THE TOWN OF YON'KERS. 605 



On the 6th of June, 1778, Sir William Erskine fell back towards Val- 

 entine's Hill. The Queen's Rangers encamping on Odell's Hill, soon 

 after, these corps formed a part of an escort which accompanied the 

 English commander-in-chief to the White Plains," 1778. Lieutenant- 

 Colonel Tarleton was ordered, with the whole of the English cavalry, to 

 this hill, for the purpose of covering the right, when they endeavored to 

 surprise General Gist in the parsonage. The same year, upon the re- 

 tiring of Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe, the Continental forces again took 

 possession of the hill. 



On the 16th of September, 1782, (says General Heath), the enemy 

 made a grand forage near Valentine's Hill ; Sir Guy Carleton was out 

 in person, as was the young Prince, (William Henry, Duke of Clarence, 

 afterwards King William the Fourth). The covering party, it was said 

 consisted of five or six thousand men. 6 



During the absence of the armies, Valentine's Hill was much exposed 

 to the depredations of gangs of outlaws called Cow Boys and Skinners, 

 who roamed the country in search of plunder. On one occasion, a 

 party of the former forced their entrance into the Valentine House; 

 seizing the proprietor, Thomas Valentine, they demanded his life or 

 money; whereupon, disbelieving, or affecting to disbelieve him, they 

 threatened, on his again refusing, to hang him instantly. Obtaining no 

 satisfactory answer, they carried him to the foot of a cherry tree, still 

 standing, near the corner of the old garden, and had placed the cord 

 around his neck, when he suddenly threw it off, exclaiming, " Don't be 



such d d fools as to hang a man when he hasn't any money." The 



coolness and apparent sincerity of his language, served effectually to dis- 

 arm the robbers ; for they not only desisted from their purpose, but re- 

 leased him. Instances had occurred in the neighborhood, in which they 

 had actually carried their threats into execution. 



One or two instances of heroic courage in a female of this family 

 (Susan Valentine, aftenvards Mrs. Vredenburgh) is deserving of record 

 These marauders, like all other villians, frequently proved themselves 

 great cowards. Miss Susan Valentine, when a young woman, prevented 

 a large party from entering the house by threatening them, single handed, 

 with a large oven shovel — solemnly protesting she would split the head of 

 the first man that dared to cross the threshhold. Her courage and deter- 

 mination alone served to protect the house from plunder. On another 

 occasion, an intimate friend, Mr. Sneden, had entrusted her with the 



a Simcoe'9 MIL Journal. 

 b Heath's Mem. 353. 



