Officers Recommended by the Committee for Dutchess County

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A Letter from Egbert Benson, Esq˙, Chairman of the Committee of Dutchess County, bearing date the 8th instant, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

"Dutchess County Committee, February 8, 1776.

"GENTLEMEN: In compliance with a letter from the Committee of Safety, of the 26th ultimo, this Committee proceeded to deliberate on every part of your directions respecting the four regiments to be raised, and in Continental pay, for the defence of this Colony, and are of opinion that, notwithstanding here are now in this County six recruiting officers in the service of the Continent, viz: Captains Billings, Rosekrans, and Graham, and Lieutenants Burten and Doty, and Ensign Johnson, we shall be able to complete, three companies. Accordingly we have, with the utmost caution and circumspection, recommended the following gentlemen in the different Precincts as proper officers for this most essential service, viz:

"William Barker, Captain; John Lloyd, First Lieutenant;

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"Abraham Swartwout, Captain; John Durling, First Lieutenant; Eli Pearson, Second Lieutenant; George Brooks, Ensign.

"Nathan Pearce, Jun˙, Captain; Joshua Barnum, First lieutenant; Josiah Crosby, Second Lieutenant; Thomas Ostrander, Ensign.

"At the same time we could wish to have complied more particularly with the tenour of your directions respecting the advice of our Deputies, which we would most readily have done had we had the opportunity of procuring their attendance.

"The latter part of your respectable favour directs us to nominate two gentlemen for each office, that you may have an opportunity of choosing the one you shall think best qualified. In this particular instance, we beg leave to observe that the inconveniences to us appear insurmountable, and therefore have thought proper to desist from the mode.

"We remain your very humble servants.

"By order of the Committee:

"EGBERT BENSON, Chairman.

"To the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New-York."

Ordered, That the said Letter be referred to the Committee to whom the other Letters recommending Officers are referred.