Orange County citizens had given expression to their views on the embargo act in March, 1800. A Republican county convention held at Goshen selected General Hathorn as its chairman, and a committee on resolutions was appointed consisting of Jonathan Fisk, Colonel John Nicholson, General Reuben Hopkins and Judge Nathan White. The resolutions reported and adopted asserted that the American embargo was "a wise and patriotic measure, imperiously demanded by the exposed condition of our seamen, shipping and trade to the audacious outrages of foreign powers." In the Federal party's county convention, held later, Daniel Niven was chairman, and its committee on resolutions consisted of John Barber, Alexander R. Thompson, Alanson Austin, John Bradner, J. N. Phillips, John Morrison, John Duer, Samuel Saver, James Storey, Solomon Sleight, John Decker and Samuel B. Stickney. The resolutions protested against the enforcement of the embargo, as "unjust, illegal and oppressive, subversive of the rights and dangerous to the liberties of the people." But when the war came the views of many of the Federalists had changed, and they sustained the Government. The first call for troops was made April 21, 1812, when the militia was arranged in two divisions and eight brigades, and the brigades were divided into twenty regiments. The second brigade of the first division, embracing the militia of Orange and Ulster, under Brigadier General Hopkins of Goshen, was organized as the Fourth Regiment, and its Commander was Lieutenant Colonel Andrew J. Hardenburgh of Shawangunk. In 1813 and 1814, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Belknap took the place of Lieutenant Colonel Hardenburgh. The cavalry and artillery were similarly organized. The second call was made in July, 1813, and the third in July, 1814, when the places of rendezvous were Newburgh and New Windsor, and from these the men were moved on sloops to New York and assigned to the neighboring fortifications. They embarked Aug. 28, and returned Dec. 4, having been absent only a little more than three months. Among the uniformed companies at that time were the following: Orange Hussars of Montgomery, Captain William Trimble (succeeded by Captain Milliken); Captain Van Orsdal's and Captain Dorcas's companies of infantry of Montgomery; Captain Kerr's company of artillery of New Windsor; Captain Butterworth's company of artillery of Newburgh; Captain Westcott's company of cavalry of Goshen; Captain Acker's company of cavalry of Newburgh and Marlborough; Captain Denniston and Captain Birdsall's companies of infantry of Newburgh. It appears that Captain Westcott was afterwards appointed Major of the first regiment of cavalry, when Charles Lindsay was made captain of his company; Joseph H. Jackson, first lieutenant; Daniel McNeal, second lieutenant, and Stephen P. Rockefellow, cornet, all being residents of Montgomery except Major Westcott. [Illustration: Signing of the Wawayanda Patent]