SCHENECTADY COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE

At a meeting of the Committee, the 1^st March, 1776:

The sub-Committee being returned from Albany, delivered to the board warrents from the provincial Congress for the following persons: viz., John A. Bradt, Captain; Solomon Pendelton, 1^st Lieut.; David Bates, 2^d Lieut.; Christopher Peek, Ensign.

The Board being informed that John A. Bradt and David Bates is both absent, Resolved to send for Solomon Pendelton & Christopher Peek, and deliver them their warrents, which was don accordingly.

At a meeting of the Committee, 3^d March, 1776:

Rec^d a letter from General Schuyler of this day's date, in which he says that he hath been informed that Vrooman and Conan hath ingaged a number of weevers, Blacksmiths, and other Tradesmen to go as carpenters to Lake George, so betrayed the Confidence Reposed in them; and requesting this board, together with such members of the provincial Congress as may be in Town, to Examen into the matter, and appoint such persons as they think fit; and if said Vrooman and Conant should not be willing to go as overseers over the men this Committee shall appoint, to discharge them and appoint others in their place, and send them to Fort George with the utmost Dispatch; also, to nominate three persons to Command, Each of them, a Company of Battaumen.

The board having taken the first clause of said letters relative to the carpenters into Consideration, Resolved, that Vrooman and Conant be sent for and desired to lay their lists of the persons they engaged before this board, which was don accordingly: it appeared to be Just as had been Represented to General Schuyler. ---- Resolved, that a list be made out of such Carpenters as this board shall think proper persons to be Employed at this time, and given to Vrooman & Conant, and desire them to warn all the persons mentioned in said list to appear at this Chamber tomorrow at ten o'Clock.

On motion made, Resolved, that no person be Employed in this Company of Carpinters, who have not signed the General association before the date of this Resolve.

At a meeting of the Committee, 4 March, 1776:

The master carpenters having been sent for, appeared with the men, as per list given them last night.

Daniel Conan refused to go as an overseer, ---- the board took the refusal of said Conan into Consideration, and Resolved that Ahasueras Merselis is appointed to be an overseer, in the room of Daniel Conan.

On motion made, Resolved, that the arrangement of the Carpenters is now Completed as per article signed by them, agreeable to General Schuyler's letter, and that they set out tomorrow for Fort George.

On motion made, Resolved that they be allowed to Employ four slades, to Carrey their tooles & baggage.

The board having taken into Consideration the nomination of persons to be overseers of Battaumen, Resolved, that Garret G. Lansing, William Peters, and John Canaut is appointed to be overseers of the Battaumen, and that they be recommended to General Schuyler as such.

On motion made, Resolved, that a letter be wrot to General Schuyler to mention the names of the persons nominated by this board to be overseers of the Battaumen, and inclose to him the agreement signed by the Carpinters, which was don in the following words:

Hon^d Sir,

we herewith send you the articles signed by the carpenters whom we have Employed, also the article signed by those in albany, ---- Mr. Conant refused to serve: we have appointed Ahasueras Merseles in his steed, and we are of opinion the service will not suffer by the change, ---- they are all to set off to-morrow for fort George. In Consequence of your message to us by Henry Glen, Esq^r we have appointed John Canoot, William Peters, & Garret Lansing to be overseers of Battaumen, and have ordered them to wait on you with this for your further instructions, we are, &C. &C.

To	By order of the Committee.
The Honbl Philop Schuyler, Esqr	H. M., Clerk.
Major General at
Albany.

On motion made, Resolved, that this board do not break up for the future untill the proseedings of the day be entered and red by the Clerk.

At a meeting of the Committee, 5^th March, 1776:

Abraham Fundau, Daniel De Graf, and Peter Feder waited on the board, and gave it as their opinion that two of the persons nominated to be overseers of the Battaumen; viz., William Peters & Garret Lansing, were too young to fill that station, and that the service would suffer by their appointment.

On motion made, Resolved, to postpon the Consideration of this matter untill a fuller board.

At a meeting of the Committee, 5^th March, 1776:

The board having taken into Consideration the opinion of Abraham Funda, Daniel Dc Graf and Peter Feder, Respecting the persons nominated to be overseers of the battaumen, Resolved that the persons Complained of are fit for that service, and shall be Continued.

On motion made, Resolved, that Abraham Wemple and John Cuyler is appointed to acquaint Abraham Funda, Daniel De Graf & Peter Feder with this Resolve.

Having taken the present state of the Militia of this Town into Consideration, and foreseeing that dificualtys may arise from the officers' want of Commissions, should any alarm happen; Thereupon Resolved, that Henry Glen, Esq. be requested to aply to the provincial Congress for the following Cornmissions: one for Lieut Colonel Yates, one for Second Major Mindert M. Wemple, one for ajutant John Van Driesen, one for Quartermaster John Post, & Blankes for three Captains and Eleven Subalterns.

At a meeting of the Committee, 11 March, 1776:

Rec^d a letter from General Schuyler of this day's date, along with his instructions for the officers of Battaumen, which he desires to be delivered to them, and to urge them to make dispatch in recruting; and that by a letter from General Washington, in which he says that he hath been informed that John Duncan hath got three hundred stand of armes: he requests this board to Examin into this matter, and if Duncan hath any quantity of armes to inquire the price of them and acquaint the General thereof.

On motion made, Resolved, that James Wilson and Harmanus Wendle is appointed to be a sub-committee from this board to make inquiry of John Duncan respecting the arms.

The board being informed that Christopher Peek desired to resign his warrent as Ensign on account of his father's displeasure at him for axcepting of it, Resolved to send for Christopher Peek, which having been don, and pressent, Delivered up his warrent, which this board axcepts of. Resolved, that Mess^rs Taylor & Wendle is appointed to attend at Albany to meet the Committee, 29^th Inst.

At a meeting of the Committee, 30^th March, 1776:

This board having been informed that Derick Groat had been to albany with a petition to General Schuyler from a number of battaumen representing that they would ingage in the service if the General would allow them five shillings per day, and that on Derick Groat's return he should have told the battaumen that General Schuyler said he had no obgections to the proposels if the Committee approved of it.

On motion made, Resolved, to send for Derick Groat, which being done and pressent, says that he never made any such report: acknowledges that he waited on General Schuyler with a list of a number of men that were willing to engage in the service on the aforementioned terms, and that General Schuyler tould him that the Committee had appointed three overseers, and that he Expected to get men Enoug for the wages he had offered.

The board having been informed that Adam Kittle had heard Derick Groat say something about this matter, Resolved to send for him, which being don and pressent, Resolved that he be Examined upon oath; which being also don, it appears from the Evidence of said Kittle that Derick Groat had tould him that General Schuyler had no obgections to their proposels if the Committee aproved of them, which, by the Decleration of said Groat before this board, appears to be Evidently fals that General Schuyler ever tould him any such thing.

Binjamin yong waited on the board and made the following Complaint: that Lieut Bates had enlisted a Brother of his, for whom he was guardian and had made a sum of money, and that Bates had promised the boy at the time he enlisted that if his brother Binjamin was dissatisfyed that he would let him free; and that tho he, the said Binjamin, for sundry reasons was unwilling that the boy should go into the service, Lieu^t Bates would not dismiss him.

The board having taken said Complaint into Consideration, Resolved that they cannot interfer in this matter, as there interfering might be looked on as a Discuragement to recruting.

At a meeting of the Committee, 30 March, 1776:

Aran Merseles appeared before this board and made the following Complaint: That the pole kep for the Chusing of officers by Abraham Wemple, at the Widow Vrooman's, the 10^th day of febr^y last, was not regorley kep, and that he would make the same appear by Evidence.

The board having taken said Complaint into Consideration, Resolved, to desire Merselis to bring his Evidence to prove the charge, which was don. John Empy appeared as an Evidence for the Complainent, but abselutely refused to give his Evidence upon oath, upon which the board Resolved, that his Evidence be not taken.

Isaac Titchenor, who was Clerk at that Election and kep said pole, appeared as an Evidence, and being sworn, Deposeth and Saith, that the pole he kep at the widow Vrooman's the 10^th febr^y last was a true one, and kep without any parciality.

The board having taken into Consideration the Evidence of said Titchenor relative to the keeping of said pole, Thereupon Resolved, the Complaint of Aron Marselis is altogether groundless, and without any foundation.