HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GREAT IRON CHAIN, 
 
 LAID ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER 
 AT WEST POINT IN 1778, BY ORDER OF 
 ....GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON ... 
 
 On exhibition at the Military War Museum, 579 Broadway, New York, 
 FRANCIS BANNERMAN. 
 
 DESK WEIGHT MADE FROM THE CHAIN. 
 
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
 2Ex iCibrtB 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this book 
 
 Because it has been said 
 "£ver'tbmg comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned book." 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF THE IRON CHAIN LAID ACROSS THE HUDSON 
 RIVER AT WEST POINT. 
 
 DURING the war of the Revolution the British made constant 
 efforts to gain control of the Hudson River, and thus open a 
 water-way between Canada and their forces in New York, by 
 means of the Hudson, Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence. 
 
 So far, every effort made by them had failed — Burgoyne's 
 magnificent army had met with two defeats ; its foragers cut off at 
 Bennington, and its veterans annihilated at Saratoga. 
 
 In 1780 there opened before Sir Henry Clinton a fairer pros- 
 pect of success than ever before — not by meeting the Americans 
 on the battle-field, but by the treason of one of their trusted officers, 
 Benedict Arnold. The man who had fought so gallantly at Sara- 
 toga now condescended, through wounded vanity and revenge, to 
 betray his country. He sought from Washington the post of 
 Commander at West Point, pleading his inability, on account of 
 wounds, for active service — but, in reality, tnat he might give Sir 
 Henry Clinton, the Commander in New York, an opportunity to 
 effect the plan so ardently desired by the British. 
 
 Arnold had been Court-martialled for various derelictions of 
 duty, and had received a sentence, that of reprimand from the 
 Commander-in-Chief. This had been given in as mild terms as 
 possible, for Washington had always favored Arnold, and com- 
 mended his military genius. From this moment Arnold was a 
 traitor, and opened correspondence, by secret means, with the 
 enemy in New York. How nearly successful was this treasom all 
 readers of history know ; but what means of defense our forces at 
 West Point possessed, and how the river was guarded, may not be 
 so clear in the minds of all ; so, with your permission, we will relate 
 a bit of history. 
 
 West Point was already a depot for military stores, powder 
 and ammunition, and there were forts on either side which guarded 
 the river. 
 
 In the beginning of the war General Washington had foreseen 
 that other defenses were necessary, and ordered the forging of 
 chains, which, placed under the waters, should effectually bar the 
 passage of the enemy's fleet. As early as 1776 an immense chain, 
 which had been used to obstruct the river Sorel, was brought from 
 Lake Champlain, but was not of sufficient length to cross the 
 Hudson ; so, from iron ore found at Livingston Manor, another chain 
 was forged at Poughkeepsie. This chain, completed in the same 
 year, and stretched between Fort Montgomery and Anthony's Nose, 
 was unfortunate from the first. A week after it was laid down its 
 links parted. and ? though rescued and strengthened, it was de- 
 
2 
 
 stroyed by the British when, in 1777, they gained control of the 
 river above the Highlands. General Washington never relinquished 
 the plan of thus obstructing the Hudson, and determined to look 
 for more suitable points where chains might be placed. West 
 Point, where the course of the river abruptly changed, and where 
 the speed of vessels was lessened by heavy tides, was, in General 
 Washington's opinion, the most favorable spot for the purpose. 
 The river here was 300 feet narrower than at Fort Montgomery, 
 where the first obstruction had been placed. 
 
 After consultation with officers and engineers of the army and 
 the government of New York, West Point was strongly fortified, 
 and it was decided that a chain should be made of sufficient length 
 to stretch from this point to Constitution Island. Bids were offered 
 for the manufacture of the chain, and that of the Sterling Iron 
 Works was accepted. This decision was made known to Peter 
 Townsend, one of the proprietors of the Sterling Iron Works, by 
 Timothy Pickering, who reached his house late on a Saturday night, 
 March, 1778. It was snowing hard, but the times admitted of no 
 delay, and amid the darkness of the night the party set out for the 
 furnaces. At daylight on Sunday morning the forges were in 
 operation, and in six weeks the work was done. 
 
 Peter Townsend was a Quaker, so could not bear arms ; but, 
 being a true patriot, was glad to avail himself of this peaceful way 
 of assisting the cause of liberty. 
 
 We scarcely realize what labor the forging of this chain in- 
 volved. There was no machinery and no skilled labor at hand. 
 Welsh miners were brought from Pennsylvania to do the work ; 
 and Connecticut men, with their ox-teams, carried the links over 
 the rough and unbroken mountain roads, cut through the forest to 
 New Windsor, the nearest point on the river. Here, under the 
 superintendence of an engineer, they were fastened together and 
 fixed on Moats, and by this means were sent down the river to 
 West Point. 
 
 We may have some idea of the immense undertaking when we 
 consider that each link weighed 300 pounds, was more than two 
 feet long, and y4 inches square. Each 100 feet was secured by a 
 swivel, and there was a clevis to every 1,000 feet. The whole weighed 
 165 tons. With it were delivered 12 tons of anchors, which were 
 used to keep it firm when moored. In addition to these anchors 
 the chain, which, we must remember, was stretched from West 
 Point to Constitution Island, was buoyed up by large logs 16 feet 
 in length — a little pointed at the end to better resist the tide. 
 
 This chain was never broken through by the British, but it 
 was no fault of the traitor Arnold that it was not, for he removed 
 one of the links, on pretense of making repairs, so that the enemy's 
 fleet might easily sail up the river. Truly, man proposes, but God 
 disposes. 
 
 A greater part of the chain now lies at the bottom of the 
 
3 
 
 Hudson. It is said that about 30 tons have been recovered and 
 are in the possession of historical and patriotic societies. At West 
 Point there are at least 13 links with a staple, placed at what is 
 called the "Chain Battery," near the spot where the chain was 
 stretched across the river. Upon it is a plate giving the date 
 and place of manufacture, and in the Library at the Point is a paper 
 written by Peter Townsend with more particulars of the forging. 
 
 There is a family tradition that Peter Townsend died before 
 the chain was finished, and that his wife Hannah Townsend, 
 completed the work, thus filling the contract made with the 
 government. Be that as it may, we certainly do know that 
 Hannah Townsend was a woman of great strength of character 
 and ability. Having no brothers, her father gave her the business 
 education usually acquired by the sons — an education very rare for 
 a woman of that time. Thus upon the death of her husband she 
 was not only competent to assume all his business responsibilities, 
 but also to oversee the large number of miners, teamsters and 
 forgers — a lawless set, employed in mining and transporting the 
 ore to the furnaces. Each morning, after putting her own house in 
 running order, she rode from her home in Chester on horseback, 
 following the rugged and lonely bridle-path to the forges. Here 
 she spent the day, superintending che workmen, keeping the books 
 and attending to all matters incident to a large business enterprise. 
 
 The Sterling Iron Works, were established by Lord Sterling, 
 a Revolutionary General, in 1751, and for more than a hundred 
 years continued in operation. Not many years have elapsed since 
 the fires in these furnaces were finally extinguished. The iron 
 mountain, with its rich bed of ore, has passed into the possession 
 of others. The old forge is now within the domain of Tuxedo 
 Park, the luxurious and autumnal home of wealthy and fashion- 
 able New Yorkers. We doubt if many recall the eventful days 
 when the beautiful mountain scenery witnessed other and more 
 stirring scenes, and in fancy only we seek Hannah Townsend, 
 travelling the lonely path to the forge, or hear the creaking wheels 
 of the ox-cart, as the heavy links of the chain are la oriously trans- 
 ported to the riverside. 
 
 In the Artillery Laboratory at West Point is deposited a 
 portion of the famous chain stretched across the river (Hudson) in 
 1776, to obstruct the passage of the enemy's vessels. 
 
 There are 12 links, two clevises or swivels, and a portion of a 
 link. These links are made of iron bars 2^ inches square, are 
 each about two feet in length, and weigh about 140 pounds each. 
 
 It was fixed to huge blocks on each shore, under cover of 
 batteries on both sides of the river, the remains of which are still 
 visible. 
 
 It was buoyed up by very large logs, about 16 feet long, 
 pointed at both ends. The logs w r ere placed at short distance 
 apart ; the chain carried over them, and made fast by staples ; and 
 
4 
 
 anchors were dropped at proper distances, and made fast to the 
 logs and chain. 
 
 On the 1 8th of November, 1775, Congress was occupied in 
 providing for the fortification of West Point. Operations com- 
 menced on the 29th of August, 1776, and its outworks built. 
 
 In January, 1778, a Committee of the New York Legislature 
 recommended that additional works should be erected at West 
 Point, and Kusiosko was appointed to carry out and superintend 
 the same. 
 
 In addition to the batteries upon the hilltops the river was ob- 
 structed by an enormous chain of iron. 
 
 The iron of the chain was wrought from ore of equal parts 
 from the Sterling and Long mines in Orange County, New York. 
 
 The chain was made by the firm of Noble and Townsend, 
 consisting of Abel Noble and Peter Townsend, at the Sterling Iron 
 Works, situated about twenty-five miles from West Point. 
 
 The Sterling works were established by a " Lord " Sterling in 
 1851. Sterling was an Englishman who had purchased his patent 
 of nobility, which, however, carried with it no estate in England. 
 Shortly after he arrived in this country he purchased this tract of 
 land, which bears his name. This afterwards became the property 
 of Mr. Abel Noble, of Pennsylvania, who erected larger and more 
 modern works. Mr. Noble had married the niece of Peter Town- 
 send, and they became associated in business under the name of 
 Noble and Townsend. 
 
 Mr. Noble, on retiring from business to private life, sold the 
 Sterling tract to Mr. Peter Townsend, and it has remained in the 
 Townsend family until within a few years, belonging now to the 
 Sterling Mountain Railway and Iron Co. 
 
 Mr. Noble resided at Sterling until his retirement from busi- 
 ness, when he purchased the Bellevale property and resided there 
 till his death. 
 
 Mr. Peter Townsend resided at Chester. The house remained 
 without alteration until within about fifteen years. He died there, 
 and is buried in the plot on the place, as is also his -wife, who was 
 Hannah Hauxhurst, daughter of William Hauxhurst, an iron 
 merchant in New York. 
 
 In a violent snow-storm, late at night, Col. Timothy Peckering 
 and Captain Machin arrived at Mr. Peter Townsend's house in 
 Chester, on a Saturday, when a contract was entered into between 
 Noble and Townsend and Capt. Machin, Deputy-Quartermaster 
 General, for the manufacture of the chain, and its delivery at West 
 Point. The original of the contract is preserved among the 
 "Clinton Papers," in the New York State Library, Albany. 
 
 So great was the emergency thought to be that Col. Pickering 
 and Capt. Machin set out late that night, in the snow-storm, for 
 Sterling; and at day-light on Sunday morning the forges were in 
 operation. As fast as the links were made, they were taken to 
 
5 
 
 West Point by the teams of the farmers in the neighborhood ; and 
 within a period of six weeks the whole chain was finished. It 
 weighed 180 tons. 
 
 When Arnold was arranging his plans for the delivery of West 
 Point to the British the chain became a special object of his atten- 
 tion. A few days before the discovery of his treason he wrote to 
 Andre, informing him that he had weakened the obstruction in the 
 river by ordering a link of the chain to be taken out and carried to 
 a smithy, under the pretense that it needed repairs. He assured 
 him that the link would not be replaced until the forts should be in 
 possession of the British. The chain answered its purpose, and 
 was undoubtedly one of the main obstacles to Sir Henry Clinton's 
 attempt to relieve Burgoyne by an advance up the Hudson River. 
 
 COPY OF CONTRACT 
 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IRON CHAIN 
 LAID ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER 
 AT WEST POINT, 
 1778. 
 
 By Noble, Townsend and Company, Sterling Iron 
 Works, Orange County, New York. 
 
 This original agreement or contract of Noble, and Townsend, 
 for the construction of the great chain stretched across the Hudson 
 River at West Point on April 30th, 1778, ;is deposited with the 
 Clinton Papers, in the New York State Library, at Albany, New 
 York. 
 
 Article of Agreeme7it between Noble, Townsend & Co., Pro- 
 prietors of the Sterling Iron Works, in the State of New York, of 
 the one part, and Hugh Hughes, Deputy Quarter Master General 
 to the Army of the United States of the other part; 
 
 Witriesseth: — That the said Noble Townsend & Co., jointly 
 and severally, engage to have made and ready to deliver at their 
 works, to the said Hugh Hughes, D. Q. M. G., or to the D. O. M. G. 
 of the Middle Department for the time being, on or before the first 
 clay of April next ensuing the date hereof, or as much sooner as 
 circumstances will admit, an Iron Chain, of the following dimen- 
 sions and quality that is, in length five hundred yards, each link 
 about two feet long, to be made of the best Sterling Iron, 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 former chain. 
 
 The said Noble, Townsend & Co. also engage to have made, 
 and ready to be delivered, at least twelve tons of anchors of the 
 aforesaid Iron, and of such size as the said Hugh Hughes, or his 
 successors in office, shall direct in writing, as soon as the com- 
 pletion of the chain will admit. 
 
In consideration of which, the said Hugh Hughes, in behalf of 
 the United States, agrees to pay to the said Noble, Townsend & 
 Co Four hundred and forty pounds for every ton weight of chain 
 and anchors delivered as before mentioned, unless the General 
 Regulations on Trade, Provisions, etc., which are now supposed to 
 be framed by Deputies from the United States, shall be published 
 and tak<* effect before the expiration of four months from the date 
 of this, in which case the price is to be only four hundred pounds 
 per ton, for the said chain and anchors. 
 
 The payment, if demanded, to be made in such proportion as 
 the work is ready to be delivered, which shall be determined in ten 
 days after requisition, by a number of competent Judges, not less 
 than three nor more than five, unconcerned with the Proprietors, or 
 the works, and if condemned, to be completed at the expense of 
 said Company, who are also to repair, as aforesaid, all failures of 
 their work, when happening, whether at the works or at the river. 
 
 The said Hugh Hughes also engages to procure of the Gover- 
 nor of this state, for the said Noble, Townsend & Co., an exemption 
 for nine months from the date hereof, from military duty, for sixty 
 artificers that are steadily employed at said chain and anchors, till 
 completed. , . _ . . 
 
 Agreeable to said exemption, the said Company, complying 
 with the terms thereof: Providing also, that the said Company give 
 the said Hughes, or his successors in office, the Refusal, by letter, 
 of all the Bar Iron, anchors, etc., made at the said works, in the 
 said term of nine months, at the current price, unless what is 
 necessary to exchange for clothing and other articles for the use of 
 
 the Wor ^ ed bv the saic i parties, that if the teams of the 
 Company haul the said chain or anchors, or any part thereof, to 
 anv assigned Post, they shall receive for such services the same 
 pav as shall be given by the United States for the like; the teams 
 of 'said Conpany being exempted from impress by any of the 
 Quarter Master General's Deputies, during the space of nine months. 
 
 Lastly the said Company engage to use their utmost endeavors 
 to keep seven fires at forging, and ten at welding, if assisted with 
 such hands, as are necessary and can be spared from the Army, in 
 case of their not being able to procure others, the said Company 
 making deductions for their labor. 
 
 In witness whereof the Parties have interchangeably subscribed 
 their names this second day of February. One thousand Seven 
 hundred and Seventy-eight, and in the second year of American 
 
 Independence. _ 
 
 F (Signed) Peter Townsend. 
 
 In behalf of Noble and Company. 
 (Signed) Hugh Hughes, 
 In presence of In behalf of the United States. 
 
 (Signed) P. Tillinghast. 
 
7 
 
 "By direction of General Putnam, Hugh Hughes, Deputy 
 Quarter Master General, visited the Sterling Iron Works of Noble, 
 Townsend & Company, on the 2nd of February, and entered into 
 a contract with the Proprietors to construct a chain." 
 
 Ruttembcr s History Hudson River Obstructions. 
 
 Scott's Tavern, 23d April, 1778. 
 Sir\ — I am jurst Now from Nobels, at Sterling. The Chane 
 is going on fast, But the Anchors (not) owing (They Say) to your 
 not sending the Wate of Them. I hope you will forward your 
 instructions on Receipt of This, as there Cant be anything Don Till 
 you send the Wate of such pertickerler Anchor. 
 
 I am in Hast. 
 
 Wm. Hauxhurst. 
 
 To Cp. Machen, Indian Eare. 
 
 This chain lay stored at West Point until the Great Sanitary 
 Fair of the Civil War held in New York City, when it was sent to 
 N. Y. to add to the attraction of the fair— with the understanding 
 that it was to be returned to the Government reservation at West 
 Point after the close of the fair. The managers, however, found it 
 to be much cheaper to send it over to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in- 
 stead of back to West Point. Its great weight and length of 18 
 links to each shot, weighing 5,600 pounds, made it a very difficult 
 matter to handie, necessitating large windlass trucks with tackle, 
 such as are used in moving heavy machinery. 
 
 At the Brooklyn Navy Yard it lay from Civil War days until 
 1887, when the U. S. Navy Department began to consolidate 
 the different bureaus under one head called The General Store- 
 keepers Department. In order to make this change a Board of 
 Naval Officers was appointed, Commander R. W. Meade being 
 President with authority to visit all Navy Yards to examine all 
 stores and any thing not in use or fit for Naval service was to be 
 condemned and sold at Public Auction. In due time this Board 
 found this old chain and without either knowing the history or 
 having any appreciation for such a valuable relic, ordered it sold at 
 auction, September] 4, 1887. W. J. Bannerman & Co. were the 
 buyers — who in turn sold the chain along with a lot of other scrap 
 iron to a forge company for to be worked over into new iron. 
 Shortly after the disposal of the chain Mr. C. F. Gunther of 
 Chicago began to fit up the Libby Prison Museum and was looking 
 around for relics and with the aid of Mr. M. F. Savage, the noted 
 authority on such goods began to trace up the whereabouts of the 
 chain. Their search reached the ears of Mr. John C. Abbey, buyer 
 at Government Auctions, who promptly purchased the chain from 
 the forge company. For about 10 years Mr. Abbey controlled 
 the chain, selling some of the links to collectors. Lately, 
 Francis Bannerman of 579 Broadway, N. purchased the chain 
 
8 
 
 and is now offering it made up into desk weights. A cross section 
 % to inches thick planed and polished, surmounted with 
 a small \% inch Civil War Canister Shot as handle. The desk 
 weight is stamped, "Section of chain used by General Geo. Wash- 
 ington, West Point, N. Y., 1778." 
 
 These handsome souvenirs are sold with this booklet for $2.75. 
 
 Mr. Bannerman has sold 8 links of the chain to Mr. Peter 
 Townsend, one of the descendants, also 2 links to Mr. Davis of 
 Danbury, Conn., and one link to Mr. J. T. Davis of Allegheny, Pa., 
 one of the descendants, who, strange to say, is still in the chain 
 business. 
 
 These Desk Weights and links of this chain can be seen 
 at Mr. Bannerman's War Relic Museum 579 Broadway, N. Y. 
 City. 
 
 Mr. E. J. Searles of Methuen, Mass., has purchased the 
 balance, some 13 links, which he intends to use to ornament his 
 celebrated Washington Statue at Methuen, Mass. 
 
 Ex-Mayor Hewitt became interested, as he is the present 
 owner of the iron mine near the Sterling mines from which the 
 ore came which went into the chain. At Tuxedo is the old forge, 
 then owned by Robert Townsend, great-grand-father of Assistant 
 District Attorney Townsend, where the chain was made. Young 
 Mr. Townsend recently purchased a number of the links. 
 
 It appears that the chain was not passed by the enemy, as was 
 the one stretched across Fort Montgomery and Anthony's Nose in 
 1776. That was swept away twice by the river currents, and a 
 third one was destroyed by the British in 1777, who went then as 
 far up the river as Kingston. The West Point chain was much 
 heavier than the one used at Fort Montgomery. 
 
 Lately having had inquiries from Revolutionary War Societies 
 for GAVELS made from real revolutionary war relics we have 
 now in preparation HISTORIC GAVEL. The head or hammer 
 part made from piece of the chain and the handle from the Oak 
 Bowstem of the British Powdership " Morning Star" which was 
 blown up in New York harbor during the revolutionary war, the 
 remains of which was found in 1896 when excavating near the 
 Battery. The handle will be about seven inches long, turned and 
 polished. The head about two inches long, \% inches in diameter 
 hexagonal shaped. The price will be $2o.00, only a few of which 
 pan be furnished.