Note 28 — Chapter II
Reading edition
Stirling's orders, March 13th, 1776: "It is intended to employ one half of the inhabitants every other day, changing, at the works for the defence of this city; and the whole of the slaves every day, until this place is put in a proper posture of defence. The Town Major is immediately to disperse these orders."—Force, 4th series, vol. v., p. 219.
The citizens were divided off into reliefs or "beats." In the "N.Y. Hist. Manuscripts," vol. i., p. 267, may be found the "Amount of officers and Privates of ye 22d Beat at work 17 March"—59 men under Captain Benj. Egbert. Negroes belonging to the 22d Beat—"Pomp, Cæsar, Peter, Sam, Jo, Cubitt, Simms, John, Cato," etc., 11 in all.