USA > New York > Dutchess County > General history of Duchess County from 1609 to 1876, inclusive > Part 6
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Dear Sir-Yesterday I saw one Allaby, a sergeant of Captain Dellman, taken prisoner at Ward's with Major Dain. He made his escape from the guard house in New York on the evening of the 15th inst. He gives a favorable account of the prisoners taken with him. * * Allaby says the enemy lost fourteen in the action at Ward's, six of those they carried off wounded died between Ward's and Williams', and the seventh died as soon as they reached Valentine's. Every commissioned officer, save one ensign, was killed. On their arrival at King's Bridge, the commanding officer of that post came to the door of his lodgings, when the prisoners were paraded, and said, " well, you have got a parcel of the d -- d rebels, have you ?" "Yes, but we have paid d -- d dear for them. I am the only oficer left alive," replied the surviving ensign.
He further tells me, that the day before he left New York, he read in the papers an account of the enemy's loss in the Danbury tour, estimated between 300 and 400 men, and that he had often heard them say to one another that the Danbury route had been more expensive to them, in proportion to the number of their troops, than the Lexington tour.
We are now expecting fresh visits from the Tryonites. A number of the enemy's ships are in the Sound. Yesterday morning up;vards of twenty of them drew up against Fairfield, and appeared to be in a landing posture. The alarm reached us by 12 o'clock the same day, but by night we were informed they soon came to sail again and went westward of Norwalk. I have the pleasure to assure you that our people are evidently better disposed. as well as better prepared otherwise, to bid them welcome, than ever we were before, and the general say is that in case Tryon is not gone to account for his former murders, 'tis hoped he will " again grace his murderous train with his presence, and happily meet what Heaven has declared shall be the fate of him in whose skirts shall be found the blood of men."
Your most obedient,
JOSEPH CRANE.
Morris Graham, Robert R. Livingston, and Egbert Benson
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
were elected deputies to represent DUCHESS County in the Provincial Conventon held at New York city, April 20, 1775.
DUCHESS COUNTY COM., August 18, 1775.
Resolved, That the Committee in each Precinct be attended by a sufficient guard to go to the persons called Tories, and in a friendly manner, request them to part with their firelocks for the use of the Continental Forces, at a reasonable price, to be affixed by one of the Committee and a person to be elected by the person parting with the firelock, and in case of their disagreement, then the appraisement to be made by a third party to be nominated by the two other appraisers, and upon refusal, to take such firelocks forcibly, and to value them, and keep a list of the names of the persons from whom such fire- locks shall be taken, together with the value of each firelock.
Nov. 27, 1775, three men, Jacobus Ostrum, Johannis Medlar, and Barent Lavis, were ordered to be taken in custody, and confined in goal, for enlisting men in DUCHESS County to join the King's troops.
Your Committee to devise ways and means to obtain intel- ligence from the Committee of Safety at New York city report :
Resolved, That Uriah Mitchell and Samuel Duyckman be employed as Ryders; Mitchell to set out from Fishkill, and Duyckman from New York the same day ; meet at the house of John Plagg, this side Croton River ; exchange mails, return to their respective stages the day following, so as to arrive as early as possible on that day ; set out again the day after, to continue as long as the state shall see fit to employ them, at 16s. per day.
In July, 1776, Richard Cantillon and John Parkinson, pro- posing to set up an extensive Linen Manufactory in DUCHESS County, to provide for the inhabitants and army, petitioned that twelve men and themselves be exempted from being drafted into the militia when called into service.
The Committee of the County, Egbert Benson, Chairman, ordered that an account of salt in the County be taken, for-
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bidding any person to sell or take it out of the County until further orders. The officers employed to take the account were authorized to send for persons and examine them under oath. Thomas Storm was sent to the State Convention to inform that body there was not more than one bushel for each family; that the article was exceedingly wanted ; that the com- mittee wanted advice whether it be sold and distributed, or :sent to the army.
August 21, 1776.
In Convention of Representatives of State of New York, 3 FISHKILL. Dec., 21, 1776.
The whole militia of Counties of Westchester, DUCHESS, and part of Albany be forthwith marched to North Castle, well equipped with arms and ammunition, and furnished with six days' provisions and camp-kettle to every six men.
FISHKILL, January 15, 1777.
We, the subscribers, Mary Hawley, wife of Edward Haw- ley, and Bridget Morgan, with leave of the Committee of Safety, about to repair to New York, do severally, solemnly ·swear on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God not to give, communicate or convey any intelligence either by speaking, writing, or otherwise, relating to the army of the United American States, or relative to the State of New York, or the controversy now subsisting between Great Britain and the said American States, to any person or persons whomsoever, and that we will not do any act, matter or thing to the prejudice of said States, or cther of them, nor convey any letter or writing without leave of the Committee of Safety, after their inspection.
MARY HAWLEY, BRIDGET MORGAN.
In General Convention DUCHESS County, MARCH 25, 1777.
The within Petitioner, Lieut. Col. Birdsall, is considered by this Committee a person deserving the attention of the
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public, and comply with his request in recommending him to the Honorable Convention of the State. The farm formerly in possession of Moses Northrup and that of Archibald Camp- bell is now unoccupied, and will very well suit his purposes.
By order of Committee.
NATHAN PIERCE, Chairman.
Isaac Sheldon, Theodore Van Wyck, and Henry Living. ston, Jun., constituted the Committee of Sequestration about the year 1777.
Nov. 7th, 1775, an alarm was given to the effect that the Tories of DUCHESS and Westchester threatened to visit Orange County.
The convention of the State, in session at Fishkill, ordered prisoners now in confinement at Peekskill, for thefts and plun lering the inhabitants of the State, to goil at Poughkeepsie, there to remain until delivered by due course of law.
May 5th, 1777, the Convention recommended each county to organize a Com. of Safety, within the county, to guard against intestine divisions, which the enemy was laboring to promote.
At an early period during the Revolution, one sergeant and fourteen privates from each regiment within the county were sent to Fishkill to erect barracks. Each man so drafted was to furnish himself either with a good sufficient spade, shovel, stubbing hoe, felling ax, or corn hoe, and every other necessary for his accommodation.
[Return of Militia officers for Southeast Precinct, Duchess Co. N. Y.]
SOUTHEAST PRECINCT COMMITTEE, August 2Ist, 1775.
Pursuant to a Resolution of Provincial Congress, Ordered that Thomas Baldwin, Esquire, and Mr. Nathaniel Foster, two of the members of this Committee, notify the Militia of this
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Precinct, consisting of one Beat (lately commanded by John Field, as Captain) to appear on the 25th instant at the place of parade, that the said Militia, under the direction and inspec- tion of the said Baldwin and Foster, may arrange themselves into a military company, agreeable to said Resolution of Congress. That said Militia do then and there make choice of military officers by a majority of votes, to take the command of said company, and that the said Baldwin and Foster make return of their doings to the chairman of this Committee.
JOSEPH CRANE, Chairman.
Having duly executed the above Order of Committee, we- hereby certify that the Company of Militia of said Southeast Precinct, agreeable to said order, did assemble; and they have, by a fair majority of votes, made choice of Commissioned Officers to take command of said company, agreeable to the Resolution of Congress, as follows, viz :- William Mott, Captain ; Benjamin Higgins, First Lieutenant ; Ebenezer Gage, Second Lieutenant ; Nathaniel Green, Jun., Ensign.
Test,
THOMAS BALDWIN NATHANIEL FOSTER.
[Return of Minute-officers in Southeast Precinct, Duchess. County, New York. ]
SOUTHEAST PRECINCT COMMITTEE, Sept. 22, 1775.
Ordered, that those persons who have arranged themselves in the character of Minute-Men in this precinct, do assemble themselves on the 26th inst., in order to choose out of their Company the several officers which agreeable to directions of our Congress, are to command such companies ; and that Thomas Baldwin, Esq., and Mr. Nathaniel Foster, members of this committee, do attend and inspect such choice, and make return thereof to the chairman of this Committee.
JOSEPH CRANE, Chairman.
SOUTHEAST PRECINCT, Sept. 26th, 1775.
We hereby certify that agreeable to the foregoing order,
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
the Company of Minute-Men referred to did, on the 26th inst. assemble, and under our inspection, make choice of Joshua Barnum, Jun., as Captain ; William Marsh, First Lieutenant ; Eliakim Barnum, Second Lieut ; Jonathan Crane, Ensign.
THOMAS BALDWIN, NATHANIEL FOSTER.
In a Plymouth paper, in July, 1825, appeared the following notice of an application for a pension by one of Arnold's bargemen, detailing the manner of his departure from " Bev- erly Dock."
"Application was made this week in this town for assist- ance in making out the necessary documents for a pension by one of the bargemen in the barge that conveyed Gen'l Arnold to the Sloop of War Vulture. He was bow-oarsmen in the boat, next in rank to the coxswain, whose name was James Larvey. His memory is remarkably accurate, and his veracity is unquestioned. The day before the flight of Arnold, he brought him with Major Andre, from Lawyer Smith's, below Stony Point, to the General's headquarters. They conversed very little during the passage. The General told his aid, who was at the landing when they arrived, that he had brought up a relative of his wife. Arnold kept one of his horses con- stantly comparisoned at the door of his quarters, and the next morning, after breakfast, fled in great haste with the coxswain close behind on foot. The coxswain cried out to the barge- men to come out from their quarters, which were hard by, and the General dashed down the foot-path, instead of taking a circuit, the usual one for those who were mounted. The barge was soon made ready, though the General, in his impatience, repeatedly ordered the bowman to push off, before all the men had mustered. The saddle and holsters were taken on the barge, and Arnold, immediately after they had pushed off, wiped the priming from the pistols, and primed anew, cocked and half-cocked them repeatedly. He inquired of Collins if the men had their arms, and was told that the men came in. such haste that there were but two swords, belonging to him-
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self and the coxswain. They ought to have brought their arms, he said. He tied a white handkerchief to the end of his cane for a flag in passing the forts. On arriving at the Vulture he took it off and wiped his face. The General had been down in the cabin about an hour when the coxswain was sent for, and by the significant looks and laughing of the officers, the men in the barge began to be apprehensive that all was not right. He very soon returned, and told them they were all prisoners of war. The bargemen were unmoved, and submitted, as to the fortunes of war, except two Englishmen, who had deserted, and who were much terrified, and wept.
" The bargemen were promised good fare if they would enter on board the Vulture, but they declined and were hand- cuffed, and so remained four days. Gen. Arnold then sent for them at New York. In passing from the wharf to his head- quarters, the two Englishmen shipped on board of a letter-of marque, then nearly ready to sail. The others, five in number, waited on Arnold, who told them they had always been atten- tive and faithful, and he expected they would stay with him. He had, he said, command of a regiment of horse, and Lar- vey, you, and Collins, may have commissions, and the rest shall be non-commissioned officers. Larvey announced that he could not be contented-he would rather be a soldier where he was contented, than an officer where he was not. The others expressed or manifested their concurrence in Larvey's opinion. He then gave the coxswain a guinea, and told them they should be sent back. At midnight they were conveyed to the Vulture, and the next day sent on shore. This worthy and intelligent applicant perfectly remembers Major Andre's dress, when they took him up in the barge, from Smith's house to Arnold's headquarters-blue homespun stockings-a pair of wrinkled boots, but lately brushed-biue cloth breeches, tied at the knee with strings-waistcoat of the same-blue surtout, buttoned by a single button-black silk handkerchief once around the neck and tied in front, with the ends under the waistcoat, and a flapped hat."
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Joshua Hett Smith, to whose house Arnold conducted Andre after their midnight interview "at the foot of Long Clove Mountain, near the low-water mark," was arrested at Fishkill, under charge of being in complicity with the treason of Arnold. He was tried before a court-martial, but was set at liberty on the plea that he was a civilian, and therefore out of the jurisdiction of a court-martial. He was soon after arrested by a civil process, and imprisoned in the jail at Goshen, Orange County, from which he escaped, and returned- with the British army to England. Some years ago he published a little volume entitled " Major Andre," in which he gives an account of his relations with Arnold, his arrest, trial, and imprisonment, and endeavors to show he knew nothing of the real business between the British Adjutant-General and America's great traitor, coupled with great abuse of Washing- ton, Greene and other patriots. The following is an extract of that part of it relating to his arrest at Fishkill, his arrival at the "Robinson House," and his interview with Washington :
" Having given him (Andre) directions about the road he was to take upon crossing the bridge, with a message to my brother, the chief justice, whom he knew, we parted. I pro- ceeded on my way to Fishkill, taking Arnold's headquarters at the Robinson House on my route ; I mentioned to Gen, Arnold the distance I accompanied Mr. Anderson, which gave him apparently much satisfaction. His dinner being ready, I partook of it, and in the evening proceeded to Fishkill to my family. Here I found General Washington had arrived in the course of the afternoon, on his return from visiting Count Rochambeau, and I supped with him and a large retinue at General Scott's. The next day I went on business to Poughkeepsie, and returned to Fishkill the ensuing evening. It was on the 25th of September, about midnight, that the door of the room wherein I lay in bed with Mrs. Smith, was forced open with great violence, and instantly the chamber was filled with soldiers, who approached the bed with fixed bayonets. I was then, without ceremony, drawn out of bed
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
by a French officer named Govion whom I recollected to have entertained at my house not long before, in the suite of the Marquis de LaFayette. He commanded me instantly to dress myself, and to accompany him to General Washington, having an order from the General, he said, to arrest me. The house was the residence of Col. Hay, who had married my sister. The family was thrown in great confusion ; the females especially were in the deepest distress; indeed the shock so much affected Mrs. Smith that she never fully recovered from it; and, which, added to my subsequent sufferings, was the cause of her death. I perceived that any opposition would be ineffectual. Col. Hay desired to know for what cause the arrest was made ; to which Govion would give no satisfactory answer. I then desired the privilege of having my servant and one of my horses to go with him to General Washingon, at Robinson's house, which he refused ; and I was immediately marched off on foot a distance of eighteen miles.
"At length on my arrival at Robinson's house, I was paraded before the door. under a guard. General Washing- ton soon afterward came to a piazza, and looked sternly and with much indignation at me ; my countenance was the index of my mind, and the beautiful lines of Horace occurred to me. ' si fractis et illabiter orbis inupaviaum feriunt, que ruinae,' etc. On his retiring, I was ordered into a back room, and two sentinels placed at the door. After as much time had elapsed as I supposed was thought necessary to give me rest from my march, I was conducted into a room, where were standing General Washington in the centre and on each side Gen. Knox and the Marquis de LaFayette, with Washington's two aides-de-camp, Cols. Harrison and Hamilton.
" Provoked at the usage I received, I addressed General Washington, and demanded to know for what cause I was brought before him in so ignominious a manner ? The General answered sternly, that I stood before him charged with the blackest treason against the citizens of the United
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
States ; and that he was authorized, from the evidence in his possession, and from the authority vested in him by Congress, to hang me immediately as a traitor, and that nothing could save me but a candid confession who in the army, or among the citizens at large, were my accomplices in the horrid and nefarious designs I had meditated for the last ten days past. I answered that no part of my conduct could justify the charge, as General Arnold, if present, would prove; that what I had done of a public nature was by direction of that General, and, if wrong, he was amenable, not myself, for acting agreea- bly to his orders.
" He immediately replied, 'Sir, do you know that Arnold has fled, and that Mr. Anderson whom you have piloted through our lines proves to be Major John Andre, Adjutant General of the British army, now our prisoner ? I expect him here under a guard of one hundred horse, to meet his fate as a spy, and unless you confess who were your accomplices, I shall suspend you both on yonder tree,' pointing to a tree before the door. In a short time I was remanded into the room and urged to a confession of accomplices, with General Washington's declaration that the evidence he possessed of my being a party was sufficient to take away my life.
"Sometime afterwards, Col. Hamilton came to me, and compassionately, as he said, recommended me to declare all I knew respecting the business of which I was accused, observing that many were mistrusted, who, if they confessed, would be in a worse situation ; but as he supposed this was not the case, I had now a chance to save my life, and for the sake of my family I ought to preserve it-with many more expressions to the same effect.
' General Washington then came into the room, and ques- tioned Col. Hamilton why he was so long speaking to me ? The Colonel replied, 'General, I know Smith has meant well during his agency in this transaction, for in all our public meetings in New York, his general demeanor spoke a spirit of moderation, nor could he be persuaded to any other opinion
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
than that this contest between Great Britain and her colonies would be compromised, as in the business of the stamp and other acts of which we complained to the British Government, in our petition by Gov. Penn,' etc.
"Gen. Washington then said in a gentle tone of voice, ' Col. Hamilton, I am not yet satisfied ; take him into the back room ; we must know something more about this business.' I was then conducted into the recess from which I was brought, was about to take some refreshment, when one of the sentries, pausing at the door, vowed that if I touched any of the bis- cuits that were in the room, he would shoot me dead. The fact was the room was a kind of a butlery, in which Mrs. Arnold had placed her stores, and I was in the act of taking a piece of the biscuits. I made no reply to the sentinel ; but remained nearly two hours in this confinement, when I heard the tramp of a number of horses near the place where I was confined, and soon after could distinguish the voice of the unfortunate Andre, and of Gen. Washington and his suite, who soothed him with all the blandishments that his education and rank demanded ; he was courted with a smile in the face, when worse than a dagger was intended for his heart. I distinctly heard Col. Hamilton say to a brother officer, who came out of the same room, that Major Andre was really an accomplished young man, and he was sorry for him, for the General was. determined to hang him.
" It was nearly dark, when a very respectable young gen- tleman entered the room, and politely desired me to accom- pany him. I was in hopes this was a prelude to my emanci- pation, and I requested the honor of his name ? He answered, ' It is Washington.' I said, 'I presume, sir, you hold the rank of Colonel.' He told me he held no rank at all. He then conducted me to the back part of Robinson's house, where there were two horses, desired me to mount one of them, and by his guidance in a way I had never been, we soon reached the bank of the river opposite West Point. Here I was delivered to the custody of a Capt. Sheppard, of the New
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Jersey Continental troops, and did not observe that I had been guarded by a troop of horse until I was placed in the ferry- boat, and saw them follow Mr. Washington up the mountain ; two boats followed us composed of the guard. If I had any inclinations to throw myself overboard, I was so well guarded that I am certain that I should have been taken out of the water ; for the main object of General Washington in detain- ing and trying me, was to obtain a knowledge of General Arnold's confederates in the army, as well as in Congress. In fact, this defection of Arnold had excited such a general sus- picion, that no one dared trust another ; and nothing but exe- crations were heard from hut to hut."
The following recapitulation of the Judgment of the Court Martial before whom Major Andre was tried, the order from Washington approving the same, and directing its execution, is taken from the " Revolutionary Orders" of the Commander- in-Chief, edited by Henry Whiting, Lieut. Col. U. S. Army, from the manuscripts of his father, John Whiting, Lieut. and Adjutant of the 2nd Regt. Mass. Line :
"No. 80, HEADQUARTERS ORANGE TOWN, October Ist, 1780.
The Board of General Officers,* appointed to examine into the case of Major Andre, have reported-Ist, That he came on shore from the Vulture Sloop of War in the night of the 2 Ist of September last, on an interview with General Arnold, in a private and secret manner ; 2ndly, That he changed his dress within our lines, and under a feigned name and disguised habit, passed our works at Stony and Verplank's Points on the evening of the 22nd of September last, and was taken on the 23d of September last, at Tarrytown, in a disguised habit, and being then on his way to New York, and when taken he had in his possession several papers which contained intelligence for the enemy.
* The Board referred to consisted of Major-General Grecne, as President, and Major Generals Marquis de LaFayette, and Baron Steuben.
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
"The Board, having maturely considered those facts, do also report to his Excellency, General Washington, that Major Andre, Adjutant-General of the British Army, ought to be considered as a Spy from the Enemy, and agreeably to the law and usage of Nations, it is their opinion that he ought to suffer death. The Commander-in-Chief directs the execution of the above sentence, in the usual way, this afternoon, at 5 o'clock."*
THE WAR OF 1812.
For several years the war cloud had loomed dark and threatening over the land. Difficulties with foreign powers 'began to thicken ; insults were heaped upon our flag, and our ·solemn protests were greeted with scorn. Great Britain was first and foremost in these acts of insolence. She claimed the right to board American vessels and carry off pretended deserters from the British navy, and right boldly did she exercise her claims. Under color of capturing deserters, hundreds of American seamen were forcibly impressed into the British service.
In addition to this, English cruisers hovered near the principal ports of the United States, for the purpose of intercepting merchant vessels, which were carried to England as lawful prizes. May 16th, 1811, the American Frigate President, hailed the British Sloop of War Little Belt, and received a cannon shot in reply. The former answered the challenge by a broadside. A sharp action ensued, in which Little Belt had eleven men killed and twenty-one wounded ; which punishment induced her commander to return a suitable answer. The conduct of both commanders was approved by their respective governments, and matters assumed a still more threatening attitude.
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