Life in Hackensack, New Jersey is really getting crazy. The British have occupied New York, and my family and I are very nervous to have the enemy controlling an area so close to where we live. Mostly all of our neighbors are Loyalists, so the few of us families that are not are stuck in a terrible position. We cannot rebel and we cannot share our feelings without being persecuted, arrested, or even killed. We just have to go with the flow and keep our mouths shut, even though we know it's wrong.
             I really cannot deal with the way we are all being treated by the British. I'm not the richest man in the world, and I am not able to buy what I need to support my family at these ridiculously high prices. It is very true that only "heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods (Paine 1)" and that we are really slaves to the English. The taxes are getting out of hand and if we do not gain our independence soon, I will not be able to provide for my baby daughter.
             Neighbors of mine have come up with a number of ideas about how we can secretly battle the Loyalists. Since I am a ferry operator and many of my friends help out with my business, we have some control of what goes on in the rivers. Everything the British need is sent to New York by ship. I will probably join a group of private boat owners who intervene.
             To capture these merchants' ships, privateers [go] out, usually in small ships, mostly sloops, to take them and their cargoes for resale. Privateers [are] privately owned ships that [act] like official navy vessels (Valis 1).
             I can use my boats go capture the goods the British are shipping to New York. Then, I will keep my treasures or sell the goods I capture. Although the job is difficult and dangerous, the prizes are often worth it.
             Also, I can help ship goods from place to place to help our forces, and help move troops a
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