“Nothing could overcome the reluctance of the burghers.  The one disheartened the other; the more violent maintaining that they were obliged to defend only their own homes, and that no citizen could be forced to jeopardize his life in fighting barbarous savages.

“Discouraged and almost deprived of hope by this opposition, the Director-General again summoned the city magistrates.  He informed them that he had now some forty men, and that he expected between twenty and thirty Englishmen from the adjoining villages.  He therefore ordered that the three companies of the city militia be paraded next day in his presence, armed and equipped, in order that one last effort might be made to obtain volunteers.  If he should then fail of success, he announced his intention to make a draft.

“The companies paraded before the fort on the following morning according to orders.  Stuyvesant addressed them in most exciting terms.  He appealed to their sense both of honor and of duty, and represented to them how ardently they would look for aid, if they unfortunately were placed in a situation similar to that in which their brethren of Esopus now found themselves.  He concluded his harangue by calling upon all such as would accompany him either for pay or as volunteers, to step forward to the rescue.

“Few came forward, only twenty-four or twenty-five persons.  This number being considered insufficient, lots were immediately ordered to be drawn by one of the companies and those on whom they fell were warned to be ready on the next Sunday, on pain of paying fifty guilders.  ‘However,’ said the governor, ’if any person is weak-hearted or discouraged he may procure a substitute provided he declares himself instantaneously.’”

In this way the governor raised a force of one hundred and eighty men.  Of this number one hundred were drafted men, sixty-five volunteers, twenty-five of whom were Englishmen, and there were also twenty friendly Indians from Long Island.

With this force the governor embarked on Sunday evening, October 10th, after the second sermon, for the rescue of Esopus.  Upon his arrival at that place he found that the savages, unable to penetrate the fort, had raised the siege and retired beyond the possibility of pursuit.  They had doubtless watched the river with their scouts, who informed them of the approach of the troops.  The governor, leaving a sufficient force to protect the village, returned with the remainder of the expedition to Manhattan.

During the siege the loss of the Dutch was one man killed and five or six wounded.  The Indians also succeeded, by means of burning arrows, in firing one dwelling house and several stacks of corn within the palisades.  As the troops were re-embarking the governor witnessed an occurrence which he declares “he blushes to mention.”  As all the troops could not go on board at once, a portion waited