578

CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

COL. PATERSON TO GOY. CLINTON.

Hinsdale, May 5 th 1779.

May it please your Excellency,

Some late conduct of the Vermont Party, tending rapidly towards a civil War, obliges me togive your Excellency early Intelligence of it, and of our Proceedings in Opposition to them. ThatParty having ordered Cap*. James Clay, Lieu*. Benjamin Wilson & one M r . Cummins (all acknow-ledged subjects of New York in Putney) to provide a man to go into service for a short space oftime to guard the frontiers ; the week before last forcibly took a cow from Cap*. Clay and anotherfrom Mb Wilson to pay a person they had hired for them & the Expences. Last Wednesday wasthe Day appointed for selling the Cattle ; at which time myself and field Officers & a considerablepart of my Regiment met all unarmed to prevent the sale. After vainly endeavoring with calmnessto convince them of the Impropriety of this Proceeding & to persuade them to give up the Cattle , wetook possession of them, the owners drove them off & every man returned to his home.

In Fulham some Persons subjects of New York , have lately had their property taken from themby direction of the Vermont Officers & have acquiesced in it rather than to contend; One otherwas also threatened with the like usage, but since our retaking the Cattle in Putney they havebeen quiet about it.

In Guilford a sum of money was assessed upon those who were supposed to have done least inthe War. The Persons who were to collect it were upon a Trial frightened from it by those whooppose Vermont . In Westminster & Rockingham they have drafted some Yorkers. I fear it willnot end without a disturbance, as in those Towns the Parties are nearly equal.

Col. Fletcher who commands the new State Men in this Reg 1 , hearing that men w r ere raising toprevent selling the Cattle of Messrs. Clay & Wilson, went over to their Council at Arlington whetherfor men or advice I cannot learn. But as Coll. Allen has repeatedly threatened us with his GreenMountain Boys, and some of that Party about here give out that this is only the beginning of thematter; and as they appear resolute to enforce submission to their Authority, many are fearful thatwhat they have already done has been in pursuance of a general Plan for subduing all those whoare in Allegiance to New York .

In this Distracted situation I would request your Excellency’s particular direction how far for thefuture to proceed in the defence of the Persons & Property of those under my Command and whatsteps to take if the Vermonters should attempt by force of Arms to seize the Persons or Propertyof such as do not acknowledge their authority.

As there is a Probability that men may be sent from the West side of the Mountain to assist thosehere I v'ould beg leave to suggest to your Excellency the necessity of having the Militia of AlbanyCounty held in Readiness to attack them if they should gather with that design. The BrigadierGeneral of that County may with ease have early Information of any plan of the kind, by employingsome of the enemies of Vermont in their Towns to give him notice. What the consequences willbe of permitting the Green mountaineers to come here unmolested, may be easily foretold.

The Legislature having promised to protect the Persons & Property of their loyal subjects inthis part of the State, it has become their general Desire that Measures may be very speedily takento fulfill that Engagement; and I hope your Excellency will pardon my saying that unless it can bespeedily done I must be under a necessity of resigning my Com mi ssion.

There are near 500 Officers & Men under my Command w r ho are in general but poorly armed &