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HALF MOON SERIES

EDITED BY

MAUD WILDER GOODWIN ALICE CARRINGTON ROYCE RUTH PUTNAM AND EVA PALMER BROWNELL

Vol. ILlNo. fiflEce)

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Copyright, 1898, by

Q. P. PUTNAM'S SONS New York London

Ube ftntclierbocfier press. New Rochelle, N. Y. Entered at the Post Office, New Rochelle, N. Y., as Second-class Matter

Price Ten Cents

Per Year, One Dodar

2nd COPY, 1898.

N0V18 vm

^ofConc^y^ MISS SPENCE'S

Boarding and Day School for Girls

preparatory, BcaDemlc, anD ColIegcsiPrcparatotB Courses

No more than eight pupils constitute any class

6 WEST 48th STREET, with Annex

MRS. LESLIE MORGAN'S

jL 3BoarC)ing an& S)as Scbool

W for (Birls

13 and IS WEST 86th STREET NEW YORK CITY < < < <

KiKDEBXiARTEN, THROUGH CoLLEGE PREPARATORY ■;/';•) , ^^ HotAZ AND ChAPERONAGE

JHE HELBURN SCHOOL

35 WEST 9OTH STREET

Dag Scbool tor JSogs an& <5frl6

KINDERGARTEN, PRIMARY AND GRAMMAR DE- 4lfL^ PARTMENTS. THOROUGHLY GRADED. SEP-

"" ARATE CLASS-ROOM AND TEACHER FOR

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THE "NEUTRAL GROUND

Half Moon Series

Published in the Interest of the New York City History Club.

Volume II. Number XII.

THE "NEUTRAL GROUND."

By CHARLES PRYER.

DURING the War of the Revolution the County of Westchester, and particularly the lower towns (now forming the Borough of Bronx or Bronck's'), was the prey of the foraging parties of both armies, as it lay directly between them and was permanently occupied by neither. Being common property to both parties, it was, therefore, called the "Neutral Ground." The views of the inhabitants themselves at the outset of the struggle were much divided, and if popular sentiment was not absolutely loyal to the crown of Great Britain, it was much more conservative than in New England or in the southern colonies.