USA > New York > Westchester County > Westchester County, New York, during the American Revolution > Part 39
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John lefertse appeared in the Congress, nominally from Kings-coun- ty ; but he did not pretend to offer a Credential, nar any other, even the Sichten, evidence that he had been appointed, by any one, to appear as w mprewatitive from Kings-county or in any other capacity, in the Previewvial Congress or elsewhere.
Par chowes was said to have represented " Goshen Precinct in Orange- "essay : " but the Credentials which were filed from Orange county de- clari that tro Delegates should be required to represent that County ; and that only when one such Delegate should appear in the Congress free "the North side of the Mountains " [the Highl.mis] and one from !' " Sa'h sale " of those Highlands- Orange county, at that time, in- sluiting what, raw, is Rockland-county - should that Delegation be svagaste and authorized to represent the County. As there was only , istand the, belegdes; and because these Towns which were N'en the Highlands were entirely without a representative, there was no Megation from Orange-county, in the Congress.
Thedas Partner and Moses Cantine were the only Delegates, out of the xv." oh, had been elected, and who were present, to represent Ulster- Watty : Ist those who had elected them and giver to them all the au- Essay which it was said they possessed, had declared that three of those seVea Sand be required to constitute a duly authorized Delegation Inca that County. The two, therefore, left ULster-county without a vatten delegation.
." the Provincial Congress, " Wednesday morning, December ifthe Provincial Congres, "Die Veneris, 9 ho., A. M., Decemu- a mi " the Provincial Congress, " Die Lane, A. M., February 12th, maria of the Provinced Congress, "Die Saltati, 9 ho., A.M., March
'as well to the Unitedl Colonies, in general, as to this "Colony, in particular, rendering it necessary for a "sperdy meeting of the Provincial Congress of this "Colony, the Committee of Safety, therefore, or- "dered Cirenlar Letters to be sent to all the mem- "bers, requesting their attendance, in Provincial "Congress, at New York, on the first day of this inst. " May. On that day, and every day, since, many "members attemled, but not a sufficient number to "make a Congress," nutil this afternoon " [May 6, 1776,] : when a quorum was found to be present, and the business was resumed and continued until the afternoon of the thirteenth of that month, when the Congress was dissolved."
During that short period of about six months, the progress of events, in America, was peculiarly re- markable. * * *
* *
The entire Colony, as far as Commerce, Trade, and the Mechanic Arts were concerned, was plunged into the greatest distress:" the seamen were idle, in the Ports, because there was an interdiction of Commerce with foreign Ports; and commercial Non-ieter- course prevailed : " the Mechanics and Work- ing-men in the Cities-some of wliom had been the ever-ready and noisy tools of the dema- gogues of faction, in the carlier days of the dis- turbances -- were suffering. unemployed : " to add to 6 That old story of the dilatoriness of the country members, even in the face of the most pressing necessities and of the most urgent calls, cer- tainly confirm the reports that the great body of the Colonists, especially that of the country-people. was Inkewarm and indiferent, if they were not ja sitively nufriendly, to the Rebellion. If the leaders among the disaffected, and surely no others were sent to the Provincial Congress, were as tardy, in their attendance, even when the most urgent appeals for their attendance were sent, as these were, in the preceding December and in May, 1776, how much more indifferent must those have been, who had other and legitimate demands on their time and attention, and by whom an office was neither looked for nor desired.
i Journal of the Provincial Congress, " Die Mercurii, 4 ho., P.M., May "ath, 1776."
8 Journal of the Provincial Congress, " Die Lunx. 3 ho., P.M., May 13, #1776."
There is no record of a forint adjouroment ; and is looks very much as if the end of this Congress was like its beginning, without a quorum. ? The Committee of Safety to General Sloughr, " IN COMMITTEE OF "SAFETY, NEW YORK, 17th Jany., 1776," and Graend! & huyler's reply, "ALBANY, January 25, 1776 ;" Journal of the Cow site of Solety, "+ Lo., ". I .. MI., Feb. 10, 1576 ;" etc. 10 The action of the Continental Congress of 1754. c. werning the Com- merce of the Colonies, may be seen in the als Ska which it " recola- " mended."
" We live leave to brint, that in the present Selection of Trade, the "seansen of this Port ought to be employed upon als article of service" [hattrans-men, for the Northern .Irmy. ] "as well as that of building "batteaux," (Comunithe of Safety to General SIGHT. " IN COMMITTEE OF " SAFETY, NEW - YORK, 17th Jany., 1776.")
1 . We would beg have to mention it as necessary to etupley as many "of the Carpenters of this City, as possible " s " construction of buttrans, for the Northern _loop! " to prevent the 2 and their families " froin starving by means of the stagnation of LAzes which is more "severely felt in this City than in any other fest of the Province," (The Committee of Safety to General Mir. " IN COMMITTEE OF "SAFETY, NEW-YORK, 17th Jany., 1776."1
". I con easily conceive that it is very diffindt. s: N.w. York, for arti- " fvers to procure a sulvistoure for their name like difficulty " prevails here," (General & higher to the Command & Safety, " ALDANS "January 25, 15hi.")
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
their troubles, the troops from Connectieut, who had been unnecessarily brought to the City of New York -" the movement seemed to have for in culto source "rather than to defend New York I" -- who were unem- ployed, endeavored to make additions to their military pay, by underbidding the local mechanics, for work to be done, in that City :" and the Provincial Con- gress was compelled to seek employment, for both classes, elsewhere ; 3 to establish manufactories for the employment of them ; 4 and to supply provisions and firewood, to prevent their families from starving or perishing from the- eold.5 As many as could do so, said to be one-half of the population, abandoned the City of New York, with their families, to find safety and employment and charity, elsewhere ; " and many, driven by necessity ? and the neglect of the Govern- ment to protect them,s as well as for the promised pay
See, also, the Memorial of the Fratry of the City of New York to the Pro- rinciul Cougress, " May 30, 1776 ;" etc.
. I Bancroft's History of the United States, original edition, vill., 278 ; the sinne, centenary edition, v., 185.
2 " The Regiment here, from Connecticut, can turn out many Carpen- "ters, who consent to work upon tanch more reasonable terms than the "artificers of this City. It would. I imagine, lie worth while to pro- "vide, if possible, a sufficient number of tools : when the present work "is done, these tools cannot be considered an idle purchase : they will " always be useful," (General Charles Lee to the Provincial Congress, " NEw-Yong, February 22, 1776.")
Already provided with quarters, rations, and pay, as soldiers, and without tools, these men could well afford to underbid the local Mechanics, whose honserents, food, and other expences, including their expensive tools, must be provided for. by themselves. But how dreary the times must have been, even in Connecticut, when her Artisans, were compelled to go into the Army, in order to gain their needed shelter and their daily bread.
3 The Committee of Safety to General Schuyler, " IN COMMITTEE, NEW- "YORK, lith Jan'y., 17;6."
+ Journal of the Committee of Safety, "Die Mercurii, 10 ho., A.M., "Jany. 24, 1776 ;" the sante, " Die Sabbati, 3 ho., P.M., Feby. 3, 1776;" the sume, " Die Veneris, 10 ho,, A. M., Feb. 9, 1776 ;" Journal of the Pro- vincinl Congress, " Die Veneris, 4 ho., P. M., March 8, 1776."
5 Journal of the Committee of Safety, " Die Sabbati, 3 ho., I'. M., Feby. 3, "1776 ;" the same, "Die Veneris, 10 ho., A. M., Feb. 9. 1776 ;"' Journal of the Provincial Congress, " Die Vetteris, 4 ho., P. M., March 8, 1776."
Monies were also "advanced to the distressed wives and friends of sun- " dry soldiers, now in Canada, in the service of the united Colonies, " (Jour- nid of the Provincial Congress, " Die Veneris, 4 ho., P.M., March 8, 1776.") 6 +. The Inhabitants of this City are much alarmed at various confident "artvises of your destination, with a considerable body of forces, for "active service, here. * * * We should not have troubled you with "this application, had it not been to procure such information from you "is niny enable ns. in a prudent use of it, to allay the fears of our in- "habitants, who, at this inclement season of the year, will continue, as " they have already begun, to remove their women and children, and "which, if continued, may occasion hundreds to perish, for want of " shelter," (The Committee of Safety to General Charles Ler, " IN CoMINI- "TRE OF SAFETY, NEW- YORK, 21st Jany, 1776.")
"This City is in Terror aud confusion : One half of its inhabitants " have withdrawu with their effects, hundreds without the means to "support their families," (Governor Tigon to the Hurt of Dartmouth, "Smr DUTCHESS OF GORDON OFY NEW YORK Sth Feb: 1776.")
See, also, the Order of the Provincial Congress to the male Refugees to return to the City-Journal of the Provincial Congress. " Die Veneris, 19 " ho., A. M., May 10, 1776 ;" Memorial of the Vestry of the City to the Provincial Congress, May 30, 1776 ; etc.
: William Smith, Chairman, to the Committee of Safety, " SUFFOLK- "CANTY, Jany 21, 1756 ;"'
Governor Trying to the Earl of Inachmonth, No. 22, "ON BOARD THE " SiIr DETONESS OF GORDON NEW YORK HARBOUR, 6th Deer. 1575 ;" the 3.De, No. 25, "ON BOARD THE SHIP DUTCHESS OF GORDON NEW YORK " HARBoris, 3d Junry 1776 ;" etc. 14
in what was circulated as money,' were led to enlist in the short-terma levies which then constituted the Continental Army, carrying into that service no greater sympathy for the Rebellion than they had previously possessed, and discharging the duties which were thus imposed ou them, with perfect unconcern and with no greater animus than was produced by the expectation of receiving the stipu- lated payment for the services which were promised. Indeed, the extent and character of the sympathy with the Rebellion, as a matter of principle, which prevailed among the Colonists, generally, may be Scen, very clearly defined, in their hesitation to take the field in support of it, even where no enemy was and where none was expected,"and in their precision of movements, homeward, when the terms of service of those who had been induced to enlist had expired. There appears to have been a foundation in fact for what Governor Tryon wrote to the Home Govern- ment. that "was it not from the awe of the inhabit- "ants of the neighboring Colonies and the controul- "ing influence of the Continental Congress I am per- "suaded there would be an immediate End, in this " province, to all Committees and Congresses." "
As the period of time which is now under review [ Vorember 4, 1775, until May 14, 1776,] included the later Autumn, the Winter, and the Spring, the farm- ers of Westchester-county, as far as they were per- mitted to do so, undoubtedly pursued their usual vo- cations, with their usual diligence and quietness -- they certainly harvested their various agricultural productions, and marketed the surplus of their crops,"2
9 " With many, the principal inducement to enlist arises from the "hopes of Cash."-Abraham Yates, Junior, Chairman, to the Committee of Suity, " ALBANY CONDUTTER CHAMBER, 11th April, 1776."
1º In Orange-county, "none but the lowerclass of mankind will eulist ; "and these were conceived uot to be the men to be depewled on," (Elihat Martin, Chairman, to the Provincial Congress, " Is COUNTY COM- " MITTEE, OXFORD, Feb. 15, 1776.") Ia Duchess-county, enlistments conla be made only on the stipulation that the men thus enlisted should not be required to do service outside of the Colony of New York. CZphe- ninh Plat, Chairman, to the Provincial Chigres, " POUGHKEEPSIE, Feb. V. " 1776.") In Albany-contity, the recruiting-officers " found great diffi- "culties for want of money," (The Albury Committee to the Committee of Safety, "ALBANY, 2 April, 1776.") The enlistments were so low in uuni- ber. in Queens-county, that the recruiting officers abandoned the under- taking. (Joursed of the Commitre of Safety, ". Die Mercurii, 10 ho., "A.M., May 8, 1776.") In the City of New York, the success was so stuall that the recruiting-officers were dismissed. "with great re- " luctance," and their several recruits consolidated. (Lowend of the Provincia! Congress, " Die Jovis, 9 ho., A. M., May 9, 1776.")
Il Governar Tryon to the Earl of Dartmouth, No. 22. " ON BOARD THE "SHIP DUTCHESS OF GORDON NEW YORK HARBOUR, Gth Decr., 1576." 12 Journal of the Provincia Congress, " Die Jovis, 3 ho., P.M., December "It, 1775 ;" the state, " Die Veneris, 10 ho., A.M., Deer, 15, 1775:" the same. " Die Mercurii, 10 ho., A.M., Feb. 21, 1576; " No nome. " Die " Lume, 3 he., P.M., March 1, 1776;" the same, " Die Merenrii, Io ho., "A.M., March 13, 1776;" Journal of the Committee of Safety, "I ho., "P.M., Feb. 10, 1776 ;" the same, " Die Luna, 10 ho., A. J.," and " 4 "ho., 1'. M.,"" " March 15, 1576 ;"" the same, " Die Mercurii, & ho., P. M., "April 15, 1776; " etc.
The great quantities of Wheat, Flour, fresh and salted Beef and Pork, Mums, smoked Beef, T.dlow, Lard, Poultry, atel other promets if the forms in Westchester-vomity, which. notwithstanding the disturbances which the farmers sustained, were marketed, exclusively of the supplies sent on the minititude of Market-stoops to the City of New York, during
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY
sometimes in the neighboring City ; sometimes for the uses of distant communities, who sent there, for sup- ? plies; sometimes for the uses of the Armies, in the ! times by Connecticut-men ealled in by the County field; and, whenever an opportunity was afforded, to Committee 6 or by the brutal General Charles Lee,7 and sometimes by orders from the Provincial Con- gress or its Committee of Safety ; 8 levies were made on her Militia, for the construction of the defen- to prevent "sundry persons from Connectient" from ! sive works in the City of New York; 9 and two Companies of the new Regiments in the New- York Line of the Continental Army were assigned to be raised in Westchester-county.1º It is also note- worthy, as a portion of the history of that period, that Westchester-county afforded the first evidence of the alteration of a Provincial Bill of Credit-one of the last emission, for five dollars, having been altered so that it appeared to have been one of ten dollars.11 the men-of- war, in the harbor. The local Commit- tees, sometimes, consequentially assumed to interrupt their traffic ; 1 and the Committee of Safety, in order purchasing, for the evident purpose of forestalling the market, "requested the Committee of the County "of Westchester to take effeetual means to prevent "the sale and transportation of any barrelled Beef "or Pork out of Westchester-county, to any person or "persons residing out of this Colony, or for the use of "any person or persons residing out of this Colony, " until the further order of the Provincial Congress "or of the Committee of Safety of this Colony; "> but, nevertheless, the fertility of the County and the patient industry of the greater number of those who lived therein were known and utilized, throughout the entire seaboard.
The same local terrorism which had prevailed, throughout the County, under the auspices of the former Provincial Congress, was continued, with the sanction of this; 3 numbers of the inhabitants of the County were seized, only on information seeretly conveyed by unseen accusers, and cast into prison, without a hearing ; + and some of them were severely
the period now under examination, prove, beyond a question, and apart from every orher consideration, how short sighted the leaders of the Rebellion were, when, through the violence of their lawlessness, they impaired the productiveness of so fruitful a source of supplies, both for the City and for their Armies.
1 See pages 149, 150, post.
2 Vide pages 150, 151, post.
William Sutton, Esq., of Mamaroneck, appeared before the Congress, personally, and informed that body that he had been obliged, for fear of injuries, to leave his home ; and requested protection to return to his house, and to occupy it. He is understood to have been the teu- ant occupying what is known as De Lancey's Neck, (Journal of the Provin- cial Congress, " Die Veueris, 10 ho., A. M., Decr. 15, 1776 ;" Information received, personally, from Edirard F. de Lunery, Esq., one of the present oirn- ers of De Lancey's Neck. )
Thomas Merritt was arrested and taken before the Committee of Safety, in the City of New York, "on information of persons from " Westchester-county, that he had declared he had seen people casting "great quantities of Bullots, to kill the Whigs; and that he knew "where great quantities of those Bullets were "-a trumped-up charge, which wda so entirely traumpatent tuat, after his accusers and their wit- nesses had been examined by the Committee of safety, whose fondness of persecution was known to all, Merritt was promptly discharged.
These may serve as specimens of the whole number.
4 Benjamin Hunt and - Oakley, of Eastchester, were arrested be- cause they had taken some Sheep, Pigs, and Poultry, to Brooklyn, sai.l to have been for the Asia. William Weyman was arrested for having assisted in taking some produce to the Asia. Dr. Azor Betts, of - -- , was arrested for violent words of denunciation, when the Con- gress arbitrarily broke down his business, as an inoculator for the Small- pox, aud deprived him of the means of support for his family. Godfrey Haines, Bartholomew Haines, Isaac Gedney, and - Pahuer, all of them of Rye or Mamaroneck, are already known to the reader, in the sad story of the Sloop Polly and Ann, (page 110, ante :) and J.unes and Williamn Lounsberry ; Isaac, John, and Joshua Gedney; John Fowler ; Isaac and Peter Valentine ; Hane, Joseph, and Joshua Purdy ; William Art- strong ; William Sutton ; John Flood ; James, Jobb, Thomas, atul Wil- liain Haines ; and Jushun Burrell, besbles several others, were ar-
treated, while they were prisoners.5 They were plandered of their Arms, again and again, some-
The opening of the new year-the exact date does not appear, if it was ever definitely known-witnessed a transaction by which the lower portion of the County of Westchester, especially the Towns of Mamaroneck, Eastchester, Westchester, and Yonkers, was greatly disturbed ; and yet it was an occurrence
rested in connection with spiking of the Cannou, near Kingsbridge, of which more will be seen, hereafter, (pages 147, 148, post.)
5 Dortor Azor Betts, G. Afrey Haines, William Lounsherry, Joshua Gedney, Joseph Purdy, Josbua Durrell, and Thomas Haines were among those who were manacled and otherwise treated with great inhumanity. 6 See pages 112, 113, 114, 123, ante.
3 Colonel Samnel Drake to the Provincial Congress, "NEW-YORK, Feby. "16, 1776 ;" Journal of the Provincial Congress, "Die Veneris, 3 ho., "P.M., Feb. 16, 1776 ;" the Home, " Die Sabbati, 10 ho., A.M., Feb. 17, "1776 ;" the same, " Die Veneris, 10 ho., A.DI., Feby. 23, 1776."
. Colonel Waterbury, who accompanied General Lee, through West- chester-county, acknowledged his possession of thirty Guns, two pairs of Holsters, nine Cutlasses, am! three Pistols-how many more he had seized, and retained or sent back into Counecticut, are now unknown ; and uo record was taken of the names of those who had been thus plundered. They must have been taken, however, ou the line of march of his Regiment, between the sawpits and Kingsbridge ; and there was not the slightest shadow of even revolutionary authority for the seizure, except the law of the stronger and that of thieves.
" Sce pages 112, 121, 122, ante.
9 " RESOLVED AND ORDERED, That Colonel Joseph Drake and Colonel " Thomas Thomas, of Westchester-county, do draft out of their Regiments "two hundred men, in the following proportions, to wit : Two Compa- "nies of sixty-five Privates each, besides the Captains and other inferior " Officers, ont of Colonel Joseph Drake's Regiment ; and one Company "of sixty-five Privates, with the Captain aml other inferior officers, in " Colonel Thoumas's Regiment, and as many more men out of those two " Reginients as will turn out, volunteers for that service, to be imme- " diately sent to the City of New York, anned and accontiel in the "best manner possible, and to be joined to Colonel Samuel Drake's " Regiment," [of Westchester county Minute meu (pages bv8, 10), ante) which was theu in the City] " and to receive the xithe pay and provisions as the "other Continental forces in this Colony." (Journal of the Provincial Cmgross, " Die Jovis, + ho., P.M., March 14, 1776.")
Colonel S muel Drake's Regiment, referred to in this Order, was the skeleton Regiment of Westchester county Minute-men, which was then in the Continental Service, and posted at Hvern's Hook, ou the Island of Manhattan, at the mouth of the Harlem-river, and opposite to Hellgate, where was one of the passes to Long Island.
We have not found any record of the three Companies which were thus drawn from Westchester-county, if they were drawu.
10 Journal of the Provincial Congress, " Die Solis, 10 ho., A.M., Feb. 18,
11 Journal of the Committee of Safety. " Die Veneris, A.M., April 19. "176;" The Committee of Safety to the Committee of Westchester county, "IS COMMITTEE OF SAFETY, NEW YORK, April 19, ITTA."
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
which might have been certainly foreseen and easily soon made known, however : and, as may be reason- prevented, had those who were immediately concerned ably supposed, not only Westchester county, but the in preventing it possessed the foresight and caution which are usually attributed to intelligent men. Committee of Safety, in the City of New York, the Provincial Congress having taken a recess on the twenty-second of December preceding, was thrown into the greatest excitement.
We have already noticed the fact that, at the be- Ainning of the active revolutionary movements which followed the receipt of intelligence that General Gage had unwisely commenced active military operations in the field, many of the Cannon which belonged to private individuals, in the City of New York, were drawn to Kingsbridge; ' and, subsequently, as the political feeling became more intense, every gun in the City, no matter how useless for any other purpose than for old metal it might have been, was ordered to the same place.2
It is not clear what good was expected to be de- rived from those movements of the guns; but it is very clear that, before the close of the year 1775, be- tween three aud four hundred Cannon, of all calibres, grades, and conditions-some of them good and ser- viceable; others, less valuable and less useful; the greater number, honeycombed and worthless, unless for old iron ; and all of them, unmounted and with- out carriages-were accumulated in three large gath- erings, one, of about fifty guus, being at " John Wil- "liams's,"3 the Williams-bridge of the present day ; one, "at or near Kingsbridge;" and the third, or larger, pareel within two hundred and fifty yards of Isaac Valentine's house, the Valentine's-hill of that period. as well as of this.' They were entirely unguarded ; and it is very evident that they were lying side by side, presenting an apparently formidable array, not- withstanding their actually existing harmlessuess.
In view of the seeming importance of that impos- ing park of artillery and of the entire absence of the slightest care for its safety-in retaliation, also, it may have been, for insults offered and wrongs and in- juries inflicted-somebody, early in January, 1776, effectually spiked all the guns and plugged many of them with large stones forced into them, aud escaped without having been discovered. The exploit was
I Vide pages 75, 98, aute. ! " While this immaculate General " [ Charles Ive, ] " had the command " in New York, about AN) pieces of heavy cannon which were mounted "in Fort George and upon the Battery, were forcibly taken away by "his orders, and lodged upon the Common," (the Park} " facing his " Quarters. But, lest upon the arrival of the British Army, they " shoubl be retaken, he ordered them to be carried up to King's Bridge, "about 14 miles from New York. The persons employed in this service " wanting horses, applied to the General to supply the defert. An hon- "est, a virtuous man, and a Christian, will shudder at the answer : "'Chain 20 damned Tories to each gun, and let them draw them ont "'and be cursed. It is a proper employment for such villains, and a " pauishment they deserve for their eternal loyalty they so much "boast of," (Jones's History of New York, during the Revolutionary War, i., 82, 83.)
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