The Documentary history of the state of New-York; arranged under direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, secretary of State. By E. B. O'Callaghan ...

SECOND ESOPUS WAR 57
30th ditto. We, in two large parties, each of 80 men, cut
down all the corn and burnt the old maize which remained in
the pits. Returned to the fort, all together, in the evening, and
made preparations to set out in the morning. Meanwhile the
Indians who the day before had called out that they would come
& fight us, did not make their appearance. We cut down nearly
one hundred morgens of Maize and burnt above a hundred pits
full of corn and beans.
31st ditto. In the morning at the dawn of day set fire to the
fort and all the houses, and while they were in full blaze marched
out in good order, Capt Lieutenant Couwenhoven forming the
van guard, Lieutenant Stilwil's Company the centre, and I with
my company the rear guard. So arrived in safety at our fort
about 9 o'clock in the evening with our cannon and wagons.
Remarked scarcely anything on the way. The road or course
from Wildwyck to the fort of the Esopus Indians lies mostly
south west, about 10 [Dutch] miles from our fort.
1st August. In the morning heard two shots from the Redoubt
on the river side. Sent off Ensign Christiaen Niessen with 50
men. He found there the Honble Company's yacht in which the
Heer Secretary van Ruyven had come. Had him escorted to the
Village of Wildwyck, and did nothing more as it was a day of
Fasting and Prayer.
2d ditto. Nothing occurred as it rained during the whole day
and night.
3d ditto. The Heer Secretary departed on his return to the
Manhatans, accompanied by Lieutenant Couwenhoven and the
Indians being 41 in the whole, who would not remain ahn longer;
also 5 of the Honble Company's Negroes. Through great intercession and promise of better behavior in future, the Council of
war pardoned Jan Hendricksen the faults committed by him and
he is released from confinement, Meanwhile I had two parties
in the field with the reapers and one in Ambush. They saw
nothing and returned in the evening. I this day sold, by public
beat of drum, the three horses which we had brought with us
from the Indians' fort.
1 About 215 Acres-ED.