THE TOWN* OF YORKTOWX. 68l 



May. The enemy crossed the Croton before daylight, and hastening bis advance, 

 reached cur station with the dawn of day unperceived. As lie approached the 

 farm house in which the Lieutenant-Colonel was quartered, the noise of troops 

 marching was heard, which was the first intimation of the fatal design. Greene 

 and Major Flagg immediately prepared themselves for defence ; hut they were too 

 i expeditious was the progress of the enemy. Flagg discharged his pistols, 

 and instantly afterwards fell mortally wounded, when the ruffians (unworthy the 

 appellation of soldiers) burst open the door of Greene's apartment. Here the gal- 

 lant veteran singly received them with his drawn sword." Several fell beneath 

 the arm accustomed to conquer ; till at length, overpowered by numbers, and 

 faint from the loss of blood streaming from his wounds, barbarity triumphed over 

 valor. ' His right arm was almost cut off in two places, the left in one, a severe 

 cut on the left shoulder, a sword thrust through the abdomen, a bayonet in the 

 right side, and another through the abdomen, several sword cuts on the head, 

 and many in different parts of the body.' 



"Thus cruelly mangled, fell the generous conqueror of Count Donop, whose 

 wounds, as well as those of his unfortunate associates, had been tenderly dressed 

 as soon as the battle terminated, and whose pains and sorrows had been as ten- 

 derly assuaged. How different was the relentless fury here displayed ! 



" The commander- in-chief heard with anguish and indignation the tragical fate 

 of his loved, his faithful friend and soldier, in whose feelings the army sincerely 

 participated. On the subsequent day, the corpse was brought to head-quarters, 

 and his funeral was solemnized with military honors and universal grief. 6 



The following additional particulars concerning this melancholy affair 

 are contained in a letter from the paymaster, Thomas Hughes to Mr. 

 Job Greene of Warwick, R. I., a son of Colonel Greene. 



RnoDE Island Village, 14th, Mat, 1781. 

 Deae Sir : — It is with pain I write on a subject that is so nearly and closely 

 connected to you as a parent ; I must, my dear friend, inform you of the unhappy 

 fate which befel your father. 



This morning the enemy made an attack on the lines, which was a compleat 

 surprise, and he fell a sacrifice to the cruel hand of tyranny in defending himself 

 against the strokes struck by the light horsemen. He had his rite rist almost cut 

 off in two places, his left in one, a severe cut in the left shoulder, a sword run 

 through his body, a bayonett into his right side, another through his body, his 

 head cut to pieces in several plaices, his back and body cut and hacked in such a 

 manner as gives me pain to inform you ; he was carried about three-quarters of a 

 mile from his quarters, where they left him to dye, or rather through the loss of 

 blood and not strength to go forward, finished his days in the woods ; and as they 



a " When Davenport's house was taken one Ackerly broke in and entered first ; CoL Greene 

 gf-iz-<i and threw him down, and was on the point of dispatching him wi'h his sword, when 

 he received a cut intliearm, which disabled him. Ackerly was from near Pines Bridge." — Test, 

 of Joshua Putney, aged Si.— McDonald MS^. in possession of Gen. Moore. Esq., Lib. of N. T. 

 Hist. Soc. The officer commanding at the Bridge, who insulted Totten escaped on the 14th of 

 Mav, 1731, by being absent accidentally at the time of attack, some two or three miles off.— 

 Test. of Joshua Putnev.— McDonald M SS. 



b At the close of the Revolutionary war Col. DeLancey politely forwarded to General 

 Thomas, of Harrison, the blood-stained pocket-books of Col. Green and Major Flagg. These 

 interesting relics, we regret to say, (since the General's decease) have been destroyed. 



