USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie county, and border wars of New York > Part 58
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But the acts of a knave, a traitor-ingrate, Must kindle forever our deadliest hate ; Shall invoke through all time, base Arnold, on thee, The withering curse of the virtuous and free.
To R. W, Murphy, Esq. of Preston Hollow, a nephew of Da- vid Williams, would the author acknowledge his indebtedness for several interesting incidents in the life of the latter.
The captor Williams was a son of After and Phebe Williams, who emigrated from Holland in early life. They were poor but reputable : he died near the close of the Revolution, and the widow died at the residence of her son David, in 1795. The fol- lowing biography of David Williams appeared in the Albany Daily Advertiser in January preceding his death, said to have been dictated by himself.
" I was born in Tarrytown, then called Philips' Manor, West- chester county, New-York, October 21st, 1754. I entered the army in 1775, at the age of 21, and was under Gen. Montgomery at the siege of Fort St. Johns, and afterwards on board the flat bot- tomed boats to carry provisions, &c .; served out my time which was six months. I then went, listed again in the spring of 1776, and continued in the service by different enlistments as a New- York militiaman until 1779.
In 1778, when in Capt. Acker's company of New-York militia at Tarrytown, I asked his permission to take a walk in company with William Van Wart, a boy sixteen or seventeen years old. I proceeded to the cross-roads on Tompkins' ridge, stood looking a few minutes, saw five men coming, they had arms; we jumped
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over a stone fence and concealed ourselves in a corner of it ; ob- served that they were armed with two muskets and three pistols. They came so nigh that we recognised two of them, viz. William Underhill and William Mosher, who were tories, and known to be of De Lancey's corps. When they came within proper distance, I said to my companion, 'Billy, neck or no joint " I then said aloud, as if speaking to a number, with the view of intimidating them, ' men make ready "' They stopped immediately ; I told them to ground their arms, which they did ; I then said, ' march away ;' they did so; I then jumped over the fence, secured their arms, and made them march before us to our quarters. I continued in the service until a week or ten days before the year 1780. In De- cember, 1779, Captain Daniel Williams, who was commander of our company, mounted us on horses and we went to Morrisiana, Westchester county. We swept all Morrisiana clear ; took proba- bly $5,000 worth of property, returned to Tarrytown, and quar- tered at Young's house. My feet being frozen, my uncle Martinus Van Wart took me to his house. I told Capt. Williams that the enemy would soon be at Young's, and that if he remained there he would be on his way to Morrisiana before morning. He paid no attention to my remarks-he did not believe me; but in the course of the night a woman came to my uncle's crying 'Uncle Martinus! Uncle Martinus!' The truth was the British had sur- rounded Young's house, made prisoners of all the company except two, and burnt the barn.
" Having got well of my frozen feet, on the third of June, 1780, we were all driven from Tarrytown to the upper part of Westches- ter county, in the town of Salem. We belonged to no organised company at all; were under no command, and worked for our board or johnny-cake. Isaac Van Wart, who was a cousin of mine, [the father of Williams and mother of Van Wart were brother and sister,] Nicholas Storms and myself went to Tarrytown on a visit ; we carried our muskets with us, and on our way took a Quaker who said he was going to New-York after salt and other things. The Quaker was taken before the American authority and ac- quitted.
" In July or August a number of persons of whom I was one, went on a visit to our friends in Tarrytown, and while on the way took ten head of cattle which some refugees were driving to New- York, and on examination before the authority, the cattle were restored to their right owners, as they pleaded innocence saying they were stolen from them. I then returned to Salem and worked with a Mr. Benedict for my board until the 22d of September. It was about one o'clock, P. M., as I was standing in the door with Mr. Benedict's daughter, (who was afterwards my wife), when I saw six men coming ; she remarked ' they have got guns.' I
jumped over a board fence and met them. 'Boys,' said I, ' where are you going "' they answered 'we are going to Tarrytown.' I then said ' if you will wait until I get my gun I will go with you.'
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The names of the six persons were Isaac Van Wart, John Pauld- ing, William Williams, John Yerks, and James Romer ; the name of the sixth I have forgotten. We proceeded about fifteen miles that night, and slept in a hay barrack. In the morning we crossed Buttermilk hill, when John Paulding proposed to go to Isaac Reed's and get a pack of cards to divert ourselves with. After procuring them we went out to Davis' hill, where we separated ; leaving four on the hill, and three, viz. Van Wart, Paulding and myself proceeded on the Tarrytown road about one mile and con- cealed ourselves in the bushes on the west side of the road, and commenced playing cards three handed, that is each one for him- self. We had not been playing more than an hour, when we heard a horse galloping across a bridge but a few yards from us; which of us spoke I do not remember, but one of us said, ' there come as trader going to New-York.' We stepped out from our concealment and stopped him. 'My lads,' said he, 'I hope you belong to our party.' We asked him 'what party ?' he replied ' the lower party.' We told him ' we did.' He then said ' I am a British officer, have been up the country on particular business, and would not wish to be detained a minute,' and as a token to convince us he was a gentleman, he pulled out and shewed us his gold watch ; we then told him we were Americans. 'God bless my soul,' said he, ' a man must do any thing these times to get along ;' and then shewed us Arnold's pass. We told him it would not satisfy us without searching him. 'My lads,' said he, ' you will bring your- selves into trouble.' We answered, we did not fear it,' and con- ducted him about seventy rods into the woods. My comrades appointed me to search him; commencing with his hat, I searched his person effectually, but found nothing until I pulled off his boot, when we discovered that something was concealed in his stocking. Paulding caught hold of his foot and exclaimed, 'By G-d here it is !' I pulled off his stocking, and inside of it next to the sole of his foot, found three half sheets of paper enclosed in ancther half sheet which was endorsed ' West Point;' and on pulling off the other boot and stocking, I found three like papers, enclosed and endorsed as the others. On reading them one of my companions said, ' By G-d he is a spy !' We then asked him where he got those papers: he told us ' of a man at Pine's bridge,' but he said ' he did not know his name.' He offered us his gold watch, his horse, saddle, bridle and 100 guineas if we would let him go; we told him ' no, unless he would inform us where he got the papers.' He answered us as before, but increased his offer to 1000 guineas, his horse, &c .: we told him again we would not let him go; he then said ' gen- tlemen, I will give you 10,000 guineas [nearly $50,000], and as many dry goods as you will ask ; conceal me in any place of safety while you can send to New-York with an order to Sir Henry Clin- ton from me, and the goods and money will be procured so that you can get them unmolested.' [Paulding then told him, as he stated on the trial of Joshua H. Smith a few days after the arrest,]
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' no, by G-d, if you would give us ten thousand guineas you should not stir a step; we are Americans, and above corruption, and go with us you must.' We then took him about twelve miles to Col. Jamieson's quarters at North Castle."
Andre was about five feet eight inches high, with black eyes, a bold military countenance, and was a good looking, though rather small, trim-built man.
The father of David Williams was a farmer in Tarrytown at the beginning of the war, who, being too poor to purchase a farm, worked land upon shares. When the British and tories began to commit acts of cruelty in the vicinity, Williams removed with his family into the town of South Salem. He lived on lands belong- ing to Joseph Benedict Esq., near the village of Cross River. The Americans having possession of the country in the vicinity of West Point, and the British that above New York, tories about the neutral ground, from their acts of cruelty, such as murder, theft, rapine, and the like, received from the whigs the title of cow-boys. These despoilers of Whig property, whose visits were generally made in the night, frequently drove off cattle, horses, swine, &c., to the British posts, where they were liberally re- warded for the stolen property of their neighbors. In conse- quence of the tories stealing so many cattle in the vicinity of the British army, they were called cow-boys by the patriots,-a term implying at that period the very lowest calling in life De Lancy's corps, which became a terror to well doers, from their being gene- rally mounted on horseback, was chiefly formed from cow-boys.
On the removal of the Williams family to Cross River, David hired out to Mr. Benedict to work on his farm, and became so much of a favorite with the family, that, whenever he was not engaged in military service, he made the house of his employer his welcome-home. Mr. Benedict had a fair daughter named Nancy, and Cupid had so interwoven the affections of the young couple, it is not surprising that David found his time pass agreeably at her father's. The whigs who encountered the cow- boys in their excursions into the country, were generally in the militia service on short inlistments, and as they had been obliged
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in many instances to change their residences, they acquired the name of refugees, a title sometimes given the tories. The cow- boys were often overtaken or intercepted, and the plunder they had made taken from them by the refugees, almost within sight of the British camp. Not unfrequently the agressor's life was for- feited on these occasions, and now and then a conflict ensued, when the life-blood of friend and foe mingled together.
In the fall of 1780, at a time when Williams was at the house of Mr. Benedict, enjoying an agrecable tete-a-tete with his Nancy, she pointed out to him a small company of armed men approach- ing their village. They entered an inn near by, and the lover, having recognized them, stole a parting kiss from his fair one, and hastened to join them. The names of the party are given in the preceding statement of Williams. The night before, a party of cow-boys had been into the adjoining town of Poundridge, led on by one Smith, a noted tory, and besides stealing much pro- perty, they had killed a neighbor to some of the whigs then con- vened, by the name of Pelham, who had run out in his night- clothes to save his horses. To reclaim the stolen property and return it to the widow, or avenge the death of her husband, was the especial object this scout of American militia had in view, when they set out for Tarrytown ; true, some of them hoped also to see several relatives.
Williams and his companions kept together until they reached Tarrytown, when they separated ; the former, with Paulding and his cousin Van Wart, taking the east road, and the other four the west road, leading to New York. At an angle of the road, Wil- liams and his associates concealed themselves, obtaining a north and west view of it for some distance. The approach of Andre, his arrest, &c., is inserted as related by Williams. Meeting the three armed men below the American pickets, Andre took them to be cow-boys, and being thrown off his guard, his manner excited suspicion in his captors, and he was strictly searched. His pass from Arnold, which had protected " John Anderson" thus far, would protect John Andre no farther. While in the act of exhi- biting his pass, he stated that he " was going below on an ex-
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press from the head quarters of the American army at West Point, and here," he added, " is a pass from Gen. Arnold, who com- mands in the absence of Gen Washington." The pass, which was dated Head Quarters, Robinson house, September 22d, 1780, required all persons to assist John Anderson, who was going to New York on business highly important to the American army, forbidding any person to stop or molest him at their peril. Knowing that Washington had gone to Hartford on business, af- ter the pass from Arnold was produced, his captors had nearly allowed him to proceed, and he was reinng his horse into the road, when Paulding in an under tone observed, " D-n him, I do not like his looks !" It is stated in the Life of Gen. Greene, who was president of the board which tried Andre, that when he first became visible to his captors he was engaged in examining a sketch of the route, to determine which of the several roads he ought to pursue.
PLACE WHERE ANDRE WAS CAPTURED.
At the expression of Paulding that he did not like his looks, he was again ordered to stop. One of the party enquired what he had done with the paper he had in his hands when he first ap- peared in sight. The question produced a momentary hesitation, and his embarrassment being noticed by the party, he was then told that the circumstances of his first avowing himself to belong
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to the lower party-his having an undress British coat under his surtout, in connection with Arnold's pass-required their search- ing his person, to which he firmly remonstrated, threatening them with the vengeance of Arnold for detaining him. But his threats were of no avail ; his manner increased their suspicions ; the love of liberty fired the patriotic heart, and leading his horse aside into a field partially covered with underwood, he was examined. His person was strictly searched-his hat, coat, vest, shirt and breeches-even his hair, which was done up in a cue, the fashion of the day, was untied without creating any unusual anxiety in the prisoner, until he was ordered to take off his boots, when he changed color, and fear was manifested in his countenance. As he did not feel disposed to remove them, Williams, who had been selected by his companions to search him, while they retained their arms, drew them off, and inside his stockings, next his bare feet, the treasonable papers were found : in one boot was also discov- ered the sketch of the route. He had upon his person eighty dollars, continental money. Finding his true character disclosed, and being told that he was considered as a spy, Andre saw at once the danger of his situation, and attempted to regain his liberty by the offer of bribes, such as required Roman firmness -- I should say American firmness, for Roman history exhibits no parallel-to resist. But the attempt was futile, evincing in his captors a love of liberty stronger than love of riches and virtue that kings might envy.
While they were searching Andre, his horse had strayed some distance, grazing among the under-brush ; when the search was completed, one of them led up the horse and he was permitted to mount and ride between his captors, to the military post, com- manded by Lieut. Col. Jamieson. At the examination of Andre at Tappan, and also at his trial at the same place, the captors were present. While at West Point, the magnanimous Wash- ington took the three intrepid soldiers into the arsenal, and pre- sented each of them a sword and brace of pistols, telling them to go constantly armed-" that they would be hunted like partridges upon the mountains"-offering at the same time, that if they
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chose to remain in the army, he would give to each of them a captain's commission. They all declined promotion, and returned to their friends ; and as Williams was, I have no doubt they all were narrowly watched by the tories.
On one occasion, while at his father's, Williams came near be- ing taken. The house was surrounded in the night by a party of cow-boys, but their cowardice in making the attack was probably the only circumstance to which he owed his life. At another time Williams, having spent the evening with his intended, was return- ing home from her father's in the night, was waylaid in a by- place, and a man, stepping from his concealment, exclaimed, " Stand, you d -- d rebel !" Williams drew a pistol and fired upon his nocturnal intruder, who vacated the path and retreated into the bushes. The next day the course of his assailant could be traced some distance by the drops of blood. Thus one of the pistols presented by Washington prevented his falling into the hands of his enemies, if it did not in fact save his life.
The following singular coincidence is related at the particular request of the widow of David Williams, and may be relied up- on as strictly true. The father of David, a short time before the capture of Andre, had the following singular dream : He saw a crow alight in his path, having in its beak a folded paper. He was extremely anxious to obtain the paper, and see what it con- tained. For some time he followed after the bird, which would repeatedly fly up and again alight in his path. His anxiety to obtain the paper increasing, he threw his hat at the bird, which then dropped it. He snatched it up, and eagerly unfolding, found it a blank sheet of paper, containing in one end a piece of gold, and in the other a piece of silver. A few days after, he heard of Andre's arrest, and that his son was one of the captors. Divi- ners of dreams are at liberty to make out of this what they please. They can, if they choose, liken the bird to the dark spirit which was besetting the path of Andre; the paper to the pass of Ar- nold; the gold to the bribe offered by the prisoner for his release ; and the silver to the reward granted the captors by act of Congress.
The following extract of a letter from Gen. Washington to the
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president of Congress, dated " Robinson's house, in the Highlands, September 26, 1780," will show the manner in which that body was apprized of Arnold's treason and Andre's arrest :
"I do not know the party that took Maj. Andre, but it is said that it consisted only of a few militia, who acted in such a manner upon the occasion as does them the highest honor, and proves them to be men of great virtue. As soon as I know their names I shall take pleasure in transmitting them to Congress."
Washington communicated to the president of Congress the names of Andre's captors, as the following extract of a letter, da- ted " Paramus, October 7, 1780," will show :
"I have now the pleasure to communicate the names of the three persons who captured Maj. Andre, and who refused to release him, notwithstanding the most earnest importunities, and assurances of a liberal reward, on his part. The names are John Paulding, Da- vid Williams, and Isaac Van Wart." [They were presented to Gen. Washington by Col. Hamilton.]
The following is a resolution of Congress, adopted Nov. 3d, 1780 :
" Whereas Congress have received information that John Pauld- ing, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart, three young volunteer militiamen of the State of New York, did, on the 23d day of Sep- tember last, intercept Maj. John Andre, Adjutant General of the British Army, on his return from the American lines in the Char- acter of a Spy ; and notwithstanding the large bribes offered them for his release, nobly disdaining to sacrifice their Country for the sake of Gold, secured and conveyed him to the Commanding offi- cer of the district, whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspira- cy of Benedict Arnold was brought to light, the insidious designs of the Enemy baffled, and the United States secured from impend- ing danger : Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of the virtuous and patriotic conduct of the said John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart : In testimony whereof, Ordered, That each of them receive annually, out of the Public Treasury, Two Hundred Dollars in specie, or an equivalent in current money, of these States, during life, and that the Board of War procure for each of them a silver Medal, on one side of which shall be a shield with this inscription, "Fidelity"-and on the other the fol- lowing motto, " Vincit Amor Patria"-and forward them to the Commander-in-Chief, who is requested to present the same, with a copy of this Resolution, and the thanks of Congress for their Fi- delity, and the eminent service they have rendered their Country."
In addition to the medal and yearly annuity, Congress granted
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to each of the captors the privilege of locating any confiscated lands in the county of Westchester, to the value of $1250, or of receiving the said sum in cash, to be expended as they chose. About this time, Williams married Miss Benedict, who was sev- eral years younger than himself, and with the $1250 granted by Congress, bought a part of the farm owned by his father-in-law and settled upon it, erecting a log cabin to live in.
The medal, which is now treasured as a sacred relic by Mrs. Williams, is about as large again as a silver dollar. On one side is represented the United States coat of arms, bearing the simple in- scription, " Fidelity." On the other side is inscribed the Latin sen- tence, " Vincit Amor Patric"-the love of country conquers. At the time of Andre's arrest, Williams was older than either of his comrades. It may be said of him, that his charity knew no bounds. He was liberal even to a fault; and the sin of selfish- ness was one of the least for which he had to render a final ac- count. He was most esteemed and respected by those who knew him best, which is ever the surest test of merit. Naturally hon- est and confiding, he believed others to be so, and therefore was liable to be plundered by the knavish. He was by habit an ear- ly riser, and very industrious. His early education, like that of many others who fought under the stars of liberty, was limited ; but being fond of reading, he acquired before his death a good fund of general information. He collected some valuable books which he repeatedly read through, and not only took a newspaper and paid for it, but he read its contents. In principle, he was a warm republican. Liberal in his religious views, he never was heard extolling one denomination and denouncing another ; and although he made no public profession of religion, he regularly attended divine worship when held in his neighborhood, frequent- ly opening his own house for that purpose. In the latter part of his life, he often read the scriptures aloud in his family, and not unfrequently he was seen or over-heard engaged in secret devo- tion.
In the fall of 1830, the Corporation of the city of New York sent an invitation, by a special messenger, to Mr. Williams, to be
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present as a guest at the celebration of the French Revolution. He was, with Enoch Crosby, another hero of '76, and two others, drawn in an elegant carriage at the head of the procession, at- tracting much attention, as the writer well remembers. While in the city, he visited with the mayor and other distinguished citi- zens, theatres, public schools, the navy yard, &c., at all of which he was a welcome guest. At one of the schools a silver cup was presented to him, and at another a silver headed cane, the stem of which was made from a part of a chevaux-de-frise, used near West Point in the Revolution. He was also presented while on this visit, with an elegant horse, carriage and harness by the mayor.
Mr. Williams returned from New York in December, soon after which he began rapidly to fail. The excitement attending his visit had no doubt been too great for one of his age and retired habits. When spring again opened, and nature began to deck her offspring in blooming apparel, he exhibited symptoms of ap- proaching dissolution. Conscious of his situation, he manifested a spirit of resignation to the Divine will. His complaint was dyspepsia. At times he suffered great pain in his limbs and breast, which could only be relieved by opium as an anodyne. During the paroxysms of pain he would frequently say, " Oh, how long before the contest will be over!" He wished for relief in death. He was attended in his last illness by good physicians, among whom was the late Doct. Hyde, of Rensselaerville. He con- tinued gradually to waste away until sunset on Tuesday, the 2nd day of August, 1831, when he expired without a struggle or a groan. The last time he spoke was on Monday morning to give some directions about the place of his burial. Mr. Williams at his death, left an only child, a son, David W. Williams, who now lives upon the farm formerly owned by his father in Broome. He has seven children, four sons and three daughters, and is now (1845) 48 years old. His mother, now in her 89th year, lives with him. After her husband had been dead ten years, Mrs. Williams obtained a continuance of his pension, which had been stopped at his death, receiving $2000 at once.
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