Such never was the intentions of the General. [Washington] or….the motive of the Genl. for detaching *, was solely to prevent the enemy from taking part in the City, in lodging themselves in Long Island. & c. . . . If the ships of war are quiet. I shall be quiet. &…In compliance with yr [your] request, I shall only carry with me into Town, a force just strong enough to secure it against any designs of the enemy, until it shall please the Continental Congress to take measures, for its permanent security. The main body I shall leave on the Western frontiers of Connecticut, according to your directions. &c." p. 266.
Vol. 1.
"January 23d 1776." - John Fowler was taken & brought before the Committee of Safety & changed with having purchased a parcel of old files &c. for spiking up the cannon in W.C. County - He readily declared that he purchased 30 old files by request of Wm. Lounsbury of Mamaroneck. &c." "Ordered that Lieut. *Jacomiah* Allen of the light horse of the City of N.Y., take with him a guard of 12 of the * light horse, & proceed immediately to Mamaroneck, + take Wm. Lounsbury & his accomplices * & bring tm [them] before this Committee &c." p. 262. /
"23d Jany. 1776." - "Godfrey Haines lately apprehended & sent here to the New York Committee of Safety by the Committee of Safety of New Jersey. The *sd [said]* God: =frey Haines lately broke *the* Jail of this City & escaped - He is so dangerous that he ought to be kept in safe custody & close jail. - After escaping from the New York Jail, he set off to navigate a vessel loaded with provisions to supply the Ministerial army & Navy at Boston &c. - Ordered that the said Godfrey Haines be sent manacled or fettered to Ulster County Jail, under guard, to be there confined in safe & secure custody, in close Jail. &c. p. 263. / Jany 24th - Lieut Allan returned with Wm Lounsberry in custody &c. p. 264 / "January 26, 1776. - John Gedney of New Rochelle yeoman being sworn & *examd* before a Sub-Committee of the Committee of West Chester, says "that on Wednes. =day, last week, William Lounsberry was at his house about 9 or 10 o'clock at night in company with one Joshua Gedney, son of Isaac Gedney at Rye & 4 others unknown to him the deponent & yt [yet] they went from his house he knew not where, but returned a little before daylight the next morning." p. 271 / On the 27th of Jany '76, Joshua Gedney was sent in custody to the Committee of Safety of New York. p. 271. / "January 29th 1776." - "William Lounsberry, examd [examined] before the Committee of safety for New York, says that he, Joshua Gedney, Josiah Burrell, William Haines, James Haines junior + Thomas Haines, went to disarm the cannon with sledges.