Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution
The savory reputation of the " wreckers " of that treacherous coast, sometimes made more treacherous by reason of the false lights displayed by'those who lived there, will prepare the reader for the remainder of that sad story of adventure and of disaster -- the vessel does not appear to have gone to pieces ; and that and what remained of her cargo, after the " wreckers " had satisfied themselves from it, were seized by the local revolutionary Committee of Monmouth-county, and sold, not for the benefit of the owners of either the vessel or the cargo, but for whatever other purpose the Provincial Congress of New Jersey should determine ; while " the Captain, Mas- " ter, and Passengers," or such of them as had not already abandoned the scene of their last affliction, after nineteen days had elapsed since the wreck of
1 Haines made this statement to one of the guard which subsequently conveyed him to New-York, after he had been re-captured, (Testimony of Major Henderson, before the Committee of Safety ;) and he also made the same statement to David Rhea, (Testimony of David Rhea, before thesame Committee: Journal of the Committee of Safety, "Die Sabbati, 10 ho., "A.M., January 20. 1776.")
2 Examination of Gilbert Budd before the Provincial Congress-- Journal of the Provincial Congress, "Die Veneris, 5 ho., P.M., November 3, " 1775."
• Affidavit of Philip Pinckney, November 1, 1775-- page 125, post.
the Sloop, were ordered to be sent, duly guarded, to the City of New York, and delivered to the Committee of Safety of that Colony. As may be foreseen, Godfrey Haines was remitted to the tender mercies of those from whom he had escaped, in the preceding October. *