lately taken near Hobuck ferry by one of our parties. He was trading when taken, says he has been appointed a captain in Ward's corps, but resigned—is now one of his soldiers. He was not taken in arms.

I have the honor to be with the highest respect Your Excellency's Most obedient Servant.

His Excellency Governor Clinton.

[No. 4002.]

Major Popham Sends Intelligence to the Governor Concerning Washington's Army and the French Fleet.

Baltimore, Sept. 15th, 1781.

Sir, Two motiyes have induced me to address your Excellency in this as well as in a former Letter; the first is a desire to contribute to your Satisfaction, by comunicating any interesting Intelligence which may come to my knowledge, respecting the movements of our Army in this Quarter-the second, and which I fear you will conceive to be the most powerful, is a Desire to profit by your Excellency's Consequence in the Conveyance of my Letters to the Northward.

However, as your Excellency must be more intimately acquainted with the secret Springs which actuate the great machine, than I can possibly be supposed to be, I shall only take the liberty to inform you that accts. just received in town tho' not officially say that "the Count de Grass has been joined by the fleet from Rhode Island, and that he has captured & sent in one 64 Gun ship and four Frigates "--that previous to the Arrival of General Washington in Virginia Lord Cornwallis sent out all the useless Men, Women & Children and has made every Disposition which indicates a Determination to stand out to the last

Extremity-But obstinacy against such a decided superiority, will savor of Madness, rather than true Courage. Please to direct your Aid to forward the enclosed to its address.

I have the Honor to be Your Excellency's humble Servt.

[No. 4003.]

Levies Received at Fishkill.

Return of the Levies Received at Fishkill from the Different Regts. In General Swartwout's Brigade, Fishkill Septr. ye 15th, 1781.

Petition of Francis West in Behalf of Pardon for Reynolds, Baker

and Eldred.

(Omitted.)

[No. 4005.]

Governor Clinton to the Commissioners at Albany as to Exchange of Persons and Especially of Women.

Pokeepsie, 12th Septr, 1781.

Gentlemen, Since writing the above (see my Letter of yesterday) Your Letter of the 8th Instant is received. By the enclosed papers to the State Com'y, of Prisoners you will observe I have signified my Consent to the Exchange of several Inhabitants whose Requests I found Witnessed by two of your Board. I have now added to the List the names of those transmitted to me in your last. You will perceive I had withheld my Consent to Bloore & Shepard for other Reasons than those you mention

& that as to the whole it is Conditional.

mine what is best to do with the Women.

It is difficult to deter-
Those who have Sons

grown up ought not to be permitted on any Consideration to go. into the Enemy until their Sons who will certainly follow their Parents are first exchanged, nor indeed is it my Opinion that one more ought to be suffered to go than will be sufficient with those who were sent off last Fall to exchange those of our Friends who are lately returned from Canada unless all our female friends are released and the present system of Warfare discontinued in future. I have written on this subject & to this effect to Gov. Haldeman & it would [be] absurd & improper to depart from my Determination before I have his Answer. I am &c.

[No. 4006.]

General Heath to Governor Clinton-Weissenfels Ordered to Albany -Fears of a Dash of the Enemy on the Northern Frontier.

Headquarters, Continental Village, Sept. 17, 1781.

Sir, Since writing on the 15, I have received the inclosed from Lieut. Shaylor, the officer who took Yeoman. If your Excellency should not view him in any other light than a prisoner of war,

I shall have no objection to gratifying Mr. Shaylor. If you should think Yeoman deserves a different treatment, I have nothing to say.

Yesterday I received information by a person from Montreal, that the enemy have for some time been building canoes and small batteaux at St. Johns, baking hard bread at Montreal and forwarding it to St. Johns. This morning I received information from Gen. Schuyler that a number of troops had arrived at St. Johns from Quebec, and it was supposed a descent on the frontiers is meditating. The person who informs of the building of