330 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1778. 



taken for the American army, payable in Continental money, 

 but unfortunately for the credit of the government, this cur- 

 rency was never redeemed. The Friends generally refused to 

 receive compensation for what was taken from them for war 

 purposes.^ 



On the lOtb, 11th and 12th days of December, 1779, Corn- 

 wallis, with a detachment of the British army, made a sally from 

 Philadelphia into Darby, Haverford and Radnor, and at that 

 inclement season of the year stripped many families of all their 

 provisions, their stock and provender, and many articles of 

 household furniture. These outrages were premeditated ; were 

 committed under the eye of the Oeneral and by his authority, 

 and many of them were against persons who had never raised a 

 hand against the home government. For unfeeling brutality 

 they scarcely have a pai-allel in civilized warfare. 



Many of the Whigs were captured at this time, and many had 

 been captured previously and carried to Philadelphia, where 

 they were detained as prisoners till the enemy evacuated the 

 city, but after that event the tables were turned ; for now the 

 Tories, who had given aid and comfort to the enemy, or who 

 were suspected of having done so, were seized and tried as trai- 

 tors, their property confiscated, and a few were executed. No 

 one who resided in what is now Delaware County suffered the 

 extreme penalty of the law. 



The Commissioners of attainder for Chester County, ap- 

 pointed in pursuance of an Act of Assembly, were William 

 Evans, Thomas Cheyney, Patterson Bell and John Hannum. 

 The number charged with having " knowingly and willingly aided 

 and assisted the enemies of the State and of the United States 

 of America, by having joined their armies at Philadelphia," who 

 resided in what is now Delaware County, was about fifty, while 

 only about forty persons were actually attainted of treason.^ 



Several classes of the militia were called out in the year 1778, 

 but many refused to turn out, and also refused to pay their fines. 

 When the goods of these defaulters, such as horses, &c., were 

 levied upon and sold, they would be frequently stolen from the 

 purchaser, which rendered the collection of fines very difficult. 



In 1777 but little tax was collected in this part of the country. 

 The presence of the enemy rendered its collection very difficult 

 in some places, and the robberies committed by them made col- 

 lections impossible in others. Many collectors refused to serve, 

 and paid their fines during the period of the Revolution, but 



' Some account was kept by the Friends of their losses by the contending armies. 

 The author has only seen that kept by Ilavcrford Monthly Meeting. The amount 

 recorded against the Continental army is small, and was generally taken "for substi- 

 tute money." 



2 Pcuna. Archives, x. 250. 



