" 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

Varian and Samuel Crawford, two prominent Whigs of Scarsdale. The latter met a sad and early fate by the hands of British refugees.

» Extract from address of J. W. Tompkins, Esq.

b Ibid.

« Heath's Mem. 83. j

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 361

turn retired, wantonly destroyed, without the orders and to the iniinite regret of our worthy general, besides in spite of all his Excellency's efforts, wherever our troops have marched or been stationed they have done infinite damage to the property of the people.

I am directed, sir, to submit it to the Hon'ble Congress, whether some effectual remedy ought not to be provided against such disorderly and disgraceful proceedings. The soldier who plunders the country he is employed to protect is no better than a robber, and ought to be treated accordingly, and a severe example, in the opinion of the committee, ought to be made of the officer who, without any necessity, or his general's permission, set fire to the court-house and other buildings at the White Plains. He is guilty of the crime of arson, and if he cannot be punished by the articles of war, ought to be given up to the laws of the land.