their troubles, the troops from Connecticut, who had been unnecessarily brought to the City of New York -- " the movement seemed to have for its end to coerce " rather than to defend New York ' " -- who were unemployed, endeavored to make additions to their military pay, by underbidding the local mechanics, for work to be done, in that City : 2 and the Provincial Congress was compelled to seek employment, for both classes, elsewhere ; 3 to establish manufactories for the employment of them ; 4 and to supply provisions and firewood, to prevent their families from starving or perishing from the cold. 6 As many as could do so, said to be one-half of the population, abandoned the City of New York, with their families, to find safety and employment and charity, elsewhere ; 6 and many, driven by necessity ' and the neglect of the Government to protect them, 8 as well as for the promised pay

See, also, the Memorial of the Vestry of the City of New York to the Provincial Congress, " May 30, 1776 ;" etc.

1 Bancroft's History of the United States, original edition, vili., 278 ; the same, centenary edition, v., 185.

2 " The Eegiment here, from Connecticut, can turn out many Carpen- " tera, who consent to work upon much more reasonable terms than the "artificers of this City. It would, I imagine, be worth while to pro- " vide, if possible, a sufficient number of tools : when the present work 1 ' is done, these tools cannot be considered an idle purchase : they will " always be useful," {General Charles Lee to the Provincial Congress, "New- York, February 22, 1776.")