The truth is that a bloody fight actually took place here between a hundred and thirty Dutch troops, led by the redoubtable Capt. John Underhill (who had fought under Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, in the Low Countries), one full moonlight night in February, 1644, and a tribe of the Sinaroys Indians, on which occasion seven hundred of the latter perished amidst the flames and surroundings of " Nanichiestawack."\

It appears that "the campaign of 1644 was opened by an expedition

•An " Indian Talk " abont QuahauK ami Wampum, hv Reuhkwehhehnweh, New Rochelle, July 18, 1SG0. Taken from yew Rochelle Pioneer, July 15, 1865.

tSome say the village of " Petuguepaen."

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

that scoured Staten Island in the hope of meeting the tribes of that region; but they found no Indians to contend with, and returned after only a few days' absence, with no other booty than a few hundred schepels of corn.

A messenger from Stamford arrived at the fort, bearing the head of the Indian chief Mayano, and reporting that a large body of hostile Indians was encamped near Greenwich. A detachment of one hundred - and twenty men was sent off by water. They landed at Greenwich and after marching all night without meeting the enemy, halted at Stamford. It was evident either that the Indians had been warned of the expedition, or that the story of the encampment was false. The troops had been sent mainly on the representations of Captain Daniel Patrick, of Greenwich, and to him the disappointed Dutchmen looked for an explanation. On a Sunday afternoon, during the hour of sen-ice, a Dutch soldier met the captain at Stamford, and, after stating that the troops had been deluded, openly charged him with treachery. The captain threw back the insult with some rough words, and spat in his accuser's face; but as he turned on his heel the Dutchman drew a pistol and shot him dead.