When the enemy returned from Pound Ridge they burned the house

THE TOWN OF BEDFORD. 73

owned by Col. Holmes, who had gone below to join the British sometime before. I think that the meeting house also was burnt the same day, namely, Friday, July 2nd, when they burnt Bedford nine days afterwards, a widow woman begged them to spare her house, to which they consented -- but finding a brace of pistols up stairs, they fired it. The French army lay in Bedford one night, but the cavalry went on without halting. We were all much pleased to see them, as they came for our protection. Col. Holmes was a clever man, very spirited in speaking, he could not forget his treatment for advancing money to pay his men, which was not refunded, or not paid without great difficulty."

Nov. 2nd, 1846, James Fountain testified, "I am in my seventy-ninth year and remember the battle of White Plains. One Stephen Baxter, from North Salem, who had received a commission of Captain, was here with the refugees at the burning of Bedford. I think they were all refugees that burnt Bedford, about a hundred or a hundred and fifty in number. I saw them pass, as they advanced by the North Castle church road. Benjamin Haves kept a tavern at this time in Bedford and his house (owned by Col. Holmes) was for some reason burnt." Col. Armand the Marquis de la Rouerie was for some time stationed at North Castle and Bedford.