as I must otherwise look upon these acts, not as acts of rioters, but as done by the whole community. I wrote a letter to you this morning, to which I have not received an answer. I must, therefore, inform you, that if you do not think proper to send some answer to this, as soon as may be reasonably expected, I shall look upon your silence as a negative to my requisition, and shall take such measures as may seem necessary to me accordingly.

“ I am, &c.,

G. VANDEPUT.

“To the Mayor and principal Magistrates.”

“Asia, North-River, August 25, 1775.

“SIR: I received a letter from you last night, in which you said that you would this morning send me an explicit answer to my former letters. As you certainly have had sufficient time to make every necessary inquiry, I am to desire you will send me your answer upon the receipt of this.

“ I am, Sir, your very humble servant,

“G. VANDEPUT.

“ To W. Hicks, Esq.”

“Asia, North River, August 25, 1775.

“SIR: I have just now received yours; in return to which I am to acquaint you that the musket fired from our boat was fired as a signal towards the ship, and not at the Battery, as the people in the boat will likewise make their affidavits of. You say you are at a loss to account how my duty could oblige me to fire upon the city, in defence of those guns, in the seat of civil government; and you add, that you can neither account for my inducement, half an hour after the return of the boats and the removal of the cannon, for firing a broadside at the Town at large. You surely cannot doubt its being my duty to defend every part of the King’s stores, wherever they may be: for this purpose I fired upon the Battery, as the only means to prevent the intentions of the people employed in removing the guns. For a considerable time I thought they had desisted from their purpose, till their huzzaing and their firing from the walls upon the ship convinced me to the contrary; this occasioned the broadside to be fired, not at the city at large, but as the most effectual method to prevent their persisting in their pursuit, which it were impossible I could tell they had effected. I have no more to add, but that I shall persist in doing what I know to be my duty; in the doing which I shall, if possible, avoid doing hurt to any one.

“ I am, Sir, your humble servant,

“G. VANDEPUT.

“To W. Hicks, Esq.”

EXTRACT 0F A LETTER FROM NEW-YORK TO A GENTLEMAN IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED AUGUST 28, 1775.

Thursday night we expected a repetition of Wednesday night’s scene: women, children and goods were removed; all quiet at night. Friday, more expectations, and more removals; the Governour returned from the country, and went in person and took in writing a particular account of the damage done; our Congress offered him a guard, but he said he had such confidence in the affections of his fellow-citizens, that he thought any further security unnecessary, and declined the offer. He called the Council that afternoon. Saturday, people continued to move; the Governour desired a conference with our Congress, Committee and military officers; it was granted. He made a speech to them, told them it made his heart bleed to meet so many people on the road moving from the city with their effects; that they had all the power of the city in their hands, begged they would use it prudently; that violent measures would only widen the breach, and cause the destruction of the city; we had got the cannon in our own power, and desired we would move them no further; that if troops should come from Boston, we would hear of it time enough to move them, but declared upon his honour he knew of none coming, &c. &c.

Notwithstanding the cannonading, we got off twenty-one good eighteen pounders, with carriages, empty cartridges, rammers, sponges, &c. &c. The Captain of the man-of-war behaved like a rascal in attacking the Town in the dead of the night, when it was unprepared for defence; however, the people collected on the Battery, and behaved well; we killed, according to Vandeput’s own account, one of his men in the barge: he killed none of ours—only wounded three, one lost the calf of his leg, the other two were slightly wounded, notwithstanding grape-shot, swivel-shot, eighteen and twenty-four pounders were fired. I am told people are moving their goods this morning.

EDMUND FANNING TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, August 24, 1775.

SIR: I am informed that Mr. Malcolm McIsaac, steward to Governour Tryon, is confined in the upper barracks, and in the absence of his Excellency, wish to know whether it is by order of the Provincial Congress, and if so, that I may be made acquainted with the proper measures to be pursued in order to obtain his releasement.

I am, with respect, Sir, your most obedient servant,

EDMUND FANNING.

Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., President of the Provincial Congress.

WESTCHESTER COMMITTEE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Borough and Town of Westchester, August 24, 1775.

We, the subscribers, appointed a Sub-Committee to inspect the election of Militia Officers for the said Town, do most humbly certify, that the following persons were chosen this 24th day of August, 1775, by a majority of voices duly qualified for that purpose, agreeable to the resolutions of the honourable Congress abovesaid, viz: John Oakley, Captain; Nicholas Berrien, First Lieutenant; Isaac Leggett, Second Lieutenant; Frederick Philipse Stevenson, Ensign.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York.

COLONEL CLINTON’S ORDERS TO THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES IN THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.

August 24, 1775.

To the different Committees in the County of DUTCHESS:

GENTLEMEN: Please to deliver to Dr. Samuel Cook, or Lieutenant John Langdon, or any of them, what arms you may collect for the use of Captain Dubois and Captain Billings’s Companies in my Regiment, agreeable to a resolve of the Provincial Congress of New-York, dated August 8th, 1775, and take their receipts for the same, and you will oblige, Gentlemen, your humble servant,

JAMES CLINTON, Colonel.

A copy of the Receipt of JOHN LANGDON, Lieutenant.

August 29, 1775.

Received of Mr. Jacobus Swartwout, Chairman of the Committee of Observation for the Precinct of Rumbouts, by the hands of Captain Jacob Griffin, forty Guns, amounting in the whole to eighty-one Pounds, eight Shillings, which were purchased by said Committee for the use of the Continental Army.

JOHN LANGDON, Lieutenant.

Since the foregoing and before the signing, have received one Gun of Jacob Dubois.—Price £ l 15s.

August 25, 1775.

Received of the Committee of Rumbout’s Precinct, by the bands of Isaac Hegeman, nine Muskets, amounting to £22 15s.; which they have purchased agreeable to a resolution of the Provincial Congress, for the use of Captain Dubois and Captain Billings’s Companies.

JAMES CLINTON, Colonel.

A true copy: DIRCK G. BRINKERHOFF, Chairman.

GENERAL WOOSTER TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Oyster-Ponds, August 24, 1775.

SIR: I have sent Mr. Shaw two hundred pounds of powder according to order. The Committee of Suffolk County have desired me to remain here for a few days, till they can hear from their Provincial Congress, to whom they have sent an express, with their desire that the three Companies raised upon this part of the island, who have received orders to march to Ticonderoga, may remain upon this station. As we know not what use we may have for powder, and as I

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