mention. You will assure yourself, Sir! a most hearty Welcome on my Part, whenever your Convenience will admit your paying a Visit to Camp.

I have the honor to be with every Sentiment of Respect & Regard Your Excellency's Most Obedient humble servant. Govr. Clinton.

[No. 3861.]

Colonel Weissenfels Expresses a Grievance to Governor Clinton, who Promptly Explodes It With an Offer for a Commission.

Pawlings Precinct, July 31st 1781.

Sir, Permit me (in confidence) to Express my feelings to your Excellency, upon the subject of the seeming neglect I experience, in not being Called upon to Serve (Which is so much both my inclination and my whish.) I am very sensible, Sir, of your Equitable Judgment in either accepting or Rejecting persons for public Employ, still I entreat to know if my Character as an officer, or Faithful Citizen has been impeached, or what may be the occasion, that makes me unworthy of your Notice. Honor and real inclination to serve my Country is the prevailing motive which induces me to Whish, (if any stigma of reflection has been trown out against me) to have the satisfaction Either to stand or fall in the Judgment of my Fellow Citizens, by an Equall and public decision of facts. I am with great Respect Your Excellency's must obedient most humble Servant,

Fred Weissenfels.

GOVERNOR CLINTON'S REPLY.

Pokeepsie, 4th July [Aug.] 1781.

Sir, I have received your letter of the 31st ultimo expressing your desires of having a Command in the Present Levies. I had reason to have expected an earlier Intimation of your Intentions as by my General orders for embodying these troops I requested such Gentlemen Officers as were acquainted with Service & inclined to enter into the Present to signify the same to me immediately. A vacancy, however, suitable to your Rank is still open and if it is your wish to fill it, it is at your Service. In this Case it will be Necessary that you call upon me for your Orders without Delay. I cannot conceive what Reason you have to suppose you have been neglected when on the last and every former Occasion I am confident you have been treated with particular Marks of Attention & I am ignorant of any Thing to occasion a Change of the good Opinion of you which has been so repeatedly manifested. I am &c.

[No. 3862.]

(G. C.)

Ezra l'Hommedieu to the Governor on Vermont Affairs—The Governor Replies and Alludes to Military Matters.

Philadelphia, July 31 1781.

Sir, I have been at this Place so short a time, that I am unable to inform you of many of the special Matters of Public Concernment now before Congress. The Arrangement of the dif ferent Boards a further proposed Confederation, and the settlement of the dispute with Vermont seem to be the Principal objects talked of; the last more especially, which Congress have had under Consideration for sometime before our arrival. Some

intercepted letters from Lord G. Germane on this subject, and the sollicitations of New Hampshire, tis said induced them to take up this business without a Representation from New York. The Plan is, which is a Report of a Committee, to recommend it to New York and New Hampshire, to relinquish their jurisdiction or to consult on the Propriety of doing it, to the State of Vermont, according to her former claims, the Massachusetts hav ing already passed a Law for that purpose provided the other States would do the same. This report being the order of this Day, was recommitted. This plan probably might in some degree exculpate Congress from blame, and they might with better Grace refer the sufferers to the State, who had voluntarily relinguished their jurisdiction, for Compensation for their Lands; tis said a Person from our State lately informed some members of Congress that a Majority of the Assembly and a greater Part of the Senate were in favour of granting their Independence. Possibly this might have some effect. The Committee to whom was referred our Remonstrance against the Commissions from Connecticut and the late ordinance of Congress have not yet Reported, tho they have promised me it shall be done to-morrow, & I make no doubt it will be favorable. The instructions from the Admiralty I am told is pointed against going on the Land and confines all Captures to the Water, which will be publicly made known.

The Enclosed Paper contains the news of the Day. We hear nothing late from Gen'l Green to be depended on. Good judges here say that the Enemy cannot do anything further to effect in Virginia which induces them to think they will be recalled to New York. A great number of Refugee families have lately arrived here in flags of Truce from Charles Town in distressed cir

cumstances having there changed their hard money for Paper, expecting to make a profit on the same here. The inhabitants of this City at present are very kind to the unhappy sufferers. I wish it may continue.

I am Sir with the greatest respect and Esteem Your Excellency's most obed't Serv't.

Governor Clinton.

Ezra L'Hommedieu.

GOVERNOR CLINTON'S REPLY.

Pokeepsie, 26th Augt. 1781.

Dr Sir, I am much at a loss how to make you a suitable Return for your obliging Letters of the 31st July & 16th inst. as I have not one word of news worth communicating. The Savages & Tories almost daily commit Depredations upon some one Part or other of our Frontier and it is impossible by any Force we can maintain however formidable altogether to prevent it. A very considerable body consisting of 300 Indians & 90 Tories lately made a descent upon the Settlement of Wawarsinck in Ulster County destroyed about 12 dwelling houses, (among which was Joh's H. Hardenbergh's Esqr.) as many Barns and killed one of the inhabitants. They were pursued by the Militia & Levies under Colo. Pawling but without effect. Part of our Army and the whole of the French moved to the west side of the River a day or two ago. This occasions great speculation & various are the Conjectures; some of our most Sanguine Folks pronounce positively that we are to enter the city by the Way of Staten & Long Island & that this is the object of the present movement while others consider it as relinquishing the idea of Offensive Operations agt our Capital I hear without saying a Word.

It is mortifying that Traitors should be rewarded for their Treason & that those in our Public Counsels who have encouraged & abetted them should be inriched by their wickedness, and yet if this must be the case I am happy that the Disgrace will not immediately fall on this State & that I had a Hand in preventing it.

[No. 3863.]

The Governor's Instructions to Major Logan to Organize Levies.

Pokeepsie, 31st July 1781.

Sir, As no other field officer is yet appointed you will take charge of the Levies now raising in this State intended to reinforce the Army, and as it will be necessary that, as they as semble at the Places of Rendezvous, they be furnished with the means of subsistence you will, therefore, make seasonable application to the Command'g Officer of the Department for his Order to enable you to have them supplyed with Provisions &c. As soon as any number of them are collected you will have them formed into Squads and see that the Officers are dilligently employed in exercizing & instructing them in their duty that they may take the field with Reputation; and as they increase you will form them into Companies and assign them their proper Officers from the List delivered you. You will make weekly returns to me designating the number furnished by each Militia Regt and noting their respective Deficiencies and you will Constantly hold yourself in readiness with such of the Levies as shall be collected to move on the shortest notice.

[Major Logan.]