The White Plains and Boston roads were well guarded as the enemy was expected from that direction alone. William Lounsbury, a bold deter- -mined man. By General Howe's proclamation if anyone enlisted sixty men he should have a Captain's commission. A counter proclamation from the Ame- -rican Congress (?) decreed death to anyone caught enlisting for the enemy. Lounsbury was 50 or 60 years old, I believe, and bald. He came from below, and a sloop was to wait for his men below Delancey's
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Neck and take them over to Long Island. Lounsbury told his wife to send for Joseph Purdy and tell him he was among the rocks of Great Lot. (Purdy came and Lounsbury sent him to such roya- -lists as he thought he could induce to enlist with him.) Purdy told the men where Lounsbury was and he persuaded them to enlist. Purdy proved a traitor and informed the principal whigs of M[Maroneck?] - vizt: Colonel Gilbert Budd, Gilbert Horton, and Captain Samuel Townsend, of Rye Neck. Captain Townsend commanded the party composed of the American Store Guard and the militia company of the vicinity. They marched to the Great Lots before Townsend let them know where or for what they were going. - Surrounding the fastnesses where Lounsbury was concealed, they called upon him and his party to surrender - they being unarmed. His men attempted to escape, but were fired upon and then
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