USA > New York > Kings County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 10
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 10
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Signed by order of the Town Meeting,
LEFFERT LEFFERTS, Clerk.
772. At a meeting of the several Deputies of the different Town- ships in Kings Co., (at Flatbush, May 22, "75,) for the purpose of electing Delegates to represent said County in Provincial Congress, now held in the City of N. Y. ; agreeable to said meeting, they here- by appoint Richard Stillwell, Theodorus Polhemus, John Lefferts, Nich. Cowenhoven, Johannes E. Lott, John Vanderbilt, Henry Williams, and Jer. Remsen, Esqrs., or any three of them, Delegates to represent and fully to act in behalf of the before-mentioned County.
ABM. E. LOTT, Sec.
773. At a meeting of the company of light horse for Brooklyn, Sep. 15, "75, at Adolph Waldron's, Innholder, at Brooklyn Ferry, present
Wm. Boerum, Rem A. Remsen, Adolph Waldron,
Isaac J. Sebring, David Titus, Geo. Powers,
Sam'l Etherington, Jos. Smith, Wm. & Thos. Everitt,
Jacob Sebring, jr., Jacob Kemper, John Hicks,
John Reade, John Guest, Wm. Chardavoyne,
Rob. Galbraithe, Nich. Van Dam, Thos. Hazard.
Adolph Waldron was chosen Chairman, and Isaac J. Sebring, Clerk. They then elected Adolph Waldron, Capt. ; Wm. Boerum, 1st Lt. (in the place of Rem. A. Remsen declined) ; Tlos. Everitt, 2d Lt .; Jacob Sebring, jr., Cornet, and Isaac Sebring, Q. M.
774. In consequence of the ill-success of the British arms at Bos- ton, the Ministry resolved to remove the seat of war to New-York, with the design of cutting off all intercourse between the Southern and New England States.
Gen. Lee with 1700 men reached N.Y. Feb. 3, "76, for the purpose of disarming the Loyalists and constructing fortifications in and about N. Y. He barricaded all the streets leading into Broadway, erected a battery on an eminence in the rear of Trinity Church, at Hellgate,
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
the Highlands, Kingsbridge, Paulus Hook, Red Hook, and on the N. W. side of Governor's Island.
Feb. 18, he posted 400 of the Penn. troops from Wallabout to Gowanus. Those who could not procure lodgment were billeted on the inhabitants of Brooklyn.
775. Feb. 28. The people of Brooklyn wish to know if they shall be paid for billeting soldiers. Congress allowed them 7s. per week for a room for officers, and 1s. 4d. for privates.
776.
New-York, Feb. 23, 1776.
Gen. Lee is taking every necessary step to fortify and defend the city. The men of war are gone out of our harbor ; the Phenix is at the Hook ; the Asia lies near Bedlow's Island. To see the vast number of houses shut up, one would think the city almost evacuated. Women and children are scarce to be seen in the streets. Troops are daily coming in : they break open and quarter themselves in any houses they find shut up. Mr. Jacob Walton was ordered to give up his house, which is now occupied with soldiers.
FRED'K RHINELANDER.
777. March 6, '76. Congress recommended to the Committee of Kings Co., to furnish Col. Ward brush for fascines, wood for pickets, and other timber to complete the works on L. I. Col. W. had 519 men. Jour. 341.
778. Col. Ward was ordered (March 8) to detach 2 parties of 20 men each, with 3 days' provisions, in order to stop the communi- cation of the people with the Phenix. He was to hide his guard in bushes near the shore, and just about daylight to send a man along shore below the Narrows to cut a hole in the bottom of the boats, or take away the oars and sails. He was also to seize the pilots --- es- pecially one Frank Jones, who decoyed vessels to the Phenix.
779. March 6. Lord Stirling succeeded Gen. Lee, and con- tinued in command till Washington's arrival in April.
March 13, '76. Extract from Regulations for defence of N. Y., agreed to between Stirling and Provincial Con- gress, when the English were expected from Boston.
1. All whites and negroes shall do fatigue duty.
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KINGS COUNTY.
6. The inhabitants of Kings Co. shall give assistance to Col. Ward, by turning out for service at least one half their male popu- lation (negroes included) every day at the fortifications, with spades, hoes, and pickaxes-to begin Friday next.
7. A guard of six of the Kings Co. troop to be posted on some heights near the west end of Nassau Island, to reconnoitre the en- trance of the enemy into Sandy Hook, or their appearance on the coast, and give immediate information to the commanding officer .- See Queens Co., 42.
Capt. Waldron's light horse kept a look-out on the southern coast of Kings Co. till Ap. 10, when Col. Hand's regiment of riflemen was stationed at N. Utrecht.
[Waldron lived at Preakness, N. J., during the war .- Ed.]
780. Ap. 15, '76. Monday night 1000 Continental troops took possession of Governor's Island and began to fortify it, and a regi- ment went over to Red Hook and fortified it likewise .- Gaine.
June 11, '76. I am now stationed at Red Hook, about 4 miles from N. Y. It is on an island situated so as to command the entrance of the harbor entirely, where we have a fort with four 18 pounders, to fire en barbette, that is, over the top of the works, which is vastly better than firing through embrasures, as we can now bring all our guns to bear on the same object at once. The fort is named Defiance, and thought to be one of the most important posts we have.
There are two families here,-Mr. Van Dyke and his son, good stanch Whigs, and very clever folks. I rode out with the young man to Flushing, 16 miles off, where, and in most of the country towns about, the forces from the city have taken shelter. Scarce a house we rode by, but Mr. Van Dyke would say, " there lives a rascally Tory."-Shaw.
When the Rose and Phenix ran by our batteries, July 12, they did not compliment Red Hook so much as to return her fire, being, as Shaw says, two miles distant .-- Ed.
781. Explanation of the American Lines of Defence at New- York. See Map.
a. M'Dougal's Battery, on a hill west of, and very near, Trinity Church.
b. Fort George, now the Battery. North of it was the " Broadway Barrier," near the Bowling Green, or King's Statue. It had 2 guns.
c. Battery at the ship yards.
6*
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
d. Crown Point Battery, now Corlaer's Hook.
e. Main, or Battery Channel, where I think chevaux de frise were sunk.
f. Governor's Island.
g. Fort at Red Hook, on Long Island. It had 5 guns.
h. Fort Stirling, between Hicks and Clinton streets, and east of Pierrepont-open in the rear ; on land of Jacob Hicks. It had 7 guns.
i. Fort Putnam, on a hill then covered with heavy wood, (Conover's Boschje,) which was partly cut down. It had 5 guns.
j. Fort Greene-the southeast front of the Lines on land of Johan- nis Debevoice and Rutger Vanbrunt. It had 5 guns.
k. A conical hill, very steep, called Ponkiesbergh, Cobble Hill, or Corkscrew Fort. It had 3 guns. "The trenches went round and round, and it had a platform on top for cannon." So says and old soldier.
1. Redoubt at the Mill, (was it Fort Box ?) on Nicholas Boerum's hill. It commanded the Mill (4), and had one gun.
Batteries in and near New-York, March 24, '76 .- Force, V. 480.
Grenadier's, or Circular Battery, 5 guns, near the air-furnace on the bank of the North River.
Jersey's Battery, 5 guns, a little to the northward of the first.
M'Dougall's Battery, 4 guns, to the west of Trinity Church, and very near it.
Broadway Barrier, 2 guns, very near the Bowling Green, or King's Statue.
Coentie's Battery, 5 guns, on Ten Eyck's wharf.
Stirling's Battery, 8 guns, on L. I., and nearly opposite the Fly Market. In the rear of this there is to be a citadel, which will take up about 5 acres, called The Congress.
Waterbury's Battery, 7 guns, at the ship yards.
Badlam's Battery, 8 guns, on Rutger's first hill, just above the last mentioned.
Thompson's Battery, 9 guns, at Hoorne's Hook.
Independent Battery, 12 guns, on Bayard's Mount.
Besides the above, there is a breast-work, or barrier, at Peck's, Beek- man's, Burling's, and Fly Slips ; also at the Coffee House, Old Slip, Coentie's Market and the Exchange, and one midway of Broad-st. of this construction ; and the same are made in several streets leading from the North River to Broadway. Also a line of circumvalla- tion from river to river.
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KINGS COUNTY.
Names of Batteries, May 22, '76, at New- York City.
Grand Battery, south part of town, thirteen 32 pounders, one 24, three 18's, two 12's, one brass mortar, 3 iron mortars prepared.
. Fort George, immediately above it, two 12 ponnders, four 32's.
White Hall Battery, left of Grand Battery, two 32 pounders.
Oyster Battery, behind Washington's head-quarters, two 32 pound- ers, three 12's.
Grenadier's, or Circular Battery, near Brewhouse on N. River, three 12 pounders, 2 mortars prepared.
Jersey Battery, left of Grenadier, two 12 pounders, three 32's.
Bayard's Hill redoubt, 9 eight pounders, four 3's, six royal and co- horn mortars.
Spencer's Redoubt, on a hill where Gen. Spencer is encamped, two 12 pounders, four field-pieces proposed.
Waterbury's Battery, is a fascine Battery on a wharf below Spen- cer's redoubt, two 12 pounders.
Badlam's Redoubt, is on a hill directly above it, near Jew's burying ground.
On Long Island.
At the redoubts are no artillery men, two 12 pounders, two 9's, four 3's of brass.
Fort Stirling, Lt. Randall and 12 men, four 32 pounders, two 18's.
Red Hook, Capt. Foster, one 3 pounder, four 18's.
Governor's Island, Capt. Craft, four 18 pounders, four 32's.
Paulus Hook, Capt. Dana proposed, two 12 pounders, three 32's, two 3's.
The Park, as a reserve, Capt. Drury, to be. run where the enemy makes the greatest attack, twelve 6 pounders, eight 3's, one 24, three 3's, nine 12's.
782. Oficers chosen by the different Companies in Kings Co., who have signed the Declaration and taken their Com- missions .- March, '76.
LIGHT HORSE.
Brooklyn .- Adolph Waldron, Capt .; Wm. Boerum, Ist Lt. ; Thos. Everitt, 2d Lt .; Jacob Sebring, Ensign ; Isaac Sebring, Q. Master.
Kings Co .- Lamb't Suydam, Capt. ; Dan'l Rapelye, 1st Lt. ; Jacob Bloom, 2d Lt. ; Peter Vandevoort, Ensign ; Peter Wykoff, Q. Master.
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT. -
MILITIA.
Flatlands .- Jeremiah Vanderbilt, Capt .; Albert Stoohoff, 1st Lt. ; Thos. Elsworth, 2d Lt. ; Peter Vanderbilt, Ensign.
Gravesend .- Rem Williamson, Capt .; Samuel Hubbard, Ist Lt. ; Garret Williamson, 2d Lt. ; John Lane, Ensign.
Half of Brooklyn .- Barent Johnson, Capt. ; Barent Lefferts, Ist Lt. ; Jost Debevoice, 2d Lt. ; Martin Schenck, Ensign.
Flatbush .- Cornelius Vandeveer, Capt. ; Peter Lefferts, Ist Lt. ; John Vanduyn, 2d Lt. ; John Benham, Ensign.
Half of Brooklyn .- Fer'd Suydam, Capt .; Simon Bergen, Ist Lt .; Wm. Brower, 2d Lt. ; Jacob Stellenwert, Ensign.
Bushwyck .- John Titus, Capt. ; Abm. Van Ranst, 1st Lt. ; Peter Colyer, 2d Lt. ; John Skillman, Ensign.
N. Utrecht .- Adrian Van Brunt, Capt. ; Adrian Hegeman, Ist Lt .; Harmanus Barkulo, 2d Lt .; Wm. Barre, Ensign.
783. March 11, "76. Kings Co. Committee appointed :
Rutgert Van Brunt, Col. ; Nich. Cowenhoven, Lt. Col .; Johan- nes Titus, 1st Major ; John Vanderbilt, 2d Major ; Geo. Carpenter, Adj. ; Nich. Cowenhoven, Q. M. of their Regiment of militia.
Jour. 351.
784. Feb. 18, "76. Congress requests the attendance of the absent members from Kings Co. Accordingly Messrs. Cowenhoven, Vanderbilt, Vanbrunt and Lefferts, take their seats.
[Their previous attendance had been quite irregular .- Ed.]
Ap. 16, '76. John Lefferts, Nich. Cowenhoven, Jeremiah Remsen, Theodorus Polhemus, Leffert Lefferts, Rutgert Vanbrunt, Jeremiah Vanderbilt and John Vanderbilt, were chosen to make a representation out of their body for the Provincial Congress, and that any four, three, two, or one, may be a quorum, as appears by the certificate of John Lefferts, Chairman, and Abm. Van Ranst, Clerk of the Committee of Kings Co.
785. June 21, '76. Convention recommend that all boats in the bay S. and S. W. of Kings Co., be drawn up, and the oars and sails secured, so as to prevent the communication of the disaffected with the enemy.
June 21. Col. G. Brewerton, at Flatlands, was summoned be- fore Congress. Mayor Matthews was seized at Flatbush. His
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house surrounded one o'clock at night, and a vain search made for his papers. He was sent to Conn. where he broke jail and escaped.
786. Col. Van Brunt delivered to Congress the quota of Kings Co., to reinforce the Continental Army at N. Y., viz. : 58 men and Jacques Rapalje, Capt., and Geo. Carpenter, 2d Lt .- June 27, '76.
787. On Thursday, the Asia being in rear of the British fleet in the Narrows, was fired on by a small battery on L. I., when she returned the compliment with forty 24 pounders. One of which lodged in the wall of Mr. Bennet's house, and 3 shot had near done damage to Mr. Denyse's house, one missed his kitchen, a 2d struck his barn, and a 3d destroyed the garden fence opposite the front door of the mansion house. July 8, "76. 788. Gen. Howe to Lord Geo. Germaine.
Staten Island, July 7, 8, '76.
The Halifax fleet arrived June 29, at Sandy Hook, where I arrived four days sooner. I met with Gov. Tryon on board ship at the Hook, and many gentlemen, fast friends to Government, attending him, from whom I have had the fullest information of the state of the Rebels, who are numer- ous and very advantageously posted, with strong intrenchments, both upon L. I. and at N. Y., with more than 100 pieces of cannon for the defence of the town towards the sea, and to obstruct the passage of the fleet up the North river, besides a considerable field train of artillery. We passed the Narrows with three ships of war, and the 1st division of transports ; landed the Grenadiers and Light Infantry, as the ships came up, on this Island, to the great joy of a most loyal people, long suffering on that ac- count under the oppression of the Rebels stationed among them, who precipitately fled on the approach of the shipping. The remainder of the troops landed next day and night, and are now distributed in canton- ments, where they have the best refreshments. I propose waiting here for the English fleet, or for the arrival of Lt. Gov. Clinton, in readiness to proceed, unless by some unexpected change of circumstances it should in the mean time be found expedient to act with the present force.
To the Hon. Provincial. Congress, July 26.
789. Whereas Col. Rutgert Van Brunt has demanded every fourth man of our companies,-we, Jeremiah Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vandeveer, Barent Johnson, Lambert Suydam, Rem Williamson, and John Titus, Captains of Kings Co. militia, pray Congress to indulge us with the men under our command to execute said Re-
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
solves of July 20, relating to Kings Co. stock, without being paid, provided it be in Kings Co., and we promise to be ready when called on, to drive stock into the interior, guard the coast and protect the inhabitants.
[July 30. Congress refused the above request .- Ed.]
790. Aug. 10. The Convention having heard that Kings Co. had determined not to oppose the enemy, ordered a Committee to re- pair to said County, and if the report should be true, to disarm and secure the disaffected inhabitants ; remove or destroy the stock of grain, and if necessary, lay the whole county waste, and for the execu- tion of these purposes, to apply to Gen. Greene for such assistance as they may want. Jour. 568.
791. Col. Conover, Aug. 14, "76, requests Commissions for Thos. Lane, Capt. ; Nich. Vanbrunt, 1st Lt .; Mich'l Van Cleef, 2d Lt. ; to command the drafts. Also for Harmanus Casper, Lt., to command 20 men, not militia, but to be under Capt. Lane.
792. Kings Co. not having elected any deputies since May last, Mr. Polhemus (Aug. 14) appeared in Convention, and said the County Committee had met, and directed him to attend as a member, until another election is had-ordered that Mr. Polhemus take his seat and represent said County, except in matters which related to the formation of Government.
Journal, 572.
793. The Convention vote the election of Kings Co. Aug. 19, defective, as the Deputies are not authorized to frame a new form of government .- New election ordered, Aug. 24, but never held.
794. Kings Co. Troop of Horse.
Lambert Suydam, Capt. *Dan'l Rapalje, Ist Lt.
*Jacob Bloom, 2d Lt.
Peter Wykoff, Q. M.
*Peter Vandevoort, Ensign.
Henď'k Suydam, Cl'k.
*Hend'k Johnson, Serg't. Hend'k Suydam, jr., Serg't.
John Nostrand, do.
*John Blaw, Trumpeter.
*Reynier Suydam,
*John Vanderveer, Rutgert Vanbrunt, Roelof Terhune, Martin Kershaw,
Privates.
Jacob Suydam, Isaac Boerum,
Isaac Snedeker, John Ryerson,
Chas. Debevois, Benj. Seaman,
Andrew Casper, Thos. Betts,
Peter Miller, Hend'k Wykoff.
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KINGS COUNTY.
Brooklyn Troop of Horse.
*Wm. Boerum, 1st Lt.
Thos Everitt, 2d Lt.
*Jacob Sebring, Ensign. *Isaac Sebring, Q. M.
Privates.
*Joseph Sebring, *John Hicks, *George Powel,
*Wm. Elsworth,
*Jerem'h Brower, *James Casper.
*Wm. Boerum, *Adolphus Brower, Joseph Smith,
Wm. Everitt,
Abm. Rapalje, Stephen Schenck,
Robert Galbraith, Sam'l Etherington, Nicholas Vandam.
[The above Troops were first in service under Gen. Greene, who bid them seize for Commissary Brown the fat stock of the disaffected ; next they drove off stock under Gen. Woodhull; after the defeat at Brooklyn, as they were proceeding east to join Col. Livingston, they were ordered off the Island by Col. Potter, and accordingly, those to whose name a star is prefixed, crossed the Sound at Huntington to Nor- walk, leaving their horses behind, which were lost to them. The men were in Duchess Co., Oct. 4, '76, in destitute circumstances, and re- ceived their pay from the Convention .- MS. Jour., XVII, 529, and XXXII, 46, 62.
P. Vandevoort, jr., left father, mother, wife, and two children at Bedford, and had not yet seen them, Feb. 14,'82, when he was at Fish- kill .- Ed.]
795. Washington came to N. York before April 13, and ap- pointed Greene to superintend the fortifications on L. I. This gen- eral had made himself acquainted with every pass and defile leading to the city, but unfortunately, a few days before the battle, from over exertion, he was brought down with bilious fever. Sullivan took his place till Aug. 23, when Putnam took command within the Lines. Stirling and Sullivan appear to have acted under him.
Aug. 3. Return of American Army at N. Y.
Present fit for duty,
10,514
Present sick,
3,039
Absent sick,
629
Absent on command,
2,946
Absent on furlough,
97
Total.
17,225
These were distributed on Governor's, York, and Long Island, Paulus Hook, and Hurlgate.
*
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
A Whig paper thus sums up the British army :
8,000 men who sailed with Howe from Halifax,
2,350 Scotch Troops,
2,500 defeated Troops of Cornwallis and Clinton, from Sullivan's Island,
9,000 Hessians and English guards,
150 Dunmore's Negroes, Tories, &c.
22,000
5,000 3d division of Hessians expected.
April 28, '76. The Regiments of Cols. Hand, Learned, Reed, Nixon, Stark, Prescott, Varnum, Parsons, Hitchcock, Little, Reed, Huntington, Webb, Arnold, Ward, Wyllys, Bailey, Wayne, Wind, McDougall, Ritzema, Dayton, Irvine, and Baldwin, were at N. Y. con- sisting of 10,325 men. Force V, 1151, 1198.
In July, Col. Furman's N. J. Levies, Col. Van Cortland's, Col. Bradley's, and Col. Carey's Regiments were stationed at N. Y.
Hinman says 14 Regiments of Conn. Militia, (9 or 10,000) under Gen. Wolcot, were ordered to N. Y. But Washington says only 9 Regi- ments (3,150) arrived before Aug. 16; and 3 Regiments (1,120) Aug. 19 ; in all, 4,170 men. If two more Regiments should be added, the number of militia would hardly equal half of that stated by Hinman.
Aug. 26. Washington writes, " There are here 9 militia regiments from Conn. of 350 men each."
After the battle of Aug. 27, the militia disbanded and went home. The regular troops were in one division of two brigades under Maj. Gen. Spencer and Brig. Gens. Wadsworth and Parsons.
Hinman, p. 59.
July 17. Washington writes, " The Conn. light horse are now dis- charged, though their assistance is much needed, having peremptorily refused all kind of fatigue duty, or even to mount guard, claiming an exemption as troopers."
[It is a popular story on L. I., that Washington or Putnam had their quarters at the Cortelyou House. In fact they were neither ever outside the Lines at Brooklyn. Washington's quarters were in N. Y. He went over to Brooklyn after the Battle had begun, Aug. 27 .- Ed.]
796. Howe determined to carry the works on L. I., when the city itself would fall an easy prey into his hands. Aug. 22, 15,000 men were landed at Bath under cover of armed vessels warped in Gravesend Bay. The rifle regiment under Col. Hand
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KINGS COUNTY.
made no opposition, but withdrew to the Lines, setting fire to the stacks of hay and grain.
Howe established his quarters at N. Utrecht. Cornwallis was ordered to Flatbush, where he had some skirmishing with the Ameri- can outposts.
" On Friday, 23d, a party of British took possession of Flatbush, which brought on a hot fire from our troops who are advantageously posted in woods and on every eminence. An advanced party are en- camped a little to the N. W. of Flatbush Church, and have a battery somewhat west of Jer'h Vanderbilt's, whence they fire briskly on our people, who often approach and discharge rifles within 200 yds. of their works. One of our gunners threw a shell into Mr. Axtell's house where a number of officers were at dinner, but we have not heard what damage it did."
Aug. 23. This afternoon the enemy formed and attempted to pass the wood by Bedford, [Flatbush ?] and a smart fire between them and the riflemen ensued. A number of musquetry came up to the assistance of the riflemen, whose fire with that of the field pieces caused a retreat of the enemy. Our men followed to the house of Judge Lefferts, (where a number of them had taken lodgings), drove them out, and burned the house and contiguous buildings. We have driven them half a mile from their former station. - Sullivan.
Aug. 24. Washington disapproves of a scattering, unmeaning, and wasteful fire from our people at the enemy.
Washington's Instructions to Putnam, Aug. 25.
The wood next Red Hook should be well attended to. Put some of the most disorderly riflemen into it. The militia are the most indifferent troops and will do for the interior works, whilst your best men should, at all hazards, prevent the enemy's passing the wood and approaching the works. The woods should be secured by abatis ; traps and ambuscades should be laid for their parties sent after cattle.
Aug. 26. Considerable reinforcements are sent over to L. I. There was a little skirmishing and irregular firing between the British and American advanced guards, in which Col. Martin of the New Jer- sey Levies received a wound in his breast, and a private had his leg broke by a cannon ball, and another received a musket ball in his groin. [Hermanus Rutgers was struck in the breast by a 6 1b. shot at the Flat- bush Pass and fell forward dead. Many curious particulars may be found in Strong's Flatbush .- Ed.]
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REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
797.
A Proclamation.
By his EXCELLENCY, the HON. WM. HOWE, General and Com- mander-in-Chief of all His Majesty's forces within the Colonies lying on the Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to West Florida, inclusive, q.c., g.c., s.c.
Whereas, it is represented that many of the loyal inhabitants of this Island have been compelled by the leaders in rebellion, to take up arms against His Majesty's Government, Notice is hereby given to all persons so forced into rebellion, that on delivering themselves up at said quarters of the Army, they will be received as faithful subjects, have permits peaceably to return to their respective dwel- lings, and meet with full protection for their persons and property. All those who choose to take up arms for the restoration of order and good government within this Island, shall be disposed of in the best manner, and have every encouragement that can be expected.
Given under my hand at Head Quarters on Long Island, Aug.
WM. HOWE. 23, 1776.
By his Excellency's command. ROB'T MAKENSIE, Sec.
798. Examination of Col. Covenhoven, at Harlem, Aug. 28, suspected of giving intelligence to the enemy, and arrested by order of the Convention. Jour. 598.
" Left L. I. Sunday morning, Aug. 25-came last from Wilhelmus Stoothoof's Island. The day the enemy landed, as he was returning from the lines, he was taken by them, and treated roughly, took his sword and cockade and carried him to Head-quarters, was politely re- ceived by Gen. Howe, who asked him if he would stay at home, and send his produce, which he 'promised to do. They sent for him a 2d time same day, ordered him to get fowls, &c. Under pretence of which, he went off, got a horse and went to Gen. Washington and asked him what part he should take, who directed him to go back and collect in- formation, which he did, and sent it to Washington, and got back with- out being missed. They never questioned him further. He afterwards met some Hessians, who took him to get cows, and agreed among them- selves, in Hessian language, to put him to death, after he had shown them the cows, as they were forbid to kill cattle. He showed them a cow and left them. Most of the stock had been driven off before. He then went to Flatlands, where he saw many Regulars and Gov. Tryon. Gens. Howe, Clinton and Pigot, were on the Island, and were joined by
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