Mr. Dunham Sr.

I Understand You are c:me of the Delegates for this Province and one of the Committee of Safety ー and Your being acquainted with our Sc.ituation of Inlets, Bays, and Rivers Runing Up In our County occasions Us to be a frontier .and In Continual Danger ー as to the Bay Between Middletown and New York if a fleet Comes in and finding New York So Strongly fortified and Garrison'd. It must be more than Probable that Such a Body of Troops will not lyin Sight of Such an Inhabited Defenceless Country and want the Necessary Refreshments and Supplies they may so Easily obtain ー and as to our Strength to Defend Ourselves it is Much Weaken'd by Listing of Men for the Continental Service, and this Last Supply of Men and arms if not Soon Recall'd or other ways Supplied May Render Us Incapable of Defending our Selves from becoming an Easy prey to any Invaders which at this time Very much Dispirits the Inhabitants of this County to be Left In So Defenceless a Condition ー as to arms we were very Indifferently provided before any went out, but the sending of fifty .Jersey Muskets to supply part of Colnl [William] Maxwell's Battalion and the Late Draft has Took a Considerable part of our best Arms ー and as there Are Gentlemen In Your House of Coinmitte of Safety who I hope are Not Unacquainted with our Scituation; what I have wrote is only by way of Reminding You ー that as You have Granted the Supplies they have Required, You will Request as Speedy a Return of our Troops as possible, but Submit to your wisdom and Likewise of that body which You are a part ー Dr Sr our former friendship I hope will not be forgot In the worst of Times, and beg you will Excuse the Incorrectness In the above ー from Your Humble Servt Jos: Throckmorton