USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 18
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The consequence of this exhibition of Mr. Adam's independ- ent and fearless spirit was subsequently apparent, when the list of unpardonable rebels was published, prominent among which was the name of John Adams. It must have been humiliating in the extreme to the pride and arrogance of the British gov- ernment to be obliged to receive this proscribed rebel as the first minister plenipotentiary of the new government of the United States of America. The remark of Mr. Adams did not prevent Lord Howe continuing his courtesy, for he sent them over to Perth Amboy in his own barge.
After the failure of the interview above described, Howe de- termined to effect a landing at Kipp's bay, and accordingly sent five frigates from the Staten Island fleet to that point. On the evening of September 13th they passed up the East river, where by keeping close to the Long Island shore they were able to en- dure withont serious damage the constant fire of the Americans from the fortifications on the New York side. Three battalions of Hessians were also sent from the encampment here to take part in that expedition, the partienlars of which belong to other pages of history than these.
The British affected to believe that it was the desire of Washington to obtain possession of the post at Richmond,
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though what peculiar value either he or they attached to it in a military point of view, except that it commanded one of the entrances to the island through the Fresh kills, is not apparent. To give the rebels, as well as his own semi-barbarons Hessians, employment, Knyphausen sent out frequent expeditions from the island into the Jerseys, where the most horrid atrocities were sometimes committed.
These were not usually sent forth on their errands of robbery and murder, unless they were known to be much superior in number to the patriots, who were likely to meet and oppose them, or had some other important advantage. These preda- tory excursions, however, were not confined to the British; the Americans, on their part, sadly annoyed their enemies by strik- ing at them whenever the opportunity offered. The first of the hostile demonstrations on the part of the patriots occurred in Oc- tober, 1776. General Hugh Mercer, who was in command of the American forces in that part of New Jersey contiguous to Staten Island, planned an attack npon the British intrenchments at Rich- mond. Passing over to the island with part of the troops posted at Perth Amboy, on the night of the 15th instant, he advanced to within a few miles of Richmond, at which point he had been in- formed three companies-oue of British troops, one of Hessians and another of Skinner's militia-were stationed. Colonel
Griffin was detached with Colonel Patterson's battalion and Major Clarke at the head of some riflemen, to fall in upon the east end of the town, while the remainder of the troops en- closed it on the other quarters. Both divisions reached the town by break of day, but the enemy had learned of their ap- proach and were prepared to flee, exchanging only a few shots with Colonel Griffin's detachment. Two of the enemy were mortally wounded, and seventeen taken prisoners, two of the Americans being killed. Colonel Griffin received a wound in the foot from a musket ball, and Lieutenant Colonel Smith was slightly wounded in the arm. Among the prisoners taken in the action were eight Hessians. The attacking party also brought away forty-five muskets and other implements of war and one standard of the British Light Horse.
Later in the month the British fleet was anchored partly at the " Watering Place " and partly in Prince's bay, from the latter of which troops were frequently disembarked to the Jersey shore and up the Raritan to make predatory excursions
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among the people in adjacent localities. Bergen had already been abandoned by the Americans as a place too much exposed and of too little importance to continue to occupy in the face of the possibilities of the British falling upon the stores of hay and provision that had been gathered there.
During the latter part of the year the king's forces under Cornwallis proceeded to New Brunswick, professedly to protect the magazine there, but probably desiring to provoke an en- gagement with Washington. The latter, however, refused to be drawn into an engagement to which he feared his forces were unequal, but spread his army over the Jerseys, taking positions at Newark, Elizabethtown and Woodbridge, thus com- manding the coast opposite to Staten Island. In these towns he established his army during the remainder of the winter. So alert were his troops that they could not be surprised ; and so strongly were they posted that any attempt to dislodge them by force must have been attended with great hazard and loss. The following from an English anthority relates the position from that standpoint :
"Of all the great conquests which his Majesty's troops had made in the Jersies, Brunswick and Amboy were the only two places of any note which they retained after the action at Princetown ; and however brilliant their success had been in the beginning of the campaign, they reaped little advantage from them when the winter advanced, and the contignity of so vigilant an enemy forced them to perform the severest duty."
During the winter Howe was employed in forming several provincial corps from the Americans, British and Irish who had separated from their countrymen of their own choice, or had been obliged to leave their homes because of the tory sentiments they expressed. These new levies strengthened the British army by several thousand men. Several hundred of the citizens of Staten Island were among the number. They were placed on the same footing, as to pay, subsistence and clothing, as the regular troops. As a farther encouragement to the privates and non-commissioned officers, they were at the end of the war to receive certain proportions of land, according to the rank which they might then hold. These provincials were placed under command of the late Governor Tryon, who was now made
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a major-general, and part of them were stationed on Staten Island.
In February, 1777, a detachment under Major Gordon marched from Richmond to Cole's ferry, where they embarked for Sandy Hook, where it was learned a considerable body of Americans were lying. After being detained on board by bad weather and violent winds for three days they, numbering about two hundred, effected a landing on the beach about two miles below the American posts, which they surprised before daylight in the morning. The Americans were driven from the Never- sink hills, sustaining a loss of several killed and seventy-four taken prisoners.
Predatory warfare and petty skirmishes were of frequent oc- currence. On the 27th of February, Major Tympany crossed from Staten Island to Elizabethtown with about sixty men on a foraging expedition. He came into collision with a body of Americans. two or three of whom were killed, but the former escaped, bringing with him back to the island four or five pris- oners and ten head of cattle.
Early in March a party of Americans made an attempt to gain the light-house at Sandy Hook, but were unsuccessful, the men posted there being protected by the guns of the "Syren " which lay at anchor near the spot.
About the same time a party of Americans came down the Jersey shore and fired on some boats that were taking in forage at New Blazing Star, on the island. Major Tympany therenpon crossed the river with about forty men and pur- sued the "rebels" about three miles, on his return bringing back ten head of cattle and thirty sheep.
The following extract from a letter addressed by Tryon to "Christopher Billop Esq ; Colonel of the Militia of Richmond County, Staten Island," dated May 19, 1777, appeared in a New York paper of June 9, with the annexed remarks by the editor of the newspaper :
"It is my earnest recommendation, that the inhabitants of Rich- mond County, who had the first opportunity of testifiying their loyalty to their Prince, and fidelty to the British constitution, on the arrival of the Kings troops, and which was most graciously accepted by his Majesty, should, on this occasion, eagerly fol- low the approved example of the militia of King's county, by liberally raising a sum of money for the comfort and encourage-
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ment of the Provincial troops raised in this province. Ienclose the form of the instrument which is adopted for the in- habitants of the city and county to subscribe; copies of which will by sent to Queen's and Suffolk counties, for a similar pur- pose. Any suggestion of fears and apprehensions from circum- stances of situation, must, and assuredly will be construed into a lukewarmness at this crisis, to the King and the old constitution. Therefore, let the loyal subjects now distinguish themselves by free donations, and dare the worst from men who have struck at the root of their liberty and property."
The following editorial remarks are appended:
" We have the pleasure to inform the Public, that the loyal inhabitants of STATEN ISLAND have already subscribed Fice Hundred Pounds for the Encouragement of the Provincial Corps of this Colony, and transmitted the same to our worthy Governor, to be applied to that landable Purpose. The Sub- scription in other Parts meets with great Success among his Majesty's loyal Subjects, both in this City and County, and in the Counties upon Long Island, almost every one being desirous to give this Test of Loyalty and Love of constitutional Free- dom. Trimmers and some doubtful Characters, it is expected. will be made manifest upon this Occasion, and of course be properly noticed."
On the 6th of June a party of abont twelve British made a raid into Elizabethtown, where they were fired upon by the Americans, and a skirmish ensued, in which two or three were killed and several wounded. The British succeeded in stealing a flat- bottomed boat large enough to carry one hundred men.
About this time the British commander caused to be issued the following proclamation, which sufficiently explains itself.
" Office of Commissary-General, New York, June 12, 1777.
" WHEREAS his Excellency Sir WILLIAM HOWE, General and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces, hath thought fit to order and direct Magazines of Forage to be established, for the better supplying of the troops under his Excellency's com- mand: Notice is hereby given to the several Land-holders, Farmers and others, upon York-Island, Long-Island, and Staten-Island, who may be able to supply the said Magazines with Hay, Straw, Oats, and Indian Corn, that the following rates will be paid for the same, viz .:
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" Good Fresh Hay, at the rate of Five Shillings per Hundred Weight.
" Straw. at Two Shillings per Hundred Weight.
" Oats and Indian Corn, according to its quality.
" And for the better encouragement of such persons to sup- ply the said magazines, an allowance of One Shilling per Mile, for every Ten Hundred Weight, will be paid, over and above the price stipulated aforesaid, for the carriage of the said Forrage to the respective Magazines hereafter mentioned, viz .: YORK ISLAND.
" King's-Bridge, Marston's Wharf, City of New-York.
LONG-ISLAND.
" Brooklyn Ferry, Hempstead-Harbor, Oyster-Bay, Great- Neck.
STATEN-ISLAND.
" Cole's-Ferry, Decker's-Ferry.
" At which said several places proper persons will be appointed to receive the same, to ascertain the weight thereof, and to cer- tify the delivery : and upon certificates, ascertaining such weight and delivery, being produced at this office, the said For- rage will be paid for immediately.
" His Majesty's service requiring these Magazines to be es- tablished as soon as the season will permit, it is expected and required that all persons who raise forrage, do furnish a certain quantity, proportionable to the produce of each person respec- tively.
" DANIEL WIER, " Commissary General."
Howe and a large portion of his army were at this time in New Jersey. The objective point was Philadelphia. During the early part of the preceding winter the army had reached Trenton, but at the time when it seemed as though nothing lay in the way of their marching to Philadelphia and gaining an easy victory a sudden and unaccountable apathy seemed to seize the British commander, and he rested until the army of Washington was in a better position to resist his onward prog- ress. By this time Howe's army had returned to Amboy, and the project of reaching Philadelphia by land seemed to be abandoned. Another attempt, however, was made to draw Washington away from his fortifications, so that the British army could surround him. Having retreated slowly across the
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
state, while Greene was harassing his rear, he prepared to cross from Amboy to Staten Island, having determined to attempt to reach Philadelphia by water. Throwing a bridge, which had been constructed for crossing the Delaware, across the sound. he sent the heavy baggage and all the incumbrances of his army over to the island under the escort of some troops, while prep- arations were making for the passage of the rest of the army. Intelligence of this was received by Washington, who supposed that the British army was retreating in earnest, under a mis- apprehension of the strength of his own army. He accordingly descended from the hilly country where he was entrenched, and moved forward as though pursuing a flying enemy.
The British general, now thinking he had nearly gained his point, determined if possible to get between Washington and the mountains and force him to a general action on his own terms or cut off some of his detachments if he should retreat. He accordingly returned to Amboy, and on the 26th of June put his army in motion, advancing toward the pursuing forces of Washington. The forces came into collision and the British pursued as far as Westfield, but finding, as a British chronicler states, " that the caution and prudence of General Washington had rendered his schemes abortive." General Howe returned with his army to Amboy on the second day after its expedition against Washington, and on the 29th passed again over to Staten Island. In the meantime Washington wrote to congress from his camp at Middlebrook, June 28th, as follows :
" SIR, On Thursday morning General Howe advanced with his whole army in several columns from Amboy, as far as West- field. We are certainly informed, that the troops sent to Staten Island returned the preceding evening, and it is said with an augmentation of marines : so that carrying them there was a feint, to deceive us."
The campaign of Howe in New Jersey and its results were summed up by a paper of the time in the following paragraph :
" Since our last we have certain intelligence, that soon after the skirmish with Lord Stirling's division, as mentioned in our last, the enemy filed off from Westfield to Amboy, and from thence to Staten Island, and left us in entire possession of New Jersey, in a small part of which they had been pen'd up for six
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
months, unable to do any great matters, except stealing a few cattle, and making Whigs of the wavering and diffident."
Among the troops stationed on the island at this time was a rising young man whom subsequent events made a conspicuous figure in the history of the revolution. This young man was Major John André, the spy. Though he was not prominent on the island, yet while here he made his will. and the in- terest which naturally attaches to his name must be our apology for the insertion of a copy of that document in this connection.
" The following is my last Will and Testament and I appoint as Executors thereto Mary Louisa Andre my Mother, David André my Uncle, Andrew Girardot my Uncle, John Lewis An- dré my Uncle.
" To each of the above Executors I give Fifty Pounds .- I give to Mary Hannah André my Sister Seven Hundred Pounds. -- I give to Ann Marguerite André my Sister Seven Hundred Pounds .- I give to Louisa Katherine Andre my Sister Seven Hundred Pounds .- I give to William Lewis Andre my Brother Seven Hundred Pounds .-- But the condition on which I give the above mentioned Sums to my aforesaid Sisters and Brothers are that each of them shall pay to Mary Louisa Andre my Mother the sum of Ten pounds yearly during her life .- I give to Walter Ewer Jun'r of Dyers Court Aldermanbury One Hun- dred Pounds .- I give to John Ewer JJnn'r of Lincoln's Inn One Hundred Pounds. I desire a Ring value Fifty Pounds be given to my Friend Peter Boissier of the Eleventh Dragoons .- I de- sire that Walter Ewer Jun'r of Dyers Court Aldermanbury have the Inspection of my papers, Letters, Manuscripts, I mean that he have the first Inspection of them with Liberty to de- stroy or detain whatever he thinks proper, and I desire my Watch be given to him. And I lastly give and bequeatlı to my Brother John Lewis Andre the residne of all my Effects whatsoever .- Witness my Hand and Seal Staten Island in the province of N. York, N. America the 7th June 1777.
" JOHN ANDRÉ Capt'n in the 26th Reg't of Foot [L. S.]
"N. B. The Currency alluded to in this Will is Sterling Money of Great Britain .-- I desire nothing more than my wear- ing Apparel be sold by public Auction, J. A.
" City and Province / ( SS.
of New York. 5
Be it remembered that on the Ninth day of October in the
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty per- sonally came and appeared before me Cary Ludlow, Surrogate for the City and Province aforesaid, Henry White and William Seaton both of the City and Province aforesaid Esquires who being severally duly sworn did declare that they were well ac- quainted with the hand writing of John Andre formerly Cap- tain in the twenty-sixth Regiment of Foot and since Adjutant General Deceased that they have frequently seen him write, And that they verily believe that the before written Instrument purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said John André bearing date the seventh Day of June One thousand seven hundred and Seventy Seven with the Subscriptions there- to are all of his the said John Andre's own proper hand Writ- ing and further saith not.
"CARY LUDLOW Surr."
It will be seen by the above that the will was admitted to probate just a week after the execution of its maker at Tappan on the 2d of October, 1780.
Howe having determined to approach Philadelphia by water began early in July the embarkation of his army from Staten Island. On the 5th he began placing on board of transports such corps as he wished to take with him, amounting to thirty- six battalions of British and Hessians, including the light in- fantry and grenadiers, the queen's rangers, a powerful artillery, and a regiment of light dragoons. The troops that remained in the vicinity of New York were placed under command of Gen- eral Clinton, while under him General Knyphausen had com- mand of Staten Island. Thongh preparations began thus early it was not nntil the 23d of the month that the fleet, consisting of two hundred and sixty-seven sail, passed outside of Sandy Hook.
At this time there seems to have been a desire on the part of the British to starve out the "rebels," or at least to weaken and perplex them by preventing their obtaining any supplies from New York either directly or through Staten Island. To carry this out all commerce between here and the Jerseys was prohibited. It was difficult, however, to enforce such prohibi- tion. On the 17th of July Sir William Howe issued a procla- mation relating to the cargoes of vessels arriving at the port of New York. He appointed Andrew Elliot, Esq., superintendent of all imports and exports passing between New York and
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Long Island and Staten Island, and in order that the inhabitants of the latter islands might be furnished with necessary supplies and at the same time to prevent supplies being conveyed to the "rebels " through these channels, he ordered that no craft of any kind should carry from the city to either of these islands, withont special permit from the superintendent's office, any larger quantities of ram, spirits, sugar or molasses than one barrel of each, or of salt exceeding four bushels. No quantity of any other kind of merchandise larger than might be con- sidered sufficient for the use of one family should be taken at one time. The penalty for the violation of the restrictions of this proclamation was forfeiture of the vessel, large or small, and the goods found on board, and imprisonment of the master in charge. Similar proclamations were subsequently issued.
After the removal of the troops from the island for the ex- pedition to Philadelphia there were only abont three thousand men left here. The principal part of this number were com- prised in two regiments of IIessians, other troops being of the British and some of the provincial corps.
In the early part of August a party of Americans crossed the kills and landed somewhere on the shore at West New Brighton, and directed their course for Richmond. As they approached that village they were met by a party of British, who, after a slight resistance, retreated slowly until they reached St. An- drew's church, which they entered; the Americans fired at the windows until every pane of glass had been broken; they then approached, and fired through the broken windows until the British were driven out; a reinforcement from the vicinity of the quarantine had been hurried forward, who reached Rich- mond just as the church had been vacated. It was now the turn of the Americans to retreat, which they did by the Fresh kill road, keeping the prisoners which they had taken in their rear. These consisted not of soldiers only but of citizens also, whom they had captured on their way; this prevented the British from firing, lest they should kill their own friends, or at least non combatants. After the Americans had descended the hill and crossed the bridge at the locality now known as Laforge's store, Westfield, they concealed themselves in a corn- field, where they waited until their pursuers were within reach, when they fired a volley at them and the British colonel in command was killed. Continuing their retreat until they
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
reached the shore of the sound, they drove their prisoners, some thirty in number, into a large hog sty, while they them- selves seized what boats they required, and effected their es- cape. While they were crossing, the British reached the shore and opened on them with their artillery, which they had not yet had opportunity for using, and killed several of them.
On the 19th of the same month Colonel Dongan and Major Drummond, of the Third battalion of provincials, mostly from New Jersey, with abont sixty men, set out from Staten Island on a predatory raid into New Jersey. They marched about twenty-seven miles into the interior, on the way capturing fourteen prisoners, about seventy cattle and horses, and twenty stand of arms, besides destroying a quantity of powder, shot, salt and rum. The transporting of the stock and prisoners across the sound at Amboy was covered by a guard on the Jersey side.
One of the most important engagements of the war on the island took place on the 22d of August, the particulars of which are as nearly in accordance with the following statements as we can gatlier the facts. General Sullivan, of the American forces, being then stationed at Hanover, N. J., some twenty miles or more from Elizabethtown, determined to make reprizals for the predatory raids that the Staten Island troops had been making into New Jersey. He learned that the British forces were distributed on the island about as follows: Colonel Buskirk, with a regiment of two hundred and fifty, was en- camped near Decker's ferry ; Colonel Barton, with his regiment of about the same number, near the New Blazing Star ferry ; Colonel Lawrence, with one hundred and fifty provincials, near the Old Blazing Star ferry : Colonel Dongan (Edward Vaughn Dongan) and Colonel Allan, with one hundred men or more eacli, about two miles apart, between the latter point and Amboy ; and two regiments of British regulars, two of Anspachers and one of Waldeckers were encamped by their fortifications near the " Watering Place," their numbers being unknown.
Sullivan well knew that any movement of troops by daylight in the country near the shore would be reported by tories in time to allow the enemy an opportunity to prepare to oppose him. To avoid this a long march by night was the only resource. Accordingly his troops at Hanover were put in motion at about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 21st. These were selected
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
from the brigades of Generals Smallwood and De Borre, and numbered about one thousand men, who were supposed to be most ably prepared to endure a long march. The body reached Elizabethtown at abont ten o'clock in the evening.
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