USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester County, New York, from its earliest settlement to the year 1900 > Part 49
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
and wounded was between thirty and forty, about half the total number being killed on the spot or dying of their wounds. The enemy acknowledged losses of tive killed and eighteen wounded. Lieutenant- Colonel Thomson and six other officers, with eighty-nine privates, were taken prisoners. The killed of both sides were buried together. " I have plonghed many a furrow over their graves," said the Rev. Alexander Van Wart.
In consequence of this unfortunate affair, all attempt by the Americans to hold the country south of the Croton River was aban- doned, and from that time until the restoration of peace our lines did not extend below Pine's Bridge and Bedford. In September, 1780 (eight months after the Youngs House disaster), when Major Andre was taken at Tarrytown, his captors had to travel a distance of more than ten miles to the nearest American post.
Our Westchester County novelist, JJames Fenimore Cooper, in " The Spy," locates at the " Four Corners " the famous hotel of Betty Flanagan. a " house of entertainment for man and beast," before which hung the sign, " Elizabeth Flanagan, her hotel," written in red chalk. To Betty Flanagan Cooper accredits the immortal honor of the invention of " that beverage which is so well known at the present hour to all the patriots who make a winter's march between the commercial and political capitals of this great State, and which is distinguished by the name of ' cocktail.'"
About two weeks before the melancholy occurrence at Youngs's House a party of Americans descended to Morrisania and at dead of night attacked the quarters of the British Colonel Hatfield. This party, says Heath, was made up of troops from Horseneck and Greenwich, Conn., about eighty in number, commanded by Captains Keeler and Lockwood. Several British were killed, the quarters were burned, and Hatfield, three other officers, and eleven men were taken prisoners. Another raid on Morrisania, on a larger seale and much more effective, was made in May. It was led by Captain Cush- ing, of the Massachusetts line, with one hundred infantry. More than forty of de Lancey's troopers were killed or made prisoners. The object of the expedition was to capture de Lancey himself, but he was absent. On this occasion Abraham Dyckman, the guide, dis- tingnished himself by capturing Captain Ogden in Emmerick's quarters at the Farmers' Bridge, although a British sentry was within musket shot at the time.1
At the beginning of May, 1780, says Bancroft, the total continental troops between the Chesapeake and Canada did not exceed 7,000, and in the first week of June those with Washington and fit for
1 Sro Bolton, rev. ed., li., 525.
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FROM JANUARY, 1779, TO SEPTEMBER, 1780
duty were only 3,760, who, moreover, were unpaid and almost unfed. Knyphausen now invaded New Jersey with a large force, but soon afterward Sir Henry Clinton, returning from the South, put an end to that enterprise, which he regarded with dissatisfaction. Once more Washington was reduced to conjecture as to the purposes of the enemy, and once more he moved up toward the Highlands.
On the 10th of July a new French expedition arrived on our shores, this time at Newport. The fleet was commanded by Admiral de Ternay, and the land force (5,000) by the Count de Rochambeau, the instructions of the latter being to act subject to the orders of Wash- ington as commander-in-chief. Three days later Clinton, at New York, was re-enforced by the fleet of Admiral Graves, which gave him a naval superiority. He now decided to attack the French at New- port, and as a preparatory measure (says Irving) marched 6,000 mon to Throgg's Neck in our county, intending to dispatch them from there on transports. Washington, taking advantage of this great weakening of the British force in New York, and feeling that the French were able to hold their own, immediately made ready to procced against Kingsbridge. By the end of July he had moved all his forces across King's Ferry into Westchester County, and, making his headquarters in the Birdsall honse at Peekskill, was energetically completing his plans. At this Sir Henry, still at Throgg's Neck, re- considered his Newport project and returned to Manhattan Island. It was supposed at the time that his erratic action was occasioned partly by the delay in the arrival of his transports, partly by Wash- ington's sudden move, and partly by information which he had ro- ceived of the strengthening of the French troops by large bodies of militia. But the principal cause was undoubtedly the change in the command at West Point, made just at his time, which seemed to as- sure him of the early realization by treachery of his long-cherished dream of getting control of the Hudson.
CHAPTER XXII
THE CAPTURE OF ANDRE 1
NTIL 1778 West Point was a solitude, thickly covered with trees and nearly inaccessible. During 1778-79 it was cov- ered by fortresses, with numerous redoubts, and so con- nected as to form a system of defense which was believed to be impregnable. Here were the stores, provisions, and magazines and ammunition for the use of the entire American army. It was the key of the military position and stronghold of the Americans.
The British saw that the possession of the valley of the Hudson on their part would divide and weaken the power of those who were striving for liberty, that it would obstruct intercourse between the American forces in New England and those in New Jersey and to the northward, that it would open communication between the Brit- ish forces in New York and Canada, and that the capture of the stores and ammunition collected there would so cripple the Ameri- cans that they would be obliged to give up the contest.
In 1780 a change was needed in the command at West Point. Gen- oral Robert Howe, then in command, was thought to be inefficient. Having knowledge of this fact, General Benedict Arnold (who had for several months been in traitorous correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, the commander-in-chief of the British forces in America) re- solved to solicit the appointment to the command to this post in order that he might make it the subject of barter for British gold. From the time when officers who stood below him were promoted over him, discontent had rankled in his breast and found expression in vagne threats of revenge, and it is probable that his base crime was primarily due to this cause.
On the last day of July, Arnold, who had been on a visit to Connec- tient and was now returning to Philadelphia, met General Wash- ington on horseback at Verplanck's Point just as the last division of the American army was crossing the Hudson from the west side preparatory to the contemplated attack on New York City, and asked
1 The conseentive narrative of Arnold's trea- son and Andre's capture which here follows is by Franklin Couch, Esq .. of Peekskill. To Mr. Couch's narrative-a concise account of the
whole matter-we append incidental details and comments of our own writing, mainly of local Westchester County interest.
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THE CAPTURE OF ANDRE
him if any place had been assigned to him. The commander-in-chief, who was a warm admirer of Arnold for his skill and bravery in the northern campaigns, replied that he was to take command of the left wing of the army. This was the post of honor, but still Arnold did not seem satisfied, and Washington, perceiving it, promised to meet him at his headquarters at the Birdsall house, Peekskill, and converse further on the subject. Finding Arnold's heart set on West Point, and having no suspicion of wrong, and believing, as Arnold claimed, that his wounded left leg untitted him for service in the tield, Washington complied with his request, and at Peekskill on Thursday, August 3, 1780, he issued an order giving to him the con- mand of West Point and its dependencies, in which were included both sides of the Hudson from Fishkill to the King's Ferry ( Verplanck's Point).
On the next day Arnold established his headquarters at Colonel Beverly Robinson's house. at the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain on the east side of the river nearly opposite West Point. From this place he continued. in a disguised hand, and under the name of Gustavus, his secret correspondence with Major John Andre, adjutant-general of the British army, addressing him as Mr. John Anderson, merchant.
Correspondence having done its part. a personal meeting was necessary between Arnold and Andre for the completion of the BENEDICT ARNOLD. plan for the betrayal of West Point into the hands of the enemy and the adjustment of the traitor's recompense.
Monday, September 11, at twelve o'clock noon, near Dobbs Ferry, was the time and place fixed. On the afternoon of the day before, Arnold went down the river in his barge to the western landing of King's Ferry (Stony Point) and stayed overnight at the house of Joshua Ilett Smith, about two miles above Haverstraw. Smith had been introduced by General Howe to General Arnold, and recom- mended as a man who could be useful in securing important news of the enemy's plans. Early the next morning he started in his barge for the place of meeting, but was fired upon and pursued by the British gunboats stationed near Dobbs Ferry. He took refuge at an American post on the western shore, remained until night, went to Joshua Iett Smith's, where his wife and babe were, they having arrived that day from Philadelphia, and returned to his headquarters on the morning of the 12th. taking them with him. Learning that
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Washington was soon to depart from his headquarters at Tappan (Rockland County, N. Y.) for Hartford (Conn.), to hold a conference with Count Rochambeau (the commander-in-chief of the French allies, lately arrived), Arnold wrote to Andre on the 15th, agreeing to send a person to meet him at Dobbs Ferry on the 20th, and to con- duet him to a place of safety where he could confer with him.
On the 17th Arnold and his aide-de-camp, Colonel Richard Varick. came to Peekskill, went to Stony Point, there met Washington, Mar- quis de Lafayette, and Alexander Hamilton, conducted them in Ar- nold's barge across the river to Verplanck's Point, and accompanied them on horseback as far as Peekskill, where they passed the night at the Birdsall house, and the next morning parted never to meet again.
Washington and his suite proceeded up the Crompond Road, ou ronte to Hartford by way of Crompond, Salem, Ridgebury, and Dan- bury. Arnold and his aide returned to his headquarters at the Robin son house.
On the 20th Andre left New York, went by land to Dobbs Ferry, and in the evening at seven o'clock went on board the British ship of war " Vulture," which had lain some days a little above Teller's (('roton) Point in Haverstraw Bay.
Early on the morning of September 20, two residents of Cortland- town, Moses Sherwood and John Peterson (a colored man, and a sol- dier of Van Cortlandt's regiment of Westchester militia), who were engaged in making rider at Barrett's farm (now of the John W. Frost estate), Croton, saw a barge filled with men from the " Vulture " approaching the shore. They seized their guns, which they had taken with them to their work, ran to the river, concealed themselves be- hind some rocks, and as the barge approached Peterson fired, and great confusion ensued. A second shot from Sherwood compelled the barge to return to the " Vulture." The British returned the fire, with no effort except to alarm the neighborhood.
This occurrence, when told Andre upon his arrival, suggested to him a method of notifying Arnold of his presence on board the " Vul- ture." On the morning of the 21st he addressed a letter to Arnold in his own handwriting (with which Arnold was familiar), signed by Captain Andrew Sutherland and countersigned by J. Anderson, sec- retary. This was the name assumed by Andre in his previous corre- spondence with Arnold. The letter complained of a violation of mili- tary rule in that a boat the day before had been decoved on shore and fired upon by armed men concealed in the bushes. It was sent by the flag of truce to Verplanck's Point and delivered to Colonel James Livingston, who was then in command of the American forces there.
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Arnold rode through Peekskill to Verplanck's Point on the morn- ing of the 21st, and Colonel Livingston handed him the letter which he had just received from Andre. Arnold then crossed the river and went to JJoshua Hett Smith's house. From Stony Point he dis- patched an officer in his own barge up the river to Peekskill Creek, and thence to Canopus Creek, with orders to bring down a row-boat from that place, and directed Major William Kierse, the quarter- master at Stony Point, to send the boat the moment it should arrive to a certain place in Haverstraw Creek.
Near midnight, Smith, in the boat thus obtained, rowed by two of his tenants, JJoseph and Samuel Colquhoun, with muffled oars, pro- ceeded on ebb tide to the " Vulture " and brought Andre on shore, where he found Arnold awaiting him in the darkness among the fir trees at a lonely unfrequented spot at the foot of the Long Clove Mountain south of Haverstraw village. He had ridden on horseback from Smith's house to the place of meeting, attended by one of Smith's negro servants. Here, in the gloom of night, and until the approach- ing break of day, the conspirators conferred. The negotiations not having been completed, they, in the gray of early morn, rode through Haverstraw to Smith's house, three miles distant, Andre expecting to return to the " Vulture " on the next night. Smith, his servant, and the boatmen returned by water. Andre had scarcely entered the house when booming of cannon was heard, causing him considerable uneasiness, and with reason.
The Americans at Croton had not been idle. They had sent a delegation to Colonel Livingston to inform him that the " Vulture " was within cannon shot of Teller's Point, whereupon Livingston sent a party with a four-pound cannon from Verplanck's Point in the night. A small breastwork was erected at the west end of the point, the gun planted, and a fire directed upon the " Vulture," which was returned by several broadsides. The Americans fired with effect, shivering some of the spars of the vessel, and compelled her to weigh anchor and drop down the river. One of the shots from the " Vul- ture " lodged in an oak tree, where it remained for more than half a century, when the oak tree, which had become decayed, was cui down, the ball removed and presented by William Underhill io George JJ. Fisher, M.D., of Sing Sing.
Andre had watched the cannonade with anxious eye from an upper window of Smith's house, and after the " Vulture " had been obliged to shift her anchor, Arnold and Smith, knowing well that she was closely watched from both sides of the river, became convinced that it would be unsafe to return Andre on board.
After breakfast the plot for the betrayal of West Point and its
4
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IHISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
dependent posts was completed, and the sum that Arnold was to receive for his villainy agreed upon.
Immediately upon Andre's return to New York, the force under Clinton and Admiral Sir George Rodney was to ascend the river. The iron chain stretched across the river at West Point was to be weakened by taking a link ont of it and substituting a rope link. The approach of the British was to be announced by signals, and the American forces were to be so distributed that they could be easily captured, and at the proper moment Arnold was to surrender the works with all the troops, 3,000 in number.
Andre was furnished by Arnold with plans of the works and ex- planatory papers, which, at Arnold's request, he placed between his stockings and his feet, promising in case of accident to destroy them. Arnold wrote the following pass for Andre, gave it to Smith, and at ten o'clock departed in his barge for the Robinson house:
Ileadquarters, Robinson House, September 22, 1780.
Permit Mr. John Anderson to pass the guards to White Plains or below, if he chooses, he being on publie business by my direction.
B. ARNOLD, Maj. Gen.
Andre passed a lonely day, and as evening approached he became impatient and spoke to Smith about departure. Smith refused to take him on board the " Vulture," much to Andre's surprise and mor- tification, but offered to cross the river with him to Verplanck's Point and accompany him part of the distance to New York on horse- back.
On Friday, September 22, at dusk, Andre, Smith, and a negro ser- vant, with three horses belonging to Smith, crossed the King's Ferry from Stony Point in a flat-bottomed boat rowed by Cornelius Lam- bert, Lambert Lambert, and William Van Wart, Henry Lambert act- ing as coxswain. Upon landing at Verplanck's, Smith called the cox- swain into Welsh's hnt near the ferry landing and gave him an eight dollar continental bill, and then went to Colonel Livingston's tent. a short distance from the road, and talked with him a few minutes, but declined his invitation to take some liquor, and said that he was going to General Arnold's headquarters.
They mounted their horses, rode over the old King's Ferry Road to the New York and Albany Post Road, and from thence north to Peekskill, where they took the road leading easterly from Peekskill to Crompond Corners. When about three miles east of Peekskill on the Crompond Road they were stopped by a military patrol under command of Captain Ebenezer Boyd. This event is best told by Captain Boyd in his testimony on the subsequent trial of Joshua Hett Smith for treason:
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Last Friday, the 22d of September, between eight and nine o'clock at night, the sentry stopped Mr. Smith, another person, and a negro. When the party hailed them they answered "Friends." The sentry ordered one to dismount. Mr. Smith readily dismounted and advanced till he eame near the sentry and asked who commanded the party ; the sentry said "Captain Boyd" ; upon that I was called for ; Mr. Smith eame to me upon my calling for him. I asked him who he was ; he told me his name was Joshua Smith and that he had a pass from General Arnold to pass all guards. I asked him where he lived ; he told me. 1 asked him what time he erossed the ferry ; he said "about dusk." I asked where he was bound for ; he told me that he intended to go that night as far as Major (Joseph) Strang's. I told him Strang was not at home, and he spoke something of going to Colonel Gilbert Drake's. I told him that he had moved to Salem, and that as to Major Strang's, that his lady might be in bed and it would incommode her much. I then asked to see his pass and he went into a little house close by there and got a light and I found that he had a pass from General Arnold to pass all guards to White Plains and return on business of importance.
I then asked him to tell me something of his business ; he made answer that he had no objections to my knowing it ; he told me that he was a brother of (Chief Justice) William Smith in New York, thongh very different in principle, and that he was employed by General Arnold to go with that gentleman, meaning the person who was with him, to get intelligence from the enemy ; that they expected to meet a gentleman at or near White Plains for the same purpose. 1 advised Mr. Smith to put up there at one Andreas Miller's, close by where we were, and to start as soon as it was light.
They went to Miller's house and passed a restless night, Andre and Smith occupying the same bed. The Miller house was on the southerly side of Crompond Road in Yorktown, about one-third of a mile east of Lexington Avenue. It has been torn down, but the cellar is still to be seen.
Saturday, September 23, they took an early departure. Passing through Crompond Corners, and when at the junction of the Somers- town Road, near Strang's or Mead's tavern, they were saluted by a sentinel in the road and taken to Captain Ebenezer Foot, who was in charge of a guard there. He examined their passes, and, being satisfied, they proceeded on their journey east ward about half a mile, until they reached the road southerly to Pine's Bridge over the Croton. Taking that road, they proceeded to the house of Isaac Underhill, where they took breakfast of corn meal mush and milk.
They journeyed no farther together. Smith returned to Peekskill, and then went to Fishkill, where his family was, stopping on his way at the Robinson house to dine with Arnold and notify him of the progress that Andre had made.
When Andre and Smith parted, it was understood that Andre was to go to New York by way of White Plains, but, after passing Pine's Bridge, which was located about half a mile north of the present bridge, he took the westerly road leading toward the Hudson River. Captain Boyd had told Andre to avoid the river road, as there were many British upon it. He was probably induced by this remark to change his plans and take it, hoping thereby to fall in with friends.
At this time there was a class of men known as Cowboys (mostly,
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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY
if not wholly, American refugees belonging to the British side), who were engaged in stealing and purchasing cattle on the ill-fated Neu- tral Ground and driving them to New York as beef supply for the British army. In order to check the prosecution of this practice, small scouting parties were frequently sent out beyond the American posts to reconoiter the country between the posts and those of the enemy. As the cattle taken from the Cowboys, unless stolen and reclaimed, were by legislative enactment held to be " prize of war," small volunteer parties were occasionally formed by the young men attached to the American cause to watch the roads in order to sup- press the practice which exposed their stock to depredation.
On the 22d a party of this kind was suggested by one John Yerks to John Paulding, both of whom were within the American lines at Upper or North Salem, West- chester County. Paulding agreed to go if a sufficient number could be induced to accompany them. This Yerks assured him could be easily accomplished, and he agreed to procure the men while Paulding should obtain the necessary permit from the commanding officer. Pauld- ing went to the encampment at North Salem and obtained THE BEVERLY ROBINSON HOUSE. the permit. While there he saw his friend, Isaac Van Wart, whom he invited to accompany him. Van Wart readily assented and accompanied Paulding to the place where he had left Yorks. In the meantime Yorks had enlisted Sergeant John Dean, Isaac See. James Romer, and Abraham Williams. In the after- noon they proceeded southward with their muskets over their shoul- ders. After walking about a mile they met David Williams, who joined them. The party now consisted of eight, all of whom were devotedly attached to the American cause, and most, if not all, of whom had been in the American army. All but Sergeant Dean, how- ever, were privates. After walking about fifteen miles, they found quarters for the night in the barn of John Andrews at Pleasantville. In the morning they followed the Sawmill River Valley to the house of Captain Jacob Romer, where they obtained breakfast and a basket well provided for their dinner. They next stopped at Isaac Reed's and got some milk, and there Paulding borrowed a pack of playing-
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cards. Then the party went to David's Hill, where they separated. Dean, Romer, Yerks, See, and Abraham Williams remained on the hill, and Panlding, Van Wart, and David Williams proceeded on the Tarrytown Road about a mile and concealed themselves in the bushes near a stream, and to the south of it, on the west side of the road (where the monument erected to their memory now stands), and commenced playing cards. The two parties were not far apart, and it was agreed before separating that if either party should need the aid of the other, a gun should be fired.
During the first half hour several persons whom they knew passed, then Van Wart, who was standing guard while Paulding and Will. iams played cards, discovered, at about nine o'clock, on the rising ground directly opposite to where the Tarrytown Academy now stands, slowly riding toward them, a man on a black horse. He said to Williams and Pankling, " Here's a horseman coming! We must stop him." At that, Paulding, who was the master spirit of the party, got up, stepped out into the road, leveled his musket at the rider, and asked him which way he was going. Paulding at this time wore the coat and cap of a German yager, green laced with red, and it is very probable that his appearance deceived Andre, for, instead of producing Arnold's pass, he said, " Gentlemen, I hope you belong to our party." " What party? " asked Paulding. " The lower party," said Andre. Upon that Panlding told him that they did. Andre an- swered, " I'm glad to see you. I am an officer in the British service, out in the country on partienlar business, and I hope you won't de- tain me a minute; and to let you know that I am a gentleman -- " he then pulled ont his watch, upon which Paulding told him to dis- mount, and that they were Americans.
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