Document: Letter from William Beeckman to director Stuyvesant

My Lords[1]: As soon as I arrived in New Amstel I found a great turmoil and commotion among the inhabitants who were fleeing bag and baggage into the fort because of the burning of the hut mentioned in my last letter.[2] Mr. d'Hinojosse sent a messenger to me requesting, in the name of the director and council of the colony, that I go upriver and hire a Swede to go to Manhattan. I again had to refuse because I was not able to leave home at this time and because they could spare sending one or two men upriver better than I. Finally I suggested that since there was a Swede here from Kinsses, we should both send our letters to Mr. La Grange with the request that his Cleyn Hanssien[3] or his brother-in-law Caerl (both are people who have often been to Manhattan) be hired at our common expense to carry our letters over to you as quickly as possible. The messenger returned at once reporting Mr. d'Hinojosse's approval of the suggestion and desire to set things in motion immediately, which was done.

If this affair should follow its course (may God prevent it) some additional soldiers will be necessary for the defense of our places. I believe that I should be able to enlist ten or twelve men, but mostly from here in the colony. We are also short of gunpowder and lead; food is readily available here. We have heard nothing yet (thank God) of injury to man or animal in our quarter or district and no reports in New Amstel of injury to any livestock. Therefore I hope that everything turns out for the best. With this I commend you to God's protection, remaining after wishes for a long and prosperous administration.