Timothy Dwight, in his « Travels," desola te condition to which and solate discon the of tial description period of the RevoluWestchester County was reduced at an early ly present so inpossib could write tion Nothing we could hope to simple narrat's Dwigh Dr. as t subjec whole the forming aview of on here is citati its d quote ntly freque been has it h thoug tion; ami e: ensabl indisp quite Tu the autumn of 1777 I resided
for some time in this county
The lines of the British
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yourself. Both their countenances and motions had lost every trace of animation and feeling. The features were smoothed, not into serenity, but apathy ; and, instead of being settled in the attitude of quiet thinking, strongly indicated that all thought beyond what was merely instinctive had fled their minds for ever. Their houses, in the meantime, were in a great measure scenes of desolation. Their furniture was extensively plundered, or broken to pieces. The walls, floors, and windows were injured both by violence and decay, and were not repaired because they had not the means to repair them, and because they were exposed to the repetition of the same injuries. Their cattle were gone. Their inclosures were burnt where they were capable of becoming fuel, and in many cases thrown down where they were not. Their fields were covered with a rank growth of weeds and wild grass. Amid all this appearance of desolation, nothing struck my eye more forcibly than the sight of the high road. Where I had heretofore seen a continual succession of horses and carriages, life and bustle -- lending a sprightliness to all the environing objects, -- not a single, solitary traveler was seen from week to week or from month to month.