To his Excelency George Clinton Esqr. Governor.
To this Clinton promptly replied:
Poughkeepsie 1st May 1778.
Sir, I have rec’d your Letter of equal Date. By the Law for raising the 700 Men for the Defence of the State the Officers are to be taken from the Militia. If, therefore, Capt. Townsend is to Command the Company you must have him appointed a Capt. in your Regt. & the other Gentleman a Lieut., otherwise it will be impossible to give them the Command tho’ I wish to do it. I have convened the Council of Appointment to meet at this Place this Day to compleat the Military Appointments. I must, therefore, again call upon you for the proper Returns of your Regiment, agreable to former Orders to enable us to perfect the Appointments therein. I think it would be best for you to attend here in Person on Monday next at farthest. I am your Most Obed’t Serv’t
Geo. Clinton.
Colo. Ludington.
The British raid up the Hudson, with the burning of Kingston, already mentioned, provoked much activity throughout the border region, and resulted in added suffering to the unfortunate inhabitants. Immediately after the burning of Kingston the Committee of Safety, meeting at Marbletown, adopted the following:
Whereas, The late destruction of the town of Kingston, and a vast number of dwelling houses, improvements, grain and fodder on either side of Hudson’s River, by a cruel, inhuman and merciless enemy, has deprived many persons and families, the good subjects of the State, of shelter and subsistence for themselves and their cattle—calamities which by the blessing of God on the fruits of this land those who have not shared in so uncommon a misfortune are enabled in a great measure to relieve;
Resolved, Therefore, that it be, and it is hereby most earnestly recommended to the several and respective general and district committees of the counties of Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Westchester, to make, or cause to be made, a proper and proportionate distribution of the aforesaid distressed persons and families, and their cattle, to the end that they may all be provided for as the circumstances of the country will permit; and it is hereby most strenuously urged on all those who may not have shared with them in their afflictions to receive the aforesaid persons, families and cattle, and furnish them with shelter and subsistence at a moderate rate.
To this humane appeal the patriotic part of the population cordially responded, but of course the British sympathizers were reluctant to do so. Their reluctance and refusal brought upon them, however, the increased wrath of the patriots, and incited to increased zeal the committees whose province it was to deal with the disaffected. Among these, Colonel Ludington was prominent, though he exercised his powers with a certain humane discretion and was not inclined to be cruelly vindictive even toward the most malignant Tories. A letter of his to the Commissioners of Sequestration, now in the possession of Mr. William E. Dean, of Fishkill, runs as follows, its reference being to the “Red Mills,” near Lake Mahopac: