ed 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