History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II > Part 89

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).

On the farm lately occupied by Jacob Strang, three miles east of Peekskill, on Crompond road, lived for a number of years John Paulding, one of the eaptors of Major Andre. His descendants are numer- ous in the town of Cortlandt.

inence. Owing to a peculiarity of the Dutch language, his name was corrupted into Paulding, though he him- self always wrote it as Pawling.

Some of his descendants remained in Ulster County ; one of thein removed to Dutchess County, where he settled the township of Pawlings, and Joseph Pauld- ing, another of the family, in 1683, settled in New York City. His household is referred to in the census of 1703 as consisting of one male, one female, four children, one negro slave and one negress.

One of the children of Joseph Paulding was Joseph, born in 1706, who became the lessee of a large tract of land about four miles east of Tarrytown, in West -- chester County, upon which he remained until his death, in 1786. He had four sons,-Joseph, William, Peter and John,-all of whom borc a somewhat con- spienous part on the American side in the struggles which took place in the county during the Revolu-

HOUSE NEAR PEEKSKILL WHERE CAPTAIN HOOGLAND HAVING ANDRE IN CHARGE STOPPED.

The Pauldings are descendants of Henry Pawling, an English soldier, who came to America with Colonel Richard Nichols on his expedition against the New Netherlands in 1664. The conquest of this territory having been accomplished without bloodshed, Colonel Nichols took measures to bring the several counties under the English forin of government. Henry Pawling was sent to Ulster County, where he became high sheriff. He was at the time a young man, and before long married Heiltje Roosa, daughter of a Dutch farmer. He became the owner of a large tract of fertile land on Esopus Creek, about five miles west of Kingston, and was considered a man of prom-

tion. Joseph, the oldest son, cultivated a farm about a mile to the north of the homestead, and was never in more than moderate circumstances. He was the first supervisor of the town of Greenburgh, elected under the State laws in 1788.

William acquired wealth at a seafaring life, and a short time prior to the Revolution erected and oceu- pied a mansion in Tarrytown. He was one of the first members of the Provincial Congress, and during the war occupied the position of commissary-general of the New York levies. Peter and John, the remaining brothers, resided on the homestead with their father. After the war, and upon the confiscation of the Philipse Manor, the two brothers purchased the fee of the farm. John died a bachelor, and Peter's descend- ants became owners of the farm.

John Paulding, the subject of this sketch, to whose lot it fell to render such an important service to his

1 From a history of John Paulding, prepared by his grandson, John Paulding, a son of George Paulding, a lawyer of New York City. The manuscript prepared by Mr. Paulding, from which these extracts are taken, is in the possession of his brother, William H. Paulding, of Peeks- kill.

374

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

country, was born October 16, 1758, in the mansion of his grandfather, near Tarrytown. His father was Joseph, the eldest of the four brothers just referred to. John received a common-school education, and was about eighteen years of age when Westehester County began to suffer from the ravages of war. He grew to be over six feet tall, and was . well proportioned. He exeelled in feats of strength. He worked on his father's farm until the family were compelled to leave it, and theu at different times labored at various places as a farm-hand. It was while working for a farmer, near the village of Somers, named Teed, that he became acquainted and fell in love with Miss Sarah Teed, daughter of his employer, and ex- pericneed the truth of the proverb that " the course of true love never did run smoothly," although, in this case, it traversed the rough obstaeles in its path, and eventually arrived at a happy destination. He was frequently a member of parties of young men who took part in the border warfare to which the county was subjected.

One of John's earliest adventures was as follows: The house of his father was plundered by a party of ruffians attached to the British cause, and his mother was compelled to submit to a number of indignities. John was not at home at the time, but returning short- ly after, and learning of what had happened, he seized his gun, and, although it was broad daylight, hurried towards the camp of the enemy, intent upon revenge. His approach was detected, and a dozen horse- men sprang to their saddles to capture him. He waited to fire his rifle and then ran, and though hot- ly pursued, managed to escape by running into a swamp.

On one of his visits to his sweetheart, Miss Teed, John was set upon by a number of rangers, among whom was young Teed, brother of Sarah, an ensign in Delancey's eavalry. John ran into a barn, whence he fired on his assailants, without, in turn, receiving any injury. Galled by their wounds, the attacking party desired to kill him, but young Teed dissuaded them from their intention. A parley was held with Paulding, and he surrendered himself a prisoner. He was taken to the Sugar-House, on Liberty Street, New York, and there confined. He managed to escape by sealing the fence around the Sugar-House, and with the connivance of a negress, who gave him the coat of a German yager, he was enabled to pass through the British lines without deteetion. He wore the same coat a few days later, when he captured Major Andre, and it is thought to have been this fact that eansed Andre to suppose him a British soklier, and make the imprudent admission that he himself was a member of the British army.

Notwithstanding his previous unfortunate experi- ence while seeking Miss Teed's company, Paulding at once, after his escape, wended his way back to her vicinity at North Salem. The night after his arrival a party of Cowboys, headed by a Tory named Smith,

inade a raid into Poundridge, stole a considerable amount of property and brutally murdered an aged and inoffensive farmer named Pelham. It was to avenge this inroad (according to the statement of David Williams,) that a seouting party of seven young men, among whom were John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaae Van Wars, was organized, who set out the next morning for Tarrytown, in order, if possible, to intercept the marauders. The details of this eventful trip, resulting in the capture of Andre and the frustration of the nefarious scheme for the surrender of West Point to the British, have been given elsewhere.

After the capture of Andre, Paulding returned to his former mode of life, and was again taken prisoner by D. laneey's rangers. He was taken to New York, and confined in the North Duteh Church, on William Street, which was then used as a prison by the Brit- ish. His condition there was so unusu ally forlorn as to attraet the attention of a British officer, who in- quired of the jailor why he was subjected to such treatment. On being informed that the prisoner was one of the eaptors of Andre, the officer ordered the irons to be removed from him. It is believed that the British officers, in a spirit of ahniration over Pauld- ing's patriotism, gave him an opportunity to escape. A few days after the oceurrenee just noted, while the sentinels were being changed, one of them is said to have motioned quietly to Paulding to pass out, which he promptly did. He made his way to the North River, where he found a boat on which he erossed to the New Jersey side, and soon was safe in the Amer- iean camp. He was furnished with meaus by La- fayette, and returned to Westchester County.

Each of the eaptors of Andre was awarded a silver medal and a pension of two hundred dollars yearly during life. By the State of New York each one was presented with a farm worth five hundred pounds. The farm given to Paulding was located in the town of Cortlandt and consisted of one hundred and sixty- eight aeres and sixteen rods of the best land in the town. It had been the property of Peter Huggeford, M.D., a native of England, and a physician of high reputation, who practiced his profession in Rye as early as 1753, and later removed to this farm. He was probably the first regular physician in the north- western portion of the country. He was a Royalist and his property was confiscated. The farm is the one which was lately occupied by Jacob Strang and now belongs to his son. Paulding resided on the farm for a number of years, and then, having disposed of it, made his residenee upon a farm near Lake Mohe- gan until his death, on February 18, 1818. His re- mains are interred in the cemetery surrounding St. Peter's Episcopal Church, at Cortlandtville. The cere- monies in connection with the erection of a monu- ment over his grave by the corporation of New York have been noticed in the deseription elsewhere given of the cemetery.

375

CORTLANDT.

In politics, in which he took an active interest, Paulding was opposed to the Federalist party. Short- ly before his death he said to his physician, Dr. Fountain : " Doctor, please tell all those who seek after me that I die a true Republican." Although he never hield any military office, he was familiarly known as major.

Paulding was three times married and was the father of nineteen children. His first wife was the Sarah Teed, in courting whom he so narrowly escaped death. He was married to her April 20, 1781, and on October 25, 1789, she died, aged twenty-two years, six months and eighteen days, having had three children, Nancy, Elizabeth and George Washington. The lat- ter two died young.

By his second wife, Esther Ward, whom he married November 18, 1790, and who died March 6, 1804, Paulding had nine children, and by his third wife seven.

Hiram Paulding, the fourth son of Paulding and his second wife, attained distinction. He entered the navy as midshipman in 1811, was present at the battle of Lake Champlain, under Commodore McDonough, and for his services on that occasion was presented with a sword by Congress. In 1857 the squadron under his command broke up the filibustering expe- dition of Walker against Nicaragua, though it was charged that he had exceeded his authority in so doing. July, 1862, he was made a rear admiral of the United States navy. From 1862 to 1866 he was in command of the New York Navy Yard. He died in 1878.

By letter of September 26th, Heath was ordered to join Washington, who placed him once more in com- mand of the defenses of the Highlands, a position held by him to the end of the war.1 From this time until the summer of 1781 he was kept busy by the raids of the enemy and in "grand forages " which he frequently made for stores and provender.

In the summer of 1781 plans were matured by Washington and Rochambeau for concerted action on the part of the American and French armies. During the winter of 1780-81 the American forces had been in various cantonments in New York and New Jersey ; the headquarters were at New Windsor. In the latter half of the month of June the troops as- sembled at Peekskill to the number of five thousand effective men, for the purpose of effecting a junction with Rochambeau's army. On the 26th Washington established his headquarters at the Van Cortlandt , house, north of Peekskill, as the following extract from the journal of Claude Blauchard, commissary- general of the French army shows: "I set out [from Crompond] very early on the 26th and reached the American Army. I stopped at Peekskill, a small village. I could hardly find a room in the inn, which was occupied by Mr. Pearson, one of the American

Generals. Peekskill [present village] is situated on the North River, which is very broad ; it is almost an arm of the sea, which vessels of war ascend. . . . I went to speak to General Pearson, who gave me an aide-de-camp to conduct me to General Washington, whose headquarters were at a distance of two miles . . . I passed [on his way north] through another Peeks- kill [old village],2 where the Americans have their magazines and their arsenals. Here are large wooden barracks, built recently, situated between two ranges of mountains. This other Peekskill is on the bank of the river ; it is there they are building our ovens."

On his return from Poughkeepsie he reached Peeks- kill on the 28th. "I passed by General Washington's quarters, but as he had changed them I did not see him and I proceeded directly to the inn at which I had previously dismounted at Peekskill." He speaks of seeing children twelve and thirteen years old in the army. On the 28th General Washington invited him to dine at his quarters [Birdsall house].3 "I re- paired thither ; there were twenty-five covers used by some of the officers of the army, and a lady to whom the house belonged in which the General lodged. He dined under the tent. I was placed alongside of the General. One of his aides-de-camp did the honors. The table was served in American style and pretty abundantly : vegetables, roast-beef, lamb, chickens, salad dressed with nothing but vinegar, green peas, pudding and some pie, a kind of tart, greatly in use in England and among the Americans, all this being put on the table at the same time. They gave us on the same plate beef, green peas, lamb, etc. At the end of the dinner the cloth was removed and some Madeira wine was brought, which was passed around whilst drinking the health to the King of France, the French army, etc." We find also the following extract worthy of note: "On the 16th [Ang., 1781], having gone to Peekskill to see our magazines and two churches 4 which I was fitting up to serve as hospitals for us in case of need," etc.

July 1st Washington sent Lincoln with eight hun- dred men to attempt the surprise of Fort George, on Manhattan Island, while Lauzan's legion were to make an attack on De Lancey's corps at Morri-ania. At 3 A.M. on the 2nd Washington left Peekskill with the main army. In August the commanders of the allied armies deemed it expedient to change their plans and

2 Peekskill originally was at what is now Cortlandtville.

3 In present village. The Birdsall House, Washington's headquarters at Peekskill, has been gone for many years. It stood on the southwest corner of Main and Division Streets, a frame building, erected by Daniel Birdsall shortly after the founding of the present village, in 1764. After his death, which took place October 29, 1800, it was occupied by his son for more than half a century, during which time the interior arrangements of the house remained unchanged. After his death the house was torn down. It was here, in November, 1776, that Charles Lee came after the failure of his brilliant scheme to entrap Rofers, the renegade, and here he had the difficulty with General Heath, told of by the latter n bis memoirs.

+ St. Peter's and Baptist Churches in the old village.

1 Heath's "Memoirs."

t er

er-

376

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

to endeavor to capture Cornwallis' army in Virginia. The American army, August 19tli, began to retrace its steps to King's Ferry by way of Sing Sing and the Freneli to march to the same point ria North Cas- tle and Crompond. By the 26th both armies were west of the Hudson. Heath, who was to be left in cominand here, followed the French ; was at Crompond on tlie night of the 22d, and on the following day took up a strong position at Peekskill.1 September 11th the army moved from its encampment at Peeks- kill to Bald Hill, while Huntington was sent toward the Sound on account of the descent of Arnold into Connecticut. He went as far as Bedford and re- turned on the 13th.

August 22, 1782, the American troops began to as- semble from points at Verplanck's Point for the prop- er reception of the French army, then approaching the Hudson River from its winter cantonment in Vir- ginia.3

" 29th. An order of eneampment and battle for the American army was published. The army- was to encamp in one line, with a reserve; the New Jersey and New York troops were to form a division, under command of Major-General St. Clair ; the Conneeti- cut troops, a division under Major-General MeDougall, these two divisions to form the right wing, under Ma- jor-General Gates ; the New Hampshire brigade and 1st Brigade of Massachusetts to form a division, un- der the command of Major-General Lord Stirling ; the 2d and 3d Massachusetts Brigades, a division un- der the command of Major-General Heath ; tlie 2d Connectieut and 3d Massachusetts Brigades to form tlie reserve ; and where the ground would adınit, form at two hundred paces in the rear of the army.

"31st. As many of the army as could be carried in the boats, embarked at their respective brigade land- ings ; and the whole of the boats being formed in or- der, fell down the river to Verplanck's Poiut, where the troops disembarked and encamped. They made a most beautiful appearanee when in the boats and when in motion. The remainder of the army marched down by land.2 The army was much better clad than former- ly, clothing having been secured from France and eap- tured with Cornwallis' army. On the 14th of September Rochambeau arrived, and was received by the Amer- iean army, drawn in two lines extending from the ferry to headquarters. He was met by a troop of horse, who conducted him through the double line to Washington's headquarters, where the army passed in review before them. Rochambeau said, in compli- ment to their improved appearanee and discipline, " You have formed an alliance with the King of Prus- sia. These troops are Prussians." 3 By the 18th the entire French army was across the river and in camp south of Peekskill. On the 20th they were reviewed by General Washington, and on the 21st the Ameri-

eans manœuvred in the presence of the French. Rochambeau marehed on the 24th with his troops to Crompond, where they remained until October 22d. During the march there was an exchange of civilities between the officers. The old inhabitants of two gen- erations back used to tell of seeing Washington and staff passing back and forth. Cold weather settiug in, the American army returned to West Point and New Windsor, October 26th and 27th, where they spent the winter.

THE CIVIL WAR .- The town of Cortlandt lays claim to having provided more color-bearers for the United States service during the Civil War than any other town along the Hudson River. The quotas assigned to it under the various calls for troops were filled promptly. There were, however, numbers of those persons who were opposed to the war in the town, and between them and those of the opposite opinions the feeling was bitter to a degree that was probably not surpassed elsewhere in the country.

The number of men furnished by the town of Cort- landt under the call of the President of the United States, on April 15, 1861, for seventy-five thousand militia, and the act of Congres of July 22, 1861, call- ing out five hundred thousand men, can only be esti- inated, as the quota of the State was a little more than filled by eager volunteers, without its being necessary to apportion quotas to each town. The towns, however, did not supply many more or less men than they did in filling their quotas under subsequent ealls for nearly the same number of soldiers. A fair estimate, then, of the number of volunteers under these first calls from the town of Cortlandt would be about three hun- dred men.

Within a few days after the call of the President, on April 15, 1861, for seventy-five thousand volun- teers, a number of young men left Peekskill and joined regiments forming in New York City, of which Hawk- ins' Zouaves was one. On the 27th of April a body of sixteen men, under the leadership of William A. Bleakley, of Verplanek's Point, left for White Plains and joined a company there, which afterwards be- came Company A of the Twenty-seventh Regiment. This was the first body of men to leave the town of Cortlandt for the war.

The first regularly organized company in the town of Cortlandt was gathered together in Peekskill, and left for New York City May 2, 1861, under command of Benjamin R. Simpkins. It contained sixty-six men. It was attached to the First Regiment of Sickles' brigade (the Seventieth New York Vol- nutrers) and was stationed at Camp Seott, Staten Island. Owing to trouble with the lieuten - ant-colonel, who was acting colonel of the regi- ment, and who, it was elaimed, in consequence of being in danger of losing his position, was careless about providing food for the soldiers and otli- erwise abused his office, the men became dissatisfied, and not being at that time mnstered in, they came

1 Campfield or Drum Hill.

2 Heath's " Memoirs. "

3 Thatcher's " Military Journal."

377

CORTLANDT.

over to New York and disbanded. Some of them returned to Peekskill, twenty-six entered the Twenty- ninth Regiment, fifteen the regiment commanded by Colonel Beecher, a goodly number entered Hawkins' Zouaves, and others enlisted with Duryea's Zonaves, Anderson's Zouaves and other regiments. Of those who returned to Peekskill, a few afterwards joined Sickles' brigade under other auspices.

April 30, 1861, a meeting of the ladies of the village was held at Simpson's Hall, and a Soldiers' Relief Association was organized. Mrs. Daniel Jones was chosen president, Miss Amelia B. Mills secretary and Miss Sarah Taylor treasurer, and Mrs. John B. Mills, Mrs. Conrad Quin, Mrs. Edward Wells, Mrs. Joseph H. Mason, Miss Amanda Wright and Miss Augusta Taylor were chosen a committee to raise means for carrying out the objeets of the Association. Meetings of the Association were held weekly through- out the war, and large supplies of lint, bandages, elothing and other artieles were prepared and sent away by them.

May 8, 1861, a company of twenty volunteers, un- der eommaud of Benjamin B. Fineh, a young man residing in Peekskill, left the village for New York. This company beeame disintegrated in the eity, and its members joined various reginrents.

During a portion of the year 1861, and early in 1862, James Hart Purdy, of Yorktown, enlisted in Peekskill a number of volunteers for the Fifty-ninth Regiment, and in the early part of 1862, Jantes L. Paulding, of Peekskill, a descendant of Johu Pauld- ing of Revolutionary fame, and afterwards interested in the Peekskill Plow Works, raised a full company for the same regiment, which beeame known as Com- pany I.

Under the calls of the President, in 1862, for 600,- 000 soldiers, half to serve for three years and a half to serve for nine months, the quota of the town of Cort- landt was 311 men. A subseription was started for the purpose of giving a bounty of $25 to each volun- teer. The sum of $2114.50 was collected, and ninety- four volunteers were obtained. As it was apparent that greater efforts must be put forth in order to se- eure the rest of the quota, it was resolved, at a meet- ing of the inhabitants of the town, held August 26, 1862, to tax the town to the extent of $20,000 to provide a bounty of $100 to each volunteer en-

listing therefron. Under this arrangement 160 volunteers were received, which, with the 94 pre- viously enlisted and 70 who enlisted away from the town and were eredited to it in consequence of being residents, made the total number raised by the town 324. The sum paid out by the town was $16,795.

Of these volunteers, 159 enlisted in the One Hun- dred and Thirty-fifth Regiment New York State Vol- unteers, afterwards the Sixthi New York Heavy Ar- tillery ; 32 enlisted in Harris' Light Cavalry; 52 in the Nineteenth Militia (afterwards the One Hun- dred and Sixty-eighth Regimeut New York State ii .- 35

Volunteers) ; 12 in the Excelsior Regiment, Sickles' brigade, and others in the Fifty-third Regiment, the Thirteenth Regiment of New Jersey, Swain's Cavalry, the Ironside Regiment, the New York City Regi- ment and other regiments.

October 17, 1863, a call was issued by the Presi- dent for 300,000 men. The quota assigned to the town of Cortlandt was 116 men. The town expended $14,000 in procuring volunteers, and a committee ap- pointed for the purpose assessed upon individuals drafted such additional sum as they thought each one able to pay, to assist in procuring substitutes. The eost of filling the quota was thus considerably in ex- - eess of $14,000. The bounty paid to eaeh volunteer was $300.

February 1, 1864, a eall for 500,000 men was is- sued, but the former call for 300,000 men of October 17, 1863, was ineluded in it, and the actnal number of new men required was 200,000. The additional quota of the town of Cortlandt was 73 men. The town raised $35,000, for which it issued its bonds, and paid a bounty of $300 to each volunteer. The whole amount was eonsumed.

Another call for two hundred thousand men was made Mareh 14, 1864. The quota of the town of Cortlandt was seventy-two, but as the two former quotas had beeu too large by twenty-three, the number required to be furnished under this eall was only forty-nine. The cost of procuring these forty-nine men was $24,017, of which $5600 was paid by persons drafted and obtaining substitutes. The bonds of the town were issued to the extent of $20,000 to meet the expense of filling the quota. The average bounty to each of the forty-nine men enlisting was $532.

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.

History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286