think proper to employ the whole or a part of the Troops under my command in erecting and defending batteries at the Highlands, or elsewhere, I shall expect their orders direct, and no man will with greater alacrity obey the lawful summons.

“I am, Sir, with great respect, your most obedient humble servant,

“DAVID WOOSTER.

“To the Committee of Safety, New-York ”

Ordered, That certified copies of all the Letters between General Wooster and this Committee, relative to his sending up an hundred of his men to assist in erecting the Fortifications in the Highlands, and a certified copy of the Resolve of the Continental Congress, and that a Letter be wrote to the Continental Congress on that subject.

Ordered, That Peter T. Curtenius be desired to purchase, immediately, one hundred pair of Pistols and two hundred Cutlasses, and forward the same to Ticonderoga with all possible despatch.

The Petition of Daniel Dean and others, of Yonkers, praying that John Cock may be appointed their Captain, was read and filed.

The Committee adjourned to four o’clock, P. M.

4 ho. P. M., Monday, September 18, 1775.

The following Members met pursuant to adjournment, viz:

John Haring, Esquire, Chairman, and Commissioner for Orange County.

For NEW-YORK, Mr. Van Zandt, Colonel McDougall.
For ALBANY, Major Nicoll.
For DUTCHESS, Mr. Gilbert Livingston.
For WESTCHESTER, Mr. Paulding.
For SUFFOLK, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Foster.
For CUMBERLAND, William Williams.

No other Members appearing, and not having a sufficient number to form the Committee, they agreed to meet here to-morrow morning, at nine o’clock; and the afternoon was spent in filling up commissions for the Militia, and in examining the plans and estimate of the expenses of the Fortifications in the Highlands.

Die Martis, 9 ho. A. M., September 19, 1775.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present:

John Haring, Esquire, Chairman, and Commissioner for Orange County.

For NEW-YORK, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Beekman, Colonel McDougall, Mr. Scott.
For ALBANY, Major Nicoll.
For DUTCHESS, Mr. Gilbert Livingston.
For WESTCHESTER, Mr. Paulding.
For KING’S, Mr. Henry Williams.
For QUEEN’S, Colonel Blackwell.
For SUFFOLK, Mr. Foster, Mr. Hobart.
For CUMBERLAND, Mr. Williams.
For CHARLOTTE, Mr. Watkins.

Ordered, That the following Captains in the Third Regiment, to wit: Daniel Griffin, John Hulbert, and John Grennell, do respectively send such Arms of their respective Companies, as need repairs, to the Gunsmiths in this City, to be repaired; and that each of the said Captains do sign an account, certifying the particular repairs made to each Gun, Musket, or Firelock, in their respective Companies, and send the same to this Committee of Safety, or deliver it to the respective Gunsmiths who shall have made such repairs.

A Letter from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., of the 16th instant, received by express yesterday afternoon, covering a Commission for Colonel Flemming, and accompanying four hundred blank Commissions, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Philadelphia, September 16, 1775.

“SIR: Herewith I transmit you a commission for Mr. Flemming, Deputy Adjutant-General, with the rank of Colonel, agreeable to the recommendation of your Congress, which I have dated the day of his appointment. I also forward you four hundred commissions for the officers of your forces, under the command of General Schuyler,which you will please to have regularly filled up with the names of those gentlemen who were appointed by your Congress, and transmit them to General Schuyler, to be delivered them. You will observe they are not dated. You will please to supply the dates according to the time of the appointment of each, as their pay should commence from that time; and as I was not furnished with the list of the names nor the time, was obliged to give you the trouble of completing the commissions; you will please to acknowledge the receipt of them.

“I have nothing in charge from Congress to communicate; when I have, you shall be early acquainted therewith.

“I have the honour to be, with much esteem, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

“JOHN HANCOCK, President.

“Hon. P. V. B. Livingston, Esq., &c.”

A draught of an answer to the Honourable John Hancock was read and approved.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted by the express from Philadelphia, now in waiting.

The estimate of the expenses of erecting Fortifications in the Highlands, delivered in yesterday, P. M., by Bernard Romans, was read and filed.

A draught of a Letter to the honourable the Continental Congress, to cover three plans and estimate of the Fortifications erecting at the Highlands, and the copies of the correspondence between this Committee and General Wooster, on that subject, was read and approved.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted with the copies there mentioned.

His Worship the Mayor of the City of New-York, attending at the door, was called in, and informed the Committee that his Excellency Governour Tryon sent for him yesterday, and informed him that he received a letter from Lord Dartmouth, informing him that orders had been given to the commanders of His Majesty’s ships in America, that in case any more Troops should be raised, or any fortifications erected, or any of His Majesty’s stores taken, that the commanders of the ships of war should consider such Cities or places in a state of rebellion.

A draught of a Letter to Beverly Robinson, Esq., was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety, New-York, September 19, 1775.

SIR: By order of the Continental Congress, founded on the necessities of the present times, the Provincial Congress of this Colony has undertaken to erect a fortification on your land, opposite to the West Point, in the Highlands. As the Provincial Congress by no means intend to invade private property, this Committee, in their recess, have thought proper to request you to put a reasonable price upon the whole point of dry land or Island, called Materlaer’s Rock Island; which price, if they approve of it, they are ready to pay you for it.

We are, Sir, your humble servants.

To Beverly Robinson, Esq., at his seat in the Highlands.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted.

The Affidavits of Isaac Green and George Hadley, sworn before Gilbert Drake on the 14th instant, were read and filed.

The said Affidavits prove that John Cock, lately elected Captain of a Company of Militia, at the Yonkers, in Westchester County, had damned the Provincial Congress of this Colony, and spoke disrespectfully of them. The Committee, considering these Affidavits, and the former Affidavit of George Hadley, and the Letter of the Committee from Westchester on that subject, are of opinion that it is very improper to give John Cock a commission, and that a new election should be held for the Officers of that Company.

Thereupon, a draught of a Letter to the Committee of Yonkers was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Committee of Safety, New-York, September 19, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Having considered your report, and also the report of your County Committee, concerning the election