The year 1781, which was to terminate the armed struggle for in-

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

dependence, opened with an event not less appalling in its way than had been the disasters of the preceding year in the South and the Arnold treason. On the 1st day of January the whole Pennsylvania line, 2,000 strong, mutinied and marched off from the Morristown camp toward Philadelphia to seek a redress of grievances. This was no impulsive, ill-considered action, but well deliberated and carefully organized. The troops, wearied out by a long course of neglectful treatment -- unpaid, unfed, and unclothed, -- were grimly determined to obtain their rights or quit the service. General Wayne attempted to quell the mutiny by arbitrary methods, and, confronting the men with pistols in his hands, was ready to shoot the leaders if they refused to obey; whereupon he was told that they loved and honored and would die for him, but if he tired he would be killed thai instant. On the other hand, the revolting regiments not only disdained seductive inducements conveyed to them from Sir Henry Clinton to join his standard, but seized his emissaries and delivered them to Wayne to be dealt with by military law. Finally their most pressing wants were relieved by PIERRE OORTLANDT. congress, and they returned to their duty. A smaller mutiny in the same month by the New Jersey line was summarily ended by hanging its chief promoters. Toward the end of January a bold and successful raid was made by Lieutenant-Colonel Hull from the Westchester lines upon de Lancey's corps at Morrisania. A number of tin1 British were killed and fifty were captured, some of their huts were burned, and the pontoon bridge across the Harlem River was cut away; and in another engagement, which occurred during the retreat of the Americans, the British suffered a further loss of thirty-five.