USA > New York > Westchester County > Rye > Chronicle of a border town : history of Rye, Westchester county, New York, 1660-1870, including Harrison and the White Plains till 1788 > Part 23
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The policy of England with reference to the American colonies had long been of a nature to produce uneasiness in the minds of the more intelligent classes. The English who came hither were from the first unwilling to be considered as having lost any of the rights they had possessed at home. One of the privileges regard- ing which they were most tenacious, was that of taking part in framing the laws by which they were to be governed. It was held at an early day that ' no law of England ought to be binding ' upon the people of the colonies ' without their own consent; ' and as they were not allowed a representation in the British Parliament, they claimed that all enactments of Parliament for the colonies were without force until assented to by the colonial Assemblies. This claim was especially insisted upon in regard to measures for their taxation. Money, according to the American view, could not be raised on English subjects without their consent. 'The sole right,' declared the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1764, ' of giving and granting the money of the people of that province, was vested in them as their legal representatives.' 2
Little account, however, was made in England of the pretensions of the colonists to an equality of rights as subjects of the crown. It became necessary to increase the revenue of the kingdom ; and the British ministry determined to do this by means of a tax on the people of America. The French War had left the colonies heavily burdened. Their Assemblies had voted the large sums of money, as well as the large forces of men, required to carry it on. In 1762 the public debt of New York was £300,000 and the population of the province was taxed £40,000 per annum to dis- charge it; yet the Assembly granted a new appropriation de- manded by England for the support of the army.3 But the gov-
1 Life of Washington, vol. iv. p. 10.
2 Ilistory of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment of the Independence of the United States of America. In four volumes. By William Gordon, D. D. London, 1788 : vol. i. p. 148.
3 History of the New Netherlands, Province of New York, and State of New York, to the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, In two volumes. By William Dunlap. New York, 1839 : vol. i. p. 408.
217
THE STAMP ACT.
ernment was not satisfied with the willingness of the colonies to tax themselves. The power of Great Britain to tax them without their consent, must be asserted and maintained.1 In March, 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act. This law, which provided for the raising of a revenue in the colonies by requiring the use of paper bearing a government stamp for every legal or commercial instrument in writing, produced so much disturbance, and awak- ened so much opposition both in England and in America, that it was repealed the next year. But the determination to tax the Americans was by no means abandoned. In 1767 a bill was passed imposing duties upon tea and certain other articles imported from Great Britain into the colonies. This law, more directly than any other measure, led to the outbreak of the Revolution. A passive resistance was offered throughout the country, to the designs of the government, by an agreement of the people not to import the articles upon which this tax had been laid. The first meeting held for the purpose of entering into such an agreement took place in Boston, October 28, 1767, and was followed by similar meetings in the towns of Connecticut and in New York. The firmness and self-denial with which these resolutions were very generally carried out, tended greatly to increase a spirit of self-reliance and independence in the popular mind.
Other measures of the British government excited the colonists to more violent resistance. The Stamp Act, which was received with riotous demonstrations in various places, had been accom- panied by another bill quite as offensive, which remained in force when the former act was repealed. This bill obliged the several Assemblies of the provinces to provide quarters for the British troops maintained in America, and to furnish them with sundry supplies, at the expense of each province. New York refused to make any appropriation for this purpose ; and Parliament, to pun- ish the refractory colonists, passed a law depriving the province of New York of all powers of legislation until its orders should have been complied with. This was an infringement of their liberties which greatly alarmed the colonists. About the same time, their irritation was increased by the stringent measures taken with a view to the enforcement of the revenne laws. Under the oppressive and arbitrary system of duties which had been estab- lished, smuggling had come to be considered as a matter of course. The colonists, denied all participation in the making of laws which affected their interests, thought it no wrong to evade those which
1 Dunlap's History of New York, vol. i. p. 408.
218
THE REVOLUTION.
were manifestly unreasonable and injurious. The attempt at this moment to enforce them led to repeated disturbances, especially in Boston and New York. These various acts of the British gov- ernment tended to one result, which every deed of violence and bloodshed hastened - the union of the colonies in a pronounced opposition to the control of the mother country.
We can imagine with what interest the news of public events at this period must have been received by the inhabitants of Rye. The doings of Parliament ; the meetings of the Colonial Congress ; the proceedings of the 'sons of Liberty ;' the outrages of the British soldiery ; the risings of the exasperated people, - these and other tidings came from week to week to our quiet neighborhood, in the columns of the small weekly gazettes, whose dingy pages now wear such an old-fashioned look to us as we open their treas- ured files, but which to them were so full of fresh and lively import. Of course the progress of affairs was watched with various feelings. There were warm partisans of the British cause at Rye ; and there were also those who earnestly espoused the people's side. The prevailing mood, however, was one of uncertainty. Most of the inhabitants stood as yet in doubt with reference to the growing dispute. Many, whilst they disapproved of the 'ministerial ' policy, and regretted the acts which were exciting so much opposition, looked with even more displeasure upon the course pursued by the majority. The thought of resistance to law, and revolt from the mother country, was abhorrent to their minds.1
In 1774 the first recorded action of our inhabitants took place, at a patriotic meeting held on the tenth of August. The occasion of this meeting was the closing of the port of Boston. The British government persisting in the determination to tax the colonies, the people had now combined very generally to resist taxation by pledging themselves not only to refrain from buying or selling the taxed article of tea, but also as far as possible to prevent its importation. The famous 'tea-party ' occurred in Boston on the sixteenth of December, 1773 ; and in punishment of that daring act the government declared the port of Boston to be closed. Upon this, public meetings were held throughout the colonies, renewing the agreement against the use of tea, and ex- pressing sympathy with the people of that town. Such a meeting
1 The hard case of one of our inhabitants may illustrate a bewilderment which must have prevailed in many minds. In July, 1776, ' Alexander Stewart, mariner, late of Dundee in North Britain, at present of Rye in Westchester County,' having been drafted as one of the militia of that county, claims exemption as a subject of the King of Great Britain. 'He is exempted - but is taken into custody as such.' (American Archives, 4th series, vol. i. p. 1456.)
219
PATRIOTIC MEETING AT RYE.
was held in New York on the evening of July 6th, 1774; and on the tenth of August, -
' The Freeholders and Inhabitants of the township of RYE' met and 'made choice of John Thomas jun., Esq., James Horton jun., Esq., Robert Bloomer, Zeno Carpenter, and Ebenezer Haviland, for a Com- mittee to consult and determine with the Committees of the other Towns and Distriets in the County of Westchester, upon the Expedi- ency of sending one or more Delegates to the Congress to be held in Philadelphia on the first Day of September next. The Committee after making Choice of Ebenezer Hlaviland, Chairman, expressed their Sentiments and Resolutions in the following Manner, which were unanimously approved of: -
' This Meeting being greatly alarmed at the late Proceedings of the British Parliament, in order to raise a Revenue in America, and con- sidering their late most cruel, unjust, and unwarrantable Act for block- ing up the Port of Boston, having a direct Tendency to deprive a free People of their most valuable Rights and Privileges, an Introduction to subjugate the Inhabitants of the English Colonies, and render them Vassals to the British House of Commons,
' RESOLVE FIRST. That they think it their greatest Happiness to live under the illustrious House of Hanover, and that they will stedfastly and uniformly bear true and faithful Allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, under the Enjoyments of their constitutional Rights and Privileges, as fellow Subjects with those in England.
' SECOND. That we conceive it a fundamental Part of the British Constitution, that no Man shall be taxed but by his own Consent, or that of his Representative in Parliament ; and as we are by no Means represented, we consider all Acts of Parliament imposing Taxes on the Colonies, an undne exertion of Power, and subversive of one of the most valuable Privileges of the English Constitution.
' THIRD. That it is the Opinion of this Meeting, that the Act of Parliament for shutting up the Port of Boston, and divesting some of the Inhabitants of private Property, is a most unparalelled, rigorous and unjust Piece of Cruelty and Despotism.
' FOURTHI. That Unanimity and firmness of Measures in the Colonies, are the most effectual Means to secure the invaded Rights and Privi- leges of America, and to avoid the impending Ruin which now threatens this once happy Country.
' FIFTII. That the most effectual Mode of redressing our Grievances, will be by General Congress of Delegates from the different Colonies, and that we are willing to abide by such Measures as they in their Wisdom shall think most conducive upon such an important Occasion.
' By Order of the Committee,
EBENEZER HAVILAND, Chairman.' 1
1 New York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, Monday, August 15, 1774. The
220
THE REVOLUTION.
We do not learn where this meeting was held in Rye, nor how numerously it was attended. Possibly it took place at Dr. Havi- land's, the 'noted tavern,' which was the favorite resort of our citizens in those days ; the small green in front of which would offer them a convenient place of concourse.
But the action of this meeting made no small stir among the people of Rye. Opinions were divided as to the wisdom of the resolutions passed. They were moderate enough certainly, but there was danger lest they might be misunderstood. To prevent this, a paper was gotten up, six weeks after the meeting of August 10th, and signed by a large proportion of the inhabitants, whose names appear attached to it in Rivington's ' New York Gazetteer ' of October 13th, 1774 : -
' RYE, September 24, 1774.
' We the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Rye, in the County of Westchester, being much concerned with the unhappy situation of public affairs think it our duty to our King and country to declare. that we have not been concerned in any resolutions entered into, or measures taken, with regard to the disputes at present subsist- ing with the mother country : we also testify our dislike to many hot and furious proceedings, in consequence of said disputes, which we think are more likely to ruin this once happy country, than remove grievances, if any there are.
' We also declare our great desire and full resolution to live and die peaceable subjects to our gracious sovereign King George the third, and his laws.' 1
same paper contains the following item : 'We hear from Harrison's Purchase, in Westchester County, that on the 2nd Instant, the Inhabitants of that Precinct met, enter'd into spirited Resolves, which include a Non-importation Agreement, and are similar to those of the other Colonies.'
1 (Signed) Isaas Gidney, Daniel Erwin, Philemon Halsted, Abraham Wetmore, Roger Park, James Budd, John Collum, Roger Kniffen, Thomas Kniffen, Henry Bird, John Hawkins, Gilbert Merritt Esq", Robert Merrit, Andrew Merrit, John Carhart, Roger Merrit, Archibald Tilford, Israel Seaman, Isaac Anderson, Adam Scaman, William Hall, John Willis, Rievers Morrel, Capt. Abraham Bush, Nehe- miah Sherwood, Abraham Miller, Andrew Lion, William Crooker, Jonathan Kniffen, James Jamison, Andrew Carhart, John Buvelot, Thomas Brown, Seth Purdy, Gil- bert Thaell, Gilbert Thaell Junr, Dishbury Park, Isaac Brown, Joseph Merrit Jun", Major James Horton, Peter Florence, Jonathan Gedney, Nathaniel Sniffen, William Armstrong, John Guion, Sol. Gidney, James Hains, Elijah Hains, Bartholomew Hains, Thomas Thaell, John Affrey, Gilbert Hains, Dennis Lary, Hack. Purdy, Joshua Purdy, Roger Purdy, Charles Thaell Esqr, James Wetmore, Gilbert Brun- didge, John Kniffen, William Brown, Joseph Clark, John Park, Joseph Purdy, James Gedney, Joshua Gedney, Jonathan Budd, James Purdy, Ebenezer Brown, Ebenezer Brown Junt, John Adce, John Slater, Henry Slater, Nathaniel Purdy, Benjamin Kniffen, Andrew Kniffen, Joseph Wilson, Nehemiah Wilson, Thomas Wilson, Ben- jamin Wilson, Gilbert Morris Jun', Timothy Wetmore Esqr, James Hart,
221
COUNTER-DECLARATIONS.
This publication only increased the trouble. Some of the signers seem to have been grievously disturbed at the sight of their own names in print. Forthwith the following explanatory statement appears, emanating from fifteen of the number : -
' RYE, October 17, 1774.1
' We the subscribers, having been suddenly and unwarily drawn in to sign a certain paper published in Mr. Rivington's Gazetteer, of the 13th instant ; and being now, after mature deliberation, fully convinced that we acted preposterously, and without adverting properly to the matter in dispute between the mother country and her Colonies, are therefore sorry that we ever had any concern in said paper, and we do by these presents utterly disclaim every part thereof, except our expression of loyalty to the King, and obedience to the constitutional laws of the Realın.' 2
Mr. Timothy Wetmore, a son of the late rector of Rye, and a man of considerable influence in the place, explained his views in a statement of his own shortly after : -
THE DECLARATION OF LOYALTY, SEPT. 24.
' The above paper like many others, being liable to misconstruction and having been understood by many to import a recognition of a right in the Parliament of Great Britain to bind America in all cases what- soever, and to signify that the Colonies laboured under no grievances, which is not the sense I meant to convey - I think it my duty to ex- plain my sentiments upon the subject, and thereby prevent future mis- takes - It is my opinion that the Parliament have no right to tax America, tho' they have a right to regulate the Trade of the empire - I am further of opinion, that several acts of Parliament are grievances, and that the execution of them ought to be opposed in such manner as may be consistent with the duty of a subject to our sovereign : tho' I cannot help expressing my disapprobation of many violent proceedings in some of the colonies. Dated the 3ª of November 1774.
TIMOTHY WETMORE.'
The next appearance in print is that of a furious patriot of Rye, who issues an address, of which we give a part in spite of its coarse- ness, as a sample of the violence of the times : -
' Americana, No. 1. To the Knaves and Fools in the Town of Rye, and first to the Fools. - What in the world could have put it in your heads, that it was better to have your faces blacked and be Negroes and
1 American Archives, fourth series, vol. i. p. 803.
2 (Signed) Abraham Miller, William Crooker, James Jameson, Andrew Carchart, John Buflot, William Brown, Gilbert Brundige, Israel Seaman, John Willis, Adam Seaman, Andrew Lyon, Gilbert Merritt, John Carehart, John Slater, Isaac Anderson.
THE REVOLUTION.
beasts of burden for people in England, than to live and die like your fore- fathers in a state of freedom? I really could not have believed that there had been so many asses in all America, as there appears to be in your little paltry Town. Instead of Rye Town, let it hereafter be called Simple Town. It seems you are such geese as not to know when you are oppressed, and when you are not. .
. And upon whose anvil pray, was that wise scheme of yours ham- mered ont ? - a blundering politician of a blacksmith, they say, was your nursing Father upon this occasion. If king George was to make a Law, that he should [shoe] all your horses gratis, this dunce of a black- smith, I suppose would have no objection ; and there certainly is just as much reason for obliging this blacksmith to find shoes for your horses, as there is in obliging you to find bread and butter for the great men in England.
. And are you really silly enough now to plough like a parcel of Oxen for your masters, and let slavery and wretchedness go down upon your children, and give your latest posterity reason to wish you had been all to the Devil before you set your names to the death warrant of their rights and liberties? If you had got three grains of sense, you would have done as one of the most sensible men among you did, I mean Mr. Wetmore. For shame! for shame ! fye upon ye, fye upon ye !'
Such arguments were not convincing. We are apt to suppose that the language of abuse and violence was peculiar to the tories of the Revolution. A perusal of the newspapers of the day would show that both parties could deal in this species of warfare.
But the time of indecision with reference to the great dispute was now hastening to an end. On the fifth of September, 1774, the Colonial Congress met in Philadelphia, and adopted a Declara- tion of Rights, setting forth the just claims of the Americans, and petitioning for the redress of their grievances. These representa- tions were unheeded in England. The government was resolved to compel obedience, if necessary, by military force. The people began to prepare for the approaching contest.
The battle of Lexington occurred on the nineteenth of April, 1775. On the tenth of May, the second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Among the delegates to that body was John Thomas, junior, Esq., of Rye. Congress took measures at once to raise an army, and Washington was appointed commander-in- chief.
New York was required by the Continental Congress to con- tribute her quota of three thousand men. Four regiments were raised in the province.
223
COMPANIES FORMED.
The call for soldiers was promptly responded to in this town. Three companies were formed, mostly within the limits of Rye, which as yet included Harrison and the White Plains. These companies were embraced in the 'South Battalion of Westchester County.' The officers chosen were the following : 1 -
' 1. Mamaroneck and Rye, except the upper end of King Street : Robert Bloomer, captain ; Alexander Hunt, first lieutenant ; Eze- kiel Halsted, second lieutenant ; Daniel Horton, ensign.
' 2. Scarsdale, White Plains, and Brown's Point : Joshua Hat- field, captain ; James Verrian, first lieutenant ; Anthony Miller, second lieutenant ; John Falconer, ensign.
' 3. Harrison's Precinct2 and the upper end of King Street : Henry Dusinberry, captain ; Lyon Miller, first lieutenant ; Caleb Paulding Horton, second lieutenant ; Gilbert Dusinberry, ensign.'
One of the first of those who offered their services to the coun- try was Frederick de Weissenfels, our old acquaintance of Rye Ferry.3 He applied, with Marinus Willett, Gershom Mott, and five others, on the sixth of June, 1775, for a commission in the service. 'Gentlemen,' they write to Congress, 'as we have ever been heartily attached to the cause of our conntry, so we are now ready to engage in the defence of its rights. And as we under- stand troops are soon to be raised in this Province, we think it a duty incumbent upon us to offer our service.'4 Weissenfels was appointed captain of company 1, First Regiment, New York Conti- nental Troops.5 He was soon after made colonel, and was in com- mand of a regiment at the battle of the White Plains. In Octo- ber, 1780, he was in command under General Heath, at Albany.6 Conceiving that his services were not properly appreciated, he left the army before the close of the war, but bore a high character
1 New York Revolutionary Papers, vol. i. p. 159.
2 The Committee of Safety for Harrison's Precinct, February 20, 1776, report the officers elected in a company of minute-men in Colonel Drake's regiment. They are Hezekiah Gray, captain; Cornelins Clark, first lieutenant ; James Miller, second lientenant ; Isaac Titus, ensign.
In the same month, ' At a meeting of the Troop of Westchester County, held at the house of Wilsey Dnsenbery in Harrison's Precinct, the following gentlemen were elected officers, to wit : Samnel Tredwell, captain ; Thaddeus Avery, lientenant, chosen unanimously ; Abraham Hatfield was chosen cornet, and Uytendall Allaire quartermaster, each by a majority.' Commissions were ordered for these gentlemen. (American Archives, fourth series, vol. v. pp. 290, 295.)
3 Sec p. 79.
4
Journals of the Provincial Congress, etc., of New York, vol. ii. p. 27.
5
American Archives, fourth series, vol. iii. p. 23.
6
Memoirs of Major-General Heath, written by himself. Boston, 1798 : pp. 258,
305.
.
224
THE REVOLUTION.
as an officer and a patriot. Weissenfels was one of the original members of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati. He died May 14, 1806.1
There were others from the town of Rye who embarked early in the country's cause, and of whom we shall have occasion to speak elsewhere. Among these were Dr. Ebenezer Haviland, Dr. William Hooker Smith, and Colonel Thomas Thomas. Colonel Gilbert Budd, though a resident of Mamaroneck, should not be omitted, for he belonged to one of the oldest families of this place.
Our people now begin to see something of ' the pomp and cir- cumstance of war.' June 12, 1775, the Connecticut forces en- camped near Greenwich are reviewed by General Wooster. 'A great number of Gentlemen and Ladies, and a prodigious Con- course of the Inhabitants ' of the surrounding country, have gath- ered to witness the review. The troops 'are an exceeding fine Body of Men,' and perform their exercises and evolutions ' with Spirit and Exactness, much to the satisfaction of their Officers,' and of the spectators also.2 On the twenty-seventh instant, these troops, or a portion of them, pass through Rve on their way to New York, where they are to encamp, at a short distance from the city. 'General Wooster with 7 Companies of his Regiment, and Col. Waterbury, with his Regiment compleat,' constitute this force. 'They appear to be a healthy, hearty Body of Men ; ' about 1,800 in number; and some of them at least were destined to be- come well acquainted with Rye, for General Wooster afterward had his headquarters here for a considerable length of time.
The Connecticut troops came to New York at the invitation of the Provincial Congress. News had arrived from England that. a large body of troops, embarked at Cork, were on their way hither, and they were wow hourly expected. The city was alive with apprehensions, and the authorities betrayed a strange timidity and indecision. General Wooster at first encamped within two miles of New York ; on the twenty-second of July he removed to Harlem, and in August, by request of the Provincial Congress, he embarked with four hundred and fifty men for Oyster Pond, to protect that part of Long Island from the attacks of ' the regulars.' He was ordered back September 2, by General Washington, who in- timated his disapproval of the conduct of the New York Congress.3
1 Records of the Revolutionary War, by W. T. R. Saffell. New York, 1858 : pp. 484, 545.
2 Hugh Gaine's New York Gazette, June 19, 1775.
8 American Archives, vol. ii. pp. 1000-2; 1025, 6; 1665 ; 1789 ; vol. iii. pp. 73,
225
THE TORIES GROW DEFIANT.
Only the day before the passage of the Connecticut troops, Gen- eral Washington had passed through Rye, on his way to the camp at Boston, where he was about to take command of the Continen- tal troops. The General was attended as far as King's Bridge by a troop of gentlemen of the Philadelphia Light Horse, and a number of the inhabitants of the city of New York.1
Frequent outrages and depredations at this period betoken a state of affairs already unsettled. At Rye several daring robberies occur. From the White Plains we hear, August 14th, of ' an atrocious murder by one Nathaniel Adams, who has long been sus- pected of being a tory.' His victim was John M'Donald, one of the Provincial recruits.2
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