[Extract]

Sir I am favoured with your Excellency's Commands of the 17th Instant, and am happy to find the Measures taken here for the Reception of the Enemys Shipping approved. [Yesterday] some of the Carpenters from Poughkeepsie arrived at this Place with the Fire Rafts. They are constructed on the Plan lately transmitted to your Excellency by my Brother ー We are busy preparing & hope to be able Tomorrow or next Day to draw them across the River, tho I fear we will be put to great Difficulty in procuring Anchors Cables &c for securing them. The Combustible Matter with which they are filled will I apprehend hardly be quick enough for want of Spirits of Turpentine &: Salt Petre. We have neither & I don't know where to apply for or how to procure these necessary Articles. Shoud the Enemy ever attempt to gain Possession of this Fortress by Land with equal Numbers only we are in a bad Situation to defend it ー The Hill on the South Side of Poplopens Kill & not above 1/7 of a Mile distant over looks us. Every Gun almost in our Battery lays in open view of it ー It is accessable to the Enemy from a Landing that we cannot Command with our Batteries by a Road along which Field Pieces may easily be brought up ー We must for the safety of these Works keep a large Body of Men there shoud the Enemy attempt landing if no Works are erected. If fortified a less Number will hold the Ground annoy the Enemy's Shipping, and render us safe from that Quarter or any attempt by Land....

...On the 16th Instant the Enemys Shipping came under way & proceeded up the River opposite the Stores at Haverstraw about 8 Miles above where they first lay Opposite Tarry Town, they discharged a few Shot at the Houses on the West Shore without doing any damage ー I went down there next Day caused the Goods to be removed out of the Stores & the cattle Sheep &ca contiguous the Shore to Places of safety & ordered 180 MiWtia under a prudent Officer to protect that Neighbourhood & prevent the Enemy getting any Supplies ー In the Afternoon a Tender Sloop made Sail & run up within full view & long Shot of our Battery sounding the River carefully as she beat up ー We gave her a 32 pounder which hit her, She put about & fell down to the Shipping plundering a small House on her Return near the Shore before our People coud possibly get there ー The 17th Instant The Rose Capt [James] Wallace & the same Tender came under Sail. The Tender soon after endeavouring to cover a Barge in Shore at which our People were firing run aground & did not get off before Evening. The Rose proceeded up within three Miles of this ー plundered a poor Mans House & set it on Fire ー Capt Wallace headed the Party who committed this little Robery; his Share of the Plunder was a Handkerchief full of Salt & a Pigg so very Poor that a Crow would scarcely deign to eat it ー The House stood single under a Mountain & we thought the Poverty of the Owner would he a sufficient Protection tho' we had a Party not far distant tat they were not able to arrive Time enough to prevent the Mischief. Their being able to move from a Place so much quicker by Watter than we can by Land is much against us ー However I think I have my Party so disposed of now as to prevent effectually any Mischief in future ー The Rose fell down in the Evening near to where the Tender was a Ground & thy next Day the Phoenix moved up to her so that they now all lay about 5 or 6 Miles below us ー A Deserter swa on Shore from the Rose a few Nights ago I desired Colo Nicolls & Hays to take & transmit to your Excellency his Examination which I hope you have recd he was a Volluntier in our Service last summer was taken on Board of one of our Privateers last Winter by the Rose is now here & well known by our Artillery Officers & People ー I am very Apprehensive that the Enemy's Shipping (from their moving up so near us & other little Circumstances) mean to take the Advantage of a Dark Night & Slip by us The Shores are high & bold & the navigation of course safe & Easy ー To prevent this I have sent an advanced Guard every Nigh t on the extreme Point in View about 2½ Miles below Our Works properly prepared to kindle up a large light Fire on the Shipping's heaving in Sight; I have also on the Shore opposite the Battery & a considerable distance up and down the River Large Piles of dry Brush & Wood mixt with leaves & the best Combustible Matter I can procure with proper Persons to set them on Fire upon the Signals being given from the first Point; So that by having them between us & those Lights we will be able to play upon them with great Advantage while our Shore will be thereby darkned to them

PS. Since writing the above Messrs Livingston, Vanzandt & Lawrence arriv[e]d here to consult upon the most adviseable Way of fixing a Chain aCross the River & to view the Shores. The Ship Carpenters at Poughkeepsie are making more Rafts & other Matters advised by the Committee of Congress...