USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 19
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79
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
ally ordained that all magistrates and civil officers, well affected toward independence, continue the exercise of their duties until further orders, except that all processes there- after must issue in the name of the State of New York, and declared it to be treason, and punishable with death, for any one living within the State, and enjoying the pro- tection of its laws, to adhere to the canse of the king of Great Britain, or levy war against the State in his behalf.
With dangers threatening on every land, the British fleet in possession of New York. Bay, the Hudson River, and Long Island Sound, a veteran army in overwhelming numbers but a few miles distant. thus boldly and fearlessly did the representatives of New York assert her sovereignty. On the 27th of July the convention found it necessary to remove to Harlem, and there, on the Ist of August, on motion of Gouverneur Morris, and seconded by Mr. Duer, a committee was appointed to prepare and report a consti- tution or form of government.
This committee was composed of the most eminent nien in the convention and in the Commonwealth. For a gen- eration after independence was achieved a majority of them continued to receive, in positions of honor and trust, the highest marks of the confidence and affection of their countrymen. Their labors in the Cabinet and in Congress, in the State Legislature and upon the bench, aud in the diplomatic service, forta the brightest pages in the history of the nation and the State.
Jolin Jay was chairman, and his associates were Gouver- neur Morris, Robert R. Livingston, William Duer, Abra- ham and Robert Yates, Gen, Scott, Col. Broome, Mr. Hobart, Col. De Witt, Samanel Townshend, William Smith, and Mr. Wisner. The committee were to report on the 16th of August, 1776; but such was the perilous condi- tion of the State, and so manifold the duties of the mem- bers of the convention, that no report was made till March, 1777. The convention, meanwhile, by the aların- ing situation of affairs, was migrating from place to place and performing every class of public duty. It was a com- mittee of public safety; it was providing the ways and means to continue the contest; its members were now serving in the Continental Congress, and again with the army; they were acting s- judges and negotiators. To- day they were fiying before the enemy ; to-morrow furnish- ing protection for the sorely-pressed Commonwealth. At one time meeting at Kingsbridge, then at Odell's, in Phil- lips' Manor, then at Fishkill, Poughkeepsie, and finally at Kingston. At Fishkill they supplied themselves with arms and ammunition, and thereafter legislated with their swords by their sides, literally building the peaceful fabric of con- stitutional government in the very presence of the alarms, the perils, and the earuage of war. Ou the 6th of March, 1777, at. Kingston, the committee appointed to prepare a form of government were required to report on the follow- ing Wednesday, and on that day, the 12th, the committee ma le a report, which was read by Mr. Duane.
The draft was drawn by John Jay, and is in his hand- writing. This draft was under discussion until the 20th of April, and underwent some amendments and additions. The leading minds in the debates, and in the introduction of the amendments adopted, were John Jay, Gouverneur
Morris, Robert R. Livingston, and Mr. Duane. The con- stitution, however, was finally passed almost as it came from the hands of Mr. Jay, and was adopted, with one dissenting voice, on the 20th of April, 1777. It was the evening of Sunday ; the president, Gen. Ten Broeck, was absent, and also the vice-president, Gen. Pierre Van Cort- landt ; but revolutions know neither days nor individuals. Gen. Leonard Gansevoort, acting as president pro tem., attested the document.
The same night Robert R. Livingston, Gen. Scott, Gouv- erneur Morris, Abraham Yates, John Jay, and Mr. Hobart were appointed a committee to report a plan for organizing and establishing the form of government. They next di- rected one of the secretaries to proceed immediately to Fish- kill and have five linndred copies of the constitution with- out the preamble and twenty-five hundred with the preamble printed, and iustructell him to give gratuities to the work- when to have it executed with dispatch. They then resolved that the constitution should be published on the next Tues- day, in front of the court-house, at Kingston, and the vil- lage committee were notified to prepare for the event. This latter body seem expeditiously and economically to have performed their duty by creeting a platform upon the end of a logshead, and from this-Viec-President Van Kort- landt presiding -- Robert Berrian, one of the secretaries, read this immortal document to the assembled people. The convention, having promulgated their ordinance for the for- mation of the State government and filled up, provisionally, the offices necessary for carrying it on until an election could bo lind, and appointed thirteen of their number to act as a committee of safety until the Legislature should assemble, adjourned sine die on the 13th of May, 1777. Thus passed into history this remarkable convention. In lofty patriotism, steadfastness of purpose, practical wisdom, and liberal statesmanship it had few, if any, equals, evcu among the legislative bodies of extraordinary merit which marked the cra.
CHAPTER XVIIL
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION -- (Con- tinued).
1 .- THE BURNING OF KINGSTON BY THE BRIT- ISH IN THE YEAR 1777.
AMONG the events of the year 1777, the most important and interesting to the people of Ulster County was the sacking and burning of the village of Kingston by the British forees under Gen. Jolin Vaughan. The movement against Kingston, which resulted in its alnost utter de- struction, is known in history as " Vaughan's Second Ex- pedition." A paper prepared by Hon. George W. Pratt upen this expedition, read before the Ulster County His- torical Society of the 16th day of October, 1860,-that being the ciglity-third anniversary of the burning of Kings- ton by the British,-is so important a document that we copy it entire in this chapter, as being the best account of the event that has or con be given :
SO
HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
VAUGHAN'S SECOND EXPEDITION.
Eighty-three years ago this day, Thursday, Oct. 16, 1777, the village of Kingston was burned by the common enemy. The Ulter Historical Society has chosen to keep in remembrance this anniversary on the day of holding its annual meeting. Notwithstanding the severe blow our forefathers experienced in this event, and the almost uni- versal ery for vengeance which arose throughout the land, it is somewhat surprising that even contemporary accounts should differ as to the exact day of the landing at Esopus. A desire on the part of the executive committee of the society to fix the true date led me to investigate the sub- jeet, and I will therefore at once proceed to mention some of the statements :
Stedman, a British military historian, says the event happened on the 13th of October. 1777 .* In this he is followed by Gord a in his history, and by Losing in his " Field-Book of the Revoh ti ,"f as well as in a more recent publication. A similar date occurs in an extract from the New York Pocket.S and also in Ramsey's " His- tory of the American Revolution." In Beatson's . Naval and Military Memoirs"j.we have the date of the 15th, with which a note to Sparks' " Correspon Ience of the American Revolution" agrees" and ibis is, per! aps, more generally followed. But Bentsoi, in a note / p. 249), gives the date of the 16th, which may thus transfer his testi- mony to the other side ; and a very late work. " The New American Encycloy lin" (s ), weer Kingston), has it upon the 17th. The British official reports of the expedition are not specify as to the time of the landing. Gen. Vanghan says, " On the evening of the 15th instant I arrived of Erepas," and then goes on to detail the events of the action, but so worded as not to be at variance with the evidence to be offered in favor of the date of the 16th. Sir James Wallace Lives no time. The following will fix the true date to be that of the 16: :
Letter fromus Governor Clinton to Gen. Gates :
KINGSTON, 16 % Ont. NET. 1 o'clock.
" I am to intere you that the I'm amy's Fleet, consisting of upward. of thirty sail, an bored last night about six ties below the landing- three of the ter, which they une de apposito to and appeart . he waking preparations for Ing ar, de "
Letter from Governor Clinton to fien. l'inno, dated " Marbletown, seven tailes from Kingston, 17th October, 1177":
" Hingst in was barut vester lay afternoon because I hal not troops to defend it."
Draft of a letter from the conseil to the New York del- egates in the Continental Congress :**
" And on the sisterask instant, about two hours before the Governor's Frais, who made a forced march, e ell arrive, gained the Land's ;. and, faintly oppose I by about 156 mil Sin, ouly, march- l'in mne lively sprawiagros and reduce the whole town Dasher."If
· Vel. jpg 20.
{ If. Moore's diary of the Revolution, i. page all. : IV. p. P.T. *> Sparky' Corre ponidence of the American Revolution. fi. 513. ft Jwar. Prev Conv., i. 1072.
A sort of journal of the events of the expedition, printed in Rivington's Gazette of Nov. 3, 1777, dates the burning on the 16th, and in this differs from the other account in that paper.
The testimony of another eye-witness I am permitted to quote, through the customary courtesy of our respected president. It is taken from a valuable diary which the heads of the well-known family of Hasbrouck have kept for several generations. The entry is in the handwriting of Col. Abraham Hasbrouck, and runs thus :
". 1777, Oct. 16th .- Then the enemy, under the command of Get. Henry Clinton and Gen. Vaughan, came to Kingston in Esopus oud burnt my dwelling-houses, barn, cider-house or store-house, and another barn, wagon-house at may late dwelling-bouse, and also a small out-kitchen, which was left standing when my dwelling-house was burnt down the 21 of October. 1776, and the enemy burnt all the houses, barns (except one house and barn) in the town, church and county -house likewise, lait everything in a rubbish of ashes, feners an l everything they came to, and they conveyed with them vue negro man tin el Henry, tw .. negro wenckes, Naney and Flora, and destroyed all my bouscholl pouls and furniture, and my library of books. My loss I sustained this time I compute no less than £500d at least, and house I had in New York burnt by the enemy last year, or in the year 170. ... Thanks be to God for big great goodness, 1, my wife, ami children, escaped an ] unhurt out of the enemy's hands. Yes my sons, Jacobus, Abraham, aud Daniel, was in the of posing of the enemy from Finding, and to oppose them to come to Kingston, and showers of sub dow un every . ide of them.
"I pray the L. ri will support me under so heavy a trial, and must say with J J., ' The lord bath giver, and the Lord hath taken. The Lor.l's Dame many be praise l. The Lord is able to restore it again ani much more, even an hundred. fold. His will be done.' "
And after some further pious remarks concludes :
" I welt. this at my son-in-law's, Abraham Boughteling, where I am at present, Nov. 10, 1775."
A petition of the trustees of Kingston for the rebuilding of the court-livuse, dated in 1782 and preserved in the legislative papers in the State library, and the inscriprios placed upon the new court-house both mention the day. If further evidence could be required. it might be added that uo difference of opinion as to the date of the 1och Ies ever existed among the descendants of the villagers of 1777. The principal events upon the North River, which imme- diately preceded the attack upon Kingston, may not per- laps be more precisely stated than by copy ing the follow- ing dispatch. the most of which appeared in the Lon-lon Gustle of Dec. 2, 1777, but the present complete copy has been recently obtained from the Admiralty, in Lon- don :
"Dispateb from Commodore Hothem to Vice-Admiral Lord Vis- count Howe : " PRESTON, OFF PEEK'S HUL CREEK, 9th October, 1777. " My Lonp,-Sir Hy. Clinton having thought it advisa dle to make n Diversion at this jun cture up the North River, and the necessary Arrangements being made in Consequence, the Flat Boats and Bat- teaux on the 3d just. proces led to Spikindevil Creek in Three Di- visione, under the Captains Pownall, Jordan, and Stanhope; Capodin Pownall having the direction of the whole.
" A buly of about It m trong were embarked in them that evening and the same nie : proceeded to Tarry Town, where they landed at drawn! benfind the nights adjoining. A Second Division, nearly of that umber, mareted out at the same time from Kings- fridge, and formel a junction by lund with those who parts by water.
"Tte Squadron und r Captain Ommanney hal movel up the Day Inform to receive them, the Smaller Part of it, namely, the Gallery
SI
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
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an.l armed vessets (as they might be to aet separately). I thought it advisable on this occasion to make a distinct command, and could and place them better than under the direction of Sir James Wallace, whose knowledge of the River as well as Capt. Ommanney's we fully experienced the Advantage of.
" The Third Division of Troops were embarked in Transports, and on the fill, in the morning, left New York under t'onvoy of the . P'res- tout,' and in the Course of the same tide arrived off Tarry Town. The general embarkation was that Night made, and, the Wind being still favourable, the Whole, preceded by the Squadron under Sir James Wallace us advanced Guard, reachedl Verplank's Point at Noon the Day following, and those in the Flat Boats landed with Appearance only of an Opposition. Sir James Wallace was immediately dis- patched higher up the River to cut off the Enemy's Communication by Prek's Hill Ferry.
" The 6th, at lay-break, the general Debarkation took Place, and all the Troops, except about 100, who were left to secure Ver- Hank's Neck, were soon landed at Stoney Point, upon the opposite Shore, from whence they had about Twelve Miles to march through a mountainous and rugged Road to Fort Clinton and Montgomery. The Ships and Transports then moved higher up, and anchored opposite Peck's Hill Landing.
" In the Afternoon the Advanced Squadron aud two Frigates got under sail and opened Fort Montgomery with a view only to make an Appearance, and thereby to cause a Diversion in favor of the Attack, which we observed had now begun.
" Sir James, by the Help of his Oars, got near enough in with two Gallies to throw some shot into the Fort. The Cannonading and Fire of Musquetry continued until Night, when by a most Spiritel Exer- tion a general aud vigorous Assault was made and the Two import- ant Forts of Clinton and Montgomery fell by storin to his Majesty's urms. On which I have the llonot to congratulate your Lordship most sincerely. The rebel Frigates are both Burnt, with a tialley, and a Sloop of teu Guns is taken.
" The loss ou the enemy's side is not yet known, but they are sup- posol to have had about 100 killed and 250 t. ken Prisoners.
" The greatest Lo.s on the side of the King's Troops are about 40 killed, among whom are some valuable Officers,- - namely, Lientenant- Colonet Campbell, Major Sill, Major Giaat, and Capt. Stewart, -- and about 150 wounded.
" A Summons, signed by Sir Henry Clinton and myself. was the next day seut up to Fort Constitution by Flag of Truce, which, being fired at, returved, and determined the General immediately to correct the insult by an Alt ick.
" An Embarkation was accordingly made on the morning of the Sth, and proceedled up the River for that Purpose, under cover of the Galleys.
" We found upoon our Arrival the Fort had been abandoned in great Coufusion, their Barracks burnt, but all their Artillery left. The whole Number of Cannon taken in the three Forts amounted to 67, with a large quantity of Provisions, Ammunition, and Stores of all kinds to a very emsiderable amount. I have directed such part of the Chain and Iyon as cannot be saved to be destroyed: the Con- struction of both give strong Proofs of Labour, Industry, and Skill. " Sir James Wallace, with his flying Squadron, is gone still higher up the River, and if he passes the Chevaux de Frize at Polipous Island le may do essential service, as there eau be nothing to give bim any Interruption.
" When it is considered that this Attack was made after a most fatiguing March over Precipices and through Roads almost impene- trable, which wade it impossible for the Troops to avail themselves of the l'se of the Cannon so necessary for such a Purpose, and the little Assistance they could therein promise themselves from the Ships, the Access from the Highlands to the Forte rendering the Approach to them xo precarioas, it redlounds more to the credit of au Enterprise which was forised auf esveutel with equal Judgment, Valor, and Success. The Captains, Officers, and Men under my command have been so strenu- only %-alon- in their Exertions on this Occasion that every testimony is due from me in Appreciation of their Conduct during this service of fatigue, of which Captain Pownall has had kis Share, and is well able to inform your Lordship of every particular. Since I had the honor of writing to your Lordship by the . Zebra,' the ' Unicorn.' ' Galatea,' · Data" and " Cerberus arrived, but all of them are in great (rent "/ > repairs und stores. The fifty-gun Ship's people having been em- played in Flat Boats will account to Your Lordship for their rot has - K
ing joined you so soon as you might have expected, but if the General remains any time, I shall relieve the ' Bristol's' Flat Boat, even by some of the Frigate's, that she may be at liberty to proceed with the next Express.
" I have directed Captain Onslow to carry on the current date at York until my return, and am to acquaint yon that I have appointed Mr. George Stevens, Surgeon's Second Mate of the ' Preston,' to act as Surgeon of the Elephant till Your Lordship's pleasure be known. " I have, &c.,
" W. HOTHAN.
" P. S .- I have the further pleasure to acquaint Your Lordship that General Tryon is just returned from Continental village, where be has destroyed barracks for 1500 men, with stores to a considerable amount."
The capture of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, and the abandonment of the other posts, enabled the British to destroy the boom and chain which had been extended across the river from Constitution Island to West Point, and also make a passage for their vessel through the che- vaux-de-frize, at Pollopel's Island, above. These impedli- ments had cost the Americans much trouble and expense, and a particular account of them will be found in " Rut- tenber's Obstructions to the Navigation of the Hudson's River," not long since issued in Munsell's elegant " His- torical Series."
Sir Henry Clinton determined to make a still further diversion in favor of Burgoyne, or we might rather say to start an expedition to punish the people upon the banks of the Hudson for their want of loyalty. and at the same time secure some prize-money and general booty. Accordingly. he organized what is known as the second expedition under Gen. Vaughan. Stedman assures us that the necessity of a diversion in favor of Burgoyne was not even suspected. Preparatory to this expedition he had, however, dispatched Sir James Wallace* with a galley, a schooner, and three other small vessels to reconnaitre the river. They left the Highlands on the 11th and penetrated to within three miles of Poughkeepsie, and returned in safety, having " burned Van Buren's mills and several buildings on the other side of the river, with several old vessels along the shore."i
The report of Sir James determined the movement, and the following, among other naval vessels, were placed under his command : "Diligent," Lieut. Farnham ; " Depend- ence," Lieut. Clarke; "Spitfire," Lieut. Scott ; " Crane," Master Hitchcock ; " Raven," fourteen guus, Capt. Stan- hope. Capt. Wallace himself sailed in the armed vessel the "Friendship," twenty-two guns, Capt. A. James Pye Molloy. To the armed vessels were added twenty galleys and flat-boats, manned from the crew of the " Bristol," " Experiment," aud other large frigates lying below, the latter being under the subordinate command of Capt. Stan- hope. In order to secure the communication, the " Mer- eury," of twenty guns, was stationed at Pollopel's Island ;
> Sir James Wallace is found as a lieutenant in the British navy, March 11, 1755, and became u commander in 1762 ; was made a post- captain June 10, 1771. He saw much service upon the American coast during the Revolution, and was thoroughly detested for the severity with which he carried out the orders of the king's govern- utent. In 1794 be became a rear-admiral; 1795 a vice-admiral ; and in 1801 was made an admiral of the blue. In the latter part of his life he was appointed Governor of Newfoundland. Died in London, March 6, 1303.
+ %cph. Platt to the Council of Safety, daled Poughkeep sie, Octo- ber 12th .- Gates l'opera.
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HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the " Cerberus," twenty-eight guns, at Stony Point ; the ". "Tartar," twenty-eight guns, at Fort Clinton ; Commodore Hotham's own ship, the " Preston," fifty guns, anchoring between these two last and within signaling distance of either. On these vessels about sixteen hundred men,* under the command of Maj .- Gen. the Hon. John Vanghan, embarked.+ It consisted of the 7th (Royal Fusiteers), 26th, and 63d Regiments.
It has often been stated that the British force was three thousand six hundred men, but it is evident from a field return of the forces serving under Sir William Howe, made Nov. 1, 1777, a copy of which obtained from the war office in London is in the writer's possession, that the strength of the land forces could not have exceeded sixteen hundred men, the total quota of these three regiments being fifteen hundred amt thirty, while the actual effective " present" on the Ist of November was only twelve hun- dred and sixty-one, and they had no detachments ont. Sir Henry Clinton states his force at the storming of the forts to have been three thousand men, from which the mistake of the number on Vanghan's second expedition has no doubt arisen. The 20 Regiment was commanded by Lieut .- Cof. Clarke, ils nominal colonel, the overbearing Gen. Prescott, being actually a prisoner to the Americans, thanks to the intrepidity of William Barton, whose exploit in seizing him in his bed at Newport will not soon fade from the annals of heroism. This regiment lost its colors, which had been left in store, by the capture of Fort Cham- blee in October, 1775, during Montgomery's invasion of Canada. Lord Adato Gordon's regiment, the 26th, was in the field under its major, also named Gordon. To this regiment belonged the unfortunate Andre, who, although a captain, was temporarily on the staff of Maj .- Gen. Gray, and therefore not present at the burning of Kingston.
The 63d (Gen. Grant's) had suffered severely in the attack on the Highland forts, and where its commandant, Maj. Sill, was killed; several of its officers did not accom- pany the expedition, and, although the strongest in numbers, it was on this occasion probably commanded by Capt. Hazle- wood.
Capt. Lord Rawdou, better known at a later period of the war, was absent from his regiment in this time.
The expedition sailed from Peekskill on the 14th of October with a fair witel, and the following night anchored off Esopus Island. They did not stop much along the way, occasionally capturing a vessel, now and then firing at the dwelling of some well-known Whig, like that of Henry Livingston, at the lower landing in Poughkeepsie, where we are told by Mr. Lossing, in His interesting " Field
2 Commodore llo.ham's letter to Lord Howe, dated " ' Preston,' off Peck's Kila Creek, 15th Det., 1777."
t den. Vaughan entered the British arioy in 1746; May 11, 1775, Le surcerded to the coloneley of the 14th Regiment, then ordered to America, atel there he netel as brigadier- and major-general. He was a brave officer, let the right column of attack on Forts Clinton and Montgotocry, and was esteplitgented therefor in the official orders of Sir Henry Clinton. His exportation up the Hudson and the Barbarous destruction of Kingston will keep his name in lively remembrance in the State of New York. He subsequently berater a member of Par- lament, and a Hout want-general in 1752. June 20, 1795, he died suddenly-aml not without suspiepm of poison-in the island of Mar- tinique .- Gentlemen's Magazine, etc.
Book of the Revolution," the marks of a shot may still be seen. The Americans were not idle or listless at this time. Governor Clinton, who barely escaped capture at the storm- ing of the forts, on the 7th, from New Windsor, communi- cated the loss of these places to the Legislature, then in session at Kingston, with a request for them to urge the detachment of the Ulster and Dutchess County militia from the Northern army, under Gen. Gates.
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