charge of the men, and desired that I would send the men up by the bearer Ens'n Handricks, which I did not thinck adviseable, as Ens'n Handricks had no warrent from your Excellency to authorise him to pass his recepts for the men; wherefore, the men must have remained at the risk of the classes, untill they passed muster, and as I could not be certain, when an officer might attend to take charge of the men, I have thought proper to dismiss them untill furder orders, or if they did not receive orders untill Friday next, that they should be ready on said day at an appointed place to take the field, and hope I may not be disappointed again for the want of officers to take charge of the men. The bearer, hereof, is a man which General Ranselear has recommended to your Excellency for a Leut. in the nine months Levies; should be glad if there is a vacency left, that he might have a Leut's Commision, as there is a Vacency for a Leut. in the Company he belongs too. Joseph Laurence, of this Regement, it appears has had some incouragement from your Excellency, that if he ingaged in the nine months sarvice, your Excellency, would except of him as one of your gaurds, wherefore, he requested me to acquaint your excellency, that he had ingaged with a Class who had disappointed him and that he had now ingaged with another Class and ...... be with your excellency by the latter end of next week. I am, with great esteem your excellency's obedient and very Humble Sar't

To his Excellency Governor Clinton.

Samll. Ten Broeck.

D'r Sir, The appointm't of officers was so far compleated before Genl. Renselaer's Recommendation reached me as to have prevented the appointment. A Resignation, since, how

ever, leaves Room for him & I have accordingly ordered him to receive the Levies of your Regt. I am surprized at Capt. Elsworth's conduct. It merrits reprehension. Lawrence will belong to Pawling's Regt. & has incouragem't to be of the Guard at this Place. I am &c. &c.

[To Major Ten Broeck.]

[G. C.]

[No. 3690.]

Major McKinstry Recommends Doctor De Lano as a Surgeon in the

Levies.

Clavarack Destrict, 4th May 1781.

Sir, As Doct'r Delano who was appointed for the three years service will most likely be out of Employ in the publick service untill after the Expiration of the Eight month service, I think as he has dispos'd his Domestick affairs in redeaness for the armey, that it is reasonable he should have a birth in the Eight month Campaign, as he is a person Qualified for the Buisness and used to the service, and a grate inclination to serve his Country in his Capacity. I do, theirfore, Recomend him to your Excelency for that purpose. I am, ever, sir, with the gratest Esteam, your Exelency's most obdt. & very Humbl. Serv't Jo'n McKinstry.

N. B. Sir, if you think proper for to give the Doctor the Birth, you will please to grant him a warrant and send by the first oppertunity. I beg you, sir, to send & let me know whare I shall aply to, or to who, for armes for the present service. His Exelency George Clinton, Esqr. Govenor.

[No. 3691.]

SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT ON THE GRANTS.

General Schuyler's Summing up of the Situation to Governor Clinton -A Far from Encouraging Outlook to the Northward.

Saratoga, May 4th 1781.

Dear Sir, Under cover of a letter from General Clinton of yesterday's date, I had the honor to receive your Excellency's favor of the 16th ult: with the several inclosures; both were delivered me by Mr. Fish, whom I have known for some years past as a man of good moral character and firmly attatched to the cause of his country; Harris is an utter stranger to me; Fish informs me that since his return, Harris met, on the 29th ult: at Kingsbury with Thomas Sherwood and John Scouten, who had on that day arrived, from the enemy's shipping at Crown Point, but received no packet from them; they informed him they had come in order to prevail on some of the inhabitants to go to Canada; that a part of their party, was gone to the Scotch Patent, and another party to Palmertown; that he learnt from some of the inhabitants that a large number of the soldiers now here waited the arrival of a party from the enemy to mutiny, go off and join them; that the Grants had a body of men in readiness to march to Fort Edward and Skensborough as soon as the Committee which is to meet on Tuesday next have consented to a union with the grants. I have requested Fish to send for Harris and to meet me at this place on the 7th instant; when he arrives I shall carefully examine him, and if I find him intelligent, and have no reason to suspect that he is an imposture, shall put him into a train to acquire the full confidence of the enemy, that we may avail ourselves of any information he may receive, and obtain possession of any packets he may be

intrusted with, which will be disposed of agreable to the gen

eral's request.

When I reflect that the people of the Grants are chiefly emigrants from the eastern states, that they have left behind them, their Fathers, Brothers, sons, and other relations, who must in common with others feel the consequences of their defection from the common cause, I do not know how to beleive that they are in league with the enemy. On the Contrary, when I daily learn that the Tories are removing from all quarters to reside with them, where report says they are well received, when I learn with certainty that more families are now actually settled at Skensborough, and these all from the Grants, than ever were there before, and that that place may be fairly considered as within the enemies lines, that Ethan Allen openly invites the inhabitants on the east side of Hudson's river down to its banks to annex themselves to the Grants and gives explicit assurances that they will not in that case be molested by the British, that the report is general, that the inhabitants of Granville who were on the point of moving into the interior part of the state, have since their junction with the Grants determined to remain, I say when all these circumstances are added to that of the negocia tion last fall, and the recent intelligence of Harris, I confess my faith in the political virtue of these people is so staggered, as to be only supported by a hope that the bulk of the people are artfully misled by some of their leaders, who may make them believe that all their measures only tend to secure them against the claims of this state to the jurisdiction & soil. It is, however, a business of much too serious a nature to be slighted, and I shall spare neither pains nor expence to sift it to the bottom.

That the enemy intend to take post more to the south than were they are at present, I really believe, but I cannot imagine they mean permanently to do it on this side of Lake George,should they fortify there at present, it must evidently be, with a design to take advantage of any movements of Sir Harry Clinton. A few days ago, I advised General Clinton that some of the British ships were arrived at Crown Point; as soon as I received that intelligence, I dispatched a trusty person, who will probably go on board, and learn as much of the enemy's inten tions as the officers on board will communicate to him, whom they believe a Royalist, I expect his return by the 10th instant at farthest, and shall communicate to your Excellency the result of his enquiries.

When Colo. Van Dyke returns to this post, I shall advise with him respecting the corporal and party whom Harris says, released the party under Ensign Smith.

The garrisson here has now been ten days without any meat, except what they procure by maroding; every eatable animal in this part of the Country is already expended, not a single scout can be kept out, and I fear that Harris's last account will speedily be verified, and that a great majority of the troops here will go off to the enemy, (they may move leisurely to Fort George or Skensborough and be there received into the enemies boats) unless provision is instantly procured for them. Flour, equal to about one hundred barrels, I have procured on my own account and have prevailed on the Schaktikoke people to furnish in advance their quota of the flour to be raised under the late act, (which I cannot learn has yet been sent to the supervizors or assessors) this will probably amount to fourty or fifty barrels

more.