HENRY MARCHANT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 12th, 1778. GENTLEMEN : — While I lament the failure of the hoped-for success against Rhode Island, and submit to the will of heaven, resolving all into the wisdom of His Providence, and which I doubt not we shall soon have a full conviction of, however disagreeable the present check may be to our eager pursuit, I have, however, the pleasure and happiness to congratulate you, and our countrymen, that our honor is not tarnished. In the course of a retreat, made necessary by circumstances out of the power of mortals to surmount or forego, a victory was obtained by the Continentals and militia of New England, and a safe and honorable retreat effected. And in that expedition, the exertions of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, the spirit of its brave officers, troops and volunteers has gained them high honor and reputation, and a very advanced standing among the United States. Upon this occasion, as well as many others, which the patriotism, valor, and spirit of the State I have the honor to represent has furnished me with, I have not been wanting in my exertions to place them in that point of light which justice demanded. It is true, however, such distinguished merit and display of spirit and fortitude had no call for an advocate; they stood confessed. I must however observe, that Major Gen. Sullivan has done great justice to the honor of the State, and has not failed to exert himself in obtaining the attention of Congress to his merits, and to her relief from the burthens she has so long and with so much magnanimity sustained. By a resolution passed this day, which will be forwarded to him by the President, Gen. Sullivan is empowered, by the aid of the legislature or Council of War, for the State of Rhode Island, &c., to call upon all the New England states for such numbers of militia as he shall think necessary upon great emergency. This is to be understood exclusive of the standing proportious. I enclose your Excellency and Honors the two last papers. I hope I need not assure you how much I am your most devoted and faithful servant, HENRY MARCHANT. Gov. GREENE TO HENRY MARCHANT. WARWICK, Sept. 17th, 1778. SIR-I received your favor of the 25th of August, mentioning receipt. of Gen. Sullivan's letter of the 17th, and that affairs were then in a hopeful train and, as I doubt not before this, Gen. Sullivan has wrote to Congress the particulars of his engagement with the enemy, and the manner in which he retreated afterwards, I think it unnecessary for me to add anything further. The Assembly set the 2d instant, being the time they were required, by reason of its failing in consequence of the late expedition, and among other things enacted that this State's money in the Loan Office here, should be redeemed with the certificates which were ordered by Congress to issue from the Loan Office here in favor of the State. I mentioned in my letter to you of the 13th of August, my having 1188 of the Continental lottery tickets, which I was desirous to deliver to the Board of Treasury or their order, and as Messrs. Ellery and Collins will be on their way to Congress sometime hence, shall be glad if the Board will draw an order on me to deliver them to them, and shall take it as a favor if you will be kind enough to acquaint them of it immediately upon the receipt of this. Am much obliged to you for the newspapers which you have sent me at different times, and subscribe myself Your sincere friend and humble servant, WILLIAM GREENE. Gov. GREENE TO HENRY MARCHANT. WARWICK, Sept. 25th, 1778. SIR: - I received your favor of the 6th instant, together with the letter from the Treasury Board, mentioning in what manner I am to proceed with the tickets in my hands, belonging to the United States. As to the loss of the enemy, I am informed that they fired four ships and one sloop of war, and also one row galley, exclusive of several transports, which they sunk; but whether they have or are likely to get them up again I am not able to say, and as to the hay on Conanicut it was in the same position at the time we retreated as it was at the commencement of the expedition. You have, doubtless before this, had intelligence of the ravages of the enemy at Bedford, who destroyed all the stores, together with what they contained, to a very great amount, and about fifteen or twenty dwelling houses, and afterwards proceeded to Martha's Vineyard and took off a large quantity of stock. I am very glad to find by the resolve of Congress that they have recommended to the several legislative bodies of the Southern in states to furnish the Eastern states with vegetable provisions, as they are great want of those articles; and I most sincerely wish that that was the case in the state of Connecticut, where they have, as I have been informed, raised a very considerable crop of wheat this year, but the imbargo, notwithstanding, is continued on. I believe we shall be more likely to stand in need of every reasonable assistance from our sister states the ensuing year should the enemy continue among us, than we have heretofore, as in that case, there must be a large number of troops kept here, who are principally supplied from the other states, although there are many articles which they are furnished with by us that the inhabitants really stand in need of, and are now obliged to do without, more especially as that part of the State not in possession of the enemy is obliged to support a large number of the inhabitants from that in the enemy's possession. Many of them have already come off (one hundred of them have come off within a few days past,) and it is said there are many more coming, and I think it is very hard for us to be debarred from procuring the real necessaries of life, considering the above circumstances. I am, with great truth, your sincere friend and humble servant, HENRY MARCHANT TO Gov. GREENE. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29th, 1778. My I DEAR SIR: — Yours of the 18th instant came to hand yesterday. last letter to you will afford you proper directions as to the lottery tickets, &c. You can be in no doubt of finding them by Messrs. Ellery and Collins. I expect they will set out the beginning of November. But you had better see them early, and deliver the tickets, lest they should be left. enclose your Excellency the papers of the week, and a pamphlet wrote by one of the people called Friends, an able hand, and one of the most unexceptionable characters in that society. Great pains were taken to suppress the publication; they beset the author on all hands, and he was prevailed upon to suffer them to pay the printer for the whole impression and stifle it. But several happened to get out of the printer's hands before the business. was completed, and another printer has put it forth. You will be pleased to present it to the Honorable the General Assembly. I am their's and your Excellency's Most obedient and very humble servant, HENRY MARCHANT. HENRY MARCHANT TO Gov. GREENE. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5th, 1778. SIR: Your Excellency's favor of the 25th of September I received yesterday. I could have wished to have had any tolerable estimate of the loss sustained at Bedford. The stock taken off at the Vineyard I have heard was very considerable, especially in sheep. The enemy are now foraging in the Jerseys. Was it not that our enemy got well provided thereby, it would be some consolation that they were plundering amongst the Tories, their very good friends. A considerable number of our light horse were surprised in their quarters in the Jerseys, and it is said many were put to death most barbarously, after they had surrendered themselves. The particulars are not yet come to hand. The facts, if established, will come under serious consideration in Congress. We are just now alarmed with the appearance of about twenty sail of the enemy off Little Egg harbor, which, it is supposed, the enemy mean to pillage of the considerable wealth there collected by privateers, &c. The Jersey militia are called out, and we hope they will be able to give a check to those free booters. However, many people seem not much to distress themselves to preserve the property of men collected and lodged about in private corners to wait for, and to enhance the present intolerable high prices. With respect to the embargo in Connecticut upon wheat, &c., it much surprises me. I have spoken to Mr. Sherman, the only Connecticut. delegate now here, and a very worthy character, and he promises me he will immediately write home upon the subject. Congress is doing everything in its power to provide or procure the sending of wheat, &c., into the Eastern states, and is calling loudly upon the Southern states to make examples of the monopolizers of provisions. At the same time, it is expected that the Eastern states will not suffer their own people to buy the provision up in large quantities, and that no person will be allowed to hold or purchase more for himself than may be necessary for his family consumption, and that laws be immediately provided against such a practice, and that these laws extend to rum and spirits and every other article of life, or that may be wanted for the army. Extortioners and monopolizing men must have a twisted bit put into their rapacious mouths. This is doing to the Southward, I say again, it is expected you follow the example. I am your Excellency's very humble servants, HENRY MARCHANT. Gov. GREENE TO HENRY MARCHANT. WARWICK, Oct. 17th, 1778. SIR: I received your favor of the 29th ult., together with the enclosures, and shall lay the same before the General Assembly. I take this opportunity by Mr. Collins to forward to the Board of Treasury the tickets received by Gov. Cooke in behalf of the United States, agreeable to the resolve of Congress of the 18th of January, 1778, as also those left by him signed, and another to the managers of the Continental lottery which I hope will arrive safe to hand. The Deputy Governor infirmed me of the 13th instant that Gen. Sullivan hath received information from his Excellency Gen. Washington, that ten regiments of foot and two of horse had embarked on board sixty transports coming down the Sound, but nothing further since. I am, with every sentiment of respect, Your obedient, humble servant, WILLIAM GREENE. HENRY MARCHANT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 21th, 1778. GENTLEMEN : — In consequence of a letter of the 11th of June, from the Council of War, the same was laid before Congress, aud a committee appointed upon it. But, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to get a report as soon as possible, that committee never did anything upon it; one member of it left Congress and I at length got a new committee, and through perseverance I have procured a report and resolution of Congress, which I herewith enclose your honors. It is such as I apprehend will afford entire satisfaction, especially when it is considered that the furnishing of clothing to the officers of the State troops, upon the same principles as the clothing furnished to the officers of the Continental troops, is approved of by Congress. I felt myself not a little happy that I was able to establish that point, and I cannot but reflect with some degree of satisfaction, that I have never failed in obtaining every request which I have ever had the honor to make of Congress, in behalf of the State I represent; and, in some instances I flatter myself I have anticipated their wishes. This observation does not arise from vanity, but from that heart-felt pleasure I take in the discharge of my duty to a State which has conferred upon me repeated honors, and given to me the strongest testimonials of its confidence,—of all which no one hath a more grateful sense, nor shall strive more ardently to evince it, than your Honors' Most obedient and very humble servant, HENRY MARCHANT. Gov. GREENE to Henry MARCHANT. WARWICK, Oct. 22d, 1778. SIR: Your favor of the 5th instant I received yesterday, prior to the recipt of which I had wrote, to go by Mr. Collins, but there being a report that the enemy were embarking at New York, he thought proper to wait a few days to hear further; but as there is no confirmation of the matter, he sets out to-day. I am not able to ascertain the particulars of the loss we sustained at Bedford. All that I have heard was that all the stores |