It appeared that the British light horse, each rider with another behind him, had surprised the Americans immediately after thev had drawn in their sentinels, early in the moniing, kiUing and wounding them as they lay in their tents, which were pitched around the house. Col. Green was in bed at the time ; he sprang up and seized his sword, but was soon cut down. It was supposed nearly 200 bullets were fired into the house ; at the same time there was a party of Americans stationed at our house commanded by a lieutenant -- but it was probalilv unknown to the British, or th.ey might have cut them off too. PTad they attacked tiie house, tl.e family would have been in great

702 HISTORY OF THE COUXTV OF WESTCHESTKR.

danger ; for some of the boys were in bed with the officers, and in t!-.;- confusion it is scarcely j-ossible that all would have escaped injury. I had often thought of making the house musket -proof by casing the outside with logs.

" 'i he Btitish army had possession of New York; their northern i;nL-!-> being at King's Bridge, while the American lines were at Croton Ri\i.T. about 25 miles north of the British The distance between being occasionally occupied first by one party und then the other Thiefts and murders were of constant occurance, so that few of the fonner inhabitants of this portion of Westchester county chose to remain at home. There being no cattle left to eat the pasture, the grass grew to a great height, so that it fell down and rotted on the ground from )'ear to year. In 1777, we being just above the American lines, the Cow Boys, stoic from us 14 head of cattle and drove them off to Morrisania.