ALS, DLC:GW.

Mercereau enclosed two letters from his spy in New York City, Abraham Bancker, who used the alias “Amicus Reipublicae” (see GW to Mercereau, 12 July; see also Intelligence Operations in the New York City Area, 17 May–24 June, editorial note).

Amicus Reipublicae wrote Mercereau on Tuesday, 4 July: “This important information is doubtless grounded in Truth as I had it first from the Lips of a Gentleman, whose Veracity will have the ⟨illegible⟩, Sou⟨illegible⟩y & the Evidences of Several others Since of no less Repute all coroborate this Fact, That on Sunday last the 2d Inst. Mr Ethan Allen, who has so distinguished himself heretofore in The Cause of America, entered this City in disguise & was introduced by A Mr [John] Griffes [Griffiths], (a noted British Partizan) to, the Commandant by whom he was most graciously received, & had a Long Conference with his Honor, after which he retired with the most profound Secrecy, & was to take his departure from hence for Bennington, the Same Night[.] It is generally Surmised by our Freinds here, that he came with Propositions from the Green Mountain Boys in Consequence of Congress refusing to acknowledge Vermont a Seperate State—It is farther imagined, that he with a large Body of his valiant Countrymen, will join Brant & Butler, raise the Savages & make Sad Havoc on your frontiers, or by a Conjunction will divert Genl Washington, while Genl Clinton attempts the Reduction of the grand Fort at West Point—The Preparations that are making a Movement indicate its Probability, An empty, Hospital Ship is loading with Medicines & Chirurgeon Apparatus for the Sick & Wounded. The two Hessian Reg⟨ts⟩ of Graff & Bunau, expect Orders to join the main Army—Yesterday arrived the Pearl Frigate & the Robuste of 74 ⟨guns⟩ the Ships for Charlestown are mostly laden & fell down to the Narrows—I am exceedingly Sorry, I could not have Sent this Acct before, however I trust if diligent Search be made he may yet be apprehended before he reaches his Journeys End[.] Let this be transmitted without delay to his Excellency the Commander in Chief” (DLC:GW).

Amicus Reipublicae again wrote Mercereau on 6 July: “The Packet Sails this day for England—General Pattison is going home in the Sea Horse, & that immediately, his Baggage is now embarking—Governor Tryon has Served his last Campaign in America, worne down with the fatigues of a Military Life, he means to Spend the remainder of his days peaceably in his nati⟨ve⟩ land, he is Shortly to depart in the British Queen ⟨mutilated,⟩ ⟨emb⟩arkation, is Said, will Soon take Place, the 22d ⟨mutilated,⟩ British Regts & whether one or two Brigades of ⟨Hess⟩ians is not certain, but this comes directly from the Officer ⟨of⟩ Police. The Mayor, it is Said, is to be promoted to Some higher Office, & Mr Isaac Low to be appointed in his Stead—Last Eveng I was told, that one of your Colonels, a foreigner, has made his elopement, & come to take Refuge among the British Two days have elapsed, without having it to Send over the within written, agreeable to my expectations, owing to a disappointment which could not be foreseen … Ive heard nothing farther of Mr Allen, however the Manner in which I received the Acct is So dire⟨ct⟩ that I cannot disbelieve its being true” (DLC:GW).

Amicus Reipublicae had sent an earlier intelligence report to Mercereau, who apparently forwarded it to GW separately from this letter. In the lengthy report, written in three parts dated 28, 29, and 30 June, the spy noted that “The Russel of 74, the Europa of 64, the Renown of 44 & the Iris with 2 or 3 Frigates are the principal King’s Ships in the Harbour.” He also relayed reports of “great Commotions” in Ireland due to restrictions on trade, advised of divisions in the British Parliament, detailed some reported naval movements in Europe and the West Indies, and ended with a report on British activities in the New York City area: “The fleet of Sloops Schooners &c. which were to have been Sunk in the Channel lie Still in readinesss at Sandy Hook to the Number of 27 commanded by a Commodore and are to be Sunk abt 1½ Miles outside of Sandy Hook on the flats as Soon as an Enemy heaves in Sight—The Carpenters belonging to the King’s Yard have been for some time busily employed in repairing the Navy & have been obliged to labour very diligently & There’s a Report prevailing here that there will be a Sudden Movement from hence Soon & the troops up the River to embark & proceed to execute Some grand Enterprize—One Man told me he expects it will tend to Boston but I cannot credit this till it’s better confirmed—What gives me Reason to doubt it is that the Scows & other Craft which have been employed in their late excursion are returned to their Owners, & the flat Boats & Sailors that attended them are also ordered to their respective Ships—A Person of Veracity told me this Evening that within three days past abt 500 of the King’s Horse & Waggons have crossed from Long Island to New York The troops at Staten Island, are the 82d Regt 1 Hessian &c: Buskirk’s & Barton’s provincial Corps & Stewarts Horse.

“The large Stone Barn at Decker’s ferry is fortified for Cannon & is encompassed with Abbatis, 60 of Buskirk’s are to hold that as an advanced Post & the Remainder to lie in the Huts formerly occupied by the 57th Regt” (DLC:GW).