Answer to General Schuyler' s Letter

v3:540

In Provincial Congress, New-York, August 21, 1775.

SIR: We have been honoured with the receipt of your favour of the 15th instant, wherein you inform us that, by letter from Mr˙ Lewis, you have been advised of the recess of the Continental Congress, and that in future you was to address yourself to us. The copies of your letters of the 28th and 31st ultimo, and the 2d and 6th instant, to the Continental Congress, and the papers attending them, we have duly considered. With respect to the information contained in those letters and papers, it is out of our power to furnish you with any instruction on that head; which we conceive to be the less necessary, as we are assured by a member of that respectable body, now present, that discretionary orders have been transmitted to you, for conducting the department of the publick service under your command according to the dictates of your own judgment; and we supposed those orders had not reached you.

We hope that, before this can reach you, your Troops will be much more numerous than your last letter to the Continental Congress mentions, and that you will have received the several articles of your estimate, which from time to time have been sent you, as fast as they could be provided. Of what remains you have a report enclosed by Mr˙ Curtenius.

We beg leave to assure you of our readiness to comply, with all possible despatch, with whatever you may think proper to request of us.

We are, Sir, with great respect and esteem, your most obedient servants.