character, with a keen perception of injustice, and a horror of all laxity of principle and chicane; slow in forming his opinions, and as firm in holding as he was clear and fearless in expressing them. Had he prepared his own work for the press, he might have modified the vigor, force, terseness, and occasional indignation, of some of his expressions, but the editor has not deemed it his duty to do so, except in the particulars above mentioned. It would have been unfair to both author and reader. The former wrote what he saw fit, and the reader is entitled to know what he did write, not what the editor might think he ought to have written. The author's opinions, those of a man of education, character, and the highest social and official position, personally acquainted with the men and events whom he knew and which he witnessed, must, of course, go for what they are worth. But the facts he gives, so many of which are new, speak for themselves, and must and will have their effect, be it what it may. It must also be remembered that a century has passed since the events, the acts, the scenes, and the persons he describes, occurred and existed; that the leading persons mentioned are in a greater or less degree historical characters, and as such, by their words and deeds, must be judged, and will be judged, by posterity, without regard to private, party, or family views. For the editor to have adopted any other course than he has done in this matter, would not only have destroyed the value and interest, and injured the authority, of Judge Jones's work, but have deprived the public of a view of the events and men of the American Revolution, on both sides, which it has never before had, and which it is not likely it will ever have again. Some obviously erroneous statements of the particulars of a few incidents, none of them of great importance, have been left unchanged, which would have been corrected in the text, had not the editor decided to let them remain, to show by comparison how generally correct the author's statements are. This Preface cannot be concluded without the editor's sincere thanks for the kind assistance in his labors (which have taken all the time possible to be spared from professional avocations for upwards of three years), that has been extended to him by all from whom he has sought information, many of whom it is impossible for want of space to mention here. Much that is new and which has never before been printed will be found scattered through his notes. Especially are his thanks due for the use of valuable family manuscripts, to Mr. William Floyd-Jones, of Massapequa, Queens County, Long Island, and to Admiral Melancthon Smith, U.S.N.; to Mrs. Oliver H. Hubbard, the granddaughter of both Governor Trumbull and Gen. Silliman, for the examination and the use of the latter's private papers; to the Hon. Benjamin D. Silliman, of Brooklyn, for valuable information of which he was the sole depository, and for his great zeal and labor in obtaining information from other sources; to Mr. John Russell Bartlett, the learned and courteous librarian of the Carter-Brown Library at Providence, for Stedman's History of the American War, with Sir Henry Clinton's manuscript notes, an extraordinary and unique source of authentic information, kindly sent to the editor in this city for use in this work; to Mr. Samuel P. Bell, of New York, and to Mr. Samuel J. McCormick, of Pelham, for the Peters manuscripts that have cleared up the mystery of the capture of Mount Washington, and thrown entirely new light on the campaign of Burgoyne. Brief statements of the new facts on these two subjects, made by the editor at two meetings of the New York Historical Society, have already caused them to be mentioned by writers-in one case without acknowledgmentbut they were already in type in this work when he first called to them the attention of that Society. The invaluable collection of manuscripts and early printed broadsides of the New York Historical Society, and the family papers of the editor, have afforded great and important information. To the gentlemen officially connected with the New York State Library at Albany, and with the Historical Societies of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Buffalo, and the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, the especial thanks of the editor are due for the promptness and kindness with which they have made examinations, and answered all inquiries; to Mr. Charles B. Moore, Mr. Henry B. Dawson, Mr. H. K. Averill, Jr., and Mr. Henry T. Drowne, the editor is indebted for information and suggestions of great assistance, as well as to his lamented friend, and brother-member of the Publication Committee of the New York Historical Society, the late Evert A. Duyckinck. Mr. John Austin Stevens, the Librarian of the New York Historical Society, has given willing and courteous assistance; and the extensive information of Mr. William Kelby, of that Society, upon the details of New York City history, and his ready aid in the library of the Society, have been often called upon, and cannot be too fully acknowledged. To his friend, Mr. George H. Moore, LL.D., the editor cannot too deeply express his thanks for the full historical knowledge ever at his service, and the unvarying courtesy and ability which he has shown in carrying out all the details incident to the publication of these volumes. EDWARD FLOYD DE LANCEY. NEW YORK, December, 1878. TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. CHAPTER I. NEW YORK Before the RevoLUTION, 1752-1775. The year 1752 the Golden Age of New York-Religious de- |