3600 men under the command of General Vaughan. The order given them
was to scatter desolation in their track; and they obeyed--destroying
all vessels on the river and firing from the ships upon the houses of
known Patriots. Also small parties landed and desolated whole
neighborhoods with fire and sword. They landed near Kingston on the
13th of October in two divisions, each taking a different road to the
town, and burning and destroying as they went. They joined upon a
gentle eminence and marched into the town,--then but a small
village,--began setting the houses on fire, and soon had almost every
one laid in ashes."

"Was Kingston only a very little place then, grandma?" asked Eric.

"A town of only three or four thousand inhabitants," she replied.
"Some of the people--warned of the approach of the British--had
succeeded in hiding their most valuable effects, but others lost all
they had. A large quantity of provisions and stores was destroyed.
After doing all that mischief, the British--fearing the American
people would gather together and come upon and punish them for all
this wanton cruelty--hastily retreated."

"Did it do them any good to burn down the town, grandma?" asked Eric
hotly.

"No; there was nothing gained by it."

"And as they burned the town, there are no Revolutionary houses to be
seen there now, I suppose?"

"A few houses escaped the fire," she said. "One is the 'Constitution
House'--called so because it was there the Convention met which framed
the Constitution for the government of the State. I think we will
visit it to-day. Perhaps, too, the old graveyard where many of the
Huguenots lie buried. Will we not, captain?" addressing him as he drew
near their little group, as if interested to learn what was the topic
of her discourse.

"We will visit any spot that you wish us to, mother," he answered in
his pleasant tones.

"Were you giving the boys a history of Kingston?"

"A slight sketch," she said; "and they want to see the Constitution
House; perhaps the old graveyard too."

"Ah! I think we will visit both; certainly, if all our party wish it."

At that, several of the others gathered about them, asking of what
places they were speaking; and, on being told, they one and all
expressed themselves as desirous to see everything connected with the
history of the town to which they were going. So that was what they
did on their arrival at Kingston. They remained there for some hours;
then