His appointment on committees to advise with and assist Brigadier-General Woodhull in protecting the stock was an important service, as the letters still preserved show. One, dated July 12, 1776, emphasizes this:[27]
The Provincial Convention on August 24th unanimously resolved, that Robert Townsend be a commissary to supply General Woodhull’s Brigade with provisions till such time as General Washington shall give further orders for that purpose, and that Mr. William Smith and Mr. Samuel Townsend be a committee to wait on General Washington with a copy of these resolutions and submit the expediency and necessity of the same to his consideration and advice; also that they submit to His Excellency’s consideration the propriety of ordering Colonel Smith’s and Colonel Remsen’s regiments of militia to join the said brigade.
On the 26th of August, Samuel Townsend and William Smith reported in the following words:
“Your committee, ordered to wait on General Washington with a request from this Convention that he would be pleased to order Col. Smith and Remsen’s regiments, that are now in General Greene’s lines at Brookland, into the western part of Queens county, to join General Woodhull, with that part of his brigade that has been lately ordered out from the western part of Suffolk and Queens counties by this Convention.... That according to order they waited on His Excellency, and conferred with him on the subject above mentioned, and that he seemed well pleased, but he said he was afraid it was too late.... General Washington appeared well satisfied with the proceedings of the Convention, and said that he should at all times, when he had it in his power, be ready to give them any assistance consistent with the public good; and that he would immediately give orders that Col. Smith’s and Remsen’s regiments should march into Queens county to join General Woodhull....”
The Convention, upon receipt of the above report, addressed General Woodhull as follows:
“Sir—Yours of yesterday is just come to hand in answer to which we would inform you that Robert Townsend, the son of Samuel Townsend, Esqr. is appointed commissary for the troops under your command, of which we beg you will give him the earliest notice, and that we have made application to Genl. Washington for the regiments under the command of Cols. Smith and Remsen to join you; he assured our committee that he would issue out orders immediately for that purpose, and we expect that they are upon the spot by this time....”
General Woodhull replied to this in a letter addressed to the Honourable the Convention of the State of New York, at Harlem, which is as follows:
“Jamaica, August, 27, 1776.
“Gentlemen, I am now at Jamaica with less than one hundred men; having brought all the cattle from the westward southward of the hills, and have sent them off with the troops of horse, with orders to take all the rest eastward of this place to and eastward of Hempstead plains, and to put them into the fields, and set a guard over them. The enemy I am informed are intrenching from the heights near Howard’s, southward. I have now received yours, with several resolutions, which I wish was in my power to put in execution; but, unless Cols. Smith and Remsen, mentioned in yours, join me with their regiments, or some other assistance, immediately, I shall not be able; for the people are all moving east, and I cannot get any assistance from them. I shall continue here as long as I can, in hopes of a reinforcement; but if none comes soon, I shall retreat, and drive the stock before me, into the woods. Cols. Smith and Remsen I think can not join me. Unless you can send me some other assistance, I fear I shall soon be obliged to quit this place. I hope soon to hear from you. I am, gentlemen, Your most obedient humble servt.
“Nathl. Woodhull.”