SCHENECTADY COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE

Upon Information we got by Abraham V Eps Concering that a Number of Toryes a Deserted from ther familyis in Clifton park to meet Indians and regulers at the Sault Spring to cut off the Inhabitants about there Resolve^d that Two Letters be Wrote one to Bawitown a Northir to Albany

Sir/
   We are Informed that a Number of Toryes are Deserted from their familyes from Newtown Clifton Parck & a Number out of Johnstown; they are all to Meet atogether at the Salt Spring to join a Number of Regulars & Indians & Then to Come for to Destroy the peple that Live thereabout in about three Days Time we bag that you will git your Militia Ready by to Morrow Morning; & we shall meet you at Wilson Mills at Bawltown about Twelve o Clock; be Sure & not to take a Man but what is a friend to the States

To Mr Andrew Mitchel	By Order of the Commite
at Ballstown	A F Chairman

Gen^t   We Just now received information that the tories are about gathering they are gone off from Clifton park Last night and by what we can find out they are to gather at the Sault Spring and there meet as is said a Number of regulars and indians in order to cut of the Inhabitants about there this by what we can find out is to be done in three or four days time we will take part of our Militia to go in persuit [of] them would be glad you would send us assistance [and] meet us to morrow at Wilsons Mill in Ball Town at the East side of the Lake wee have made application to Cob. Wimpel for part of the Militia he has promissed to Exert himself to git as many good Effected people as possible, we are

Peter Hanmon Appered befor this Bord & made Othe on the Holy Avengelist of almighty God, as folows Viz^t. Their is a plot forming in his Neighberhoud about Joining the Regulars when they Come Down; Philip Sharp came to him and asked him wither he Could Keep a Secred & answering him he Could then he made him Sware, & Afterwards he the said Sharp told him their was Company making up to John the Rigulars when they Come Down & the folowing persons as fan as he knows are joined in the Plot Viz^t.

Gentlemen

We send you Peter Hanion, Michal Sharp, & Daniel Hanion, the are People, that are Concerned in the Plot Going on in Half moon District with their Crimes inclosed. we must Inform you that our Militia about one Hundred are gone after the Rest

	Pr. Order
Schenectady 11th April 1777	A F Charman

Resoved that Joseph Knap & William Bartin be sent to Albany

Sir/

Herewith send you Joseph Knap & William Bartin are taken up by information that they have Engaged to take, up arms against the Cuntry we therefore send them to you in order to have them put in Confinement untill such time as they can have a Tryal

To John Bercley Esqr.	By order of the Commtitee
Chairman at Albany	Abm. Fonday Chn.

Capt^s Banker and V Eps Delivered to this Committee the three following presoners Benjamin Bomp Joseph Bartin and John Sharp Resolved thereupon that they be Confined this night and committed to Albany to morrow morning and send a Commitment in the following manner

Sir/ The Bearers will Deliver you Benjamin Bomp Joseph Bartin and John Sharp who are taken up by information to us on Oath that they have Engaged to take up arms against the Contry, we therefore send them to you in order to have them put in Confinement until such time as they can have their tryal

To John Barclay Esqr	By order of the Committee
Chairman at Albany	Abrm Funda Ch
Schenectady 14 April 1777

By Virtue of a Resolve of the Continental Congress of the 22 August 1775 impowring the Committees of the Several Districts to Astablish whatches for the Safty of the Districts Therefore Resolved that all Persons in this Town, above the Age of Sixteen years shall watch, and that their be a watch Esteblished of One Officer & Eleven men, that such whatch begins at 9 O Clock in the Evening & Continues Till Daylight Next Morning. That the Persons Ordered to watch be warned by the Town Mayor appointed for that Purpose, & that the said Town Major attends to watch Every Evening at Ten 0 Clock to see if they all Appear, & Take an Account of all Persons not attending the watch, which List he is to give into the Chairmen of this Committee & such Person or Persons so Neglecting of if warned shall forfit a fine not Exceeding Twelve 12/ which shall be recovered by a Warrant of the Chairmen of this Committee

	Pr. Orders of the Committee
Schenectady 14th 1777.	A Fond Chairman

Resolved that the town Wach be very delegent in apprehending all Negroes that may be found to run on the Street after ten O Clock that if they take any of them up to confine them in the wach house till next morning and then their owners may releas them on paying three Shillings to the watch for Each Negro or Else they are to receive thirty Lashes on their naked back and also that the said wach be very Delegent in apprehending such pleces that Negroes may be combined together and take them in Confinement and inflict the above punishment on them, and the owner of such house where such Negroes may be found together Shall pay a fine of forty Shillings to the Officer of the wach which fine Shall be recovered by warrent from the Chairman of this or any future Committee

Resolved that all such Persons as are Appoited by us to Keep A Publick House or Teveron, Attend at this House on Wednesday the 23 Ins^t. for to pay ther Excise & Receive Luysence Such Persons as are Appointed by us are Hereunder Mentioned as follows Vi^t.

1  The wach are to meet at 9 OClock every Eavening and whoever belongs to the wach and does not appear before ten 0 Clock Shall be Judged fineable

2^d  Two men belonging to the wach to go round true all the Streets in the town once every hour

3  A Centry to be fixed in the Box on the top of the wach house to be releaved once every hour

4  As the wach house will once more be made Convenient and in repair it is Expected that the wach will not abuse the same as has been Customary it is resolved that if any thing Shall broke or put out of order that the officer of the wach when the same happens shall be Liable to pay the Damages

	By order of the Committee
Schenectady 19 April 1777	A Fun Ch

Rec^d A Letter from the Committie of Albany and General Ten Brook Dated 22^d Ins^t. Requesting this board and the field officers of this District to furnish twenty wagons to be in Sarvice a fort night and forty four men to do garrison Duty from Albany to Lake George for three weeks we to go ther with the field officers having taken said Request into Consideration Resolved thereupon that Cap^t Van Patte send 5 men

Lieu^t. V Slyck to take the Command & Abraham I Truax to go as Ensign that said Company set out on their march from this place on Saturday morning with two Days provision and the wagoners appointed to go are as follows
    Myndert Wimple
    Abraham Oothout
    Daniel De Graff

Gen^t.
   We rec^d yours of the 22^nd. Ultimo and have Consulted with the field officers about the request therein mentioned & have Accordingly ordered the number of men required to go on Duty to march this morning with Two Days Provision, in regard of the Weagons you requested us to send, we had received a Letter from Co^l. Lewis A few Days before Desiring our assistance in Procuring a Number of wagons out of our Distract, as the were much wanted we accordingly tryed all in our Power to git waggons, but the season of the year being Such at Present that our waggoners (as they Chiefly all Raise their own Grain) cant Possibly Leave home tho made Shift to git Eleven on Provising they Should only do one trip to Lake George and then Return home again, we Accordingly sent them to Col^l. Lewis acquainting him of our Promise to said Waggoners, On Recieving your Letter we made another Tryal true the hole Distract thinking that by warning the Militia to go on Duty, it would induce Several Rather to go with a waggon then on other Duty, but have not been able to git more then five Waggons which we now send Down if they will not anser the Present Demand from our Distract then we Expect your further Advice in this mater we are well Assured              not another Waggon to be got without they are forced              would be a hard Case at Presint, tho if Circ              quires it must be done yet we are of Oppinion               a Number of Waggons more might be had             then will have finished Plowing. We hope thos Waggons we sent Col^l. Lewis will be admitted to return home after Doing one trip as we made them such promise we are

Waggoners names	Gent your very Hl Serv
	By order of the Comt

Colo Wimpel acquainted this board that he ordered the officer of his regiment to warn the Number of men required to go on duty, that they Should appear at his dore this morning 8 O Clock, and that he rec^d. a Return from said officers, that the men were warned accordingly, and that the greatest part of the men have not appeared which matter this board Jointly with the field officers have taken into Consideration and thereupon Resolved that those person that have neglected to appear Having been duly warrend Shall be Emediately fined for ten Shillings Each And be warned again to apear at the Captains Dore on monday 8 OClock in the morning acquipt to go on ganson duty as before and if they or any of them neglect to appear then they Shall be fined for twenty Shillings Each and ordered again to appear the same day One OClock in the after noon which if they neglect again they are to be Sent to Close Confmiments

As it appears that those people that have refuesed to go on Duty cant be made wilhng by fining them, and we have no proper presedent before us what Should be done with them further, therefore Resolved that the following Letter be sent to the Committee of Albany to know their Resolution on this Matter

Gen^t.

Col^o Wimpel informs us that he has ordered the Number of men you Requested out of out District to go on Garison Duty that only 22 men with officers included appeared which set out on Saturday and Eight more who Lived out of town and had no proper warning will set out to morrow the rest are unwilling to go their Officers have fined them all but it does not in the Least alter their resolution they are Still unwilling to go, the Col^o. says that he does not know of any propor Step to take with these people next, has made application to us, and says it will be in vain to warn other men to fill up their places till something further is done with those unwilling people as have only been fined by the 12 Article of the Resolve of the Continantal Congress Dated 22^d Aug^t 1775 and we are at a Loss to know what should be Done with those people are Desirous to have your opinion and resolve in the matter by the bearer whome we send Express