[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] men deserted in response to this appeal. In all the preliminary events of the devolution there is no more dramatic episode than this ex-ploit of Marinas Willett. It is typical of the whole course of the people of New York from the earliest period of the troubles with the mother country — a course of unfaltering aggression, taking no thought of consequences. Willett subsequently became an officer in the American army, and, as we shall see, distinguished himself upon EXPLOIT OF MARIM'S WILLETT, a notable occasion in repelling a British expedition near Peekskill, in our county. The continental congress at Philadelphia, pursuing the Revolu-tionary programme which had been inaugurated at the beginning of its session, early turned its attention to the subject of preparing the Province of New York for defensive and offensive operations. In this connection the fortification of the passes at Kingsbridge and at the entrance to the Highlands, and plans for obstructing the navigation of the Hudson Paver in case of necessity, received chief consideration. On the 25th of May a number of resolutions pertaining to New York were adopted by the congress, including the following: