(to Colonel Hopkins)
A little later Colonel Hopkins had a lively experience with a press-master from Connecticut, which he reported to the governor—his letter being of interest for the picture which it gives of the times and customs in which Colonel Ludington was a participant:
Amenia Aug’t 19th 1780.
May it please your Excellency, I beg leave to trouble your Excellency with a Remonstrance Concerning a certain Press-master, one George Tremble, who is a transient person that lives in Connecticut, who came to me on the 8th Instant and told me he wanted my team to carry forrage to the Fishkills. I told him my Circumstances was such that I could not let them go, for it would Ruin me for my wheat, about 130 bushels, all I had was in the field and it would spoil. My oats, 200 or 300 busshels all lay in the Swarth, and would be lost, for I had no help but one Son, and could not hire any man; my flax a fine Crop was all in the field and some hay in the meadow, and my grass lodged and rotting, but he said he cared not for that, but I should go myself with my team the next day. I told him if I could secure my grain I would send my son and team the next week, but he said I should go the next day. I told him I would not; he showed me a Coppy of a press warrent from your Excellency to Colo. Hay with a line from him on the back authorizing said Tremble to impress teams & drivers in this state.
I told him that was no legal warrent to him; he rode off saying he would get a warrent for me, & then told all about he had got a warrent for me; but on the 14th he came again with a Sergeant & 8 men & entered my field, Siezed my son & confined him under guard, drove out my fatten oxen that I was fattening for the army, took my horses & forced my son to drive them with a lode of my own oats to the Fishkills, altho I consented if they must go they might carry my oats, he told me I was a disaffected Person, had done nothing to support the cause, held bad Princeples, was a dam’d Lyer and a dam’d Rascal.
I have fined him for cursing; sued him for trespass & issued a warrant against him in order to bind him to his good behaviour & recorded a riot against him.
I think its a pity that there is not a man in this Precinct County or state that can be trusted with a press warrant, but such an outlandish Irish, malicious, abusive fellow must be sent into this Precinct to press all the whiggs teams, & none in Charlotte, which is near 3 times as big, and half tories, for I cant learn of one being pressed there; after all the malicious fellow wrote a letter to Colo. Hay sent by the Soldiers that my team Capt. Shepherd’s & Mr. Ingersoll’s teams were disaffected teams, and requested they might be kept in Service a month; he abused others besides me. I am, Sir, your most obedient Hum’e Serv’t
Roswell Hopkins.
P. S. One Stack of my wheat is spoiled being wet thro & grown & I shall loose about six tons of hay. R. H.
His Excellency Governour Clinton.