USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 14
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" I have to add that by some fatality the two Continental frigates were lost, they having been ordered down by Gen. Putnam for the defense of the chain; but being badly manned, they could not he got aff in time, though I ordered the ship ' Congress' to proceed to Fort Constitution the day before the attack, lest she should meet with a disaster ; and the ship ' Montgomery,' which lay neur the chain, having neither anchor por enbles to secure her, it being the ebb of the tide and the wind falling, fell down so near the chain that Cupt. Hodge was constrained to get her on fire to prevent her from falling into the hands of the enemy. The ' Congress' unfortunately getting aground on the flat near Fort Constitu- tion, shared the same fate. Fort Constitution being destituto of troops to defend it, was evacuated, after bringing off part of the stores. 1 am now about three miles from New Windsor, with Col. Samuel B. Webb's regiment of Continental troops, the remains of Col. Dubois', about one hundred of Col. Lamb's regiment, who escaped from the fort, and some militia. I intend to collect what force I possibly can to oppose the enemy, should they land on this side of the river.
" Sir Henry Clinton commanded in person. Gen. Tryon, Gen, Vaughan, and two other general officers were with him. The army who attacked us, by the lowest account, consisted of three thousand, chietly British and Hessian troops. The garrison of both our posts did not exceed . six Imudred men, and many of these unarmed militia. The ordinary gar- rison was thus reduced by detaching Maj. Moffat with two hundred men to the post at Sydman's Bridge, and Col. Malcom's regiment being ordered from thence, and sixty men on Anthony's Nose by Gen. Put- nam's ordors, received the day before the action. I have only to add that where great losses are sustained, however unavoidable, public cen- Bure is generally the consequence to those who are immediately con- corned. If, in the present instance, this should be the case, I wish, su far us relates to Fort Montgomery and its dependencies, it may fall on me alone; for I should be guilty of the greatest injustice were I nut to declare that the officers and men under me, of the different corps, be- haved with the greatest spirit and bravery.
" I am, etc., "GEORGE CLINTON."
58
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
tricts, and Col. DuBois' Continental regiment, and Col. Lamb's artillery. No list of the killed appears on record, the return being of prisoners, as follows :
COL. LEWIS DUBOIS' FIFTH CONTINENTAL REGIMENT.
David M. Hollister.
William Wilbig. Jacobus Sanbush.
John McDonalds.
John Brown.
George Ilumphrey.
John Conkling.
George Bolton.
Moses Cantine.
James Montange.
ADrie Mass.
James Miller.
Henry Ostrander.
James Michael.
James Humphrey, captain.
George Coleman.
Jacobus Luguer.
John Johnston.
John Skinner.
David Breviers.
Nelich Suiffin.
Gradus Vinegar.
Hezekiah Kane.
Vincent Viney. Jeremiah Duun. Robert Patrick.
James Montieth.
Cornelius Slutt.
Isaac Kimbark.
William Howell.
Samnel Falls.
William Baxter.
John Hunt.
Benjamin Wiltsie.
Michael Johnston.
David Winchester.
Joseph Reeder.
Lewis Dickerson.
John Price.
Cornelius Rose.
Benjamin Lawrence.
Jobn Iyory.
Robert Marshall.
George Wilkin.
Robert Cooper.
Nathaniel Utter.
John Satterly.
Simeon Ostrander.
Cornelius Stevens.
Eliakim Bosh.
Lieut. Traverse.
John Stevenson.
John Bingham .
Robert Gillespie.
James Amerman.
Zachariah Terwilliger.
John Snyder.
Abraham Wright.
Herman Crums.
William Warren.
Jonathan Hallock.
sammel Griffing.
.James Weldon.
Cornelins Acker.
Thomas Sinn.
Jacob Lawrence.
Zachariah Du Bois, major.
Benjamin Simmons.
Martin Shay.
Francis Gowans.
John Brooks.
Isaac Cooley.
Thomas Hartwell.
Samuel Turner.
John Lamoreux.
Joshua Currey.
Patrick Dirking.
Daniel Dimmiock.
Henry Cunningham.
James Thompson.
Samnel Crosby.
John Whitlock.
Joline Crooks.
Stephen Clark.
Moses Shall.
Jacobus Terwilliger.
William Prince.
James Michael.
John West.
James Steel.
Lyman Cavius.
John Armstrong.
John McIntosh.
Thomas Crispell.
Israel Cushman.
Peter Gillet.
Lient. Henry Schoonmaker.
Enos Lugnier.
Asa Barnsly.
Edward Thompson.
Thomas Ilector.
Randal Hawes.
Jesse Carpenter.
Isaac Hoffman.
Abel Randall.
Alex. De Kay.
Thomas Kane.
Samuel Boyd.
William Banker.
William Werner.
Peter Wells.
Abraham Jordan.
Joseph Ten Eyck.
Jolını Stornı.
John Westoo.
Thomas McCarty.
Michael Burgle.
Thomas Hendricks.
Thomas Smith.
John Chamberlain, sergeant. Zebulon Woodruff.
Ephraim Adams.
Paul Kryler.
Francis Sears.
George Heck.
Samuel Garrison.
John Miller.
John Ellison.
William Slott.
William Ivory. John Stanly.
Maj. Samuel Logan.
Benjamin Griffin.
Benjamin Chichester.
Edward Allen.
Francis Drake.
William Bardle.
Jasper Smith.
Enos Sniffin.
William Casselbon.
Joseph Belton.
James Ilanna.
COL. WILLIAM ALLISON'S GOSHEN REGIMENT-MILITIA.
Col. William Allison.
Jesse Danon.
Samuel Taylor.
Peter Jones.
James Bell.
Criah Black.
Robert Cater.
Caleb Ashley.
Richard Shorter.
Frederick Noohton.
Richard Koyle.
David Weller.
James Thompson.
Peter Stage.
Timothy Cornon.
Isaac Ketchum.
Michael Dannon.
Henry Brewster, lieutenant.
James Sardyer.
Frederick Pelliger.
Joseph Moore.
COL. M.CLAUGHRY'S NEW WINDSOR REGIMENT-MILITIA.
James McClanghry, lieuten-
Henry M. Neely
ant-colonel.
William Scott.
Matthew DuBois.
Robert Barkley.
Francis McBride.
James Wood.
Robert Huston.
David Thompson.
Andrew Wilson.
Elias Wood.
Christopher Sypher.
John Carmichael.
John Hankins.
William McMullen.
William Stenson.
Isaac Denton.
William Humphrey.
George Brown.
Ethan Sears.
Philip Millspangh.
John Van Arsdell.
Albert Weeks.
solomon Shaw.
Bolton Vau Dyk.
John Mauney.
Daniel Lowers.
John Hauna.
COL. HASBROUCK'S NEWBURGH REGIMENT-MILITIA.
COL. WOODHULL'S CORNWALL REGIMENT-MILITIA.
Joseph Morgan.
Jacob Lent.
Jonathan Stockbolin.
John Albigh.
Thomas Conkling.
Lieut. Henry Swartwout.
Lieut. Samuel Pendleton.
Many of these prisoners were wounded in the action and died of their wounds, and many of them died in the sugar-house prison in New York; others were ex- changed after years of confinement. But of the killed in action no list was possible,-on the rolls of their regiments when called could only be entered " miss- ing" opposite the names of many noble men whose places were thereafter forever vacant. Rev. Timothy Dwight, chaplain in Parson's brigade, who visited the scene of conflict in March following, tells the story of their fate. Ile writes : " As we went onward, we were distressed by the fcetor of decayed human bodies. To me this was a novelty, and more overwhelming and dispiriting than I am able to describe. As we were attempting to discover the source from which it pro- ceeded, we found at a small distance from the fort a pond of moderate size, in which we saw the bodies of several men who had been killed in the assault upon the fort. They were thrown into this pond the pre- veding autumn by the British, when probably the water was sufficiently deep to cover them. Some of them were covered at this time, but at a depth so small as to leave them distinctly visible. Others had an arm, a leg, and part of the body above the surface. The clothes they wore when they were killed were still on them, and proved that they were militia, being the ordinary dress of farmers. Their faces were bloated and monstrous, and their postures uncouth
Thadeus Kneely.
59
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
and distorted, and in the highest degree afflictive. To me, a novice in scenes of this nature, it was over- whelming."
Fortunately for the district, the regiments were by no means full ; probably not over one-fourth of the militia was present in the actions. Fortunately, too, the Clintons escaped,-Governor George by a boat, in which he gained the eastern shore and made his way to Putnam's headquarters ; and Gen. James by slip- ping down the rocks to the bed of Poplopen's Kill and thence up the same into the hills. Wounded in the thigh by a bayonet tbrust, he reached his home at Little Britain covered with blood, after a detour of sixteen miles. Defeated as they were-overwhelmed by numbers rather-they were by no means crushed. From Gen. Putnam Governor Clinton obtained Col. Webb's brigade, and with them crossed the river to New Windsor on the 8th (the day after the battle). Meanwhile by alarms and signal-guns the militia that had not been in the actions were brought together at Little Britain, where they were joined by fugitives from the forts, and by the time the British had de- stroyed the obstruetions to the navigation a respecta- ble force was again under the Clintons on the west shore to prevent the enemy from landing, while on the eastern side Putnam was able to successfully pro- teet the army stores at Fishkill and at points above. As the enemy's fleet moved north, Putnam's and Clinton's commands moved with them. Unfortu- nately, the roads leading north were more circuitous than the course of the river, and while Clinton " forced the march" of his troops, they had only reached Ro- sendale Creek when the ascending smoke gave evidence that they were too late to save Kingston. Here the enemy stopped. Advices from the north conveyed to them the fact that they too were "too late,"-that Bur- goyne had surrendered and that their further advance was useless. Their return voyage to the Highlands was watched by Putnam and Clinton, and on the 23d of October, when the enemy had passed below Pallo- pel's Island, the forces of the latter (then under Gen. James) were at New Windsor, occupying stations as follows : Gen. Webb's command at New Windsor vil- lage; Capt. Nicoll's company at Murderer's Creek ; Col. Tusten with the remains of Col. Allison's regi- ment, and Col. Woodhull's regiment, from Murderer's Creek to Smith's Clove; Col. McClaughry's regiment at Hasbrouck's mill ; and Col. Hasbrouck's regiment from Newburgh along the river north. Tarrying only a few days in the Highlands to complete the destruc- tion of the fort, the enemy sailed for New York, and the militia returned to their homes.
While these events were transpiring on the Hudson, the western frontier was harassed by the incursions of Indians and Tories. At the outbreak of the war the colonists made no little effort to induce the more important tribes, as well as the resident Indians, to remain neutral. To some extent this effort was suc- cessful, but ultimately the rude savages, always easily
debauched by rum and trinkets, yielded to the solici - tations and rewards of the English agents, and ae- cepted service in their ranks. The bulk of the Six Nations were more immediately employed in the northern and western parts of the province, in com- pany with the Tories, in an independent organization known as "Tories and Indians." This organization was extended to the southwestern frontiers in 1777, when a rendezvous was established by Brant and But- ler at Oghkawaga (now Binghamton), where was soon gathered a motley erew of whites and savages, from the Delaware and its branches, whose field of opera- tions was to embrace the frontier settlements with which its members were best acquainted. In antici- pation of the events which subsequently followed, the settlers in the western part of Orange erected, soon after hostilities commenced, a number of block- houses,* while others stockaded their dwellings with a view to defense. The first invasion of the district is said to have occurred on the 13th of October, 1778, when two dwellings were attacked, three persons killed, and the inhabitants despoiled of their grain and stock.t Count Pulaski, with his legion of cav- alry, was then sent to Minisink for the protection of the settlers, and remained during the winter of 1778- 79, and Col. Van Cortlandt's regiment was sent to Wawarsing. Hostilities were renewed in the spring ; the valley of the Snsquehanna was devastated ; Wy- oming became the scene of frightful massacres; north- western Ulster was invaded, and the Fantinekill and Woodstock settlements visited. The withdrawal of Count Pulaski from Minisink left the lower frontier exposed, and, on the night of July 19th, Brant, with sixty-five of his warriors, and twenty-seven Tories disguised as savages, ¿ stole upon what was then known as the Lower Neighborhood,¿ and before the people were aroused from their slumbers several dwellings were set on fire, and the work of death begun. With- out means of defense, the inhabitants fled to the moun- tains, leaving all their worldly goods a spoil to the in- vaders. Their church, mills, houses, and barns were burned ; several persons were killed and some taken prisoners ; cattle were driven away, and booty of every kind carried to Grassy Brook on the Delaware, where Brant had his headquarters.
Alarmed by fugitives, Lieut .- Col. Tusten, of Col.
* Mr. Gumaer states that three small forts were erected in the Peen- pack neighborhood,-"one at the house of Jacob Rutsen DeWitt, one at the house of Benjamin R. DePuy, and one at the house of Ezekiel Gumaer." He intimates that there was none at the Lower Neighborhood or Little Minisink. Santhier's map of 1779 locates "Col. Jersey Fort" at the " Lower Neighborhood," and " Fort Cotenco" north of the " Upper Neighborhood." Besides the "Col. Jersey Fort," there were several forts (so called) at the " Lower Neighborhood," erected by individuals for their own protection. Among others one at Daniel Van Auken's, and one st Martinas Decker's.
+ This statement is on the authority of Mr. Gumaer. We find no other record.
Į The number of the attacking party was never definitely known.
¿ Now in Deerpark, south of the Neversiok River, and so called to dis- tinguish it from the Upper Neighborhood, or original settlement on the 1 Cuddeback Patent.
60
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Allison's Goshen regiment, Col. Hathorn of the War- wick regiment, and Capt. Meeker of the New Jersey militia, with such number of their commands as could be brought together in so brief a time, met in council at Minisink the following morning. Col. Tusten re- garded the force as being too small to attempt the pursuit of the invaders, but he was overruled, and the line of march taken up under command of Col. Hath- orn, and continued until the high hills overlooking the Delaware, near the mouth of the Lackawaxen, were reached, where the enemy was discovered. Or- dering his force into three divisions, Hathorn made preparations for the attack ; but was anticipated by Brant, who having, it is said, received reinforcements, threw his warriors into action before Hathorn's dis- positions were fully made, and compelled his rear di- vision to break and fly. Hathorn rallied his men as best he could; but Brant had the advantage of posi- tion and superior numbers, and drew his fire closer and closer until Hlathorn was hemmed in within the circumference of an acre of ground, upon a rocky hill that sloped on all sides, where, with only forty- five men, he maintained the conflict for over five hours, when, the ammunition of his men being ex- hausted, he formed them in a hollow square, and pre- pared for a final defense with clubbed muskets. Broken at one corner, the square became a rout, and the flying fugitives sought safety in all directions. Behind a rock on the field, Tusten dressed the wonnds of his neighbors, but his occupation was no protec- tion ; the Indians rushed to the spot, killed him and the wounded men in his charge, seventeen in number, and completed the bloody work which they had com- menced. Of those who heroically took part in the action, only about thirty returned to relate the expe- riences through which they had passed in the scourg- ing conflict,-the whistle of bullets, the moans of the wounded, the yells of savage foes, grafting them for- ever upon the memory of their descendants and weaving them imperishably into the traditions and the history of the county. Engraved on the monu- ment to their memory* at Goshen are the names, so far as known, of those who perished in the action :
Benjamin Tusten, lieutenant- James Little. Gilbert S. Vail.
colonel.
Abram Shepherd.
Samnel Jones, captain. Ephraim Masten, easign. John Duncan, captain. Gabriel Wisner.
- Shepherd. Daniel Talmage.
David Harney. Abram Williams.
Nathaniel Terwilliger.
Isaac Ward.
Ephraim Ferguson. Sammel Knapp. Benjamin Bennett.
Gamaliel Bailey.
Eleazer Oweos.
Jacob Dunning.
Samuel Little.
* Jn 1822 the bones of the fallen were gathered from the battle-field and interred at Goshen under a mooument iuscribed, " Erected by the inhabitants of Orange County, July 22, 1822. Sacred to the memory of forty-four of their fellow-citizens who fell at the battle of Minisink, July 22, 1779." No positive identification of the remains could be made. The present monument was the gift of the late Dr. M. II. Cash, and was erected by the board of supervisors in 1862. The battle-ground is in the present county of Sullivao.
Joseph Norris.
Bazaliel Tyler, captain.
Joel Decker.
John Wood, lieutenant.
Nathan Wade.
Nathaniel Finch, adjutant.
Simon Wait.
Ephraim Middaugh, eosign.
John Carpenter.
Stephen Mead.
Jonathan IJaskell.
Joshua Lockwood.
James Morher.
Roger Townsend.
Baltus Nierpos.
James Knapp.
Moses Thomas.
William Barker.
Adam Embler.
Jonathan Pierce.
Benjamin Duoniog.
An account of the engagement which shall satis- factorily harmonize the traditions concerning it can- not be attempted with the hope of success. The stories which have been repeated by sire to son for four generations cannot be, and perhaps should not be, uprooted. The only statement that has the sem- blance of authority upon the subject is the official report of Col. Hathorn, made five days after the ac- tion, and while yet the account of the dead and miss- ing was incomplete. The following is this report :
"WARWICK 27 July, 1779.
"Gov. CLINTON-DEAR SIA: In conformity to the Militia Law I em- brace this first opportunity to communicate to your Excellency my proceedings on a late tour of duty with my Regiment. On the Evening of the 21st of this instaat I received ao order from his Excellency Gen- eral Washington, together with a requisition of the Commissary of Pris- oners, to furnish one hundred men of my Regiment for to guard the British Prisoners on their way to Easton, at the same time received ad Express from Minisink that the Indians were ravaging and burning that place. I ordered three companies of my Regimeot including the Exempt Company to parade for the purpose of the Guard. The other three Com- panies to March Immediately to Minisink. On the 22 I arrived with a part of my people at Minisink, where I fonod Col. Tustin of Goshen and Major Meeker of New Jersey with parte of their Regiments who had marched with about Eighty men up the river a few arile. 1 joined this party with about Forty olen the whole amounting to one hundred and twenty men Officers included. A spy come in and informed me the Enemy lay abont four hours before at Mongaup, six miles distant from ne. Our people appeared io ligh Spirito. We marched in pursuit with an intention either to fall on them by surprise or to gain in front and Ambush them. We were soon informed that they were on their march np the River. I found it impracticable to surprise them on the ground they now were and took my Ront along the old Keshethtou path. The Indians eocamped at the month of the half-way brook. We encamped at 12 o'clock at night at Skinners Saw Mill three miles and a half from the Enemy where we lay the remainder of the night. The Mountains were so exceedingly rugged and high we could not possibly get at them as they had passed the grounds the most favourable for us to attack them on before we could overtake them. Skiuners is about eighteen miles from Minisink. At daylight on the moroing of the 23, after leaving our horses, and disengaging of every thing heavy, we marched on with in- tention to make the attack the moment ao opportunity offered. The Indiane, probably from some discovery they had made of us, marched with more alacrity than usual, with an intention to get their Prisoners, Cattle and plunder taken at Minisiak over the river. They had almost effected getting their Cattle and baggage across, when we discovered them at Lacawack, 27 miles from Minisink, sodie I odiaos 10 the river and some had got over. It was determined in council to make an attack at this place. ] therefore disposed of the men into three divisions, ordered Col. Tustin to command the one on the right and to take post about three hundred yards distance on an emineoce to secure our Right; sent Col. Wisner with another Division to file out to the Left and to dispose of himself in the like manner. In order to prevent the Enemy from gaining any advantage on our flank, the other Division under my com- mand to attack them with that vigor necessary to Strike Terror in such a foe.
" Cupt. Tyler with the advance Guard unhappily discharged his piece before the division could be properly posted, which put me under the necessity of bringing on the Action. I ordered my Division to fix their Bayonets and push forcibly on them, which order being resolutely exe- cuted put the Indiana in the utmost confusion great numbers took to
Daniel Reed.
61
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
the river. who fell from the well directed fire of our Rifle meo, and in- cessaot blaze froot our Musketry without returning any fire. The Di- visioos in the rear, not subject to order broke, some advanced down the . hill toward me, others fled into the woods. I sooo perceived the enemy rally on our right and recrossing the river to gain the heights. I found myself under the necessity to rally all my force which by this time was much less than I expected. The enemy by this time had collected in force and from the best accounts can be collected received a reinforce- ment from Keshethon began to fire on our left. We returned the fire and kept up a constant bush fireing up the hill from the river, in which the brave Capt. Tyler fell, several were wounded. The people being exceedingly fatigued obliged me to take post on a height, which proved to be a strong and advantageous ground. The enemy repeatedly ad- vanced in from 40 to 100 yards distance and were as repeatedly repulsed. I had oow but 45 men (officers included) who had lost their command naturally drew toward me. The spirits of these few ootwithstanding their fatigue, situation, and unallayed thirst, added to that crnel yelling of those bloody monsters, the seed uf Anak in size, exceed thought or description. We defended this ground near three hours and a half during the whole time one blaze without intermission was kept up oo both sides. Here we had three men killed and nine wounded. Among the wounded was Lt. Col. Tustin, io the hand, Maj. Meeker in the shoul- der, Adj. Fioch in the leg, Capt. Jones in the foot, and Ensign Wood in the wrist. The chief of our people was wounded hy Angle shots from the Indians from behind Rocks and Trees. Our Rifles here were very useful. I fonod myself under the necessity of ceasing the fire, our Am- munition from the continual fire of more than five hours* naturally suggested that it minst be Exhausted, ordered Do person to shoot without having his object sure that no shot might be lost. This gave spirits to the Enemy, who formed their whole strength and forced the North East part of our Lives. Here we gave them a severe Ganl. Onr people not being able to support the lines retreated down the hill precipitately towards the River. The Enemy kept up a constant fire on our Right which was returoed. The people by this time was so scattered I found myself unequal to rally them again, consequently every man made choice of his own way. Thus Ended the Action.
" The following are missing in the whole from the last accounts :
"Col. Ellison's Regiment-Lt. Col. Tustia, Capt. Jones, Capt. Wood, Capt. Little, Capt. Duncan, and twelve privates. One private of New Jersey. Adjutant Finch, Ensign Wood, and one private of my Regiment. In the whole twenty-one men.
"Several wounded men are in. I hope others will be yet found. I received a wound on my head, one io my leg and one in my thigh- slightly. The one in my thigh, from inattention, is a little troublesome. Several spies that lay near the enemy the night following the action io- form ns that they moved off their wounded in canoes, on the day follow- ing: that on the ground where they lay there was great quantities of blood, and the whole encampment was marked with wounded men. Great numbers of plasters and bloody rags was found. Although we Buffered by the loss of so many brave men, the best for the number, with- out sensible error, in the Precinct. It's beyond doubt the enemy suf- fered much more. From the various parts of the action can be collected a greater number of lodian dead than we lost, besides their wounded. The number of Indiane and Tories is not ascertained ; some accounts say 90, others 120, others 160. Col. Seward of New Jersey, with 93 men, was within five or six miles of the action, on the Pennsylvania side, did not hear the firing ; approached and lay near the lodiane all night follow- ing, and from their conduct and groaning of the wounded gave rise to the belief that they had been in some action where they had suffered, and would have attacked them round their fire, but a mutiny arose among some of his people which prevented-a very unfortunate and to
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