton.

[No. 3378.]

Certificate of Dutchess County Supervisors of the Number of Men to be Raised by Each Regiment During the War.

This is to Certify to his Excellency, George Clinton, Esquire, Governor of the State of New York &c. &c. That the Supervisors of the County of Dutchess having been convened for the purpose of apportioning the said County's Quota of Troops, to be raised to serve in the army of the United States, in pursuance of an act of the Legislature of this State Entitled "An act to Compleat the Quota of Troops of this State to serve in the army of the United States during the War," passed the 9th of October last did on the 17th Instant meet and apportion the same, on the several Regiments in the said County in manner following to wit.

To Colo. Morris Graham's Regiment

23 men;

Pr, Teunis Tappen, Sup's Clk. of the County of Dutchess.