THE TOWN OF GREENBURGH. 



355 



cendants, ' ' Whose monument is this ? '' they shall answer, with pleasure and 

 pride, " This is the grave of Isaac Van Wart, who was an incorruptible patriot 

 and a good Christian. He lived with our ancestors, and was one of them, and 

 they appreciated his services ; and to perpetuate his memory, erected this tomb 

 stone, and gave it in charge to us to keep it from profanation. Nearly half a 

 century before this monument was built, the Conscript Fathers of America had 

 in the Senate chamber, voted he was a faithful patriot — one in whom the love of 

 country was invincible — and this monument bears testimony that the record is 

 true. 



Mr. Francis Kain then gave the finishing stroke to the monument, after which 

 the military escort divided into three sections ; each division fired one round. 

 The procession was again formed, by the marshal in the same order as before. 

 The officers and soldiers of the Revolution, on the right, passed the line, the 

 same honors being paid to them by the military; and the whole returned to the 

 house of Mr. E. Mead, from whence they had started." 



During the American war, this section of the neutral ground was fre- 

 quently harrassed by incursions of the enemy. 



On one occasion a large body of British Cow-boys (who had been up 

 the country in prosecution of their trade,) were returning laden with 

 spoil, when they received a severe check in the vicinity of Smith's tav- 

 ern, from a small force of American volunteers. The attack is said to 

 have been commenced by an individual named John Dean. The 

 neighborhood, alarmed by the firing, immediately turned out to his as- 

 sistance. 



November 17th, 1777, the British, under Captain Emmerick, made 

 an excursion from their quarters, to the Saw-Mill Valley, and complete- 

 ly surprised the Van Tassels, who were residing near Captain Romer's, 

 burnt their houses, " stripped the women and children of the necessary 

 apparel to cover them from the severity of a cold winter's night," and led 

 off in triumph, the two brothers, Peter and Cornelius Van Tassel.* 



In retaliation for this inhuman outrage, the patriots fitted up an ex- 

 pedition at Tarry town, under the command of Abraham Martlingh, 

 which proceeded down the Hudson River, passed the enemy's guard- 

 boats in safety, and succeeded in setting fire to General Oliver de Lan- 

 cey's house on New York island, after plundering it of its contents. 

 The whole party returned to Tarrytown in safety. This enterprise was 

 conducted in the very face of the British army. 



Three young lads named Vincent, Smith and Lawrence, were over- 

 taken by a party of Totten's refugee corps, a little south of Rowland's 

 mill; two were killed on the spot, Vincent recovered from his wounds, 

 but remained a cripple for life. Major David Hunt, of the Continental 

 army, afterwards conveyed him to Paulus Hook, where he was noticed 

 a See Gen. Parson's Letter, Mamaroneck. 



