Agreeable to my Promise to give you a memorandum of Severals acts and matters to be done relative to this Colony; I shall now mention them. The Troops, now at the Fort on Hudson’s river, being of different Regiments; and the minute-men to be sent ^there as well as the former^ having no Surgeon; it ^will^ be absolutly necessary, that one should be provided; in order to take Care of them in ordinary, as well as Extraordinary Cases: For otherwise the Troops will not be easily kept there; nor will they defend the place in the Hour of danger so long; when they reflect ^that^ even a wound may be as dangerous to them as immediate death. The Congress therefore should give orders to provide one without delay.1 As there are Sundry Stores absolutly necessary for that post, which cannot be got in any of the Colonies on the Seaboard, ^should^ not the Congress enable us, without delay to get ^such of^ them from Ticonderoga &c. as can be Spared; as the want of those stores ^may^ defeat the end of Building the Fort. They may be sent down with the return of the Provission wagons.2 Altho you have directed us to raise a Company of Matrosses; yet you were Silent on the Subject of their pay: This ought to be determined, to encourage: the enlisting, and to prevent any disputes, after this ^is^ Compleated. The want of knowing in time the establishment of the Troops you first ordered us to raise, retarded the Levies; and was pruductive ^of^ discontents. This ought by all means to be prevented. If the Congress intended the Artillery Establishment for the Matrosses, they should inform us of it, and Transmit a Copy by the first Conveyance; for we have not been favoured with it.,3 The deputy Paymaster had the only one brought to this Colony, and carried it with him. You know we have no executive here, but the Militia; the calling upon them cant be Secreet, and raises Speculations and conjectures, which in many Cases may frustrate the end of the Call. But if we had continental Troops, they could be called out of the Barracks, at a Moments warning, and the business executed; before it is known in the City; nay when the Citizens were in their Beds. It would therefore greatly contribute to ^the^ Public safety, in particular as well General emergencies; to have Troops Quartered ^in^ this City. Why then are not some of those raised in Pena and Jersey sent here? There are good accommodations for ^a regiment of^ them in our Barracks. I hope the Congress will not delay the march of those of them; who are officered by Genteel or Sober discreet men. One of these ^is a^ necessary Qualification, for Troops Quart’ed in a Town. If this Flying Scrawl should be productive of any good, or not be disagreeable: it will be frequently repeated. I am Dear Sir, Your affectionate Humble Servant

I forgot before I closed this, to inform you, that the Matrosses usualy have light muskets; and learn the discipl[in]e common to the Marching Regts to render them capable of assisting in the defence of the Army; if they should be deprived of the use of the Artillery. It will be next to impossible to get Matrosses with these or any other Muskets; and it would be uneq[u]al for our Colony, to be at the expence of them, which would cost from 65/ to 85/ each, and at the end of this Controver[s]y, would not be worth above 30/ or 40/. The Congress therefore should order us to buy those arms, at Continental expence; or this Corps will ^not^ be raised, for we ought ^not^ to be left in a State of uncertainty, who should pay for those arms; as we are left with those of the first Artillery company raised by us, wi without which you would not have reduced the Post of St. John’s. Twelve OClock, and but 10 Members of Congress appear, ^so that we^ shall not make one this day, which ^renders^ this communication the more necessary to expedite the Public business. I am Your affectionate as above