USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > Historic Morristown, New Jersey : the story of its first century > Part 24
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On hearing of the volunteered approach of Arnold with his ample force of patriot troops, the Indians fled in great haste from before besieged Fort Schuyler, in consequence of which the siege was suddenly aband- oned by the enemy. In the battle of Saratoga, result-
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ing in Burgoyne's surrender, Arnold specially distin- guished himself, receiving a second wound in the right leg. After the evacuation of Philadelphia by the Brit- ish, because, in part, of his disabled condition, General Arnold was placed in command of that city, and there occurred the unfortunate events which led to his court-martial. This, in brief, is Arnold's military record prior to the year 1780.
The terse summons to the gathering in Dickerson's tavern, was as follows: "Headquarters, Morristown, December 22, 1779. The court-martial, whereof Ma- jor-General Howe is president, to sit to-morrow, 10 o'clock, at Norris's tavern." From this order it ap- pears that the necessary arrangements for the trial had already been made. In accordance with the order from the commander-in-chief, issued from the Ford mansion the following officers, constituting, by appointment of Washington, the court-martial, convened at the Dick- erson Tavern on Thursday morning, December 23: Major-General Robert Howe, president; Brigadier- General Henry Knox, Brigadier-General William Maxwell, Brigadier-General Mordecai Gist (some- times spelled Gest) and eight colonels, and before this body Benedict Arnold was summoned for trial.
The court-martial, which convened on the morning of December 23, was resumed on four subsequent days, and on the last, December 30, it was adjourned, to afford Arnold opportunity to procure additional ev- idence. On Wednesday, the nineteenth day of January following, and on four consecutive days thereafter, the
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court-martial continued its session, adjourning at last until the twenty-sixth day of the same month. At this latter session the decision of the court-martial was rendered.
The writer has been informed, and reliably, as he conceives, that the particular room in Dickerson's tav- ern in which the court was convened was that situated on the right as one entered the front door of this fa- mous hostelry. This is said to have been the barroon and the bar seems to have run across the easterly end of it. Down a few steps, at the southwest end of the room alluded to, was a large, old-fashioned stone bake oven, the form of which could be seen on the exterior of the building.
The charges brought against Arnold were, briefly stated: permitting a Tory vessel (while he was in com- mand at Philadelphia, in the year 1778) to enter port without acquainting the commander-in-chief or the State officials of the fact; closing stores and shops, thus preventing purchases by the people of the "Quak- er City," but making purchases for his personal ad- vantage; the imposition upon the local militia of what were considered menial services; the purchase, at an inadequate price, of a prize-ship captured and brought into port by a State privateer; granting to an unworthy person a pass to enter the enemy's lines; the transpor- tation of the private property of Tories in wagons be- longing to the State; an indecent and disrespectful re- fusal to explain to the Council of Pennsylvania the reasons for using the State wagons for the benefit of
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Tories, and lastly, partiality exhibited toward the ad- herents of the King of Great Britain and the neglectful treatment of the patriot authorities of Philadelphia.
These charges, as originally and fully stated, had been brought to the attention of Arnold in the spring of the year 1779, by the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, and he personally demanded of Wash- ington a court-martial, and requested a speedy inves- tigation of the crimes alleged. May first of the year 1779, was the first date designated by the commander- in-chief for Arnold's trial, but more time for the gath- ering of evidence being requested by the State officials preferring the charges, the trial was postponed one month. By this time the military campaign of 1779 was in progress, and a court-martial was highly im- practicable. The cessation of active hostilities, and the retirement of the patriot army into winter quarters at Morristown in the month of December, of the year 1779, afforded the opportunity of formally and partic- ularly investigating the criminal charges brought against General Arnold. What must, in the opinion of the writer, have proved a most disagreeable task, that of prosecuting the charges against General Arn- old, inevitably fell to Lieutenant-Colonel John Law- rence, the judge advocate.
Not only the recollection of Arnold's previous bril- liant and invaluable services in the cause of freedom, but his personal appearance upon the occasion, and its vivid reminder to all present of those services, must, as it seems, have rendered the discharge of the duty as-
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signed to Colonel Lawrence merely perfunctory. In- deed, there is evidence that such was the case. Not now to emphasize the facts that the officer arraigned before the court at Dickerson's tavern, had not at the time, reached the fortieth year of his age; that he wore the insignia of a major-general of the patriot army, and that his unprecedented bravery on not, by any means, a single field of battle, was evidenced by the sword knots fastened about his waist, the gift of his il- lustrious commander-in-chief; he bore in his maimed and crippled body the badges of two severe wounds, the marked evidences of which were sufficient to have disarmed prejudice and rancor, and favorably disposed the observer toward the distinguished prisoner. Ex- plicitly stated, Arnold's right leg had been broken be- tween the knee and hip joint at Quebec, and at Sara- toga the same leg had again been broken, this time between the knee and foot. The result was a short and mis-shapen leg, and lameness which necessitated the constant use of a cane in walking.
Arnold, leaning upon his cane, acted as his own counsel in this famous trial. As evidence in his favor he laid before the court numerous letters and docu- ments, including complimentary letters from the com- mander-in-chief and commendatory resolutions of Congress. Following the presentation of his evidence, Arnold addressed the court at considerable length. From his address, carefully recorded by the clerk of the body before whom he was being tried, the follow- ing suggestive extracts are given:
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"When one is charged with practices which his soul abhors, and which conscious innocence tells him he has never committed, an honest indignation will draw from him expressions in his own favor which on other occasions might be ascribed to an ostentatious turn of mind. My time, my fortune and my person have been devoted to my country in this war. * "
Referring to the charge that he had made private purchases to his own advantage, he said:
"If this be true, I stand confessed in the presence of this honorable court the vilest of men; I stand stigmatized with indellible disgrace. Where is the evidence of this accusa- tion? I call upon my accusers to produce it. On the honor of a gentleman and a soldier I declare to gentlemen and soldiers it is false. If I made considerable purchases, con- siderable sales must have been made to me by some persons in Philadelphia. Why are not these persons produced?"
After the close of Arnold's address the court was adjourned to the twenty-six day of January, when the judge advocate arrayed all available evidence against the young officer on trial. This was supplemented by a careful summing up by the prosecutor. As an indi- cation of the general expectancy of the acquittal of Arnold in which he himself shared, it may be said that an officer in Stark's brigade, encamped on the Bask- ing Ridge road, wrote to a friend: "It is expected he will be acquitted with honors." While the verdict of the court-martial was, technically speaking, neither a conviction nor an acquitaal, the closing paragraph amounted to a suggestion that Arnold receive from the
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commander-in-chief a reprimand for his alleged mis- conduct. This reprimand Washington subsequently administered privately and in the most delicate man -- ner consistent with the court's suggestion. The exact words of Washington's reprimand were:
"The Commander in Chief would have been much happier in an occasion of Bestowing commendations on an officer who has rendered such Distinguished services to his country as Major General Arnold, but in the present case, a sense of Duty & a Regard to candour oblige him to declare that he Considers his conduct in the instance of the Permit as peculiarly Reprehensible, both in a Civil & Military view & in the affair of the Waggons as imprudent & Improper."
At the finding of the court Arnold was disappointed and indignant, and, stung by the verdict and the repri- mand, he resolved to quit the service and retire to private life. From this course the magnanimous com- mander-in-chief succeeded in dissuading him, and he was appointed by Washington to the command at West Point, one of the most important in the service, which Arnold accepted. No more convincing proof of Washington's confidence in Arnold's loyalty could be adduced than this important assignment. If only Arnold had clearly understood, what was generally conceded by those conversant with the facts to have been the case, that the verdict of the court-martial convened at Dickerson's tavern, was intended as a mere sop to the prejudices of the Council of Pennsyl- vania, and that the mild reprimand of his military chief partook largely of the nature of a perfunctory
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service, he would have been saved from the rash step which has ever since linked his otherwise honorable name with infamy, and the American arms would have retained his invaluable services to the close of the struggle for freedom.
A letter from Arnold, during the winter following his trial, to Washington, requesting "leave of absence from the army during the ensuing summer," on ac- count of impaired health, can only be construed as an indication that the commander at West Point was still brooding over what he considered a gross wrong per- petrated upon him as the result of the generally trivial charges brought against him by the Pennsylvania Council. To Arnold's request Washington replied: "You have my permission, though it is my expectation and wish to see you in the field." The story of Arn- old's attempt at the betrayal of his country, is too fa- miliar to readers of history to necessitate rehearsal. The saddest commentary upon his treason is the fact, that after his removal to England, he lived in obscur- ity, and was detested and avoided by the people whose cause he had rashly espoused. Whose was the greater responsibility for his treasonous conduct-Arnold's, or that of his virtually self-confessed persecutors- does not yet appear. Coupled with this expression of opinion, by the writer, however, is the conviction, that no apology should be made for the overt act of treason against one's country, whatever be the provocation, since the Infinite Creator hath "ordained thy will by
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nature free, not overruled by fate inextricable, or strict necessity."
In "Appendix A," of the "Proceedings of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, of the State of New Jersey," for the year 1900, may be found the following: "Note-The following memoranda re- ferring to the Masonic Convention at Morristown, N. J., during the Revolutionary War, at which Brother George Washington was personally present, is a tran- script of the rough notes which were found among the manuscripts left by the late Edmund D. Halsey, Esq., of Morristown. Mr. Halsey did not live to complete his account of the Convention, but it is thought that the notes following are well worthy of preservation in the archives of New Jersey Masonry:
"One of the most interesting events which took place in Morristown during the war for independence was the meet- ing of the Military Union Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, to celebrate the feast of St. John the Evangelist, in December, 1779, in the old Arnold Tavern. The presence of Washington, the patriotic character of the resolutions adopted, and the number of distinguished officers who took part, made it peculiarly noteworthy. It was probably the first meeting of the Order in the town, and we can imagine with what curiosity the gathering at the inn, and the stately procession from thence across the public square to the old church, was witnessed by the people, and what an assem- blage of citizens and soldiers filled the sacred building to hear the 'polite discourse' of Dr. Baldwin. No newspaper was then printed in the county from which a report of the proceedings can be gathered, and the letters which have been preserved of that period are silent on this subject.
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"The revival of interest in matters of this period has brought to light many of the circumstances attending this meeting, including its minutes which were found in the records of the Brotherhood in Connecticut and which for niany years were supposed to have been lost.
"In February, 1776, Richard Gridley, Deputy Grand Master of St. John's Grand Lodge, in Massachusetts, granted a war- rant to 'American Union Lodge, whose members belonged to the Connecticut troops and were then engaged in the mili- tary service of the Colonies about Boston. After the evacuation of Boston, and when the army had moved to the vicinity of New York, a confirmation of this charter was applied for from the Masonic authorities of New York. This was denied, but a new warrant was authorized under the name of 'Military Union Lodge, No. I.' This latter name was distasteful to the members, and they never used it when it could be avoided, but continued to call themselves by their more original and patriotic title.
"The Lodge kept up its meetings when the army was not on the march, and members were received from time to time from regiments of different States. In December, 1778, Gen- eral Washington was present at the celebration of St. John's Day in Philadelphia, leading the procession to Christ's Church, where a Masonic sermon was delivered by Rev. Dr. William Smith, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The name of Washington became a Masonic toast and first in order at Masonic festivals.
"The Continental Army arrived in Morristown about the first of December, 1779, and proceeded to build their huts on the Kemble and Wick Farms, between that town and Baskingridge. Washington took up his residence at the Ford mansion, and the officers of his staff were quartered in various houses about the village. Almost immediately, on the fifteenth, the Masonic brethren came together and held a meeting at 'Colonel Gray's quarters' to elect officers and to prepare for the coming festival of St. John,the evangelist.
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The Minutes of this meeting, as of that which followed, are found in the 'History of Free and Accepted Masons in New York,' by Charles T. McClenachan, Historian of the Grand Lodge, a work from which I am kindly permitted to make extracts at pleasure. The originel minutes are in possession of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut. Captain-Lieutenant Jonathan Heart, of the Third Connecticut Regiment, was chosen Worshipful Master; Lieutenant and Paymaster Rich- ard Sill, of the Eighth Regiment, Senior Warden; Captain Robert Warner, of Colonel Wyllis' Regiment, Junior War- den; Captain William Richards, of Starr's Regiment, Treas- urer; Surgeon John R. Watrous, of Wyllis' Regiment, Sec- retary; Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Grosvenor, Senior Dea- con; Captain Henry Champion, of the First Connecticut, Junior Deacon; Privates Joseph Lorain and Thomas Binns, of Captain Pond's Company, Sixth Connecticut Regiment, Tylers.
"Worshipful Master Jonathan Heart was appointed 'a committee from the different lines in the army at Morris- town to take into consideration some matters respecting the good of Masonry' (probably to arrange for the coming festi- val). In preparation for this, Captain Thomas Kinney and Major Jeremiah Bruen, of Morristown, went to Newark and borrowed from St. John's Lodge, No. I, which had been established there in 1761, the necessary paraphernalia. In the old minute-book of this Lodge, under date of December 24th, 1779, is found the following receipt for this property. 'An acct. of sundrie articles taken out of the Lodge Chest of Newark St. John's Lodge, No. I, by consent of Bro. John Robinson, Bro. Lewis Ogden, Brother Moses Ogden and lent unto Brother Thomas Kinney and Bro. Jerry Brewin to carry as far as Morristown, said Brothers Kinney and Bre- win promising on the word of Brothers to return the same articles as p's Inventory below unto our Bro. John Robin- son, present Secretary when called-for witness our hands Brothers as below :---
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'24 Aprons, besides one that was bound and fring'd which Bro. Kinney claims as his own.
'2Ebony Truntchions tipt with silver, the other they are to get if to be found.
'3Large Candlesticks.
'3 Large Candlemolds.
'I Silk Pedestal Cloth Bound with Silver Lace.
'I Damask Cutchion.
'I Silver Key with a blue Ribbon stripped with black. 'I Silver Levell with a blue Ribbon stripped with black.
I, Square
66 66
66
I, Plumb 66
'Newark, Dec'r 24, 1779.
'(Signed) Thomas Kinney
Jerh. Bruen.'
*
"The meeting for which these preparations were made was held in the Arnold (formerly Kinney's) Tavern, on the north side of the Green, which had been Washington's headquar- ters in the winter of 1777, after the battle of Princeton. It was one of the principal hotels in the place, and was fre- quented by all the army officers. The 'dancing assembly,' for which $13,000 in Continental scrip was raised, was held
here. * * * "At this time (of the celebration of the festi- val of St. John, the Evangelist) the general court martial for the trial of General Arnold was holding its sessions at the Dickerson Tavern, corner of Water and Spring streets, kept, while its owner was in the service, by Robert Norris. The entry in its minutes, December 27th, shows that the court met only to adjourn, for six of its members and the Judge Advocate were of the Masonic fraternity, and had more agreeable business on hand that day.
"In Mr. McClenachan's book is a full account of this meet- ing. The minutes read:
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'Morristown, December 27th, 1779.
An Entered Apprentices' Lodge was held this day, for the celebration of the festival of St. John the Evangelist.
'Officers present-Brothers Jonathan Heart, Worshipful Master; Richard Sill, Senior Warden; Robert Warner, Junior Warden; William Richards, Treasurer; John R. Watrous, Secretary; Thomas Grosvenor, Senior Deacon; Brother Little, Junior Deacon, and Lorain and Binns, Tylers.
"Members present-Brothers Stillwell, Higgins, Worthing- ton, Curtis, Barker, Gray, Sherman, Craig, Wilson, Bush, Judd, Heath, S. Richards, S. Wyllis, Parsons, Huntington, Smith, Judson, Clark, Hosmer, J. Wyllis, Fitch, Pierce, Ser- geant. Graham, Fitch, Whiting.'
*
"Nearly all the members of the Lodge present were front the Connecticut line. This State had a division of two bri- gades at Morristown. The First Brigade consisted of the First Regiment, Col. Starr; the Third Regiment, Col. Wyllis; the Fifth Regiment, Col. Bradley, and the Seventh Regiment, Col. Swift. The Second Brigade consisted of the Second Regiment, Col. Butler; the Fourth Regiment, Col. Durkee; the Sixth Regiment, Col. Meigs; and the Eighth Regiment, Col. Sherman. An additional regiment, com- manded by Col. Samuel B. Webb, was afterward added to this Brigade.
* * *
"Next in the minutes are the names of sixty-eight visiting brethren. First of all comes Washington, and with him was Major Caleb Gibbs, of Rhode Island, the commander of his life guard, until succeeded by his Lieutenant, William Colfax, of New Jersey. He was wounded in the foot in the assault on the enemy's redoubt at Yorktown. He was dispatched in May, 1780, by Washington to meet Lafayette, who had just arrived in Boston, to escort him to the Head Quarters,
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at Morristown, where Washington writes 'a bed is prepared for him.'" * * Following is the list of the "visiting brethren:" Colonel Alexander Hamilton, Robert Erskine, General John Lawrence, General Mordecai Gist, General Otto Williams, General William Maxwell, General Elias Dayton, General Anthony W. White, Colonel Henry Jack- son, Colonel John Brooks, Colonel Richard Butler, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Morgan Conner, Colonel Henry Sherburne, Captain Thomas Hughes, Lieutenant John Hubbart, Ensign Jeremiah Greenman, Colonel Thomas Kinney, Colonel Jacob Arnold, Major Jeremiah Bruen, Dr. Jabez Campfield, John Armstrong, Lieutenant Jeremiah Van Renselear, Dr. Nicholas Schuyler, Lieutenant Samuel Lewis, Lieutenant Gilbert R. Livingston, Lieutenant Philip Connine, Captain Leonard Bleecker, Lieutenant and Paymaster John Stagg, Adjutant Peter Ellsworth, Lieutenant Thomas Hunt, Lieuten- ant Francis Hamner, Colonel Thomas Proctor, Captain Thomas Machin, Captain James Maclure, Captain-Lieuten- ant John Waldron, Lieutenant Isaac Guion, Captain Elisha Harvey, Lieutenant Peter Woodward, Captain-Lieutenant Thomas Thompson, Chaplain Andrew Hunter, Captain John Sandford, Captain Daniel Piatt, Captain Isaac Craig, Major Thomas Church, Captain-Lieutenant Thomas Campbell, Captain John Savidge, Captain Nathaniel Van Sant, Surgeon Charles McCarter, Lieutenant Peter Summers, Lieutenant Wilder Bevins, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Mentges, Chap- lain William Rogers, Lieutenant Edward Spears, Surgeon Noah Coleman, Dr. Abraham Baldwin, Captain Henry Ten Eyck, Captain Joseph Fox, Lieutenant James Bruff, Paymas- ter-General Hezekiah Wetmore, Captain Wilhelmus Ryck- man, Captain Samuel Shaw, Thomas Edwards, Lieutenant Benjamin L. Peckman, Durfee.
"The Lodge was opened, and after the usual ceremonies had been performed, the brethren formed a procession in the following order:
"I. Bro. Binns, to clear the way.
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"2. The Band of Music.
"3. Brother Lorain, with a Drawn Sword.
The Deacons, with their Rods.
"5. The Brethren, by Juniority.
"6. The Passed Masters.
"7. The Secretary and Treasurer.
"8. The Wardens, with their Wands.
"9. The Worshipful Master.
"The Brethren then proceeded to the Meeting-house, where a very 'polite' discourse, adapted to the occasion, was delivered by the Rev. Doct. Baldwin, of the Connecticut Line. After service, the Brethren returned by the same order to the Lodge-room, where a collation was served, &c., &c., which being over, the following business was transacted.
"Voted unanimously, that the thanks of the Lodge be pre- sented to the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, for the polite address deliv- ered by him this day in public.
"Voted unanimously, that the Secretary wait on the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, with a copy of the minutes, and a request that he will favor the Lodge with a copy of the address, and per- mission to have it published.
"A petition was read, representing the present state of Freemasonry to the several Deputy Grand Masters in the United States of America, desiring them to adopt some measures for appointing a Grand Master over said States, of which the following is a copy:
PETITION.
"To the Most Worshipful, the present Provincial Grand Masters in each of the respective United States of America:
"The petitioners, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons in the several Lines of the Army of these United States, assem- bled on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, at Morris- town, Dec. 27th., 1779, to you, as the patrons and safeguard of the Craft of America beg leave to prefer their humble address.
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"With sincere regret we contemplate the misfortunes of war, which have unhappily separated us from the Grand Lodge in Europe, and deprived us from the benefits arising therefrom, so essentially necessary for the well-being of Masonry, and which has, in many instances, been subversive of the very institution of the Order. At the same time we lament that political disputes and national quarrels should influence the exercise of charity and benevolence, and their several virtues, so necessary for our present and future happi- ness. Yet, considering the present situation of our Lodges and Masonry in general, the necessity, for the honor of the Craft, and the importance of enjoying the benefits of so valu- able an institution, that some exertions are made for check- ing the present irregularities, restoring peace and harmony to the Lodges, for opening a way to the enjoyment of the fruits of benevolence, charity and brotherly love, and for the re-establishment of the Order on the ancient respectable foundation; which we conceive can never be done more effectually than by the appointment of a Grand Master in and over the United States of America.
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