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 3^ 
 
 AN ACCOUNT 
 
 BRITISH EXPEDITION 
 
 ABOVE THE 
 
 Highlands of the Hudson River, 
 
 THE EVENTS COJTNECTED WITH THE 
 BURNING OF KINGSTON IN 1777 
 
 BEAD BEFOBE 
 
 %\i Sister iisturical Sotiftg, 
 
 / 
 
 GEORGE W. PRATT. 
 
 ALBANY: 
 
 MUNSELL & ROWLAND, 78 STATE STREET. 
 
 1861. 
 

PREFACE. 
 
 This paper was prepared for the Aunaal Meeting of The Ulster Histo- 
 rical Society, held at Stone Ridge on the ISth October, 1860, with no 
 higher aim than to lay before the members, in a connected form, some of 
 the materials of our local history during the period of the Revolution ; 
 and to preserve facts yet In the memory of our older inhabitants, before 
 they too should pass into the " land of forgetfuliu'ss." It is much to be 
 regretted that an earlier effort, to record the events of the burning of 
 Kingston, by some more familiar hand, has not been made; now the 
 Historical Society will look after the fragments that remain. With my 
 thanks to mauy friends iu the county, as well as in New York and 
 Albauy, who have facilitated in various ways the investigation, and this 
 brief apology for the crudeuess of my sketch, it is committed to the in- 
 dulgence of the Society. Gr. W. PRATT. 
 Attwood, in Esop0s, Nov. 1860. 
 
VAUGHAN'S SECOND EXPEDITION. 
 
 Eighty-three years ago this day, Thursday, October 
 16th, 1777, the village of Kingston was burned by the 
 common enemy. The Ulster Historical Society has 
 chosen to keep in remembrance this anniversary in the 
 day of holding its annual meeting. 
 
 Notwithstanding the severe blow our forefathers 
 experienced in this event, and the almost universal cry 
 for vengeance which arose throughout the land, it is 
 somewliat surprising that even contemporary accounts 
 should difi'er as to the exact day of the landing at 
 Esopus. A desire on the part of the Executive Com- 
 mittee of the Society to fix the true date, led me to 
 investigate the subject, and I will therefore at once 
 proceed to mention some of the statements. 
 
 Stedman, a British military historian, saj's the event 
 happened on the thirteenth of October, 1777;' in this he 
 is followed by Gordon, in his History," and by Lossing, 
 in his Field Book of the Revolution,^ as well as in a 
 more recent publication. A similar date occurs in an 
 extract from the JYew York Packet,* and also in Ram- 
 sey's History of the American Revolution.. 
 
 Ill B&A[9.or\''s. Jf aval and Military Memoirs''' we have 
 the date of [he fifteenth, with which a note to Sparks's 
 Conespondence of the American Revolution ngrees!', and this 
 is perhaps more generally followed. But Beatson, in a 
 note (p. 249), gives the date of the 16th, which may thus 
 transfer his testimony to the other side ; and a very late 
 work, the JYew American Enci/clopidia {sub voce Kingston) 
 has it upon tiie 17tli. The British official reports of the 
 expedition are not specific as to the time of tlie land- 
 11 g. Gen. Vaughan says " on tiie evening of the I5th 
 instant I arrived off Esopus," and then goes on to detail 
 the events of the action, but so worded as not to be at 
 
 'Vol. I, p. 36.5. 2 Vol. II, p. 579. a Vol. I, p. 388. 
 
 ■• In Moore's Diary of the Revolution, I, p. 510, 
 »IV, p. 237. Slip. 14. 
 
 1 
 
4 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 variance with the evidence to be offered in favor of the 
 date of the 16th. Sir James Walhice gives no time. 
 
 The I'ollowing will fix the true date to be that of the 
 sixteenth 
 
 Letter from Governor Clinton to Gen. Gates : 
 Kingston. 16th Oct. 1777, 1 o'clock. — "I am to in- 
 form you tnat the Enemy's Fleet, consisting of upwards 
 of thirty sail, anchored last night about six miles below 
 the Landing Place of the town which they now lie oppo- 
 site to and appear to be making preparations for landing, 
 &c." 
 
 Letter from Gov. Clinton to Gen. Putnam, dated 
 " Marbletown, seven miles from Kingston, 17 October, 
 1777," * « " Kingston was burnt yesterday after- 
 noon, because I had not troops to defend it." * 
 
 Draft of a letter from the Council to the N. Y. 
 Delegates in the Continental Congress:' " And on the 
 sixteenth instant about two hours before the Governor's 
 troops, who made a forced march could arrive, gained 
 the Landing ; and and faintly opposed by about 150 
 militia only, marched immedi;itely up io Kingston and 
 reduced the whole town to ashes."" 
 
 A sort of journal of the events of the expedition, 
 printed in Eivington's Gazette of Nov. 3d, 1777, dates 
 the burning on the I6th, and in this diflers from the 
 other account in that paper. 
 
 The testimony ofanother eye-witness I am permitted 
 to quote, through the customary courtesy of our res- 
 pected President; it is taken from a vahiable diary 
 which the heads of the well-known family of Has- 
 brouck have kept for several generations. The enti-y 
 is in the handwriting of Col. Abraham Hasbrouck, 
 and runs thus : 
 
 " 1777. Oct. 16. Then the enemy under the com- 
 mand of i.eneral tienry Clinton and General Vaughan, 
 came to Kingston, in Esopus, and burnt my dwelling 
 houses, barn, cider house or store house, and another 
 barn, wagon house at my late dwelling house, and also 
 a small oi:t-kitchen which was left standing when mj- 
 dwelling liouse was burnt down the 23d of October, 
 1776, and ihe enemy burnt all the houses, l>arns (except 
 one houst; and barn) in the town, church and county 
 house likewise, laid everything in a rubbish of ashes, 
 
 1 Sparks' Correspondence of the Amer. Revolution, II, .'J43. 
 ■•'Jour. Prov. Conv., I, 1072. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. O 
 
 fences and everything they came to, and they conveyed 
 with them one negro man named Henry, two negro 
 wenches, Nancy and Flora, and destroyed all my house- 
 hold goods and furniture, and iny library of books. My 
 loss 1 sustained this time, I compute no less than jESOOU 
 at least, and hou-se I iiad in New York burnt by the 
 enemy last year, or in the year 1776. * * « 
 Thanks be to God for liis great goodness, I, my wife 
 and children escaped and unhurt out of tbe enemy's 
 hands. Yet mj' sons Jacobus, Abraham and Daniel was 
 in the opposing of the enemy from landing and to 
 oppose them to come to Kingston, and showers of shot 
 fiew on every side of tlieui. 
 
 I pray the Lord will support me under so heavy a 
 trial, and must say witii .fol), The Lord hath given and 
 the Lord hath taken, the Lord's name may be praised. 
 The Lord is able to restore it again, and much more 
 even an hundred fold. Ilis will be done." * * 
 And after some further pious remarks, concludes, " I 
 write this at my son-in-law's, Abraham Hooghteling, 
 where I am at present, Nov. 10, 1777." 
 
 A ]jetition of the trustees of Kingston for the 
 rebuilding of the court-house, dated in 1782, and pre- 
 served in the Legislative papers in the State Library, and 
 the inscription placed upon the new court-house both 
 mention the day. 
 
 If further evidence could be required, it might be 
 added that no ditference of opinion, as to the date of 
 the sixteenth, has ever existed among the desc<^ndants of 
 the villagers of 1777. 
 
 The principal events upon the North River which 
 immediately preceded the attack upon Kingston, may 
 not, perhaps, be more precisely stated than b}' copying 
 the following dispatch, the most of which, appeared in 
 the London Gazette, of Dec. 2d, 1777, but the present 
 complete copy, has been recently obtained from the 
 Admiralty, in London. 
 
 Dispatch from Commodore Hotham to Vice Admi- 
 ral, Lord Viscount Howe. 
 
 Preston, Off Peek's Hill Cheek, ) 
 9 Octber, 1777. ( 
 
 My Lord : 
 
 Sir Hy. Clinton having thought it adviseable to 
 make a Diversion at this juncture up the North River, 
 
6 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 and the necessary Arrangements being made in Conse- 
 quence ; the Flat Boats and Batteaux on the 3d Inst, 
 proceeded to Spikindevil Creek in Three Divisions 
 under the Captains Pownali, Jordan and Stanhope ; 
 Captain Pownali having the direction of the whole. 
 
 A body of about 1 100 troops were embarked in them 
 that evening, and the same Night proceeded to Tarry 
 Town, where they landed at day-break, and occupied 
 the Heights adjoining. A Second Division, nearly of 
 that number, marclied out at the same time from 
 Kingsbridge, and formed a junction by land with those 
 who passed by water. The Squadron under Captain 
 Ommanney had moved up the Day before to receive 
 them, the smaller Part of it, namely, the Galleys and 
 armed Vessels (as they might be to act separately). I 
 thought it adviseable on tliis Occasion to make a dis- 
 tinct Command, and could not place them better than 
 under the direction of Sir James Wallace, whose know- 
 ledge of the River, as well as Captain Ommanney's, we 
 fully experienced the Advantage of. 
 
 The Third Division of Troops were embarked in 
 Transports, and on the 4th in the morning, left New 
 York, under Convoy of the Preston, and in the Course 
 of the same Tide, arrived off Tarry Town. 
 
 The general Embarkation was that Night made, 
 and the Wind being still favourable the Wiiole, pre- 
 ceeded by the Squadron under Sir James Wallace as 
 advanced Guaid, reached Verplank's Point at Noon 
 the Day following, and those in the Flat Boats landed 
 with Appearance only of an Opposition. Sir James 
 Wallace was immediately dispatched higher up the 
 River to cut off the Enemy's Communication by Peak's 
 Hill Ferry. 
 
 The 6lh at Day-break the general Debarkation took 
 Place, and all the Troops, except about Four Hundred, 
 who were left to secure Verplank's Neck, were soon 
 landed at Stoney Point, upon the opposite Shore, from 
 whence they had about Twelve Miles to m.irch through 
 a mountainous and rugged Road to Fort Clinton and 
 Montgomerj'. 
 
 The Ships and Transports then moved higher up 
 and anchored opposite Peak's Hill Landing. 
 
 In the Afternoon the advanced Squadron and the 
 two Frigates got under sail and opened Fort ilont- 
 gomer}', with a view only to make an Appearance, and 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 7 
 
 thereby to cause a Diversion in favour of the Attack, 
 whicii we observed had now begun. Sir James by the 
 Help of his Oars, got near enougli in with 2 Gallies to 
 throw some shot into tlie Fort. The Cannonading and 
 Fire of Musqnetr}' continued until Night, when, by a 
 most spirited Exeition a general and vigorous Assault 
 was made, and the Two important Forts of Clinton and 
 Montgomery, fell by Storm to his Majesty's Arms. On 
 which I have the Honour to congratulate your Lord- 
 ship most sincerely. The Rebel Frigates are both 
 Burnt, with a Galley, and a Sloop of Ten Guns is taken. 
 
 The loss on the Enemy's Side is not yet exactly 
 known, but they are supposed to have had about 100 
 killed and 250 taken Prisoners. The greatest Loss on 
 the Side of the King's Troops are about 40 killed, among 
 whom are some valuable Ofliicers, namely. Lieutenant 
 Colonel Campbell, Major Sill, Major Grant and Capt. 
 Stewart, and about 150 wounded. 
 
 A Summons signed by Sir Henry Clinton and myself 
 was the next Day sent up to Fort Constitution, by a 
 Flag of Truce, which being fired at returned, and 
 determined the General immediately to correct the In- 
 sult b}' an Attack. An Embarkation was accordingly 
 made on the Morning of the 8th, and proceeded up the 
 river i'or tliat Purpose, under cover of the Galleys. 
 
 We found upon our Arrival the Fort had been 
 abandoned in great Confusion, their Barracks burnt, but 
 all their Artillery lei't The whole Number of Cannon 
 taken in the 'J'hree Forts amount to b7, with a large 
 Quantity of Provisions, Ammunition and Stores of all 
 kinds to a very considerable Amount. 1 have directed 
 such part of the Chain and Boom as cannot be saved to 
 be destroyed ; the Construction of both give strong 
 Proofs of Labour, Industry and Skill. 
 
 Sir James Wallace with his flying Squadron is gone 
 still higher up the Piver, and if he passes the Cbevaux 
 de Frize at Polipous Island, he may do essential ser- 
 vice, as there can be nothing to give him any Interrup- 
 tion. 
 
 When it is considered that this Attack was made 
 after a most fatiguing March over Precipices and thro' 
 Roads almost impenetrable, which made it impossible 
 for the Troops to avail themselves of the use of the 
 Cannon so necessarj' for such a Purpose, and the little 
 Assistance they could therein promise themselves from 
 
8 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 the Ships ; the Access from the Highlands to the Forts, 
 rendering the Approach to them so precarious, it re- 
 dounds the more to the Credit of an Enterprise, which 
 was i'ormed and executed with equal Judgment, Valour 
 and Success. 
 
 The Captains, Officers, and Men under my Command 
 have been so strenuously zealous in their Exertions 
 on this Occasion, that every testimony is due from mo 
 in appreciation of their conduct during this service of 
 fatigue, of which Captain Pownall has had his share, and 
 is well able to inibrm your Lordship of every particu- 
 lar. 
 
 Since I had the honor of writing to your Lordship 
 by the Zebra, the Unicorn, Galatea, Danae and Cerberus 
 arrived, but all of them are in great {loant of) repairs 
 and stores. The fifty gun siiip's people, having been 
 employed in the Flat Boats, will account to 3'our Lord- 
 ship for their not having joined you so soon as you might 
 have expected ; but if the General remains any time, I 
 shall relieve the Bristol's Flat Boat even by some of tlie 
 Frigate's, that she may be at liberty to proceed with 
 the next Express. I have directed Captain Onslow to 
 carry on the current date at York until my return, and 
 am to acquaint you that 1 have appointed Mr. George 
 Stevens Surgeon's Second Mate of the Preston to act 
 as Surgeon of the Elepiiant, till your Lordship's plea- 
 sure be known I liave, &c., 
 
 W. HOTHAM. 
 
 P. S. I have the further pleasure to acquaint 
 your Lordship that General Tryon is just returned from 
 Continental Village, where he has destroyed barracks 
 for 1500 men, with stores to a considerable amount. 
 
 The capture of Forts Clinton and Montgomery 
 and the abandonment of the other posts, enabled the 
 British to destroy the boom and chain which had been 
 extended across the river from Cniislitution island to 
 West Point; and also make a passage for their vessels 
 through the chevaux-de-frize at PoUopel's island above. 
 These impediments had cost the Americans much trouble 
 and expense, and a particular account of them will be 
 found in Ruttenber's Obstructions to the Jfavigation of 
 Hudson's River, not long since issued in Munsell's elegant 
 Historical Series. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton determineJ to make a still further 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. » 
 
 diversion in favor of Burgoyne, or we might ratlier say, 
 to start an expedition to punish the people upon the 
 banks of tlie Hudson for their want of loyalty, at the 
 same time secure some prize money and general booty. 
 Accordingly he organized what is known as the second 
 expedition under Gen. Vaughan. Stedman assures us that 
 the necessity of a diversion in favor of Burgoyne was not 
 even suspected. Pre[iaratory to this expedition he had 
 however dispatched Captain Sir James Wallace' with 
 a galley, a schooner and three other small vessels to 
 reconnoitre the river. They left the Highlands on the 
 11th, and penetrated to within three miles of Pough- 
 keepsie, and returned in safety, having " burnt Van 
 Keuren's Mills and several buildings on the other side 
 of the river with several old vessels along shore." ^ 
 
 The report of Sir James determined the movement, 
 and the following among other naval vessels were 
 placed under his command, viz : DiUsent, Lieut. Farn- 
 iiam ; Dependence, Lieut. Clarke ; Spitfire, Lieut. Scott ; 
 Crane, Master Hitchcock ; Raven, 14 guns, Capt. Stan- 
 hope. Capt. Wallace himself sailed in the armed vessel 
 the Friendship, 22 guns, Capt. A. Jas. Pye Molloy. To 
 tl'.e armed vessels were added about twenty galleys and 
 flat boats, manned from the crew of the Bristol, Experi- 
 ment, and other large frigates lying below, the latter 
 being under tiie subordinate command of Capt. Stanhope. 
 h) order to secure the communication, the Mercury of 
 '20 guns, was stationed at Pollopel's island ; the Cerberus, 
 28, at Stony Point ; the Tartar, 28, at Fort Clinton ; 
 Commodore Holhani's own ship, the Preston, 50 guns, 
 anchoring between these two last and witliin signalling 
 distance of either. 
 
 On these vessels, about 1600 men'' under the com- 
 mand of Major Gen. the Hon. John Vaughan embarked.* 
 It consisted of the 7th (Royal Fusileers), 26th and 63d 
 Regiments.'^ It has been often stated tliat the British 
 force was about 3600 men, but it is evident, from a field 
 return of the forces serving under Sir Wm. Howe, made 
 
 'Sir .lames Wallace. (Note I.) 
 
 ■ Zeph Piatt to the Council of Safety, dated Poughkeepsie Oct. 
 12tli {Gates Papers). 
 
 2 Commodore Hotham's letter to Lord Howe, dated " Preston, ofif 
 Peek's Kiln Creek, l.'Jtli Oct., 1777." 
 
 * Gen. Vaughan. (Note II.) 
 
 "The same to the same, dated "St. Albans, New York, 21st Oct., 
 1777." 
 
10 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 Nov. 1st, 1777, a copy of which, obtained from the War 
 Office ill London, is in the writer's possession, that the 
 strengtli of the land forces could not have exceeded 
 sixteen hundred men The total quota of these three 
 regiments being 1530, while the actual effective " pre- 
 sent " on the first of November was only 1261, and they 
 had no detachments out. Sir Henry Clinton states his 
 force at the storming of the forts to have been 3000 men, 
 from which the mistake of the number on Vaughan's 
 second expedition has no doubt arisen. 
 
 The 7th Regiment was commanded by Lieut. Col. 
 Clarke, its nominal Colonel, the overbearing General 
 Prescott, being actually a prisoner to the Americans, 
 thanks to the intrepidity of William Barton, whose 
 exploit in seizing him in his bed at Newport, will not 
 soon fade from the annals of heroism. This regiment 
 lost its colors, wliich had been left in store, l)y the cap- 
 ture of Fort Chamblee, in October, 1775, during Mont- 
 gomery's invasion of Canada. Lord Adam Gordon's 
 Regiment, the 26th, was in the field under its Major, 
 also named Gordon. To this regiment belonged the 
 unfortunate Andie, who although a captain in the line, 
 was temporarily on the staff of Major Gen. Grey, and 
 therefore not present at the burning of Kingston. The 
 63d (Gen. Grant's; had suffered severely in the at- 
 tack on the Highland forts, and where its commandant, 
 Major Sill, was killed ; several of its ofiicers did not 
 accompany the expedition, and although tl:e strongest 
 in numbers, was on this occasion, probably commanded 
 by Captain Hazlewood. Captain Lord Rawdon, better 
 known at a later period of the war, was absent from his 
 regiment at this time. 
 
 The expedition sailed from Peekskill on the 14th 
 of October, with a fair wind, and the following night an- 
 chored oif Esopus island. They did not stop much along 
 the way, occasionally capturing a vessel, and now and 
 then firing at the dwelling of some well known Whig, like 
 that of Henry Livingston, at the lower landing in Pongli- 
 keepsie, where we are told by Mr. Lossing, in his inter- 
 esting Field Book of the Revolution, the marks of a shot 
 may still be seen. 
 
 The Americans were not idle or listless at this time ; 
 Governor Clinton who barely escaped capture at the 
 storming of the forts, on the 7th, from New Windsor, 
 communicated the loss of these places to the Legislature 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 
 
 11 
 
 then in session at Kingston, with a request for them to 
 uro-e the detachment of the Ulster and Dutchess militia 
 from the northern army under Gen. Gates. Rightly 
 judging that the enemy would endeavor to penetrate 
 'fartlier than the Highlands, he had thus reason to fear 
 that they would attempt Kingston, the most important 
 town on the river between New York and Albany, and 
 on the 10th he thus writes to the Council : 
 
 Head Qdarteus, Mrs. Falls, 10 Oct,, 1777. 
 Gentlemen : 
 
 When I wrote you last, I was in great hopes of 
 being able to have collected and embodied as many of 
 the Militia of this and Orange County as with the two 
 small Continental Regiments now with me, and the 
 Reinforcement promised me by General 1. Putnam, I 
 should have such a formidable force as to enable me to 
 prevent the enemy's penetrating the country, by throw- 
 ing myself in between them and tlie most important 
 places" as they moved up the River. But 1 am sorry to 
 inform yon I am greatly disappointed in my expecta- 
 tions. The Militia do not join me as I could wish, they 
 are well disposed but anxious about the immediate 
 siifety of their respective families, who for many miles 
 back are moving yet farther from the River, many of 
 them como in in the morning, return in the evening, 
 and 1 never know when I have them or what my strength 
 is. The Reinforcement I had reason to expect and 
 was promised by General Putnam, I am informed by a 
 letter from him last night is only to consist of Brinker- 
 hoof 's Regiment, which I am sure will not pass the 
 river, indeed it would be unreasonable to expect them. 
 This being my sitmition I think it my duty to advise 
 you of it, as ray only hopes are that my force may not 
 be known to the enemy and that this may deter them 
 from doing what if they should attempt, I could not 
 prevent. 
 
 I have 7 Field Pieces with ine, five of the heaviest 
 I have ordered on the west side of the Wallkill, 
 towards Shawangunk, which is the route I mean to 
 take to Kingston, the moment the enemy move up the 
 River. 
 
 I wish some small works could be thrown up towards 
 
 the Esopns Landing so as to cover the Landing and the 
 
 Defiles leading to the Town. Every man that can fire a 
 
 Gun should be immediately embodied and employed at 
 
 2 
 
12 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 those works. I rejoice with you on the most agreeable 
 Intelligence from the Northward, and thank you for 
 the Early Communication of it. 1 know of no Enemy 
 on this side Butterhill Clove. The four Vessels that 
 were near Polopels Island fell down out of sight yester- 
 day Evening. I am with much Esteem, 
 
 Your most obedt. servt., 
 Geo. Clwton. 
 
 The regiments of militia from the lower part of 
 Ulster county suifered considerably in killed, wounded 
 and prisoners at the forts, so that it was no easy matter 
 for Governor Clinton to collect a sufficient force to 
 resist the threatened demonstration. On the east bank 
 General Putnam had about six thousand men, mostly 
 militia, and this army now held Sir Henry Clinton in 
 check in this direction, although it is not quite so clear 
 that Gen. Putnam could not hav(; rendered a more im- 
 portant service in going to the assistance of the garri- 
 son of the Highland forts on the 6th. At any rate the 
 ro^'al generals did not seem to bo in nuich fear of tbis 
 army. Perhaps a critical narrative of the events in the 
 Highlands during these few days, in which the matter 
 will appear in its true light, ma}' yet be written. 
 
 Governor Clinton sa^'s his plan, in case of the 
 advance of the enemy, would be to make a forced march 
 down the west side of the Waalkill and thus cover 
 Kingston. 
 
 The capture of a spy by the name of Daniel Taylor, 
 charged with a message from Sir Henry Clinton to 
 General Burgoyne occurred on the 9th; the incidents 
 of this man's arrest, trial and execution I have thrown 
 together in the appendix.' 
 
 Sir James Wallace's reconnoitering expedition up 
 the river on the 11th, alarmed the Governor, and from 
 " Little Britain, 3 miles from New Windsor, 12th Oct., 
 1777," alter some general matters he writes to the coun- 
 cil at Kingston, as follows : 
 
 " I am at this moment favoured with your letter of 
 yesterday. The militia of Shawangnnk are now with 
 me. I have sent a proper guard there from another 
 quarter, for the artillery ; which, in my opinion, is much 
 better than to leave men of the neighbourhood lor that 
 purpose. Col. Snyder's regiment may continue at 
 
 iNote III. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 
 
 13 
 
 Kingston, to throw up the necessary works to defend 
 the lauding and town. The rest of the reinforcement 
 from the northward must immediately join me. Were 
 the whole to continue with you, they would not be able 
 to meet the enemy should they pass by and land near 
 Kingston; and should they take their route by land, 
 which is most likely, with my present force, which con- 
 sists of the militia of this quarter of the country, two 
 small continental regiments and Col. Sutherland's regi- 
 ment consisting of 130 men. Out of these I have strong 
 guards along the river siiore who have orders to keep 
 pace with the vessels now in the river, and throw them- 
 selves between them and Kingston landing, should they 
 go that high up. I am persuaded it is not only for the 
 safely of Kingston, which I have much at heart, but 
 for that of the country in general, that I should have 
 my whole force collected to one point ; as in that case 
 I shall be able to meet and oppose the progress of the 
 enemy, or at least throw myself in between the enemy, 
 and such places as may be an object with them to gam, 
 which shall be my constant care to do." 
 
 The postscript adds, "From many circumstances, 
 I am persuaded the enemy are about moving. Gen. 
 Clinton's being out when my flag was down yesterday, 
 this small fleet coming up the river confirms me in this 
 opinion ; and 1 Ijelieve it will be by land, against some 
 of our stores, and to ravage the country."' 
 
 By a resolution of the Convention passed December 
 21st, 1775, the Ulster County Jail was made the jail 
 of Congress.^ Johannes Sleght, Chairman of the Kings- 
 ton Committee, in a letter written on the 8th of July, 
 1776. tells the Provincial Congress that " it is also well 
 known that our town has for a long time been crowded 
 (and is yet) with a set of ministerial cut-throata, regular 
 officers and soldiers sent here as prisoners." ' 
 
 These prisoners, Gov. Clinton directs the Commis- 
 sary, Abram B. Bancker,'' to remove to Wawarsing ; and 
 as there could be no doubt of the benevolent intentions 
 of Sir Henry Clinton towards the rebel authorities and 
 their estates, he forwarded his personal effects from his 
 
 1 Jour. Prov. Conv., I, p. 1069. 
 
 ■^ Jour. Prov. Couv., I, p. 231. ^ Ibid. II, p. 305. 
 
 ■' Mr. Bancker was, for many years after the revolution, Clerk of the 
 Senate, and died at Kingston, Feb. 7th, ISOU, aged 51 years. 
 
14 
 
 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 house in Little Britiiin to Kiugstou— his brother-in-law, 
 Doctor Peter Tappeu, removing Mrs. Clinton and the 
 family to Pleasant Valley, in Dutchess County, where 
 they remained until the marauders returned to New 
 York. 
 
 A statement of the plan of government of the 
 State, and the action upon it down to this period, will 
 enable us to appreciate the position of aftairs at this 
 juncture. 
 
 The revolutionary authority in New York was ex- 
 ercised by a Provincial Convention which assembled at 
 the Exchange in New York city, April 20th, 1775, 
 and to which Charles DeWitt, George Clinton and Levi 
 Pawling were sent as delegates froni'Ulster County. 
 
 The members from this county in the subsequent 
 Provincial Congress were as follows : 
 
 First Provincial Congress, 
 
 Met at New York, May 23d, 1775. 
 
 Col. Johannes Hardenhergh of Rosendale, Col. 
 James Clinton of New Windsor, Egbert Dumond of 
 Kingston, Charles Clinton of Little Britain (not pre- 
 sent), Christopher Tappen of Kingston, John Nichol- 
 son of New Windsor, and Jacob Hoornbeck of Roches- 
 ter. 
 
 Second Provincial Congress. 
 
 Met at New York, Nov. 14th, 1775. 
 
 Henry Wisner, Jr., of Walkill, Matthew Rea of 
 Shawangunk,Dirck Wynkoop, Jr., of Kingston, Matthew 
 Cantine of Marbletown, Andries Dewitt of Kingston, 
 Andries Lefever of New Paltz, Thomas Palmer of New- 
 burgh, and Samuel Brewster of New Windsor. 
 
 Third Provincial Consress. 
 
 Met at at New York, May 14tli, \11&. 
 
 Col. Charles DeWitt of Hurley. Col. Abraham Has- 
 brouck of Kingston, Col. Johannes Snyder of Kingston, 
 Matthew Cantine, Matthew Rea, JMajor Arthur Parks 
 of Montgomery, Henry Wisner, Jr., of Walkill, and 
 Samuel Brewster. 
 
 In a list given at the end of the Journal of this 
 Congress the name of George Clinton occurs, and it is 
 noted that he " is now in his place." His name, how- 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 15 
 
 ever, is not included in the publislied credentials, and 
 lie was at that moment a member of the Continental 
 Congress. 
 
 The fourth Provincial Congress assembled at White 
 Plains, in Westchester county, July 9th, 1776, when 
 the Declaration of Independence was immediately 
 adopted, and the following day the style of the House 
 was changed to that of the "Convention of the Repre- 
 sentatives of tlie State of New York." 
 
 Matthew Caiitine, Col. Charles DeWitt, Major Ar- 
 thur Parks, Col. Levi Pawling, Mathew Rea, Major 
 Christopher Tappen, Col. Johaiuies Hardenbergh and 
 Henry Wisner, Jr., were the representatives from Ulster 
 County in this body. It adjourned to Fishkill August 
 29th, 1776— thence it moved to Kingston on the 19th 
 of February, 1777. During this period the govern- 
 ment was often in the hands of a small portion of 
 the Convention styled a Committee of Safety, so that 
 public athiirs could be carried on, it having been found 
 extremely difficult to keep so large a body together at 
 this critical period of our history. 
 
 Some sketches of the personal history of the Ulster 
 County Members of these Congresses are included in the 
 appendix.' 
 
 During this time the local organization was 
 maintained and the friends of libertj^ were active at 
 home. 
 
 A letter from Robert Boyd, Jr., Chairman of the 
 Ulster County Committee, in June, 1776,^ shows the 
 plan of llie county organization : 
 
 "The County Committee is composed of two mem- 
 bers from each Precinct Committee, save Kingston, 
 which claims the privilege of sending four, 'i'he mem- 
 bers of the Precinct Committees generally attend Coun- 
 ty Committee by rotation for their own ease and conve- 
 nience." 
 
 It is very doubtful whether the minutes of the 
 proceedings of either the County or Precinct Commit- 
 tees still exist; they would be valuable for our local 
 history, and further search for them should be made. 
 
 On the 31st of Jan., 1777, it appears that " Messrs. 
 Duane and Robert Yates, returned from Kingston, re- 
 ported in substance that they had conferred with the 
 
 ' Note IV. 2 Amer. Archives, 4tli Series, VI, p. 898. 
 
16 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 committee of Kingstou, in Ulster county, and find that 
 if the convention should move to that place, fifty mem- 
 bers may obtain good accommodations. Tiiat the price 
 will be twenty shillings per week. That the Court 
 House or a large room in the said building, will be con- 
 venient for the Convention to meet in."' 
 
 It is thus probable that the Convention, or rather 
 the Committee of Safety, first met at the Court House 
 in Kingston. 
 
 The Convention may have changed its place of 
 meeting for a time in consequence of the annoyances 
 arising from the crowded state of tlie jail below the 
 chamber in the Court House. Indeed, we find that on 
 motion of Governeur Morris, on the 18th of March, 1777, 
 the following curious preamble and resolution was 
 passed. 
 
 "Whereas from the past want of careof the prisoners 
 now confined in the jail immediately underneath the 
 Convention Chamber, the same is supposed to have 
 become unwholesome, and very nauseous and disagree- 
 able efiluvia arises, which may endanger the health of 
 the members of this Convention. Tiieielore, 
 
 Resolved, That for the preservation of their health, 
 the members of this Convention be at liberty at their 
 pleasure to smoke in the Convention Chamber while 
 the house is sitting and proceeding on business." 
 
 Suprising to relate, this smoking resolution met 
 with great opposition among a community of Dutch- 
 men, and it only passed by a majority of three votes, 
 the representatives of two counties not having been 
 able to agree upon this momentous question. No such 
 dispute arose in the Council of New Amsterdam, in the 
 days of Peter " the Headstrong," and it is evident that 
 the elements were much disturbed in these latter days. A 
 horrible account of the condition of the jail in Kingston 
 in April, 1776, is given in ;i. letter of Bryan Leffertse, a 
 state prisoner there, preserved in tiie Mercantile Library, 
 New York. 
 
 I have been somewhat minute in this particular, 
 because it is the general belief, and well founded too, I 
 think, that the Constitution was adopted at the iim of 
 Capt. Evert Bogardus, the rebuilt edifice being after- 
 wards known as the " Constitution House," — a stone 
 
 ' Jour. Prov. Conv., I, p. 794. 
 'Jour. Pror. Conv., I, p. 842. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. ^"^ 
 
 building standing on the corner of Maiden Lane and 
 Fair street. In the year 1856, having became much 
 dilapidated it was demolished to make way for the 
 residence of James W. Baldwin, Esq., its owner.' 
 
 After much discussion the Convention adopted the 
 State Constitution on the evening of Sunday, the 20th 
 of April, 1777, and pursuant to a resolution it was pro- 
 claimed at the Court House at eleven o'clock on the 
 morning of the 22d following, and on the 13th of May 
 this distinguished body finally dissolved, leaving power 
 in the hands of a Council of Safety. 
 
 The election under the Constitution was held, and 
 on the 30th of July the Council declared George Clin- 
 ton duly chosen Governor ; a copy of the proclamation 
 issued on that occasion has been printed in our Collec- 
 tions (vol. I, p. 66). 
 
 On the same day it was 
 
 " Ordered, That tlie said proclamation be made and 
 published by the Sherill of Ulster County, at or near the 
 Court House in Kingston, Ulster County, at six o'clock 
 this afternoon. 
 
 And in order that due ceremony should be ob- 
 served in this matter they further 
 
 " Resolved, and Ordered, That Captain Evert Bogar- 
 dns and Captain John Ehuendorph do cause the compa- 
 nies of militia, under their respective commands, to 
 appear at the Court House in Kingston at six o'clock 
 this afternoon, properly armed and accoutred, at which 
 time and place His Excellency George Clinton will be 
 proclaimed Governor of this State."'' 
 
 The record assures us that it was done in due form 
 in the presence of the Council, and thus was inaugu- 
 rated the first republican government of the now 
 " Empire State." It was a great day for Kingston, but 
 
 1 A woodcut of this Iniilding is given in Barber &■ Howe's Histor. Col- 
 lections of N. v., p, 5i8. Another and more artistic one may be found 
 in Lossii^g's Fuld Book of the Revolution, vol. I, p. 3S7, Imt these aiithors 
 are in error when thev state it to be the identical bnildmg in which the 
 Constitution was formed. Tlie stone walls of the original structure un- 
 doubtedlv remained after the couHagration of the village, but all that lire 
 would c.lnsume of it was destroyed by Vaughan. As will afterwards 
 appear, only the house in Wall stree^t now belonging to Abraham 1 . 
 Van Steeiiliergh escaped the fire of 1777. 
 
 2 "In the county of Ulster, at the Court House in the town of Ivings- 
 tr.n: at the house of Ann DuBois, in New Paltz ; at the house of fanrali 
 Hill, in llauover precinct; at the house of Martin Wygant, m the pre- 
 cinct of Newburgh " (Jour. Prov. Conv., I, p. 917). 
 
 Mour. Prov. Conv., I, p. 1022. 
 
18 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 the people of this devoted town not long; after expiated, 
 " in du^t and ashes," their attachment to the principles 
 of liberty, and the peculiar distinction their village 
 enjoyed as the seat of the new State government. 
 
 The newly chosen Legislature was appointed to 
 meet at Kingston on the 1st of August, but for weighty 
 reasons Gov. Clinton prorogued it to the 20th of Au- 
 gust, aiid again until Sept. 1st ; however, no quorum of 
 the Senate appeared until the 9th of that month, and 
 the Assembly did not organize until the following day. 
 
 At this first Legislature, Col. Levi Pawling of Mar- 
 bletown attended as the Senator from the Ulster County 
 portion of the middle district ; and John Cantine of 
 Marbletown,' Johannes G. Hardenbergh of Rochester, 
 Mathew Rea of Shawaiigunk, Cornelius C. Schoon- 
 maker of Shawaiigunk, Col. Johannes Snyder of Kings- 
 ton," and Henry Wisner, Jr., of Wallkill, were the 
 members of Assembly I'rom Ulster County — then com- 
 prehending all ihe river shore from Murderer's creek 
 near tiie Highlands to the Sawyer's creek, just above 
 Saugertios, and embracing the present country of Sulli- 
 van, with Delaware up to the east branch of the Dele- 
 ware river, and the north eastern towns of Orange. 
 
 The Senate sat at the house of Abraliam Van 
 Gaasbeck, a stone building, constructed after the then 
 " Esopus fasliion," the last one on the west side of East 
 Front sireet, near the junction of that street with North 
 Front. This fact is shown by an entry in the Journal 
 of the Provincial Convention,'* its own records not 
 mentioning any room. This house has recently been 
 occupied by the Rev. Dr. Westbiook. 
 
 ' In " The Indians ; or Narratives of Massacres and Depredations on 
 
 ihe Frontier, in Warwasink and i'.s Vicinity, fyc," Rondout, 1846, there 
 are some statements not very Haltering to tlie courage of Col. John 
 Cantine. 
 
 -Johannes Snyder was a M.ijor in tlie Militia in 1775, but was after- 
 w.irds appointed to the command of one of the regiments. He resided 
 at Kingston and was one of tlie superior officers present on the day of 
 the liritish attack. He seems to liave been a Magistrate and Trustee of 
 the Corporation. The present residence of Jonatlian II. Hasbrouck, 
 Esq., on the soutliwest corner of Fair street iind Maiden iane, opposite 
 the " Constitution House," occupies tlie site of his house. I believe 
 that none of his descendants remain at Kingston. 
 
 ^Vol. I, p. 1101. I have the locality of this house from Major Van 
 Gaasbeck, to whom I am much indebted for information relative to the 
 history of ULster County. This Abraham Van Gaasbeck was a grands 
 son of the worthy Dominie Laurcntius Van Gaasbeck, whose diploma 
 (Med. Doctor] Irom the University of Leyden the M.ijor still preserves. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 19 
 
 A room in Capt. Bogardus' inn was called the 
 " Assembly Chamber," and the lower house probably 
 held its session there, as they are sunimoued to meet 
 the Governor and Senate at the Court House, which 
 would liardl}' have been necessary, had the sessions of 
 the Assembly usually taken place in that building. Be- 
 sides this, the Supreme Court was organized by Chief 
 Justice Jay, at the Court House, on the ninth of Sep- 
 tember, and, of course, required the court room for its 
 legitimate purpose. 
 
 The Governor resided, during his stay in Kingston, 
 at the house of his brother in-law, Christopher Tappen, 
 Esq., situated on the southwest corner of Wall and 
 North Front streets. It was immediately rebuilt after 
 the fire, and of late has been occupied as a drug store 
 by Peter E. Jansen. At this house Gov. Clinton re- 
 ceived the address of the Legislature. 
 
 The Legislature remained in session at Kingston 
 until October 7th, when the Senate adjourned for the 
 day, but in fact " without day," the journal of its next 
 meeting, at Poughkeepsie under the head of January 
 5th, 1778, containing the following: 
 
 " About noon on Tuesday the seventh daj' of 
 October, last, news came by Express of the Reduction 
 of Fort Montgomery, in the Highlands, and its Depend- 
 encies by the Enemy. And although this Senate there- 
 fore adjourned till Wednesday morning, the eighth of 
 October last, yet so many members of the Honorable, 
 tlie House of Assembly, absented themselves on military 
 Service, and for the necessarj' care of their Families, in 
 Consequence of the Event, that there was not a suffi- 
 cient Number of them left at Kingston to form a House 
 for Business ; which rendered the Meeting of the Senate, 
 according to Adjournment, useless ; and therefore the 
 Senate ceased to attend on the public Business, until 
 His Ex., the Gov., thought proper to convene the 
 Legislature of this State, liy His I'roc. in the Words 
 following, to-wit : &c "' 
 
 A similar entry occurs in the Assembly Journal, the 
 first part of which document had hardly been com- 
 pleted at Holt's press in Kingston, when Vaughan's 
 expedition landed. 
 
 It being impossible to continue Legislative business 
 in the prescribed form, on the seventh of October, a 
 
 'Senate Journal, 1st Session. 
 
 3 
 
20 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 meetiug of tlie members of the Senate and Assembly 
 was convened by unanimous consent in Kingston. 
 Senator Pawling and Messrs. Hardenbergh, Snyder, 
 Schoonmaker and Rea, Assemblymen from Ulster 
 Count}', were in attendance, witii about forty other 
 members of the Legislature. 
 
 Lieut. Governor Van Courtlandt, was chosen pre- 
 sident of the Convention, and John McKesson and 
 Robert Benson, Secretaries. 
 
 They remained in session but a few hours, but 
 in order to keep up the local organizations, passed 
 resolutions continuing the county and district com- 
 mittees, as well as the commissioners ibr detecting and 
 defeating conspiracies, as Ihey existed on the preced- 
 ing 13th of September. 
 
 To defeat the possible intention of the enemy, who 
 was now in possession of the Highlands, should he move 
 up b}- water, they 
 
 " Resolved, 'i'hat the members of the several Com- 
 mittees be, and they hereby are, required to lade all 
 vessels which may be at the different landings, and 
 other places along Hudson's river, with flour, wheat, 
 and any other kind of provisions which may be near 
 the shores of the said rivei', and send the said sloops 
 and vessels to Albau}-, &c. 
 
 Resolved, That tlie said committees respectively do 
 forthwith cause all the cattle and live stock near or 
 contiguous to either side of Hudson's River, e.xcept 
 such parts thereof as, in their judgment, shall be neces- 
 sary for the present use of the respective proprietors 
 thereof, to be removed into the interior parts of the 
 country on the several sides of the said river, to lie 
 taken care of by keepers to be by them severally ap- 
 pointed. ***** ^n(] in case any 
 person or persons sliall obstinately refuse to permit his, 
 her or their cattle or other stock to be so removed, that 
 then and in sucii case, the said commitle-3 be, and they 
 hereby are empowered to desti'oy the same, &c., &c." 
 
 They then appoint a committee of safety in tiiese 
 terms : 
 
 " Resolved, Th.tt William Flo>d, John Morin Scott, 
 Abraham Yates, Johannes Snyder, Egi>ert Benson, 
 Robert Harper, Peter Pra Van Zandt, Levi Paulding, 
 Daniel Dunscomb, Evert Bancker, Alexander Webster, 
 William B. Whiting and Jonathan Langdon, Esquires, 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 21 
 
 or any seven of tlieni, be, and they are hereby appointed 
 a Council of Safety, and they be, anil hereby are, 
 in the recess of the House, vested witli the like powers 
 and authorities whicli were given to the late Council of 
 Safety, appointed by the last Convention of this State ; 
 that every member of the Senate and Assembly, and the 
 Delegates of this State in Cong-ress, be entitled from time 
 to time to sit and vote in the said Council ; and that the 
 said persons, or any seven of them, be and continue a 
 Council of Safety, so long as the necessities of this 
 State shall require, and no longer. 
 
 Resolved, That tlie Governor, or in his absence, the 
 President of the Senate, when the}' siiall respectively 
 be present at the said Council, shall preside at, and upon 
 an equal division, have a casting voice in the same.'" 
 
 On the morning of the 8tli of October, the new 
 Council of Safety assembled, and chose Mr. Floj'd Pre- 
 sident fro tempore. 
 
 In order to secure the state prisoners, a large 
 number of whom were confined in Kingston jail, as well 
 as on board two or three vessels moored at the mouth 
 of the creek, and termed the Fleet Prison, the Council 
 directed them to be removed to Hartford, Coini. Cor- 
 nelius C. Elmendorph was the Commissary for supplying 
 these prisoners, and Doctor Luke Kiersted the attend- 
 ing physician. They seem to have been guarded by a 
 company from Col. Pawling's regiment of militia, 
 under the command of Capt. Fredeiick Schoonmaker, 
 and the armed sloop Hudson, Capt. Benson, was anchor- 
 ed near tiie prison vessels. 
 
 The correspondence between the Council of Safety 
 and Governor Clinton was actively kept up, men from 
 Capt. Silvester Salisl)ury's troop of Kingston Light- 
 Horse,^ being stationed on the road south of the village 
 to facilitiite the niatter. 
 
 The danger from the enemy seemed so imminent 
 that the public records were ordered boxed and ready 
 to be moved at a moment's warning ; and it was 
 
 ''Resolved, That Messrs. Snyder, Schoonmaker, Lang- 
 don and Benson,^ be requested to take four hundred 
 
 ' .loiir. Prov, Conv. I, p 1061. 
 
 '' Capt. Salisliury resided in the Pine Busli district of Kingston, and 
 was connected witli the Van Gaasbeclcs; from their manuscript genealogy 
 the wliole family can be traced ont. He died April 10th, 1785, aged 42 
 or 43 years. 
 
 3 Chancellor Kent'.s sketch of the life and .services of Egbert Benson 
 may be found in Thonjpson's Long Island, II, p. 487. 
 
22 VAUGHAN'9 
 
 pounds, at interest, at six per cent, from Abraliam 
 Hasbrouck, Esq.,' and pay the same to the Coiumis- 
 sioners for conspiracies ; and that tliis Council will 
 indemnify them for the same.^ " 
 
 On the 9th strong resolutions were passed to im- 
 press wheat for the use of the troops, and steps taken 
 to secure the military stores. Gov. Clinton in a letter 
 read at the afternoon session gives an account of 
 matters after the fall of the forts, and says : 
 
 ' As soon as ever I find the shipping are likely to 
 pass the chevauxde-frise, 1 will by a forced march 
 endeavor to gain Kingston and cover that town. I 
 shall have one l)rass twenty-four poundei-, and six smaller 
 field pieces, which will make a formidable train. 
 
 1 am persuaded if the militia will join me (which 
 I have reason to hope), we can save the country (a few 
 scattering houses along the river excepted), from de- 
 struction, and defeat the enemy'sdesign in assisting their 
 northern ami}'." 
 
 The session of the 10th of October is an active one 
 and shows the state of alarm prevailing at Kingston. 
 
 A large quantity of saltpetre at tiie landing is 
 ordered to be removed from the shore, and the Conned 
 passed the following i-esolutioii: 
 
 "Resolved, That Colonels Pawling and Snyder be re- 
 quested to issue the necessary orders to liave all the 
 male inhabitants in the districts of their respective 
 regiments of 16 years and upwards capable of bearing 
 arms immediately equipped and provided with arms 
 and ammunition and to appoint proper alarm Posts and 
 places of rendezvous for the respective companies to 
 repair to in case of the approach of the enemy." 
 
 Other resolutions direct Gerard Bancker, Vice 
 Treasurer ; John Henry, Commissary of Clotiiing ; tho 
 Secretaries of the Convention, as well as Messrs. 
 Abram Hasbrouck, Joseph Gasherie,' Dirck Wynkoop, 
 
 'Abi-aliam Hasbrouck, Note V. 
 
 -Jour. Prov. Coiiv., I, p. 1064. 
 
 ' Joseph Gasherie was appointed, March l.'Jtli, 1778, tli" Hrst Sur- 
 rogate under the new State Government, and continued in this office 
 until elected Senator from the middle district, in 1784 ; during his 
 term lie was a member of the Council. Immediately after its close he 
 was reappointed Surrogate by Governor Clinton, and held it at the time 
 of his death, which occurred in Kingston, Jan. ICtli, 1800. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 23 
 
 Jr.,' Cliristophei- Tappeii and Samuel Ba_yard, Jr., who 
 had chiirge oi'thePul)lic Records of the Colony (dejiosit- 
 ed at Kingston in June, 1776), to remove the property in 
 their custody to Rochester. The arrangement for pro- 
 per places of deposit at Rochester is to be left to 
 Hendricus Hornbeck, Johannes G. Hardenbergh and 
 Comfort Sands.^ In case of necessity Judge WynUoop 
 and Oke Sudani will impress teams to convey this pro- 
 perty. A cai)t;iin's gniird was afteiwards ordered to 
 be furnished from Col. Pawliiig's regiment for the 
 public records at Rochester. 
 
 Kingston seems to have been a general place of 
 deposit for the Westchester, Albany and Ulster County 
 records, which, with the papers of the Receiver Gen- 
 eral of tlie Colony, iire dispatched to Rochester along 
 with the others. 
 
 On the Ilth the Council ordered the militia from 
 the vicinity of Shawangunk to join the Governor's 
 army, and all the rest of the Ulster County force to 
 assemble at Kingston. The order to Capt. Benson to 
 land his arms and munitions of war and take provisions 
 to Albany, saved the sloo)i Hudson from tliC fate of 
 the other vessels lying off the point 
 
 Where the sessions of the Council had been, up to 
 this time, is not stated in the Journal, but most likely at 
 the Court House. This afternoon the adjournment is 
 to Conrad C. Elmendorf's tavern,^ where they continued 
 to be held while Kingston remained standing. 
 
 The old remark that " there are no Sundays in 
 war " applies to the ailaiis of Slate at this juncture, for 
 the Council remained in session all da> on Sunday. On 
 the following morning they have Governor Clinton's 
 
 1 A short notice of tlie public services of Judge Wynkoop is found 
 at p. (J!) of vol I of the Ulster Hi.storical Society's Collections. It is 
 to lie regrelttd thiit the paper.-; of this gentleman liave been destroyed ; 
 they iiiififht liave been of much use in illustrating our local history 
 
 -For a biographical sketch of Comfort Sands, see Thompson's 
 History nf Long hland, I, 4(55. 
 
 ^ The inn of Conrad C. Elniendorf was on the northeast corner of 
 Maiden lane and Fair street, and the present house belongs to the family 
 of the late Judge Van Buren. It became somewhat famous as the head 
 quarters of the Clinton party — the " Constitution House," on the other 
 corner, di.igonally, being the place of rendezvouz for the supporters of 
 Mr. Jay. The older inhabitants of Kingston are wout to repeat some 
 very amusing anecdotes of the warmth of party spirit in those days, 
 while the minutes of the worshipful 'I'nistees of the old Kingston Cor- 
 poration show that tlie inns of Bogardus and Elmendorf were rival 
 shrines — the resorts of the Capulets and Montagues of Esopus. 
 
24 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 letter of the lltli, dated at " Mrs. Fall's,'" in which he 
 graphically describes the purgation of Daniel Taj'lor, 
 the spy — a letter I reserve for another place. The af- 
 ternoon session is confined to tlie business of examining 
 the case of that troublesome old tory, Cadwallader Col- 
 den, who is finally allowed to go with his son ; Angus 
 McDonald, a prisoner of war, is sent to Hurley on parole, 
 but Roelif Eltinge they commit to jail " until iurther 
 orders." 
 
 The news of the reconnoissance of Sir James Wal- 
 lace towards Ponglikeepsie reaches the Council by 
 express from the Governor, on Tuesday morning. The 
 Governor complains of tlie want of fixed ammunition, 
 which will probably account fnr tlie little damage done 
 to the British squadron, whiih succeeded these vessels. 
 The Lady Washinglon galley. Captain Cook, moved up 
 in advance of the enemy to an anchorage in the Ron- 
 dout Creek. The Council send Capt. Salisbury's troop 
 down to New Windsor, mainly to serve as expresses. 
 The attendance of tlie members at these latter sessions 
 is small, but Lieut. Governor Van Courtlandt is always 
 in the chair. 
 
 The Gatks Papers, in the library of tbc New York 
 Historical Society, supply the last letter Governor 
 Clinton writes to the Council, before selling out for the 
 defence of Esopus. 
 
 HUADQCARTERS, NEAR NeW WiSDSOR, 1 
 
 15th Oct.. 1777, 9 o'clock, A. M. ) 
 Dear Sir : 
 
 I am this moment informed by a light liorseman 
 from my guard at New Windsor, that twenty sail of the 
 enemy's shipping (two of them large vessels) are in the 
 river below Butter Hill. There was a heavy fogg on 
 the river in the morning when they were discovered, so 
 that the ofticer ol' the guard could not be particular as 
 tlie size of the vessels; he thinks it highly probalile 
 that more may be near at band and niiglit be seen weie 
 it not for the fogg. Had it not been for this mo\^ement 
 of the enemy, 1 intended this day or to-morrow to have 
 drawn my few troops from this place towards tlie rear 
 of fort Montgomery but I must now desist and watch 
 their motions ; and should they land and march against 
 
 ' Mr.s. Aluxander Falls resided at the Square, about 4 miles west of 
 the village of New Windsor. The hovise was occupied in ISfd) by 
 Samuel Moore. Lossing's Field Book ; Kagers Hist, of Orange Co , p 
 640. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 25 
 
 me with any considerable force, I shall be constrained 
 with my present numbers to retreat before them, annoy- 
 ing them only if favorable opportunities shall offer. I 
 was in hopes ere now to have received the reinforce- 
 ment from the northward which you mentioned ; not 
 a man of which are yet arrived. I wish Col. Pawling 
 with his regiment was with me. Since writing the 
 above, the enemy's fleet consisting of 30 sail have 
 passed Newburg with crowded sail and fair wind are 
 moving quick up the river ; the front of them are al- 
 ready at the Dans Caamer. There are eight large, square 
 rigged vessels among them, and all appear to have 
 troops on board. My troops are parading to inarch for 
 Kingston. Our route will be through Shawanguiik to 
 prevent delay in crossing the I'altz River. — I leave 
 Collo. WoodhuU's, McClaughry's and part of Ilaas- 
 brouck's regiments as ;i guard along the river. — Ha- 
 thorn's is gone to the southward to guard a quantity of 
 arms towards head-quarters. When he returns he is to 
 join this guard. I have neither time to copy or read 
 this scrall ; the substance must be communicated to 
 Gen. Gates. Let the militia be drawn out ready to 
 oppose the enemy. I will be with you if nothing extra 
 liappens, Ijefore day; though my troops cannot. 
 
 1 am, 3-ours &c., 
 
 Geo. Clinton. 
 
 Gov. Clinton's force of about a thousand men, com- 
 posed of the skeleton regiments of Colonels Samuel J. 
 Webb, DuBois, Sutherland and Ellison, with a part of 
 Hasbrouck's' and what remained of Lamli's artillery, 
 was instantly ordered to march through Shawanguiik: 
 and down the west side of the Waalkill. They crossed 
 the ferry where now stands the Rosendale bridge, mak- 
 ing a hurried march and few halts ; in fact, it was too 
 rapid to leave the troops in any condition to fight, 
 should they reach the enemy's position. The route of 
 the column was on the Greenkill road, but only a por- 
 tion of the advanced guard arrived at the Kuykuyt, 
 overlooking Kingston, to behold the village in flames 
 and the enemy nearly retired to his shipping. Had the 
 whole army been at hand it could not, of course, have 
 prevented the destruction of the village, or made any 
 serious resistance to the royal troops. 
 
 1 Note VI. 
 
26 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 The minutes of the CouDcil sessions on the fifteenth 
 consist of only a few lines — the time for personal effort 
 on their part had come, and the Secretaries were en- 
 gaged in something morestirringtiian clerkly labors, and 
 only find leisure to note an order to impress 24 wagons 
 to remove the military stores. Unfortunately all of 
 these could not be procured and thus a considerable 
 amount of public war-material wi\s doomed to fall into 
 the hands of the invaders. 
 
 It may be interesting to record the names of the 
 members of the Council who were present on this day. 
 They were Col. Van Courtlandt, Messis. Dunscomb, 
 Floyd, Van Zandt, Parks, Webster, Scott, Rowan, Har- 
 per, Pawling and Monis. 
 
 The utmost alarm existed and men were sending 
 
 their families and such of their property as they could 
 
 move, to Hurley and Marbletown. News came that the 
 
 enemy's fleet had reached Esopus Island, only a few 
 
 miles below the town landing, and it was evident that 
 
 the worst hour was at hand. But in the midst of all 
 
 this distress, for the too well known conduct of the 
 
 royal generals forbade any hope of mercy from them, an 
 
 express despatched in haste from Albany, brought the 
 
 comforting assurance tiiat the day was breaking in the 
 
 north. It was conveyed in a letter from General 
 
 Gates.^ 
 
 Saratoga, Oct. 15th, 1777. 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 Inclosed I have the Honor to send your Excel- 
 lency a Copy of my Letter of this Day to Major Gen- 
 eral Putnam, with a Copy of the Terms on which Lt. 
 General Burgoyne has proposed to Surrender 
 I am Sir, 
 
 Your Excellency's 
 
 Most Afl'ectionate 
 
 Humble Servant, 
 Horatio Gates." 
 His Excellency, Governor Clinton, Esq. 
 
 The terms of capitulation have been often printed 
 and tiierefore need not be rejieated. 
 
 This letter the Council lost no time in forwarding 
 to New Windsor with this inclosure, also from the Clin- 
 ton MSS. 
 
 1 Clinton Papers in the N. Y. State Library. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 27 
 
 Kingston, Oct. 15th, 1777, 5 p. m. 
 '' Sir : 
 
 The enclosed is just come to hand by Express. 
 We tho't it necessary to open it as it might coutaiu 
 matters which at this Critical Juncture wo conceived 
 we ought to know without Delay. 
 
 We just this moment have received information 
 from the Landing that about thirty sail of the Enemy's 
 Vessels appeared opposite tlieEsopus Island and Stand- 
 ing up the River. Some works have been thrown up 
 below according to your Excellency's requisition. The 
 alarm Gunns were just fired. We have not any particu- 
 lars on this occasion more than already mentioned. 
 We shall forward any further Information to you as 
 it may from time to time occur without the loss of a 
 moment. In the meantime give us leave, Sir, to assure 
 you that we will contribute ail in our power to enable 
 the Militia Officers who command here to make the best 
 possible Defence at this Post during your Excellency's 
 absence, 
 
 I have the Honor to be 
 
 Your Excellency's 
 Most Ob't Serv't, 
 
 Pierre Van Courtlandt, 
 Pres'dt. 
 His Excellency Governor Clinton." 
 
 Upon the receipt of General Gates' letter the Coun- 
 cil voted the bearer of "good tidings" fifty dollars. 
 The Governor did not receive it until some time after 
 date, and the current story is, that it had been commit- 
 ted to a faithless messenger who stopped for the night 
 at a farm house by the way side. He was found by 
 another express leisurely setting out in the morning. 
 He excused liimself on the plea of his horse breaking 
 down, which brought upon him all manner of re- 
 proaclics from the good whig who had entertained him, 
 and to whom no mention had been made of his order 
 to make all possible effort to reach the reinforcements 
 and urge them to press forward without a moment's 
 delay.' 
 
 1 1 take this occasion to return my thanks for this and other in- 
 teresting jiarticulars connected with tliis sketch, obtained from Miss 
 Margaret Wynkoop, a daughter of Judae Dirck Wynkoop, Jr., who 
 tigured mucli in these " troublous times." This venerable lady, whose 
 
 4 
 
28 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 True to his word the stout-hearted Governor ar- 
 rived at Kingston at about nine o'clock in tlie evening, 
 and then sends off this dispatch ' to Putnam on the 
 other side of the river. 
 
 " Kings Town, 15th October, 1777, ) 
 10 o'clock Wednesday Evening. ) 
 
 Dear General : 
 
 What follows is the copy of a letter from the Chair- 
 man of the Committee ot the city of Albany to the 
 President of the Council of Safety. I congratulate you 
 on the important intelligence contained in it. 
 
 To Gen. Putnam. 
 
 Albany, 15th October, 1777. 
 '' Last night at 8 o'clock the capitulation whereby 
 General Burgoyne and whole army surrendered them- 
 selves prisoners of War was signed, and this morning 
 they are to march out towards the River above Fish 
 Creek with the Honors of War, and there ground their 
 Arms. They are from thence to be marched to Massa- 
 chusetts Bay. We congratulate you on this happy 
 event and remain." Yours, &c., 
 
 Geo. Clinton." 
 
 With untiring energy and unabated zeal the Gov- 
 ernor starts for Marbletown in tlie morning, where, 
 finding that his fagged army caiuiot reach Kingston in 
 time to be of any service, he directs the main bodj' to 
 proceed no farther. Issuing an order for the execution 
 of Taylor, the spy, who had been carried along with 
 the troops, he is back again at Kingston before noon, 
 and at one o'clock writes to the Commandant at Alba- 
 ny : - 
 
 " Sir : 
 
 Read, seal and send forward the enclosed Letter. 
 Use your discretion as to the contents. Take the most 
 prudent measures with your Sick, Woinided and Pri- 
 
 elegaut manners and refined tone lend snch a charm to her society, still 
 survives, at the age of S2, residing in the very liouse in Green .street, 
 where her father entertained General Washington ou his visit to Kings- 
 ton. 
 
 'Penn. Archives, V, p. 676. ^ Clinton Papers. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 2w 
 
 soneis. It is possible the Euemy may push on to Al- 
 bany. 
 
 I am, Sir, your humble Servant." 
 Geo. Clinton. 
 
 The following is the enclosure to Gen. Gates : 
 
 KisGSTo.v, 16th Oct., 1777, 1 o'clock. 
 Sir: 
 
 I am to inlorm you that the Enemy's Fleet, Con- 
 sisting of upwards of thirty sail anchored last night 
 about six miles l)elow the Landing Place of this Town 
 which they now lie directly opposite to, and appear to 
 be making preparations for Landing. I have so few 
 men with me that I can not say I have the best Prospect 
 of making so good a Defence as might be wished. A 
 Reinforcement is on the way to me which I left last 
 night, and which I believe will not come up in season, 
 and at any rate must be exceedingly fatigued. I am 
 just informed that the Enemy are coming to the Land. 
 I think it necessary lo give you this information, that 
 you may take such steps as may to you appear necessary 
 to render their acquisition of this Town of as little im- 
 portance as possible. I have the Honor to be 
 
 Your most obedient 
 & 
 humble servant. 
 
 Geo. Clinton. 
 
 P. S. I most sincerely Congratulate you on your 
 success Northward. 
 
 Let us now turn to the events of the memorable 
 sixteenth of October. 
 
 The enemy who had remained at anchor near 
 Esopus island the previous night, weighed on the morn- 
 ing of the 16th, and about nine o'clock drew up opposite 
 the mouth of the Roudout creek, and the Point, and in 
 a little while opened a vigorous cannonade upon the 
 Lady Washington galley, lying in front of the present 
 residence of iMr. George North, and the two batteries 
 upon the high ground above Ponckhockie, afterwards 
 called Breast-works hill. Five light pieces of cannon 
 were in position in these hastily thrown up earthworks, 
 and with a 32-pounder on the galley replied to the fire 
 of the British ships, but without doing much damage. 
 About one o'clock in the afternoon the troops in the 
 
30 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 batteaux and boats of the naval vessels, were arranged 
 in two divisions and prepared to land ; one division 
 consisting of about three or four hundred men proceeded 
 to Ponckbockie, near lladlej's Ferry landing, and then 
 rapidly disembarked, and dispersed the men at the 
 batteries with the bayonet, the defenders of these works 
 remaining until the last moment, when they spd^ed their 
 guns and with a few wounded men withdrew in haste up 
 the creek. Only three houses stood where is now the 
 teeming throng of the busy village of Rondout — these 
 the invaders burnt, an occasional shot from the retreat- 
 ing militia, showing that it was only a lack of force 
 that prevented a vigorous resistance. 
 
 The boats immediately boarded and set fire to the 
 prison vessels and some sloops lying in the creek, which 
 task was somewhat impeded by the blowing up of a 
 quantity of powder in one of tlie store vessels. Lieut. 
 Clarke of the Dependence, and some of his crew were 
 injured by this explosion. The Lady Washingtmi galley 
 was run up the creek and scuttled just below Eddy- 
 ville, and at South Rondout a jiarty of the enemy's 
 seamen in pursuit of this vessel landed and desti-oyed 
 a house belonging to William Houghtalirig, the only 
 damage done on the south side of the creek. 
 
 But it is time to look after tiie main Liody of the 
 enemy's troops, under Gen. Vaughan in person. This 
 division landed in a cove north of Columbus point and 
 near the brick-kiln, and took the direction of Kingston, 
 and on the top of tiie hill, not far from the late resid- 
 ence of H. H. Reynolds Esq., formed a junction with 
 the other party which had reached that spot by the 
 the " Strand road." 
 
 Here the column halted and Jacobus Lellcrts,' a New 
 York tory temporarily residing in Kingston, approached 
 Gen. Vaugiian and communicated to him the news of 
 the capitulation of Gen. Burgoyne at Saratoga. This 
 fact Gordon states on the authority of Mi'. James Beek- 
 man," and Major Van Gaasbeck, of Kingston, assures me 
 that he has heard that Lefiertswns the informant, from 
 the lips of citizens wiio were in the village on that 
 fatal day. It has been said that no information of this 
 sort could have been received in Kingston at the time 
 
 ' Jacobus Lefl'erts, Note VII. 
 2 History, II, p. 579, note. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 31 
 
 of the landing of the British, but this is an erroi*. Gen. 
 Burgoyne asked for a parle}' on tlio I3th of October, 
 and one was actually hekl on the follo\vin<:; dajs in which 
 the British commander offered to capitnhite. Gen. 
 Gates' letter to Gov. Clinton (see p. 26, ante), announc- 
 ing this, was opened by the Council of Safety, sitting 
 in the village, at 5 p. m., on the fifteenth. A letter 
 from Jno. Barchi}', chairman of the Albany county 
 committee, with the same intelligence, was read at this 
 meeting,' and although the announcement was some- 
 what premature, it was believed by all parties, and tiie 
 clause omitted from Sir James Wallace's dispatch, 
 published in the London Gazette of Dec. 2d, is corrobo- 
 rative of this view of the case." 
 
 No information oi' the inutility of further attempts 
 to create a diversion in lavor of Burgoyne, could influ- 
 ence the leaders of this marauding expedition ; they 
 were bent on plunder and destruction, and the order to 
 advance was speedily given. Lossing says that some- 
 where about this place they seized a negro and com- 
 ]ielled him to pilot them to the town. 
 
 Tlio only resistance they met with after leaving the 
 vicinity of the water side was from a scattering fire kept 
 up by a few men in and about the woods near the house of 
 John O'Reilly. These men were quickly dispersed by 
 the enemy's light companies, dei)loyed as skirmishers, 
 and by the parties on the flanks of the column, and al- 
 though Vaughan's official report, and the servile Gazette 
 of Rivington, speak of "firing from the houses," &c., it 
 is the unanimous voice of tradition that no resistance 
 whatever was made after the troops reached the vicini- 
 ty of the village. 
 
 The militia, consisting of about loO men, under 
 the command of Colonels Levi Pawling and Johannes 
 Snyder, could do nothing against such overwhelming 
 odds, indeed, the largest portion was in the works at 
 " the Strand," and so retreated up the Rondout creek — 
 the inhabitants themselves were employed to the last 
 in removing such of their effects as were portable, 
 and abandoned their houses as the British troops 
 entered the streets. It is to be remembered that 
 many of those liable to do military duty were absent 
 
 1 Jour. Prov. Conv., I, 1070, and the letter is at p. 28. 
 
 2 See p. 34, post. 
 
32 VAUUHANS 
 
 under arms with Gov. Clinton and in the nortlierii 
 army. 
 
 No time was to be lost by the invaders, for Gover- 
 noi- Clinton's army could not be far oflf, and dividing 
 into small parties they began to set fire to the houses in 
 the village, showing particular spite in visiting the 
 residences of leading whigs. So rapid had been the 
 advance of the royal forces, that the records of the 
 Dutch Church — and the missing cover of one of these 
 venerable volumes is attributed to this haste — and some 
 of the public papers in Mr. Bancker's charge at Judge 
 Wynkoop's house, on the coiner of Pearl and Fair 
 streets (now of Mrs. S. Bruyn), were only removed a 
 few moments before a party of red-coats began to plun- 
 der the buildings. 
 
 It did not take long to complete their work, and 
 with the exception of the house and barn on the west 
 side of Wall street, near the residence of Marius 
 Schoonmaker, Esq., and then belonging to Tobias Van 
 Steenburgh, every building in the village was des- 
 troyed. This long, one story stone dwelling is still 
 standing, in good preservation, and belongs to Abram T. 
 Van Steenburgh, a descendant of the revolutionary 
 owner. Various reasons are given for their omission 
 to set fire to these buildings. One New York newspa- 
 per says it was occupied Ity a Mrs. Hammersley — atory 
 lady in some way connected with the British officers. 
 It is certain that a New York lady of this name was in 
 Kingston about this time, and not unlikely occupied 
 this house, but I have not been able to obtain any par- 
 ticulars in regard to her. 
 
 Some confusion in the newspaper accounts of that 
 day has arisen, it being stated in Rivington's paper 
 that the only house spared belonged to a Mr. Lefierts. 
 Now, the house occupied by Mr. Lefierts was indeed 
 saved from the flames, but it was some distance from 
 the village proper, as stated in the appendix,' and could 
 hardly be considered as belonging to it. The royal Ga- 
 zette would no doubt soon learn that the house of so well 
 known a .sympathizer with the crown as Alderman Lef- 
 ferts had not been burned. 
 
 I have heard that a party of soldiers proceeded to- 
 wards this house in spite of the remonstrances of Mrs. 
 Lefierts, whose bright red dress has been described by 
 
 • Note VII. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 33 
 
 more than one informant, and were about to plunder it, 
 when the sound of the recall hastened them back to the 
 ranks. The north part of the house bears indisputa- 
 ble marks of being older than 1777. 
 
 The invaders destroj'ed a considerable quantity of 
 arms and munitions of war, with flour and provisions 
 stored here for the army, to say nothing of the property 
 of the inhabitants, but I prefer to collect in one place 
 the estimates of the enemj' as to the amount of destruc- 
 tion they had been able to effect. 
 
 The stragglers of the royal army were gathered in 
 as fast as possible, and with a quick step, in spite of all 
 the booty they could carry away, not forgetting sundry 
 negroes — for the British Anti-Slavery party had not 
 yet been heard of — they set out for the river, and after 
 an absence of about three hours reimbarked, having 
 liurned a defenceless village and made three or four 
 thousand people houseless, and unable to recognize their 
 homes in the ashes now heaped upon the spot where 
 latel}' stood a flourishing town. 
 
 The following are the official accounts of the ser- 
 vices performed by the British officers at Kingston : 
 
 Ox Board the Fkiexdship, Off Esopps, ) 
 
 Friday, October 17, 10 o'clock, Morning.' ) 
 Sir : 
 
 1 have the Honor to inform you that on the Even- 
 ing of the 15th Instant I arrived oft' Esopus; finding 
 that the Rebels had thrown up Works and had made 
 every Disposition to annoy us, and cut off" onr Commu- 
 nication, I judged it necessary to attack them, the Wind 
 being at that Time so much against us that we could 
 make no Way. I accordingly landed the Tioops, at- 
 tacked their Batteries, drove them from their Works, 
 spiked and destro^'ed their Guns. Esopus being a 
 Nursery i'or almost ever}' Villain in the Country, I 
 judged it necessary to proceed to that Town. On our 
 Approach they were drawn up with Cannon which we 
 took and drove them out of (he Place. On our entering 
 the Town they fired from their Houses, which induced 
 me to reduce the Place to Ashes, which I accordingly 
 did, not leaving a House. We found a considerable 
 Quantity of Stores of all kinds, which shared the same 
 Eate. 
 
 'London Gazette, Dec. 2d, 1777. 
 
34 VAUGHAN''S 
 
 Sir James Wallace has destroyed all the Shipping 
 except an armed Galley, which rnu up the Creek with 
 every Thing belonging to the Vessels in Store. 
 
 Our Loss is so inconsiderable that it is not at pre- 
 sent worth while to mention. 
 
 I am, &c., 
 
 John Vaughan. 
 
 Galleys and Armed Vessels off Esopds Ckeek, 
 Oct. 17, 1777.1 
 
 I 
 
 Sir : We proceeded up the river, Destroying a num- 
 ber of vessels as we sailed along without stopping till 
 we arrived at Esopus creek, where we found 2 batteries ; 
 one of 2 guns, the other of 3 guns erected, and an 
 armed Galley at the mouth of the Creek, who en- 
 deavored to prevent our passing by their Cannonade. 
 Gen. Vaughan was of opinion that such a force should 
 not be left behind. It was determined to land and 
 destroy them, and immediately Executed, without re- 
 tarding our proceeding up the River. The General 
 marched for the town and fired it. The Boats from 
 the armed vessels went up tlie Creek, Burnt 2 brigs, 
 several armed sloops and other craft, with all their 
 apparatus, that was in Stores upon the shore. Lieut. 
 Clark of the " Dependence," with two or three others, 
 in firing the stores was blown up, but we flatter our- 
 selves not dangerously. 
 
 The officers and men upon this occasion behaved 
 [with] the greatest spirit. 
 
 By all our information I am afraid that General 
 Burgoyue is retreated if not worse. 
 
 I have, &c. 
 
 Jas. Wallace. 
 
 Commodore Hotham. 
 
 Sir William Howe in his report to Lord George 
 Germaine, dated Philadelphia, Oct. 25th, 1777, adds 
 this Postcript : 
 
 " I have the satisfaction to enclose to your Lord- 
 ship a report just rec'd of a very spirited piece of 
 service performed by Major Genl. Vaughan, and Sir 
 James Wallace, up the Hudson's River." 
 
 ' Copy from tlie original iu the Admiralty, London; this dispatch 
 appeared in the London Gazette of Dec. 2d, 1777, with the omission of 
 the last significant paragraph, which does not seem to liave ever before 
 been brought to public notice. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 35 
 
 It lias not been easy to procure the contemporary 
 newspaper accounts of this expedition, at this late date, 
 but such as have come to my notice are given, commenc- 
 ing with the royalist side. 
 
 Rivington's New York Gazttte, October 27tli, 1777. 
 
 Extract of a letter from Esopus, October 16th. 
 
 " On Monday evening we sailed i'rom fort Montgome- 
 ry, having first entirely demolished it, and blown up 
 the magazine. We got up that night near Pollopel's 
 Island, where we came to an anchor below the Che- 
 veauxde Frize. Next morning, wind S. W., we weighed, 
 got tlirough the Cheveaux de Frize, and proceeded up 
 the river. The towns of New Windsor and Newburgh 
 appeared totally deserted by the inhabitants ; four 
 sloops set sail from Fishkill, but were soon overhauled 
 by the gun boats, when opposite to Poughkeepsie ; the 
 rebels kept up a continual fire from the shore, without 
 doing any damage, which was answered by the ship- 
 ping. We anchored that night five miles from Esopus, 
 and yesterday morning about nine o'clock a severe can- 
 nonade began between the shipping in front, and a row 
 galley and two batteries the rebels had erected on shore. 
 In the afternoon the troops landed at Esopus, attacked 
 and took possession of the batteries, and, on marching 
 up to the town, the rebels concealed in the houses, 
 firing upon tlie troops from the windows, occasioned 
 every house, except that of Alderman Lefterts of New 
 York, to be set on fire and consumed ; this was effected 
 with the loss of only two men wounded. Many were 
 burnt in the river and Esopus creek, besides some 
 stores, a mill, &c." 
 
 New York Gazette, November 3d. 
 
 October 15 —" Three sloops taken, in attempting 
 to escape to the Fishkill, and two pettiaugers, de- 
 stroyed." 
 
 " The house, mill and onthouses, and a sloop 
 belonging to Col. Francis Stoutenburgh, at Crum Elbow, 
 burned. Two sloops on the east side, burnt that eve- 
 ning." 
 
 October 16.— Set fire to two brigs, <fec., and burnt 
 
 Kingston. 
 
 October \1. — " The house, store-house, barn, &c., 
 of Mr. Pctrus Ten Broeck, a rebel General, the house, 
 5 
 
a6 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 barn, and out-hoiises of Robert Gilbert Livingston, and 
 a bouse and mill belonging to Judge Livingston, on tbe 
 east side of the river burned." 
 
 October, 18. — " Another house belonging to Judge 
 Livingston, one to Mr. John Livingston, with three oth- 
 ers, destroyed in like manner." 
 
 October 22. — '' Two houses, one the property of 
 Judge Smith, on the east side, a sloop and barn, like- 
 wise two houses, with their appendages on the west side, 
 were burnt, and on the 23d a sloop was burned on the 
 stocks. 
 
 In the town of Kingston, a large quantity of 
 powder, and ;i large number of fire-arms, together with 
 inanj' valuable stores, were destroj'ed." * * * 
 
 " Another more accurate Account from Esopus, 
 informs us that on the landing of Gen. Vaughan with 
 the Tioops under his Command, the Reliels, with- 
 out the least prospect of advantage to themselves, 
 fired upon tliem from a Breastwork just thrown up, 
 and which they did not stay to defend. This, joined 
 to an insolent and provoking Behaviour occasioned the 
 Army to march up and set fire to the Town, which 
 was presently entirely consumed. There were de- 
 stroyed Three Hundred and twenty-six houses, with 
 a Bani to almost every one of them, filled with Flour, 
 besides Grain of all kinds, much valuable Furniture 
 and efl'ects, which the Royal Array disdained to take 
 with them. Twelve 'J'housand barrels of Flour were 
 burnt, and the3' took at the town four pieces of Can- 
 non, with ten more upon the River, with 1150 stand 
 of Aims, with a large quantity of Powder were blown 
 up. The whole Service was effected and the Troops 
 re-embarked in three hours." 
 
 Independent Chronirh (Boston), October 30th. 
 
 Extract of a letter froui Fishkill, dated October 
 191 li : 
 
 " The enemy are upon the river, between this place 
 and Alliany. They have burnt Kingston (Esopus), not 
 a house left standing in the town. It was a pretty com- 
 pact place with several sheets, 2 miles from tlie river, 
 60 miles from Albany, and the third town for size in this 
 State. They also burnt several mills, stores, dwelling 
 houses and vessels, as they advanced up llie river 
 However, they have someth.ing now in the way to stop 
 
SKCOND EXPEDITION 37 
 
 their career: General Putnam is up witli them on one 
 side of the river, and our Governor on the other side ; 
 each ot (hem have force sufficient to re|iel them, should 
 they land." 
 
 Ibid., November Gth. 
 
 FiSHKiLL, October 24. 
 
 "Last Monday, our people took a small schooner be- 
 longing to the enemy, in the Nortii River, near Rhyne- 
 beck, with a pretty valuable cargo ; she ran aground, 
 and our people took the advantage and Vioarded her 
 with canoes. Nicholas James and George Hopkins, two 
 of the New York pilots, were taken on board. 
 
 Last Thursday, one Tnylor, a spy, was hanged at 
 Hurley, who was detected with a letter to Hurgoyne, 
 which he swallowed in a silver ball, but by the assist- 
 ance of a tartar emetic he discharged the same." 
 
 FiSHKiLL, October 30. 
 
 " Last Thursda}', the fleet returned from their in- 
 glorious expedition up the North River, having burnt 
 Kingston, in Esopus, and a few houses at Riiynebeck 
 and Livingston's Manor, as was mentioned in our last ; 
 our army, commanded by Gen. Putnam, comnig up with 
 them, caused them to skulk on board their vessels, and 
 prevented their doing further mischief; the wind being 
 light in their return, which gave an opportunity to our 
 army, of marching as fast as they sailed, and was an 
 happy circumstance in our favor, and prevented them 
 from destroying Poughkeepsie and other buildings on 
 the river side." 
 
 New York Packet, October 23d. 
 
 October 14. — " Yesterday, General Vaughan, having 
 undei- his command a large body of Britisii, who have 
 committed various acts of vandalism, in their passage 
 up the North River, landed a number of men at Esopus, 
 marched up to the defenceless town of Kingston, about 
 two miles from the river, and immediately set it on fire. 
 The conflagration was general in a few minutes, and in 
 a very short time that pleasant and wealthy town was 
 reduced to ashes ; one house only escaped the flames. 
 Thus by tiie wantonness of power the third town in 
 New York for size, elegance and wealth, is reduced to a 
 
38 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 heap of rubbisL, and the once bappy inhabitants (who 
 are chiefly of Dutch descent) obliged to solicit for 
 shelter among strangers ; and those who lately pos- 
 sessed elegant and convenient dwellings, obliged to take 
 up with such huts as they can find to defend them from 
 the cold blasts of approaciiiug winter We learn that 
 the inhabitants saved the best part of their movable 
 property; but some lost the great part of their temp- 
 oral all. 'Tis said the enemy took little plunder, 
 being told that Governor Clinton was at hand witii 
 fifteen hundred men, but unluckily not so near as to 
 save the town. They burnt several houses at Rhyne- 
 ieck Flats, and proceeded as far as Livingston Manor, 
 .vhere they burnt a few more. Our troops are now up 
 with them. It is hoped that they will be able to put a 
 stop to these depredations. Britain, how art thou fall- 
 en ! Ages to come will not be able to wipe away the 
 guilt, the horrid guilt, of these and such like deeds, 
 lately perpetrated % thee." 
 
 The Americans did not think it expedient to make 
 any official statement of the amount of their losses in 
 stores and munitions of war, and while the account of 
 the enemy's success in their destruction is pr(»bably 
 exaggerated, there is no room to doubt thiit the State 
 suffered heavily on this occasion. 
 
 The county records escaped the fire, but some por- 
 tions now missing may not have lieen brought bi;ck to 
 Kingston after the Rochester journey. The " minutes" of 
 the Kingston Trustees for the year 1777 were destroyed 
 with the papers of Christopher Tap|ien, their clerk, as 
 appears from an entry in their books in his own hand- 
 writing. 
 
 The injury done to the inhabitants was more than 
 most of them could well bear ; many persons in comfort- 
 able and even affluent circumstances were reduced to 
 almost alisolute want, and all wore forced to seek sliel- 
 ter at some distance from tlieir late pleasant liomes. 
 
 The conduct of the cruel foe met with an indig- 
 nant crj' from all parts of the continent, and it steeleil 
 the hearts and nerved the arms of our countrymen to 
 pursue with unabating energy the course of resistance 
 to British Tyranny. 
 
 When the news of the destriiction of Kingston 
 reached Gen. Gates, now the victor of Saratoga, lie 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 39 
 
 addressed the t'oUowiiig spirited letter ' to Gen. 
 Vaiiy;haii, which was forwarded in the boat carrying 
 Lord Petersham witli Burgoyne's Dispatches to Sir 
 Henry Clinton. 
 
 "Albany, 19"i October, 1777. 
 Sir, 
 
 With unexampled crueltj' you have reduced the fine 
 village of Kingston to Ashes, and mo.st of the wretched 
 Inhabitants to ruin. I am also informed you continue 
 to ravage, and burn all before yon on both sides of the 
 River. Is it thus your King's General tljinks to maivc 
 Converts to the Royal Cause ? 
 
 It is no less surprising than true, that the measures 
 the}' adopt to serve their master have quite the contra- 
 ry effect. 
 
 Their Cruelty establishes the glorious act of Inde- 
 pendency upon the broad basis of the general resent- 
 ment of the people. 
 
 Other Generals and much older ofhcers than you can 
 pretend to be are now by the forcuue of War iu my 
 hands ; their fortune may one daj- be j'ours, when, Sir, 
 it may not be in the power of anything human to save 
 you from the just vengeance of an injured people. 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 y most obed' hnin. Serv' 
 Horatio Gates." 
 The Honorable Joiin Vaughau, Maj"^ General. 
 
 Sympathy i'or the niisfortiines of the people of 
 Kingston came in resolves and donations from various 
 parts of the country, but one of the most substantial 
 testimonies of good feeling appears iu a letter to Gov- 
 ernor Clinton written on behalf of citizens of South 
 Carolina. 
 
 " Charles Town, 31st March, 1778. 
 Sir: 
 
 I do myself the Pleasure to send yon herewith the 
 sum of je3711.10, equal to j£927.17.6 New York curren- 
 cy. This money has been received for the charitable 
 puipose of alleviating the distresses of the now indi- 
 gent inhabitants of the Town of Kingston, who by the 
 ravages of the Enemy are reduced to poverty and want. 
 A much larger sum would have lieen collected had not 
 
 1 III Geu. Gates' Letter to Congress, Oct. 20, 1777, published by 
 order of Congress. 
 
40 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 a melancholy accident by fire called the immediate 
 attention of many liberal souls to dissipate the wants of 
 many of the Inhabitants of the capital of this State, 
 who are reduced to beggary by the late Dreadful Con- 
 flagration. 
 
 From a Personal acquaintance with your Excellen- 
 cy, I persuade Diyself you will readily excuse the 
 trouble I give in requesting your attention to a proper 
 distribution of this donation. I have the pleasure to be 
 with sentiments of esteem and respect, 
 
 Your most Obedient Hum'l Serv't, 
 Abm. Livingston." 
 His Excellency George Clinton. 
 
 Among the papers of the Trustees of Kingston, 
 now in the Ulster County Clerk's office, is the following 
 letter from Robt. R. Livingston. It is dated March 1st, 
 1778. 
 
 " Gent.— 
 
 The inconvenience 1 daily Experience from the 
 destruction of my house and the ravages of the Enemy 
 serve only to increase m\' sympathy with the Inhabit- 
 ants of Kingston and animate my desire in proi)ortion 
 as they lessen mj' power to contribute to their relief as 
 liberally as I wish. My inattention to my private 
 affairs for three j-ears past and the disaifection of my 
 Tenants who have during this coiitroversary very gen- 
 erally withheld their Rents, put it out of my power to 
 contribute what might perhaps be of more immediate 
 use to my distressed friends at Kingston. Yet I flatter 
 myself that my present proposal may meet with their 
 approbation and be attended with permanent advan- 
 tage and in this view I am induced to make it. 1 mean 
 a grant of oUOO aere< of Land in any part of Harden- 
 burgh's Pattent that falls to my share — which I promise 
 to make to the Trustees for the use of the inhaliitants 
 thereof under the following restrictions. 1st, to be 
 taken in a regular square. 2d, not to be located at 
 Woodstock or Shandakan, nor at any other place on 
 which a settlement has been made — and that the Loca- 
 tion be made within three months I'roii: the date hereof 
 and a survey thereof returned in order to perfect the 
 grant. This Land the Trustees will dispose of in such 
 
SECOND KXPEDITION. 41 
 
 way as will be most advantageous to the suffering In- 
 habitants of Kingston. 
 
 As I have been inl'ormed that many of them have 
 been disappointed in not being able to procure Boards, 
 I have prevailed upon my Mother to suffer Mr. Saxe to 
 dispose of all but her third which she reserves for her 
 own use. I shall be happy if this or anything else in 
 my power can in the least contribute to the ease or con- 
 venience of tliose whose attention to me early in life 
 entitles them to my Friendship and who are more 
 endear'd by the generous cause in which they suffer. 
 I am Gentl" 
 
 With great regard 
 
 Your most Obed' Hum. Serv' 
 RoBT. R Livingston." 
 
 This offer was accepted bj' the Ti'ustees and the 
 land located mostly in Great Lot No. 40 of the Harden- 
 bergh Patent, now in Middletown, Delaware County. A 
 survey of it was made by Wni. Cockburn in 1784, and 
 the settlement on this tract is still known as New Kings- 
 ton. It was equally divided b}' tiie Trustees among 100 
 families of the sufferers by the burning of the village. 
 
 Gov. Clinton concentrated his little force at Hur- 
 ley, and did not follow the enemy lest lie might be shut 
 in between the Catskill Mountains and the river should 
 the British land in force. His first letter to General 
 Gates and another to General Putnam have been pre- 
 served. 
 
 " Marble Town, 17th Ocf 1777.' 
 Dr. General : 
 
 Yesterday afternoon about four o'clock, the Ene- 
 my took Possession of and burnt the Town of Kings- 
 ton. For want of a, proper number of troops no 
 effectual Resistance could be made. I have now the 
 Body of men under my Command which marched from 
 New Windsor to my assistance and shall immediately 
 proceed to the Ruins of Kingston which the Enemy 
 have abandoned. 1 have sent off a Party of Light 
 Horse to reconnoitre and shall act in such manner as 
 the motions of the Enemy may direct. I heard that 
 General Bnrgoyne had surrendered and am very sorry 
 
 ' (rates Papers. 
 
42 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 to find by your Letter that Nothing has been done but 
 to interchange of Proposals but I hope that matter is 
 by this time conchided. 
 
 I have the Honor to be 
 Sir 
 Your most obdt 
 & 
 
 Humble Servt. 
 
 Geo. Clinton. 
 
 P. S. A prisoner who is by no means intelligeiit 
 says that the enemy are two thousand strong com- 
 manded by Gen. Vaughan." 
 
 Gov. Clinton to Gen. Putnam. 
 
 "Hdrley, Oct. Igth, 1777.1 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I am this moment favored with yours of this morn- 
 ing. There is nothing new happened in this Quarter 
 since 1 wrote you yesterday. The Enemy is 8 or 10 
 Miles above this burning away, but as there are no 
 Capital Settlements there on this side the River and the 
 situation of the Country such as with my present Force 
 I can't advance opposite to them with safety to my Ar- 
 tillery. I mean at present to continue where I now am 
 in Front of the most Valuable settlements and where 
 the Stores and Effects from Kingston are removed. I 
 imagine the Enemy will not proceed much higher up 
 the I'iver and that on their return the}' will attempt to 
 lay waste the places they have passed going up, after 
 our Troops are drawn from them. This induces me to 
 think some more Troops ought to be left, at Poughkeep- 
 sie and Fishkill, but of this you can best judge. Adieu. 
 You shall hear of me frequently. 
 
 Your most obe"" Serv', 
 
 Geo. Clinton." 
 
 Gen. Putnam's letter to Gov. Clinton announces 
 that he is again preparing to be of some service, which 
 preparations do not seem to have resulted in, any dam- 
 age to the enemy, so far as it related to his operations 
 on the east bank. Gov. Clinton was a more dangerous 
 foe. 
 
 ' Clinton Pajier.'i 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 43 
 
 " Lerotb, Statsford, IS'" Oct. 1777.' 
 
 5 O'clock Saturday Morning. J 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Yonis of the 17th I received last night, and am 
 sorry to hear of the Euemys Destroying the several 
 Houses, &c. Last night I arrived here and all the 
 Troops, Excepting General Stillivaiis Brigade, which 1 
 Expect will join me this morning. Colonel Samuel 
 Willis with his Regiment are about six miles a Head. 
 I am just seting off and this morning Expect to roach 
 the Shipping. Last Night I received a Letter from 
 Colonel Willis by whom I am informed that from every 
 appearance the Enemj' mean to Burn the Powder Mills, 
 &c. He further adds from the best Intelligence he's 
 able to Procure from the Inhabitants they mean if possi- 
 ble to penetrate to Salisbury. If that scheam should 
 take place, I flatter myself we shall be able to give a 
 good ace', of 'em. I apprehend we shall find it very 
 diiEcult to convey the necessary Intelligence to each 
 other, but at every opportunity shall be glad to know 
 your situation In order that we may act in junction. 
 Am in haste. 
 
 D-- Sir 
 
 Your very humb'" Serv', 
 
 Israel Putnam." 
 
 We can not have a better view of the situation of 
 matters in the vicinity of Kingston, than will be found 
 in Governor Clinton's letter to Gen. Gates. 
 
 " HnRLY 2 Miles, and a half from Kingston, Oct. 21, 1777.* 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I have repeatedly done myself the honor, to inform 
 you of my situation, and think it my Duty again to do 
 80, that if any of those consequences should happen, 
 which may now be easily foreseen, the blame, if any, 
 may not lie at my Door. 
 
 When I undertook at the request of Genl. Put- 
 nam, to put myself at the head of a body of men 
 to protect the Western Shores of Hudson's River, and 
 
 1 Clinton Papers. " Gates Papers. 
 
 6 
 
44 VAUUHAi\-S 
 
 to throw myself between the Enemy and your army, 
 should they proceed up the River, I represented to him 
 in strong terms the situation of this part of the Country 
 thinly inhabited, and the iutei'ior part unsettled, and 
 separated from all assistance by a chain of mountains. 
 In consequence >jf which representation, he agreed to 
 let me have three thousand men, if the Eastern Militia 
 should come in, as Jje expected they would, of which 
 number howevei' he hath not sent four hundred. I then 
 clearly saw that it would be impossible for me, to pro- 
 tect the country, unless I could be reinforced from the 
 Northern Aimy, which from your letter I had reason to 
 expect : I wrote also to Genl. Dickenson of New Jersey 
 upon the same subject, and I am inform'd, that he, not- 
 withstanding the exposed situation of his own State, has 
 ordered six hundred men to my brother's assistance at 
 New Windsor. Kingston hath been destroy'd, merely' 
 because I have been so deceiv'd in my expectations of 
 assistance, that it was impossible to take measures for 
 its Security. 
 
 I am now Sir, at the head of little more than one 
 thousand men, to cover the most valuable part of the 
 County of Ulster. 
 
 The Enemy have lain still yesterda_v, and the day 
 before, with a .strong southerly wind, from whence it is 
 evident, that a knowledge of Burgoyne's Fale hath 
 cliang'd llieir intentions against Alliany. If they land 
 in Force I must either retreat, or sacrifice my few men 
 and lose seven very valuable pieces of field artilleiy. 
 If I retreat this whole County will be ravag'd and de- 
 stroy'd, and that [at] a Season of the year, when the In 
 habitants (who are warmly attached to the American 
 Cause) will want lime to proviile cover for their Fa- 
 milies against the inclemencies of the ensuing Winter. 
 
 While we act merely on the defensive, two tiiou- 
 sand men on the Rivei' will find full employment for 
 twelve or fifteen. But if four thousand are left to cover 
 Alban}', two thousand here, and two thousand on tlic 
 otbei' side of the river, it will be by no means imprac- 
 ticable, to recover the Passes in the Highlands, in which 
 case the greater part of the armj", now along the B inks 
 of the River may be brought to act offensively against 
 the Enemy, and perhaps render the present Campaign 
 decicive in our favor. 
 
 Col. Malcolm who is the Beaier of this letter, will 
 
SKCOND EXPEDITION. 45 
 
 do himself the honor of stating and explaining lo you 
 my Ideas upon this subject ; and you will do me a par- 
 ticular favor, il in answer to this, you will inform me 
 what I am to expect, and what is expected trom me. 
 I am D"' Genl witli particular Esteem, 
 
 Your most obt Servant, 
 Geo. Clinton." 
 To the Hoiiiile. Major Genl. Gates ( 
 Albany. 
 
 The British Squadron remained ;it anchor the night 
 of the sixteenth, and on Friday morning a strong party 
 landed and burnt some houses at the village of Rhine- 
 beck, and plundered the inhabitants in the vicinity. A 
 vessel dispatched down tlie river to convey the reports 
 of Gen. Vaughan and Sir James Wallace, grounded near 
 Ponghkeepsie and fell into the hands of the Americans, 
 as narrated in a letter from Gen. Putnam to Gen. Gates. 
 
 " Head Quarteks Red Hooli 20ili October, 1777.' 
 D"^ General, 
 
 Your iavor of the 19(h I have just reteiv'' and I 
 beg leave to congratulate you upon the great success 
 you have met with in your Department. Yesterday a 
 Pilot Boat was detachefl from the Enemy's Fleet (w''' 
 Lays Opposite this) with Despatches to N. York, but 
 the Boat happening to get on ground near to Pough- 
 keepsie, gave our Troops (which are there stationed) an 
 opportunity of Boarding her. Tlie Inclos'd you have 
 Copy's of tlie Letters which was On Board. You'll ob- 
 serve from \ aughans Letter to General Clinton tiiat 
 they with their small Craft Intend Proceeding up the 
 River. 
 
 On the 18th iust I ariived hern, and yesterday I 
 arranged and posted my Troops in such a manner as I 
 think will effectually prevent them from Landing; l)e- 
 fore I arriv'd, they burnt Esopus & a nuini)er of Build- 
 ings along the Shore. 
 
 If your situation would admit I should be exceed- 
 ing glad you would Immediately send me some heavy 
 Cannon (upon Traveling Carriages) with ammunition 
 &c compleat — in their present situation they might be 
 annoy'd greatly, and not only so but We could distress 
 
 ' Gates Paper.s 
 
46 VAUGHAN'S 
 
 them very much should they attempt Passing up the 
 River — if you have no particular object in view, should 
 be glad you would send down all the Continental Troops 
 you can conveniently spare, as the Militia I iiave now 
 with me are very troublesome and anxious to get Home. 
 I need not mention to you the Reasons they assign, as 
 you well know the disposition of that People. 
 
 Prom the Inclosed Leiters it appears they meant to 
 reinforce Burgoyne, but thank God you have prevented 
 tiiat. When they learn the news about Burgoyne, their 
 scheam of making a junction is no more, but you may 
 depend that they will Indeavour to Proceed up the 
 River and destroy all the Buildings, &c. they Possible 
 can, but I hope your timely assistance will prevent 'em ; 
 from the best Intelligence I have been able to get of 
 late they Enemy's as not more than three thousand on 
 Board. 
 
 Am in haste, 
 
 D"^ General 
 
 Your very humble Servt. 
 Israel Putnam." 
 To Major Gen. Gates, Albany. 
 
 Copies of the intercepted dispatches are among the 
 Gates Papers, and tlie autograph of Sir James Wallace, 
 in Lossing's A'e/d Bonk, bears a striking resemblance to 
 the signature at the bottom of this letter. Can it be a 
 mistake 1 
 
 "Livingston's Mills, N. River, ) 
 
 October 18th, 1778. ( 
 Sir, 
 
 Inclos'd is the best intelligence we can get of Mr. 
 Burgoyne. 
 
 We are not certain what is become of the arm'd 
 Rebel Galley, as Esopus Creek is 3 Mile Navigable, and 
 Night coming on before we could explore the whole of 
 it. therefore would it not, be proper for some Frigate 
 or arm'd vessel to be thereabouts, to secure y'' Naviga- 
 tion of y'= River — We cannot properly spare any from 
 the army — Ammunition is wanted among y'^ arm'd ves- 
 sels. 
 
 I liave y' Honor to be. Sir, 
 
 Your most Humble Servant 
 Jas. Wallace. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 47 
 
 P. S. Every opportunity will be taken to send to 
 Mr. Burgoyne. 
 
 Commodore Hotham. 
 
 (A true copy). 
 
 Tlie Intelligence alluded to in tlie foregoing part of 
 this letter, being inserted in that from General Vauglian 
 to General Clinton, it was tho't unnecessary to trans- 
 c-ribe it again." 
 
 Endorsed in Gen Gates' handwriting : 
 
 "Intercepted letter from Capt. Wallace to Commo'^ 
 Hotham, dated I8th October, 1777." 
 
 " Information of Gilead Bettus l8th Oct 1777, 
 
 who says that he was taken Prisoner by the Rebels on 
 Monday the 6th inst. That the following day there was 
 a battle between the King's Troops and the Rebels, with 
 the loss our side of 7 or 8 Pieces of Cannon, about 150, 
 amongst whom General Fraser killed, and 150 mostly 
 Hessians taken Prisoners, that General Burgoyne re- 
 treated the same Night leaving behind 300 Sick and 
 300 Barrels of Provisions and that a brigade of rebels 
 marched the next day, the Sth to intercept the retreat 
 of General Burgoyne. 
 
 That on Saturday last there was another Engage- 
 ment, in which the King's Troops killed near 100 of the 
 Rebels, without any loss, that Genl Burgoyne was, to 
 the best of his knowledge, at Saratoga last Monday 
 which was thirty-six miles from Albany, and says that 
 heard Cannon last Tuesday but knew no Particulars, 
 and further says that when he was taken Prisoner, but 
 five Hessians had deserted from the King's Troops, but 
 that the Rebels deserted to them in great numbers. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I shall send off this night to Gen' Burgoyne at the 
 same time I desire to inform you that all the armed 
 Ships are in want of ammunition, that it will be ab.so- 
 lutely necessary for a Frigate to lay off Esopus for the 
 reasons mentioned by Sir J. Wallace to the Commodore, 
 that the Heavy Ships cannot get nearer than 46 Miles 
 to Albany but that the smaller ones will proceed higher 
 up. 
 
48 VADGHAN'S 
 
 It is reported that the Rebels Army near Albany 
 amounts to 18000 men. 
 
 I am 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 Your most obed' & 
 
 Humble Servant 
 John Vaughan. 
 From on Board the Friendship ofl Livingston's 
 Mills that were,^ Saturday 18 Ocf 1777, Morning 10 
 o'clock." 
 
 (True copy.) C. Tillinghast." 
 
 Endorsed in Gen. Gates' handwriting: 
 
 " Intercepted letter from M. G. Vaughan to Lt. G. 
 Sir Henry Clinton, dated Livingston's Mills, 18 Ocf 
 1777." 
 
 Of course Gen. Vaughan could not hope, after the 
 intelligence of Burgoyne's disaster at Saratoga, to 
 make much further eB'ort to the northward, and moving 
 up the river, lay off Saugerties until the 23d, landing 
 detachments from time to time and destroying the 
 powder mills at Livingston's manor and tiie houses of 
 Cliancellor Livingston, Mrs. Montgomery, and doing 
 other damage, as related by a writer in a newspaper 
 before cited. 
 
 On their return they came to, opposite Kingston 
 on the evening of the 23d ; on the following morning 
 sailed down the river, and in the afternoon of that day 
 they passed the Chcvaux-de-frize at New Windsor and 
 rejoined the forces in the Highlands. 
 
 Tlie result of the expedition did not satisfy the 
 loyalists in America or Kngland ; they complained bit- 
 terly of the dilatory policy of Sir Henry Clinton and 
 General Vaughan, and seemed to think that they could 
 easily have accomplished the sixty miles' sail and made 
 tlieins(>lves masters of Alliany It is quite likely this 
 could liave been done tor there were no troops of any 
 account in that cit}', but General Vaughan heard of the 
 fate of the Northern army, and felt assured tiiat his re- 
 turn to New York might, in the event of his going 
 higher, prove a difficult matter, and therefore dirl not 
 
 1 Underscored in the paper quoted, and showing the animus of 
 these valiant marauders. 
 
SECOND EXPEDITION. 49 
 
 chose to hazard his own reputation as a military com- 
 mander by a desperate effort to save his fellow soldier 
 at Saratoga. Gen. Vaughan has also asserted that a 
 contrary wind prevented his further advance — an asser- 
 tion not home out by the opposite statement of Gov. 
 Clinton, that a " strong southerly wind " was blowing. 
 I have a copy of the log-book of the " Preston," which, 
 it will lie remembered, remained near the forts of the 
 Higldands, and southerly winds are noted in the register 
 as having prevailed on the days mentioned in the Gov- 
 ernor's letter. There certainly was a head wind on the 
 17th and 18th of October, when the squadron were 
 getting up to Saugerties, but not afterwards, so it was 
 the news from Burgoyne, which prevented General 
 Vaughan from advancing, not the wind. 
 
 On the morning of the I8th the troops witnessed 
 the execution of Taylor, the spy, at Hurley. As soon 
 as possible Gen. Gates dispatched two brigades south- 
 ward, and after the enemy had dropped down the river 
 the whole force moved to New Windsor and to join Gen. 
 Washington in the Jerseys. 
 
 The first session of the Court of Common Pleas of 
 Ulster County, after the fire, commenced at the house of 
 Johannes Tack, Inn-holder, in Marbletown, May 5th, 
 
 1778 
 
 Levi Pawling, Dirck Wynkoop, Jr., Judges ; Johan- 
 nes yieght, Nathan Smith and Patrick Barber, Assistant 
 Justices. 
 
 The Council of Safety, dispersed at the burning ot 
 Kingston, did not meet again until the I9th of October 
 at the house of Andrew Oliver in Marbletown, when the 
 following pieamble and resolution was passed : 
 
 "Whereas, The late destruction of the town of 
 Kingston, and a vast number of dwelling houses, ini- 
 provements, grain and fodder on each side of Hudson's 
 river, by a cruel — inhuman and merciless enemy, has 
 deprived many persons and families, the good subjects of 
 this State, of shelter and subsistance for themselves and 
 their cattle— calamities which, by the blessing of God 
 on the fruits of this land, those who have not shared 
 in so uncommon a misfortune, are enabled, in a great 
 measure, to relieve 
 
 Resolved, therefore. That it be, and it is hereby, 
 most earnestly recommended to the several and respect- 
 ive general and district committees of the counties of 
 
50 VAUGHAN'S SE'JOND KXPEDITION. 
 
 Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Westchester, to make or 
 cause to be made a proper and proportionate distribu- 
 tion of the aforesaid distressed persons and families, and 
 their cattle, to the end that they may all be [)rovided 
 for, as the circumstances of the country will permit ; 
 and it is hereb}' most strenuously urged on all those who 
 may not have shared with them in their afflictions, to 
 receive the aforesaid persons, families and cattle, and 
 furnish them with shelter and subsistence at a moderate 
 rate." 
 
 The sessions of the Council continued at Marble- 
 town until November iSth, when they adjourned to 
 Hurley, meeting at the house of Capt. Jan Van Deu- 
 sen until the 17th of December. After this date it 
 ceased to meet in Ulster County, but resumed business 
 at Poughkeepsie, December 22d, 1777. 
 
 The Supreme Court, which opened for the first time 
 on the 9th of September, with an able charge from 
 Chief Justice Jay, which was printed in Holt's paper, 
 and is found in his life by Wm. Jay, had adjourned be^ 
 fore the attack. 
 
 And here terminates the sketch of the Expedition 
 of Gen. Vaughan,but I may be permitted to recall the 
 pleasant change in public sentiment, which the lapse of 
 three-quarters of a century has brought about. This 
 very morning, not two hours since, the grandson of that 
 king, George the Third, whom our fathers so much de- 
 tested, was honored with a salute from the cannon of 
 the organized militia of this county, successors of the 
 men of 1777, and fired, too, from the very spot where 
 eighty-three years ago, at the same hour, the guns of 
 Pawling's redoubts were speeding messengers of death 
 iTito the royal squadron. May this visit of the Prince 
 of Wales serve to increase that harmony, which should 
 ever exist among the great members of the Anglo- 
 Saxon race, " Creation's priests and kings !" 
 
APPENDIX 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 CONTAISINO 
 
 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 
 
 Note I. 
 
 SIR JAMES WALLACE. 
 
 ts found as a Lieutenant, March lltli, 1755, and became a Com- 
 mander in 1762 — was made a Post Captain, June 10th, 1771. In com- 
 mand of the Rose, 20 gun frigate, he was stationed at Newport during 
 the wniters of 1774-75, and particularly annoyed the inhabitants of 
 Rhode Island by the detention of their shipping and constant attempts 
 to carry off their live stock, &c. On this account a spirited correspond- 
 ence took place between Governor Cooke and Captain Wallace, but 
 Arnold in his History of Rhode Island (II. p. 351,) has preserved a more 
 laconic one, which he had with Commodore Whipple of the new Conti- 
 uent;il navy. Wliipple had been a leader in the famous attack upon 
 the British schooner Gaspee, burned not far from Providence ; on learn- 
 ing this, Wallace addressed the following epistle to him ; 
 
 " Yon, Abrah.im Whipple, on the 10th of June, 1772, burned His 
 Majesty's vessel, the Gaspee, and I will hang you at the yard arm 
 
 James Wallace." 
 
 The answer was equally short and pithy : 
 
 " To Sir James Wallace, Sir — Always catcli a man before you hang 
 him. Abraham Whipple." 
 
 Not long after this Sir James bombarded the town of Bristol, in Rhode 
 Island. In 1777 he had comma .d of the Experiment, 50 gun frigate, 
 and afterwards served in the Nonsuch, 64. He saw much service upon 
 the American coast during the revolution, and was thoroughly detested 
 for the severity with whicli he carried out tlie orders of the King's gov- 
 ernment. A characteristic anecdote of bis brutality and tlie severe 
 retort of a Philadelphia Quaker, is in Graydon's Memoirs, p. 76. April 
 12tli, 1734, lie became a rear-admiral ; a vice-admiral June 1st, 1795, 
 and on the 1st of January, 1801, was made an admiral of the Blue. He 
 distinguished him.self in several actions, and in the latter part of his life 
 was appointed Gov-rnor of Newfoundhmd. Died in London, March 
 6tli, 1S03 {Gent- Mag. — Navy List, ^c.) 
 
54 APPENDIX. 
 
 Note II. 
 GEN. VAUGHAN. 
 
 The Hon. John Vanghan, the second son of Wilmot, 3d Viscount 
 Lisburne, entered the army in 1746, as a cornet in the 10th dragoons, 
 and in 1756 appears as a captain in the 17th regiment of foot. While a 
 lieutenant colonel he commanded a division of grenadiers at the cap- 
 ture of Martinique, and distinguished himself on that occasion. On the 
 11th of May, 1775, he succeeded to the colonelcy of the 46th regiment, 
 then ordered on service in America, and there he acted as Brigadier and 
 Major General, having the local rank of the last grade from Jan. 1st, 
 1776, and the full commission on the British estjiblishment from Aug. 
 29th, 1777. Gen. Vaughan was wounded in the thigh shortly after the 
 lauding on Long Island, and for a time disabled from active service. 
 Commanding in the right column of attack upon Forts Clinton and 
 Montgomery, his horse was killed under him, and he is thus particu- 
 larly noticed in Sir Henry Clinton's orders, of Oct. 7th, 1777 : "Fort 
 Moutgoniery is heucelorth to be distinguished by the name of Fort 
 Vaughan, in memory of the intrepidity and noble perseveraute which 
 Major General Vaughan showed in the assault of it " The second expe- 
 dition up the Hudson and the barbarous destruction of Kingston, will 
 keep the name of Vaughan in lively remembrance in the State of New 
 York. After his services on the continent we next hear of him in the 
 office of commander-in-chief of tlie forces in the Leeward Islands, where, 
 in conjunction with -Admiral Rodney, he took St. Kustatius, and some 
 proceedings there brought out a smart debate in the House of Com- 
 mons. 
 
 Gen. Vaughan was appointed governor of Fort William, in Scotland, 
 but shortly afterwards obtained the more lucrative post of Berwick aurt 
 Holy Island. He represented Berwick in four successive parliaments, 
 and became a Lieutenant General in 1782 In 1793, the government 
 conferred upon him the Order of the Bjth, and on th>- 30th of June, 
 1795, Gen. Vaughan died suddenly, and not without suspicion of 
 jioison. in the i>land of Martinique. He was unmarried, and at the 
 time ot his death had attained his 57th year. {Gent. Mag. — Army 
 Li*t.,i,-c) 
 
 .NovK III. 
 
 DANIEL TAYLOR, THE SPY. 
 
 Danirl Taylor, a first lieutenant, in Captain Stewart's company of the 
 9th regiment of the Royal Army, as he says in his confession, was 
 arrested on the 10th of Octoler, in the neighborhood of Little Ihitain, 
 Orange county, by a picket guard of Col. Webb's n'giment. under the 
 command of Lient. Howe It seems that he was deceived by the uni- 
 form of the party, who wnre clothed in red coats, which had l)eeii 
 recently captureil in a liritish transport. Some of thi-m had \ieen dyed 
 blue — the regimental uniform — but lime liid not permit thn whole parcel 
 to be so changed, and they were served out in their original sanguinary 
 hue. Asking the name of the commanding general, he was answered. 
 General Clinton, into whose prest-nce, at his own request h-- was con- 
 ducted. There, iui'tead of Sir Henry, the royal commander. In* found 
 the republican governor, George- Clinton, and he was immediately 
 ol>served to put something into his mouth. But the story will be best 
 
APPENDIX. ^^ 
 
 old in the following extract from a letter of Uov Clinton to the Council 
 of slfety, dated " Mrs. Falls, 11th October, 1777 " (Jour. Prov. Conv., 
 
 ^' ^ "Thl letter from Clinton to Burgoyne, taken from Daniel Tavlor was 
 
 inclosed in a small silver ball of an oval form, about the s,ze ot a fusee 
 
 bullet and shut with a screw in the middle. When he wa., taken and 
 
 brouli.r before me he swallowed it I mistrusted th.s to be the case, 
 
 from information I received, and administered to h.ra a very strong 
 trom inforr^ at on rec ^^^ ^^^.^^^ ^^^^^_ ^^ 
 
 TouTht iutm him ; butl'ousU c^ose wa-ched, he had the art to con- 
 
 "'"' i'madrhta'™ meve I had taken one Capt. Campbell another mes- 
 sen Jr who w=L out on the same business ; that I learned from h.m all I 
 wanted to k,:tw, and demand,.! the ball on pain of bemg hung up 
 ",s"antlv and cut open to search for it. Tins brought .t forth 
 
 The contents of this letter was as follows: 
 
 "Fort Mostgomery, Octol^r Sth, 1(7(. 
 
 ■' Nou, y void, and nothing now l.etween us but Gates I sincerely 
 
 success. ■' • ,, clistok " 
 
 Gen. Burgoyne. 
 
 The C C. mentioned in the letter was another spy (•-^apt'l'",^*"^*',^ »l' 
 who left Ue Highlands with a similar n.essage, and more for unate than 
 ?!vloractuallv reached General Burgoyne on the 16th o the month. 
 ^ This buTt belonged formerly to Gen. James Talmadge, and was 
 exhibited at a meeting of the New York Historical Socety^ in 1843. It 
 i^said to be now in the possession of Charles A. Clmton Esq., and that 
 tie wriHng upon the slip of paper which was inclosed therein .s nearly 
 
 ""'■''irEa-.r-s History 0/ Orange County, .e are told that Dr. Moses 
 Hi.bv who then reshlld^l " the Square," administered the emefc which 
 afforded such convincing proof of Taylor's empKo'ment. 
 
 Tavlor was, of course, detained m custody, and on tne itia a weu 
 eral Court .Martial met for his trial 
 
 -' At a general Court Martial held at the heights of New Windsor 
 ,heUthOcU-be,, 1777,bvord.rof Brigadier General George Clinton, 
 whereof Colon. 1 Lewis Duboyse was President^ 
 
 Major Bradford, Capt. Galespie, 
 
 Major Huntington, Capt Conklm, 
 
 Capt. Savage, Capt. Wood, 
 
 Capt. Watson, Capt. Hamtramk, 
 
 Capt. Wyllis, S*!"'-^'',^ 
 
 Capt. Ellis, Capt. Huested. 
 
 Daniel Taylor, charged with lurk-iiig about the camp as a spy from 
 the enemy ^-nfin;,! by order of General Clinton, was brought before 
 laid "our- and to the above crime the prisoner ple.id not guilty But 
 ™nfe<rsed his being an Express from General Clinton to General Bur- 
 goyne when takfn. And that he had l-een employed a.s an Express 
 ^r:^! f'rom G^neral Burgoyne to General Clinton and^vas Uken ,n the 
 l-inDof the .Armvof the Uuit.-d States nwir ^-^v Windsor, b> Lieut. 
 Howe Tavlor likewise confessed his b.ing a Brst Lieutenant m Cap- 
 tahrStewarVs Company in the 9th Regiment of the British Troo,-, -^^d 
 bu 'me man in cotnpanv when taken. The prisoner plead hat he was 
 no emp oved as a spy, "but on the contrary was charged both by Gene- 
 ralCUmon and Burgo -ne not to come near our Camp; but meeting 
 
56 APPENDIX. 
 
 accidentally with some of our troops, in British Uniform, he was there- 
 by deceived and discovered himself to them. 
 
 The Court after considering the case, were of opinion that the pri- 
 soner is guilty of the charge brought against him, and adjudged him to 
 suffer death, to be hanged at such time and place as the General shall 
 direct. 
 
 A true copy of the proceedings : Test. 
 
 Lewis Dueoys, Col., 
 
 PrcBident."* 
 
 In the Clinton Papers is another Document, viz: 
 
 " The confession of Daniel Taylor at New Windsor, Oct. 9, 1777. 
 
 I left Fort Montgomery yesterday evening with a charge from Gen- 
 eral Clinton to go to General Burgoyne and acquaint him that he had 
 landed about five miles below the F'ort, clambered over tlie mountains, 
 and stormed with small arms the back part of tlie Fort, which he car- 
 ried with the loss of Lt Col" Grant, of Regt Volunteers, Major Camp- 
 bell, M.ijor Sela, {Sill} a number other officers and about 30(i rank and 
 file, that the obstructions in the river were now nearly removed and 
 that he, Gen' Burgoyne, might now move forward or go back, and to 
 acquaint him that Gen' Howe was near Philadelphia, and had defeated 
 the Rebels; and that the Frigates belonging to the Rebels in the River 
 were both burnt. 
 
 A Capt Campbell had come from Genl Burgoyne to Gen' Clinton 
 with dispatches, and set of on his return, on Tuesday morning y'' 7"' 
 Inst. 
 
 I left Gen' Burgoyne 6 mile above Fort Edward the last of .luly, 
 with orders to acquaint the commanding Olficer in New York, that the 
 Roads were so broke up it was extremely difficult, but so siion as hn 
 could clear the way he should advance. 
 
 1 was likewise to inform Gen' Burgoyne that they had now the Key 
 of America (say the passes thro' the Highlands of Hudson's River.)" 
 
 When the little army of Governor Clinton moved down the Wal- 
 kill to save Kingston, Taylor was taken along, his name appearing 
 every day In the guard reports In the interval of a short lialt it seems 
 tlie Governor found time to con.^ider the case, if indeed, it requireii 
 much consideration, after the interview at Little Britain, and the follow- 
 ing General Order Lssiied on the morning of the de.struction of Kingston 
 determined his fate. 
 
 " Head Quarters, at Marble Town, ( 
 IGth October, 1777. I 
 The sentence of the General Court Martial whereof Col" DiiBola 
 was President, against the within named Daniel Taylor is approved a;id 
 ordered to be carried into execution, when the troops are jiaiaded and 
 before they march to morrow morning. 
 
 Geo. Clixtox, B. Geni, 
 
 Conlincvtal Army ^^ 
 
 It was not, however, carried intu etlect im the 17th, asdireiti-d ; i:o 
 doubt the attention of the troops was taken up with matters at Kingston. 
 He was still under guard on the morning of the 18lh, when his name 
 ceases to trouble the officer in charge. 
 
 In a MS. journal kept by a person in Clinton's force, wliich has 
 been communicated to me by Mr. Jonathan W. Hasbrouck, is this 
 entry : 
 
 * Cliutoo, Papers. 
 
APPENDIX ^'' 
 
 " 18 Saturday. Mr. Taylor, a spy taken in Little Brittain, was hung 
 here Mr. Romain and myself attended him yesterday, and I have 
 spent ye morning in discoursing to him, and attended him at ye gallows. 
 He did not appear to be either a political or a gospel penitent. 
 
 Tradition has it that Taylor was hanged on an apple tree near the 
 
 village of Hurley. j • ,i,„ 
 
 Among the articles found on his person, and now preserved in the 
 Clinton papers, in the State Library, are two letters from soldiers in the 
 British army at New York, from which it may be supposed that Taylor 
 came from the neighborhood of Kinderhook in Columbia county, 
 
 " Mr Daniel Taylor Sir i am glad to hear that you are come in safe 
 again i hear you are a going home ward i have Roglit a few Lines to 
 mv wife and my brother witch they will understand and i hope it will 
 not indanger you. rap up some small things in it as tho it was sume 
 old paper Your brother John is not well this from your frend. 
 ^ ^ JosiAH Woodward." 
 
 " Kings bridge .July Sl^t 1777 
 Mr Daniel Taylor S'r these are to let you know I am well as all that 
 came from Kinderhook Except your Brothers John. Joseph, peter are 
 something Poorly, but are all able to walk. I have "othuig strance to 
 Wright Sir" I Desere you would take the trouble to Wright to me and 
 Let me Know the state of a lairse in onr Naber Whood of our tamalyes 
 and frinds that came from Kenderhook. for 1 hear that you are a going 
 Northard once more and if you arive to Kinderhook We all Desere you 
 to Let our familes Know how we all are Sir Be >o kind as to Wright 
 to some frind in our Nabourhood that they may have sertam Inteligence 
 I would have wrote to my wife but I thought you would not chuse to 
 carry a letter Remember us to all Enquiring frinds. So I remain your 
 frind till Death. Benj. Ingkaham in 
 
 To Mr Daniel Taylor Cap' Taget Compny. 
 
 Whether this is the same Taylor who had been before arrested as a 
 Tory, as appears from the List of N. Y. State prisoners, confined at Plul- 
 adefphia, from Oct., 1776, to January. 1777 (Jour. Prov. Conv. I, p. IdOO), 
 may be a matter of conjecture. 
 
 Note IV. 
 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THli LEGISLATURE. 
 
 James Clinton.— A biographical sketch may be found in Ruttenber's 
 Obstructions to the Navigation of Hudson's River, p. 99, and a portrait 
 in Irving's Washington, 5th Edition. 
 
 Governor George Clinton.— See Street's Council of Revision, for the 
 fullest account of this revolutionary worthy. 
 
 Col. Johannes Hardenbeegu.— Son of the patentee of the " Harden- 
 bergh Patent," was a member of the Colonial Assembly Irom 1737 to 
 1743, and again of the Siate Legislature in 1781 and 82. He hel,l the 
 post of Colonel in the first regiment of the county m.litia lor upwards ot 
 20 years and died Aug. 29th, 178«, aged 80 years and 2 months. Phe 
 Basbrouck MS. diary, notes that " he was a true and sincere tnend to 
 Church and State. He was about 6 feet 2 or 3 inrhes high, walked 
 straight and upright, well proportioned of body, light eyes ot a grayish 
 cast, light brown hair." . „ 
 
 When Gen. Washington visited the county in June, 1 (83, Col . Ha(- 
 
58 APPENDIX. 
 
 denbergh entertained Mrs. Washington, with Governor and Mrs. Clin- 
 ton, at breakfast, at his house in Rosendale — a substantial edifice, 
 of but little architectural pretension.s, which was recently the residence 
 of Mr. Cornell. 
 
 Egbert Ddmond, Sheriflof Ulster county under the Crown, from 1771 
 to '73, from the first acted with the revolutionary party, and was a 
 deputy in the Provincial Congress which met in May, 1775. In the 
 same month an ordinance of the Convention appointed him Sheriff, 
 which he held until 1781, and again from 1785 to '89. He was much 
 engaged in public afi'airs during the revolution, and seems to have been 
 greatly relied upon by the executive authority of these times. 
 
 Abthur Pakks. — Member for the county in the 3d and 4th Provincial 
 Congresses, and Major of Minute Men, and Senator from the middle dis- 
 trict from 1777 to 1788 He appears to have been appointed Surrogate in 
 1785, but probably did not qualify, and in IStH was chosen a member 
 of the Constitutional Convention. In Eager's History of Orange Coimty 
 it is said lie died in Montgomery, Aug. 11th, 1806, in the 70th year of 
 his age. 
 
 CoL. Levi Pawling. — Levi Pawling of Marbletown was appointed 
 ("olonel of the Ulster County Militia, at the organization under the 
 revolutionary government, his commi.ssion bearing date Oct. 25th, 1775. 
 In July 177ti, he is ordered into active service at the Highlands, and his 
 regiment continued on duty there for several months. 
 
 Col Pawling possessed the confidence of the people, and was one of 
 tlie three delegates to the Provincial Convention which met at the Ex- 
 change in IS'ew York, in April, 1775, and was also of the Congresses of 
 177(1 and 1777, The Convention appointed him first judge of the 
 lounly. May SIh, 1777, and this office be held during the remainder of 
 his life. At the general election in 1777 lie became a Senator, and in 
 1782 was again chosen — during his first term being a member of the 
 Council of Appointment He was the .senior officer and commanded the 
 handful of men who opposed the landing of the Britisli at Esopus, on 
 the ]6ib of October, 1777. Col. Pawling died in 1782. His son, Albert 
 Pawling, was Brigade ihijor to Governor Clinton in the beginning of the 
 war; — afterwards removed to Troy, and a biography of him is given in 
 Judge Woodworth's Reminiscences (p. 53). 
 
 .JOHN Nicholson, raised acompany of men for the Continental army 
 in July, 1775. Deputy in the first Provincial Congress, and a resident 
 of New Windsor. 
 
 MosES Cantixe, resided at Marbletown; Member of the Assembly 
 of 1800 ; was one of the Juilges of Common Pleas. Died at Marble- 
 town in July, 1827, ag-d 74. 
 
 CoRNELiDs C. SoBOONMAKER. — This Mr. Schooumaker, of Shaw- 
 angunk, was Cliairuian of the County Committee at one time ; was cho- 
 sen a member of Assembly ne.arly every year from 1777 to 1795. From 
 1791 to '93 represented the district in the second Congress of the United 
 States and had been sent as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention 
 of 1778. Mr. Schoonmaker had been a surveyor by profession, and occa- 
 sionally tried his own real estate cases in the Supi eine Court. He died at 
 no great age in February or March, 1791). The Hon. Marius Schoon- 
 maker of Kingston is his grandson. 
 
 Jacob Hoornbeck. — Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of Pawliug's 
 regiment, Oct. 25th, 1775. Most of the time during the early part of the 
 revolution, chairman id' the Rochester Committee of Safety, and in May, 
 
APPENDIX. 59 
 
 1775, a deputy to the first Provincial Congress. He died of a camp 
 fever, after a lingering illin'ss, on the 10th of .laniuiry, 1778, and was 
 buried in the church-yard at Rochester. (Hasbrouck MS. Diary.) 
 
 Sambel Beewster. — Chairman of the precinct committee in 1777. 
 Was a senator from the Middle District from 1805 to 1808,— resided at 
 New Wind.sor. 
 
 Matthew Rea. — A mi-niber of the 2d, 3d, and 4th Provincial 
 Congresses, and also a member of Assembly from Ulster county, from 
 1777 til 1779. He resided in Shawangunk. 
 
 Heney VVisnek, Jr — Member of the 2d, 'M, and 4th Provincial 
 Conventions ; In 1785 was ajipointed Surrogate of Ulster county. In 
 1777-78 he represented Ul.ster in the Assembly, and after the severance 
 of some towns from Ulster, ajrain representeil his district in 1788 and 
 '89 ; I suppose that he was a .son of Henry Wisner, of Goshen, one of 
 the distinguished men of Orange during the Revolutionary period, but 
 of whom this is not the place to speak particularly. Eager's History 
 of Orange County gives very little information about the Wieners. 
 
 N,.TK V. 
 
 COL. ABRAHAM HASBROUCK. 
 
 Aliiiihum Hasbrouck, the son of .Joseph and grandson of Abraham 
 Hasbrouck, one of the twelve j.roprietors ot the New Paltz patent, was 
 born at Guilford near New Piiltz village, Aug. 21st, 1707 June Uth, 
 173.'), he removed to Kingston and lived in the house in East Front, at 
 the head of Main Street, now known as Schryver's hotel. On the 5th 
 of January, 1738, he married Catharine, daughter of Jacobus Bruyn, of 
 Shawangunk. 
 
 In 1757, we find him Colonel of the Ulster county militia, and a 
 letter from him to Lieut. Gov. Delancy, detailing an Indian attack upon 
 the town of Rochester is in the Doc. His. (II. p 7G4,)— was a member 
 of the Colonial Assembly from 1739 to 1745, 1748 to 1750, and again 
 from 1759 to 176S. Col Hasbrouck occupied a prominent position 
 in the political history of liis time, and took an active part in the 
 movements of the patriots of the revolution. In Oct., 1775, he was 
 appointed by the Provincial Congress Lieutenant Colonel of the 
 regiment of militia commanded by Col. Johannes Snyder. Con- 
 siderable difiicultv in regard to rank arose among the ofiicers of the 
 several regiments," evidently increased by the appointment of George 
 Clinton as Brigadier Genera'l of the district. The officers of the Northern 
 regiment remonstrateil w ith the Provincial Congress, and the corres- 
 pondence has been printed with the Journal of that body (Vol. I, p. 
 153). In consequence of tliis difficulty, Colonel H.asbrouck declined 
 to serve, and after some twenty years continuance in his position 
 retir. d from military life. He was deputy to ihe Third Provincial Con- 
 gress which met at White Plains, and after the revolution represented 
 the county in the Assembly of 1781-82, but on account of his advanc- 
 ing years declined a re-election to that body. 
 
 Col Hasbrouck was a gentleman of considerable antiquarian taste 
 and his coll.ctions relative to the early history "f the county, it is said, 
 were quite valuable, but unfortunately they were lost at, the burning of 
 his boiise in 1776. The only article of this sort preserved, was the 
 family record which has been"before quoted a\id from which some of 
 tlie!-e'detail> are taken. After a life of usefulness and credit, he died 
 Nov. Idth, 17!ll,and was buried, with military honors, at Kingston. 
 8 
 
60 APPENDIX. 
 
 The other Colonel (Jonathan) Hasbrouck of this period was a younger 
 brother of Abraham, and resided in the house commonly termed 
 " Washington's Headquarters," at Newburgh. 
 
 NOTF, VI. 
 
 COL. JONATHAN HASBROUCK. 
 
 Jonathan Hasbrouck was tlie j'ounger son of Joseph Hasbrouck, of 
 Guilford, in the precinct of New Piiltz, Ulster county, where he was 
 born about the year 1722. In May, 1751, he was married to Tryntje, 
 (Catharine) daughter of Cornelius DuBois, and shortly after removed to 
 Newburgh and there he continued to reside during the remainder of his 
 life. This gentleman heid various local offices, and his commission as 
 Colonel of the Southern regiment of Ulster County militia is dated 
 Oct. 25th, 1775. The regiment was often called out, but from the ill 
 health of Col Hasbrouck was commanded much of the time by the 
 Lieutenant Colonel, Johannes Hardenbergh, Jr. and it was under him 
 at the time of Governor Clinton's forced march to succor Kingston in 
 1777. In the appendix may be found a return of the service performed 
 by this regiment. Col. Hasbrouck enlarged the house at Newburgh, well 
 known as "Washington's Head Quarters," and it remained in the pos- 
 session of the family nearly a century, but it is now the property of 
 the State and cared for by the trustees of the village of Newburgh. 
 Lossing's Fifid Book, (II p. 39) has a good view of it. In consequence 
 of continued ill liealth Col Hasbrouck resigned his military commission 
 in 177b, and died July 3].st, 17.S0. {Hasbrouck MS. Diary, — Jour. Piov. 
 Conv.) 
 
 Note VII. 
 JACOBUS LEFFERTS. 
 
 Jacobus Leflerts, a New York Alderman, and a man of fortune, hold- 
 ing a largo landed estate in Ulster county, and who was probably staying 
 there to secure its possession, resided in the house (termed on Kmockston 
 Point in an advertisement I have seen ), not far from the Saugerties road — 
 near the residence of Cornelius Bruyn, Esq., — and now owned Viy Peter 
 J DuBois. His sympathies were undoubtedly with the Crown, and in 
 a list of Torien in the Clinton Payers at Albany, he " has the King's pro- 
 tection." Mr. Leflerts married in Ajiril, 1772, Lucretia Brinckerhoft'. 
 
 A letter from (jen. Jno, Moriu Scott, in the suine MS.S., will illustrate 
 the matter, as well as show that the leading men of the State were not 
 always disposed to mete out even to Tories, the same measure Sir Henry 
 Clinton and his jiluuderers were giving them. 
 
 "Makble Town, Nov^ 7i'' 1777. 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 " At the request of Mr LefTertse I trouble you with bis case. When 
 General Warners Brigade passed tbro' Kingston an Officer in his na'.i:'> 
 took from Mr Leffi-rtse his Coach Horses of Great Value, lur tbe Gen- 
 eral's Use, tho' he ottered the officer a good pair of Waggon Horses iu 
 their stead. Mr Lefl'ertse se -t his clerk alter tlieiii, but could get only 
 one of them back. The best of the two and one of tbe mo.st valuable in 
 the country, is still detained ami all he could get for it is a Receipt of 
 
APPENDIX *J 1 
 
 which the inclosed is a copy. Snch wanton liberty with mens property 
 are not to be tolerated. We have suU'ered too much by abuses of the 
 like kind committed by Troops of other States passing thro' this. We 
 are contending in vain for our Liberty agt British 'I'yranny if we are to 
 be subject to internal oppression. At least if General Warner wanted 
 Horses he should have applied to some proper authority within this 
 State for a supply. As lieneral Warner may be in your way, I could 
 wish, Sir, you woiild prevail on him to send Mr. Letiertse Horse back to 
 nim unhurt. I'Vr whatever his political character may be, ou which I 
 shall not take on me to decide. He and his property are under the 
 protection of the Government nor is either of them to be taken from 
 him by Military Force. I am 
 
 Sir, 
 
 With great respect 
 
 Your lixcellency's 
 
 Most obedient servant 
 His Excellency Gov Clinton. Jno. Mobin Scott." 
 
 Note VI II. 
 
 CHARLES DEWITT. 
 
 After Governor Clinton the most prominent man of Ulster county, 
 during tlie Revolution, was Charles DeWitt, of Greenkill, as he .--ub- 
 scribed himself, a locality near Kingston. Before the separation from 
 (ireat Britain he repivsented the county in the C. gonial Assembly from 
 1768 to 1775, and as a member of the last legisl.itive body which sat 
 under the royal authority, w^is one of the nine resolute and patriotic 
 men who voted to a))iiriive of the proceedings of the Continental Con- 
 gress, then recently organized at Philadelphia. This and other rebel- 
 lious symptoms soon niduced Governor Tryon to di.ssolve the Assembly, 
 and we next find him at the head of the County Committee of Safety, 
 taking measures to secure the liberty wiiich was now to be fought for lu 
 the open field. His leading position at once places hun in the Provin- 
 cial Convention of April, 1775, and his name frequently occurs in the 
 Journals of the subsequent Congresses, as well as m the Co iimittee of 
 Safety sitting in the rece.ss of the larger bodies. He was appointed 
 Colonel of aVegiment of Minute Men, Dec 21st, 177.=), but does not ap- 
 pear to have devoted his attention to the jiarticular duties ol his mili- 
 tary command ; indeed this plan of raising a reliable force of this sort, 
 was found somewhat impracticable and soon fell into neglect. On the 
 appointment of the important committee of Congress " for detecting and 
 deleating conspiracies, &c.," Col. DeWitt is placed upon it with William 
 Duer, Zeph. Phitt, Col. Van Courtlaiidt, John Jay,&c., and he continued 
 to serve for a considerab.e time. When it was resolved to take the 
 necessary steps to form a state government, the Convention elected Col. 
 DeWitt a member of the committee to prepare a dralt of the Consti- 
 tution, and the one reported by them, was, alter no great discussion, 
 adopteil, April 20, 1777, and under it the people passed through the 
 revolutionary struggle, and came out a free and independent goveru- 
 
 nieJit. zc ,■ 
 
 The arrest of Col DeWitt as an absconding recruit, by an ottcer ot 
 Snyder's regiment, arising evidently from some local jealou.sy, was made 
 tliesiibject of a "question of jirivilege," in the Convention; the com- 
 mittee seemed determined to probe tlie matter to the bottom, and they 
 examined all the parties charged with the otteuce, and finally compelled 
 
®^ APPENDIX. 
 
 sundry persons to pnrge themselves of contempt into which the Honse 
 voted til em. 
 
 In 1784, he was chosen a delegate to the Continental Congress After 
 the close ol the war the conntry had still need of his services and from 
 1/81 to 1/85 he sat in the Assembly of the State From a printed slip 
 npon a portrait in possession of one of his descendants. Richard DeWitt 
 E.sq., It would seem that he died April 27th, 1787. A i)hotograph from 
 this portrait, is m the Society's archives. His son, Charles G. DeWitt, 
 edited the Ulster Sentinel for many years, represented the district in 
 Congress, and was charge d'affaires of the United States to one of the 
 bouth American republics. 
 
 Note IX. 
 
 CHRISTOPHER TAPPEN. 
 
 Was born at Kingston in June, 1742, and descended from one of the 
 early settlers of Ksopns. He must have been a surveyor b° profes- 
 sion but acted lor many years as deputy to his brother-in-law, George 
 Clinton, who held the Ulster County Clerkship f„r the unprecedented 
 period ot sixty years, viz : 17.'>2 to 1812. While he was Governor of 
 the State, and even when he became Vice President of tlie United St.ates 
 We find Pappen's name constantly connected with Kingston, whether 
 111 tlie Trustees records or the doings of the authorities of the venerable 
 church at Esopus, or as a civil mngistrate. Of course s.ch a maiMn 
 such a locality, would be found upon tlie popular side in the struggle 
 for nidepeudeiice, and he soon appears in the deliberations of the County 
 Committee, and i-epresented Ulster in the 1st, 3d, and 4th Provinc hi 
 Congres.-=es, and his prominence there plnced him often in the Council 
 ot^batety. On the organization of the regiments of minute-men in Dec 
 
 iutv' hr^lilT'", ''*'''•'"'■' ^' P™l'''l'l.v did not .see much active 
 (iuiy, his abilities being more valued in the civil service of the country 
 Major 1 appen was .a member of the se.-ret committee for obstnuting th.^ 
 navigation ot he Hudson, in July, 177(;, and h..d previously, in-con- 
 
 uuction with James Clinton, prepared a plan for fortifying the Hish- 
 
 ,, l^ViV H '• ' f'-' '"r "^"'"'^ ^""■''•"'- '■■■"■" "■■« Middle Dist-iict 
 
 t', •■ "! " ''VT! '"/•"■ ""^ "*^''""g ""' fi'--'^' Board of Regents of 
 the University m 1784. After the death of Governor Clinton in 1812 
 he was appointed Clerk of the county, and thus the office continued in 
 the family until l..- 1 when the weight of years, no doubt, induced 
 Major Tappen to resign it. He died August 3d, 1S2(!, and ^as buried 
 at ^'"g^ on A long obituary notice by his son, John J. Tappen, editor 
 of tlie PUbwn, is in the paper of the 9th of August, 1826. 
 
DOCUMENTS 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 Letter from Commodore Hotham to the Viscount Howe. 
 
 Preston oflf Peeks Kilncreek 
 15. Ocf 1777. 
 
 ^^ ^sTifc'e I had the honour to write to yon by the Apollo, not any thing 
 material has happened here ; but Sir Henry Clinton having occasion o 
 write to the Commander in Chief, I take the same opporunity to 
 acquaint your lordship, that the Number of men wh.ch wou d be neces- 
 sary for the Defence of the more extensive Garrison of Fort Montgomery 
 has induced Sir Henry to destroy it, & to .«id some works to that of 
 Fort Clinton which comn.anding the first, effectually removes a 1 appie- 
 hension from thence, and reduces the Force necessary to mamtam t o 
 about 800 men. This has enabled him to send a Detachment ol atout 
 160(. men up the North River under General Vaughan ; Sir James Wal- 
 lace who has already explored the River a. high as Pakepsy directs the 
 Naval Part consisting of the Gallies & small vessels as before and 
 Captn Stanhope under him commands the Detachment of Flat Boats 
 aiipointed for the occasion. , „, j ,■ ;,„ „« Vr.\ 
 
 They sailed yesterday, & are now above the Chevaux de tr ze off Pol- 
 ypus Island, where I have placed the Mercury to secure tha Pass^g« 
 a^iinst their return, & the Cerberus being reported to me as o"ly At tor 
 River service takes her station otf Stoney Point to scour ha neck, & to 
 give lier assistance at tlie samn time to the Camp at Verplaiiks. 
 ^ The Tartar Hanks approaches to Fort Clinton, & the Preston lies 
 between the tw 0, within signals of either ,• „ii;.<,fa tho mn 
 
 The principal object of the move up the River is to lac Utate the mo- 
 tions (whatever thev m.y be) of the Northern Army, and by the alarm 
 wliich it will occasion to cause a Diversion in their Favour 
 
 The Unicorn wa. to sail to-day with a Convoy of victuallers for Rhode 
 rsland. The (ialatea's rudder was dropping off and has been obliged o 
 be unhung & the Bruucs Standing as well as Running Rigging mostly 
 condemned by Survey. 
 
 I have the honour to be 
 Mv Lord, 
 
 Your Lordships most obedient 
 humble Servant 
 {MmiraUy, Jlmeriean Depmt.) W. Hotham. 
 
 No. II. 
 Letter from Commodore Hotham to the Viscount Howe. 
 
 St Albans New York. 21^' Ocf 1777 
 
 ^^ Mv'^Letters of the 15th instant which you will herewith receive were 
 intended to have been sent by the Bristol, who is stopped to proceed 
 
64 APPENDIX. 
 
 with the Convoy direrttd by your Lordships Letter of the lO'h . In con- 
 sequence of it I have left the comuiiind up tlie North River with Captain 
 Symonds until the return of General Vaughan when it is intended to 
 evacuate every thing there, as Sii Henry Clinton for the defence of this 
 place will now stand in need of every man left under his command. 
 
 The proceedings of the second expedition up the River your Lordship 
 will see by the inclosed Copy of a Letter from Sir James Wallace, & one 
 also to Sir Henry Clinton from General Vaughan, The wind having 
 hung to the Southward ever .since, has prevented our bearing any thing 
 farther from them : but as it last night shifted & now blows strong from 
 the North West, it is reasonable to think we shall have them down, the 
 object of their going up the River seeming to be now over, without 
 giving credit to the whole of what we hear respecting General Burgoyne's 
 army. The two Hattalions of Anspach were embarked before Sir Henry 
 Clinton and I left Verjilanks Point and with the wind may be hourly 
 expected down. The 17''' Dragoons with the Convalescents, Recruits, 
 Chasseurs & Artillery will be embarked without lo.ss of tiuje, and shall 
 proceed (as they are leady) in .separate convoys, which from the expe- 
 rience I have liad of large ones, 1 consider as the securest and most 
 expeditious way for them to join you. The 7'h 26* & ti3il Regiments 
 are embarked with General Vaughan. 
 
 Some of tiie horse ships are got up to York and the rest of the Thames'* 
 Convoy are with lier within the Hook, so that we shall not be in any 
 want of Transports for the embarkation, nor sli?ll e>]iedition be less 
 wanting to forward it. This gives me an opportunity of doing tlie jus- 
 tice I owe to Lieutenant Tonkin the .-Igent whose Assiduity and Resources 
 are felt upon every occasion m heie hiS services are called for. 
 
 I have the honour to tra/ismit you this despatch by Capt Kennedy 
 who is charged with Sir Henry Clinton's to ISir William Howe by aii 
 armed vessel of Colonel Shirifls the Haerlem having been necessarily 
 employed up the River. 1 have the honor to be 
 
 My Lord 
 
 Your most obedient 
 liunible servt. 
 (Mmirally, American Depmt.) W. Hotham. 
 
 No. HI. 
 Gen* James Clinton to Governor Clinton, 
 
 Little Britain Octobr IS. 1777 
 Df Brother. 
 
 Yours of yesterdays date I have just Received. I am sorry for the 
 loss of Kingston &c 
 
 Five of the Enemys Shipping Returned Down the River Last night 
 without doing any damage, except firing .9ome cannon and small arms 
 at our men and wounding one of ours on Board of a Ferry Boat. 
 
 Inclosed 1 send you two Letter.s one from Gen. Dickeson and the 
 
 other from^Gen. Winds. the Latter I have answered by ordering liim 
 
 here as by your former Letter. 
 
 I have wrote to Gen. Putnam for a Reinforcement this Day and 
 Expect Gen. Winds will be ordered to remain here. 
 
 1 have ordered Cap' Bellkiiap to move your slay and what Forage 
 he can from the River. 
 
 I am yours afl'ectionalely, 
 
 James Clintov, B Gen' 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 65 
 
 P S Gen Parsons remains at Peekskill with about 2000. Colo- 
 nels Humphreys, & Brinkerhoof Regiments of Militia Left at Fish-kiU, 
 Colonel Piatt with about l.*)!! at Pouglikeepsie. 
 
 To His Excellency Govf Clinton. 
 
 No. IV. 
 Morning Report of the Main Guard of Gov. Clinton's j}rmy, Oct. 18, 1777. 
 
 Hdkley, Oct. 18, 1777. 
 A morning report of the Main Guard consisting of, 
 
 Parole. 
 
 Capt. Sub'n 
 
 CounUfr Sign, 
 n,:rd. 
 
 Serg't. Corp'l. i Privates. 
 
 Gentries by Day, 10. 
 
 35 
 
 Gentries by Night, 7. 
 
 Visited the Centinels frequently, found them alert, on their posts. No 
 Grand Rounds. Nothing material happened. 
 
 Tlie names of tlie Prisoners confined and their names, 
 
 Isaac Van Vleck, taken up as a Spy. 
 
 Daniel Taylor, taken up as a Spy. , , j , 
 
 Jonatlian Van Waggoner, confined for going over to Long Island to 
 the Enemy and Returning to Ulster County. 
 
 Wm Mohany Confined for saying tlie Rebels were retreating before 
 Genl Burgoyne & tliat he hoped the Rebels would be beat. 
 
 James Henter, Molato Confined for going into New York, with wood 
 & coming out again & being found with Tories. , , ,j ., 
 
 Thomas Porter for Speaking disrespectfully of ourGeneral and Under 
 Officers that Commanded at Fort Montgomery and for saying that it it 
 had been Commanded by British Olficers it would not have been 
 
 ^"^'' MaJliew McKenney of Cap'' Ghspyes Compy of Col- Hasbroucks 
 R(.g<- Militia confined by Lieut Hunter, for having Spoken Treason 
 
 against the rotate. » „ .„ a j n ts a 
 
 Jeremiah Fitzgerald, Stephen Anderson & Benjn Andrews, Confined 
 
 by Maior Miffitt for plundering of Leather from the House of Tlieophilus 
 
 Carwin wliicli was found in the Custody and allso for Refusing to btop 
 
 when ordered hy the Centl- Bart Miller Confined by Ensn Mumford, 
 
 for beiim an l-lnciiiy to hi- Country and saying that he was a friend to 
 
 George the third King of Great Britain. 
 
 John Comfort 
 
 Benj" Comfort 
 
 Jon" Harris 
 
 John St Cldr 
 
 Godfrey Kuiver 
 
 Maliaga Seager 
 
 John Poof I 
 
 Aaron Cruver I 
 
 Yose Henry Tiso J 
 
 John Stump of Capt Stewarts Comp!' Col" Dubois'" Regt. ^ 
 
 .John Hole a Tory, Confined for being aguide to a party ot Col" bam- 
 
 B. Webb thiiiUing they w^re British Regulars and piloting from his 
 
 own house. „ ,, t^ .^. , 
 
 Jacob Lowes who is said was raising a CompY for the British service 
 
 Charged with being Enemies to the States 
 ■ & being found In Arms against the States 
 Confined bv Lt Colo Hardenbergh 
 
66 APPENDIX. 
 
 Daniel Wakeman Cap' Johnstons Compy of Militia, Col" Hasbrooks 
 Regt Confined for Disobedience of orders, and Refusing to march when 
 Legally warned at the late alarm, Confined by John Hardenbergh 
 Lieul Colo of said Reg*- (Regimental). 
 
 Henry Herrill of Colo Pawling's Reg' Militia Confined for disaffection 
 & Speaking Treasonable against the States of North America, Confined 
 by Lieu' Colo Johannis Hardenbergh. 
 
 Samuel Townsend ^ All of Colo Pawlings Reg' Militia, Con- 
 
 Nathaniel Waters ^ fined by Daniel Freer Ensign, for neglect of 
 
 Robert He.ss ) Duty & Disobedience of Orders. (Regimental) 
 
 John Christis ^ All Confined by Colo Hardenbergh of Dis- 
 
 Henry Tise V obedience of Orders and Disaffection to the 
 
 Daniel Cogal ) States. 
 
 Henry Hurl ) 
 
 John Cassell j 
 
 Abraham Brinkerhoff by Major Winecnp — Released — 
 
 John Ellis, 
 
 Officer of the Gnard. 
 
 No. V. 
 
 Governor Clinton to Gen. Putnam. 
 
 Hurley, Oct 20. 1777 
 Sir, 
 
 I have this moment received your letter of this Date, with the let- 
 ters you mention — concerning them I have only to congratulate you on 
 the fortunate event by which the present purposes of the Enemy are 
 defeated . 
 
 With respect to the Galley — she is sunk about two miles from the 
 landing place There will be some difliculty in raising the cannon 
 Especially the 32 pdr — for which we have no carriage on this side 
 However if you can send me a traveling carriage and ammunition I will 
 endeavor to bring her on shore — 
 
 I very much approve of your intention to annoy the memy's fleet 
 & slialt cheerfully co-operate with you & as General Gates is anived in 
 Albany. The cannon may soon be procured, — What think you of 
 attempting Fort Montgomery ? — by General Parsons & the Troops from 
 Jersey. George Clinton. 
 
 To the Hub Major General Putnam, Red Hook. 
 
 Nn. \\. 
 
 Report of the " Officer of the Day " of the .Army at Hurliy. 
 
 Hurley Towu Octob>' 20, 1777 
 Head Quarters 
 A Morning Report of the Ofiicer of the day, who visited the Guards 
 & Pickets. 
 
 Coll. Webbs Pickquets, Coll. Dubois and Coll. Sutherland all sut- 
 ficient, Coll. Hasbroucks and Ellisons Deficient of Arms and Ammuni- 
 tion — 
 
 By Report of Officer of the Main Guard countersign N. York. The 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 «7 
 
 Centinels being frequently visited, found alert on their Posts, and the 
 Guard consisting of, 
 
 Capt. 
 
 Lieut'8. 
 2 
 
 Sarg'td. 
 3 
 
 Corp'iB. 
 3 
 
 Privates. 
 
 Total, 
 
 CentineU 
 
 
 44 
 
 50 
 
 by Day 
 
 by Night 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 The number of Prisoners confined in the Main Guard 27 with the 
 Crimes given, and 9 without Crimes, 
 
 Given under my hand, 
 
 Johs Habdekbebob Col. 
 
 P. S. The Guard at Kingston deficient of Light Horse & Guides. 
 
 No. VII. 
 
 A Report of the Guard at Kmgtton, 20th October, 1777. 
 
 Perole Boiton. C. New York. 
 
 Detail of Guard. 
 
 Capt. 
 
 Lieut. 
 
 Serg't. 
 
 Corp'I. 
 
 Privates. 
 
 Countersign 
 by Day. 
 
 Do 
 by Night. 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 66 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 Nothing strange 
 since Guard Mounting. 
 
 John Minthorn Officer 
 
 of the Guard 
 
 
 
 Lieut. 
 
 Serg't. 
 
 Corp'I. 
 
 Privates. 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 13 
 
 Patrolling parties Kept out all Night. 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 Col. Hasbrouck's Reg't. of MUitia,— Services 1776 to 1778. 
 
 A return of the Extraordinary Services Lately performed by Coll". 
 Hasbrouck's Regiment of Militia since the 18'*> day of December, 1776, 
 from Time to Time, the Numlier of Men in Service, on what particular 
 Service, cSc what Term of Time. 
 9 
 
^8 APPENDIX. 
 
 „,, , ^. , No. of What Term 
 
 Wtat, particular Service hns beeu performed. Men. of Time. 
 
 First, At the Alarm December 12, 1776 at Ramapaugh, 300 27 days. 
 
 2d At Ramapaugh from 7th January, 2 & 1777,. . 100 14 do 
 
 3d Under Col. Pawling from 2 &c of Jany 1777 
 
 till last of April 1777, at Ramapaugh, 200 40 do 
 
 4«i Under Col" Snyder at Fort Montgomery 4 
 
 months 150 120 do 
 
 Otn Under Colo Ellison at Fort Montgomery 3 
 
 months 130 90 do 
 
 etn At the Alarm in March 1777, when th" Store? 
 
 was destroyed at Peekskill, 2uo 4 do 
 
 7"> At the Alarm at Fort Montgomery In July 
 
 1777, 460 8 do 
 
 8"> At the Alarm at Fort Montgomery In Augt 
 
 1777, 500 8 do 
 
 9th At the .ilarm at Fort Montgomery in Sep* 
 
 1777, 400 8 do 
 
 10th At Fort Constitution the 1st October 1777, 
 
 under the Command of Majr Dubois, 200 10 do 
 
 ll'h The Alarm at the burning of Esopus in Oetr 
 
 1777, 460 .;o do 
 
 12th, the Sis weeks Service at Nicholas's Point iu 
 
 Nov 1777, under the Command of Colo 
 
 Heathoni 12O 45 do 
 
 13th At the West Point in March & Ap. 1778, under 
 
 Ml' Wisner 420 8 do 
 
 Given under my h;iud this IS'h day of June, 1778, 
 
 Errors Excepted 
 
 Job's Hardenbeeoh, 
 
 Lt Colo 
 To his Excellency 
 
 George Clinton Esqf 
 
 Nu. IX. 
 
 Address 0] the Committee of Kingston to Governor Clinton respecting their 
 desire of rtbuilding the village. 9"' Feb" 1778. 
 
 To his Excellency G(torge Clinton Esq"^ Governor and Commander- 
 in-Chief of the State of Ni-w York. 
 
 The Humble Address of the Committee of Safety & Observation of 
 the town of Kingston, 
 Humbly make Known, 
 
 That whereas a Dispute is raised Between America and the King of 
 Great Britain touching & Concerning Taxation America lit^ld sucli Tax- 
 ation unjust & illegal and unwarrantable by the Con.-^titution of BritMin 
 America soon entered upon & into mea.^^ures to prevent such illegal tax 
 Kingston unitedly did join and seconded the measures to jneveiit the 
 Expected oppression by their early einliarking in the cause of Liberty 
 and their persevering & continued Exertions in support thereof have 
 undoubtedly incurred the bitterest resentment of the Knemv to Vent 
 such resentment & Expedition up the North river was determined upon 
 and the destruction ot Kingston thereby eilVcled .and coinpletpd to the 
 great loss & Damage oi the Inhabitants ' Sir many of the Sufli'rers wou'd 
 fain build are Discouraged by means of the enoVmous prizi'S of things 
 
APPENDIX. ^'^ 
 
 & Labour the unhappy Sufferers have always supported the cause with 
 proper spirit liavc always submitted to the present Government cheer- 
 iullv turned out their Number of men on all Detachments and those 
 ordered w be raisi'd to Reinforce the Army and always acted with spirit 
 and Resolution however the situation circumstances & Difficultie.s the 
 Committee thinks it there indispensible Duty to address your Lxcel- 
 lenev in behalf of the sufferers of Kiugston that your Excellency there- 
 fore will be pleased to make use .,f youy I"t«'-«^t ".' .^f '^'"8 .^,'^t"^ 
 whereby Ihe poor Sufferers may obtain Relief, their Spirit toRebuild the 
 town is C'ood but their abilities Weak Assistance or that purpose 
 would be' Exceedingly agreeable, and mightily revive the present Dejeo- 
 Uon of many of the poor Sufferers the committee may i please your 
 Excellen,:y conclu.les by j.raying that your Excellency will use all youi 
 Influence & Interest to obtain Relief for the poor SnUerers ot Kiugston 
 By order of the Committee 
 
 Andries Dewitt Jbn" Ch. 
 
 No. X. 
 
 Gov. Clinton't reply to the address of the Committee of Kingston in regard 
 
 to rebuilding the town 
 
 Poughkeepsie 17"' Feb> 1778 
 
 "' I have received the Address of tlie Committee of Kingston dated the 
 9tU inst respecting the Distresses of the Inhabitants of Kingston & the 
 aid i-eqnired to enable them to rebuild the Town. Vou mav rest assured 
 Gentlemen that whatever may be in my power to render them shall not 
 be witheUl but most cheerfully afforded I have already suggested to 
 sundry members of the Legislature the Propriety of rebuilding the Court 
 House and Goal at public Expense & have Eea.son to hope it will be 
 done I have likewise mentioned the propriety of Rxeinptmg such 
 Number of Artiticei-s as shall be necessary, from Military Dra ts & Diity 
 providing they agree to work at rebuilding the town lor Reasonable 
 waces \vhich likewise I hoj.e I shall be enabled to do. 
 
 As to I'lver I think no Pi.bliek Injury can arise Irom his continuing 
 at home :.t Present, in the Mean Time I will lay his case belore the com- 
 missioners for detecting conspiracies, to be appointed in pursuance of a 
 late act of the Legislature, who I have no doubt will deal with him 
 according to Justice in such Manner as will conduce most the Public 
 Safety & Peace. I am with due Respect 
 
 Your most obedt serv' 
 
 Geo. Clinton. 
 
70 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. XI, 
 
 A Return of Col' Levi Pawling^s Regiment of Militia. Dated in Marble- 
 town, this n"i Day of FebV 1778. 
 
 The Names of the Captains Com- j _■ 
 manding the Compaiiies. I g 
 
 Field Officers, 
 
 Captain Jacob Hasbrouck, . . . . 
 Capt Frederick Schoonmaker, 
 
 Capt Andries Bevier, 
 
 Capt Peleg Ransom, 
 
 Capt Jocham Schoonmaker, . . 
 Capt John A. Harden bergh, . . 
 
 Capt John Hasbrouck, 
 
 Capt Charles W. Brodhead,. . 
 Capt Benjamin Kortreght,. .. . 
 
 3 l-Si. 
 
 ►^ IW Im 'o 
 
 1 . . 2 9 15 9 33 33 
 
 ^ 
 
 a 2 
 
 as 
 
 p 
 
 41 
 62 
 51 
 46 
 49 
 43 
 40 
 39 
 52 
 
 423 
 
 Levi Pawlinq, Colo- 
 
 No. XII. 
 Ulster County Militia Officers. 
 
 The following list is fromthe Jour, of the Prov. Conv., (II. p. 134) : 
 
 " A list of field officers for the county of Ulster, viz : Col . .lohannes 
 Hardonburgh, Lieut. Col. Abraham Hasbrouck, Maj. Johannes Snvder, 
 Maj. Jonathan Elmendorf, Adj't Petrus I. Elmendorf, Quarter- Master 
 Abraham A. Hasbrouck. 
 
 Col. .James Clinton, Lieut. Col. James Claughry, Major Jacob New- 
 kerk, Major Moses Phillips, Adj't George Denniston, Quarter- Master 
 Alexander Trimble ; commissions dated 2.5th Oct., 1775. 
 
 Col. Levi Pawling, Lieut. Col. Jacob Hornbeck, Maj. Johannes Can- 
 tine, Maj. Joseph Hasbrouck, Adj't David Bevier, Quarter-Master 
 Jacobus Bruyn, Jr. ; commissions dated 25th Oct., 1775. 
 
 Col. .Jonathan Hasbrouck, Lieut. Col. .Johannes Hardenbergh, Jr , 
 Maj. Johannes Jansen, Jr., Maj. Lewis DuBois, Adj't. Abraham Schoon- 
 maker, Quarter -Master Isaac Belknap ; commissions dated 25th Oct. , 
 1775. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Andro, Major ^^ 
 
 Assembly, chamber in Kings- 
 ton ;•■• 19 
 
 members of, from 
 Ulster county, . . 18 
 
 Baldwin, James W., • • 17 
 
 Bancker, Abram B., 13, d^^ 
 
 Evert, 20 
 
 Gerard, 22 
 
 Barber, Patrick, • • 49 
 
 Barclay, John, 28, 31 
 
 Bayard, Samuel, Jr., j-i 
 
 Beekman, James, 30 
 
 Belknap, Isaac, .• '» 
 
 Benson, Capt., ^1, j^ 
 
 Egbert, 20, 21 
 
 Kobert 20 
 
 Bettus, Gilead, 47 
 
 Bevier, Andries, ^o 
 
 David '0 
 
 Bogardus, Evert 16, 17, 19 
 
 Boyd, Robert, Jr., 15 
 
 Breast- works hill, ^■^ 
 
 Brewster, Samuel, 14, 59 
 
 British vessel captured 45 
 
 Brodhead , Charles W , , 70 
 
 Bruyn, Jacobus, Jr., 70 
 
 Mrs. Severyu 32 
 
 Burgoyne, General 9, 28, 47 
 
 Cantine, John, 18, 70 
 
 Matthew, 14, 15 
 
 Moses 58 
 
 Cerberus, " 
 
 Charleston, contribution of 
 
 citizens, ^9 
 
 Clarke, Lieut., 9, 30 
 
 Clinton, Charles, 14 
 
 George,.. 4, 10, 12, 
 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 
 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 
 40,41,42,43, 45, 
 
 56, 57, 66, 69 
 
 10 
 
 Clinton, George, residence in 
 
 Kingston, 1° 
 
 Sir Henry,... 10, 54, 55 
 James, . . 14, 57, 64, 70 
 
 Golden, Cadwallader, 24 
 
 Congresses, provincial, 14 
 
 Constitution house, i « in 
 
 Convention, resolves of, 15, lb, ^0 
 Council of safety........... 20 
 
 members of, zv, JM 
 resolves of, . 20, 
 
 26, 27, 49 
 sessions of,. . . 50 
 Court martial on Daniel Tay- 
 
 lor, % 
 
 Crane, " 
 
 Denniston, George, ■ • • • '^ 
 
 Dependence, »> •'^i :** 
 
 DeWitt, Andries, 1* 
 
 Charles, 14, 15 
 
 life, 61 
 
 Dickenson, Gen., troops de- 
 
 tached by, 44 
 
 Diligent, • ■ ^ 
 
 DuBois, Lewis, »», '" 
 
 Dumond, Egbert, 14 
 
 life, 58 
 
 Duane, James, 1* 
 
 Klmeudorph, Conrad C, ^ 
 
 Cornelius C, .. 21 
 
 John, J7 
 
 Jonathan, 70 
 
 Petrus L, 70 
 
 Eltinge, Roelif • • • 24 
 
 Esopus, see Kingston. 
 
 Experiment, ' ol 
 
 Falls, Mrs , ^ 
 
 Fleet prison, • -'|. 
 
 Forts in highlands, capture ot, b 
 
 Friendship, ^' ^'^' IS 
 
 Gasherie, Josi'iih, • ■ -J- 
 
 Gates, General, 26, 29, 39, 45, 4() 
 
72 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Hammpi-sley, Mrs., 32 
 
 Hardenbergh, Johannes, . 14, 
 
 15, 67, 70 
 
 life, 57 
 
 Johannes, Jr., 
 
 65, 67, 70 
 
 John A 70 
 
 Johannes G., 
 
 18. 23 
 Hasbrouck, Abraham, 4, 14, 22, 70 
 
 life,., 59 
 
 Abraliaiii A., 70 
 
 Jacob, 70 
 
 John , 70 
 
 Jonathan, 70 
 
 life, 60 
 
 servics of 
 
 regiment, 67 
 
 Joseph. . . 59, 60, 70 
 
 Mss. diary, 4 
 
 Hazlewood, Capt., 10 
 
 Henry, John 2?. 
 
 Hornbeck, Hendricus 23 
 
 Jacob, 14, 58, 70 
 
 Hotham, Commodon-, 
 
 letter to Lord Howe, 
 
 5, 47, 63 
 
 Houghtaling, Wm , 30 
 
 Howe, Sir William 34 
 
 Hudson, the sloop, 21, 23 
 
 Hurley, council met at, 50 
 
 guard report of army 
 
 at, 65, 66, 67 
 
 Kiersted, Dr. Luke, 21 
 
 Kingston, Chancellor Living- 
 ston's donation, 40 
 Charleston contri- 
 bution, 39 
 
 committee's ad- 
 dress, 68 
 
 constitution adopt- 
 ed at, 17 
 
 council resolutions 
 for assistance 
 
 to 49 
 
 date of the burn- 
 ing 3 
 
 jail, 21 
 
 landing of the Brit- 
 ish, 30 
 
 legislature met at, 
 
 10, 18, 20 
 
 light horse,. ... 21, 24 
 newspaper acc'nts 
 
 of burning 35 
 
 property destroyed 
 
 at, 36, 38_ 
 
 records removed 
 
 from, 23 
 
 Kingston, supreme court met 
 
 at 50 
 
 trustees' minutes 
 
 lost, 38 
 
 works erected at, 11, 29 
 
 Kortright, Benjamin, 70 
 
 Lady Wasliington galley, 24, 
 
 29, 30, 46, 66 
 Legislature meets at Kingston, 
 
 18, 19 
 
 Lefever, Andries, 14 
 
 Lefferts, Bryan, 16 
 
 Jacobus, . . 30, 32, 35, 60 
 
 Livingston, Abraham, 40 
 
 Henrv 10 
 
 John", 36 
 
 Robert G., 36 
 
 Robert R., gives 
 
 lands, 40 
 
 Marbletown, council met at, . . 49 
 
 McClauglirey, James 25, 70 
 
 McDonald, Angus, 24 
 
 McKe.sson, John, 20 
 
 Mercury, 9 
 
 Minute men, 58, 61 
 
 Morris, Governeur, 16 
 
 New Kingston, 41 
 
 Newkerk, Jacob, 70 
 
 Nicholson, John, 14, 58 
 
 Oliver, Andrew, 49 
 
 Palmer, Thomas, 14 
 
 Parks, Arthur, 14, 26, 58 
 
 Pawling, Albert, 58 
 
 Levi, 14, 15, 18, 20, 
 22, 23, 26, 
 
 31 49, 70 
 
 life 58 
 
 Petersham, Lord, 39 
 
 Phillips, Moses, 70 
 
 Piatt, Zephaniah, 61 
 
 Ponc.> liockie, 29, 30 
 
 Preseott, Richard, Gen , 10 
 
 Preston 9, 43, 63 
 
 Prisoners in guard house at 
 
 Hurley 65 
 
 Putnam, Israel, Gen., 12, 42, 
 
 43, 45 
 
 Ransom, Peleg 70 
 
 Raven, 9 
 
 Rawdon, Lord, 10 
 
 Rea, Matthew, 14, 15, 18, 20 
 
 life, 59 
 
 Records, Albany county, 23 
 
 Ulster county, . . . 23, 38 
 
 Westchester county, 23 
 
 receiver general's, . . 23 
 
 Ref, Dutch church,, 32 
 Regiments, list of British, on 
 
 the expedition, . 10 
 
INDEX. 
 
 73 
 
 Regiments, American, 25, 66 
 
 services of Has- 
 
 brouck's, 67 
 
 return of Paw- 
 
 ling's, ^. 70 
 
 Report, guard, 65, 67 
 
 officer of day, at Hur- 
 ley, 66 
 
 Rliinebeck, houses burned at, 
 
 37, 45 
 Rochester, records removed 
 
 to 23 
 
 Rondout, 30 
 
 South, 30 
 
 Salisbury, Silvester, 21, 24 
 
 Sands, Comfort, 23 
 
 Saugerties, enemy near, . . . 42, 48 
 
 Schoonmakor, Abraham, 70 
 
 Cornelius C, 
 
 18, 20, 58 
 Frederick, . 21, 70 
 
 .lochem 70 
 
 Scott, John Morin 26, 60 
 
 Senate chamber in Kingston, . 18 
 
 Shawangunk militia, 23 
 
 Sill, Major, 7, 10 
 
 Sleght, Johannes, 13,49 
 
 Smith, Nathan, 49 
 
 Snyder, Johannes, 14, IS, 20, 
 
 22, 31, 70 
 
 Spitfire, 9 
 
 Stanhope, J., Capt,, 9, 63 
 
 Stoutenburgh, Col. Francis,.. 35 
 
 Sudani, Oko, 23 
 
 Supreme court, 19, 50 
 
 Tack, Johannes, 49 
 
 Tappeu, Christopher, 14, 15, 19, 23 
 
 life 62 
 
 Tartar, 9, 63 
 
 Taylor, Daniel,.... 12, 28, 37, 49 
 
 Taylor, Daniel, life, 54 
 
 Ten Broeok, Peter, 35 
 
 Trimble, Alexander, 70 
 
 Ulster county, boundaries in 
 
 1777 18 
 
 clerks, 62 
 
 common pleas 49 
 jail, .. 13, 16, 21 
 members of 
 
 assembly,.. 18 
 members of 
 
 congress, . . 14 
 militia officers 70 
 
 senator, 18 
 
 Van Buren, Judge, 23 
 
 Van Courtlandt, Pierre, 20, 
 
 26, 27, 61 
 
 Van Deuseu, Jan., 50 
 
 Van Gaasbeck, Abram, .... 18 
 
 Laurentius, . . 18 
 
 Peter, .... 18, 30 
 
 Van Steenbergh, Abram T., 17, 32 
 
 Tobias, 32 
 
 Vaughan, John, Gen , 9, 30, 
 
 33, 39, 47 
 
 life, 54 
 
 Wallace, Sir J.ames, 9, 31, 34, 46 
 list of his squadron, 9 
 
 life, 53 
 
 Washington's head quarters 
 
 at Newburgh 60 
 
 Wawarsing, prisoners re- 
 moved to, 13 
 
 Whipple, Abraham 53 
 
 Wisner, Henry, Jr., 14, 15, 18, 59 
 Wynkoop, Dirck, Jr., 22, 23, 
 ^ 32, 49 
 
 Margaret 27 
 
 Yates, Abraham, 20 
 
 Robert, 15 
 
^^•^ 
 
 H 33 89' * 
 

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