706 HISTORV OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



On the 2 1 st of October, 1780, "intelligence was received that the ene- 

 my were meditating an excursion as far up as Crompondand its vicinity, 

 to sweep off the cattle." Gen. Heath immediately ordered Col. Hazen, 

 with a detachment of 500 men, to move to Pines Bridge, and Lieut. 

 Col. Jameson, with the 2d light dragoons, to move from Bedford towards 

 Col. Hazen. The detachment arrived at Pines Bridge about two 

 o'clock the next morning. The evening of the 23d, Col. Hazen re- 

 turned with the detachment ; the enemy did not come out." It was 

 in the vicinity of Pines Bridge that Enoch Crosby, the Westchester spy, 

 first commenced his career of secret service. 



By way of a general geographical description of Yorktown, it may be 

 observed, " that the north is broken by the hills of the southern border 

 of the Highlands, and the general surface is hilly, though its hills are 

 of a moderate height in the south " & The numerous streams supply 

 abundance of mill seats. " The soil is generally productive, and well 

 distributed into arable, pasture, and meadow lands. Much of it is 

 stony ; and previous to the late introduction of gypsum as a manure, 

 many farms were nearly exhausted by constant tillage."* The timber 

 is very thrifty and tall, consisting for the most part of oak, chestnut, 

 hickory and walnut, &c. The low grounds yield maple, black birch, 

 ash and hemlock, &c. 



The first entry relating to town officers occurs in the manor book, en- 

 titled, 



" Record for the manor of Cortlandt and Yorktown" 



"At a town meeting held for ye manor of Cortlandt, on the first 

 Tuesday, in April, in the year of our Lord, 1760, to choose town officers 

 for ye said manor for the ensuing year, and the respective names and 

 offices of those chosen." 



Pierre van Cortlandt, Supervisor. 

 Moses Travis, Clerk. 

 Joseph Sherwood, Treasurer. 



Daniel Strang.) *„„„'. 



T m r Assessor*. 



Joseph Tidd, > 



Joseph Travis, for the Water Collector at Peekskill. 

 John Travis, Pounder. 



Jeremiah Drake, Constable for the west part ; 

 John Yeomans, for ye middle part ; 

 John Purdy, for ye cast part, &c d 



a Ibid. 260. 



b Sp;ifTor<l's Qazatteer of New York, 

 c Ibid. 



■ Rcc. of Yorktown. The names of some twenty freeholders are also attached to the 



