Letter from Major Furlong to General Gage

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Intercepted Letter transmitted to Congress by General Washington, with his Letter dated December 18, 1775.

St˙ Augustine, October 5, 1775.

SIR: Enclosed I have the honour to send your Excellency the returns of the state of this garrison; at the same time must acknowledge the receipt of your orders, in a letter to Captain Cooper, at Boston, the 9th July; in conformity to which I have sent Lord Dunmore a detachment of sixty men, under the command of Captain Fordyce, which was designed for Sir James Wright, but not demanded,

It has left the garrison remarkably weak, at a season when the men are falling sick every day, and great apprehensions of the Georgians. His Lordship required the whole regiment; but as the three companies of the Sixteenth are not yet arrived at St˙ Augustine, I could not evacute the garrison, by your Excellency' s orders, neither would the Governour and Council hear of it by any means, few as we are; have now only left for duty about forty men. Lord Dunmore has detained the officers in Virginia that were in their way to join the regiment, though they are much wanted here, having only one captain and three subalterns. The detachment is made since the return of September the first. I have sent his Lordship, upon his request, provisions, bedding, and ammunition.

The enclosed memorial was sent to me by Lieutenant Brown , whom I strongly recommend to your Excellency' s patronage, with regard to the Adjutancy of the Fourteenth Regiment; which I hope he will obtain.

I must also acquaint your Excellency that the contractors for supplying this garrison with money do not make the usual remittance, either from England or New-York, and Mr˙ White, of New-York, has wrote Mr˙ Alexander (the agent here) that he must not expect cash from him as usual, bills of exchange not passing.

Captain Leslie, who went with the first detachment from this to Virginia, writes that no money is to be had there for bills.

Since I wrote the above I am to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency' s orders of the 12th of September, (by His Majesty' s armed schooner the St˙ Lawrence,) for the non-commissioned officers of the General' s and Captain Stanton' s companies, to be sent to Boston. As I had just embarked a sconnd detachment of sixty for Lord Dunmore, I took the opportunity of sending them by the way of Virginia, and hope they will arrive safe. The said schooner brought me twenty-three recruits, and ammunition, which was much wanted. I shall incorporate the above companies into the battalion.

Our Surgeon' s Mate is in Virginia. And I have the honour to be, your Excellency' s most obedient and most humble servant.

JONATHAN FURLONG.