Isaac Webbers, Dent Banks, and a party of Skinners once came to our house for the mare, and

the commander addressed my mother who was up, telling her they had eaten nothing all day long, and begging her, very civilly, to supply them with some refreshments if it were nothing but bread &c. My mother moved with com=passion, went to the dark hole in the field where her meat and most of her provisions were concealed, and gave them the best supper in her power. In the morning early the troopers departed.

An officious, gossiping old woman of our neighborhood went to Colonel Thomas, and informed him that my father during the last night had har=boured a party of Refugees.

During the forenoon the Colonel came to our house and said to my father: "You har=boured a party of Refugees last night." Father replied, "A party of horse staid here last night - I believe they belong above, but I don't certainly know." "Yes, you

do, you old rascal," said Thomas, and thereupon knocked my father down with a blow of his musket. A moment after the officer and men in question who belonged as we discovered to Sheldon's, returned from reconnoitring, and my father informed the commander of the treatment he had received from Colonel Thomas. The officer was extremely indignant and addressed Thomas in the severest terms, saying: "He came here last night hungry and fatigued, both men and horses. Mr. Anderson took us in and supplied our wants with the best in his power, and is this the return he receives for his hospitality? Colonel Thomas, you are a disgrace to the service! and this is the way the American cause suffers from the cowardice and incapacity of some of our officers!"