USA > New York > Queens County > Newtown > The annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with many interesting facts concerning the adjacent towns; > Part 19
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Continuing his march to Hallett's Cove, and finding no enemy, Robertson took up his quarters at William Lawrence's (late Whitfield's, and now S. A. Halsey's) for two weeks, and encamped his army of 10,000 men, in tents, on the hill and in Hallett's lot. The loyalists furnished wagons to transport the baggage and cannon towards Newtown or Hellgate, and other teams were impressed by the British, who kept pouring into the town, till, with the exception of two brigades of Hessians, left on the heights of Brooklyn, under Gen. De Heister, and one brigade of British, at Bedford, nearly the whole English army were in the town. In the neighborhood of the village, Lord Percy, who had commanded part of the right wing of the royal army in the late battle at Brooklyn, was encamped ; also, Gen. Grant, with the 4th brigade. Gen. Sir William Howe, Knight Baronet, commander-in-chief of the king's forces, had his quarters in the village, at the "Big House " of Samuel Renne, now Bretonniere's. Here, on Sept. 3d, he wrote a letter to Lord Germain, in England, giving him a par- ticular account of the battle of Long Island, with returns of the killed and wounded of the royal army, and the prisoners and ordnance captured from the Americans. Howe had im- mediate command of the 23d regiment, or Royal Welsh Fusi- leers. The hill in the rear of his quarters was covered with his tents, and vestiges of an encampment yet remain.
But another considerable portion of the army, consisting of the entire first division, took up its position in the vicinity of the Newtown Creek. It embraced the light infantry, un- der Brig. Gen. Leslie, the British reserve, under Lt. Gen. Earl Cornwallis and Gen. Vaughan,1 and the Hessian grenadiers, and chasseurs, under Col. Donop; the whole commanded by Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. whose quarters were at the house of Nathaniel Moore, (now S. B. Townsend's) on the road
1 The light infantry consisted of four battalions, under Majors Musgrave, Straubenzee, Maitland, and Johnstone. The British reserve ineluded all the grenadiers of the army, (i. e. four battalions under Colonels Moneton, Mea- dows, Major March, and Major Stewart,) together with the 33d regiment, Cornwallis's, and the distinguished 42d, or Royal Highland regiment, Lt. Col. Sterling, whom I shall have occasion especially to notice hereafter. Major March encamped his battalion on the farm of John Morrell, now owned by his grandson of the same name.
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
from Middletown to the Poor Bowery. Clinton's regiment was the 84th, or Royal Highland Emigrants.
The East river now only separated between these hos- tile legions of Britain and the army of Washington. Two such combatants were not calculated to remain inactive in such close juxtaposition, longer than was required to recover from the confusion of the recent battle. Indeed no sooner had Gen. Robertson made an encampment at Hellgate, and his can- non arrived, than a battery was erected on a point of land at Hallett's Cove, which opened on Sunday, Sept. 1st. at Horn's Hook, on New-York Island, and being returned in a spirited manner, an incessant firing was kept up on both sides the whole day, during which the enemy threw above a hundred shells, killing one of our men and wounding several. Some of the American shot fell on the land of William Lawrence, but it is not known what damage the British sustained. This cannonading continued for several days, by which the enemy was so emboldened that on Tuesday they crossed in considera- ble numbers to Blackwell's Island, but the shot from our bat- teries proving too warm for them, they soon recrossed the river.
In the meantime, squads of soldiers penetrated every bye- road and visited each farm-house in search of plunder, and to secure the persons of the leading whigs. A band of these marauders from the encampment of Gen. Robertson, dressed in uniform, but unarmed, entered the door-yard of Jacobus Riker, (since Charles Rapelye's) for whom they inquired, but he was not at home. One of them then eried out that Lient. Riker was a d-d rebel, mistaking this for the residence of Lt. Samuel Riker, who, as an active committeeman, had in- curred the hatred of the tories. Then they procceded to kill the fowls, and toss them into a riding-chair that stood under a shed in the door-yard, and completing the load with a valua- ble fish-seine, milk-pans, &c. they drew the whole off to the camp. While the soldiers were thus employed, an English surgeon was pacing back and forth in the room, who said to Mrs. R. " You see, I take nothing, madam." But after he was gone, they missed the silver buckles from a pair of high-heeled shoes that hung upon the cupboard. By and by, a party re- turned, and proceeded down into the eellar, where Mr. Riker, who was now at home, quickly followed them, and seized one
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
by the collar, saying, "Out of this, you have no right here," at the same time warmly remonstrating with the sergeant, who was sitting leisurely on the cellar-door without. After a parley, the latter called the men out, and they left. Mr. R. then repaired to the camp, and was fortunate enough to re- cover his chaise and some other articles, but not the poultry.
Thomas Cumberson was employed at his wood-pile, when a party of soldiers was observed approaching the house. His wife entreated him to come in to avoid difficulty. He, how- ever, preferred to continue his work, hoping that his sang froid would save him. But not so, they seized him, with two of his horses, and stript the premises of every eatable, leaving his family destitute of bread. He was carried a little beyond Middletown, and put under guard in a hen-coop. From thence he was taken to Flatbush, but was released by order of Sir Henry Clinton, through the entreaties of Mrs. Cumberson, who in person applied to the general, at his quarters, at N. Moore's. Of course Mr. C. saw no more of his horses. Richard Law- rence, who had been captain of the troop, was seized and incarcerated in the Provost jail, at New-York, where he was kept for a long time, contracting an illness which caused his death. William Sackett was arrested and taken to the "cor- ner house " in Newtown, but contriving to make the guard drunk, he slipt away, and was not again called upon. Benja- min Cornish was suspected of being a whig, (as in truth he was,) and this was accounted sufficient reason for robbing him of his cattle and stock.
The Newtown militia had nearly all returned to the town. After the retreat to New-York from the battle of Long Island, Col. Smith's regiment was ordered to Horn's Hook, opposite Hallett's Cove, to await further orders, and Col. Remsen was authorized to grant furloughs to his men to visit or remove their families from Long Island-none to carry arms with them. But owing to their impatience to get home and shield their families from abuse, their term of enlistment had no sooner expired (Aug. 31st,) than these regiments disbanded themselves, and nearly all crossed to Long Island, reaching their homes in time to save their property from confiscation. Personal safety compelled the officers to act otherwise, and thus their families remained exposed to the insolence of the
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
enemy, or effected their escape as best they could, and rejoined their husbands and fathers within the American lines. Capt. William Lawrence, of the north beat militia, was an excep- tion. He was ill at his own house when the enemy took pos- session of the town. The loyalists insisted he was playing sick, and had him examined by a Hessian surgeon, who pro- nounced it no sham, exclaiming in reference to the false charge, "How much people lie in dis country." Capt. Coe, in distressed circumstances, followed the convention to Fish- kill, whence he proceeded to Warwick, in Orange county, and there resided with his family during the war. Daniel Law- rence, captain of the light horse, was also in exile seven years, and lived at Milford, Major Remsen fled to Rockland county, Col. Remsen and Dr. Riker to New Jersey, and Major Jona- than Lawrence to Dutchess county. Col Blackwell had fled to New Jersey, and at the venerable stone house, in Ravenswood, then his residence, and now belonging to the Heyer estate, may still be seen the mark of the broad arrow branded upon the front door by the British, to denote that it was the property of a rebel, and as such, confiscated to the crown. Col. Blackwell returned under Howe's proclamation, but he suffered much indignity. Many other whigs, more or less noted, exchanged the comfort and all the endcared attach- ments of home, for penury and a tedious exile.
The British forces now prepared to remove from Newtown, Gen. Howe intending to make a demonstration against New- York. On the 15th of Sept. in the morning, three ships of war passed up the North river, to draw the attention of the Ame- ricans to that side, while the British first division under Clin- ton, embarked in flatboats, at the head of Newtown creek, and landed about noon at Kip's Bay, protected by the fire of two forty gun ships and three frigates. The same day, the Ameri- can army retreated to Harlem, and the enemy were in posses- sion of the city of New-York, to hold it for seven years. Soon after this movement, and in part execution of the plan to cut off the retreat of the American army, Gen. Robertson's forces took up their march from Hellgate, passed around the Head of the Fly, to Flushing, and thence to Whitestone, preparatory to crossing to Westchester. His position at Hellgate was taken up by the Hessians, under Gen. De Heister. He and Gen.
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
Clark were quartered at the house of William Lawrence. These Hessians made use of Jacobus Riker's oven, (in whose house one of their number, Ensign De Sacken, aid-de-camp to Maj. Gen. De Bischausen, was billeted,) and there baked great quan- tities of bread for their men, being sometimes thus employed several days and nights in succession.
The Hessians remained three weeks, when the hostile troops were again put in motion. On the 12th of October the guards, light infantry, and reserve, together with Col. Donop's corps of Hessian grenadiers and chasseurs, embarking in boats at Tur- tle Bay, on New-York Island, passed up the East river, and pressing through the dangerous navigation of Hellgate, enve- loped in a thick fog, landed on Throg's Neck at about nine o'clock in the morning. The same day the Hessians, under Gen. De Heister, embarked at Hellgate in flatboats and other craft, and proceeded to the same place, while the 1st, 2d, and 6th brigades crossed from Whitestone and joined the gathering forces. On the 28th of the same month occurred the battle of White Plains. Generals Clinton and Heister led on the royal forces, and met with a brave resistance from the Ameri- cans, under Gen. Washington. Several hundred fell of both parties, but neither could claim any decided advantage. But we must leave the hostile armies in their sanguinary career, and confine our attention to events more particularly connected with the territorial limits assigned us.
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CHAPTER XI.
Queen's county petitions for a restoration to royal favor .- Granted .- It affords no great protection .- Presbyterian church desecrated and finally demolished .- A deserter executed .- The Dutch church spared for a time .- Dominie Froeligh, being a Whig, is forced to flee .- The Episcopal church respected .- Friends dis- turbed while in silent meeting .- Camp fever prevails .- The militia reorganized. -Officers' names .- James Marr ; how he filled his pockets .- Officers of the Troop .- Their excursions .- Delancey's Brigade .- Refugee's occupy the farmns of exiled Whigs .- Villany of the new-raised corps .- They rob William Furman: -Incident of Bergoon Van Alst .- Joseph Hallett's house robbed .- Vessels winter in Newtown Creek .- Notices of the Maryland Loyalists, and the Royal Highlanders .- Address to the latter on their leaving the town .- The reply .- They winter in Newtown afterwards .- Trouble Samuel Waldron .- One of them shot by Cor. Rapelye .- Precautions of the farmers .- Refugees steal cattle in Westchester .- Hessians .- Incidents of the hard winter .- Col. Willard .- Loss of the Huzza frigate .- British forces in Newtown .- Visits from Whaleboatmen. -Highlanders and other troops in the town .- Notice of several Refugees of cha- racter .- Tho. Cumberson mortally wounds a robber .- Tho. Woodward kills a soldier .- A highway robbery .- Daring robbery at Dominie's Hook .- Petty thefts .- Martial law in force .- Severe trials of the farmers .- Their troubles end .- Joy of the Whigs at the prospect of Independence .- Alarm of the Loyal- ists .- Many of them retire to Nova Scotia .- Newtown evacuated by the Bri- tish troops .- Public rejoicing .- Town officers regularly chosen during the war .- The first election after the Peace .- Physical and moral effects of the Revo- lution.
1776 to 1783.
Newtown with its environs was now in the power of an inhuman foreign soldiery, its leading whig inhabitants were in prison or exile, and their property seized by the enemy, to be ravaged at their will. Under these adverse circumstances the remainder were constrained to join with the loyalists in a petition, now being circulated, that Queen's county might be restored to royal favor. Prudence indeed suggested that steps should be taken to conciliate the inflamed feelings of the royal troops, when they should return to winter quarters on the Island. Their brief stay had been marked with pillage and devastation ; 1 what would a winter residence effect, if nothing
1 I cannot, perhaps, better illustrate this than by inserting the following, found among the Alsop papers. This, be it remembered, is but a single case :-
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
were done to secure their friendship ? Nearly thirteen hundred freeholders and inhabitants of the county signed the said pe- tition, setting forth their loyal disposition, and praying that
Losses and Damage Richard Alsop, Esq. sustained by his Majesty's Sea and Land Forces, between ye 1st. and 24th of Sept. A. D. 1776, rizt.
£. s. d.
8 Grown Cattle, worth £6 pr. ps. 48 0 0
7 of a smaller size, at £4 10s. pr. ps. 31 10 0
6 Calves, at £1 10s. pr. ps. 9 0 0
4 Horses, 2 at £15, and 2 at £12 pr. ps. 54 0 0
20 00
7 Shotes, at 16s. pr. ps. and 6 Pigs, at 6s. pr. ps. 7 80
3 00
Poultry, . 15
0 0
1000 Rails, at 30s. pr. hundred, 4 10 0
180 Posts, at 50s. pr. hundred, Damage to a Riding Chair and 2 Wagons, . 7 0 0
10 bushels of Wheat, at 8s. pr. bushel, 4 00
7 10 0
12 loads of Straw, at 10s. pr. load, 6 00
6 tons of Clover and Timothy Hay, at £6 pr. ton, . 36
0 0
20 bushels of Indian Corn, at 5s. pr. bushel, 5 00
20 bushels of Onions, at 5s. pr. bushel, 5 00 .
40 bushels of Potatoes, at 4s. pr. bushel, 8 00
Boards and Garden Fence, . .
00
Fruit of sundry kinds, 25
0 0
6 Iron Pots, £3, and 1 Frying Pan, 9s. . 3
9 0
12 Pewter Plates, 24s. and 1 Dripping Pan, 20s. . 2 4 0
2 Large Knot Bowls, 30s. 4 Pails, iron hoop'd, 24s. 2 14 0
2 Wash Tubs, 12s. 1 Lye Tub, 16s. 1 Table, 20s. 2 80
0 16 6
1 pr. Stockings, 8s. 1 Woman's Cap, 12s. . 0 13 0
1 Handkerchief, 13s.
4 Silver Tea-spoons, 20s. 1 Silver Table-spoon, 16s. . 1 4 0
1 16 0
1 Hive of Bees, 20s. 1 Smoothing Iron, 4s.
1 Wheat Sieve, 14s. 5 Bags, 15s. .
1 90
1 Calico Gown, 30s. 1 Apron, 10s. 1 Blanket, 8s.
2 8 0
1 pr. Leather Breeches, 20s. 1 Great Coat, 16s. . 1 16 0
1 Petticoat, 20s. Sundry Children's Clothes, 20s. . 2 00
1 Large China Bowl, 10s. 3 Wood Axes, 20s. 1 10 0 Cabbages, 30s. Turnips, 40s. 3 10 0
£326 15 6
This list is valuable, as exhibiting the prices of produce and other articles at the opening of the war. It is computed in New-York provincial currency, a shilling, being as now, the eighth of a dollar, and a pound, two dollars and a half .- Compiler.
8 Large Hogs, at £2 10s. pr. ps.
30 ditto of Rye, at 5s. pr. bushel,
10 Bowls, Queen's ware, 7s. 6d. 6 Drinking Glasses, 9s. . 1 00
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
the county might be declared at the king's peace. It bore date Oct. 21st, and was presented to the commissioners for restoring peace to his Majesty's colonies, from whom it met with a very gracious reception.
But the proffered protection much resembled that of the wolf to the lamb. All the ancient prejudices and inveterate hatred toward the Presbyterians were revived. Their uniform adhesion to the cause of liberty drew down upon them, as a religious sect, the particular virulence of the British and to- ries. The leading men of the Presbyterian congregation in Newtown had fled within the American lines, and public wor- ship was suspended in their sanctuary. Embracing the occa- sion to vent their hatred, a few young tories, shortly after the British got possession, went one night with a saw, and a rope taken from the well of Alexander Whaley, and actually sawed off the steeple of the church.1 The edifice was then devoted to the purpose of a prison and guard-house, the pews being removed, and while thus used, an English soldier was con- fined there for desertion, and afterwards hung upon a pear- tree in a neighboring orchard, now owned by John Leverich. At length the building was demolished, and the siding, &c. used for making huts for the soldiers on Renne's place. A pillar on which the pulpit had stood was converted into a horse-post at the town-house. Thus despoiled of their sanc- tuary, many of the Presbyterians, during the war, attended the Rev. Mr. Burnet's church, at Jamaica.
The Dutch congregation were more favorably treated by the British and Hessian troops, and it was owing probably to
1 Dr. W ****** M **** , J **** M **** , O ***** W ***** , and D **** V ** W ***** , were the leaders in this transaction. Some years after the peace, a tall steeple in New-York required to be cut off and lowered. So critical an operation naturally elicited remark, and happened to become the subject of conversation, one evening, in a circle where the doctor was present. One of the company, Capt. Rutgers, venturing a joke at the expense of his medical friend, observed that he knew a person that could do the job in question. " Who is it?" asked another. "Why, Dr. M." was the reply. "But he is not a carpenter," returned the other. "No matter for that," said Capt. Rut- gers, " only give him a hand-saw and a well-rope, and he'll have it off while you are asleep." The joke was too keen to be relished by the doctor, whose face colored at the allusion, and he simply remarked of the act referred to, that some persons imputed it to him.
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
the influence of certain Dutch families, who were loyalists, that their church escaped for a time their polluting hands. Service, however, was not very regularly performed. Domi- nie Froeligh, the pastor, had been an ardent whig, and in his public ministrations often prayed the Almighty to strike the fleets of our invaders with his bolts and sink their soldiers in the seas, so that they might never set hostile foot on our shores.1 On the approach of the British, he fled from his resi- dence in Jamaica to Newtown, and lay concealed one night in the house of Mr. Rapelje, at Hellgate, who set him across to the Main. During the earlier part of the war, Do. Boelen officiated in Newtown, and after him, Dominies Schoonmaker and Rubell occasionally preached, in making the tour of the county, and performed the ordinances of baptism and mar- riage as required. But at a later period in the war the British forgot their former lenity to the Dutch. Being in want of a powder magazine, they took possession of their church, and stored there a large quantity of gunpowder in barrels. While it was thus used, the family of the widow Wainwright, who kept the town-house, opposite, was in constant fear, and espe- cially when a thunder-storm occurred, lest the lightning should set the church on fire, and cause an explosion.
The Episcopal church was seriously affected by the com- motions which immediately preceded the entrance of the ene- my. After the visit of Col. Heard, Mr. Bloomer administering the sacrament at Newtown, "had but four or five male com- municants, the rest having been driven off, or carried away prisoners." Independence being declared, Mr. B. was enjoined to omit the customary prayers for the king and royal family. Knowing the consequence of a refusal to do this, and in pros- pect of relief from the king's troops, who were at Staten Is- land, he closed his churches for five Sabbaths, when the expected relief came. Thence Mr. Bloomer officiated regu- larly, and the congregation was sustained by the attendance of British officers and prominent loyalists.
The quiet demeanor and peaceful principles of the Quaker
1 It is a noteworthy faet, that a British fleet of 43 sail, five days out from Cork, and bound for Boston, with 2500 troops, met with a terrible storm, Feb. 18th, 1776, which dispersed the vessels, and forced them to seek the nearest ports. This delay was altogether favorable to the Americans.
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
could not shield him from insult. On one occasion, when the Friends were in meeting at Maspeth, the British soldiers amused themselves with firing several shots through the house, one of which came near killing Mrs. Sarah Betts. She had just taken her seat, when a ball whistled over her head and pierced the weatherboard on the opposite side of the house. The bullet-holes were long to be seen. Such were some of the indignities to which the good people of Newtown were subjected. Added to the wide-spread confusion and dis- tress which the enemy introduced, the camp fever broke out among the troops the first winter, and being communicated to the inhabitants, numbers of them died.
Now that the British had possession of Long Island, it be- came necessary to guard against predatory incursions of the Americans, to which the Island would be peculiarly exposed in the summer season, when the English troops were absent upon service. The defence of the Island must necessarily depend in a good degree upon the militia, and they were therefore organized and placed under suitable regulations. In Newtown the following new officers were chosen. In the north beat, George Rapelye, (son of John,) captain; Daniel Rapelye, (son of Abraham,) lieutenant; and Jeromus Rapelye, (son of Jeromus,) ensign. The south beat company was com- manded by Capt. Dow Van Duyn, of Hempstead Swamp, one of whose subalterns was James Marr, before noticed, who after- wards succeeded Van Duyn in the command. Marr was a hot- brained loyalist, beyond which he had little to recommend him even to the British. At a later period of the war, the militia of Long Island were called out to aid in constructing fortifications at Brooklyn, and Marr commanded a detachment from Newtown. But not a few of the militia commuted with him for their time, and for a clever fee were permitted to stay at home, by which means the crafty Scotchman considerably increased the size of his purse.
The commissioned officers of the Newtown light horse, under the British, were Cornelius Rapelye, (son of Daniel,) cap- tain ; Daniel Rapelye, (son of John,) lieutenant; Daniel Lent, cornet ; and Cornelius Rapelye, (son of Jeromus,) quarter-mas- ter. The troop made occasional tours down the Island, dur- ing the war, to protect the inhabitants against the attacks
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
of the whaleboatmen and others. One of these was in De- cember, 1777, when news having been received that 200 Americans from Connecticut had landed at Setauket, on a hostile visit, a considerable force was despatched to give them battle. Col. Hamilton, who commanded the militia of Queen's, proceeded thither from Newtown, at the head of the troop of horse, but the enemy had departed. These excursions proved a mere pastime with the young troopers, and the only victories of which they are known to have boasted were those achieved over the feathered gentry of the farmers' barn-yards. The officers of militia above named, (foot and horse,) were not in the end benefitted by their commissions, for having thereby become active partizans of royalty, they nearly all found it prudent to leave the country at the peace, though the most of them returned again.
Not only was the militia of Long Island organized for its defence, but measures were taken immediately after the Island was captured by the British, to raise a brigade of provincials from among the numerous loyalists who had left their homes in New-York and New England, and taken refuge here, from the apprehended vengeance of the whigs. This brigade was commanded by Gen. Oliver Delancey, and its special duty was to defend the Island, apprehend or drive off all concealed rebels, and reestablish order and government. Fitting instru- ments, truly ! for they had the name of being preeminently lawless and notorious thieves. In the winter of 1777-8, they were stationed at Newtown, or the Head of the Fly, and then numbered over 600 men, in three battalions. Several of their officers were Newtown men, and at a certain time, the corps occupied the huts back of Bretonniere's. These huts were also used as a hospital for invalid soldiers.
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