In connection with this notice of the removal of the Livg-stock and Crops, we may properly mention that, very largely, Ihe inhabitants of those portions of the County which were likely to be exposed to the depredations of either of the two Armies -- and one of these Armies was quite as bad as the other, in the work of plunder and devastation and outrage -- removed from their several rural homes, with as many of their effects as they could take with them, to places of supposed greater safety ; 4 and it is scarcely proba-

1 General Beath to general Nixon, "Kino's Bridge, October 14, 1776."

2 Vide pages 221, 222, ante.

'Journal of the Committee of Safety, "Monday morning, Octor. 14, "1776." *

4 The Morris family had left Morrisania, at the first appearance of danble that, in all the lower Towns of the County, in which the tramp of armed men was soon to be heard, many of the inhabitants remained, unless, here and there, where the head of a family, accompanied by a faithful negro, lingered on the deserted homestead, in order that the property which could not be removed might not be left entirely uncared for.

The Convention was also mindful of the danger to which the records of the City and County of New York, as well as those of the Borough of We&tchester and those of the County of Westchester, were exposed, by the movement of the enemy into the last-named County. All these had been removed from their proper places and lodged, for greater safety, in private houses, in different parts of the County, where, it was feared, they would become exposed to the enemy: and William Miller, of Harrison's Precinct, Theodoras Bartow, of New Rochelle, and John Cozine were appointed Commissioners for collecting them and removing them to Kingston, in Ulster-county, with instructions to gather and remove the scattered papers, "with all possible expedition," and to deliver them, at Kingston, to Dirck Wynkoop, Abraham Hasbrouck, and Christopher Tappen ; and the Commissioners were authorized to call for a military guard, " to attend the said records, in their removal." 6