find it convenient to raise and send to the forts more than your proportion, or inconvenient to furnish your proportion, we request that, in either such case, you would immediately despatch one or more of your most judicious members to the Committees of the other two Counties mentioned in the said resolutions, and make such an arrangement as to have the resolutions of the Continental Congress fully complied with. This will, no doubt, be most easily done by stationing one of your best Companies of minute-men, or Independent Companies, at the forts, or such other places as shall be directed, for the present, by the commanding officer of the Continental forces at the fort.

As the Deputy Commissary-General is directed to provide and keep there a sufficient stock of provisions for a thousand men, we presume that, beside your proportion of two hundred men, now ordered to garrison those forts, the proportion of the militia of your County which is to be formed, in readiness to march to the fortresses, or such stations in the Highlands as shall be assigned them in case of any alarm, cannot be less than three hundred. We therefore pray you also to make a proper arrangement, in the militia of your County, for this service, and to take especial care that the officers be such as feel the cause of their Country, and will defend it; and that you send us, by the return of your members to Congress, or sooner if possible, a full account of your proceedings in the premises, that the Provincial Congress, as soon as met, may be enabled to give a proper and satisfactory answer to the honourable Continental Congress, and convince both our friends and foes that we are as willing, as ready, and as brave, as any of our sister Colonies on the Continent.

As our Provincial Congress was adjourned, before the arrival of the express from Philadelphia, to the 14th instant, when new elected members are to meet, we thought it our duty to forward to you a copy of the resolutions, as far as they respect your County, with our sentiments on the subject.

And we are, most respectfully, Gentlemen, your very humble servants,

The same gentlemen also addressed a Letter to Walter Livingston, Esq., Deputy Commissary-General, in the words following, viz:

New-York, November 13, 1775.

SIR: We received by express, from Philadelphia, sundry resolutions of Congress. We enclose you a copy of such of them as will show you the necessity of furnishing and keeping up a stock of provisions for a thousand men, for a month, at the fortifications in the Highlands. Those posts have been hitherto supplied from hence.

We beg leave to suggest it as our opinion, that though a proper stock of salt provision must be laid in store, yet fresh beef, for present daily consumption, will be most healthy for the troops, and much the cheapest, and may be easily obtained, in great plenty, from Orange County, in the neighbourhood of the fort.

We are, respectfully, Sir, your very humble servants,

To Walter Livingston, Esq.

New-York, November 22, 1775.

Deputies chosen to represent the City and County of New-York, and the Counties of Westchester, Ulster, and Dutchess, in Provincial Congress met; and there not being a majority of the Counties represented, the gentlemen present requested one of the Secretaries of the late Provincial Congress to address a Letter to the members chosen to represent King’s County, in the words following:

New-York, November 22, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The members chosen to represent the Counties of New-York, Westchester, Ulster, and Dutchess, in Provincial Congress, have met several days past, but cannot proceed to business, for want of more members. I am therefore directed, by those met, to request of you that a sufficient number of members to represent your County do attend and take their seats as soon as possible, that the business of the great cause we are engaged in may be no longer delayed or neglected.

I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant.

The Deputies present then adjourned until ten o’clock, to-morrow morning.

New-York, November 23, 1775.

Deputies chosen to represent the Counties of New-York, Albany, Dutchess, Westchester, King’s, Suffolk, and Ulster, in Provincial Congress convened; but there not being a majority of the Counties represented, the gentlemen present requested Mr. Robert Benson, one of the Secretaries of the late Provincial Congress, to address a Letter to the Committee of Orange County, in the words following:

New-York, November 23, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Deputies chosen to represent the Counties of New-York, Albany, Dutchess, Westchester, King’s, Suffolk, and Ulster, in Provincial Congress, are met; but as they are not a majority of the Counties, cannot proceed to business. I am therefore directed by the members present to write you by express, requesting that a representation of your County may be sent down to the Congress without loss of time, that the measures necessary to be carried into execution may not be delayed or neglected.

I am, Gentlemen, yours, & c.,

R. BENSON.

To the Chairman and Members of the Committee of Orange County.

The Deputies present then adjourned until ten o’clock, to-morrow morning.

New-York, November 24, 1775.

The Deputies from several of the Counties met; but there not being a majority of the Counties represented, the gentlemen present requested Mr. Benson to draught a Letter to the Representatives of the County of Richmond, in the late Provincial Congress, in the words following, viz:

New-York, November 24, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Deputies from most of the Counties have met during the course of this week, and, with the addition of a few members, who are hourly expected, will undoubtedly form a Congress next Monday or Tuesday, at farthest, and proceed to business. A report prevails that the people of your County will not send members to represent them in Provincial Congress. I am directed by the members present to inform you of this, and to request that you will inform them, as soon as you possibly can, of the state of your County relative to the choice of Deputies to represent them in the ensuing Congress.

Yours, & c.,

R. BENSON.

To Paul Micheau, John Journey, Aaron Cortelyou, Richard Connor, and Richard Lawrence, Esquires, Richmond County.

The Deputies present then adjourned, from day to day, until Friday, the 1st day of December.

New-York, Friday, December 1, 1775.

The Deputies of the several Counties, chosen to represent the said Counties in Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York, having met several days, but the representatives of a majority of the Counties not being present, could not proceed to business as a Congress. Wherefore, for the sake of order, and for the purpose of reading and answering several letters which have been received since the dissolution of the last Congress, and for taking such measures as may be necessary for calling such other members as are chosen and have not attended, chose Colonel Nathaniel Woodhull Chairman.

The Members present are as follows, viz:

For NEW-YORK: Colonel McDougall, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Sands, Mr. Ray, Colonel Brasher.

For ALBANY: Major Nicoll, Colonel Rensselaer, Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Gansevoort, Mr. Bleecker.

For KING’S: Mr. Covenhoven.

For. DUTCHESS: Mr. Schenck, Mr. Humphreys.