USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 17
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The following items from the " Pennsylvania Journal" of July 10, 1776, are of interest in this connection.
"As soon as the troops landed they paraded the North Shore, and on Wednesday morning made their appearance near Eliza- beth-Town Point ; but the country being soon alarmed, they retreated, took up the floor of the draw-bridge in the salt meadows, and immediately threw up some works.
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
"Their near approach to Elizabeth-Town Point greatly alarmed the inhabitants of Essex county, and particularly the people of Elizabeth-Town and Newark, but they are now in a condition to receive them whenever they may think proper to approach.
"Two young men from Elizabeth-Town crossed the river in a canoe last Thursday, and fired upon the Regulars ; but a nom- ber of them rushing out of the woods, they were obliged to retreat and cross the river again.
"A sloop of twelve six pounders, belonging to the fleet from Halifax, laying in the Kills, near Mr. Decker's ferry, was almost torn to pieces last Wednesday morning, by a party under the command of General Herd, from the opposite shore, with two 18-pounders. The crew soon abandoned the sloop, and we sup- pose she is rendered entirely unfit for any further service.
"We hear two men of war now lay near Amboy, in order 'tis supposed, to stop all navigation that way."
Lord Howe and General Howe, having thus established their troops and naval forces upon and around Staten Island, issued a proclamation on the 14th of July, inviting all persons to return to their allegiance to the king. Their combined forces were estimated at about 24,000 men, though only a part of them were encamped on the island. The number of the latter has been variously estimated at from nine to fifteen thousand men.
Let us now turn aside from the field of active movements to notice the deliberations of the parliamentary head of govern- ment. On the 9th of July the provincial congress convened at the court house in White Plains, Westchester county ; the British then having taken possession of Staten Island, there were no deputies from Richmond county in attendance. At this meeting the declaration of independence was received and read ; it was also reported that the British had taken posses- sion of Staten Island without opposition, and detachments had advanced toward Bergen Point and Elizabethtown. The declar- ation having been read, it was unanimously adopted, and the congress passed a resolution to support the same, "at the risk of our lives and fortunes." It was thus ordered to be published. It was then "Resolved and Ordered, that the style or title of this house be changed from that of the 'Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York,' to that of 'The Convention of the Representatives of the State of New York.' "
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
The convention recognized the impracticablity of electing senators and members of assembly in the southern district of the state, Westchester excepted, and as it was reasonable and right that the people of that district should be entitled to rep- resentation in legislation, they proceeded to appoint these of- ficers ; and for the county of Richmond, Joshua Mersereau and Abm. Jones were appointed ; the latter was subsequently de. nied his seat, on account of his sympathy for the enemy.
After this the county does not appear to have been repre- sented in the legislature of the colony or state for a long time. There were representatives who were entitled to their seats, but they were not permitted to leave the island. Communication with the main land, or with New York, or Long Island, was prohibited, except by permission, and consequently in the suc- ceeding sessions of the legislature the name of a representative from Richmond does not appear.
The first object to engage the attention of General Howe was the conciliation of the American loyalists, and, to this end, he had numerous interviews with Governor Tryon and other prominent individuals in New York and New Jersey, all of whom led him to believe that large numbers of the people were anxions to flock to his standard the moment it was un- furled. Delancey, of New York, and Skinner, of Perth Am- boy, were made brigadier-generals, and Billop, of Staten Island, colonel, of the native loyalists or tories. Proclama- tions were issued promising protection to the people so long as they remained peaceably at home and manifested no sym- pathy for the rebels or their cause Misled by the specious promises which Howe had promulgated, hundreds of the whig inhabitants of Staten Island remained peaceably at home to reap the fruits of their credulity in having soldiers quartered upon them-in enduring, submissively, the insults and out- rages committed upon themselves and families, their honses and barns openly and defiantly plundered, their cattle driven away or wantonly killed, their churches burned, and, not in- frequently, some of their own number barbarously, and with- out provocation, murdered.
There were some, however, who had no faith in the protesta- tions of the British commander, and also had too much man- hood to conceal their sentiments; to these the political atmos- phere of the island was decidedly unhealthy, and they had to
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escape for their lives. Among them was Colonel Jacob Merse- reau. He was the son of Joshna Mersereau and Maria Corsen. He was baptized May 24th, 1730, and died in September, 1804, in the 75th year of his age. He resided in the old stone house in Northfield, not far from Graniteville, since occupied by his son, Hon. Peter Mersereau. Soon after the beginning of the war he became apprehensive for his personal safety and fled to New Jersey. During his protracted residence there, he made occasional stealthy visits to his family by night, and on one of these occasions had a very narrow escape from capture. Hav- ing crossed the sound, and concealed his boat, he took his course for home across fields, avoiding the public roads as much as possible. While crossing a road he was met by a young man by whom he was recognized at once. There was no British post just then nearer than Richmond, and thither the young tory hastened to inform the commanding officer of his discovery. Preparations were made immediately to effect the arrest of the colonel, but it was near daylight in the morning before the party set ont. The family had arisen early, but they did not discover the soldiers until they were within a few rods of the house. The alarm was immediately given, which, being perceived by the approaching party, a rush was made, and as they reached the door the colonel sprang out of the upper northwest window of the house upon a shed beneath it, and thence to the ground. He was discovered before he had gone far, and at once pursued. Crouching on " all-fours " behind a hedge to keep himself out of sight, he reached a swamp in the middle of which he found a place of concealment. The swamp was discovered, and it was at once concluded that he was there concealed, but as the pursners were ignorant of its intricacies, they could proceed no further. Dogs were then put on the track, which they followed to the edge of the swamp, where they chanced to scent a rabbit, and away they went in pursuit of the new game. Here the pursuit terminated, and the colonel, after remaining concealed the whole day, escaped during the following night to New Jersey. For a week thereafter a close watch was kept on the house by day and by night.
When the British took possession of Staten Island, they im- mediately threw up strong intrenchments. Simcoe says :
"In the distribution of quarters for the remaining winter, Richmond was allotted to the Queen's Rangers. This post was
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
in the center of the island, and consisted of three bad redoubts, so contracted, at various times and in such a manner, as to be of little mutual assistance ; the spaces between these redoubts had been occupied by the huts of the troops, wretchedly made of mud ;" these Lieut. Col. Simcoe had thrown down, and his purpose was to build ranges of log houses, which might join the redoubts, and being loop-holed, might become a very de- fensible curtain. Other fortifications were erected in other parts of the island-one at New Brighton, on the height now known as Fort Hill, which commanded the entrance to the Kills ; another was built at the Narrows, near the site of the present national fortifications, and in several other places. Many rem- nants of British occupancy have been found in and around these old fortifications, such as cannon balls, bullets, gun locks, etc.
Skirmishing between the forces on Staten Island and the Americans on the Jersey shore was of frequent occurrence. A considerable cannonading took place between the forces at Perth Amboy and batteries of the British on the Staten Island shore on the 25th of July. This was occasioned by the firing of the former upon four or five shallops as they were coming down the sonnd. The account continues :
"Captain Moulder, with his two field pieces, was ordered to the shore (Perth Amboy), but being encamped at some distrnce, before he could come up the shallops had all nearly past, how- ever, he began a well directed fire, and though they had got to a considerable distance, hulled one of them.
" When the vessels were past, the firing ceased on both sides. We had the misfortune of loosing one of the Second battalion, and having another wounded. * * * There was a horse * killed which was standing in a waggon near the General's door. The enemy appear to have some very heavy field pieces. They sent some 12-pounders among ns. It is surprising they did not do more execution, as there were so many of our people on the bank opposite to them without the least covering.
" The enemy appear to be very strong, and are constantly re- inforcing, as our troops come in. They are throwing up breast- works along the shore to prevent our landing."
Major Turner Staubenzee was commander of the Second bat- talion of light infantry on the island. He employed a stout negro, who happened to fall into his hands, to carry a note to
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
another officer. The negro on his way decided to change his course and, turning aside, escaped beyond the lines, and fled to the city, where he delivered the note to the Americans. It ran as follows .
" Dear Stanton:
"The bearer I have sent you, thinking him a strong able fel- low, and fit to cut throats ; so if you approve him, keep him in your corps.
" Yours, &c.
" T. STAUBENZEE."
By the end of July the American posts opposite the island were well secured. Above five thousand troops were distributed at the different stations from Newark bay down the sound to South Amboy, while the headquarters were at Amboy city, the strongest point of the line. The strength of the British was unknown to them, but believed to be about ten thousand. The latter had sentinels all along the shore of the island on the north and west sides, and the houses and barns of the inhabi- tants were occupied by the troops. It was also supposed that a considerable encampment was established behind the low bluff at Tottenville, and one account of the engagement on the 25th says that "in less than half an hour after our fire on the shallops began, a large body were seen coming over that hill." The British evidently were ignorant of the numbers of the Americans on the opposite shore, and regarded it as necessary to fortify against an expected attack from the forces which in reality were not more than one third the strength of their own. They had concealed guns-six, eight and twelve pounders- planted along the shore in different places.
The waters of the lower bay presented a scene of considerable activity at that time, from the frequent going out and returning of men-of-war and transports belonging to the fleet which occu- pied the inner bay. Additional numbers of vessels joined the fleet at different times, and transports were bringing provisions and supplies.
The capture of the city of New York was the immediately de- sirable thing to General Howe, and an attack upon some other point, by which a flank movement could be effected, and the city approached by more accessible means than a direct attack, was expected. Long Island and the Jersey shore both stood in suspense, ready to take alarm at the first movements of the
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
British in either direction. About the Sth of August deserters from the fleet carried the news to the Americans that Howe was taking his field pieces on board and preparing for an attack by land and water simultaneously npon Long Island and the city. On the other side the people of Elizabethtown were about the same time aroused by an alarm that the regulars were about to make an immediate attack upon that point. Every man capa- ble of bearing arms was summoned to defend it. As three or four young men were going out from one family, an elderly lady, their mother or grandmother, after assisting them to arm, said to them : "My children, you are going out in a just cause-to fight for the rights and liberties of your country ; you have my blessing and prayers, that God will protect and assist you, but if you fall, His will be done. Let me beg of you, my children, that if you fall, it may be like men, and that your wounds may not be in your back parts." These alarms, however, appear to have been without important results until the latter part of the month.
In the meantime the forces of Howe were strengthened by the arrival at Staten Island of the fleet which returned from South Carolina under Clinton and Cornwallis in the early part of the month, and the first and second divisions of foreign troops which arrived in the Lower bay on the 12th. The fleet which bronght the latter numbered about one hundred and ten sail of vessels, on board of which were eight thousand Hessians and Waldeckers and a few English guards. These were sent into camp on Staten Island, Estimates of the numbers on Staten Island at this time make them to be abont twenty-two thousand men. The naval forces were accommodated on board the ships " Asia " and "Eagle," each carrying sixty-four guns, and the " Roebuck " and " Phoenix," of forty-four guns each, abont twenty frigates and sloops of war and above three hund- red sail of transports, store ships and prizes.
The state of affairs on the eve of the decisive battle of Long Island is told more effectively in the following extract than we could otherwise tell it. The extract is from a letter written at New York, August 22, 1776 :
" This night we have reason to expect the grand attack from our barbarons enemies, the reasons why, follow, The night be- fore last, a lad went over to Staten Island, supped there with a friend and got safe back again undiscovered, soon after he went
19
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INSTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY,
to General Washington and upon good authority reported, - That the English army amounting to fifteen or twenty thousand, had embarked, and were in readiness for an engagement-That seven ships of the line, and a number of other vessels of war were to surround this city and cover their landing, -That the Hessians being 15,000 were to remain on the island and attack Perth-Amboy, Elizabeth-town point, and Bergen, while the main body were doing their best here ; that the Highlanders expected America was already conquered, and that they were only to come over and settle on our lands, for which reason they had brought their churns, ploughs, &c. being deceived, they had refused fighting, upon which account General Howe had shot one, hung five or six, and flogged many.
" Last evening in a violent thunder-storm, Mr. - (a very intelligent person) ventured over, he brings much the same ac- count as the above lad, with this addition, -That all the horses on the island, were by Howe's orders killed, barrelled up and put on board ; the wretches thinking that they could get no landing here and of consequence be soon out of provision. That the tories were used cruelly, and with the Highlanders were compelled to go on board the ships to fight in the charac- ter of common soldiers against us. The British army are pro- digiously incensed against the tories, and curse them as the in- struments of the war now raging. Mr. - further informs, that last night the fleet was to come up, but the thunder storm prevented. The truth of this appears, from the circumstance of about three thousand red coats landing at ten o'clock this morning on Long Island, where by this time it is supposed our people are hard at it. There is an abundance of smoak to-day on Long Island, our folks having set fire to stacks of hay, &c., to prevent the enemy's being benefited in case they get any ad- vantage against us. All the troops in the city are in high spirits and have been under arms most of the day, as the fleet liave been in motion, and are now, as is generally thought, only waiting for a change of tide .-- Forty-eight hours or less, I be- lieve, will determine it as to New York, one way or the other."
The state of the British army on Staten Island at this time is shown by the following list, from an English authority :
Commander in Chief, General the Honourable Sir William Howe, K. B .; Second in Command, Lieutenant-General Henry
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Clinton ; Third in Command, Right Honorable Lientenant-Gen- eral Earl Percy.
1st Brigade .-- Major-General Pigot ; 4th Regiment, Major James Ogilvie ; 15th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Bird ; 27th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel J. Maxwell ; 45th Regiment, Ma- jor Saxton.
2d Brigade .- Brigadier-General Agnew ; 5th Regiment, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Wolcot ; 28th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Rob. Prescot ; 35th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Carr; 49th Regiment, Lientenant-Colonel Sir Henry Calder, Bart.
3d Brigade .-- Major-General Jones ; 10th Regiment, Major Vatass ; 37th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Abercrom- by ; 38th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. Butler ; 52d Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Mungo Campbell.
Ath Brigade .-- Major-General James Grant ; 17th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Manhood ; 40thi Regiment, Lieutenant- Colonel James Grant; 46th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Enocli Markham ; 55th Regiment, Captain Luke.
5th Brigade .- Brigadier-General Smith ; 23d Regiment, Lieu- tenant-Colonel J. Campbell ; 43d Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel George Clerke ; 14th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Alured Clarke ; 63d Regiment, Major Francis Sill.
6th Brigade .- Brigadier-General Gon. Robertson ; 23d Regi- ment, Lieutenant-Colonel Benj. Bernard ; 44th Regiment, Ma- jor Feury Hope ; 57th Regiment, Lieutenant John Campbell ; 64th Regiment, Major Hugh McLeroch.
7th Brigade .- Brigadier-General Wm. Erskine, quarter-mas- ter general ; 17th Light Dragoons, Lieutenant-Colonel Birch ; 71st Highlanders, 1st Battalion, Major John Macdowell ; 2d Battalion, Major Norman Lamont.
Brigade of Guards .-- Major-General Matthew ; Light In- fantry Brigade, Brigadier-General Honorable Alexander Leslie; 1st Battalion Light Infantry, Major Thomas Musgrave ; 2d Bat- talion Light Infantry, Major Straubenzie; 3d Battalion Light Infantry, Major Honorable John Maitland : 4th Battalion Light Infantry, Major John Johnson.
Reserve .- Right Honorable Lieutenant-General Earl of Corn- wallis ; Brigadier-General the Honorable John Vanghan ; 33d Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Webster ; 42d Regiment ( Royal Highland), Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Stirling ; 1st Battalion Grenadiers, Lieutenant-Colonel Honorable Henry Monckton ;
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
2d Battalion Grenadiers, Lieutenant-Colonel William Meadows; 3d Battalion Grenadiers. Major Thomas Marsh ; 4th Highland Grenadiers, Major Charles Stuart ; Royal Artillery and En- gineers, Brigadier-General Cleveland.
General Howe having signified to the admiral that it was his intention to make a descent in Gravesend bay on Long Island, on the morning of the 22d the necessary dispositions of the fleet were made, and seventy-five flat boats, with eleven bat- teaux and two galleys (built for this service) were prepared for landing the troops. Howe delegated the direction and superintendence of the embarkation of the army from Staten Island entirely to Commodore Hotham, by whom it was con- ducted with the greatest dispatch and good conduct. In the afternoon of the 21st the troops who were to compose the second and third debarkations were put on board transports which had been sent np from the Hook to Staten Island for that purpose. Early in the morning of the 22d the " Phoenix," "Rose," and " Greyhound," frigates, commanded by Captains Parker, Wal- lace and Dickson, together with the " Thunder " and "Carcass," bombs, under the direction of Colonel James, were placed in Gravesend bay, to cover the landing of the army.
As soon as the covering ships had taken their respective sta- tions, the first embarkation of the troops from Staten Island commenced. These, consisting of the light infantry and the re- serve, both forming a body of four thousand men, and under the command of General Clinton, made good their landing with- ont opposition. The transports with the brigades which com- posed the second debarkation, consisting of about five thousand men, moved at a little distance after the flat-boats, galleys and batteaux, and by eight o'clock were ranged on the ontside of the covering ships. The transports, with the remainder of the troops, followed in close succession, and before noon fifteen thousand men and forty pieces of cannon were landed on Long Island.
On the 25th Howe ordered General de Heister with two brig- ades of Hessians from Staten Island to join the army ; leaving one brigade of his troops, a detachment of the Fourteenth regi- ment of foot from Virginia, and some convalescents and recruits, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Dalrymple to take care of Staten Island. The landing of the troops on Long Is- land was effected without opposition. There is no need of re-
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capitulating the story of the battle and its unfortunate result- they are well known ; the British succeeded in gaining posses- sion of New York, which was their main object. To keep pos- session after having obtained it, required a strong force, and, in consequence. the greater part of the British forces on the is- land were withdrawn ; enoughi, however, were left to defend it against any force the Americans might be able to bring against it. The result of the battle, on the whole, was beneficial to the people of Staten Island, as it left fewer soldiers there to depre- date upon them, and rob them of their substance.
Howe, who was undoubtedly sincere in his oft-expressed desire for peace, sent General Sullivan, who had been taken prisoner at the battle, with a verbal message to congress, requesting that body to appoint some of its members in a private capacity, to meet him for the purpose of adopting such measures as might be agreed upon for the restoration of peace in the country, intimating that he was clothed with sufficient power for that purpose. By the same messenger con- gress returned answer that they could not send any of their number, except in their official capacities as members of their body, and a committee of that character they would send for the purpose expressed in the message. Accordingly, on the 6th of September, Benjamin Franklin, of Pennsylvania, John Adams, of Massachusetts, and Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, were appointed as such committee. On the 14th they miet Howe on Staten Island ; the interview took place in the "Old Billop House," still standing. It had been occupied as a barrack for soldiers, and was in an exceedingly filthy condition; but one room had been cleaned and purified, and furniture placed therein, for the purpose of the meeting. Howe met the committee in a courteous manner, and at once proceeded to ex- plain the nature of the power with which he had been invested, which was simply to extend the royal clemency and full par- don to all repentant rebels who would lay down their arms and return to their allegiance. The committee informed him that they were not authorized to entertain any propositions which did not recognize the political independence of the colonies. Howe replied that he had a great regard for the Americans as a people, but that recognition of their independence was a matter beyond his authority, and could not for a moment be enter- tained, and that their precipitancy was painful to him and
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perilous to themselves. Franklin answered that the people of America would endeavor to take good care of themselves, and thus alleviate as much as possible the pain his lordship might feel in consequence of any severities he might deem it his duty to adopt. This terminated the brief interview, and the com- mittee rose to depart. Howe politely accompanied them to the shore, the party walking, both in coming and returning, between long lines of grenadiers, who, to use the language of Mr. Adams, "looked as fierce as ten furies, and making all the grimaces and gestures, and motions of their muskets, with bay- onets fixed, which, I suppose, military etiquette requires, but which we neither understood nor regarded." On the way down, his lordship again expressed his regret that he was unable to regard them as public characters, to which Mr. Adams replied, " your lordship may consider me in what light yon please. and indeed, I should be willing to consider myself for a few moments in any character which would be agreeable to your lordship, ex- cept that of a British subject." To this Howe replied, " Mr. Adams appears to be a decided character."
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