I shall be in New York early to-morrow morning ready to receive any instructions you may think proper to honor me with.

I have been compelled to write this in haste.

I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

JAS. BANKHEAD,
  Colonel Second Regiment Artillery.

CITY OF PROVIDENCE, MAYOR’S OFFICE,

June 23,1842.

SIR:[121] Governor King, having gone to Newport this afternoon, has requested me to forward his letter to Your Excellency, with such depositions as I could procure concerning the state of affairs in the north part of the State.  These documents will be taken on by the Hon. William Sprague, our Senator, who intends leaving to-night for Washington.  Should any accident prevent Mr. Sprague from going, I shall forward them to be put in the mail.  I inclose the depositions[122] of Messrs. Samuel W. Peckham and Charles I. Harris.  Messrs. Keep and Shelley, whom I sent out, have just returned.  If I can get their depositions in time, I shall also forward them.

[Footnote 121:  Addressed to the President of the United States.]

[Footnote 122:  Omitted.]

About 11 a.m. this day a body marched from Woonsocket to Chepachet amounting to 90 men, and other small bodies are marching in that direction, so that I suppose that about 400 will be concentrated at Chepachet this evening.

In this city there is much excitement, but no symptoms as yet of men gathering with arms.  There are many who I fear will be ready to join in any mischief should Dorr’s forces approach us.  Up to 8 o’clock this morning Mr. Dorr was in Connecticut, but a gentleman from Chepachet informs me his friends expect him this day.

I remain, with great respect, your obedient servant,

THOS.  M. BURGESS,
  Mayor.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Providence, June 23, 1842.

His Excellency JOHN TYLER,

President of the United States.

SIR:  After my last communication the excitement and military operations of the insurgents against the government of this State appeared to subside, and I indulged hopes that no open violence would be attempted, but that they were disposed to await the action of the general assembly, now in session at Newport.  I regret that I am obliged to inform Your Excellency that within a few days past appearances have become more alarming.  Several iron cannon have been stolen from citizens of Providence, and during the night of the 19th a powder house, owned by a merchant of Providence, was broken open and about 1,200 pounds of powder stolen therefrom.  Yesterday the military operations of the insurgents became more decided in their character.  At Woonsocket and Chepachet there were gatherings of men in military array, pretending to act under the authority of Thomas W. Dorr.  They established a kind of martial law in those villages, stopped peaceable citizens in the highways, and at Chepachet four citizens of Providence were seized by an armed force, pinioned, and compelled to march about 10 miles under a guard of about forty men to Woonsocket, where they were cruelly treated under pretense of being spies.  The insurgents are provided with cannon, tents, ammunition, and stores.