[No. 322.] PLENTY OF GRAIN AND PLENTY OF MONEY. But the Farmers Hold on to One and Refuse to Take the Other. Ringwood, January 15th 1777. Dear Sir, In a letter of the 7th Inst, which I sent by Mr. Peter Fell, I represented the difficulties I met with in procuring supplies for the works, and begging to have the value of the Beef, &c. furnished the army, in wheat, Rye or Corn; as the farmers, though they have plenty of grain, wont sell it, merely because they do not choose to take the Current money. As I have no doubt Mr. Fell delivered my last, had he an opportunity, so I shall not further trouble you at present, than by begging to know by Mr. Hayes, the Bearer, whether or not any of the grain at Hutts could be spared us, as we are quite out of flour here; and our people last saturday had but about half their allowance. If more beef is wanted 3 or 4000 lb. W't can be supplied with pleasure by, Dear Sir, Your most obed't hum'e Ser't, Genl. Clinton. Robt. Erskine. [No. 323.] Pay-roll of Capt. Woodhull's Company of Light Horse. Pay Abstract, of Capt. Ebenezer Woodhull's Company of light Horse of Cornwall, in Orange County in the State of New York, in General George Clinton's Brigade, in the Service of the United States of America, commencing the 16th Day of July 1776, and Ending the 13th Day of January 1777 both Days included: By Horse keeping at Capt. Slotts in the Clove provided by M Taylor a 29 for Days New Windsor, 15th Jan'y, 1777. I hereby Certify that I have carefully examined the above Pay Abstract of Capt. Ebenezer Woodhull's Company of Orange Light Horse, with Respect to the Number of Days which they are therein mentioned to have served. I do not discover any Mistake or Error. I further Certify that whenever any of the said Company were relieved by others, (which was frequently the Case), the Days spent in travelling, by means of such Relief are not included in the above Abstract, it being for their own Ease & Conveniency. [No. 324.] Geo. Clinton, B. Genl. Gov. Livingston Declines to Recommend Peter Fell and John Wat D'r Sir, kins. Morris Town, 15 Jan'y 1777. I am not unacquainted with the merit of Mr. Peter Fell & Mr. John Watkins, & I am sure should be very glad to see them in the service; & as to the former, I am under such obligations to his father that I coud wish to have it in my Power to discharge them any other way than by recommending any person to General Washington for a Post. It is so extremely disagreeable either to be disappointed in a Recommendation, or to be under obligations by succeeding that I have the greatest aversion to the thing. And from these considerations, I have refused to recommend my own son, who was with General Schuyler & wants to go in the service, & whom I could recommend with a good conscience from his general's character. I am sorry I missed the pleasure of seeing you. As to the Tories, that have been active against us, we shall make rough work with them, as soon as the state is reduced to a little more tranquillity. I am, D'r Sir, Your most humble Ser. Wil. Livingston. (Gen. George Clinton). The General Breaks the News to Peter Fell. New Windsor 4th Feb'y 1777. D'r Sir, I lately received an answer to the Letter I wrote Gov'r Livingston, he acknowledges your Merrit & that of Mr. Watkins & expresses the warmest Friendship for you & your Families & confesses obligations to your Father. At the same Time declines recommending any Person for office to a Post in the army even his own son who was with Genl. Schuyler & woud wish to continue in the service. Since the Receipt of the above Letter I am requested by his Excellency Genl. Washington to nominate to him Officers for four Companies in one (of) the new Regiments he is impowered to raise. If therefore you incline to accept of one of these Companies & Mr. Watkins a Lieutenancy in the same I will most readily & chearfully recommend you both which is the most I can do & was more in my Power I need not tell you I shoud not want inclination to serve you especially when I serve my country at the same Time. (To Peter Fell) Yours sincerely, George Clinton. Pray let me have your & Mr. Watkins' answer as quick as possible. Dear Sir, [No. 325.] Capture of Three Prominent Tories. Orange Town, January ye 16th, 1777. Last Sunday I received information that some of the Jersey tories who had gone off with the enemy intended to surrender themselves prisoners. I set off Monday morning for the Clove, in hopes of finding you there, expecting to receive directions respecting them; upon my arrival there I found you was gone to Ulster, whereupon I returned and found that John Jas. Van Boskirk, Samuel Peck and Jacobis Peck had surrendered themselves to Col. Allison, who had taken their parole and permitted them to stay with their Families 'till called upon; the Col. would be glad to receive your Instructions respecting them. It may not be amiss to acquaint you with their behaviour: they were all three with the enemy when they were at Orange town, and the Pecks were very active in disarming our Friends. Saml. Peck was an Officer in the militia as modelled by Congress, but when danger drew nigh, he refused marching when ordered, indeed all three have shewn themselves rank tories. The time when we marched down to Bergen woods, Capt. Bell's company of this place was on duty. I ordered them to march with us, the capt. readily complied; when he got on his march about six miles from this place both his Lieut'ts refused to march farther, which occasioned great part of the Company to stay back; the Capt. declares that he will no longer serve with such officers, your directions in this affair are also requested. Last week I informed Coll. Shearwood that it was your directions and Order that seventy nine men (including officers) from the Haverstraw regt., should immediately march down to Orange |