Documents and letters intended to illustrate the revolutionary incidents of Queens county; with connecting narratives, explantory notes, and additions, Part 4

Author: Onderdonk, Henry, 1804-1886
Publication date: 1846
Publisher: New York, Leavitt, Trow
Number of Pages: 280


USA > New York > Queens County > Documents and letters intended to illustrate the revolutionary incidents of Queens county; with connecting narratives, explantory notes, and additions > Part 4


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In some cases the delinquents on being notified came to designated places. Remote spots were visited by detached par- ties. Many however fled, hid in swamps, concealed their best guns, and gave up the poorer ones.


Col. Heard carried off nearly 1000 muskets, four colors of Long Island militia, and nineteen of the principal disaf- fected persons ; seven having left their homes.


Feb. 6. They were sent back by the Continental Con- gress from Philadelphia, and handed over to the New-York Provincial Congress to examine and report on their conduct. They were put under guard at their own expense, in a house of their own selection, in New-York city ; and letters were sent to the town committees to collect evidence against them.


Feb. 16. They petitioned for a discharge, which was granted on their paying all expenses and giving bonds for their peaceable deportment and appearance before the Pro- vincial Congress, when summoned.


Col. Heard received the thanks of the committee for his prudence in the execution of his duty.


* " The party of Continental troops behaved in so disorderly a man- ner that he was obliged to dismiss them."


+ Fragment of an old Song, intended to ridicule Col. Heard :


I. Col. Heard has come to town, In all his pride and glory ; And when he dies he'll go to H-1 For rubbing of the Tory.


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2. Col Heard has come to town A thinking for to plunder ; Before he'd done. be h d to run- He heard the cannon thunder.


3. And when he came to Hempstead town Je heard the cannon rattle,- Poor Col. Heard be ran away And dared not face the battle.


4. And now he's gone in Oyster Bay Quick for to cross the water ; Ile dare no more in Ilempstead stay For fear of meeting with a slaughter.


# A Teacher at Newiown had his boys drawn up by the road-side fo make their manners as the soldiers passed.


39. In reply to a circular letter sent to the different com- mittees of Queens county, soliciting evidence against the prisoners carried off to Philadelphia by Col. Heard, the com- mittee of Great Neck, Cow Neck, &e., replied as follows :


District of Great Neck, Cow Neck. &c., March 9, '76. n


SIR: The committee have received a letter from your honorable body, of the 15th of February, and as far as lay in their power, complied with its contents.


"But surely [you will say] you could have collected more proof than all this ?" The answer is ready. Their meetings were confined to their own party, their conclusions kept as secret as possible, added to our living in a remote part of the county, rendered our abilities unequal to the task.


We are, however, able to give an imperfect account of our own district, wherein lives but one of the proseribed. And as this great man has been supposed by many the main-spring in keeping up the divisions in this county, it may be a sufficient excuse for our being tedious on this head.


We shall therefore, with the utmost humility, proceed to put our scattered materials in order, for the consideration of your honorable body.


Soon after this gentleman left the General Assembly, he appears in the light of a disperser of the "Queens County Free- holder."' The design of this paper is glaring on its whole surface.


.


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THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.


He next appears the author of the Hempstead resolves ;2 and as the Queens County Freeholder levelled its whole force at the very essence of a Continental Congress, so these re- solves struck at the total overthrow of Provincial ones.


Soon after the Battle of Lexington, this gentleman roundly avows that the Bostonians fired first on the King's troops,3 and that more of the Bostonians were killed than of the Regulars ; but as the public prints gave the lie to this proposition, it be- came necessary to erect a new battery.


Hence he asserts the newspapers are lies.4 He had, he said, private information that might be depended upon. But this having no other foundation than his own assertions, the means were unequal to the end. Here, with an air of import- ance equal to its absurdity, [he] asserts, "Capt. McDougal says ' it is necessary to print untruths' to keep up the spirits of the people,5 and Capt. St. Thorne [says he] is my author, who heard him say so."


The populace took fire like hasty combustibles, and although Capt. Thorne denied the essential part of the charge, yet it was impossible fully to prevent its effects.


Soon after the order of the respectable committee of safety for collecting some arms in Queens county, (see 36.) this gen- tleman attacks the right, and 6openly declared that they were an unconstitutional body, who had no legal existence. and that he was determined to resist the order; but had it been the Continental Congress [he said] he would have submitted pub- licly, for he did not deny their authority, but spoke respectfully of them.


" But what [said he] is to be done for our friends in Boston -the friends to order and good government-and loyal soldiery, that are supporting the rights of the States and the very being of the Constitution, who are starving by means of a restrictory Act ?" " Why, this," says he, " I'll do-"


" I'll charter Capt. Thorne's sloop7 and send them provi- sions," notwithstanding an order of the honorable Congress to the contrary.


Mark the gradual steps of this gentleman to something of more alarming dye : for things were no sooner ripe, than he attacks the honorable Continental Congress itself; hence 8 he


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has openly asserted he knew no such s[elf constituted au]tho- rity, and declared they were in c[onsequence unconstitutional.


Not content with dispersing a scandalous libel ; fabricating seditious resolves ; declaring our bleeding friends in Boston the aggressors; alarming opposition by our great loss ; dis- countenancing our public prints ; defaming our respectable committee of safety ; denying the authority of our honorable Continental Congress ; but [he] begins an open attack on our grand resource, the continental currency, also.


Hence he asserts, "I take no continental currency9 unless for a bad debt :" and getting one of these bills on this ground, expressed his uneasiness to pay it away as soon as possible. " But we see [you'll say] no accounts of the formation of com- mittees who protested against your spring and fall county meetings for deputies. We see no proof of the meeting pre- vious to their getting powder from the Asia, nor any of the proscribed being concerned in that affair." Very true; for this proof is not in our power. " Why, you might have cited some of their second rate leaders, and by that means got proof to your satisfaction." What effects the solemnity of your honorable body might have on them, we do not pretend to de- termine; but we have tried the experiment in our own little sphere, and found it entirely in vain. We fear you are tired through this long detail.


So con[scious of the importance of the subject, we are] de- termined to persevere [in the discharge of our duties.]


We are, sir, Your very humble servants.


Signed by order,


BENJ. SANDS, Chairman.


P. S. We have cited -- , Esq., an inactive Whig, for interrogation, who evaded attendance on pretence of business. We suspect him too good an evidence to escape your notice, as well as to convince him that all business must bend to the preservation of his country.


To Col. NATH'L WOODHULL,


President of the Hon. Provincial Congress.


1 Witness-Dan'l Whitehead Kissam, of Cow Neck.


' Witness-John Burtis, tanner, of Cow Neck.


1


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J Witness-Henry Stocker, Capt. Richard Thorne, of Great Neck.


4.Witness-Obadiah Demilt, of Cow Neck.


5 Witness-Ann Rapalje, of Cow Neck.


6 Witness-John Burtis, tanner. .


7 Witness-Caleb Cornwell, Cow Neck.


8 Witness-Rich'd Thorne, Capt. Thomas Williams, North Side.


9 Witness-Henry Stocker, Great Neck ; Thomas Williams, North Side.


40. February 18, '76. A circular letter was sent to the counties for raising companies in four regiments, for the de. fence of the colony, by order of the Continental Congress.


March 5. Congress took into consideration the state of the militia in Queens county, and determined that it would be requisite to have the friends to the liberties of their country there properly regimented, and a letter was sent to Col. Blackwell.


In Provincial Congress, March 7, '76.


GENTLEMEN : The Congress being of opinion that it is ab- solutely necessary that the inhabitants of your county, who have signed the association, and are friendly to the liberties of their country, should be formed into military companies and regimented, and be in a capacity of defending themselves if attacked; (and being informed that they have appointed a county committee, and likewise that committees are chosen in several districts in your county, ) that they carry the resolves of Congress for regulating the militia into execution, and recom- mend suitable men for field officers.


The very great importance of the rights for which we are contending, the situation of our public affairs, and the great probability that the enemy will endeavor to get possession of this colony in the course of the spring, renders it totally unne- cessary for us to use any arguments with you on the subject. We doubt not you will exert yourselves to have these matters settled with all possible despatch in your county.


Your humble servant,


NATH'L WOODHULL, Pres.


41. March 6, '76. Gen. Lee sent Col. Ward to secure


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the whole body of tories on Long Island, in order to put the city and its environs in a state of defence.


On the 12th, Daniel Whitehead Kissam, one of the com- mittee of Great Neck, Cow Neck, &c., waited on the Pro- vincial Congress, and complained of Isaac Seers for intruding into their district, and imposing a test on sundry persons.


Seers sent to the Congress the following letter from Gen. Lee, as a justification of his conduct :


New- York, March 5, '76.


SIR : As I have received information from the Commander- in-Chief that there is reason soon to expect a very considerable army of the enemy, it appears to me I should be in the highest degree culpable-I should be responsible to God, my own con- science, and the Continental Congress of America, in suffering, at so dangerous a crisis, a knot of professed foes to American liberty to remain any longer within our own bosom, either to turn openly against us in arms, in conjunction with the enemy, or covertly to furnish them with intelligence, and carry on a cor- respondence to the ruin of their country, I must desire you will offer a copy of this test, enclosed, to the people of whom I send you a list. Their refusal must be considered an avowal of their hostile intentions.


You are, therefore to secure their persons, and send them up without loss of time, as irreclaimable enemies to their country, to close custody in Connecticut.


Richard Hulet is to have no conditions offered to him, but to be secured without ceremony.


CHA'S LEE, Maj. Gen. Seers' Expedition on Long Island.


Jamaica, March 7, '76.


SIR: Yesterday I arrived at Newtown, with a captain's company, and tendered the oath to four of the greater tories, which they swallowed as hard as if it were a 4lb. shot they were trying to get down. On this day at 11 o'clock, I came here, when I sent out scouting parties, and have been able to catch but five tories, and they of the first rank, who swallowed the oath. The houses are so scattered, it is impossible to catch


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many, without horses to ride after then ; but I shall exert my- self to catch the greatest part of the ringleaders, and believe I shall effect it, but not in less than five days. I can assure your honor, there are a set of villains in this county, the better half of whom are waiting for support, and intend to take up arms. Nothing else will do but removing the ringleaders to a place of security.


Lieut. Col. ISAAC SEERS, Dep. Ad. Gen. To Gen. LEE.


42. March 13, 1776 .- Congress had issued an order to the committee of Cow and Great Neck for six horsemen from Queens county, to keep a lookout at Thomas Cornwell's, at Rockaway.


Congress also stationed troops on the coast and beach, and armed vessels at the inlets of the south bays, to intercept boats supplying the British fleet off the Highlands with clams, fish, water and fresh provisions. The Queens county committee ordered all boats from Rockaway to Huntington, eighteen miles, to be secured and put under guards. Seven miles were carefully attended to by Capt. B. Birdsall,* who seized 106 hay boats and had them hauled up, some in a creek by his house, (now Meinell's,) others on the land, where they warped and dried so as to be nearly useless. The other eleven miles were rather neglected, so that the delinquents carried off to the British fleet 100 boats.


* So active a partisan as Col. Birdsall, could not escape the wit and sarcasnt of his opponents.


Ben Bircham is a committee man, The tories don't regard him ; And when he's run his sinful race The d -! will reward him.


Ben Bircham is a commit ce man, Do you want to know the reason ? A bigger rogue cannot be found To cheat. when there's ocasion.


In Committee, for the Dist. of Great Neck, Cow Neck, &e., held at Cow Neck, March 18, 1776.


43. Whereas sundry disaffected persons have moved into this neighborhood, whereby the district, instead of an asylum


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for the good and virtuous, is become a nest to those noxious vermin ; it has become the part of prudence, and in its effects, of necessity, to put an end to such proceedings in future by the most speedy and effectual measures for the public good. Be it therefore


Resolved, That no manner of person presume to move into this district after the 1st of April next, without a certificate signed by the chairman of the committee of the district whence he removed, that he is friendly to the cause of his bleeding country.


BENJ. SANDS, Ch'n.


In Com. for the Dist. of Great Neck, Cow Neck, &c., held at Cow Neck, March 27, 1776.


44. Whereas I- R-, one of the disarmed in this dis- trict, being since charged with counteracting the measures for the preservation of American liberty, on examination the com- plaint appeared founded ; and it was therefore the opinion of this committee that lie should be held in bond for his good behavior, but on resistance of this order it became the part of expediency to reprobate this vile man as an enemy to his country and unworthy of the least protection, and we do hereby strictly enjoin all manner of persons in this district immediately to break off every kind of civil, mechanical and commercial intercourse with this deluded and obstinate person, as they will answer for the contrary at their peril.


BENJ. SANDS, Ch'n.


45. March 27. The Continental Congress recommended to the committee of safety that all who were disaffected and refused to associate to defend by arms the United Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British fleets and armies, should be disarmed, the arms appraised and given to the Continental troops now being raised ; but that they should use all prudence and moderation.


46. An association of a company of forty in Jamaica was received from Joseph Robinson and Nathaniel Tuthill, dated March 27.


Ephraim Baylis, Capt. ; Increase Carpenter, 1st Lt. ; Ab'm Van Osdoll, 2d Lt .; Othniel Smith, Ensign.


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47. April 25, 1776. Last Saturday the James, pilot boat, one of the piratical tenders that infest this coast, came into Rockaway Inlet for plunder, but got aground. A party of American troops receiving information of it, marched with two field-pieces to attack her, but on the appearance of our men her hands took the long boat and fled. Our men took possession, and found four wooden guns mounted, got her off and brought her into safe harbor .- Hartford Courant.


48. Petition to Provincial Congress.


Jamaica, L. I., April 13, 1776.


GENTLEMEN-We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the township of Jamaica, beg leave to acquaint you that we have heretofore been disarmed by order of the Continental Congress, which we peaceably and quietly submitted to, as not having it in our intention to act contrary to their resolves, or the resolves of your Congress; notwithstanding which, we have lately been plundered of our cattle and effects, which have been publicly sold at vendue for half their value, in conse- quence of an order of Capt. Ephraim Bailey, for not appearing in arms and answering to our names, when it is well known we have been deprived of our arms, and thereby disqualified from any such service ; besides which it appears to us quite contrary to a late resolve of the Continental Congress.


We, therefore, gentlemen, request it as a favor, that you will be pleased to take this matter into your serious considera- tion, and if the treatment we have received does not proceed from any order or direction of yours, that you will be pleased to give us such relief as you may think necessary. In which, gentlemen, you will oblige your respectful, humble servants.


(12 names omitted.) Advertisement of fire Delinquents.


(Five names omitted.), of Jamaica, having thrice neglected to attend the times and places appointed for military exercise, and having for their non-attendance been three times successively fined, are hereby advertised and held up as enemies to their country.


EPHRAIM BAILEY, Capt.


49. April 16, 1776. An election was held in Qucens county, when the following Deputies (or any three of them)


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were elected to represent the county in the Provincial Con- gress, viz. :


Jacob Blackwell, N. Samuel Townend, Esq., O.


Jona. Lawrence, N. James Townsend, O.


Cor's Van Wyck, Success, Thomas Hycks, Esq., F.


Waters Smith, J. Capt. John Williams, N. Side.


Certificate of election signed by Geo. Townsend, Chair- man of Queens county committee.


Only two appearing in Congress, the rest were ordered to attend and take their seats, or show cause of their neglect.


Queens County, Hempstead, (North Side,) May 27, 1776.


I received your letter, bearing date the 21st inst , which requires me to give my attendance ; to which I send you these lines, desiring 10 be excused, as I am so little acquainted with such business that I should be of no service, but remain your hearty friend in the American cause,


To the Congress, New-York. JOHN WILLIAMS.


Hicks excused himself on the ill state of his health and the extreme weakness of his constitution, which renders him utterly incapable of per- forming the duties of a Deputy.


The remaining Deputies appeared.


Jamaica, April 26, 1776.


50. At a meeting of the committee of correspondence and inspection for the township of Jamaica :


Whereas this town has, for some time past, been desti- tute of a committee,


Resolved, therefore, that this public notice be given, that there is now a committee chosen for the same, and as they are desirous of carry- ing into execution, as far as in them lies, the resolutions and recommenda- tions of the Continental and Provincial Congresses, they earnestly entreat all friends to American liberty in this town to aid and assist them in the trust reposed in them ; and should any of the officers serving under Con- gress within their district meet with any insulis or obstructions in the execution of their office, they desire to be made acquainted therewith, as they shall look upon any indignity offered to such officers as directed


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against that power from whence their authority is derived, and shall treat such offenders accordingly. By order of the Committee.


ELIAS BAYLIS, Ch'n.


51. May 8. Thomas Mitchell appeared before the Con- gress, was sworn, and says, that "Capt. John Sands (agree- able to the resolutions of the Congress) has called out his company once a month to muster; that W., of Cow Neck, felt maker, on two different days of training, would not an- swer to his name, nor appear in the ranks. Capt. Sands levied a fine for each neglect, and WV. applied to a magis- trate to have a suit brought against Sands to recover back the fines. Sands had seized and sold, for thirty shillings, a hat worth fifty shillings. On Saturday, May 4, the company was again called out-W. was there, and refused to answer to his name or train. On Saturday, when he was called, he went up to Capt. Sands and spoke to him in an abrupt man- ner, and about half an hour after abused the Captain very much, and challenged him to fight with sword and pistol. Some days before this, W. had challenged Sands, and Sands told him he ought to apply to the committee if he thought himself aggrieved. W. said he knew no committee, and would apply to a magistrate. That Capt. Sands sent W., under guard, to Queens county jail. The jailer, Hope Mills, said he was not the jailer for the Congress, and had no right to keep him; and applied to Thomas Willets, sheriff, who directed him not to retain the prisoner without a warrant from a magistrate. W. threatens to prosecute the whole guard."


The Congress ordered Capt. Sands to apprehend W., and send him to New-York with all convenient speed, to be dealt with as Congress may think proper.


May 1. W. was brought under guard, and says, " on the first day he appeared without arms; on the second, he told Capt. Sands he had no right to call on him under arms ; on the third, he had determined not to insult Sands in the ex-


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ecution of his office, but Sands affronted him by calling him a fellow. That in the interval, he had called on Sands for satisfaction, who told him he should have it. He thought Sands' answer entitled him to propose a sword and a small thing that would speak. That he had no arms when Col. Heard called on him ; told Heard he voted against deputies. Is willing to bear arms, if it is the opinion of this Congress."


It was moved that W. be committed to Queens county jail. Debates arose, and it was carried, 10 to 7. A warrant was made out, and the jailer was ordered to keep W. safely in the common jail, at his own expense, till the further order of Congress.


Having petitioned, and made submission for his past of- fences, W. was discharged, June 11.


52. A Training List of the Officers and Men in the Dis- trict of Cow Neck, Great Neck, S.c. :


Capt. John Sands,


Hosea Hauxhurst, Corporal.


1st Lt. Thomas Mitchell,


Austin Mitchell,


2d Lt. Aspinwall Cornwell,


And'w Onderdonk,


Ensign Andrew Onderdonk,


Jona. Hutchings,


Richard Manee, Sergeant.


Stephen Cornwell, Clerk.


Wm. Hutchings,


Music, John Whaley, Drummer,


Joseph Akerly, .


Charles Stubbs, Fifer,


W. Hicks,


Gregory Ritchie, Hautboy, Elbert Hegeman,


Daniel Mudge,


Daniel Ireland,


Ne'bry. Davenport-30.


Charles Loosley, sick.


W. Fowler,


John Burtis, jr.


Thos. Elms, no arms.


W. Valentine,


John Hutchings,


Gab. Lawrence,


Jacob Bumstead,


Stephen Hutchings,


Joshua Willis,


W. Ryan-20.


Israel Rogers,*


John Rogers,


John Law, John Scultop,


John Kissam,*


Caleb Kirby,


Wilson Williams,


Daniel Kissam,


Jona. Mott-10.


Henry Onderdonk,jr.


Elbert Hyman,


Edward Penny, jr.


Thomas Appleby, jr.


Andrew Hegeman,t


Daniel Shaffer, no arms, James Harris,


Daniel Rapelyee,


Robert Wilson,


Joseph Sniffin,


W. Dodge-40.


Henry Craft,


Hend'k Vanderbelt,


Caleb Cornwell,


Sleph. Coles,


Peter Lombardè,


Benj. Sands,


David Doly,


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THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.


Ed. Thorne, Peter Dodge, Ed. Sands, John Stocker, Seaman Weeks, Samuel Barker,


Denton Duzenbury, John Mitchell,


James Allen,


John Vallance,


Benj. Kissam,


Henry Allen,


W. Drawer,


George Hewlett, Philip Woolly,*


Samuel Woollyt-110.


Thomas Carpenter,


Reuben Rogers-80 Samuel Clayton,


Laurence Hewlett, John Tred well,


Ed. Hicks-50.


W. Hutchings,


W. Akerly,


Daniel Kissam,t John Pearson, John Morrell, jr.


Philip Thorne,


Joseph Thorne, Solomon Southard,t


Christopher Hertang,


John Sterkings,


Thomas Smith,t W. Smith, Henry Hauxhurst,


Hewlett Cornwell,


Lewis Cornwell,


Thomas Thorne, t Richard Thorne,t John Burtis-90.


Samuel Hutchings,t


Samuel Jacobs,


James Burr,


W. Thorne,


Benj. Sands-60.


Thomas Woolly,


Richard Thorne, jr.


Henry Sands,


W. Smith,


Samuel Hicks,


Edwin Sands,


Thomas Shreaves,


Charles Hicks,


Lawrence Marstin,


Geo. Rapelyee, Daniel Brinckerhoff,


John Clement, George Cornwell,


Thomas Francis,


Hend'k Brinckerhoff,


Sam'l Mott Cornwell,


John Keys,


Joseph Waldron,*


Sam'l Tredwell,


W. Baker,


John Gilbert,


Gilbert Cornwell-130.


John Thompson,


John Searing-100.


Robert Peter,t Richard Valentine, John Frits,


John Bashford,


Jacob Jacobs,


David David, John Thorne,


John Allen,


List of Quakers.


Adam Mott,*


Israel Pearsall,*


Richard Sands,


Stephen Mott,*


John Allen,


Obadiah Demilt,


John Mott,*


James Mott,


Richard Kirk,


Robert Mitchell,


Samuel Mott,


James Mitchell,


Charles Cornwell, Not appeared.


Henry Mott,


t Erased.


W. Danford,


Stephen Thorne, jr.


Richard Thorne,


Jona. Sniffin,


Amos Thorne,


Peter Monfort-120


Elijah Allen,


Samuel Cornwell,


W. Baker,


Joseph Dodge,t no arms, Stephen Hicks, R.Suttont-70, no arms Oliver Lawrence,


Joseph Kissam,t


Abm. Brass,* Nathaniel Brass-135


Israel Baxter,


W. Doty, Nath'l Smith,


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53. May 10. Charles Friend, button maker, of West- bury, appeared b fore Congress, and gave information of the existence of a gang of counterfeiters of the continental cur- rency, at the house of one Youngs, at Cold Spring. Capt. Wool was sent to apprehend them. He reached the house at day-break, set a guard around it, and after searching under the bed, in a secret closet, and in a very concealed garret, he found engraving tools, copperplates, a printing press, four kinds of ink, note paper, and £30 12s. in cash. All was put in a wagon, and conveyed with the prisoners to the city.




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