As Captaiu Varian and his eighteen companions, facetiously regarded as one of the Companies of Minute-men of which Colonel Drake's Regiment was subsequently composed, were, then, unknown as soldiers, 2 that Regiment could not have possibly mustered more than two Companies commanded, respectively, by Captains Slason and Seely 3 -- that commanded by Captain Gray was not organized until six days after the Regiment had been ordered into the service ; 4 and no record appears of any attempt having been made to organize the two Companies, in the Cortlandt's Manor, for which blank Commissions had been issued, in advance of any organization, in the preceding October 5 -- although it is understood that those Companies which were commanded by Captains Gray and Steinrod subsequently joined it. There is no known Return of the actual strength of the Regiment, at any time; but within a few days after it had

1 Historical Maimscripts, etc. : Military Committee, xxv., 658.

2 Vide pages 108, aute. » Ibid.

< Relunus of an Election of Officers of that Company, "Bedford, 15 Feby, ' ' 1770 "--Historical Manuscripts, etc. : Military Belarus, xxvii., 196.

5 Memorandum by Gilbert Drake, Chairman of Westchester-county Commits Use, " White Plains, October 24, 1775;" Journal of Provincial Congress, "Die Mcrcurii, 10 ho., A.M., October 25, 1775."

entered the Continental service, and after its reinforcement had joined it, it numbered not more than a hundred and fifty men ; 6 and about two weeks subsequently, little more than a month after it had been mustered in, it was made ridiculous and the propensity to office-holding among " the friends of Liberty," in Westchester-county, was forcibly illustrated by the following paragraph, which appeared in the General Orders of the commanding Officer of the Continental Army in New York :