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Answer to the petition of Dirck van Schelluyne

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The foregoing petition having been received, after due deliberation, the following answer was given:

Concerning the request to appoint someone as deputy to Capt. Post as supervisor of the livestock of the honorable lord Hendrick van der Capelle, the director general and councilors know of no one more capable than the petitioner himself, or whoever the petitioner can employ for it; especially since the petitioner has been requested to do so by the aforesaid lord. Concerning the requested continuation of a security force: because the soldiers from the warship de Waagh are departing with the ship, the director general and councilors, considering the weakness of the garrison here, do not deem it advisable to spread out their meager forces. Also, as far as the director general and councilors know there are none or at least few effects left on Staten Island with the exception of some livestock, which can be easily transported and more safely pastured and used on Long Island. Whereby it has been considered that adding 6 to 8 men to the security force of 6 to 7 persons left on Staten Island could pose little resistance against the general strength of the Indians, if they should undertake anything against them or others, and in that event (God forbid) they would be left to the insolence and massacre of the Indians, without hope of supporting them quickly because of the distance as an emergency would demand. In addition, if 6 to 8 soldiers are granted for the safety of so few people as a security force, it would not be easy to refuse the villages of Breuckelen, Midwout, Amesfoort, and other remote places, which are still in need and of more importance; if all were garrisoned with security forces, there would not be sufficient soldiers available for us. Therefore, the director general and councilors adhere to their foregoing recommendation that it is best and most beneficial for his aforesaid honor to bring the remaining livestock to Long Island at a convenient time, where they would be more secure. Thus done at the session of the lord director general and lords councilors held at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne, Cor. van Tienhoven. 27 April 1656.

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 6, Council Minutes, 1655-1656 (Syracuse: 1995). A complete copy of this publication is available on theĀ New Netherland Institute website.