302 The Story of The Bronx 



of the family. The views from the top of the hill are fine, and 

 one would think that the mansion would have been erected 

 here instead of on the plain, but perhaps it was more in 

 keeping with Dutch taste to be on the low land. 



In August, 1776, after the Battle of Long Island, the authori- 

 ties of New York became alarmed for the safety of the city 

 records, and the Committee of Safety ordered Augustus Van 

 Cortlandt, the town clerk, to remove them to a place of safe- 

 keeping. They were, therefore, carried from Harlem and 

 hidden in the family vault upon this hill. Their hiding-place 

 became known to the British later, and they were returned to 

 the city. When Washington decided to attack Cornwallis 

 at Yorktown, it was necessary for him to deceive Clinton at 

 New York and prevent the sending of reinforcements to the 

 entrapped Cornwallis. The grand reconnaissance of the allied 

 armies in the summer of 1781 led Sir Henry Clinton to believe 

 that New York was to be attacked ; and bogus dispatches were 

 also arranged so as to fall into his hands and increase his 

 belief. When the allies withdrew from this neighborhood, 

 Clinton was unaware of the fact, because Washington caused 

 deceptive camp-fires to be kept burning on Vault Hill for 

 several days, in order that he might have time to cross the 

 Hudson and be well on his way before Clinton should find out 

 that he had been fooled. 



The hill is enclosed by a high wire fence, and is called the 

 "wild animal enclosure. " About 1 895, a number of bison were 

 furnished to the park authorities by the late Austin Corbin, and 

 placed within the enclosure ; but the land was not adapted to 

 their maintenance, as it was too wet and boggy near the brook. 

 Several of the animals died and the rest became so ill and run 

 down that the remnant of the herd was returned to the wild 

 animal park of Mr. Corbin near Claremont, New Hampshire. 



