Your Excellency will perceive by a Return of the Regiment of this Day’s Date that we have Thirty Men on Furlough, which is more than the Regiment is intitled to by the late General Orders respecting Furloughs; these Men however are mostly in the State of Pennsylvania, and were all indulged with leave of Absence before the Regiment marched from Lancaster: Two Officers were left to collect them together, and recruit for the Regiment. They will in the next Return most probably be considered as on Command under those Officers—deserted or joined the Regiment—as Information or Advice may justify.

We have a Number of very worthy Characters amongst the Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers belonging to the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-York and New-Jersey, who, from the Situation of the Regiment the last Winter, had not any of them an Opportunity of visiting their Families or Friends; some of them are Men of good Connections, and have Business of Importance to settle—and have been soliciting leave of Absence for the Purposes herein mentioned.

If those Motives—the Establishment of the Regiment—or its present Strength, will justify your Excellency in making an Exception in this Case to the general Rule, I have to beg the Favour of it, and that your Excellency will permit me to grant a few more Furloughs on very necessary and pressing Occasions.

I have attended very closely to your Excellency’s Directions by endeavouring to intercept the illicit Trade carried on with the Enemy at New-York without Success, until a few Days since, when a Subaltern and twenty Men ventured within the Enemy’s Lines, and in the Middle of the Day apprehended a Lieutenant Baldwin and five reputable Inhabitants of Newark going in Arms to the Enemy with Money, some Provisions, Bills of Exchange, large Packets of Letters, &c. They were taken up at Pamarepa, four Miles below Paulis-Hook; are in Goal at this Place; they will have a hearing next Monday—and I find that great Interest will be made to save them from the Gallows. I have the Honour to be, Your Excellency’s most obedient And very humble Servant,