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Upon the alarming news that expresses were gone to call down the Upper Nation of Indians to Colonel Johnson' s, we caused ourselves to be convened this day, to take the state of this County into consideration; upon which we have determined to order the inhabitants of this District to provide themselves with sufficient arms and ammunition, and to be ready at a moment' s warning. We are sorry to acquaint you that all communication with your Country is entirely stopped by Colonel Johnson, who has five hundred men to guard his house, which he has fortified, under pretence that he is afraid of a visit of the New-Englandmen, as will appear by a copy of a letter we intercepted this morning. We have not fifty pounds of powder in our District, and it will be impossible for you to help us to any till the communication is opened, not a man being suffered to pass without being searched. To-morrow is to be a meeting of Canajohdrie District, when we expect they will adopt congressional measures very heartily, and we purpose to have a meeting of the Committees of both Districts, and propose the question, whether we will not open the communication by force; if which question is determined in the affirmative, we shall, despatch another express to you, acquainting you with the day, when we hope you will be on your way up with some ammunition.
May 21, 1775
Committee of Palatine District, Tryon County, To the Albany Committee
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We have just sent off an express to the German Flats, and Kingsland Districts, desiring them to unite with us and give us their assistance; which Districts, or at least a great majority of them, we are credibly informed, are very hearty in the present struggles for American liberty. We are, gentlemen, perhaps in a worse situation than any part of America is at present. We have an open enemy before our faces, and treacherous friends at our backs, for which reason we hope you will take our case into your immediate consideration, and give us an answer by the bearers, who go express by the way of Schoharie, as we dare not trust them any other way. They have orders to wait for an answer. We have reason to think that a great many of the Indians are not satisfied with Colonel Johnson' s conduct, for which reason we have thought it would not be improper to send a couple of men, well acquainted with the Indian language, to dissuade them from coming down. And we think it would be of service to us if you could send two also, who are able to mate the Indians sensible of the present dispute with the Mother Country and us. We have the pleasure to acquaint you, that we are very unanimous in our District, as well as in Canajoharie, and we are determined by no means to submit to the oppressive acts of Parliament, much less to Colonel Johnson' s arbitrary conduct.