USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie county, and border wars of New York > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
657
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
The following account of the death and burial of Mr. Williams, is copied from the Schoharie Republican, dated Tuesday, August 9th, 1831.
" The venerable David Williams, the last of the captors of Ma- jor Andre, has gone to his rest, full of years and full of glory. He died in Broome, Scholarie county, on Tuesday, the 2d instant, at the age of 77. His remains were interred on Thursday, with mi- litary honors, at Livingstonville, in the presence of a large con- course of citizens, who had assembled to pay the last sad tribute of respect to his mortal remains.
" At 10 o'clock, A. M., a sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Smith of Rensselaerville. After the service, a procession was formed, under the direction of Col. Joseph Bouck, of Middleburgh, in the following order :
Military. Reverend Clergy.
Pall Bearers.
Pall Bearers.
Col. John Niles.
The Corpse.
Col. L. M. Dayton.
Col. Z. Pratt.
Lt. H. Dayton.
Relations of the Deceased. Citizens."
At the grave a very appropriate eulogy was pronounced by Robert Mcclellan, Esq. Mr. Murphy addressed the assemblage, briefly reviewing the former life of his deceased kinsman ; and the solemn exercises were closed by a prayer from the Rev. Mr Smith.
When the British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778, Gen. Bene- dict Arnold was given command of that station. His extrava- gance and dissipation, while a resident of that city, subjected him to a court martial, and a reprimand from the Commander-in-chief. From that moment the star that had guided his footsteps in the path of glory and honor was extinguished, and more evil spirits took possession of his soul, than haunted a certain woman of old- en time. In 1780, Arnold sought and obtained from Gen. Wash- ington, the command of the forts at West Point. He soon after, by letter, signified to Sir Henry Clinton, the British Commander- in-chief, then at New York, by a correspondence carried on for a while between Maj. Andre and Mrs. Arnold, and afterwards by
658
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
himself, under the assumed name of Gustavus, while Andre as- sumed that of John Anderson, his intention of surrendering that fortress, the Gibralter of the Union, to the British. Andre was selected by Clinton to complete the diabolical design, and he, for that purpose, landed from the sloop of war Vulture, which had ascended the Hudson, on Thursday night, September 21st, 1780, and held an interview with Mons. Gustavus. Joshua H. Smith, with two brothers, Samuel and Joseph Cahoon, as oarsmen, visit- ed the Vulture about midnight, with oars muffled with sheep-skins, agreeable to the orders of Gen. Arnold, and receiving Andre on board their boat, landed with him at the foot of a mountain called the Long Clove, on the west margin of the river, 31 miles below Smith's residence at Haverstraw, (which residence was distant from Stony Point 22 miles,) and nearly 20 miles below West Point. To the place of meeting, Arnold had ridden from Smith's house. The boatmen refused to return that night to the ship, and after a protracted conference, Arnold and Andre proceeded on horseback to the dwelling of Smith, who went with the boatmen to Crom's Island, in Haverstraw creek, where the boat was left, and then re- turned with them to his home, arriving about daylight. Andre was clad in full uniform, but over it he wore a blue traveling coat. The positive orders from Clinton to Andre were-" not to change his dress-go within the American lines-or receive any papers."
Morning dawned ere the hellish plot was consummated, and his return to the sloop deferred until the next night. Early in the morning a heavy gun was brought to bear on the Vulture, by a party of Americans on shore ; and several shots planted between wind and water compelled her to drop down the stream, where her men stole some plank on the bank of the river, and stopped her leaks. The night following, two men deserted from the Vul- ture in a boat. It was very dark, but the darkness being lit up at intervals by vivid lightning, the fugitives escaped to the shore, al- though they were pursued some distance by a boat's crew .- Jude Watson, a sentinel in the Highlands at the time.
Finding his return to the vessel cut off, Andre was compeled to set out for New York by land. Laying aside his regimentals, he
659
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
put on a plain suit of clothes belonging to Smith, and having re- ceived a pass from Arnold, he started on horseback, under his as- sumed name, on Friday evening, September 22d, accompanied by Smith and a black servant of the latter. About sundown they crossed the Hudson at King's Ferry, from Stony Point on the west, to Verplanck's Point on the east side. They met with but little interruption until they arrived near Crom pond, between eight and nine o'clock, when they were hailed by a sentinel under Capt. Ebenezer Boyd. That officer examined the pass of Arnold to Smith, and advised the party to put up at one Andreas Miller's over night, which advice was followed. He also advised Smith to take the road by North Castle Church and Wright's mills, as being less likely to meet with cow-boys on that than on the Tarry- town road : the latter advice was, however, not regarded, for ob- vious reasons. Two miles beyond Pine's bridge they ate a break- fast of hasty pudding, or supawn and milk, at the house of a Dutch woman. Smith soon after took leave of Andre, and with his ser- vant returned to Peekskill, and from thence to Fishkill, where his wife had been previously sent. Andre succeeded in passing all the American guards and posts on the road without suspicion, and was proceeding to New York in perfect security, when, on Saturday morning, between nine and ten o'clock, he was arrested in what was then called Beekman's forest, near a small brook, about half a mile from Tarrytown, He had taken the road that way as being more likely to meet with friends upon it, or to find safety on board a British vessel in that part of the river.
The following papers were found on the person of Andre :
" No. 1 .- Artillery orders [then] recently published at West Point, directing the disposition of each corps in case of alarm. No. 2 .- An estimate of the American force at West Point and its dependencies. No. 3 .- An estimate of the number of men requi- site to man the works. No. 4 .- A return of the ordnance in the different forts, redoubts, and batteries. No. 5 .- Remarks on the works at West point, describing the construction of each, and its strength or weakness. No. 6 .- A report of a council of war lately held at Head Quarters, containing hints respecting the probable operations of the campaign, and which had been sent by Gen. Washington a few days before, requesting his opinion on the sub- jects to which it refered. These papers were all in the hand-
660
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
writing of Arnold, and bore his signature. In case of Andre's detection, the papers were to be destroyed."
When taken before Col. Jamieson by his captors, Andre, anx- ious for his own safety and that of his accomplice, requested Col. Jamieson to inform Arnold that Anderson (himself,) was taken, which solicitation was very imprudently complied with. A line was despatched by Solomon Allen, which gave the traitor an op- portunity of making his escape; and he readily embraced it, leaving the spy to his fate.
At the time of his treason, Arnold was making his head quar- ters at the Beverly, or Robinson house, as still called, a dwelling which belonged to Beverly Robinson, then an officer in the Brit- ish service, situated about two miles below West Point, on the east side of the river. It was at his own quarters he had purposed to have held his interview with Andre, at an earlier date; but cir- cumstances prevented. Washington was to have breakfasted with Arnold on the morning of his flight ; but sending his aids with his compliments, and an apology to Mrs. Arnold, he rode down to inspect the redoubts on that side of the river. The messenger with Jamieson's note arrived while the company were at break- fast. Leaving the table abruptly, and with evident emotion, Ar- nold set out for West Point, saying that his immediate presence was demanded there. Washington had been to Hartford on busi- ness, and an express dispatched to him passed him, in consequence of his taking an unexpected route back, else he would have been apprized the evening before of Arnold's treason. Instead of going to West Point, Arnold proceeded to the river; and entering his barge, ordered two men to row him on board the Vulture, then at anchor in Tappan bay, below King's ferry. They did not like to comply with his request, but were stimulated to do so by the promise of a liberal reward. Once on board the vessel, Arnold wished to detain the men as prisoners ; but the captain, on being informed what was passing, interfered, ordered the men to be paid what the traitor had promised them, and then liberated ; which order was promptly obeyed. He made his escape at 10 o'clock on Monday morning following the capture of Andre, and Wash-
661
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
ington was apprized of his treasonable conduct at 4 P. M. of the same day.
It seems not a little surprising that Col. Jamieson, after enjoin- ing secrecy on the captors, from a belief that others were con- cerned, should himself take measures to notify one he could not fail, in his right mind, to suspect, even if he did not discover that the treasonable papers were all in his hand-writing. Col. Jamie- son was probably bewildered ; for at first he actually ordered Maj. Andre sent to Arnoid's head quarters. From the Journal of Maj. Tallmadge, who had command of a corps of cavalry in West Chester, I make the following extract :
" When I reached Lieut. Col. Jamieson's quarters, late in the evening of the 23d, and had learned the circumstances of the cap- ture of the prisoner, I was very much surprised to learn that he was sent by that officer to Arnold's head quarters at West Point, accompanied by a letter of information respecting his capture. At the same time he despatched an express to meet Gen. Washington, then on his way to West Point. I felt much impressed with the course which had been taken, and did not fail to state the glaring inconsistency of this conduct to Col. Jamieson in a private and most friendly manner. He appeared greatly agitated when I sug- gested to him a measure which I wished to pursue; offering to take the whole responsibility on myself, and which, as he deemed it too perilous to permit, I will not further disclose." ['The meas- ure proposed by Major Tallmadge was, as he at a subsequent pe- riod informed his family, to proceed as speedily as possible with his troops to Arnold's head quarters, and arrest him on his own re- sponsibility.]
" Failing in this purpose," [continues the journal,] " I instantly set about a plan to remand the prisoner to our quarters, which I finally effected, although with reluctance on the part of Col. Jamie- son. When the order was about to be despatched to the officer to bring the prisoner back, strange as it may seem, Col. J. would per- sist. in his purpose of letting the letter go to Gen. Arnold. The letter did go on, and the prisoner returned before the next morn- ing. As soon as I saw Anderson, and especially after I saw him walk (as he did almost constantly) across the floor, I became im- pressed with the belief that he had been bred to arms. I very soon communicated my suspicion to Col. Jamieson, and requested him to notice his gait, and especially when he turned on his heel to re- trace his course across the room. It was deemed best to remove the prisoner to Salem, and I was to escort him. I kept constantly in the room with the prisoner, who became very conversable, and extremely interesting. Indeed, he very pleasantly inquired why I watched him so narrowly. It was very manifest that his agita-
662
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
tion and anxiety were great ; and after dinner on the 24th, per- haps by 3 o'clock P. M., he asked to be favored with a pen, ink, and paper, which I readily granted, and he wrote the letter to Gen. Washington, dated Salem, 24th September, 1780, which is re- corded in most of the histories of that eventful period. In this let- ter he dicslosed his true character to be ' Major John Andre, Adju- tant General to the British Army.' When I received and read the letter, for he handed it to me as soon as he had written it, my agitation was extreme, and my emotions wholly inddscribable. If the letter of information had not gone to Gen. Arnold, I should not have hesitated for a moment in my purpose ; but this I knew must reach him before I could possibly get to West Point.
" I took on Maj. Andre, under a strong escort of cavalry, to West Point, and the next day I proceeded down the Hudson to King's ferry, and landed at Haverstraw, on the west side of the Hudson, where a large escort of cavalry had been sent from the main army at Tappan, with which I conducted the prisoner to head quarters, where I reported proceedings to Gen Washington, who ordered a Court Martial."
The part Joshua H. Smith had acted in the treasonable affair, left suspicions resting upon him; on which account he was tried by a court martial. The board consisted of Col. H. Jackson, as president, Lieut. Col. Hait, Maj. Ball, and Captains Jacob Wright, Drew, Fry, Sandford, Fowle, Daniels, J. A. Wright, Marshall, Chase, and Tiffany ; conducted by John Lawrence, Judge Advo- cate General. The captors of Andre were among the witnesses called on the trial. In the absence of testimony to criminate him, after an investigation lasting two weeks, he was finally acquitted, though not without some suspicion of guilt. Arnold and Andre, however, both exonerated Smith from any knowledge of what was passing between them ; the former by letter, and the latter when on trial.
Maj. Andre was tried at Tappan, Sept. 29, 1780, and con- demned to be hung as a spy. The board consisted of
Nathaniel Greene, M. Gen., President.
Sterling, M. G.
H. Knox, B. G.
La Fayette, «
Jno. Glover,
R. Howe,
Jno. Patterson,
Steuben,
Edw. Hand,
Saml. H. Parsons, B. G.
J. Huntington.
James Clinton,
John Starke,
John Lawrence, Judge Adv. Gen.
663
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
Of this court martial it may justly be said, that an abler or more impartial one was never convened on a similar occasion. When the examination commenced, he was informed by the court, from whom he received every possible indulgence, that he was at liberty to answer no questions unless he chose; but he frankly confessed every thing material to his condemnation. He evinced great firmness on his trial, in the course of which he spoke of Capt. Hale. Said he, " I wish that in all that digni- fies man, that adorns and elevates human nature, that I could be named with that accomplished, but unfortunate officer. His fate was wayward and untimely; he was cut off yet younger than I now am. But ours are not parallel cases."
After his condemnation, Andre wrote to Gen. Washington re- questing as a last favor that he might be shot; a request the commander would have granted, had he consulted only his own feelings, instead of the inflexible demands of justice. The exe- cution was first ordered to take place at 5 o'clock P. M., on the 1st day of October, and a vast concourse of people then assem- bled, but it was postponed until the next day in consequence of the arrival of a flag from the enemy. Gen. Greene met Gen. Robertson at Dobb's Ferry, but as the latter could make no pro- posals calculated to save the spy, the conference soon ended .- Journal of Maj. Tallmadge.
When led out on the morning of Oct. 2d, he chose to walk to the place of execution, some two miles distant. The Ameri- can army was drawn out to witness the sad spectacle, and as he passed through the files of soldiers bowing to those he knew, many a brave heart throbbed with emotion, and from many an eye, which had calmly glanced along the rifle's barrel in the hour of peril when it was dealing groans and death, now gush- ed the warm tears of pity.
A wagon containing his coffin, the latter painted black, fol- lowed a number of American officers of rank on horseback; be- hind which Andre marched in procession with Maj. Tallmadge on foot. About one-quarter of a mile from the village of Tap- pan, in Rockland county, stood a high gallows, made by setting
664
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
up two crotches and laying a pole across the top. The wagon that contained his coffin was drawn under the gallows. Andre, after shaking hands with several friends, stepped into the wagon, and stood upon the coffin. Laying down his hat, he paced back and forth several times the length of his narrow house, with his hands upon his hips, casting his eyes upon the pole overhead and the surrounding scenery. He was dressed in a British uni- form, sent to him after his arrest. It consisted of a rich scarlet coat trimmed with green, with vest and breeches of bright buff. His dying request to the spectators was-" Witness to the world that I die like a brave man!" The executioner, painted black, stepped into the wagon to adjust the halter, which had a hang- man's knot at the end. "Keep off your black hands," said An- dre, as he removed his cravat and unpinned the collar of his shirt. Seizing the rope, he placed the noose around his neck with the knot under the right ear, and drew it up snugly ; then taking from his coat a handkerchief, he tied it over his eyes. An officer told the hangman his arms must be tied. Andre drew the handkerchief from his eyes, and taking out another, handed it to the executioner, replacing the one over his eyes. His arms were tied above the elbows, behind his back-and the rope made fast to the pole overhead. The wagon was then sud- denly drawn from under him, and soon his spirit was in the pre- sence of his God.
After hanging nearly half an hour, the body was taken down and laid upon the ground. His coat, vest, and breeches were taken off and handed to two dwarfish looking servants dressed in gaudy apparel, who were in attendence from New York ; to one of whom Andre handed his watch while standing in the wagon. The body was wrapped in a shroud, (as I have been informed by an eye witness,) before it was placed in a coffin. The captors of Andre witnessed his execution. Very great sympathy was manifested for Andre at his death. Says Maj. Tallmadge,
" When I saw him swing under the gibbet, it seemed for a time as if I could not support it. All the spectators appeared to ber overwhelmed with the affecting spectacle, and many seemed to
665
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
be suffused in tears. There did not appear to be one hardened, or indifferent spectator in all the multitude of persons assembled on that solemn occasion."
Sir Henry Clinton made some efforts to save Andre, but still greater were those made by Gen. Washington; and “ it is a sin- gular fact, that while the former was hastening the death of Andre, the latter was exerting himself to ward off that calamity." So great was the desire of Gen. Washington to get Arnold and save Andre, that he sent one of his best soldiers into the camp of the enemy. Major Lee, who was entrusted by the Commander with the attempt to arrest the traitor, selected John Champe, a sergeant of cavalry, for the enterprise. Champe was a native of Loudon county, Virginia ; a young man of much discernment and great personal bravery. The sergeant was to enter the enemy's lines as an American deserter-enlist into the British service under Arnold, and having matured his plans, was, with a trusty companion to surprise and gag him late in the evening-bear him to a boat and cross to the Jersey shore from New-York; where Major Lee was to await his arrival with two spare horses .- Champe approached the enemy hotly pursued by a party of his countrymen, and as they supposed their former comrade a deser- ter, it is not surprising the enemy admitted him into communion. Having all things ready, he notified Lee when to meet him ; but fortunately for Arnold, on the afternoon of the very day on which the plan was to be consummated, that officer shifted his quarters, and the sergeant was transferred to another regiment. The scheme, of course proved abortive. Nothing but an unforeseen event saved Arnold from the just vengeance of his countrymen. The intrepid sergeant readily embraced the earliest opportunity to desert and return to the camp of Washington, who kindly re- ceived and rewarded him .- Niles' Principles of the Revolution.
Capt. Nathan Hale, to whom Major Andre alluded on his trial, is not sufficiently well known to the American reader. He was a son of Deacon Richard Hale, of South Coventry, Con- necticut, and was born on the sixth day of June, 1756. He gradu- ated at Yale College in September, 1773, with the first honors of the institution. He ardently espoused the cause of his suffering
666
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
country at an early day, and when the news of the Lexington fight reached New London where he was then teaching an acade- my, he dismissed his school, and joining the company of Capt. Coit, as a volunteer, marched to the vicinity of Boston. In the fall of 1775, he received a lieutenant's commission, and soon after a captain's, in Col. Charles Webb's regiment. Early in the sum- mer of 1776, Gen. Washington formed a select regiment of in- fantry for special service, under the command of Col. Knowlton, a brave officer who fell that season at Harlem Hights.
After the unfortunate engagement which took place on Long Island, August 27, 1776, the Americans under the prudent Wash- ington, abandoned the island and retreated to New-York, in the manner described in the journal of Major Tallmadge.
About this time an incident occurred as stated in the Memoir of Capt. Hale, (a neat pamphlet published early in the summer of 1844, for the Hale Monument Association-for a copy of which and the beautiful poem sent with it, the author would here ac- knowledge his indebtedness to the society,) which will serve to show the daring spirit of that hero.
" Our troops were still wretchedly supplied with even the neces- saries of life ; things without which the warmest zeal cannot long endure. There was much suffering and much repining. A Brit- ish sloop, laden with provisions, was lying in the East river, under cover of the ship Asia, man-of-war with 90 guns. Capt. Hale formed the bold project of capturing this sloop, and bringing her into the harbor of New-York. He soon found hardy compeers for the enterprise. At dead of night the little band of adventurers rowed silently, in a small boat, to a point near the sloop, and there waited for the moon to go down. As soon as it was dark, and all still, save the watchman's voice from the deck of the Asia, they darted upon their prey, sprang aboard, hoisted sail, and brought her into port with the British tars in the hold, and without the loss of a man. This exploit was loudly applauded, and the daring leader distributed the goods of his prize to feed and clothe the hungry and naked soldiers."
The retreat of the Americans from Brooklyn, left the whole island in possesion of the British. Anxious to obtain information of their strength and intended future operations, Washington ap- plied to Col. Knowlton to gain such information, who made the request known to his officers. Among others, he solicited a ser-
667
AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK.
geant to undertake it, who had served in the French war : but the knotted hero promptly refused, saying that he was ready to fight the British at any place or time, but did not feel willing to go among them to be hung up like a dog. Young Hale, inspired with a sense of duty, and a belief that the safety of his country demanded the desired information, at once volunteered his services for the enterprise; and in a citizen's dress and capacity of a school teacher, he proceeded to Norwalk, Conn., from whence he was conveyed to Huntington, L. I., in an armed sloop. He journeyed to Brooklyn, went through the enemy's lines, and after making a careful survey of their posts and strength, he crossed over to New-York, where a part of the British army were then stationed; and having faithfully completed his charge, set out on his return to the American camp, then near the Harlem Heights- five or six miles from the city. When nearly out of danger as he supposed, he met a small party of the enemy, and one of their number, a refugee cousin who had espoused the cause of oppres- sion, recognized and betrayed him. This relative was on a visit to Hale's father's only a year or two before. The party made the spy a captive, and hastened with him to the presence of Sir Wil- liam Howe.
The proof of his objeet was so clear that he frankly acknowl- edged who he was, and what were his views. Howe at once gave orders for his execution on the following morning. The order was executed on the morning of September 22d, in a most unfeel- ing and barbarous manner, by William Cunningham,* the British provost-marshal, than whom a greater villain never disgraced a human form. " A clergyman, whose attendance he requested,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.