"To the Honourable Sir John Johnson, Lieutenant-Colonel Commander of the King's Royal Regiment of New York.
The humbel petition of sundry soldiers of said Regiment sheweth,—
That your humble petitioners, whose names are hereunto subscribed, have families in different places of the Counties of Albany and Tryon, who have been and are daily ill-treated by the enemies of Government.
Therefore we do humbly pray that Your Honour would be pleased to procure permission for them to come to Canada,
And your petitioners will ever pray.
John McGlenny, Thomas Ross. Alexander Cameron, Frederick Goose, Wm. Urchad (Urquhart?), Duncan McIntire, Andrew Mileross, Donald McCarter, Allen Grant, Hugh Chisholm, Angus Grant, John McDonald, Alex. Ferguson, Thomas Taylor, William Cameron, George Murdoff, William Chession (Chisholm), John Christy, Daniel Campbell, Donald Ross, Donald Chissem, Roderick McDonald, Alexander Grant."
The names and number of each family intended in the written petition:—
| Name of Family | Consisting of | No | |
| 1, | Duncan McIntyre's | Wife, Sister and Child | 3 |
| 2, | John Christy's | Wife and 3 Children | 4 |
| 3, | George Mordoffs | Wife and 6 Children | 7 |
| 4, | Daniel Campbell's | Wife and 5 Children | 6 |
| 5, | Andrew Milross' | Wife | 1 |
| 6, | William Urghad's | Wife and 3 Children | 4 |
| 7, | Donald McCarter's | Wife and 3 Children | 4 |
| 8, | Donald Ross' | Wife and 1 Child | 2 |
| 9, | Allan Grant's | Wife and 1 Child | 2 |
| 10, | William Chissim's | Wife and 1 Child | 2 |
| 11, | Donald Chissim's | Wife and 2 Children | 3 |
| 12, | Hugh Chissim's | Wife and 5 Children | 6 |
| 13, | Roderick McDonald's | Wife and 4 Children | 5 |
| 14, | Angus Grant's | Wife and 5 Children | 6 |
| 15, | Alexander Grant's | Wife and 4 Children | 5 |
| 16, | Donald Grant's | Wife and 4 Children | 5 |
| 17, | John McDonald's | Wife | 1 |
| 18, | John McGlenny's | Wife and 2 Children | 3 |
| 19, | Alexander Ferguson's | Wife and 5 Children | 6 |
| 20, | Thomas Ross' | Wife and 4 Children | 5 |
| 21, | Thomas Taylor's | Wife and 1 Child | 2 |
| 22, | Alexander Cameron's | Wife and 3 Children | 4 |
| 23, | William Cameron's | Wife and 3 Children | 4 |
| 24, | Frederick Goose's | Wife and 4 Children | 5 |
Mrs. Helen MacDonell, wife of Allan, the chief, was apprehended and sent to Schenectady, and in 1780 managed to escape, and made her way to New York. Before she was taken, and while her husband was still a prisoner of war, she appears to have been the chief person who had charge of the settlement, after the men had fled with Sir John Johnson. A letter of hers has been preserved, which is not only interesting, but throws some light on the action of the Highlanders. It is addressed to Major Jellis Fonda, at Caughnawaga.
"Sir: Some time ago I wrote you a letter, much to this purpose, concerning the Inhabitants of this Bush being made prisoners. There was no such thing then in agitation as you was pleased to observe in your letter to me this morning. Mr. Billie Laird came amongst the people to give them warning to go in to sign, and swear. To this they will never consent, being already prisoners of General Schuyler. His Excellency was pleased by your proclamation, directing every one of them to return to their farms, and that they should be no more troubled nor molested during the war. To this they agreed, and have not done anything against the country, nor intend to, if let alone. If not, they will lose their lives before being taken prisoners again. They begged the favour of me to write to Major Fonda and the gentlemen of the committee to this purpose. They blame neither the one nor the other of you gentlemen, but those ill-natured fellows amongst them that get up an excitement about nothing, in order to ingratiate themselves in your favour. They were of very great hurt to your cause since May last, through violence and ignorance. I do not know what the consequences would have been to them long ago, if not prevented. Only think what daily provocation does.