A few days later the inhabitants were aiding to unload, at King's Bridge and the hills beyond, upward of one hundred cannon,' which had been carted out from the city for security. On the 8th of May the new committee for Westchester County, on which Frederick Van Cortlandt represented the Yonkers, chose Colonel James Van Cortlandt as deputy to the new Provincial Congress, and he attended its first meeting at the exchange in Broad Street.

The importance of maintaining communication by land between New York and the country so impressed the Continental Congress that it resolved, on May 25th, that a post should be immediately taken and fortified at King's Bridge. On the 30th the Provincial Congress appointed a committee of five, including Captain Richard Montgomery and Colonel James Van Cortlandt to view the ground near the bridge and report whether it would admit of a tenable fortification. Their report of June 3d favored a post for three hundred men on the hill adjoining Hyatt's tavern, but recommended no form or dimensions and thought it imprudent to fortify until the embodiment of troops, who could do most of the labor. Commanding points on Tippett's and Tetard's Hillg were suggested for additional works. On the spots thus indicated forts were afterwards erected by the Americans, and when captured by the British, were strengthened and garrisoned by them for many years.

Colonel Van Cortlandt was a member of the committee of the Provincial Congress to arrange the troops and form the militia. ' Frederick Van Cortlandt, Thomas Emmons, Williams Betts and William Hadley were of the local committee for the Yonkers. Under their supervisiofn a militia company was formed in the precinct, as part of the "South Battalion" of the county. The roster included sixty-four names, -- Anthony Allaire, Abraham Asten, George Berrien, Wm.