Extract of a letter from Egremont, in this Province,

dated July 30, 1766

as published in the Boston Evening Post, page 2

30 July 1766.

(all spelling as found in the article)

  "On Saturday the 26th of July Inftant, Hermanus Schyler, Sheriff of the County of Albany, and Robert Van Ranslear, of Cleverack, attended with about 250 of General Gage's Light Infantry, arm'd with Guns, Swords, Piftols, one Field Piece, and three Swivels, came in a hoftile Manner to Nobletown, to the Houfe of Andrew Stalker, which they broke down; from thence they proceeded to the Hufe of William Bever, broke down his Houfe, and robb'd him of 3 Guns and fundry other Goods and Tools; from thence the came to the Houfe of Evert Cooniekabacker, where they pitched their Camp; from thence faid Schyler and others, on Sabbath Day the 27th, travelled 3 Miles to the Houfe of Jofeph Clarke, and broke it open & robb'd him of all his Books, Arms, Cloaths, Provifions, and every Thing they could lay their Hands on; from thence they went to the Houfe of Robert Mecker, and broke down the houfe, flung out and deftroy'd and carry'd away every thing that was therein; from thence they returned to their Camp; from whence in the Afternoon the faid Schyler and others came to the Houfe of Robert Noble, which Houfe and Furniture they entirely deftroyed, and fet Fire to the Barns, &c. which were confumed; from thence they proceeded to the Houfes of faid Clarke and Mecker, and carried off all they left in the Morning, then returning to their Camp they took as Prifoner Thomas Millard, killing and deftroying Swine, Fowls, &c. as they returned:  On Monday the 28th the faid Schyler and others came to the Houfe of Robert Warren, which they broke open and plundered and rifled of every thing therein, killed 4 sheep, 3 Hogs, 1 Calf, and abufed the Children, &c. thence they proceeded to the Houfe of William Kellog, and a Man who was in the Houfe upon thier Approach fled, but was purfued & had 2 guns fired at him, but he efcaped; they then returned to the Houfe, which they robb'd of everything, and much abufed a Child there, killed 2 Hogs, ten Geefe, &c. thence faid Schyler and others came to the Houfe of Eb. Smith of Egremont, and rifled it every thing valuable and light to carry away, and then returned to their Camp; and on Tuefday they drew off, threatning they would come again in a few Days and lay the whole Town in Rubbifh, plant 3 Forts there, and tarry to keep off the Inhabitants.----

Thus are the Inhabitants of Nobletown drove away to the neighbouring Towns, as Sheep by Wolves, to Egremont, Sheffield, and Barrington, with their Wives and Families, and are in the moft diftreffed Circumftances, having nothing to fupport them but the Charity of the People."----