The opening of the new year -- the exact date does not appear, if it was ever definitely known -- witnessed a transaction by which the lower portion of the County of Westchester, especially the Towns of Mamaroneck, Eastchester, Westchester, and Yonkers, was greatly disturbed ; and yet it was an occurrence
rested in connection with spiking of the Cannon, near Kingsbridge, of which more will be seen, hereafter, (pages 323, '.iji, poit.)
Doctor Azor Belts, Godfrey Haines, William Lounsberry, Joshua Gedney, Joseph Purdy, Joshua Burrell, and Thomas Haines were among those who were manacled and otherwise treated with great inhumanity. »See pages 288, 289, 2U0, 299, ante.
' Colonel Samttel Drake to the Provincial Congress, "New-York, Feby. "16, 1776;" Journal of the Provincial Congress, "Die Veneris, 3 ho., "P.M., Feb. 16, 1776 ;" the same, "Die Sabbati, 10 ho., A.M., Feb. 17, "1776 ;" the same, " Die Veneris, 10 ho., A.M., Feby. 23, 1776."
Colonel Waterbury, who accompanied General Lee, through Westchester-county, acknowledged his possession of thirty Guns, two pairs of Holsters, nine Cutlasses, aud three Pistols-- how many more he bad seized, and retained or sent back into Connecticut, are uow unknown ; and no record was taken of the names of those who had been thus plunilcred. They must have been taken, however, on the line of march of his Regiment, between the Sawpitsand Kingsbridge; and there was not the slightest shadow of even revolutionary authority for the seizure, except the law of the stronger and that of thieves.