Suffolk County (New-York) Committee to Provincial Congress

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Suffolk County, August 22, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Committee of this County are now met, to give proper directions for taking the stock from Gardiner' s and Plumb Islands, according to your direction of the 18th instant. It is with the greatest concern that we find the troops at the east end of the island are ordered away, whereby we shall be left defenceless. General Wooster was prevailed on before the receipt of your letter to tarry with his troops a few days. He is now present with us, and lets us know that he proposes to depart to-morrow. There are now three cutters at the east end of the island cruizing, and we must beg leave to inform you that the stock on Montauk, Shelter Island and Oyster-pond Point, will be in the utmost danger of falling into the hands of the enemy; besides the constant alarms and expense the inhabitants of this part of the county will be exposed to, unless your honourable House will take our situation under your consideration, and allow us at least such a number of men as may be sufficient to secure those parts from the depredations of the enemy. The Companies raised here, we presume, will not disobey your orders; but we pray you to consider how destitute we shall be left, when our men are gone; our arms put into their hands and carried from us. With the advice of General Wooster, we have continued to desire the Captains not to march until we can send an express to you to let us know whether we can have any hopes of relief; and further, we think we cannot at present get off the stock without a sufficient guard upon the island. General Wooster informs us that he had advice from Governour Trumbull to return to New-York, before he received your letter; and we cannot think it could be the design of the Continenlal Congress, that this County should be left in this situation. Colonel Gardiner, of Plumb Island, says that Colonel Abijah Willard, in the Ministerial fleet, informed him that they should come again and would bring a sufficient force to take the stock from Long-Island.

We are, Gentlemen, your most obedient and humble servants. By order:

WM˙ SMITH, Chairman.

To Peter V˙ B˙ Livingston, President of the Provincial Congress, New-York.