I would, to " guard against this, submit to your consideration the "propriety of writing to the leading men, on our " side, in those Counties, to be very vigilant in ob- " serving any movement of that kind, in order that "so dangerous a scheme may be nipped in the bud; "for that purpose, to keep the utmost attention to " the conduct of the principal Tories in those parts, " any attempts of intercourse with the ships, and all " other circumstances which may lead to a discovery " of their schemes and the destruction of their meas- " ures.

" I am, Gentlemen, very respectfully, " Your mo. obt. and very hble. servant, " Geo. Washington.

" TO THE HONBLE. THE PltEST. OF THE

" Provincial Congress op New-York."

As we have said, the inhabitants of the vicinity of Tarrytowu turned out for the purpose of obstructing any attempt which might be made, to effect a landing from the ships ; l but they were farmers, in the midst of their harvest; and when they had been there three days, without having seen much pressing necessity for their further stay or any prospect of a relief or of a supply of provisions, although the Convention was sitting within six miles from them, they expressed their desire to be relieved, and some of them went home, without leave, " in order to attend to their harvests." 2

Very ungraciously and, certainly, not in such words as were calculated to inspire respect for those who had employed them, among those against whom they were thus tossed, by the aristocratic masterspirits of the Convention, 3 Orders were issued to Captain Micah Townsend, who had probably been sent from the Plains to Tarrytown, on the day after the arrival of the ships, to remain at the latter place, with his Company ; Colonel Thomas was ordered to send detachments from his Regiment, to relieve those who had not returned to their homes ; and the pay and rations allowed to the Continental troops, were promised to those who were, as well as to those who should be, called into the service. 4 But, on the following day, [July 16, 1776,] all those in the neighborhood of Tarrytown were relieved from immediate danger, by the ships and their tenders weighing their anchors and sailing up the river, occasionally firing a shot, as they passed a house on the western side the river ; and by their anchoring a short distance below Verplanck's-point, and " opposite the stores at Hav-