The letter of John Hancock, enclosing to them, that declaration, after acknowledging their dependence for success npon the Ruler of the universe, with almost a prophet's vision announced the important consequences which would flow from that declaration.''^ The old court house, honored by this fearless step in (he cause of independence, " and so intimately associated with the wisdom and virtue of such men as Jay, Morris, Clinton, Woodhull, Hobart, Van Cortlandt, Livingston, and Rutgers, was burnt on the night of the 5th of November, by a New England major, without orders, together with every dwelling at White Plains.''^

" About 12 o'clock, this night, (Nov. 5th, 1776, says General Heath,) a party of Americans wantonly set fire to the court- house, and several other private houses, which stood between the two armies. This gave great disgust to the whole American army, and drew from the commander-in-chief the following paragraph, in his orders of the 6th : ' It is with the utmost astonishment and abhorrence, the general is informed, that some base and cowardly wretches have, last night, set fire to the court-house and other buildings which the enemy left. The army Tnay rely upon it, that they shall be brought to justice, and meet with the punishment they deserve."*^

Pierre van Cortlandt, vice president of the committee of public safety, under date of 28th November, thus feelingly alludes to the event.

" Unhappy am I to add that amidst all our sufferings the army employed for the protection of America have not refrained from embittering the calamities of war, at a time when the utmost resources of this state were laid open to their wants, and the members of Convention personally submiued to the labour and fatigue which were necessary on a sudden emergency, and after frequent losses of provisions and barracks, to supply two numerous armies, augmented by the militia, with every article which they required, the courthouse and the remains of the village at the White Plains, which had been spared on the retreat of our forces, were, even after the enemy had in their