USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester County, New York, from its earliest settlement to the year 1900 > Part 45
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lle married the widow of Colonel Benjamin Green. Colonel Green was also a soldier of
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THE NEUTRAL GROUND
the Revolution, and after the elose of the war settled near the present Somers Centre depot. After the Colonel's death his widow remained in the house until her marriage with Crosby, which was brought about by Dr. Ebenezer White. In the course of conversation on one occasion, Crosby asked the doetor if he would not find a wife for him. The doctor promised to try and do so. He finally bethought him of the Widow Green in her lonely state. The widow was apparently pleased with the recommendation of Crosby, as set forth by the doctor, and an introduction took place, followed shortly afterward by marriage.
He was justice of the peace nearly thirty years. llis exploits became known to the public through the Astor trials and the publication and dramatization of Cooper's novel. When it was produced at the Lafayette Theater, Laurens Street, New York, he was induced to sit in a stage box. The crowd rose and cheered him with great enthusiasm, to which he responded with a bow. fle was so modest that the world would never have known from him of his sery- ices to his country.
From the foregoing biography of Enoch Crosby it is clear that he fully merits the celebrity conferred on him by Cooper. But there were other spies and guides of the Neutral Ground, unknown to general fame, whose faithfulness was equally conspicuous and whose deeds were hardly less meritorious. Of one of them, Elisha Holmes. who was born in Bedford and died there about 1838, a most inter- esting story is told. Holmes enjoyed the implicit confidence of Wash- ington, who caused him to take a command under Sir Henry Clinton and confided to him occasionally information about minor military movements, which Holmes communicated to the English in order to demonstrate the value of his services. His real business was to send word from New York of everything important that he should be able to find ont. Shortly before Tarleton's raid on Poundridge and Bedford (1779), Holmes sent certain intelligence to Major Tallmadge, the American commandant at Bedford, signed " E. IL." The latter, being unfamiliar with the handwriting, forwarded the note to Wash- ington, who indorsed on it the following comment, " Believe all that E. H. tells you .- George Washington," and returned it. One of the consequences of Tarleton's raid was the capture of all the baggage and personal papers of the American officers at the two places at- tacked. Washington, when he heard of the fact, was so much con- cerned that he wrote as follows to Major Tallmadge:
The loss of your papers was a most unlucky accident, and shows how dangerous it is to keep papers of any consequener at an advance post. I beg you will take care to guard against the like in future.
The person who is most endangered by the acquisition of your letter is one II., who lives not far from the Bowery, on the Island of New York. I wish you would endeavor to give him the speediest notice of what has happened. My anxiety on his account is great. If he is really the man he has been represented to be, he will in all probability fall a sacrifice.
A few days after Tarleton's expedition, says the authority from whom this story is taken, Elisha Holmes was " summoned by Sir Henry Clinton, who, after asking several questions in a general way, suddenly presented the note and inquired if he knew the hand writing, and who E. H. was. . It is Elijah Hadden, the spy you hanged yester-
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
day at Powles' Hook,' was the quick answer. His coolness and ready wit saved his life."1
Another Westchester spy of more than common note was Luther Kinnicutt, of the vicinity of the present Town of Somers. Charles E. Culver, in his History of Somers, relates some incidents of his career. " Luther Kinnicutt," he says, " was the compeer of Crosby in his dangerous work, and although it is not known that they worked together, the character of the novelist was evidently drawn from both these men. Kinnieutt frequented the town after the close of the war, and is remembered by some of our old residents as a tall, straight, spare man, of dark complexion, keen, gray eyes, solemn visage, sharp-witted, and eccentric." Like Crosby, he " used to fre- quent the British camp as a peddler of small notions."
The Westchester guides of the Revolution are justly celebrated. Prominent among them were Abraham Dyckman, who came from the vicinity of Kingsbridge, and after a heroic career fell in the service of his country just at the close of the struggle; his brother, Michael Dyckman; Andrew Corsa, born on the Manor of Fordham in 1762 and died at Fordham in 1852; Cornelius Oakley, of White Plains; Brom Boyce, of the present Town of Mount Pleasant; Isaac Odell, of Yon- kers; and William Davids, of Tarrytown.
1 From an address, " Tarleton's Raid Through Bedford in 1779," delivered before the West-
chester County Historical Society In 1878, by the Rev. Lea Imqner, of Bedford.
CHAPTER XX
EVENTS OF 1777 AND 1778
ENERAL HEATH, placed in command at Peekskill on the 9th of November, 1776, had with him on the 21st of that month a force of about 4,000. On the 9th of December he was ordered to join the army in New Jersey with a portion of his troops, and went as far as Hackensack, but he was soon sent back, arriving in Peekskill on the 230. The winter passed without any British movement being attempted against him-on the con- trary he took the aggressive and boldly assailed the enemy at Kings- bridge in a siege of old Fort Independence and its supporting works which lasted twelve days. On the night of the 17th of January he moved down in three divisions-the right under General Lincoln from Tarrytown, the center under General Scott from below White Plains, and the left under Generals Wooster and Parsons from New Rochelle and Eastchester. The attacks on the outposts were so suc- cessful that a report (which Washington prematurely communicated to congress) gained currency that the fort had surrendered. The undertaking was very well conducted from first to last, and ro- fleeted high credit on General Heath. By the ruse of lighting numer- ous campfires along the Morrisania shore the British were made to believe that a formidable American force was collecting with the intent of proceeding against New York City by way of Harlem; and in alarm they burned the buildings on Montressor's (Randall's) Island, and abandoned that place. The operations involved but slight losses, which were abundantly compensated for by the actual damage done the enemy and by the excellent moral effect of so bold an enterprise as a sequence to the transactions of the main army in New Jersey.
After Washington's magnificent return movement from across the Delaware, resulting in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, he went into winter quarters at Morristown (N. J.), and the British also brought the campaign to a close. General Howe, who had expected to make a triumphal march to Philadelphia, returned to New York City, where he set up a gay and glittering court, of which the Tory
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
refugees from Westchester County were conspicuous members. As the spring approached many were the speculations indulged on the American side as to the probable intentions of the enemy. There were rumors of a formidable invasion from Canada, but it was some months before these became substantiated by intelligence of the ex- pedition of Burgoyne. In this uncertain state of things Washington manifested a decided conviction that Peekskill was the natural center for the concentration of troops pending actual developments. In March he transferred Heath from Peekskill to the command of the Eastern department, with headquarters at Boston, and soon after- ward he instructed him to send on to Peekskill eight of the Massa- chusetts battalions, explaining that at Peekskill "they would be well placed to give support to any of the Eastern or Middle 1 States, or to oppose the enemy should they design to penetrate the country up the Hudson, or to rover New England should they invade it. Should they move westward the Eastern and South- ern troops could easily form a junction, and this, besides, would oblige the enemy to leave a much stronger garrison at New York. Even should the enemy pursue their first plan of an invasion from Canada, the troops at Peeks- kill would not be badly placed to re-enforce Ticonderoga and cover the country around Albany."
MARINUS WILLET. Heath was succeeded at Peeks- kill by Brigadier-General Me- Dougall, who had commanded at the engagement on Chatterton's Hill. MeDougall had scarcely become installed in the post when he was energetically attacked by the British-their first move of any im- portance in the year 1777. Howe, being informed of the existence of large depois of stores at and near Peekskill, decided to destroy them, and on the 23d of March, the river having become freed of ice, sent up Colonel Bird for that purpose with 500 troops and four light field-pieces. Before the arrival of the expedition MeDougall, being informed of its coming, removed a portion of the stores to Forts Montgomery and Constitution. Bird landed his men and guns at Lent's Cove, near Peekskill Village, whereupon MeDougall, having at
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EVENTS OF 1777 AND 1778
the time only about 250 men with him, burnt the barracks and store. houses at Peekskill and retired to the neighborhood of Continental Village in the mountain pass. The enemy did not think it wise to follow him to this point. MeDougall was re-enforced soon afterward by a party from Fort Constitution under Lieutenant-Colonel Marinns Willet. The next day there was a lively encounter between Willet and the foe near the Van Cortlandt mansion,1 which resulted in the rout of the latter. According to Irving the British lost nine killed and four wounded before they were able to escape to their shipping. The chief deposits at Continental Village were not touched. Thus the first attempt on the American position about the Highlands, although made at a moment when our forces were ill prepared for it, and having in view only the destruction of stores, was a failure.
In this same month of March, 1777, occurred the capture of the eminent Judge John Thomas, at his home in the " Rye Woods," by a British expeditionary force sent for that special purpose. Judge Thomas, one of the ablest, most zealous, and most inthiential patriots in Westchester County, had always been peculiarly obnoxious to the British, and a price had been placed upon his head. He was taken on Sunday morning, March 22, conveyed to New York, and cast into prison, where he died on the 2d of May following. His remains were interred in Trinity Churchyard. A year and a half later his equally distinguished son, Colonel (afterward Major-General) Thomas Thomas, was secured, also at the Thomas home, by a similar party. This happened November 13, 1778.2 He was subsequently exchanged. The two events illustrate how well served the British were in our county by spies. Both Judge Thomas and his son were exceptionally rautions in their movements. Upon the occasion of the son's cap- ture it was the first time he had slept at his home in many months.
The affair of March at Peekskill greatly agitated the State con- vention, which caused a portion of the militia of Orange, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties to be called out, sent to the Highlands, and
1 The Van Cortlandt mausion, near Peekskill, was built about 1770. In consequence of the firm adhesion of Pierre Van Cortlandt. the head of the family, to the patriot cause, the Manor llonso at Croton became an unsafe hab- itation. and the Van Cortlandts were obliged to take up their residence in the Peekskill house, Cornelia, the second daughter of Pierre Van Cortlandt, married Gerard G. Brekman, a zealous patriot. Mrs. Beekman was the hostess at the Peekskill house. The following inel- dent has been often quoted: " A party of roy- alists, under Colonels Bayard and Fanning, came to the Peekskill house, and, commencing their customary course of treatment, one in-
sultingly asked her: 'Are you uot the daugh- ter of that old rebel Pierre Van Cortlandt?' She replied: . I am the daughter of Pierre Van Cortlandt, but it becomes not such as you to call my father a rebel.' The Tory raised his muskel, when she, with great calmness, re- proved him for his insolence and bade him be- gone. The coward turned away abashed, and she remained uninjured." This house was often used by Washington as his official resi- dence when his duties took him to Peekskill, a distinction which it shared with the noted Birdsall house, In Peekskill.
2 Spe Seharf, il., 713.
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
put to work at various duties-notably the strengthening of the chain. About the end of April several British transports advanced up the river, but came no farther than Dobbs Ferry. In May Washington dispatched Generals Greene and Knox to Peekskill, who, in con- junction with Generals McDougall, George Clinton, and Anthony Wayne, made a careful examination of the Highland situation and submitted a joint report, in which the importance of the chain was dwelt upon, but it was expressly urged that there was no need of additional defenses on the west shore below Fort Clinton. A fatal recommendation, as the event proved. Immediately after the inspec- tion by the board of generals, Washington, regarding the Peekskill command as too important to be held by an officer of the minor rank of brigadier-general, removed MeDougall and substituted for him Major-General Putnam, having previously offered the position to Benedict Arnold, who declined it. Putnam, though brave as a lion. zealous, and despite his advanced years indefatigable, was not equal to the administration of such a post, and the great catastrophe of October, 1777, was largely due to his deficiency in the nicer qualities of generalship. Under his superintendence the chain received the most conscientious attention.
The organization of the civil government of the new State of New York, born at White Plains on the 9th day of July, 1776, was delayed for many months on account partly of the protracted military opera- tions and partly of the very methodical proceedings of the gentlemen who had that important business in charge. On the 1st of August, 1776, the " Convention of Representatives of the State of New York " appointed a committee of thirteen (our Gouverneur Morris being one of its members) to prepare a " form of government," and that body in turn delegated the task to John Jay. Mr. Jay set to work conscien- tiously to draft a. State constitution, which, having been approved by the committee, was reported to the convention (then sitting at Fishkill) on the 12th of March, 1777. The instrument was adopted by the convention on the 20th of April following. It provided for the election of a governor, senate, and assembly by the people. Al- though the New York constitution of 1777 is regarded by all anthori- ties as the most satisfactory and judicious measure of government framed in any State during the Revolution, it was in certain essen- tial particulars quite conservative, showing plainly the continuing force of the old colonial institutions. It sought to make the senate a peculiarly select body, and to that eud prescribed a property qualiti- ration for voters in the selection of senators. Over both senate and assembly it placed a third, and non-elective, body-the " governor's council," to consist of a number of members of the senate, who were
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EVENTS OF 1777 AND 1778
to be chosen by ballot by the assembly. All judges and numerous other officers, now elective, were made appointive. An earnest on- deavor was made by Gouverneur Morris to have a clause inserted in the constitution providing for the gradual abolition of slavery; but the convention declined to institute such an innovation.
The old State convention reserved to itself the authority to appoint the first judges, and designated as chief justice our John Jay, who opened the first session of the Supreme Court at Kingston in Septem- ber, 1777. He held the office, however, for only two years, being sue- ceeded on the 23d of October, 1779, by Richard Morris, also a son of Westchester County.1 Chief Justice Morris remained at the head of the judiciary of the State until 1790.
At the first election held under the constitution, General George Clinton was chosen governor. By the provisions of the constitu- tion the senate had twenty-four members, chosen from four dis- triets only, called the Southern, Middle, Eastern, and Western. Westchester County belonged to the Southern district. Its first senators were Pierre Van Cortlandi and General Lewis Morris; and upon the organization of the senate (June 30, 1777) Van Cortlandt was elected its presiding officer and also lienteant-governor of the State. As General Clinton, after his choice as governor, still con- tinued to be much occupied by his command in the field, the actual duties of the governorship were performed for a considerable time by V'an Cortlandt. He held the office of lieutenant-governor from 1777 to 1795, a period of eighteen years. By the original apportionment for the assembly ( which continued in force until 1791), Westchester County had six representatives in that body out of a total of seventy. Our county's members of the first assembly held under the State government were Thaddeus Crane, Samuel Drake, Robert Graham, Israel Honeywell, JJr., Zebadiah Mills, and Gouverneur Morris.
The first county judge under the constitution was Lewis Morris (appointed by the State convention, May 8, 1777); he was succeeded, February 17, 1778, by Robert Graham, who served during the re- mainder of the Revolution. The first surrogate was Richard Hatfield (appointed March 23, 1778): the first sheriff, John Thomas, Jr., (ap- pointed May 8, 1777); the first county clerk. John Bartow (appointed May 8, 1777). These were the only county officers of general import- alce. Of course their functions were of a very limited character in a county where scarce any semblance of public order obtained.
1 Chief Justice Richard Morris was a grand- son of the provincial Chief Justice Lewis Mor- ris, and a brother of Lewis Morris, the signer of the Declaration of Independence. He owned
property adjacent to the Tompkins estate of Fox Meadows, in Scarsdale. This property he left to his son-in-law. Major William Popham.
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Throughout the Revolution, and for several years subsequently, there was no attempt made to reorganize the civil divisions of West- chester County. Previously to the war these divisions, as repre- sented in the board of supervisors, were the Manor of Cortlandt, Ryck's Patent [ Peekskill], White Plains, Bedford, Rye, North Castle, Westchester Town, Mamaroneck, Poundridge, Philipseburgh Manor, Scarsdale Manor, Eastchester, Salem, Pelham, and New Rochelle. The board of supervisors had only a nominal existence during the Revolution.
The spring of 1777 glided by without the slightest manifestation by the enemy of their fundamental plans for the coming campaign. The rumors of an approaching invasion from Canada became increas- ingly definite, but meantime the purposes of the great British army at hand, still commanded by General Howe, remained unfathomable. Washington was still encamped behind strong intrenchments in New Jersey, this side of the Delaware, and the British army also con- tinned on New Jersey soil. At last, in June, Howe began certain offensive movements, as if intending to resume his march to Phila- delphia. These demonstrations were purely deceptive, to draw Wash- ington out of his intrenchments and bring him to battle. They occa- sioned some active skirmishing, but that was all. Seeing that the patriot general was not thus to be Inred to his ruin, Howe, on the 30th of June, withdrew all his forces to New York, by way of Staten Island.
Now followed more than two months of anxious suspense for Wash- ington. Positive news was received about this time of the descent of Burgoyne's splendidly appointed host from Canada. Burgoyne, of course, would be dealt with by the Northern Army under Schuyler, assisted by the militia of the section through which he passed; but what were the intentions of Howe with his large New York com- mand? Would he co-operate with Burgoyne by ascending the Hud- sou River? If so, would he use all his forces to that end, or only a portion, employing the remainder for an expedition by sea against Philadelphia or Boston? The more Washington studied the problem. the more he became convinced that in any event an attempt up the Andsou would follow. On the other hand, he could not bring his mind to believe that this would be the only thing undertaken by Howe. He soon rejected the idea of a possible attack on Boston, and came to the firm conclusion that Philadelphia was the point in view. In this he was strengthened by a decoy letter, which Howe allowed to fall into the hands of Putnam at Peekskill, announcing that the army at New York would be dispatched to take Boston. The ruse was too transparent. and Washington made all his arrangements on
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EVENTS OF 1777 AND 1778
the theory of a double design on the Highlands and Philadelphia. His calculations proved entirely correct.
His first care was to strengthen Putnam at Peekskill. He sent thither two brigades, commanded by Parsons and Varnum, and later General Sullivan with his division, also ordering Generals George Clinton and Putnam to call out more militia; and meantime for- warded troops and artillery to re-enforce the Northern Army. From his own sonthern position in New Jersey he fell back to the Clove, a defile in the Highlands on the west side of the river, so as to be at hand for the defense of that region. But he did not remain there long. Sure that Philadelphia would be attacked, he began to move toward the Delaware before intelligence came of the appearance of Hlowe's fleet off the Capes. Then, after the disappearance of the Heet for ten or twelve days-a most strange and perplexing circum- stance-he apprehended that a feint might have been exeented to draw his forces away from the Hud- son River and thus permit an ex- pedition to force its way through the Highlands. Yet he took a po- sition with his main army near the capital, leaving a strong body in proximity to Peekskill, which could be ordered there in case of neces- sity. On the 10th of August all uncertainty was ended by the reap- pearance of the fleet below Phila- delphia. From that time until his GENERAL PUTNAM. retirement to winter quarters at Valley Forge, he was engaged in a tremendous struggle with Howe aromid Philadelphia. This campaign included the battles of the Brandywine ( September 11), and Germantown ( October 4), and the fall of Philadelphia, which Howe entered on the 25th of September.
After Washington, resolving his doubts, marched off to Philadel- phia, Putnam, commanding at Peekskill, was let alone by the British for two months. This did not suit the old fighter's temperament. He longed for action, and if the enemy would not come after him, he saw no reason why he should not go after the enemy. He planned a variety of chimerical attacks-on New York, Long Island, Paulus Hook (Jersey City), and even Staten Island: and doubtless he felt much aggrieved at the coldness with which Washington viewed his
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
aggressive ideas. The latter, before Howe's object was revealed, had seconded a scheme of Putnam's for a night expedition against Kings- bridge by way of Spusten Dnyvil Creek; but after the campaign was begun he deemed it the height of folly to employ the forces at Peek- skill in any mere diversions.
But the humdrum life of these two months at Peekskill was re- lieved by one sensational incident, for which the pages not only of history but of literature are the richer. Early in August a spy, Edmund Palmer by name, was detected furtively collecting informa- tion as to the forces and condition of the Peekskill post. Putnam granted him a court-martial trial, which resulted in his conviction and condemnation. Sir Henry Clinton, whom Howe had left in com- mand at New York, hastily sent up a ship of war, from which, upon its arrival at Verplanck's Point, a message was forwarded to Putnam under a flag of truce, claiming Palmer as a lientenant in the British service, and intimating that reprisal would be made if harm befell him. Putnam returned the following characteristic reply:
Headquarters, 7th August, 1777.
Sir : Edmund Palmer, an officer in the enemy's service, was taken as a spy lurking with- in the American lines. lle has been tried as a spy, condemned as a spy. and shall be exeented as a spy ; and the flag is ordered to depart immediately.
P. S .- HIe has been accordingly executed.
ISRAEL PUTNAM.
Palmer was a Tory of Yorktown (this county)-one of the offensive class. He was well connected and had a wife and family. It is said he was taken into custody by a party of his patriot neighbors. Bolton gives a pathetie account of the unavailing appeal made by his wife to Putnam for mercy.1 He was hanged on a little hill in the northern part of Cortlandtown, a great assemblage of country people being gathered to witness the event. The place still bears the name of Gallows Hill.
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