Minutes of the Secret Committee, 19–20 July 1776
Minutes of the Secret Committee
[Fort Montgomery] 19–20 July 1776
At a meeting of the Secret Committee from the Convention of the state of New York. Present Mr. Jay, Mr. R. Livingston, Mr. Tappen, Mr. G. Livingston, Mr. Yates—Committee. General Clinton, Coll. Clinton, Capt. Bedlow.1
It is proposed and agreed to that in order to obstruct the navigation of Hudson’s River so as to prevent any of the Ships of the King of Great Britain from coming up the same it will be necessary to throw across the River at or near Fort Montgomery a Boom, and below it to anchor Frames of Timber the points or ends whereof to be shod with Iron so as to answer the double purpose of founding any Ships who may sail up to it, and if that should fail, to Lessen the Shocke of those Vessels when they come at the Boom. Such frames to be made in the following manner—2 the pointed Beams to be of about the Length of—3 foot, and to be made about 16 foot apart, and two cross beams worked in and bolted.
At a meeting July 20
Agreed to have 200 Iron Trucks cast at the furnace in the high lands and gave orders to Mr. Boyd to have moulds made for the purpose.4
Also wrote a Letter to General Washington, apprizing him of our proceeding and requesting him to send to the Forts in the highlands a number of Artilery Men. [Insert the Letter].5
Also wrote a Letter to the proprietors of the Iron Furnace at Salsbury requesting them to send to the Landing at Coll. Hoffman, all 20 of the Heavy Cannon
they may have cast, for the use of the Shipping at Poughkeepsing.6 [Insert the letter].
Agreed that Rober[t—] Cas[tle] be appointed and [is] hereby appointed Commander of the Sloop Cambden and to be subject to such orders as he may recieve ^from this Committee^ of the Convention of the State of New York, and receive such pay, as the said Convention or the ^Continental^ Congress shall or may have regulated.7
Agreed that Henry Benson be appointed and he is hereby appointed Commander of the Sloop Hudson under the Regulations as above.
Also wrote a Letter to Charles Giles8 at Kingston requesting his attendance here immediately—as the Committee intended to offer him an employ in which he could serve his Country.
It is farther resolved and agreed to that one of the above Commanders do immediately proceed to New York in order to procure Gunners and Sailors for navigating the said Vessels.
Messrs. G. Smart, Jas Van Deusen and Theople. Anthony ^ James Odill^ in Consequence of a Request from the Committee waited on them, and the Committee proposing to them to consider at what price they could make up the remainder of a Chain to be drawn across the River, they gave for answer that they would make it in the same manner of the other chain at the rate of 6 per. lb and render neat for gross weight after some [arguing?] on the subject they at Last agreed to make it 5 per. lb.9
The Committee agreed to the above Proposal, and ordered them to proceed to the making of it immediately
It was also Proposed to them to know at what rate they would make up Bolts for the floats.
It is further agre[ed] [th]at the Chairman of this Committee write to the Comm[ittee] of Albany for to purchase 2.60 Saw Logs [and] to send them down immediately to [Poug]hkeepsie.10
D, NNebg: Washington’s Headquarters (EJ: 4027).
1. Brigadier General George Clinton of the Ulster County militia set up his headquarters at Fort Montgomery after the Rose and Phoenix sailed upriver. Captain William Bedlow was a commissioner “for erecting fortifications in the Highlands” in August 1775, and was named supervisor of construction of obstructions in the Hudson near New Windsor in early 1777. , 1: 617, 832, 851–52.
2. Frames drawn in manuscript.
3. Space left blank in manuscript.
4. The committee’s letter to Robert Boyd, chairman of the Ulster County committee and operator of a forge at New Windsor, has not been located. In the margin next to this paragraph is written “Omit.”
5. Printed below.
6. Secret Committee to Joshua Porter and Hezekiah Fitch, 20 July 1776, ALS, Ct (EJ: 13159). The ironworks at Salisbury, Conn., sixty-three miles northwest of Hartford, were owned by a Loyalist before their confiscation by the Connecticut government. Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Porter (1730–1825) of Salisbury was named overseer of the works on 18 Mar. 1776. Louis F. Middlebrook, Salisbury Connecticut Cannon, Revolutionary War (Salem, Mass., 1935), 7–8.
7. On 14 Jan. 1777, the New York Committee of Safety ordered the state treasurer to advance Captain Robert Castle ₤80 for himself and his crew on the Camden, “fitted out by order of the secret committee for obstructing Hudson’s river.” , 1: 771.
8. Charles Giles was a member of the 2nd Ulster militia regiment. , 1: 192.
9. George Smart and James Odell were members of the Dutchess County militia. James Van Deusen and Theophile Anthony have not been identified. Ibid., 1: 153.
10. Robert Yates’s letter to the Albany committee has not been located.