376 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



of provisions and water for three days, was insufficient for one ; and in 

 some instances, they were four days entirely destitute of food. The pork 

 and bread, for they had no other sustenance, and even water allowed 

 them were of the worst possible quality, and totally unfit for human be- 

 ings. A minute detail of their dreadful sufferings, would only serve to 

 harrow up the feelings of surviving friends. As a gross outrage against 

 the principles of humanity, suffice it to say, that in consequence of the 

 most barbarous treatment, not less than fifteen hundred American sol- 

 diers, died within a few weeks, brave young men, the pride and shield of 

 our country. After -death had released the sufferers, their bodies were 

 dragged out of the prisons and piled up without doors, till enough were 

 collected for a cart load, when they were carted out and tumbled into a 

 ditch, and slightly covered with earth."* 



By his wife Abigail, the Hon. John Thomas left issue, (beside four 

 daughters,) John Thomas, High Sheriff of Westchester county, in 1778,^ 

 William Thomas and Major General Thomas Thomas, of Harrison. 

 The latter individual was one of the most prominent whigs of the north, 

 a distinguished military officer," Sheriff of the county, (in 1778) and one 

 of the first members of the State Legislature. The following notice of 

 his capture by the Queen's rangers in 1777, is thus related by Lieuten 1 

 ant Col. Simcoe. 



"Before the troops went into winter quarters, it was necessary that 

 sufficient boards should be procured to hut those who were to remain in 

 the vicinity of King's Bridge, and the light troops were of the parties 

 who collected them. Lieut. Colonel Simcoe proposed to General Tryon, 

 who commanded the British, to take down Ward's house, d and the build 

 ings in its vicinity ; and that, while a covering party should halt there, 

 he would attempt to surprise Col. Thomas, (a very active partizan of the 

 enemy,) and a post of dragoons, nearly twenty miles beyond it. Gen- 

 eral Tryon acquiesced in the proposal, and directed it to be put in exe- 

 cution, but seemed very doubtful, whether so wary a person as Thomas 

 could be circumvented. Lieut. Colonel Simcoe marched all night, with 

 Emmerich's and, the Queen's rangers, and surrounded Thomas' house by 

 daybreak. He never lay at home before that night, and had done so in 

 consequence of the British troops in general being gone into winter quar- 

 ters, and one of his own spies being deceived, and made to believe that 

 the Queen's rangers were to march to Long Island. One shot was fired 

 from the window, which, unfortunately killed a man by the side of Lieut. 



a James Thatcher's Military Journal, Feb. 1777. p. 77. 



b This gentleman was tne last High Sheriff of the county before, and the first appointed 

 after, the war. 

 c General Thomas was elected chairman of Public Safety, in 1776. 

 d See East Chester. 



