In Capt. Daniel Bouton's Company, Pound Ridge. Ebenezer Avery, 1st Lt. Samuel Waterbury, Ensign In Capt. Samll. Lewis's Company. Benajah Brown, 1st Lt. Jehiel Bouton 2 do Nathan Lockwood, Ensign The Whole of Capt. Lewis's Company hath turned out as grenadiers, which if thought proper by the Council would have Commissions accordingly, as to the affairs of Capt. Trusdells Company your Excelency hath been informed by Capt. Trusdell as well as by a line from me. I have likewise Desired Major Delivan to wait on his Excelency on the affare Which if it can be done at this time it will much oblige your Excelency's most obident and very humble Servt. To his Exelency Govr. Clinton Thaddeus Crane. [No. 4158.] Circular to the Counties Requiring the Collection of the Taxes. (Circular) Sir: I have thought proper to apprise you that the time limited by Law for collecting the first Moiety of the Specie-Tax in certain specific Articles pursuant to the Act of the 27th March and collecting the whole of the Tax, Specie and Paper Currency pursuant to the Act of the 30th June last, is very probably expired. The Law has charged you with the immediate Superintendance of the Conduct of the Supervisors Assessors and Collectors with respect to these Taxes & has vested you with ample Powers to compel these Officers to their Duty. I must therefore require you forthwith to proceed to the Execution of these Powers should any part of either these Taxes be in arrear within Your County. A Delay on Your part will subject you to a Prosecution which in such Case I shall direct the Attorney General to institute against You. I have a Confidence however that your Attention and Assiduity will save Me from this disagreeable Alternative. [No. 4159.] A Carpenter's Bill, Etc. (Omitted.) [No. 4160.] Governor Clinton Submits a Plan for the Protection of Certain Sections of Westchester County. Pokeepsie, 21st Novr. 1781. Dear Sir, I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Favour of the 11th Instant. There is a Law of this State subjecting all fat Cattle purchased with intent to sell again to seizure which if duly attended to I presume will prove an adequate provision agt the Mischief mentioned in your Letter, & the State Agent is apprized of the abuses you apprehend & has pointed Directions to put the law into Execution agt. the Offenders in future. The Inhabitants of Bedford & Poundridge in West Chester County, alarmed at their present exposed Situation, have ap plied to me to interest myself in their Behalf & to Request that the two Companies of Levies commanded by Capt. Williams & Sackett may be disposed of for their Protection. I am ignorant of the Position or Strength of the Troops Stationed on the Lines, and, therefore, would not venture to advise on the subject, but if it can consistently be done, I sincerely wish their request may be granted, otherwise I fear those settlements will be abandoned. Colo. Thomas & Major Delavan who are charged with this Letter, are of oppinion that if a couple of Block Houses were erected on certain commanding Heights in the Neighborhood of Bedford, great security woud be thereby afforded to that & the Neighbouring Settlements & that the Inhabitants woud chearfully contribute to this service as well as the Labour and teamage in making them and in defending them when compleated. Those Gentlemen will explain their Ideas to you on this subject more fully than I can. I confess I conceive their Plan an elligible one and coud wish it might be adopted. I have the Honor to be Dr Sir, Your most, &c. [No. 4161.] Governor Chittenden Sends a Note of Warning to Henry Denker. Arlington, Novr. 22d, 1781. Sir, I am informed that you have been warning the People in Vicinity of the New City to pay a Certain Provision Tax to the State of New York. Proposals being made by this State to the Legislature of New York for the settlement of Boundary Lines it is the wish and desire of this State not to be necessetated to impose coercive Measures during the consideration of such prosals. And is what they would ever be oblig'd to do with the greatest Reluctance. At the same time, bound to equally protect her Citizens, your desisting in those Matters of Authority for the present, will prevent Consequences of which I think it well for you to be advised and which must attend you in pursuing a different Conduct. I am sir your Hum'le. Servt. Henry Denker. Tho. Chittenden.* N. B. The interlines are not as I found them but was done through hast(e). [No. 4162.] Lieutenant-Colonel Pawling to Robert Benson Concerning Commis sions for Officers and Discharges for Men. Sagerties, November 22d, 1781. Dr Sir, Inclosed you have Capt. Livingston's & Lieut. Oostranders Commissions which please to antidate; many of the Men in the Company were by them mustered & received the 5th of April their Commissions are dated the 27th. *See document 4198, page 556. The orders those Gentlemen had to attend were verbal & from Major Van Bunschoten. As the Bearer belongs to Capt. Livingston's Company, I wish you to return the Commissions by him. I am Sir, yours sincerely P. S. I hope you have in Mind the Discharges I put in your Hands of a few of the Men who engaged with Lieut. Conolly to serve till the 15th December, for which they are entitled to 10 Bushel of wheat; & I should be glad you'd send them if in your Power, so fixed as to enable them to obtain the wheat to me soon. I am frequently asked for them. [No. 4163.] Captain D. Niven, an Engineer Officer, Propounds Certain Questions to Governor Clinton Concerning Pay and Clothing. Fort Clinton, Nov. 22, 1781. Sir, Being assured by sundry examples of your Excellency's goodness to others as well as myself, made me use the freedom of troubling you on this ocation. I am inform'd there was a Law passed sometime ago allowing Cloathing and other necessaries to all the officers and men Credited to this state, serving in the several Corps of the Army. I was included in this Law. Another Law was passed granting Depreciation of pay &c to the afore said officers and soldiers, formerly Inhabitance of this State. By this Law, as an Engineer I was neglected. Last winter have pray'd the Legislature to put me on equal footing with the other troops included in the above Law. In Consiquance state notes for the Depreciation of pay, as an Engineer as well as for the time have serv'd in the additional troops was granted. Last summer it was said that a Law was passed ordering all the Cloathing then on hand to be delivered to the officers of Colonel Lamb's artilery and the two Infantry Regts. Being not included in these Corps, have made no application. As am unaquanted with the several Law respecting the troops of this State, I pray your Excellency to Let me know whiether or no am entitled by Law to Equal priviledge with the officers of Colonel [Lamb's] Artiliry and the two Infandry Regts. on Continental establichment. I have the honor to be, Sir, your Excellency very obedt. Servant. His Excellency Governor Clinton. [No. 4164.] Governor Clinton to R. R. Livingston in Regard to the Wanton Destruction of Property by the Enemy in this State. Pokeepsie, 24th Nov'r., 1781. Sir, I have the Honor to inform you that the Legislature to whom I communicated your Letter of the 12th Instant have charged the Justices of the Supreme Court with the Business of collecting Returns of the damage done by the enemy within the State by the wanton Destruction of Property & the proper evidence for ascertaining the same. As soon as the Business is accomplished & the Returns come to my Hands I will with pleas ure cause Duplicates, properly authenticated, to be transmitted to your Office agreeable to your Request. I have the Honor to be Sir with great Regard & Esteem Sir, Your Most Obed. Servt. The honble. Robt. R. Livingston, Esqr. |