who had been in the battle at Fort Montgomery. Van
Arsdale entered his company, April 25th, 1781, and was given the
position of sergeant, with ten dollars a month pay, which was an advance
of two dollars. He was posted much of the time on the frontier of Ulster
County, where the levies were billeted on the families, a few in a
house, to protect them from Indians. These had done but little mischief
in this section of the State, since the crushing blow inflicted upon
them by Sullivan's expedition. The principal outrage had been committed
the last year (1780), when a small party under Shank's Ben, on September
17th, attacked the house of Col. Johannes Jansen, in Shawangunk,
intending to capture him, but, failing in this, seized and carried off a
young woman named Hannah Goetschius, and whom, with one John Mack and
his daughter, Elsie, they murdered and scalped in the woods!

But the present year witnessed a more formidable invasion. Col. Pawling
had sent out Silas Bouck and Philip Hine, on a scout, to watch for the
enemy. Near the Neversink River, they discovered a large body of Indians
and Tories approaching; but, then starting back to give the alarm, were
intercepted by Indian runners and captured. The settlements were
therefore unprepared for a visit; when early on Sunday morning, August
12th, this savage horde stole into Wawarsing and began an attack upon
the stone fort. Being repulsed with loss, they departed to plunder and
burn a dozen scattered dwellings; many others being saved by the bravery
of the levies quartered in them. Pursued by Col. Pawling as soon as he
could collect a force, they had time to escape; but, on September 22d,
returned again to burn Wawarsing. On this occasion, also, they first
attempted to surprise the fort, but an alarm being given by the sentinel
firing his gun, the garrison were warned and the inhabitants fled from
their houses and secured themselves. The enemy, again repulsed with a
number slain, proceeded to pillage and burn the place. Capt. Burnet was
then stationed at a blockhouse at Pinebush (in Mombackus, now town of
Rochester), whence he and Capt. Kortright marched towards Wawarsing,
but, not being in sufficient force to give battle, turned back. Soon
Col. Pawling arrived and they pursued the enemy about 40 miles, being
out seven days, but they could not overtake them. There was a private in
Van Arsdale's company named George Anderson, who three years before had
performed an exploit