620 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



war ; and presented to Augustus van Cortlandt, by Rear Admiral Robert 

 Digby of the British navy. To the east of the house, the Mosholu (Tip- 

 petts brook) pent up by the mill dam, forms an extensive sheet of water, 

 which is greatly enriched by the vicinity of green meadows, orchards and 

 neighboring hills. South of the pond is situated the old mill. Amid the 

 grove of locusts on George's point, a little north of the mill, stood the 

 original residence of the Van Cortlandts. 



The interior of the present house is neatly fitted up and furnished, its 

 drawing room and library windows look out on beautiful prospects ; in the 

 latter apartment are some fine family portraits : Henry White, jr., by 

 Jarvis; Vice Admiral Sir John White, in full uniform, a copy by Chap- 

 man from the original of Jarvis; Augustus Van Cortlandt, by Jarvis; 

 Thomas Bibby, by Chapman; Mr. Babcock, by Stewart; and John 

 White, sen., by Copley. 



The old family Bible of the Van Cortlandt's, printed at Amsterdam, 

 A.D. 1 7 14, contains some curious memoranda of the Jay family. The 

 first entry occurs, New York, den 19th Jan., 1723-4. 



During the early period of the Revolutionary war, this house was gar- 

 risoned by a piquet guard of the Green Yagers, whose officers held their 

 head-quarters here. 



His Excellency, General Washington, and aids, dined in one of the 

 apartments on the memorable July of 1781, when the British piquets 

 were driven within the lines upon New York Island. In another room, 

 the unfortunate Captain Rowe expired in the arms of his bride-elect. 



To the north of the mansion, is seen rising Vault Hill, so called from 

 the family sepulchre, which is seated upon its summit. From this spot 

 hallowed by the remains of the illustrious dead, the view is exceedingly 

 beautiful ; Tippett's vale, the mill-pond, orchards, and neighboring hills. 

 The vault itself is a small square edifice of stone, surmounted with a 

 pointed roof, the whole enclosed by a solid stone wall. Within an ad- 

 joining vault, in the same yard, repose the remains of 



CHARLOTTE AMELIA BAYLEY,** 



relic of Doctor Richard Bayley, 



who died the 1st day of Sept., 



1805. 



It was upon this hill that General Washington stationed his troops and 

 lighted camp-fires for the purpose of deceiving the enemy, whilst he secret- 

 ly withdrew to join La Fayette before Yorktown, in Virginia, AD. 1781. 



a This lady was a sister-in-law of Augustus Van Cortlandt, Sen. 



