oF /I ObZT/iiJCT/ofiS Of TH£ Hi** So*l RiVdIL OF '?*f 0 s ! l SEYMOUR DURST When you leave, please leave this book Because it has been said " Sver'lbmg comes t' him who waits Except a loaned book." Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE HUDSON RIVER DURING THE REVOLUTION OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE HUDSON RIVER DURING THE REVOLUTION SIXTY COPIES PRINTED FOR CHARLES F. HEARTMAN METUCHEN, N. J. 19 2 7 No of Sixty Copies Printed In spite of the countless histories of the American Revolution, there still remain errors and omissions in the many phases of the war. For instance, most writers note but one obstruction of the Hudson River during the War of Independence. Yet from the pro- ceedings of the Secret Committee, ap- pointed July 16, 1776, by the Provin- cial Convention, we know there were four distinct impediments, including two chains, which were conceived with the idea of preventing the British from ascending the river. However, there was but one great West Point chain, the other obstructions were situated at other points, and were all broken by the enemy. The importance of the Hudson River during the Revolution cannot be over- estimated, for both the British and American leaders were aware that West Point was "the Gibraltar of America." If the British could gain possession of the Hudson they would thus divide the Colonies, and would facilitate communication between Can- ada and lower New York. Hence in a letter dated, London, July 31, 1775, the British Government, conveying to their subjects in America, the plan of operations decided upon, ordered them, "to get possession of New York and Albany; — to command the Hud- son and East Rivers with a number o ( i small men-of-war, and cutters, sta- tioned in different parts of it, so as to cut off all communication by water be- tween New York and the Provinces to the northward of it, and between New York and Albany, except for the King's service." But the Americans were equally fa- miliar with the importance of main- taining possession and control of the river, for in a report submitted by the Provincial Congress of New York to the Continental Congress, early in 1775, the subject is thus treated: "If the enemy persist in their plan of sub- jugating these States to the yoke of Great Britain, they must, in proportion to their knowledge of the country, be more and more convinced of the neces- sity of their becoming masters of the Hudson River, which will give them the entire command of the water com- munications with the Indian nations, effectually prevent all intercourse be- tween the eastern and southern con- federates, divide our strength, and en- feeble every effort for our common preservation and security. That this was their original plan, and that Gen- eral Carlton and General Howe flat- tered themselves with the delusive hope of uniting their forces at Albany, every intelligence confirms, and it ap- pears to the Committee that they will not give up this grand object until 2 they shall finally relinquish the pro- ject of enslaving America." (*1). The Provincial Congress, at its ses- sion held May 30, 1775, appointed Col. Clinton and Mr. Tappan to examine the Highlands and decide the most proper place for erecting fortifica- tions. This committee in its report suggested the erection of Forts Con- stitution, Clinton, and Montgomery, and "begs leave to observe, that they are informed that by means of four or five booms, chained together on one side of the river, ready to be drawn across, the passage can be closed up to prevent any vessel passing or re- passing." (*2). On the 18th of August following, the fortifications were or- dered and a committee appointed, Bernard Romans (*3) was selected to superintend the erection of the three forts, which were finally completed under the direction of Captain Ma- chin, (*4) in the Spring of 1776. How- ever the suggestions in regard to ob- structing the navigation, do not appear to have been acted upon, further than a survey of the river until a few days after the Declaration of Indepen- dence, when a Secret Committee was appointed "to devise and to carry into execution such measures as to them shall appear most effectual for ob- structing the channel of the Hudson River, or annoying the enemy's ships 3 in their passage up said river and that this Convention pledge themselves for defraying the charges incident there- to." The Committee consisted of Mr. Jay, Mr. Robert Yates, Major C. Tappan, Mr. Robert R. Livingston and Mr. Paulding. The Secret Committee sought to ob- struct the River at four points by means either simply or combined, of fire-ships, booms, chains, and chev- eaux-de-frise. The First point was at Fort Wash- ington (*5) where a cheveaux-de-frise was stretched to Fort Lee on the oppo- site bank of the River. (See Fig.) This was made by sinking cribs of timber across the channel with the addition of old boats and sloops, moored so as to block the navigation. The British cap- tured the fort on November 16, 1776, the garrison of nearly 3,000 men were made prisoners of war; the obstruc- tions were removed, and Fort Lee en- tirely demolished. The Second location was at Fort Montgomery, where a chain, eighteen hundred feet in length, supported by heavy spars and connected with iron links, was placed behind a boom made from large rafts of timber anchored with the armed butts (See Fig.) dan- gerously pointed down the river. This consisted of a part of a chain brought 4 MAP OF THE HIGHLANDS AND HUDSON RIVER, SHOWING POSITION OF CHAINS from Lake Champlain, having been designed to obstruct the River Sorel ; and another part was made at Pough - keepsie, out of iron furnished from Livingston Manor, (Amer. Arch. V. III.) On July 25th, 1776, the Secret Committee sitting at Poughkeepsie proposed and agreed "that a boom be drawn across the Hudson's River at 5 the Highlands. That an express be sent to General Schuyler for the chain intended to be thrown across the River Sorel, to be employed for the above purpose; and as it may fall short of the distance required, it is farther con- cluded to apply to Col. Livingston to make, until countermanded by this Committee a quantity of bar-iron of about IV2 inches square, and to be sent from time to time to the works at THE OLD FORGE AT STERLING WHERE IN 1778 MR. PETER TOWNSEND MADE THE GREAT IRON CHAIN, WHICH PRO- TECTED HUDSON AT WEST POINT DUR- ING THE REVOLUTION 6 Poughkeepsie." (Messrs. Van Zante, Laurence and Tutor were the iron workers.) In the margin of this min- ute is the following note: "For 600 yards or 1800 feet of chain, you wart 4800 foot of bar iron in length." (*6). It was believed that these obstructions, covered by the guns of the fort, an'l accompanied by several armed vespels, stationed just behind the chain, would be sufficient to effectually prevent the enemy from passing. The result, however, proved otherwise. This chain was a great disappointment to General Washington, the Committee, and the Nation at large. First, it did not hinder General Sir Henry Clinton when he sailed up the river in 1777, &nd secondly, it broke shortly after its completion, and having been mended, broke the second time. The Commit- tee were undecided as to their next procedure for. as it appears from their journal of November 30, 1776: "In perfecting the obstruction between St. Anthony's Nose on the eastern shore and Fort Montgomery, we en- deavored to avail ourselves of the model of that which had proved ef- fectual in the River Delaware, and were assisted by the advice and ex- perience of Capt. Hazelwood (*7), but the great length of the chain being upwards of 1800 feet, the bulk of the logs which were necessary to support 7 it, the immense weight of water, have baffled all our efforts; it separated twice after holding only a few hours." "Mr. Machin, the engineer at Fort Montgomery, is of the opinion, that with proper alterations it may still be of service in another part of the river, and we have with General Heath's (*8) concurrence, directed him to make the trial, — But we have too much reason to despair of its ever ful- ly answering the important purpose for which it was constructed. A like disappointment, we are informed, hap- pened at Portsmouth." Again on the 1st of December, 1776, "the disappointment of the two at- tempts to obstruct the River at Forts Washington and Montgomery in- creases our anxiety for the success of the present effort, etc." This chain at Fort Montgomery, or as Governor Clinton incorrectly called it, "cheveaux-de-frise," must have been re-mended and made secure, a: it was in good order in October, 1777, when the forts were taken by the Eng- lish ; for they broke it by the force of their ships. (*9). This also proved a great burden (the original cost was estimated at $70,000, Continental cur- rency), but the time, money and solici- tude all were expended to no purpose. The Third point where the Ameri- 8 cans hoped to prevent any progress of the British on the Hudson, was at Pol- lopel's Island. A cheveaux-de-frise was stretched from the island toward Plum Point, (*10) (see figure) on the north bank of Murderer's Creek. In the Journals of the Committee of Safety under date of November 30, 1776, it is recorded that Mr. Machin, Mr. Gilbert Livingston and the Gen- erals Heath and Clinton had conferred about closing the channel of "Hudson's 9 River" at Pollopel's Island, and that Mr. Machin, the engineer had reason to believe that the chain, with proper alterations, might still be very useful if permission were given to make the necessary changes and to remove it to a more advantageous place. This was allowed and an order given for the delivery to Mr. Machin, (*11) at New Windsor, of spars, timber, and three tons of iron, one and one half inches by one inch and three quarters. The iron for this work was made at the forge of Mr. Jonas Williams in Cornwall, out of ore brought from the "Forest of Dean" in Monroe. This cheveaux-de-frise (see figure) was THE CHARACTER OF THE CHEVEAUX- DE-FRIZE, AT POLLOPEL'S ISLAND formed from square frames of tim- ber or cribs from which extended spars, the points were armed with iron of sufficient length to reach with- in a few feet of the surface of the wa- ter. The cribs were then loaded with 10 stone, and submerged across the chan- nel. This third obstruction was the sub- ject of General Washington's letter dated May 7, 1777, from Morristown, N. J., written to Brig. General McDou- DIAGRAM OF BOOM AND CHAIN AT FORT MONTGOMERY, ERECTED IN 1776 gall, (*12) who succeeded General Heath in command of the New Eng- land Troops at Peekskill and vicinity, in which the commander-in-chief la- mented the imperfect state of the for- tifications and said that circumstances indicated a movement of the enemy up the North River instead of the Dela- ware. In compliance with these instructions Generals Greene, McDou- gall, Knox, Wayne and George Clinton, examined the works and re- commended the boom or chain, in front of which should be placed one or two cables to break the force of a vessel before it should strike the chain; that two Continental Ships n then on the spot, and two row-gal- leys should be manned and stationed just above the obstruction in such a manner as to fire upon the enemy's ships in front when they approached. In a letter dated Little Britain, Octo- ber 12, 1777, Governor Clinton shows the ineffective use of these works when he writes that the enemy are destroying Forts Clinton and Mont- gomery, adding in his postscript, "Yes- terday Evening an armed schooner, two Row Galleys and a small brig passed the cheveaux-de-frise, and are out of sight up the River this morn- ing." The Fourth situation was at "the West Point." Here was erected a boom and chain, (see figure) made by Peter Townsend, (see figure) the owner of large mines and works, located at the outlet of the Sterling Lake. This chain was known as the "Great Chain" or the "West Point Chain" and was a credit to the iron of which it was made, the men who made it, and the engineers who superintended its plac- ing. A more detailed description and history of this famous chain, will fol- low. Early in October, 1777, General Sir Henry Clinton, then commanding the British forces in New York, embarked his troops, ostensibly for a southern 12 THE POSITION OF THE CHEVEAUX-DE-FRIZE AT FORT WASHINGTON expedition, but waited a favorable wind for the execution of his real de- sign, which was to sail up the Hudson River, (see figure) break the power of the Americans on that river and, to either render the promised aid to Gen- eral Burgoyne, who was hemmed in at Saratoga, or, to distract the atten- tion of General Gates, then at Albany and thus allow Burgoyne to escape. Governor George Clinton, upon hearing of the advance of the enemy, adjourned the Legislature, then in ses- sion at Kingston, and collected such militia as could be assembled, pro- ceeded to take command of Fort Mont- gomery which was separated, by a creek, from Fort Clinton, where his brother, General James Clinton com- manded, but due to the untrained and inadequate garrisons, Forts Montgom- 13 cry and Clinton were gained after a brave resistance by the Americans, on October 6th, and Fort Constitution re- duced to a mere guard, under Captain Gersham Mott, who after burning the barracks, and leaving the guns un- .spiked, abandoned the island. Thus by the 8th of October, 1777, the "for- tifications in the Highlands" were com- pletely destroyed by the British, who now placed small garrisons at the Forts, while Vaughn and Wallace sailed up the Hudson to Kingston, and destroyed it with the neighboring towns, mills and forts. Upon hearing of the defeat of Burgoyne, Sir Henry Clinton withdrew his forces from the Highlands, thus leaving the "Gibraltar of America" once more in the hands of the Colonists. After the capture of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, near the lower en- trance to the Highlands, in 1777, and the abandonment of Fort Constitution by the Americans, a few days after- ward, public attention was directed to the importance of other and stronger fortifications in that vicinity. On the 5th of November, Congress appointed General Gates to command the High- lands, but he was made president of the Board of War, about that time, and never entered upon the prescribed duties. Anxious to have those passes strongly guarded, Washington re- 14 quested General Putnam to bestow his most serious attention upon that im- portant subject. The Commander-in- Chief also wrote to Governor Clinton (*13) desiring him to take immediate supervision of the work; but his legis- lative duties, then many and pressing, made it difficult for him to comply, al- though he expressed his willingness to devote as much time as possible to the matter, and among other valuable sug- gestions, respecting the proposed for- tifications, he mentioned "the west point," as an eligible site for a strong fortress. On the 6th of November, Deputy Quartermaster Hugh Hughes (*14) wrote from Fishkill to General Gates, saying, that, with the Clintons, he had visited the fortifications on the Hud- son and had decided that forts be erected at "the west point," from which place a chain and a cheveaux- de-frise, be stretched across to Consti- tution Island. The location selected had the advantage of being situated at a sharp bend of the river, where the vessels would lose the wind and their momentum, before striking the boom and chain. The channel being nar- rowest at this point the enemy's ships would be subject to the fire of the bat- teries to be errected on either shore. Col. Radiere (*15) was appointed to 15 engineer the fortifications, and Col. Hughes to superintend the chain. The foundation of a strong fort was accordingly laid on Mount Indepen- dence, and, when completed, it was named Putnam, in honor of the com- mander, and on eminences south of it, Forts Webb, Wyllys, and other re- doubts were constructed. At the close of 1779, West Point was the strongest military post in America. In addition to the batteries that stood menacingly upon the hill tops, the river was ob- structed by the enormous iron chain, preceded by a substantial boom. Colonel Timothy Pickering, (*16) then president of the Board of War, at the request of General Washington consulted Mr. Peter Townsend, (*17) the owner of extensive iron mines and works, at Sterling, residing at Chester in Orange County, with a view of as- certaining whether it would be prac- ticable to manufacture a chain strong enough to withstand the shock and strain, and at the same time, not so heavy, as to render handling impossi- ble. When matters were agreed upon, they left Greycoat on Sunday in the midst of a blizzard, and after the fires were started and the work commenced, at Sterling, they pro- ceeded to New Windsor; from there to West Point, to inspect the lo- L6 cality and fix the position, where the chain was to be placed when com- pleted. The incident is described by the eminent historian, Benjamin J. Lossing, in his "Field Book of the Rev- olution," who states that, "Colonel Timothy Pickering, accompanied by Captain Machin, arrived at the house of Mr. Townsend late on a Saturday night .... and in a violent snow- storm, amid the darkness of the night, the parties set out for the Sterling Iron Works. New England teamsters car- ried the links, as fast as they were fin- ished, to West Point, and in the space of six weeks the whole chain was com- pleted." At daylight on Sunday morn- ing the forges were in operation. He further states that, "Gordon and other early writers have promulgated the erroneous opinion that this chain was constructed in 1777, and was de- stroyed by the British fleet that passed up the Hudson and burned Kingston in October of that year. Misled by these authorities, I have published the same error in my 'Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-six.' Documentary evi- dence which is far more reliable than the best tradition, shows that the chain was constructed in the Spring of 1778." Peter Townsend. in behalf of Noble, Townsend & Company, pro- prietors of the Sterling Iron Works, on 17 February 2nd, 1778, entered into a contract with Hugh Hughes, Deputy Quartermaster-General to the Army, in behalf of the United States, for the construction of a chain, to be made of the best Sterling Iron, 500 yards in length, two inches and one quarter square, or as near thereto as possible, with a swivel to every hundred feet, and a clevis to every thousand feet in the same manner as those of the for- mer chain. Twelve tons of anchors of sizes needed were included. For six weeks, day and night, seven fires were kept at forging and ten at welding. Sixty men were granted furlough from the army to assist in the work, which was completed within the time con- tracted for. The chain was divided into sections of ten links each, loaded on ox carts and hauled to New Wind- sor thirty miles from Sterling where Capt. Machin, at his forge, joined the links together and fastened them to the logs which supported the chain when completed. As the roads were doubtless very rough, and the chain weighed one hundred and thirty-six tons, the task of transporting it was a formidable one. From Captain Ma- chin's forge, the boom and chain were floated down the Hudson, and were in place by the 30th of April, 1778. In a letter from General Clinton to Captain Machin, dated Poughkeepsie, May 3d, 18 1778, he writes: — "I received your letter, and am happy to learn that the Chain is across the river, and that you had the good fortune to accomplish it so expeditiously and so much to your satisfaction." General Heath in his "Memoirs/' describing the chain and its adjust- ment says, that, it was fastened to poles about sixteen feet long, sharp- ened at the end with a collar cut in the middle and secured to the chain by staples. Anchors were fastened at proper distances to keep it from sway- ing, and great bolts held it to the rocks at either end. The chain was, he te' Is us, removed every winter "by means of a large Windlass." The fact is that one end of each, the boom and chain, were loosened and a Windlass was em- ployed to swing the ends around to the opposite shore. The chain was removed after the close of the War, a large portion was fcold to the West Point Foundry at Cold Springs, where it was worked up and a relic of the chain is preserved at West Point which verifies the descrip- tion as contained in the Articles of Agreement. In removing the Boom fi- nally, a portion of it become detached, and the logs being water soaked, sunk, und after eighty years it was recovered and now serves the noble purpose of elucidating an important branch in the 19 defensive operations of the Hudson in the struggle for Independence. The boom was placed in front, and consisted of logs put together with lighter links and placed horizontally, so as to break the force of a sailing vessel, before it could reach the chain. The boom could be readily converted into a bridge, and it is not improbable that it was constructed with this ob- ject in view. The absence of such a bridge for the transportation of the troops had contributed much to the loss of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, and it is asserted on good authority that Gov. Clinton and others had walked across the Hudson River on the Chain but in all probability it was the Loom. According to the articles of agree- ment Peter Townsend was to receive forty pounds for every ton delivered. In case there should occur some varia- tion in the value of the money, Noble, Townsend & Company were to be paid four hundred pounds Sterling for the chain. There has never been found any record of a bill having been ren- dered, which means, that Peter Town- send gave it as his contribution, to- ward the cause of Independence. This chain was entirely satisfactory, for, it was never broken, either by the en- emy, or by the forces of nature. 20 Under date of August 23rd, 1780, General Arnold wrote to Colonel Pick- ering from the Robinson House, West Point, "I am informed in a letter of the 21st, from the Engineer; that the mid- dle Part of the Chain across the Hud- son; at these Parts, is sinking & in a dangerous Situation, on Account of the Logs, which it has hitherto floated on, being water soaken; that unless ployed to swing the ends around to this be speedily remedied, it will be out of our Power to raise it but with great expense of time & trouble ; that new timber cannot be hauled for want of teams of which we have not suffi- cient for the daily necessities of the Garrison." This letter written one month before his treason was discovered, shows the daring scheme being carefully laid by the traitor. A few days prior to his detection Arnold wrote in a disguised hand and manner to Major Andre, in- forming him that he had weakened the obstructions in the river by order- ing a link in the chain to be taken out and carried to the smith, under the pretense that it needed repairs. He assured his employer that the link would not be returned to its place before the forts should be in the pos- session of the enemy. How Arnold could have done this, without suspi- cion and without destroying the chain, 21 no one can tell, but of his treason there is no doubt. It would have been possible, however, to have weak- ened the boom, which preceded the chain, and as the boom and chain were often confused, the terms are some- times interchanged. Appleton's "Cyclopaedia of Ameri- can Biography," and Hough's "Amer- ican Biographical Notes," have falsely attributed the manufacture of the Great Chain at West Point, to Samuel Wheeler, a blacksmith, at Weccaco, Philadelphia Co., Pa. He is supposed to have moved the chain, in links, through New Jersey, but, that this statement is fictitious is shown by the Articles of Agreement, between Peter Townsend and the United States Gov- ernment, (see facsimile). Further that such an order should be given to a Philadelphia blacksmith, when there were renowned iron works within easy access to West Point, such as, Forest of Dean, Ringwood, Sterling, New Windsor, Queensboro Furnace, near Fort Montgomery, and the works at Poughkeepsie, and that such an enormous weight of iron, in the shape of links should be exposed to the enemy, and to the vigilance of Tory spies, and Cow Boys all along the route, would be extremely doubt- ful. It is estimated that to remove such a chain from Philadelphia 22 through New Jersey to West Point, would have required fifty ox-teams, upwards of five days. The above three points prove, con- clusively that Samuel Wheeler could not have made the Great Chain, and the Journal of the Secret Committee, sitting at Poughkeepsie, July 25th, 1776 shows that the chain at Fort Montgomery was sent by General Schuyler, from Lake Champlain, to be lengthened from iron made by Col. Livingston, the work being done by Messrs. Van Zante, Laurence, and Tu- dor at Poughkeepsie. Since the Sterling Iron Works played such an important part in the manufacture of the WEST POINT CHAIN, a short history of them, can- not but interest the reader. The Sterling Iron Works and Mines, situated on a lake of the same name, in the town of Warwick, Orange County, New York, derive their name from the quality of the ore, (note the orthography) and not, as is generally stated, (unsupported by proof), from William Alexander, known as Lord Stirling, who at the time of the first mention of the Sterling Tract (see fig- ure) in the Surveys of Charles Clinton. 1745, (*18) was but nineteen years of age. It is not reasonable to sup- pose that this immense Tract embrac- 23 ing fifty thousand acres, in Rockland and Orange Counties, should be named after a nineteen year old lad, before he had gained prominence. Accord- ing to Samuel W. Eager's "History of Orange County," and other authorita- tive accounts, the Sterling Iron Works are among the oldest in the Country, and the most ancient in the vicinity. STERLING LAKE The Tract was owned by the Town- send Family until April 1, 1864, (* 19) when the entire property was trans- ferred to the Sterling Iron and Railway Company, which was organized by Mr. David Crawford, Jr., and is still in operation. Mr. Peter Townsend, 3rd, however, retaining a large interest, along with Mr. Jay Cooke, Mr. David Crawford, Jr., Mr. Thomas A. Scott, Mr. Joel Barlow Morehead, Mr. George C. Clark and others. 24 MACHIN'S BATTERY AT PLUM POINT, ERECTED IN 1778 The Furnace was first erected by Ward and Colton in 1751; the Forge by Abel Noble of Bucks County, Penn- sylvania, in 1752. Peter Townsend, at the Sterling Furnaces, made his first anchors in 1752, and later those used on the famous old frigates, "Con- stitution," "Constellation," and "Con- gress;" the first cannon for the use of the United States Navy; and steel in 1776. His son Peter Townsend, 2nd, 25 made blister steel in 1810, and later Peter Townsend, 3rd, erected large furnaces and rolling mills at Brady's Bend, Pennsylvania, where he made the first bar of rail road iron rolled in .America. It was from this property that the colonies first sent iron to Eng- land, and English iron-masters, in the days of Queen Anne, complained so bitterly of American competition, tha: Parliament passed a law protecting their home industry. From that time until the discovery of Iron Mountain. Missouri, the Sterling Tract was fam - ous, as containing the largest known iron deposits. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Samuel W. Ea- ger, "An Outline History of Orange County," Newburgh, 1846-7; Captain Edward Boynton, "History of West Point," New York, 1863; Benjamin J. Lossing, "The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution," New York, 1850-60; Rev. Daniel Niles Freeland, "Chroni- cles of Monroe in the Olden Time, Orange County, New York," New York 1898; Edward M. Ruttenber, "History of the Town of New Wind- sor, Orange County, New York," New York, 1911; "The Writings of George Washington," edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford, New York & London, 1889; Franklin B. Hough, "American Biographical Notes," Albany, 1875; Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American 26 Biography, New York, 1887; Win. A. Duer, "The Life of William Alexander, Earl of Stirling," New Jersey Histori- cal Society, 1847 ; John B. Pearse, His- tory of Iron Manufacture of the Amer- ican Colonies," Philadelphia, 1876; James M. Swank, "History of the Man- ufacture of Iron in All Ages," Phila- delphia, 1884; and 1892; "Documents Relating to the Manufacture of Iron in Penna." Philadelphia, 1850; New York Sun, September 27, 1785; Jean Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, "Voy- age dans la Haute Pensylvania, et dans l'Etat de New York," Paris, 1801 3 vols.; "Iron Age," for October 15, 1885; "Monroe Herald," for October 6, 1885; Ellis Parson Oberholtzer, Jay Cooke, the Financier of the Civil War," Philadelphia, 1907. 27 L* Journal of the Provincial Congress of New York, 723. 2. * Journal of the Provincial Congress ef New York, 20. 3. * Bernard Romans was born in Holland. Early in life he was employed by the English Government in America, first as an engineer and later as a botanist. At the commence- ment of the Revolution, he was offered a po- sition by the New York Committee of Safety, as engineer, in which capaciay he submitted a plan to Congress for the Fortifications of the Highlands, opposite West Point, Septembei 18, 1775. He served as Captain in the Penn- sylvania Artillery, from February 8, 1776 to the close of the War. 4. * Thomas Machin was born in Stafford- shire, England, March 20, 1744. He took up his residence in Boston and, espousing the pop- ular feeling of the time, was made one of the Tea Party in 1773; was wounded at Bun- ker Hill, while acting as Lieutenant of Ar- tillery. He continued in active service until the close of the War, having attained the rank of Captain of Artillery. He resided for a time after the War near New Windsor, where he made copper for change and cur- rency. He died April 3rd, 1816, at the age of 72. During the War he was described as an ingenious man, and one who had given great satisfaction as an engineer. 5. * Fort Washington v/as situated eleven miles from the New York City Hall, between One Hundred and Eighty-first and One Hun dred and Eighty-sixth Streets. 6. * The iron furnished by Robert Living- ston for the above chain, was about twenty two tons. His bill was for £902, or about £45 per ton. The Convention regarded the I. price as exorbitant, and they gave the matter an investigation on the charge that he had sold iron to others, for £17 and £20, but the result does not appear. 7. * John Hazelwood was employed by the Committee of Safety of Philadelphia, to whom he communicated the plan of constructing Fire-Ships and Rafts for the defence of the Delaware River. The Legislature of Penn- sylvania authorized the construction of a fleet of these vessels, and gave him the commission of Captain. He was sent to Poughkeepsie to aid the Secret Committee who certified to his services, August 26, 1776. By order of Gen. Green he was raised to the rank of Com- modore, October 7, 1777, and in this capacity rendered efficient service at the attack on Fort Mercer, October 21, 1777, and in the subsequent operations on the Delaware River, for these services, he was honored by Con- gress with a sword. 8. * William Heath was born March 2nd, 1 T 37 at Roxbury Massachusetts, where his an- cestors had settled more than one hundred years before. In 1775 he was appointed Pro- vincial Brigadier; and on the 22nd of June of the same year, Brigadier of the United States; Major General on August 9th, 1776, and Com- mander of the Eastern Department near Bos- ton in 1777. He returned to the Main Army in Juno, 1779, and commanded the Troops on the Hudson, in which station he remained until the close of the War. His memoirs, published in 1798, present many interesting occurrences of the Revolution. General Heath died in 1814, the last surviving major gen- eral of the Revolution. 9. * According to Beatson's "Naval and Military Memoirs," Vol. 4, page 236. this chain was taken up by the British and sent II. to England; thence to Gibraltar where it was of great use in protecting the shipping at the Moles. 10. * Plum Point is the site of the first European settlement in Orange Co. New York. 11. * Captain Machin was in charge of a battery of 14 guns, at Plum Point, just south of New Windsor, which was intended to as- sist in preventing the navigation beyond this point, (This cheveaux-de-frise extended from Plum Point to Pollopel's Island), and for the protection of the works in the vicinity. 12. * Alexander McDougall, is said to have been a native of Scotland, early becoming an active member of the Sons of Liberty, and was arrested in February, 1770, on a charge of being the author of "the betrayed inhabi- tants in the fields," and refusing to give bail, was committed to prison by Chief Justice Horsmanden. His friends represented his case as similar to that of Wilkes, who had aroused the vengeance of the Government by the publication of the "North Briton," No. 45. This number became the watch word of McDougall's fellow patriots. On the 20th of December following, he was arraigned at the Bar of the Assembly, where he was defended by George Clinton, afterward the first Gover- nor of the State of New York, but McDougall v.as not liberated until the 4th of March 1771. In March 1775, he was a member of the Pro- vincial Convention, and received p Commis- sion as Colonel of the 1st New York Regi- ment. He rose in 1776 to the rank of Brig- adier General. In 1777 he was appointed Major General, and in 1778, superseded Put- nam in the Command of the Highlands. After Arnold's treason McDougall was put in charge of West Point on October 5, 1780. From 1783 until his death in June, 1786 he was a member of the New York Senate, and Presi- III. dent of the New York Society of the Cincin- nati. 13. * George Clinton was the youngest son of Colonel Charles Clinton, and remotely re- lated to Sir Henry Clinton, whose father was the Colonial Governor of New York. George Clinton was born at Little Britain, July 23, 1739, now in Orange County, New York. After various enterprises and experiences he became a member of the Colonial Assembly in 1775, and on May 15, of the same year, he took his seat as a member of Congress. He voted for the Declaration of Independence, but being called away, before the Instrument was ready for the signatures, his name is not attached to it. He was appointed Brigadier General of the United States March 25, 1777, and at the first election under the Constitu- tion of New York, April 20, 1777, he was chosen both Governor and Lieutenant Gov- ernor. Thus in command of the Militia and at the head of a powerful State, which was for many years to be the seat of war, his pa- triotic services were of the greatest import- ance to the country. He subsequently held many public offices, and was Vice-President of the United States from 1804 until his death on April 20, 1812. 14. * Hugh Hughes was of Welsh origin, born in 1727. He resided in New Jersey in 1765, removing to New York the same or in the following year. In 1776, he was ap- pointed Commissary of Military Stores, by the Provincial Convention, and Deputy Quarter- master General of the forces by General Washington. He resigned in 1778, but in 1780, was urgently solicited by Colonel Pick- ering, then Quartermaster General, to resume his former rank in the American Army, which invitation was accepted. He served in this capacity throughout the war until 1784, when he was elected a member of the General As- IV. scmbly from the city of New York. He died at Tappan, March 15, 1802. 15. * Louis Despaix de la Radiere was one of four engineers sent from France by Com- missioners Franklin and Deane, and employed by order of Congress. On the 8th of July, 1777, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers, in accordance with a Treaty made in France, Feb. 13, 1777, promoted to the rank of Colonel, Nov. 17, 1777, retained at the reorganization of the Army, January 1, 1779, and died in service, at New Windsor, (in camp), on the 30th of October, 1779, in the 35th year of his age. See the Philadelphia Packet for Nov. 9, 1779. 16. * Timothy Pickering was born in Sa lem, Massachusetts, July 17, 1745. He grad- uated from Harvard in 1763. Before the Revolution he held the rank of Colonel in the Essex Militia, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of military tactics. For Col. Pick- ering is claimed the distinction of conduct- ing the first resistance in arms, to the power of the mother country, when on February 26, 1775. intelligence arrived from Marblehead that British troops were landing from a trans- port, with the intention of marching through Salem to seize some military stores in the in- terior and under Colonel Pickering the people opposed the progress of the British at a draw- bridge where the soldiers were compelled to return to Marblehead, and bloodshed was avoided, (see Trumbull's "M'Fingal.") He was made adjutant-general of the Armv in 1776: member of the Board of War with Gates nr >A Mifflin, and in 1780 he succeeded Gen. Greene as quarter-master general until 1785. Besides the many civil offices held until his retirement from public life in 1717, he nego- tiated a treaty with the Six Nations in 1791. and in the same year Washington appointed V. him postmaster general; on the resignation of Gen. Knox, he was appointed, Secretary of War; and in 1795 President Washington made him his Secretary of State. Colonel Pick- ering d cd in Salem on the 29th of January, iX29, aged 84 years. 17. * Jean Hector St. John de Crevecoeu.- in his "Voyage dans la Haute Pensylvanie et dans l'Etate de New York par un membre de la nation Oneida," Paris, 1801, Vol. I p. 282 °t seq., tells of the two days spent with Peter Townsend and describes the estate, the forges, furnaces and their conversation. According t. ihis traveler, the cter.ing lurnace produced 2000 to 2400 tons of iron annually, the lake (the area of Sterling Lake is 310 acres) was made by Mr. Townsend, from a mere brook and then stocked with fish. The proprietor de- scribed his ingenious machines intended for different uses, iuch as, a p.ow, equipped with a graduated scale, by which is registered, with great precision, the power of the team ; a portable mill, designed to separate the grain from the chaff, and a machine which can easily gather all the ears in a field without the necessity of cutting the stalks at the foot. All these machines were shipped to Mount Vernon, for the use of the President, who di- rected the work and plantings, by the use of a large map of his fields, the distinguished trav- eler informs us. 18. * Charles Clinton was the father of Governor George and General James Clinton. 19. * Deed dated April 1, 1864, and re- corded in Orange County. Records of Deeds, April 12, 1864-178; page 196. VI. F *a;.U/£; ^ a tf^&JfoJ* aim, ~6 ,>.-.' t !•/'• /, .... * tf' f ' 4 - '"' r "<'''■'/>"' d**v4f*\\ . *• 4t j 4 ^ 44 J, ; . . «... •it.'/-. < h k •'. 4. A fit ^ , ... .... 4. » . /-■•.(■. 6 *£ 4tk (J. 3 7^" a 4*47*8 4j iy,4\,.,, tt.t ^ t ■ ■ .A a / ft r f ► »• . ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT THE ONLY KXISTIXU I HtlUINAI. IS IIKIIK HKI-KUIU'I'KU IN KAI HIMII.K Full TMK KIILST TIME. THE imi-y AM' 'NO THE i'UNTiiN I'AI'EILS IN THE NEW Y<»KK STATE LIUHAHY AT ALBANY WAS DESTROYED IN THE KIKE OF 1911. » -4}0fyf4*rH4f \ //o./.« », v <& 44li .r ■< ■>■//{> H( r i > ) » ■ r///iV/y^tj