USA > New York > Kings County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 9
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 9
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SUFFOLK COUNTY.
take them, taking their rest at the Canoe Place, about 2 in the morning. Knowing themselves still undiscovered, they immedi- ately attacked them at 15 yards distance, and so completely sur- prised them, as to kill one, mortally wound another, make 20 prison- ers, and secured their boats and plunder, with 38 stand of arms, with- out the smallest opposition. The prisoners, under guard, were ordered in their boats, and arrived in N. Y. on Saturday evening, and are safely lodged in the Sugar House .- Riv. Ju. 6, '81.
At auction, near the ferry stairs, 4 prize whale-boats, taken a few days since on S. side of L. I., in good repair, and well found in oars, &c.
729. May 31, '81, N. London. Some days ago Major Ayres made an excursion from Saybrook to L. I., and took 2 vessels near Wading River. After taking some goods out of the vessels they went ashore ; and as they were cooking provisions under a bank, they were suddenly fired on, when Major A. and one or two of the party were killed.
730. June 11, '81. Goods and furniture, equal to £31. 19. 8, were taken from John Bayley of Brookhaven, by Ezekiel Wicks, Jacob Conklin, Benj. Nicoll and others; from Dan'l Downs, equal to £4.2; from Capt. Wm. Brewster, equal to £68. 12. 6.
731. Before June 12, '81. St. Martin took goods from L. I. ; Geo. Smith, of Hartford, took corduroys, calicoes, &c., at Corum ; Eben'r Ayres, of Stamford, took goods at Cow Harbor ; E. Jones, of Stamford, took law books.
732. Gaine, July 2, '81. On Wednesday night last, a party of rebels from New England, with 5 whale-boats and about 50 men, landed at Crane Neck, Setauket, and early next morning went to the house of Capt. Nathan Woodhull, which, after they had plun- dered, with three others adjoining, of considerable value, carried Capt. W. and his son along with them; fortunately, the boats were discovered by two brigs and a sloop lying in the Sound, who imme- diately gave them chase, which obliged the rebels to run their boats ashore and make their escape to the woods, leaving their boats and plunder behind. The goods were returned to their owners, and Capt. W. and son prevented from being carried off. One Dan'l Jackson, of Newark, was commander of the party.
102
ARMED OCCUPATION OF
On Wednesday morning, June 20, the Associators (in the brig Sir H. Clinton, sloop Association and brig Keppel) returning from an expedition to Conn., discovered seven rebel boats off Setauket; but the rebels being too near the shore to be cut off, landed, hauled their boats into the woods, and then ran off. Capt. Hubbel landed with all his force, and in two hours brought off a very fine 12 oared barge or gunboat, called Gen. Wooster, with two swivels and a blunder- buss, and six very good whale-boats, most of which are entirely new. Every method was taken to discover the rebels on shore, but with- out success. In the boats was found a quantity of plunder worth £100.
733. June 22, '81. Caleb Brewster and John Grennel, swear to abuses committed on L. I. by whale-boats,
List of Persons Robbed.
Selah Strong,
Ruth Blydenburgh,
David Longbottom,
- Tyler,
Sam'l Hare,
Tho's Hicks,
Wm. Brewster,
Cha's Dallas,
Jona. Tucker,
John Bailey, Ja's Smith, Selah Havens,
David Munroe, Tim. Smith,
Nath'l Fanning,
Mary Taylor,
Edward Tappan,
David Gardiner,
Ja's Gardiner, - Langdon, Ja's M'Cleure ;
Nath'l and Philip Roe, were twice plundered and once whipped. £100 was paid to ransom a house from being burnt .- Trumbull, xv. 27.
734. Aug. 3. A body of armed men with fixed bayonets, came to the house of Gilbert and Simon Fleet, near Huntington, and robbed the 2 families of all the money and plate they could find (in their possession), and had nigh strangled one of them by hanging him up to a beam in his kitchen .- Aug. 15, '81. Gaine.
735. Wm. Fowler and John Strong in the armed boat Wm. the Conqueror, took a small skiff in Accabonic Bay, Aug. 23, '81, with 300 lbs. coffee, and 120 lbs. tea.
736. Sep. 14, '81. Two whale-boats with 40 armed men from Conn., landed on South Hampton, and killed and dressed 4 sheep of Jos. Havens. On the evening of 15th they ransacked the house of Nicoll Havens, Esq., on Shelter I., took 2 fowling-pieces, a silver- hilted sword, silver-mounted hanger, some tea, &c .; thence to Capt. Ja's Havens', took a watch-coat, fowling-piece, &c. ; thence to Wi-
103
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
dow Payne's, insulted and threatened to burn the house, made them produce silver tankard, linen, watch-coat, fowling-piece, &c. 16th they landed at E. end of Southold, disarmed the people on their way up to the settlement, and fired at some unarined people, entered the house of David Gardiner (who was about removing to Conn.) with fixed bayonets, took goods and family articles ; knocked down Jos. Peck. On their way down to the shore, they beat with a gun-breech Mr. and Mrs. Lommedieu, an aged couple, threatened to burn Wi- dow Moore's house, because armed men had assembled there to re- sist them, flashed a gun at John Vail, aged 60 ; said they had some of Delancey's cowboys with them, would burn the whole town if op- position were made, and put men, women and children to death.
737. A representation of the inhabitants of Shelter I., and South- old to Gov. Trumbull, Sept. 21, '81, complaining of whale-boats, signed
Sam'l Landon, David Conklin, Jared Langdon,
Oba. Vail, Jos. Peck, Benj. Prince,
Jos. Prince,
Benj. Vail, John Hubbard.
738. N. London, Sep. 21, '81. 400 of Arnold's men landed at Southold, and plundered and carried off to the value of £3000.
739. Before Sep. 26, '81. Ebn'r Conklin, of Norwalk, took at Huntington sundry pieces of calico, lace, cambric, &c.
740. Petition of Suffolk Co. Refugees in Conn.
Feb. 5, '81. Capt. John Grennel, who left L. I. in '76 with his fa- mily, and is now reduced, wishes to return to recover some debts.
Mar. 8,'81. Lodowick Hackstaff, Jos. Hibbard, Tim. Rand, were taken by Americans at Greenwich.
Mar. 20, '81. Mrs. Shelton and Mr. Strong, living at Stratford, wish to visit aged parents at Brookhaven. Elias Howell, at Saybrook, May 22, '81, wishes to return with family and family stores, to his aged father on L. I.
Richard Seamans, a refugee, largely engaged in illicit trade ; also Wm. Hart and Kelsey .- No date.
Dr. Wm. Lawrence, L. I. to Saybrook, employed to obtain intelli- gence from the enemy, and had permit from Gov. Tryon to bring off his family, furniture, medicines, &c .- Nov.'81 ?
Feb. '81. Jona. Corwin-Southold to Norwich, Sep. '76-served two campaigns-discharged for infirmity, wishes to return with family to
104
ARMED OCCUPATION OF
his father's estate. Selah Dickerson, Dan'l Booth, Joshua Horton, Wmn. Welles-Southold to Guilford-not able to procure subsistence-ask liberty to return-negatived.
John Goldsmith fled from Southold to Guilford-asks liberty to re- turn-negatived.
Theoph's Halsey, S. Hampton to E. Haddam, Sep. '76, leaving a farm, stock, &c., to which he wishes to return, as he has spent all he brought with him .- May, '81.
John Lloyd, jr., at Hartford, fled from L. I., 1776-polls and stock exempted from taxation.
Isaac Overton -- Southold to Norwich, Sep. 1776-infirm -- allowed to return.
Benj. Sears, Zebedee Osborn, Theoph's Halsey, Dan'l, Ezekiel, Steph. and Ed. Howell, Ezekiel Stanford-S. Hampton to E. Haddam, Sep. '76-spent their property and desire to return.
Eben'r Wade-Southold to Guilford -- asks liberty to go over for money for property sold, and to carry splints, and remain 3 weeks to bottom chairs.
Ezekiel Wicks, a commissioned cruiser, wants his family removed from L. I. to Conn -- Sep. 4, '81.
Jesse Wicks, on L. I., has aided Whigs, and being detected by Bri- tish, wants to remove to Conn.
741. Last Sunday night a party of rebels commanded by Sam'l Heacock, made an attempt to plunder the house of Moses Jarvis, merch't of Huntington, and after beating down the doors, one of the party fired into the chamber window where Mr. J. and his wife were standing, but fortunately they fell back at the flash, but not soon enough to prevent Mrs. J. from being wounded in the breast by a buckshot. Mr. J. being exasperated at such inhuman conduct, imme- diately returned the fire, which killed Wm. Lownsbury, when the whole party fled with the utmost precipitation, leaving the dead man and his arms on the spot .- Gaine, Oct. 1, '81.
742. N. H., Oct. 11, '81. Tuesday afternoon, last week, 150 Continental troops, under Major Talmadge, crossed the Sound in boats, and landed in the evening near a small fort on L. I., 15 miles E. of Lloyd's Neck, which they approached with so much secrecy that they were not discovered till challenged by the sentinel, who fired on them and ran into the fort, but was followed so close that he had not time to shut the gate. Some opposition was made as our people
105
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
entered the fort, and 4 of the enemy were killed and 2 wounded, but they soon surrendered. The fort, barracks and magazines, were destroyed. Major T. returned to Fairfield next morning with 20 prisoners, and brought off 70 muskets and a brass 3 pounder. We had one man slightly wounded.
743. There was a garrison of 140 men, chiefly woodcutters, well armed at Fort Slongo, Treadwell's Neck, 8 miles E. of Lloyd's Neck. Col. Tallmadge says in his Journal :
"On evening of Oct. 2, '81, 9 o'clock, I embarked from Sauga- tuck River part of my detachment, and placed Major Trescott at the head of it, with orders to assail the Fort on a particular point. The troops landed on L. I. by 4 o'clock, and at dawn of day the attack was made and the fortress subdued. The Block-house and other combustible materials were burnt, and the troops and prisoners re- turned in safety, bringing off one piece of handsome brass field artillery.
Gen. Washington congratulates the army on the success of the American arms in the reduction of Fort Slongo on the morning of Oct. 3, without the loss of a man, and only one wounded. Of the enemy, 2 Capts., 1 Lt., and 18 privates prisoners, besides several killed and wounded and 2 iron double-fortified 4 pounders destroyed. The colors of the Fort, a brass 3 pounder, a number of small arms, ammunition, &c., are the trophies of the victory.
[Henry Skudder was furnished by a neighbor with a draft and description of Ft. Slongo, on the high land near Smithtown River. With this in his pocket, in making his way to his boat (hid in a swamp) his course lay through a forest, in the middle of which was a clear field by which ran the road from Smithtown to Fresh Pond. Just before sunset he heard the tramp of horses ; he hid behind a large fallen tree, under which he could see 50 or 60 light horse passing within 10 rods of him. He was not noticed and escaped to his boat .- Ed.]
744. N. London, Oct. 16, '81. Capt. Thos. Parks, in a small privateer, and Capt. Wattles of the Comet, with 50 volunteers, pro- ceeded to Oyster Pond, where they discovered 2 galleys near Shelter I. endeavoring to get out of the bay, but being closely pursued, both galleys ran ashore at Southold, and the people (60 or 70) made their escape. One mounted 3, the other, 2 cannon; 16 muskets and a variety of articles were found aboard. They had been cruising in the Vineyard Sound.
106
ARMED OCCUPATION OF
745. Before Oct. 17, '81. Nathan Peet Jackson, of Fairfield, took cambrick, gauze, &c., at South Hampton, June 18; also sugar, muskets, &c., at Sag Harbor, July 2; also 44 yds. check, a cable, &c., at Brook Haven, Aug. 4 and 5.
746. N. London, Nov. 1, '81. Last Monday night 3 deserters from the British Regt. stationed at Huntington came to town.
747. N. London, Nov. 30, '81. Last week Major Davis and Capt. Grinnel, being ashore at Sag Harbor with several men, were betrayed and taken prisoners by a Hessian Major and 20 light horse. They had 2 armed boats with them, which the enemy were about setting on fire, but Capt. Wickham in an 8 gun sloop from Stoning- ton, about the same time coming to near the boats, brought them off.
Capt. John Grinnel was taken at S. Hampton, where he was buying goods for N. Y. State, Nov. 3, '81, and was kept in Provost till March 26,'82. The Legislature in '84 allowed him 106 guineas which he had spent while in captivity.
748. Ap. 11, '82. Two deserters (natives) came to N. Haven from Lloyd's Neck.
749. Rob. Roy. Amer. Gaz., May 23, '82. The inhabitants in Suffolk Co. give their thanks to Mr. Walter Humphreys, Dep. Com -. missary of forage, serving under Dan'l Wier, Esq., Com. Gen., &c., &c., &c., for his just and upright conduct in receiving and weighing the hay and straw delivered on Lloyd's Neck, for the use of His Majesty's troops, and for his ready compliance in giving proper receipts, whereby they have, or may by immediate application, re- ceive their payment. Dated Huntington, March 27, 1782.
Jacob Brush, Tim. Carll, Capt .; Eliph't Chichester, Hubbard Conklin, Philip Conklin, Capt. Lt. ; Gilbert Fleet, Lt .; Jona. Jarvis, John and Ste. Ketcham, Jos. Lewis, President ; Jona. Mills, Jesse Oakes, Nath'l Oakley, Sam'l Philips, Zophar Platt, Justice ; Jonas Rogers, Collector of Forage ; John Rogers, David Rusco, jr. ; John Squier, Selah Strong, Esq. ; Silas Sammis, Jas. Sandford, M. D .; Epenetus, Caleb, Aaron, Nath'l, Philetus, and Jonas Smith ; Henry Titus, John Wickes, Capt. Militia ; Dan'l Wiggins, M. D. ; Nath'l Williams, jr. ; Nath'l Wil- liams, Jonas Williams, Israel Youngs, Collector of Hay.
750. Riv., May 29, '82. On 15th, Capt. Marks of the Delancey whale-boat proceeded up the Sound to the neighborhood of Mattituck
.
107
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
on L. I., where he discovered a whale-boat commanded by Maj. Ayres of Stamford, and manned with 8 men, whom he attacked, killed Ayres, wounded one, took his boat, oars, muskets, and quantity of goods filched from the honest inhabitants, who feel great joy at the example made of this merciless plunderer.
751. Sep. 4, '82, Riv. Some whale-boats put ashore S. side of L. I., near B. Haven, and robbed the house of Deacon Hedges of sundry sorts of wearing apparel and household goods, &c., &c.
752. N. London, Sep. 6, '82. Last Friday 6 deserters from the enemy came here from Oyster Bay.
753. Sep. 8, '82. Capts. Peter Vail and John Wilkinson, from East Haddam in 2 whale-boats, robbed Henry Conklin at Southold, of dry goods, and returned to Long Branch. They first went to South Bay, landed at Canoe Place, and robbed a wagon of tea and powder.
754. N. London, Sep. 20, '82. Last week, two armed boats from Con't River, crossed the Sound and landed at Canoe Place : the peo- ple going a mile or two on the Island, met a man with a box of tea, and took it from him. They afterwards plundered sundry of the in- habitants of cash and clothing. The next morning a no. of people belonging to the Island assembled, and finding the boats' crews on a beach, dividing their goods, they fired on them, killed one on the spot, mortally wounded another, who died soon after, and badly wounded 2 others. They have detained 5 of the boats' crews.
755. Fishkill, Dec. 5, '82. The enemy are fortifying Huntington. They have pitched on a burying yard, and have dug up graves and gravestones, to the great grief of the people there, who, when they remonstrated against the proceeding, received nothing but abuse.
[ See Prime, 251.]
The inhabitants were made to assist in pulling the Church down by Col. Thompson, against their solemn remonstrances, and its materials used for the Fort, &c.
Petitions of Suffolk Co. Refugees, Conn.
756. Jan. '82. Abijah Corey-Southold to Branford-old, poor, asks to bring over avails of his property-allowed under inspection.
Jos. Moore-S. Hampton to Canterbury-granted exemption from Poll tax. Oct. '82.
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ARMED OCCUPATION OF
Wm. Welles, Southold to Guilford-asks to return-negatived.
Jan. '83.
Oct. 25, '82. Nath'l Gardiner wants to return to E. Hampton- has served in army till July last,-his father, Col. Abm. G. died Sept. last.
Nov. '82. Ichabod Cole, refugee from L. I. at Lyme, wants to sell his farm of 20 acres, on L. I .- Nathan Fordham, of E. Haddam, wants to go to L. I. with his family. Rev. John Storrs (at Mansfield) wants to return to L. I.
July 16, '83. Benj. King, of Lyme, wants to return to Southold. [Jeremiah King also at Lyme.]
Feb. 27, '83. Eben'r Platt-at Hartford-wants to go to L. I. to get cash.
Mar. 4, '83. Maltby Gelston, at E. Haddam, wants to carry boards to S. Hampton to build a barn, his house also is decayed. John Gelston wants to go to L. I. Jas. Fanning a Whig (who has been in N. Caroli- na) wants to go to L. I. David Howell, late of S. Hampton, wants to go to L. I. to bring off flax, and wool on sheep-skins. [Elias Parshall is at New Windsor.]
757. Mr. Isaac Smith, of Brook Haven, in the Virginia priva- teer, was killed in boarding the ship Rennet. He was an officer of Marines, a very brave man, and is much regretted.
Rob. Gaz. Dec. 26, '82.
758. Thos. Wickham, Esq., commander of an armed sloop, took a boat laden with provisions, bound and proceeding on a voyage to L. I. Jan. 30, '83.
759. March 27, '83. Most of the barracks at Huntington are burnt, reported to be fired by the soldiers, who are dissatisfied with the service.
Whig Paper.
760. By permission of Gov. Robertson, a lottery for the benefit of Caroline Church will be drawn at Brook Haven under direction of the Wardens and vestry of the Church. Selah Strong, Esq., John Moore, Esq., Joseph Brewster and Henry Nicoll, Managers.
Riv. Ap. 9, '83.
761. Henry Hawley, of Stratford, Con't, put in Provost, May 5, '83, for carrying a sergeant and 5 Yagers from Huntington (who had deserted) to the N. England shore.
762. Four deserters from the enemy came to N. London, via. May 23, '83.
L. I.
109
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
763. Riv. June 4, '83. Stolen out of a stable at Huntington, night of May 28, 2 chestnut Horses, belonging to Q. M. Gen. De- part., marked on off thighs J. C. 2 guineas reward will be paid by Col. Dewormb at McGowan's Pass.
Any officer commanding on L. I. is requested to forward them.
764. $10 Reward. Ran away, a negro man, Retus, speaks English well and plays on the fiddle, took with him a pair of brown velvet breeches, fiddle, &c.
Brook Haven, July 8, '83.
WM. CLARKE.
765. Isaac Alger and Nath'l Parker put in Provost, July 18, '83, for robbing Platt Carll, -- and violently beating him and family, were tried by Court Martial, and ordered to be executed Sept. 10.
766. July 29, '83. An affray happened between Elisha Brown of N. Hampton, and one Norton, late of L. I. (of the class of people called Cowboys), in which B. was killed. Norton escaped.
767. On Thursday last, as Solomon Davis (formerly a commander of a vessel in the London trade) was returning in his wagon, from N. Y. to his residence at Setauket, he was intercepted by 2 men, who firing their pistols or fusils, shot him dead on the spot. He was not robbed, as we are informed that his watch with 8 guineas were found in his pockets.
Gaine, Aug. 4, '83.
John Benson, a mulatto, who shot Capt. Sol. Davis, near Jamaica, was hung at N. Y. for burglary, Friday before Sep 26, '85 .- Loudon.
768. Annanias Platt, John Smith, David Ralph, Nath. Skudder, of Huntington, were put in Provost, Sep. 2, '83, accused of robbery on L. I., and sentenced to pay a fine of £100 sterling, each, in 15 days ; or should his Majesty's troops leave before that time, and the fine not paid, they are to receive 1000 lashes on the back, with the cat-o'nine-tails .- Cornelius Carll, Esa Whitman, Silas Sammis, and Jacob Lawrence were put in Provost, but acquitted.
Riv. Nov. '83.
769. What money may have been loaned to the State by the Whigs of Suffolk, cannot be known till Gov. Clinton's papers are made accessible. (See Queens Co., 316.)
In '81, Capt. Nath'l Norton was secretly commissioned by Gov. Clinton, to obtain loans of money from wealthy Whig inhabitants of
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7
110
ARMED OCCUPATION OF SUFFOLK COUNTY.
L. I. for the use of Gov't, and to conceal the object, he was appoint- ed to the command of the " Suffolk," which cruised between Sands Point and N. Haven. He obtained large sums on the faith of Govern- ment.
Thompson, II. 496.
There are many traditions of the war to which we can barely allude without vouching for their truth : such as that a Maj. Davis, of E. Hampton, became a prisoner in the latter part of the war, and died in N. Y. by poison administered in his chocolate ; and that Maj. Strong was murdered by the British, and that Wm. Tallmadge was taken at the battle of Brooklyn, and literally starved to death in prison, and that Ezra Weeks waylaid and shot a British officer.
The accounts of the people of Huntington, for property taken by the British, supported by receipts of British officers, or other evidence, amounted to £7249. 9. 6 : and was supposed not to con- tain one-fourth of what was taken. They were sent to N. Y. to be laid before the Commissioners, but were not attended to.
Wood's L. I. p. 90.
May 6, '84. The Legislature imposed a tax of £37,000 on L. I. (making £10,000 for Suffolk, £13,000 for Kings, and £14,000 for Queens,) as a compensation to the other parts of the State for not having been in a condition to support the war from "76 to '83, called the " back tax."
Wood's L. I. p. '81.
We have no account of the celebration of peace in Suffolk Co. except the following :
At return of peace Col. Tallmadge visited his native place, where the patriotic citizens got up a festival, roasted an ox whole, and made the Major master of ceremonies. Simms, 549.
The influences of war are always demoralizing, but it was es- pecially disastrous to Suffolk. Many Whigs had abandoned their farms and stock-fled to the Main, where they became involved in debt, and at the peace returned poor. They found their farms out of order, buildings dilapidated, fences gone, stock carried off, wood- land cut off, churches deserted or torn down. No doubt the Whigs sued for trespass some Loyalists who remained behind, but we have no accounts of the trials.
KINGS COUNTY.
र
REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENTS
OF
KINGS COUNTY.
PART I.
REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT-KINGS COUNTY.
770. Flatbush, Ap. 15, '75. At a meeting of the Com- mittee chosen by the several towns of Kings County, at the County Hall : present from Flatbush, David Clarkson, Ad- rian Voorhies, Jacobus Vandeventer, John Vanderbelt ; from Bushwick, Theodorus Polhemus, John Titus, Jost Duryea, Abm. Van Ranst, Abm. Lequere ; from Brooklyn, Simon Boerum, Henry Williams, Jeremiah Remsen, John Suydam, Johannes Bergen, Jacob Sharpe, Rem Cowenhoven ; from N. Utrecht, Petrus Van Pelt, Denice Denice, Adrian Hege- man ; from Gravesend, Richard Stillwell, Isaac Denice ; Simon Boerum, Esq., was chosen Chairman, when it was resolved unanimously, that Simon Boerum, Richard Stillwell, Theodorus Polhemus, Denice Denice and Jeremiah Vander- bilt, or a major part of them, be appointed Deputies to. the Convention, for choosing Delegates to the Continental Con- gress, to be held at Philadelphia, in May.
Justice Cowenhoven appeared and said, that Flatlands
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
would not put a negative on the proceedings, but chose to remain neutral.
ABM. VAN RANST, Clerk.
771. At a general Town Meeting, regularly warned, at Brooklyn, May 20, '75, the Magistrates and Freeholders met, and voted Jer. Remsen, Esq., into the chair, and Leffert Lefferts, Esq., Clerk.
Taking into our serious consideration the expediency and propriety of concurring with the freeholders and freemen of the City and County of N. Y., and the other Colonies, Town- ships and Precincts, within this Province, for holding a Pro- vincial Congress to advise, consult, watch over and defend, at this very alarming crisis, all our civil and religious rights, liberties and privileges, according to their collective pru- dence.
After duly considering the unjust plunder and inhuman carnage committed on the property and persons of our brethren in the Massachusetts, who, with the other N. Eng- land Colonies, are now deemed by the Mother Country to be in a state of actual rebellion, by which declaration Eng- land hath put it beyond her own power to treat with New England, or to propose or receive any terms of reconciliation, until those Colonies shall submit as a conquered country. The first effort to effect which was by military and naval force, the next attempt is, to bring a famine among them, by depriving them of both their natural and acquired right of fishing. Further contemplating the very unhappy situation to which the powers at home, by oppressive measures, have driven all the other Protestant Provinces, we have all evils in their power to fear, as they have already declared all the Provinces aiders and abettors of rebellion : Therefore,
1st. Resolved, That Henry Williams and Jer. Remsen, Esqrs., be now elected Deputies for this Township, to meet May 22, with other Deputies in Provincial Convention, in
115
KINGS COUNTY.
N. Y., and there to consider, determine and do, all pruden- tial and necessary business.
2d. Resolved, That we, confiding in the wisdom and equity of said Convention, do agree to observe all warrantable acts, associations and orders, as said Congress shall direct.
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