accounts to have had the pleasure to have entered your Excellency's name in my register, as a benefactor to my collection, at the head of 34 names of persons that contributed to it during the course of last year, but am deprived of that Satisfaction. I shall form no Conjecture on your Excellency's Silence for so long Space of time, and shall for the present take my leave of your Excellency, of whom I have the honour to be with the greatest respect, the most obedient and most humble Servant, Du Simitiere. Phila. Feb'y 22, 1781. His Excellency Governour Clinton. Pokeepsie 3d April 1781. D'r Sir, I confess I am not a punctual Correspondent. I have been favoured with your agreable Letters of the 30th Dec'r & 22d Feb'y last, since I had the Honor of writing you; but you will recollect I apprized you at the Commencement, that this woud be the Case & therefore I expect to stand excused without being oblidged [to] appoligize for passt & future Omissions. I am much oblidged to you for the many marks of Attention in the earliest Transmission or Pamplets &c. & I intreat you to believe it is not owing to want of Inclination that these kind Offices have not been reciprocal or that I have not yet the Honor of being registered with those who have contributed to your Curious & useful Collection. Our Situation is such that we afford nothing new in the Literary Way what we receive through the medium of other States & principally by the Way of Philadelphia, so that these are old before they reach us. I may venture to assure you, that I hav not been remiss in indeavours to Procure Material for your Collection & that I have not yet succeeded is a Missfortune not imputable to Innatention. I had flattering Prospects in Tryon County where my Friends had collected some Indian affairs & natural curreosities I had, but before they coud be forwarded to me, the Enemy had entered that Country & they were losst in the general Desolation. The proceedings of our Legislature & Laws of the State, I have laid by for you, they are too large for the present Conveyance. You enjoy in Philadel phia the Pleasures of Peace. I wish you most sincerely a Continuance of it; but I must insist that you make proper allowOne month at ances for those that scarcely know what it is. most, out of the last twelve, have I enjoyed the Society of my Familly & that not without Interruption by alarms from one Quarter or another; and I have not better to expect the present year. I am with great Regard &c. [To M. Du Simitiere.] [G. C.] [No. 3611.] The Reverend John Stuart's Bond for Effecting His Negro's Exchange. Know all men by these Presents, that we John Stuart, clerk, Barent Van Aalen, and Josua Bloore of the City of Albany, in the State of New York, are held and firmly bound to Henry Dodge, Esqr. Comissary of Prisoners for the State of New York, in the Sum of five Hundred Pounds,urrent and lawful money of New-York to be paid to the said Henry Dodge, his Executors administrators or assigns, to which Payment will and truly to be made, we bond ourselves our Heirs Executors and administrators, jointly and severally by these Presents, seal'd with our seals, dated the fourth day of April 1781. The condition of this obligation is such that whereas the afs'd John Stuart is proposed in Exchange for James Gordon, Jeramial Snyder, Alexander Harper, or Adam Fonda or either of them, and one able body'g negro man the Property of the Said John Stuart, for any Subject of this State Prisoner in Canada. Now, if the afs'd John Stuart shall procure to be sent out in exchange for himself, the afs'd James Gordon, Jeremiah Snyder, Alexander Harper, or Adam Fonda, or either of them and any Subject of this State a Prisoner in Canada for his negro man, or return again with his Negro man from Canada to the City of Albany, when required, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to be in full force. Sealed & Delivered in Presence of the word clerk being interlined in the second line of the obligation James Clinton. W. Popham. John Stuart [seal] Barent Van Alen [seal] [No. 3612.] President Huntington Forwards the Act of Congress Relating to the Two New York Regiments. Philadelphia April 4, 1781. *Sir, In Consequence of your Excellency's Letter of the 19th† Ulto., Congress have passed the Act of the 2d Instant, Copy of which is enclosed, for securing the Pay & Subsistence of two Regiments of Militia & two Regiments of Infantry mentioned in the Act at the Expence of the United States while in Service. Your Excellency will readily observe the Saving that will be made by appointing half pay Officers, as far as may be, to command these Corps, beside the Advantage of their Experience if in other respects meritorious. The Preference of experienced Officers will readily coincide with your Excellency's Sentiments; yet from the nature of the Case, your Wisdom & Discretion must be exercised in directing the Appointment in such Man ner as shall appear most eligible & beneficial. Your Favour of the 23d Instant, covering the Exemplification of an Act of the State authorizing Congress to lay a Duty on foreign Merchandize imported into the State is this Day received. The Legislature of Pennsylvania have published a similar Act for Consideration which will, it is said, be enacted into a Law in a Day or two. I have the Honor to be with very high respect & Esteem, your Excellency's most obedient Servant Sam. Huntington, President. His Excellency Governor Clinton. See document 3609, page 734. Governor Clinton's letter of March 19, 1781, is not found in the Clinton MSS., nor in the legislative or Congressional records in possession of the State of New York.STATE HISTORIAN. [No. 3613.] Colonel Hughes Furnishes the Governor with Particulars of Greene's Affair at Guilford Court House. Fishkill, April 4th 1781. Sir, I do myself the Honour to inclose your Excellency a Letter which I found in the Office yesterday, but who bro't it, I cannot tell. As your Excellency is but just arrived from Albany, it is possible that you may not have receiv'd the Particulars of the action between General Greene & Cornwallis. Such as I was favour'd with last Evening, I will offer, which are, "That Genl. Greene having collected a considerable Force, determind to engage his Lordship, and, according, on the 11th ult. they met each other by mutual Consent. General Greene took a proper Position & formd his Troops. The North Carolina & Virginia Militia compos'd the front Line. The second I dont recollect, but the Continentals form'd the Reserve. Lieut. Col. Washington with his Horse, cover'd the right Flank, and Lee's were posted on the Left. Cornwallis advanc'd in three Columns, with Tarlton in Front, who was met by Lee, who being at first advanced of his proper Position, skirmished with Tarlton on the Retreat, and then took his former Post on the Left. The N. Carolina Militia fir'd at a great Distance & behav'd well & suffered considerably. The action at Length became general & Fortune, for some Time seem'd doubtful, but General Greene finding his Continentals not a Match for the whole of the British Force & the Militia having given way, and deserted, order'd a Retreat, which was properly conducted. Four Field Pieces were left behind, as the Horses attached to them were all kill'd. The General speaks of this action as rather fortunate, than otherwise and thinks the Enemy's Loss very considerable, particularly, that of the Guards, who were charg'd by Col. Washington's Horse, follow'd by the two first Mariland Regmts. with Bayonets, and almost totally cut to Pieces. Besides, as the Enemy did not pursue an Inch, it is natural to imagine they were severely handled. Loss of Continentals 290 killed, wounded & missing; Major Anderson, of the Maryland Line, kill'd, several Capts. & Subs killd and wounded. General Hager wounded in the Hand & General Stephens in the Knee. Many of the Missing, or those that had been missing, were coming in when the acc'ts left Camp. The Enemy have but very few Prisoners, we bro't off some." * I hope you will receive a more particular acc't from Mr. Floyd, as I observe his Signature to the Inclosure. I have the Honour to be, with the most respectful Regard, your Excellency's most obdt. His Excellency Governour Clinton. Hugh Hughes. [No. 3614.] Courts Established for the Trial of Piracies. An Ordinance for establishing courts for the Trial of Piracies & Felonies committed on the high seas. Whereas, by the ninth article of the confederation & perpetual union of the thirteen United States of America, It is agreed that the United States in Congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power (inter alia) of appointing courts for the trial of Piracies & felonies committed on the high seas; And, whereas it is expedient that such courts should be speedily erected; and it is reasonable that the same mode of trial should be adopted for offenders of this kind on the high seas as is used for offenders of the like sort upon the land. * See document 3587, page 708. |