publick records in, and to inform the Committee of Safety thereof; agreeable to which, Mr. Cortlandt informs the Committee of Safety, that, previous to the above request, he caused the publick records to be put into chests, and secured them in a cellar in his garden made for that purpose, of stone and brick, well arched, and exceeding dry. This precaution was taken against accidents happening by fire; but should the City be invaded by an army from Great Britain, or any British troops, he in such case intended to remove them to his brother’s, at Yonkers, in the County of WestChester.

If the Committee of Safety shall judge any other place more secure, Mr. Cortlandt will be glad to be informed thereof, that he may communicate the same to the Corporation of this City, for their approbation.

He remains their most obedient humble servant,

AUGUSTUS VAN CORTLANDT.

To the Committee of Safety in the City of New-York.

COMMITTEE OF BROOKHAVEN TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Brookhaven, September 5, 1775.

Agreeable to an order of the Provincial Congress, the Second Company in Brookhaven, commanded by Captain Ebenezer Miller, was called together on the fifth day of September, and after reading to them the directions given by the Provincial Congress, proceeded to the election, and chose Ebenezer Miller for their Captain, Caleb Woodhull First Lieutenant, James Davis Second Lieutenant, Davis Davis Ensign.

Certified by us, members of the Committee, who were present, and saw them fairly elected on the day abovesaid, between the hours of three and six in the afternoon.

COMMITTEE OF AMENIA, DUTCHESS COUNTY, NEW-YORK, TO PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

Agreeable to the late recommendation of our Provincial Congress, under the direction and inspection of the Committee of Amenia Precinct, Dutchess County, on the 5th day of September, 1775, were chosen by the soldiers of each Company, as follows:

In the oldest or First Company: William Barker, Captain; Job Mead, First Lieutenant; Noah Hopkins, Second Lieutenant; Abner Gillet, Ensign.

Second Company: Brinton Paine, Captain; Samuel Waters, First Lieutenant; Ichabod Holmes, Second Lieutenant; William Brush, Ensign.

Third Company: Joshua Lasell, Captain; Colbe Chamberlain, First Lieutenant; David Doty, Second Lieutenant; Elisha Barlow, Ensign.

Fourth Company: Robert Freeman, Captain; Elijah Smith, First Lieutenant; Ezra Saint John, Second Lieutenant; Noah Wheeler, Ensign.

ROSWELL HOPKINS,
Clerk of said Precinct and of the Committee.

NICHOLAS BERRIEN AND OTHERS TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

To the honourable Provincial Congress for the Province of NEW-YORK:

The Petition of the subscribers, Inhabitants of the Manor of FORDHAM and WEST-FARMS, in the County of WESTCHESTER humbly sheweth:

That we were summoned to appear at Westchester, in order to choose officers, according to the Resolution of the Congress, it having been represented, as we understand, that there was not a competent number of men in our District to form a Company. We therefore beg leave to inform, that the Manor of Fordham and the West-Farms have in the Militia always been considered as a District by themselves, and that within their limits there are upwards of seventy men fit to bear arms. And that an attendance at Westchester, upon the meeting of the Company, will be attended with great inconvenience to many of the inhabitants, and therefore injurious to the service intended to be advanced; from which considerations, your petitioners humbly pray the honourable Congress will be pleased to order that the Manor of Fordham and the West-Farms have a Company within themselves, and that they elect their own officers, under such inspection as the honourable Congress in their wisdom shall think best; and your petitioners shall ever pray.

SAMUEL HIGBIE AND OTHERS TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Colony of NEW-YORK:

We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, inhabitants of the Township of Jamaica, do hereby declare that we have associated ourselves as a Company of Minute-Men, for the defence of American liberty, and do hereby promise and engage to be obedient to our officers, and subject to the Resolutions and directions of the honourable the Continental Congress, and of the Provincial Congress of this Colony. And we, the non-commissioned officers and privates of the said Company have elected the following gentlemen for our commissioned officers, to wit: John Skidmore, Esq., for Captain; Jacob Wright, gentleman, First Lieutenant; Nicholas Everit, gentleman, Second Lieutenant; and Ephraim Marston, gentleman, Ensign. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

LETTER FROM A TORY OFFICER TO MR. CORNELL, NEW-YORK.

On board the Transport, New-York, September 5, 1775.

SIR: I suppose you have tried every way to get those things finished in the manner directed, but have not been able, the communication between us and the shore being entirely stopped. This is to put you in the way of doing it: which is, to get every thing ready by some time, which you will now appoint, and bring them from your house in the middle of day to the packet, which sails for England in a few days. If any person says any thing to you about it, you may tell them it is for stores to go on board the packet, which the mate, Mr. Mitchell, spoke for. When you get to the packet, you will tell Mr. Mitchell, the mate, who they are for: he will take care of them for me. When you bring the things, bring also an account of those things you brought for me. Do get them on board by to-morrow noon, as the packet sails on Thursday. Pray don’t fail. Do try to send those letters that were left at your house for me, by this or some other opportunity. I will be on board the packet to-morrow noon, and will see you there. There will be no kind of danger in carrying them on board

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