USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 20
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" Two or three different Parties of them have been lately at the Seat of Col. Christopher Billop of the same Island in order to captivate him once more, with a view to get him for an Ex- change."
At the same time parties from the island were making fre- quent incursions into New Jersey. As examples the two fol- lowing paragraphs from Gaine's " New York Gazette," will suffice.
[April 26] " Last Wednesday Lieutenant-Colonel Buskirk sent off Capt. Ryerson, Lieut. Buskirk, and Ensign Earle with a Detachment of 42 Men of the 4th Battalion of New Jersey Volunteers, who fell in with the Rebels about Day-Break, im- mediately charged and put them to the Rout, killed and wounded a considerable Number, whom they passed on the Field beg- ging for Mercy, while they followed the rest until reinforced by their Main Body, consisting of about 100 Carolina Troops and sixty militia; Captain Ryerson perceiving his Men much fa- tigued drew off his little Party to a rising Ground, where in- stead of being attacked by tliem so much superior in Number,
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he saw them Retreat. His Loss on the Occasion was one Man missing and two wounded."
[July 3] " Last Tuesday Night a Detachment from his Ma- jesty's 37th Regiment, with a Party of Col. Barton's and some Refugees, went over from Staten-Island to a Place called Wood- bridge Raway, where they surprized a Party of Rebels in a Tavern, killed their commanding Officer Captain Skinner of a Troop of Light Horse, and another Man, and took the following Prisoners, viz .: Capt. Samuel Meeker, Christopher March, Joseph Stephens, Benjamin Willis, David Craig, Stephen Ball, Lewis Marsh, Jotham Moore, Jesse Whitehead, John Thorp, Thomas Bloomfield, Jeremiah Corey and David Hall."
As has before been intimated, Col. Christopher Billop was a conspicuous object, and the whigs of Jersey were anxious to secure him as a prisoner. Several attempts were made. At last, on the 23d of June, a party of about twenty landed near the house under cover of some trees, and undiscovered by the in- mates of the house approached it and seized their victim, and bore him away to Jersey. On the same night a party landed and carried off another prominent tory, Colonel Cortelyou, and with him one William Smith of Woodbridge, who was his guest at the time.
We are prompted in passing, to give the following extract from a tory paper of September 18, 1779, which, though not openly germain to the subject, contains a hidden sarcasm, which may be seen in the light of the fact that the atmosphere of New York was strong with "loyal"' sentiment, while the op- posite was true in New Jersey,
" The old inhabitants of Staten-Island assert, that the cause of the Fever and Ague's having been so, prevalent of late there, was the want of the usual quantity of Thunder and Lightning. But what shall we think of the cause, to which a Lady from Jersey attributes the sickly state of the inhabitants of that Prov- ince? She affirms it is entirely owing to the scarcity of Mus- ketoes .- If what she affirms be true-how easily can we account for the great health abounding in this city. We have Phlebot- omists in plenty. Genuine."
The following records are suggestive and appropriate to this time:
"Sept. 28th 1779 Richmond County. Received of John Bedel
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Esq. the sum of Fifty one Pound six shill for the use of the Gun boat as appears by the following receipt
"Richmond County Sept the 28. 1779
"Received of Messr Richard Conner, Christian Jacobson Henry Perine, Cornelis Corson supervissors for said County the sum of Eighty four Pound being in full for my selfe & Eight mnen belonging to the gun boat commenceing the fourteent of august last and continued for one month
by me JAS. STEWART Capt"
There are allusions to the gun-boat in several places in the records ; it was probably one of the means used by Colonel Bil- lop to enforce the order to prevent communication between New Jersey and Staten Island. This boat, for a time at least, ap- pears to have been under the direction of Colonel Billop, and was an unpopular affair to the people on both sides of the water. It was an almost daily occurrence that those on board fired at any person within their reach on the Jersey shores ; with what effect, however, is not known. A company of a half dozen Jer- seymen once attempted to get possession of the boat, but failed. It was lying at anchor one bright moonlight night under the shore of the island, and as no person was seen moving on board, they supposed their opportunity bad come. Accordingly, one of their number was sent in a small boat to row up some distance above the gun-boat, and then to drift silently down with the ebb tide, and, as he passed, to observe whether there was any person on her deck. He succeeded in accomplishing his purpose, but discovered a man sitting flat upon the deck, apparently engaged in strapping a knife upon his boot. When he reached the shore he made his report, and the enterprise was abandoned for the time, nor do we know that it was ever after renewed.
The sloop " Neptune " was kept as a guard-boat, stationed above Decker's ferry. She was in command of Captain Palfrey. By some untoward circumstances she drifted or by some means fell within range of the guns of the fort at Elizabethtown point on the morning of October 15th, and there she grounded. Captain Coogle, who was in command at Decker's ferry, discovered her situation and sent Cornelius Hetfield, who had command of a gun-boat at that post, with twenty men to recover the sloop. The latter was at once joined by Job Hetfield in another boat, well manned, and they both set off for the " Neptune," which by
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this time had been boarded by about thirty men from the oppo- site shore. The latter, seeing the superior numbers and strength of their assailants, abandoned the sloop and the Hetfield party went on board. The cannon from the fort now opened on the sloop and the fire was returned by the Hetfields. For several hours the vessel remained aground, before the tide arose suffi- ciently to float her, and during that time firing continued with more or less activity. Though several men were wounded, and perhaps some killed, and considerable damage done, the boat was able to escape to her station.
November 24, 1779, Sir Henry Clinton issued his proclama- tion to procure fuel for the approaching winter. It was well that he thus early made preparation for the needs of his army during what proved to be a long and extremely cold winter. He required all persons who had obtained permission to cut wood "off certain lands on Long Island and Staten Island im- mediately to bring what wood they have cut to this market," and required all owners of woodlands on those islands to cut and cart their wood to the most contiguous landings in such propor- tion "as will fully answer the intent and meaning of this proc- lamation and prevent the disagreeable necessity of granting permission to their wood to be cut by otliers." Later in the winter, Governor James Robertson, of the province of New York, issued a proclamation forbidding the cutting of wood on the estates of persons "supposed to be in rebellion."
The third important attempt to invade the island was made during this winter -- which is known as the hard winter of 1779- 80. The American forces were quartered in New Jersey for the winter, but poorly clothed, provisioned and armed. Gen- eral Washington, in his quarters at Morristown, planned this expedition, and left its direction to General Stirling. From their peculiar exposure and sufferings at the moment, the com- mander-in-chief, perhaps, suggested this attack, to divert the minds of his discontented men from their numerous and fear- ful forebodings. The American army was then encamped on the hills back of Morristown, the encampment extending sev- eral miles into the country. Their canvas tents afforded but a miserable security from the rain, sleet and snow. On the 3d of January came one of the most tremendous snow storms ever remembered. Some of their sheltering hovels and tents were blown down or torn to pieces, and the soldiers became like
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sheep under the snow, which fell to a depth of from four to six feet. So obstructed were the roads as to prevent the usual re- ceipt of supplies, and for ten days each man had but two pounds of meat and some even were entirely destitute. But why con- tinne the details of the condition of the American army during that hard winter? They are matters of general history. We have given enough to show that it was under the most disheart- ening circumstances that the plan of invading Staten Island was conceived and set in operation.
General Stirling was dispatched with a body of the troops to attack the outposts of the enemy on Staten Island. They pro- ceeded in sleighs, and crossing the river on the ice at Elizabeth- town point, took up their line of march toward the present site of Port Richmond. The bridge of ice was sufficient to allow the passage of any force across the kills, and it was supposed that the same obstruction would prevent the movement of re- inforcements to the enemy by means of their shipping in the bay. The detachment under Stirling numbered about two thousand five hundred men.
When a little east of Port Richmond the column divided, part marching onward toward New Brighton, where the British post had been erected on the hills, and the other wing proceed- ing up Mill lane, the present Columbia street of West New Brighton, and approached the mill which stood at the head of the pond. The night of the 14th, on which they made this long passage from camp to the designed scene of action was a starry night, bright and clear, but so intensely cold that about one third of the men were more or less wounded by the biting frost. The intent was to surprise Skinner's brigade of new re- cruits, but it was soon discovered that their designs had been anticipated by the enemy, information having reached them through the kind offices of their tory friends. A surprise was now out of the question, and as the works of the enemy were well situated and apparently strong, and the means of receiv- ing reinforcements from New York not obstructed as had been expected, it was deemed unadvisable to make an assault.
The troops spent the day of the 15th of January and the fol- lowing night on the island, in snow waist deep, protecting theni- selves as well as they could from the inclement weather by making huge fires of the cordwood which they found piled up where they halted. The British during the day sent a boat to
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New York, which returned at evening with reinforcements. On the morning of the 16th Stirling withdrew his detachment to Elizabethtown. The official report of Stirling concludes with the following statements :
" The retreat was effected in good order, and with very little loss. A party of the enemy's horse charged our rear guard under Major Edwards, but was immediately repulsed. The major had three men killed. Some few of the men were frost bitten, and though we took all the pains in our power to have all those unable to march transported in sleighis, yet I imagine a very few may have been left behind.
" Immediately after crossing, a party was detached under Lieutenant-Colonel Willett, to Decker's house. The corps there had been alarmed and barely made its escape. The house as a garrison place, and 8 or 9 small vessels were burned. A con- siderable quantity of blankets and other stores were found.
" While the troops were upon the island, a number of per- sons from this side [Elizabethtown] took advantage of the oc- casion to pass upon the island, and plunder the people there in the most shameful and merciless manner. Many of them were stopped on their return, and their booty taken from them. In addition to which, I have sent an order for publication, requir- ing those who had eluded the search to restore the articles in their possession, and exhorting the good people at large, to as- sist in detecting them. All the soldiery on recrossing the ice, were searched, and the little plunder they had taken from them, and their names noted, that they may be brought to punish- ment. The articles recovered are, and will be deposited with the Revd. Mr. Caldwel, who is exerting himself in the affair, to be returned to the owners. I am happy to inform your Ex- cellency, that a very inconsiderable part indeed, of the troops, dishonored themselves, by participating in these enormities."
Additional light is thrown upon the affair by the following extract from a letter from an officer on board the British brig " Hawk," lying off Staten Island at the time.
"On the 15th inst. at Day break, the Alarm was given, that the Rebels were on Staten Island, an Express was sent on board from Gen. Sterling to prepare for Action; we immedi- ately got a Spring on our Cable and cleared Ship, the Rebels appeared on the Hill over the Ferry, and brought a Field Piece to bear upon us, which we perceiving, fired our bow Gun twice
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at them, the second shot ronsed them from a Meal they were making of broiled Beef Stakes; their Fire from the Field Piece was well directed, but the Shot fell short of us some Yards. A large Party of Rebels came down to burn the Houses and For- age, we fired on them, shot one Man's Arm off; he bled to death and now lays in the snow; our Firing made them retreat as fast as possible up the Hill to their main Body (which by the In- formation of two Prisoners and a Deserter that we had on board, consisted of 4,000 Foot, 200 Horse, 6 Brass Field Pieces 6 Pounders, and a Number of Artillery Men) Gen. Skinner sent a Letter on board, thanking ns for the Service we did. 'Tis certain that the ' Hawk' prevented the Forage, the Tavern, and all the HIonses in that Neighborhood from being burnt. A Number of Men, Women and Children came on board for Ref- uge with their Goods and Effects."
Another British account contains so much that will be read with interest that it is presented here. Proper allowances must be made for the partisan coloring in these statements of inter- ested persons at the time :
" On Friday Night the 14th inst. a large Detachment from the Rebel Army, consisting, it is supposed, of between 3 and 4000 Men, with 6 Pieces of Cannon, and 2 Howitzers, moved suddenly from the Neighborhood of Morris-Town, and being (as it is reported) transported in Sleighs over the Ice, reached Staten-Island before Day break in the Morning of the 15th, bending their March towards Decker's-Ferry. Colonel Buskirk commanding the 4th Battalion of Brigadier-General Skinner's Brigade posted there, having received Intelligence of their Ap- proach, judged it proper to retire towards Ryerson's Ferry, not being in Force sufficient to oppose so considerable a corps. The Rebels pursued their March, and before Noon took Post upon the Heights, near the Redoubts, constructed at the North End of the Island : from their Position, cutting off the Com- munication between the Corps hutted there, and the Troops at Richmond and the Flag Staff : they remained in this Situation till early in the Morning of the 16th, when they were observed retiring from Staten Island, without attempting any Thing ; they burnt Decker's House, and a very few small Vessels frozen in by the Ice at that Place. A small Detachment which har- assed their Rear, made a few Prisoners ; and several Deserters came to the different Posts during their Stay on the Island.
14
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" They committed many Excesses, in plundering and dis- tressing the Inhabitants.
"Sixteen Prisoners have been already sent to New York ; and it is imagined there are others not yet arrived from Staten Island."
It may be noted in passing that the ice soon after became more solid, and there was a bridge across the bay from the is- land to New York, over which loaded sleighs and other heavy burdens were drawn. A paper of February 7 has the item that eighty six loaded sleighs passed over on the ice the day before. The most intense frost, accompanied by great falls of snow be- gan about the middle of December, and shut up navigation to the port of New York from the sea for many weeks. The se- verity of the weather increased to such an extent that about the middle of January all communication with New York city by water was cut off, and new means opened by the ice. The passage of the North river from the city was about the 19th of January practicable for the heaviest cannon, a circumstance previously unknown in the memory of man. Soon after pro- visions were transported in sleighs, and detachments of cavalry marched from New York to Staten Island upon the ice. The East river was also blocked up for many days. In this state of their communications the British on New York island were ap- prehensive of an attack from the army of Washington, and set on foot a project for putting the loyal expressions of the in- habitants to a test by raising about forty companies of troops among them. This gave them good courage and they actually began to hope that the Americans would make an attack, so well prepared did they feel to resist it. It was not until the 20th of February that the frost abated so as to allow the waters surrounding New York to become navigable.
General Knyphausen, who had command of the Hessian troops on Staten Island, early in June, 1780, resolved to make an incursion into New Jersey, Springfield being the point to which his efforts were to be directed. On the night of the 6th he passed over with abont five thousand men, accompanied by Generals Robertson, Tryon and Sterling to Elizabethtown point. The militia stationed near there fired upon them and Sterling was wounded in the thigh. The British troops, however, maintained their march and reached the town (Elizabeth) early in the morning of the 7th, whence, after a halt, they moved on
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toward Springfield. Finding the forces in that direction too strong to oppose, he drew back to Elizabethtown and awaited the arrival of Clinton and Arbuthnot on their return from Charlestown. The main strength of Washington's army now being engaged in guarding points along the North river which were threatened by the British commander, Knyphausen hav- ing been reinforced marched again toward Springfield, where he engaged the Americans under Green and Dickenson, on the 23d. From this engagement he returned the same day to Eliza- bethtown, and during the night following brought his entire army across to Staten Island.
Toward the end of October, 1780, there was great excite- ment among the British on Staten Island, caused by a rumor that Lafayette had arrived in the vicinity of Elizabethtown with a large force, and furnished with boats on wheels, and that he meditated an attack on the British posts on the island. Every precaution was taken to prevent a surprise; the defenses were all strengthened, and defects which they sup- posed would not be observed by the inexperienced and unedu- cated eyes of the American officers, but which the more culti- vated observation of the French would readily detect, were re- paired so far as time and means permitted. Simcoe marched his rangers down from Richmond to Billop's point toward the close of the day, in full view of the people on the opposite shore, to create the impression that an inroad into New Jersey was about to be made, and then marched them back again through the interior after dark. Reinforcements were sent from New York city, and Simcoe issued the following procla- mation :
" The Lt. Colonel has received information that M. Lafayette, a Frenchman, at the head of some of his majesty's deluded subjects, has threatened to plant French colors on the Rich- mond redoubts. The Lt. Colonel believes the report to be a gasconade; but as the evident ruin of the enemy's affairs may prompt them to some desperate attempt, the Queen's Rangers will lay in their clothes this night, and have their bayonets in perfect good order."
He also had orders from the commander-in-chief to abandon his post "if the enemy should land in such force as to make, in his opinion, the remaining there attended with risk." Noth- ing, however, came of this alarmı.
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The following letter, sent by Washington to Captain Judah Alden, commanding officer at Dobb's ferry, indicates that the American leader had some important scheme in contemplation which for some reason or other was never carried out, and the details of which are unknown to us. Nevertheless we consider the letter worthy of preservation, as it shows that Washing- ton's eye was frequently turned toward Staten Island, and that lie had a lively sense of the importance of this little bit of terri- tory in the great struggle.
" HEADQUARTERS, 23d Novem., 1780.
" SIR : I impart to you in confidence that I intend to execute an enterprise against Staten Island to-morrow night, for which reason I am desirous of cutting off all intercourse with the enemy on the east side of the river. You will therefore to. morrow at retreat beating set a guard upon any boats which may be at the flat or neck, and not suffer any to go out on any pretense whatever until next morning. Toward evening you will send a small party down to the Closter landing, and if they find any boats there you will give orders to have them scuttled in such a manner that they cannot be immediately used, but to prevent any possibility of it the party may remain there until to- ward daylight-but are not to make fires or discover themselves -and then return to your post. I depend upon the punctual observation of this order, and that you will keep this motive a secret. Acknowledge the rec't of this, that I may be sure you have got it.
" I am, Sir, Yr. Most obt. Servt.,
" GEO. WASHINGTON."
On Friday evening, February 23, 1781, Capt. Cornelius Het- field, with a party of five tory refugees from New Jersey, crossed over to Elizabethtown and attacked the command of Captain John Craig, who was posted there. Seizing them by surprise the assailants were able to secure the captain and ten men as prisoners, and with them they returned to Staten Island. A similar raid was made on the night of March 1st, when a party of tories brought off Commissioner Clossen and an ensign and another man. The same method of partisan warfare was being prosecuted by the whigs from New Jersey, who made frequent descents upon the tories of the island, carried away prisoners and plundered their families.
On the 20th of March a party of militia and refugees from the
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island, under command of Lieut. Richard Seaman of the militia and Joseph Shotwell of the refugees, made an incursion several miles into the country in the township of Woodbridge, where they captured and brought off two subalterns and eleven pri- vates of the New Jersey militia. On their return they boasted with apparent pride that they had not stooped to the mean- ness of plundering the houses of those who fell in their power.
The leader of the above exploit was at this time desirous to dispose of his farm, as will be seen by the following announce- ment, which is too much of a curiosity to be thrown away.
" To be sold at Vendue, On Thursday the 19th inst, The Farm belonging to Richard Seaman, very pleasantly situated on the south side of Staten-Island (formerly the mansion house and part of the valuable plantation that did belong to Mr. Jaquis Poilloin, deceased) containing 190 acres, exclusive of the beach and flats on the front of the said farm, which will be included in the purchase on which comes great quantities of sea weed (a very valuable manure. ) On said farm is a good house, barn, and all other necessary out-houses, a very good apple orchard of above 200 ingrafted trees of the best fruit, now in its prime, with most sorts of other fruit trees, common to this country. The natural advantages of this plantation are so well known, that it is unnecessary to say any more on the subject. The vendue will be held on the premises, where the conditions of sale will be made known by Richard Seaman."
On Saturday evening, the 21st of April, Capt. Cornelius Het- field, with some of his tory refugees and a detachment of Gen- eral Skinner's corps under his command, crossed over to Eliza- bethtown, where they surprised and drove in the picket. Here they engaged in a skirmish, in which one of their number, Elias Mann, a tory, was killed. Hetfield and one private were also wounded. The party succeeded in liberating one Michael, a tory, who was held there in chains. and then made good their return to the island.
A return of this kind of excursion took place on Tuesday, May 9th. Captain Hendricks, accompanied by a sergeant and eleven men, came from Elizabethtown to the island and at- tempted to take the patrol of the First battalion of New Jersey loyalists. Finding it impossible to surprise them they secreted themselves in the woods until they supposed the patrol had left the neighborhood, but were discovered later and a skirmish
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