Debois's regt is ordd to garrison Fort Montgomery & c. - Col. Livingston is under marching orders to reinforce the troops at Westchester, if it shd. be absolutely necessary. Col. Van Cortlandt & Col. Gansefort, will be ordd. to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice to relieve the militia at this post ^[Peekskill?]^ & Fort Constitution, when their time of service expires. The troops who were in the lower part of West Chester County & now in that
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neighbourhood, consists of 600 Connecticut militia, who are now at Rye, & 160 of the York militia, at Mr. Stephen Ward's house. The no. of men necessary for the defence of the passes of the Highlands, depend. on the force which may come to attack them &c." (signed) "Alex McDougall, Br. Genl." pp. 831, 832. / "March 24th 1777. - A letter from Egbert Benson & Melancton Smith, *Esquire.* Dated at Fishkill, Sunday March 23 6 o'clock (?), informing *yt [that] a frigate, 4 transports, (filled with men), 2 tenders, & 2 row - galleys, of the enemy, were coming up Hudson's river: - informing of the landing of about 300 of the enemy at Verplank's Point; - that they had embarked in boats & were preparing to land about the same number higher up." "Mr.
Lyon" [an express rider]? "says yt [that] a Capt. of artillery (as he thinks) from Peekskill, informed him yt [that] the enemy had landed at Peekskill Landing about 1,500 men, that Genl. McDougall burnt the stores & retired to the barracks No.2, on a hill, at Peekskill: yt [that] the sd [said] Capt said he saw the enemy fire a field piece from about Peemort's, wh [which] killed one & wounded 1 or 2; - that Genl McDougall has some troops, but not enough to stand them." p. 847. / "Thursday, May 22d, 1777." "Levi Quimby brought before the coun- -cil of Safety & examind, says, - he left New York on last Wednesday week, came into thro' Westchester, & crossed Croton: - that there are about 800 men at the Bridge & Fort Washington, &c." … "That most of the soldiers about the Bridge are Hessians &c." … "That there are rangers about the Bridge called Rogers' rangers dressed in green coats, white waistcoats & breeches; - - that they are 400 or 500 in number." &c. &c. p. 940. / "June 2nd 1777 - a letter from Col.