ay.

Sir John's actions were such that it became necessary to use stringent
measures. General Schuyler, on May 14th, issued his instructions to
Colonel Elias Dayton, who was to proceed to Johnstown, "and give notice
to the Highlanders, who live in the vicinity of the town, to repair to
it; and when any number are collected there, you will send off their
baggage, infirm women and children, in wagons." Sir John was to be taken
prisoner, carefully guarded and brought to Albany, but "he is by no
means to experience the least ill-treatment in his own person, or those
of his family."[118] General Schuyler had previously written (May 10th)
to Sir John intimating that he had "acted contrary to the sacred
engagements you lay under to me, and through me to the publick," and
have "ordered you a close prisoner, and sent down to Albany."[119] The
reason assigned for the removal of the Highlanders as stated by General
Schuyler to Sir John was that "the elder Mr. McDonald (Allan of
Collachie), a chief of that part of the clan of his name now in Tryon
County, has applied to Congress that those people with their families
may be moved from thence and subsisted."[120] To this Sir John replied
as follows:

"Johnson Hall, May 18, 1776.

Sir: On my return from Fort Hunter yesterday, I received your letter
by express acquainting me that the elder Mr. McDonald had desired to
have all the clan of his name in the County of Tryon, removed and
subsisted. I know none of that clan but such as are my tenants, and
have been, for near two years supported by me with every necessary,
by which means they have contracted a debt of near two thousand
pounds, which they are in a likely way to discharge, if left in
peace. As they are under no obligations to Mr. McDonald, they refuse
to comply with his extraordinary request; therefore beg there may be
no troops sent to conduct them to Albany, otherwise they will look
upon it as a total breach of the treaty agreed to at Johnstown. Mrs.
McDonald showed me a letter from her husband, written since he
applied to the Congress for leave to return to their families, in
which he mentions that he was told by the Congress that it depended
entirely upon you; he then desired that their families might be
brought down to them, but never mentioned anything with regard to
moving my tenants from hence, as matters he had no right to treat of.
Mrs. McDonald requested that