Isaac Webbers, one of his guides, urged him to retreat to a hill a short distance north and there wait for the reinforcement advancing to his relief, but refused and persisted to the last that the enemy consisted only of a party of DeLancey's Refugees.

Major Bearmore was cruel to- =wards the active whigs and plundered and distressed them. He burnt my father in law's, Caleb Paulding's, Cider house, carriage house and cart for no other reason than because he was an active whig, compelling my mother in law to bring a brand out of the house for the purpose, and firing the roof of the cider mill which his men

[marg: 1845]

held. For this my father-in-law never forgave him. Caleb Paulding my father in law was twice taken prisoner and confined.

When Young's house was taken (on Christmas night, 1778) John Champe -nois, one of Bearmore's men was a prisoner sitting before the fire in the custody of a soldier whom Caleb Paulding had employed to guard him. Champenois had been engaged in depredations for which Paulding wishes to punish him. He had told his fellow prisoners repeatedly during the day that if Bearmore were living he would attempt their rescue that night, and they were, consequently, all on the alert in omentarily expecting the arrival of their Commander. Champe -nois heard the first noise which was some order for surrendering the house and exclaimed: "The major has come

Huzza!" A moment after some noise was made upon the stoop by three or four of the dragoons who had dismounted, and one of the inmates opened one of the front windows to see what was the matter when instantly several shots were fired in from without, one of which Killed Champenois dead. On the first alarm he had risen from his seat at the fire and taking hold of the man's musket who guarded him, said to him: "Give up your gun to me - You are our prisoner now!" The sentinel refused to surrender, and they were struggling both having hold of the musket (for Champenois although his arms were tied could use his hands) when the fatal shot passed through the window, and Champenois pierced through the heart, dropped dead into the fire.