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genel
eral officers, blow up the magazine, spike the cannon, &c. It
was to be put in execution as soon as the enemy fleet appeared,
if no proper time offered before; but thank God, they are discov-
ered, and many of them in close custody; where, I hope, they will
receive the punishment due such infamous wretches.

al

June 22. By express from Canada we have the disagreeable
intelligence, that on the morning of the inst., General Thomp-
son, at the head of 1,500 men, attacked the enemy at Trois-Rivers, e/

/ then num supposing them to be abat 500. But, unluckily for us, the even-
ing before, the enemy received reinforcements to the number of
about 4,000 men, with General Burgoyne at their head; by which
means General Thompson was defeated and obliged to retreat.
On his retreat he, with five officers, fell into the hands of the
Canadian militia, and were carried prisoners to General Burgoyne's
This unfortunate affair, we fear, will oblige our little army
to leave Canada. When the express came away, General Sullivan,
with the remaining part of our army, abert 2,500 men, was forti-
fying himself at the Sorrell. We wish to hear of their safety.

June 23.-The detachment under Color Jacobs je to go on
fatigue near King's Bridge. About one o'clock, this evening, a
detachment of about 250, under Majors
and Livingston,
marched to rout a number of tories in the swamps on Long Island,
and to pick up such men as are notoriously inimical to the liber-
ties of America. Success attend them. NG

3

June 24.-The guard, at the City Hall, has in charge those traitors to their country, who were concerned in the late horrible plot.

June 28.—This evening we hear that our cruisers off the back of Long or Nassau Island, have retaken four prizes, which the Greyhound man-of-war had a few days before, taken. The sailors inform, that General Howe was on board the Greyhound and had arrived at Sandy Hook; that 130 sails of transports, &c., were to sail from Halfax for this place the 9th inst. If this be true, we may hourly look for their arrival.

Agreeable to yesterday's orders, Thomas Hickey (ne of the conspirators to take the life of our Chief), was hanged in presence of most of the army besides great numbers of other spectators— He seemed much more penitent than he was at first.

June 29,-This morning, at nine o'clock, we discovered our

offrains taken prisoner in

this attain, viz. General Thomp

2

-/

signals hoisted on Staten Island, signifying the appearance of a
fleet. At two o'clock P. M., an express arrived, informing that a
fleet of more than 100 square rigged vessels, had arrived and an-
chored in the Hook-This is the fleet which we forced to evacuate-
Boston; and which went to Halifax last March where they have
been waiting for reinforcements, and have now arrived here with a
view of putting their cursed plans into execution. But, however, Heave
we hope and trust to frustrate their cruel designs. warm and (e.
bloody campaign, is the least we can expect; may God grant us
Victory and
success over them, is our most fervent prayer. Ex-
presses have this day gone to Connecticut, the Jerseys, &c., to
hurry on the militia.

July 1-By express from Long Island, we are informed, that

9

the whole fleet weigh'd anchor and came from Sandy Hook,over un- from the shore.
der the Long Island shore, and anchored about half a mile off
which leads us to think they mean a decent upon the Island this
night.Five hundred men were sent over at nine o'clock this even-
ing, to reinforce the troops on Long-Island under General Greene
We have also, received intelligence that our cruisers on the back
of Long-Island, have taken and carried in one of the enemy's flect
laden with intrenching tools. 9

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July 2.Atnine o'clock this morning, the whole army was
under arms at their several alarm posts, occasioned by five large e.
men-of-war coming up thro: the Xarrows- We supposed them
Coming on to attack our forts. Never did I see men more chegr-
ful; they seem to wish the enems approach-They came up to the
watering place, about five miles above the Xarrows, and came too
Their tenders took three or four of our small craft plying between
this and the Jersey shore Att o'clock P. M., about fifty of the
fleet followed and anchored with the others Orders that the whole
army lie on their arms and be at their alarm posts before the dawn-
ing of the day. A warm campaign, in all probability, will soon
ensue, Kelying on the justice of our cause, and putting our confi-
dence in the Supreme Being, at the same time exerting our every
nerve,- -we trust the designs of our enemies will be frustrated.

3

July 3. This day arrived in camp, Brigadier-General Mer-
3.-This
cer, from Virginia, being appointed and ordered here by the Hon
able Continental Congress; likewise General Hall, with the militia
from New Jersey, by order of His Excellency General Washing-

toom Jersey, of His tienesal

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July 4.-Last night or rather at daylight this morning we attacked a sloop of the enemys mounting eight carriage gunsShe lay up a small river, which divides Staten Island from the main called the Kills. We placed two nine-pounders on Bergen Point, and soon forced the crew to quit her.-By the shrieks, some of them must have been killed or wounded-The sloop was quite disabled.

July 7. By several desertions from the fleet and army on Staten Island, we learn, that the number of the enemy is abent 10,000; that they hourly look for Lord Howe from England with a fleet, on board of which is 15,000 or 20,000 men; that they propose only to rest on the defensive'till the arrival of this fleet, when they mean to open a warm and bloody campaign, and expect to carry all before them We trust they will be disappointed.

July 9 Agreeable to this day's orders, the Declaration of
Independence was read at the head of each Brigade; and was re-
ceived by three huzzas from the troops. Every one seemed highly
pleased that we were separated from a king who has endeavoring

to enslave his once loyal subjects. God grant us success in this
our new character.

三

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July 10 Last night the statue of George H. was tumbled down and beheaded- The troops, having long had an inclination so to do, thought the time of publishing a declaration of independénce, to be a favorable opportunity; for which they received the check in this day's orders. 2

July 12. At twelve o'clock, this day, we discovered two of

1776 the enemy's ships, with three tenders, standing up for the town

fray

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with the tide at flood and a very strong breeze of wind in their
favor. As soon as abreast of Red-Hook, our battery from theat
opened upon them, and all our batteries for three miles on end till
they got entirely past. They Re a warm fire the whole of the
time on us, though with no effect number of our shots hulled
them. In this affair, we lost six men by our guns being carelessly
handled. When abreast of Mount Washington, twelve miles above /2
the town, General Mifflin gave them a warm reception; but did
them no great damage. Their view, probably, is to cut off our
communication with Albany and the northern army-I hope we
may frustrate their designs. The same day arrived Admiral, Lord
Howe, in the Eagle man-of-war, and joined the fleet at Staten

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Island. The ships that went up the river this day, are the Pha-
nix, of forty guns, commanded by Parker, and the Rose, of
twenty guns, by Wallace.

July 14A flag of truce from the fleet, appeared; on which
Colon Reed and myself, went down to meet it, About half way
between Governorts and Staten Islands Lieutenant Brown, of the
Eagle, offered a letter from Lord Howe, directed George Washing-
ton, Esq., which, on account of its direction, we refused to receive,
and parted with the usual compliments. It is to be noticed, that
the frequent repetitions in general orders, is occasioned by new
regiments and companies daily arriving in camp and quite unac-
quainted with garrison or camp duty Time alone, can remedy
this inconvenience.

三

July 15th. The court of enquiry ordered the 14th, to sit on Colonel Rodolphus Rityema, report, that after the strictest enquiry and maturest deliberation, they are of the opinion, that Colonel Rityema is innocent of the crimes alleged against him, save the last, respecting Led Sterling Lord Sterling thinks proper to pardon that Иe is, therefore, acquitted with hongr.

July 16.-A flag this day, to send to General Howe some printed resolves of Congress, respecting the cruelty and barbarity of the King's troops and savages to the northward, and acquainting him, that retaliation shall immediately take place, unless a final stop is put to such inhuman and barbarous conduct. The same day forwarded a copy of said resolves to the northern army, to be sent General Burgoyne in Canada.

July 17-A flag from the enemy, with an answer from General Howe, about the resolves sent yesterday, directed George Washington, Esq., &c., &c., &c., which we refused.

July 19. A flag appeared this morning; when Colon Reed and myself went down, where an Aid-de-Camp to General Howe met us and said, as there appeared an insurmountable obstacle between the two generals, by way of corresponding, General Howe desired his Adjutant-General might be admitted to an interview with His Excellency General Washington. On which Colon Reed, in the name of General Washington, consented; and pledged his honor for his being safely returned. The Aid-de-Camp said the Adjutant-Genel would meet us tomorrow forenoon.

July 90-At twelve o'clock we met the flag, took the Lieu

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tenant-Colonel of

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regiment into our barge and escorted him
safely to town to Color Knox's quarters; where His Excellency
General Washington, attended with his quite and Life Guards,
ceived and had an interview of about an hour with him. We then
+
escorted him back in safety to his own barge In going and come
ing, we passed in front of the Grand Battery but did not blind-
fold him: sociable and chatty all the way.

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The same evening arrived an express from Charleston, S, Carolina with the agreeable news of Gene Lee having defeated the enemy's fleet, after a warm engagement of twelve hours. During the 12/8/ cannonade on the fort, General Clinton and Lord Cornwallis, made several attempts to land with the army; but were beaten off by Colonel Moultrie, with 300 men. 'ft is to be hoped every attempt of our cruel invaders, may meet with the same fate.

This day ten large ships arrived with Scotch troops on board, to reinforce the troops at Staten Island. By the best accounts can get from deserters, they contain about 10,000 men.

▲ July 23.—By intelligence this day, it appears that the pirates up the North River, have made several attempts to land, and have as often, been repulsed,—having left, at different times, fifteen

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dead behind them who were killed by our people after getting to
the shore.
1776

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Enemy

July 25.This day five ships arrived, supposed to come from
England. Whether store-ships or men-of-war, can not say,
July 26 Arrived eight ships joined the enemy fleet.
July Arrived to the evening three ships and one sloop.
July 29 This day and last evening, about twenty large ships
These with the others which have come in during for
several days past, have troops on board and are supposed to be part
of Lord Howe's fleet, with the foreigners.

have arrived.

三

NoTs.-The foregoing settles, very conclusively, the question as to who it was, that rejected General Howe's letter to Washington;-the superscription on which was intended to be an insult to our Commander-in-Chief. It appears, too, that Washington's two youthful Aids, assumed the responsibility of refusing the letter without waiting for instructions from their Chief.