[New York] Die Lunae, A.M. March 4th, 1776.
Mr. [John Sloss] Hobart, from the committee appointed on Saturday last to call on Genl. Lee, to know the reason of the firing by the troops on persons coming to or going out of this city, and the reason of the interruptions given to the persons having passports from this Congress, delivered in their report in the words following, to wit:
The purport of the conversation between General Lee and the committee
Genl. Lee says that he inhibited the communication with the ships of war and the Dutchess of Gordon, becaust he was informed that Govr. Tryon had seized a quantity of flour coming to this market, which he considered as a breach of the compact, which though not perhaps expressly made, yet was undoubtedly implied, that while we continued to supply them with provisions, they would not obstruct any coming to this market; that he wished the Congress would write to Govr. Tryon, and demand an explanation of his conduct; that if they should prefer the mode, he would write. himself; that if upon settling the matter the Congress should incline to continue the daily supplies of provisions, he would give the necessary orders to the port-guard, provided no person from the shore should be allowed to go on board the said ships, nor any person to come on shore from the same, as he could not permit a personal communication to be any longer kept up. And as to the firing on the boats he assured the committee, that it was entirely owing to a misconstruction of his general orders; that if the Congress or any individual would draw up a set of instructions for the direction of the port-guard, that shall effectually prevent such inconvenience for the future, he would readily sign it.
Die Lunae, 3 ho.P.M. March 4th, 1776.
A letter from Major-Genl. Lee, bearing date this day, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:
March 4th, 1776.
Sir ー The letters I received last night from the Commander-in-Chief and Gen. Green were unfortunately thrown into the fire; but according to the best of my recollection the reasons given by the generals for surmising, or rather concluding, that it was the intention of the enemy to evacuate Boston, were these: That they had withdrawn their mortars and heavy cannon from Bunker's Hill and Charlestown; that their transports were hauled in to the wharves; that some people, who had left the town lately, declared that the officers' baggage was sent on board; in short, it is from every circumstance concluded by those who are before the place, and those who have lately left the place that they are soon to abandon Boston, and that consequently they will attempt to establish themselves here. May I, sir, take the liberty to express my uneasiness on a subject, which is more properly a matter of consideration for the Congress ー the liberation of the notorious enemies of liberty and their country, on giving bonds for their good behaviour, appears to me, in our present situation, extremely ill imagined; it is so far from a security, that it is rather adding virus to their malignancy; the first body of troops that arrives will cancel those bonds ー some vigorous decisive mode must be now adopted of discovering on whom you may depend ー on whom not ー the crisis will admit of no procrastination. I cannot, therefore, help wishing for the common safety and the honour of this Province, in particular, that some test may be immediately offered that we may be enabled to distinguish our friends from our foes ー the latter must not and cannot be suffered to remain within your walls to co-operate with those without in working your destruction.
I am, sir [&c.]
Charles Lee.
To Col. [Nathaniel] Woodhull, President of the Provincial Congress.
Mr.Hobard, from the committee appointed to consider of the intelligence received from Major-Genl. Lee, by his letter above mentioned, delivered in their report, which was read, and the same being read a second time, paragraph by paragraph, and amended, was approved of and unanimously agreed to in the words following, to wit:
Your committee beg leave to report the following resolves ....
6th. That a letter be wrote to the committees of Sout[h] Hampton and East Hampton in Suffolk county, requesting them to station men at the most convenient places in that county to give the earliest notice of the arrival of a fleet upon the coast; and that upon the first appearance of a fleet they despatch an express immediately to this Congress or the Committee of Safety of this Colony, with an account of the number and size of the ships, and the course they steer.
7th. That the light-house at Sandy-Hook be dismantled, the lantern rendered useless, and all the oil and lamps taken and carried to some place of safety at a proper distance ....
Resolved, That, the Congress does agree with their committee in the said report. But as some of the resolves therein reported are very important.
Ordered, That the said report be reassumed and read to-morrow morning, when the house is full ー and a charge of secrecy as to the light-house, was given from the Chair.
A draft of a letter to the committee of East Hampton and to the committee of Sout[h] Hampton, was read and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:
In Provincial Congress, New-York, March 4th, 1776.
Sirs ー This covers a resolution of Congress directing the committees of East and South Hampton to station suitable persons on the most proper places for observing the approach of a fleet.
From some intelligence we have received, there is reason to expect that the British army are about to leave Boston, and as it is probable that they may attempt to take possession of this Colony, we therefore entreat you to use all possible despatch to carry this resolve into execution.
We are, sir [&c.]
By order of Congress.
To John Chatfield, Esqr. East, and Thomas Cooper, Esqr. South Hampton
Ordered, That two copies thereof be engrossed and signed by the President, and transmitted. One to John Chatfield, Esqr. chairman of the committee of East Hampton, and the other to Thomas Cooper, Esqr. chairman of the committee of South Hampton, and that a certified copy of the sixth resolve reported by the committee on the news received by Genl. Lee, be enclosed in each of the said letters.
