USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 21
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ensued, in which one man was killed, another wounded, and two of the assailants made prisoners. They then retired to the Jersey shore.
We give the account of another of these incursions as related from the British stand-point. On the 29th of June a party, con- sisting of thirty eight of the First battalion of New Jersey vol- unteers, with about thirty-four militia and refugees, the former under the command of Lieutenant Hutchinson and Ensign Barton, and the latter under command of Captains Durham and Robbins, landed at Twembley's point, near the mouth of Rah- way river and surrounded a tavern in hopes of taking three rebel light horse, who were supposed to be stationed there to give notice of any troops approaching from Staten Island. Not finding these men here they proceeded to the house of one Captain Amos Morse, who was surprised and taken out of his bed, with four other "rebels." The party then went in search of cattle, and succeeded in capturing about forty head, and eighty sheep. As they were driving them to the landing at Twembley's point about forty of the "rebels" having collected, pursued them, and a skirmish ensued, in which twenty of the pursuers were made prisoners and some others were wounded. The British and tories were then able to land their booty and prisoners on Staten Island.
July 21st Captain Hetfield made an incursion into New Jer- sey and brought off Lieutenant Obadiah Meeker and fonrteen privates of the "rebel" militia as prisoners, with whom he re- turned to Staten Island.
On the night of the 23d of August a party from New Bruns- wick, under command of Captain ITyler, in six boats, landed on the island and took off with them three tories and nine horses. They also collected about one hundred head of. cattle on the shore, but the militia of the island being apprised of their movements, they were unable to convey them away.
The incident related in the following paragraph, taken from a newspaper of November 12, 1781, shows the social possibili- ties under a martial condition such as that in which Staten Island then lay :
" Last Saturday William Hetfield, an inhabitant of Elizabeth- Town, Rahway, came to Staten Island with a small quantity of flour to dispose of, that he might get some hard money which would enable him to pay the taxes imposed by the rebel Gov-
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ernor : On his return in the evening, he was met in the Sound by one Peter Terrat, a noted thief, who supports himself and a gang of such miscreants, by robbing and plundering ; to him and his party Hetfield surrendered himself ; but after he was a prisoner, Terrat thought Hetfield threw something overboard, on which the infernal fiend took a pistol out of his pocket and shot him dead, laid the body on the bank of the Sound, and went off exulting with the other prisoners he had taken.
" Hetfield has left a wife and several children to lament their loss. It is said the people of the connty, detesting such horrid violence, intend making enquiry into the murder, and punish the villain as he deserves.
"We since hear that a Jury has brought a verdict against him guilty of murder, on which he fled from justice."
Captain Adam Hyler, who has been already mentioned, made many predatory raids on Long Island, Staten Island and in New Jersey. He was an active partisan in and about that part of New Jersey where he resided. As his expeditions against the enemy were chiefly conducted by water, and in small boats, it is probable that he held his title of captain by courtesy, and not by commission. In January, 1782, a party of infantry from Staten Island, in six boats, went up the Raritan to New Bruns- wick, and before daylight succeeded in capturing all his boats. In less than a month thereafter Hyler launched a large new boat built for thirty oars.
The following, taken from a paper published in New York, in the interests of the royalists, is another instance of the enter- prise and indomitable resolution of Hyler. The date is July 15, 1782 :
" Last Tuesday night Mr. Hyler took 2 fishing boats near the Narrows, and ransomed them for $100 each. One of them has been twice captured."
The same day " a little before sunset, Mr. Hyler, with 3 large 24-oared boats, made an attack on the galley stationed at Prince's Bay, south side of Staten Island. \There being little or no wind, he came up with a good deal of resolution, but Capt. Cashman gave him an 18-pounder, which went through the stern of one of the boats, and obliged Hyler to put ashore on the Island, where, after a smart combat, he was obliged to leave one of his boats and make the best of his way home with the other two."
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"John Althouse, with 12 men, was on board a guard-boat at anchor in Prince's Bay, when two whale boats were descried under South Amboy shore. It was calm. The cable was sprung and a 24-pounder brought to bear, which sent a shot through Hyler's boat. His crew were taken in the other boat, (Dickey's) and all made off for New Brunswick with Gen. Jacob S. Jack- son, whom they had captured in South Bay, and kept prisoner till he was ransomed."
The mantle of Captain Hyler appears to have fallen on other shoulders after his death. The New Jersey Gazette of Novem- ber 13, 1782, says : "The brave Capt. Storer, commissioned as a private boat-of-war, under the States, and who promises fair to be the genuine successor of the late valiant Capt. Hyler, has given a recent instance of his valor and conduct in capturing one of the enemy's vessels, and in cutting out a vessel lying under the flag-staff and within half pistol shot of the battery of 14 guns, at the watering-place, Staten Island."
But the years of war were drawing to a close. The tale of plnnder, rapine and murder, committed under the pretext of war was closed, and on the 16th of June, 1783, Adjutant Gen- eral De Lancey issued from his headquarters in New York the proclamation by which all estates on the island were to be im- mediately delivered up to their proprietors or their attorneys. This, however, did not entirely conclude the condition of war, or abolish the presence of a soldiery. A few months of hesi- tancy ensued.
On the 25th day of November, 1783, the British finally evacu- ated New York and Staten Island. Eight years before, they had entered the country with the expectation that, in less than as many months, they would overrun it from north to south, and trample out the rebellion. The people should be made to bow with abject submission before the invincible power of Great Britain, and humbly sue for the privilege of lying in the dust and having her foot placed upon their necks. The march of the army through the land, from its beginning to its end, was to be an uninterrupted triumph. But they now returned overcome and crestfallen. The rebellion which they came to conquer had conquered them, and their overweening arrogance and pride had received a blow such as it had never received before nor has since. An eye witness of their departure described the scene as in the highest degree impressive. Several days before the 25th
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had been occupied in conveying the troops, cannon, tents, etc., from the land to the vessels, both in New York and on Staten Island. When all was ready, they passed through the Narrows silently ; not a sound was heard save the rattling of the cordage. "We stood," he said, "on the heights at the Narrows, and looked down upon the decks of their ships as they passed. We were very boisterous in our demonstrations of joy ; we shouted, we clapped our hands, we waved onr hats, we sprang into the air, and some few, who had brought muskets with them, fired a feu-de joie. A few others, in the exuberance of their gladness, indulged in gestures, which, though very expressive, were neither polite nor judicious. The British could not look upon the scene without making some demonstration of resentment. A large seventy-four, as she was passing, fired a shot which struck the bank a few feet beneath the spot upon which we were standing. If we had had a cannon, we would have re- turned it, but as we had none, we ran away as fast as we could. A few rods from us stood another group, composed of men and women, who gazed silently, and some tearfully, upon the pass- ing ships, for some of the females had lovers, and some husbands on board of them, who were leaving them behind. never, probably, to see them again. It was long after dark when the last ship passed through the Narrows."
But they did not all go; many of the soldiers, especially Hessians, who had no home attractions across the water, when they learned that peace had been declared, and that the army would shortly leave the country, deserted, and sought places of concealment, from which they emerged when the power to arrest them had departed. Many had formed attachments which they were unwilling to sunder. But many more were detained by admiration of the country, and a desire to make for themselves a new home in a new world. From some of these have descend- ed men whose names are written in the country's history.
Let ns turn now for a brief space to review the period of the war and its general effect upon the people. If the history of the sufferings of the people of Staten Island during the war could be written, it would present a picture too dreadful to contemplate. Neither age, sex nor condition were exempt from insnlts and outrages of the grossest character; no home was too sacred to protect its inmates from injury; the rights of prop- erty were not recognized, if the invader coveted it: even the
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temples of God were desecrated; the law of might alone pre- vailed. Proclamations and professions of good will and protec- tion were repeatedly promulgated, but those who relied on them usually reaped disappointment. It was useless to appeal to those high in authority, for the complaints of the people were unheeded, and redress of injuries, except under pecu- liar circumstances, could not be obtained. If a Britishi officer's horse was in need of hay or oats, a file of soldiers was sent to any farmer who was known to have a supply, to sieze and take away what was wanted. If the officer himself needed a horse, the same method was adopted to procure one. Money, provisions and even bedding and household furniture, were taken by force; sometimes promises of payment were made, but these were seldom fulfilled. The course adopted by the British while in possession of the island, effectually alienated many of the friends of the royal canse, and lience it was that so many of them, at the close of the war, eagerly took the oath of al- legiance to the new government, and so few adhered to the cause of the king, and followed its fortune.
Numerous instances of suffering are preserved in the tradi- tions of some of the old families of the island. There was one man of local notoriety whose name is still remembered and mentioned by the descendants of those whose misfortune it was to suffer at his hands; his name was Nathaniel Robbins; he resided at what is now known as New Springville, but the house which he occupied was demolished many years ago. It stood near the corner of the roads leading to Rich- mond and Port Richmond, fronting on the former. He was an Englishman by birth, dissolute in his habits, and the terror not only of those who dwelt in his neighborhood, but of the whole county. His wife was a native of Staten Island. and a daughter of the widow Mary Merrill. The opinion which his wife's mother entertained of him may be inferred from a clause in her will, which was dated January 10th, 1789, and in which she bequeaths to her daughter Mary Robbins the sum of £40, " so as never to be in the power or at the command of Nathaniel Robbins, her present husband." His depreda- tions were generally committed under some disguise, which he supposed effectually concealed his identity, though he was often betrayed by his voice or some other tell-tale circumstance.
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He had his associates it is true, who were also well known, but Robbins was regarded as the leader and soul of the gang.
Those families residing near the sound, or "the lines," as it was called, suffered more from marauders than those who dwelt in the interior, because the opportunities for approach and escape there were more convenient. As part of the local history of the island, authenticated chiefly by family tradi- tions, which are accepted as reliable, several instances are subjoined.
At or near Chelsea dwelt several families of the name of Prall, some of whose descendants are among the most respectable of our citizens at the present day. Among them were two brothers, Abraham and Peter, both prosperous farmers and men of substance. The house in which the former resided has since been considerably modernized, on the Chelsea road, at no great distance from the Richmond turnpike. The Chelsea road at that time was little better than a private lane leading to these residences from the main road, and passing through dense woods. On one occasion a man who was indebted to Abraham Prall called on him and paid him a considerable sum in gold. The next evening the family were surprised by the approach of two men, who were evidently disguised. Their errand was at once suspected, and the old man had just time enough to take the money he had received out of the cupboard in which he had deposited it, and put it into his pockets. When the strangers entered one of them presented a pistol at him and said, "Prall, we know you have money, so deliver it up at once." He was very much alarmed, and his wife, per- ceiving his agitation. said, "Father, don't be alarmed, these men are our neighbors." She had detected the speaker by his voice, and knew him to be the same person who had paid the money the previous evening, and had seen it deposited in the cupboard. "Do you suppose," said the old man, "that I am so unwise as to keep any large sum of money in my house in times like these ? You are welcome to any money you may find in the house." They took him at his word, and the cup- board was the first place visited.
The rest of the house was also searched, but without success. They then turned to go, but directed the old man to go before them through the lane to the public road. The path through the woods was intensely dark, and he managed, as he went
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along, to drop his guineas, one by one, upon the ground, until by the time they had reached the highway he had none remain- ing in his pockets. Here another effort was made to compel him to tell what he had done with it, but all the reply they could extort from him was, "The money I had in my house yesterday is not now in my possession." He was then searched, and made to solemnly swear that he would never divulge the circumstances of their visit, nor mention any names he might suspect. The oath, though by no means obligatory, he scrupu- lously kept. The next morning he retraced his steps of the pre- vious night, and picked up every piece of his money.
A younger member of one of these families, while on his way homeward, at a late hour, on horseback, near the corner of the Port Richmond and Signs roads, New Springville, was suddenly stopped by a man, who rushed out of the bushes, seized his horse by the bridle, and ordered him to "deliver up." The horse was very spirited, and with a touch of the rider's spur suddenly sprang forward, throwing his assailant violently to the ground. Then, at the utmost of his speed, lie made for home, springing over every fence or other obstacle, until he reached his stable door in safety.
At another time, two young men took a sleigh ride to the south side of the island. When they returned, before remov- ing the harness from their beasts, they ran into the house for a moment to warm their hands, when one of the family came run- ning into the room saying that somebody was taking their horses away. Rushing out together, they saw two men in their sleighs driving rapidly in the direction of the sound. As pursuit was useless they stood still, and saw the thieves cross the sound on the ice, until they reached the Jersey shore, and then dis- appear in the country. They never saw their horses afterward.
Mr. John Bodine, who then lived on the present poor house farm, having received a considerable sum of money, suspected that the fact was known, and if so, that an attempt would be made to rob him. He therefore buried it under the step-stone at his back door. His suspicions proved to be well founded. His expected visitors made their appearance the following even- ing and demanded all the money he had in the house. It was in vain that he protested that there was no money in the house. They insisted on searching for it, but before doing so bound him hand and foot, and then proceeded with their villainous
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work. Nothing, however, was found. But they were not dis- couraged. If the money was not in the house he had concealed it, and must reveal the place. He concluded that if prevarica- tion was ever justifiable it was under just such circumstances as those in which he was then placed, so he persisted in his de- nial of having any or having concealed any. They threatened to shoot him. He told them to shoot away, he could not give them what he had not. Perceiving that the fear of death did not intimidate him, they resorted to torture. They heated a shovel, and proceeded to burn him on various parts of his body, but all in vain ; he persisted in his denial, and they finally de- sisted, supposing it to be improbable, if not impossible, for any man to endure so much agony for any amount of money.
It was not only money that excited the rapacity of these thieves. Household furniture, clothing. linen, anything that had value in their eyes was ruthlessly carried away. One family had a vault constructed under the floor of a cider mill in which beds, bedding and other articles, except some of the most com- mon description, and in constant nse, were concealed. Several years after the war a man who resided near "the lines," being on business in New Jersey, discovered in one house a mirror and several pictures belonging to himself, of which his honse had been robbed during the war.
We are indebted for the following incident to a man who died more than a quarter of a century ago, then in his ninetieth year.
One afternoon, late in the fall, two British officers on horse back rode into his barn-yard, and having dismounted, entered the barn, and seeing two horses in their stalls, peremptorily ordered him to take them out and put theirs in. They then directed him to see that their beasts were well fed and other- wise cared for. From the barn they went into the house, and ordered the mistress to show them her best room. This being done, they proceeded to the upper part of the house, and after having examined every apartment, selected one, and directed her to prepare two beds in that room, and to see to it that they were clean and comfortable in all respects, and that the best room was furnished with everything suitable for the accommo- dation of gentlemen. They then descended into the cellar, and examined the family stores there and in the out-houses. Hav- ing ascertained the conveniences of the place, they ordered their
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supper to be prepared and served in the best room, informing her that they intended to reside there for some time, and ex- pected to have their meals served regularly every day when they were at home. They brought no luggage with them except what was contained in two large valises strapped to their saddles.
They remained in that house until spring. Their clothes were thrown out every week to be washed, and by their order a supply of fire-wood was constantly ready at their door. They did not always take the trouble to put the wood on their own fire, frequently calling on some one of the family to do it for them. One of them was a tory officer from Amboy, the other was an Englishman. Said the old man, "They lorded it over our house for that whole winter, and all we had to do was to obey them. There was no use in complaining or remonstrat- ing. If we had done so, we would have been requited with a curse and a blow of their swords. I felt like poisoning them, and verily believe I should have done so if it had not been for fear of the consequences. They left us as unceremoniously as they came, without even a ' thank you' or a ' good-bye.' "
It is related of a young woman, the daughter of a farmer residing in the vicinity of the Fresh kills, while engaged one morning in boiling soap, two soldiers entered the kitchen and ordered her to prepare breakfast for them ; she declined to do so, as she was otherwise engaged, and could not leave her employment to oblige anybody. This reply excited their wrath, and one of them approached her with an intention of striking her. Seizing a large dipper, she filled it with the boiling liquid and dashed it at him, Perceiving her intention, he wheeled suddenly around and thus saved his face, but received the whole charge upon the back of his head and neck. His companion, fearing a similar reception, escaped as quickly as possible, but the scalded ruffian, in endeavoring to remove the hot soap, took all the hair off with it, which never grew again, but left the back of his head bald ever after.
Another farmer in the same vicinity, while he and one of his sons were engaged in the barn one morning, was suddenly alarmed by a cry for help from the house. Each seizing a hay- fork, the farmer and his son ran in and found three soldiers in the house, one of whom was holding one of the young women by the arm. They both rushed at him, first one stabbed him
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in the shoulder, and the other in the thigh, disabling him at once. With the same weapons they attacked the other two, driving them all before them out of the honse, and pursuing them for some distance down the road.
The following romantic incident, though traditional, is well authenticated :
Forty years ago or more there stood an old stone house nearly on the site later occupied by the residence of Capt. R. Chris- tophier, in West New Brighton. For many years before it was demolished it was owned and occupied by the late Nathaniel Britton, Jr., but the name of the occupant during the early years of the revolution had entirely escaped the memory of the narrator. He was, however, a prominent tory, and the father of a daughter said to have possessed more than an ordinary de- gree of personal attractions. Before the commencement of the war she was affianced to a young man named Mersereau, who resided at or near Holland's Hook. A young British lieuten- ant saw and admired her, and probably from the outset marked her for a victim. He succeeded in becoming acquainted with her, and to the gratification of her father, became very assid- nous in his attentions. She, however, rejected his advances. After several months, finding he had utterly failed in impress- ing her with a sense of the honor of his alliance, he resolved to possess himself of her person, at all hazards. The same young tory who, on another occasion, betrayed Colonel Mersereau's presence with his family, and who, it would appear, was some- what noted for his unsernpulousness, was applied to by the lieutenant. The plot agreed upon between them was carried into execution. with results as follows :
Almost directly opposite the junction of the road from Gar- retson's station with the old Richmond road, then called the King's highway, there is a deep ravine, penetrating some dis- tance into Todt hill, at the farthest extremity of which there is a spring of water. Near this, before the war commenced, a solitary individual had built a rude cabin, in which he dwelt for several years, but when hostilities began he disappeared, leaving the cabin vacant. The approach to it was by a foot path through the dense forest which lined the hills on either side of the ravine. One evening the young tory called at the residence of the young lady, and informed her that he had been sent to convey her to the residence of her aunt, near Richmond,
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who had been taken suddenly ill, and had requested her to come to her. Suspecting no evil, and being much attached to her relative, she was soon ready to accompany him. Springing into the wagon which he had brought, she was rapidly driven away. When they reached the entrance to the ravine, two men rushed out of the bushes, seized the horse by the bridle, and ordered the occupants of the wagon to alight. One of them pretended to take possession of the driver, while the other led the young lady up the foot-path into the ravine, cautioning hier that her safety depended upon her silence.
So far the plot had been carried out successfully, but there was an avenger nearer than they suspected. They had taken but a few steps in the direction of the cabin, when several men rushed out of the bushes and seized the lieutenant, for it was he who had possession of the young lady. One of them took her hand, assuring her that they were her protectors, and that she need be under no apprehensions. Though they were all disguised, she at once recognized Mersereau by his voice. Those who had possession of the lieutenant proceeded to tie his hands, informing him that they intended to do no further harm than the infliction of a severe flogging ; and if he attempted to cry ont they would gag him. A bundle of supple rods was at hand, and two of them, one after the other, inflicted the chastisement which they had promised. Having punished him to their hearts' content, they released him, with the warning that if, after the expiration of a week, he was found on the island, they would capture him again and cut off his ears, The young lady 'was safely returned to her home by the same conveyance, but not the same driver, for lie had, by some means, disappeared. The lieutenant also saved his ears by departure before the week ex- pired. How the villainous plot was discovered was never posi- tively known, but it was shrewedly suspected that the young tory had played a double part, and for a consideration had be- trayed his military employer. The horse and wagon remained in the possession of Mersereau unclaimed for several weeks, but was finally stolen one night, and never heard of after.
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