"The New England exploit is much talked of, & conjectures are numerous as to the part the Convention will take relative to it; some consider it as an ill compliment to the Government of the Province, & *profess* yt [that] you have too much Christian meekness to take any notice of it. - For my own part, I don't approve of the feat, & think it neither ar: gues much wisdom or bravery: at any rate, if it was to have been done, I wish our own people, & not strangers, had taken the liberty of doing it..I confess I am not a little jealous of the honour of the province, & am persuaded yt [that] its reputation cannot be maintained without some little spirit being mingled with its prudence*." p. 25 / Lieut.
Col. Philip Cortlandt of the 4th Battn in a letter to……. says: "Albany, Augt 28, 1775." "Dear Sir\ Agreeable to verbal orders received from Colo. Holmes. when last in New York, I made *all the dispatch in my power to this place* &c." - Is this Col. Holmes of Bedford? - p. 37. / Goose Van Schaick in a letter dated Albany, 29 August 1775, says "Col. Van Cortlandt is also arrived here with 5 companies of Holmes's battalion &c." ? p. 37 / Ambrose Horton appointed in the beginning of 1775, Captain of a Company (Levies?) to be raised ^by living &c.* lived in the village of White Plains in a house which stood in the upper field of the old Macdonald place *& w. w.* burnt in Novr 1776.
Wm Barker* W.B. / Extract of a letter said before the Contl. Congress dated London, July 31, 1775. "The secret plan of operations of the British Ministry is:- * with the assistance of Govr Tryon, who is much relied on for the purpose, to get immediate possession of New York & Albany; to fill both of these cities with very strong Garrisons; to declare all rebels who do not join the King's forces; to command the Hudson & East rivers with a number of small men of war & cutters, stationed in different parts of them, so as wholly to cut off all communication by water between New York & the Provinces to the Northward of it, &. bet.