5^° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WE3TCHES I 



sent out towards Mamaroneck, and upwards of eighty loads of forage were 

 brought off." a 



The following letter of Gen. Samuel Parsons, dated at Mamaroneck, 

 Nov. 21st, 1777, to Governor Tryon, with his answer, is copied from a 

 newspaper printed at the time : 



" Sir: — Adding to the natural horrors of war the most wanton destruction of 

 property, is an act of cruelty unknown to civilized nations, and unaccustomed 

 in war, until the servants of the King of Great Britian have convinced the im- 

 partial world, no act of humanity, no stretch of despotism, are too great to exer- 

 cise toward those they term rebels. 



"Had any apparent advantage been derived from burning the house on 

 Philip's manor, last Monday, there would have been some reason to justify the 

 measure ; but when no benefit whatever can be proposed, by burning those build- 

 ings and stripping the women and children of necessary apparel, to cover them 

 from the severity of a cold night, and captivating and leading in triumph to 

 your lines, in the most ignominious manner, the heads of those families, I know 

 not what justifiable cause to assign for those acts of cruelty ; nor can I conceive 

 a necessity for your further order to destroy Tarrytown. 



' ' You cannot be insensible it is every day in my power to destroy the houses 

 and buildings of Col. Philips, and those belonging to the family of De Laucey, 

 each as near your lines as those buildings were to my guards ; and notwithstand- 

 ing your utmost diligence, you cannot prevent the destruction of every house 

 this side of King's Bridge. It is not fear, it is not want of opportunity that has pre- 

 served those buildings ; but a sense of the injustice and savageness of such a 

 line of conduct, has saved them ; and nothing but necessity will induce me to 

 copy examples of this sort, so often set by your troops. 



''It is not my inclination, sir, to war in this manner against the inhabitants 

 within your lines, who suppose themselves within your king's protection. But 

 necessity will oblige me to retalilate in kind upon your friends, to procure the 

 exercise of that justice which humanity used to dictate, unless your explicit dis- 

 avowal of your two captains, Emmerick and Barnes, shall convince me these 

 houses were burned without your knowledge and against your order. 



"I am, sir, your humble servant, Samuel H. Parsons." 



GOVERNOR TRYON'S ANSWER, DATED 



" King's Bridge Camp, Nov. 23, 1777. 

 "Sir , — Could I possibly conceive myself accountable to any revolted subject 

 of the king of Great Britian, I might answer your letter, received by the flag of 

 truce yesterday, respecting the conduct of the party under Capt. Emmerick's 

 command upon the taking of Peter and Cornelius Van Tassell ; I have, however, 

 candor enough to assure you— as much as I abhor every principle of inhumanity 

 or ungenerous conduct— I should, were I in more authority, burn every com- 

 mittee man's house within my reach — as I deem those agents the wicked instru- 

 ments of the continued calamities of this country ; and in order sooner to purge 



a Heath's Mem., 114. 



