“Saml. Culper, Junr.”
Culper Senior’s next letter,[(118)] dated October 26th, he also, incorrectly numbers 25. Townsend’s next letter,[(119)] written with the stain, is dated October 29th, as is also the following from Culper Senior:
“Your No. 19 with the inclosed came to hand on the 26th, and have noted the contents and shall follow your directions as far as in me lay, and to compleat the same have desired an interview with Culper Jnr. which if by the movement of your army it should become necessary that the present rout of dispatches should be shortened must principally depend on his acquaintance. If any secrets are with you, and may tend to the common good by communicating them to us, and enable us to better judge and assist your measures, don’t fail to do it. I sincerely declare to you by all that is valuable and sacred that no person but him and me shall know it—depend nothing shall be wanting on my part to forward intelligence to you as frequent as possible. And forget not to urge 725 to his duty, which I must say he hath lately neglected. Mr. Jackson perfectly knows it. And he frequently objects to coming so often.
“I most impatiently wait the arrival of the Count De-Estaing, and your operations, and as the season is so far advanced, I greatly fear nothing will be done, but am not altogether without hopes.
“Since my last the sum of about £400. was subscribed in this town to be presented to General Clinton in order to obtain his favour and evade the threatening storme—but before it could be possibly forwarded, a general demand for all our Oxen, or cattle of equal value, was sent. None escaped except some of our Tory gentry, and we have concluded since to keep our money and let them take and be damned. It is truely cutting to see the most notorious escape this demand, and the virtuous distressed. I conceive in my own mind, that their views in taking the oxen and breaking up teams in general is through fear they may fall into your hands and be of service to your army. The enemy still continue to collect hay to the westward, without estimating it or giving receipts as heretofore, and are carrying it to Brooklyn Ferry and to Lloyd’s Neck. Unless prevented they will soon be at this place.
“Night before last a most horrid robbery was committed on the houses of Coll. Benj. Floyd and Mr. Seton, by three whale boats from your shore, commanded by Joseph Hulce and Fade Danolson, and one other master of boat, name unknown to me. 725 can well inform you of their names. From the best judgment I can form they took to the value in money, household goods, Bonds and Notes, of Three Thousand Pounds. They left nothing in the houses that was portable. They even took their clock and all their looking glasses, and all Seal Gold Cloths, perhaps none before theirs in America.
“I cannot put up with such a wanton waste of property, I know they are enemy’s to our cause, but yet their property should not go amongst such villians. I beg you would exert yourself and bring them to justice.”
Major Tallmadge supplements the above in a letter to the General dated Bedford, Novr. 1, 1779, in which he says:
“I have just recd. the enclosed despatches from the C——rs. I was obliged to touch the Counterpart on the enclosed letter written with the Stain to discover whether it was the right sheet or not as it was in a Quire.
“With respect to the robbery lately committed at Setauket, as related by C. Senior, I have additional accounts of the same from others. In addition to the crime of plundering the distressed inhabitants of Long Island the perpetrators of such villany never bring their goods before any court for tryal and condemnation, but proceed to vend them at option. This species of Privateering (for it goes by this name) is attended with such numberless bad consequences, that to a gentleman of your Excellency’s feelings, I am confident I need not state them. If being so plundered by the enemy that the inhabitants have hardly a subsistance left, be not sufficient (for the marauders from our shore make no distinction between Whig and Tory further than what interest may point out) it surely cannot be reputable to leave it in the power of individuals to punish at pleasure, and enrich themselves by the plunder they take. Perhaps your Excellency may have seen the Proclamation lately issued by Governor Clinton prohibiting such practices. I would further observe that the boat that crosses for dispatches from C—— has been chased quite across the Sound by those plunderers, perhaps for the sake of being the more secret in their Villany, while our crew has suspected them to be the Enemy. Indeed if some stop cannot be put to such nefarious practices C—— will not risque, nor 725 go over for dispatches. I should be happy to have permission to take the men who have been concerned in this Robbery, and have them delivered over to the authority appointed by Governor Clinton (as mentioned in his proclamation) to take notice of such offenders, or other ways punish them. What would give a peculiar sanction to such a proceeding is that some of the Perpetrators of this villany belonged to Long island and of course to the State of New York.