[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] from a letter written by Judge Samuel Young to R. V. Morris, member of Assembly, under date of "Mount Pleasant, January 25, 1814," and published in the Historical Maijazine for June, 1871. Judge Young wrote, — " I resided in the lines from the commencement of the Revolution until the winter of 1777, when my father's house was burned by order of the British General. The county of Westchester, very soon after the commencement of hostilities, became, on account of its exposed situation, a scene of the deepest dis-tress. From the Croton to Kingsbridge every species of rapine and lawlessness prevailed. No one went to his bed but under the apprehension of having his house plundered or burnt, or himself or family mas-sacred before morning. Some under the character of Whigs plundered the Tories, while others of the lat-ter description plundered the Whigs. Parties of ma-rauders assuming either character, or none, as suited their convenience, indiscriminately assailed both Whigs and Tories. So little vigilance was used on our part that the emissaries and spies of the enemy