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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBetween The Lines 1/1/1975 . 0 :,f#.1- BETWEEN THE LINES Susan Cochran Swanson IkV e ai',' - p,-,, 140411/0 1,,':"'';:-.• ,'. ' ., (i„):2-1) A . _: , ,:#4 - 10N ,)-, i , A.:!...u$ ,r,,,,.)_/',.-. ..:...:.'...",.1„„„."0,'...... ,,,.,,,.:'-".'.......":.-..,:'....""....--.-7.,.."..--------.', ' II }= `�Y 3 ". , r , ,4;1. .00, 1._ . - , .::::::::,:,.- .-.: .....- ' . ......".. ..„,„:".. ,, ...,.....,,.. . r lik 4.1.4:::;•7 ..":: #4 T1 ,�* ,,f. f vV :: : :::::::.,.:.> ,..,..„..::: :„..:.: . ,i:44... . "t:,;:...:.. ---.,-. :,::::::::::::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. -, , . ....„..:::..:.... ...:: ::... T„..,7.,7y.. :: ..„:„::::„..... iisi4( - NN ...L:ki, (. .: 41 XAk y � ' ,C3eZl` �C/ � ul\ /�� ( .'::..i 51.95 • 0 .. Table of Contents Map I: Lower Westchester County,1776-1783 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... 1 Introduction . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. 2 Patriot Spy Foils Loyalist Recruiters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... 6 The Lost Battle of the Revolution:Pelham Manor 14 Yankee Whaleboatmen Capture British Gunboat 23 Cow Boys Raid Elmsford Farm 29 Americans and British Clash at Poundridge 35 Map II:Westchester County,1776-1783 39 Refugees and British Burn Bedford 43 Westchester Guides Raid DeLancey at Fordham 47 Major Andre Captured by Westchester Militiamen 54 BETWEEN THE LINES DeLancey Attacks American Post at Pines Bridge 62 Shube Merritt, "Terror of the Neutral Ground" 70 Glossary 78 Bibliography 79 Stories of Westchester County, New York Important Dates During the American Revolution 1776 July 2 British Army Arrives in New York City { October 18 Battle of Pelham Manor I, November American and British Lines Established 1777 February Whaleboatmen Capture the Schuldham November 17 Cow Boys Raid Farm in Elmsford �/ By 1778 g; Susan Cochran Swanson July 20 Washington Returns to White Plains ; 1779 11' Illustrated By: May 31 British Gain Control of Upper Hudson Bette Williams June 12,24 British Raid Crompond Nancy Warner k Poundridge and Bedford Tarleton Attacks i July 3 g July 11 Refugees and British Burn Bedford -: 1780 1 March DeLancey's Headquarters Raided ' 1 September 23 Major Andre Captured 1781 id 1 January 21 Americans Attack and Burn Morrisania „' May 13 DeLancey Attacks Post at Pines Bridge ir Copyright©Susan Cochran Swanson 1975. All rights reserved. 1782 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 75-29839 October 22 French Army Leaves for France ;. °ry 1783 , The Junior League of Pelham,Inc. April British Cease Hostilities Pelham,New York November 25 British Evacuate;Washington Enters NYC i, l . I E. uif Va �` "4 1. / i¢ fi!, aZii i °o -1; N O t • N 3 R z1-7._ ` MY.TT : t oM x,, , / GLOVE �e ...TON r ,' c� II D n4 �� nuiE• ?I ��� Oct iiMt i� i O DEVOE�%��%% P. Q I O ` yDVA 1- !. .\` 2? G- o Q •_ Introduction HADLEv �• M'`� L Y` EAVILA,STE' -SX FOR ; _ IQ 3 ht\ ODSE. r.r = VA ORTLAND / rJ _ _p NO E NR •. \ / A°,l J o Westchester County, New York, was in the thick of the 7 N a`, Revolution from the start. From November, 1776, until Fv, fo ,,,o �/✓•4/NO[FENOENff Nj f l \ \ �4 -- I. 5 i,M=^A,°�. �� -. ~� _, the last British troops departed in November, 1783, this )�o� W:L — i„„. ` eM VA „TIN[ ° TO =p /`� P - EOSTON , \ RN ,� •._.� _ AO. county was situated right between the lines of the Brit- O �'Pa' O`4� ON95 eoA� `\ e \ i J \ •- _a ish and American armies as they fought the American Rev- el o7 s .� it n Iolutionary War. The British headquarters was inYo.6 �7� �.f. �r .. 1s_/ i_�o /2 a iQ`l City, and its armwe/I O i R 1 O7 3 s 51/ N° oI e ) — _ n Bronx/Westchester bord TBonxws 51 f ;m a \ � L ♦p 'E°t6' -- " the County of Westchester. The American lines, north of 1 '-RAUL �° � � �� Nb'�\ • . the Croton River, stretched from Peekskill to Connecticut � � DE Cf m g ..... (s 1�� WESTFARMSj' and down to Long Island Sound. (Map II, centerfold.) ViLLAGF 'I:",� T jf"�ESTGNESTE4�L� _ VILLA0.GE � fE0.�i5 \ ‘\ V7 i ` SE"GV s° -;;,w_I_ �N• Time and time again during those seven long years, the JAMES MORR15 LEGEjETT � = inhabitants of Westchester were victims of raids, pillage W o µ _ _ F and plunder by the armies and outlaw bands of British and 0 HVNr �_ <P \\= _,:t: , ' Americans alike. No other area of the thirteen states r ��; $ET,.EMENT3t.7.-7:L .9.0\ __• was subjected to the hardships of the American Revolution- ary,;.,L..,.. War for so long a period of time. `� "' /� 6 3� _ 1 LANVISM When war came to the county in 1776 and people were • �'p•?•� s•A N".A.. Leggett �' "J '� �: \ _ o°ers.nvt LEWIS •.,. - ''''' ..[.1 ��, forced to choose sides, those who supported independence / .45' • , y;cocas`") PO%nty) �f i_E GETT and Congress were known as "Whigs", "patriots", or, as MORRM ,•8 Fo t% •HI<nt•s Nhite.StOnC • ,w„ P°; t) E R Po t s and SS�s i tne.-s \\ I �' the British called them, "rebels". Since the upper part ,Ran all's) �+ , L 0 N G, I S L A N D of the county was safe behind American lines, a Westches- N �� � F' n ter patriot belonged to the "upper party". LOWER WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK 1776 Many Westchester inhabitants who supported King George Location Of Events III and Britain in the Revolution abandoned their farms 1. British land at Throg's Neck 5. Americans camp at East Chester 2. Skirmish at West Chester 6. Battle of Pelham Manor and went below the British lines. The British, who 3. Skirmish at ford 7. Whaleboat men capture"Schuldham" 4. British land at Pell's Point 8. Americans attack DeLancey at Archer House 2 Map I fighting age dared to sleep at home for fear of capture controlled much of lower Westchester, were known as the and imprisonment. Women, children and old people stayed "lower party" and "going below" or "down" meant joining on to protect their property. Almost every family had a them. Americans who did so were called "Tories", or secret retreat in which to hide during a raid or attack. "loyalists", or as they often referred to themselves, Out of this chaos, where families often sacrificed "Refugees". In fact, a "Refugee" settlement of more than greatly for the principles proclaimed in the Declaration 300 huts was built in Morrisania near the present Tribor- of Independence, many true heroes emerged. Local men, for ough Bridge. (Map I, p.l.) example, organized Ranger Corps to protect the county from Many Tory men joined the "Refugee Corps", light in Cow Boy and Skinner raids. Trained by volunteer French fantry and cavalry troops that were trained (but not and German officers in the art of saber fighting from paid) by the British army. Led by the infamous Major horseback, they became a real match for the British trained Andreas Emmerick and Colonel James DeLancey, they were Cow Boys of Morrisania. nicknamed "Cow Boys" from an old English word meaning Then, too, there were the Westchester Guides, many rogue . These Cow Boys led raids back to their old West still teenagers, who scouted for the Continental army, the Chester neighborhoods to steal cattle to sell to the Brit- militia, and the Rangers. Many American raids against the ish and cash and valuables to keep for themselves. But British succeeded because of the Guides' courage and ingen- Westchester farmers were also terrorized by outlaw bands uity. of men called "Skinners" because they "skinned" or robbed Some of the most unusual rebel heroes of the Revolu- their victims. Skinners claimed to be on the patriot tion were the "whaleboatmen" of Westchester County and side in the war. However, they were just as likely to Connecticut. They used long rowboats nicknamed whale- pick patriots as victims for torture and robbery as they boats to raid loyalist farms that bordered Long Island were to pick loyalists. Sound, and they captured Tory market boats delivering food Although Westchester was called the "Neutral Ground", to the British in New York City. it was neutral only in the sense that the inhabitants Some American patriots fought a secret war. The Tor- were liable to attack by Cow Boys or Skinners, British or ies who remained in the county reported to the British American soldiers. Some people left their farms and every move by Continental troops, militia and Rangers. moved to other areas until the end of the war. Most bur They also secretly recruited men for the King's army from ied their valuables and tried to hide the few horses and among their loyalist friends. American spies infiltrated cows they had managed to keep in the woods. Few men of these groups and reported them to the local Committee of 3 4 Safety authorities, who arrested them. Patriot Spy Foils Loyalist Recruiters Much of the material for the stories that follow was August, 1776 taken from the McDonald Papers, notebooks of interviews conducted by John M. McDonald between 1844 and 1850. Ac- During the summer of 1776, the British were secretly offering high pay to any American who companied by his friend and old Westchester Guide, Andrew would don the scarlet uniform of the King's ar- Corsa, Mr. McDonald conducted 407 interviews with 241 my to fight against the rebels. Enoch Crosby, a man who became a spy by accident, was one of people between the ages of 70 and 96 who had lived these the most successful agents to stop this Tory recruiting. He had many exciting adventures, very incidents. I have taken all the separate interviews so exciting in fact, that James Fenimore Cooper used him as the model for Harvey Birch in his that concerned a single episode and woven them together first successful novel, The Spy. The dialogue and descriptions are taken from Crosby's own with historical fact to make each story as interesting story as he wrote it in his later years. and accurate as possible. Most of the interviews have never before been published. A cardinal's piercing whistle and a flash of The vivid description and dialogue in McDonald's scarlet against the dark green forest caught notebooks show how people reacted when faced with theICEnoch Crosby's eye. He was striding along toward o agony of war. Some became patriots, some remained ir Tarrytown on Pines Bridge Road in upper Westchester fiercely loyal to Britain. A few profited, most suffered. �` County, (Map II, #4) . A strong muscular man, The whole range of human behavior is recorded in these 1) almost six feet tall, Enoch enjoyed the exercise. stories of the people caught BETWEEN THE LINES. The cool August afternoon in 1776 was perfect Susan Cochran Swanson for the pace he had set for himself. If he were lucky Pelham Manor, New York he might catch up with Colonel Swartwout's regiment by September, 1975 later tomorrow. Crosby had been delayed at his home in Danbury, Connecticut, and his regiment had marched with- out him toward King's Bridge to join General Washington's army camped on the northern end of New York Island (Man- hattan, (Map I) . Ahead on the road, Enoch saw a hefty fellow who ap- peared to be also in his mid-twenties. Not wanting to break his stride, Enoch nodded a brief greeting and 5 6 continued on past. But the young man apparently wanted replied Bunker. "Captain Fowler is raising a company company on the lonely road. He ran a few steps to catch right here in our neighborhood to join the British army, Enoch. Sam Kipp is going to be Lieutenant. He told me just yes- "Howdy, friend. Are you going down also?" the strap g terday that the roster is almost complete. Why don't you er asked. join Fowler's company and go down with us in a few days? Enoch was taken back by this question and answered You'll have a much better chance of getting through," cautiously, "Yes, I am." "Thanks, that's real nice of you," said Enoch earn- "Well, you know that there are a lot of rebels be- "but but I don't want to wait any longer. Now that low," the fellow continued, "and you might have a hard I've come this far I want to keep going while the weather time getting past them. Aren't you afraid of travelling holds fair." alone?" "Well, you are either a brave man or a foolish one," Enoch could not believe his ears. He had given no answered Bunker, "But good luck to you. Maybe we'll meet indication of his politics, yet this man had immediately again in the King's service." assumed that he, Enoch Crosby, was a Tory! He decided "I hope so," answered to go along with the assumption and see what else this "Good Good luck to you an\.� talkative young fellow had on his mind. ` your Captain Fowler, and 'Long "Well, as a matter of fact, I have been a little wor live King George! '"e! '" With a £are _- ried about getting down safely. I am a stranger here, well wave, Enoch left Josiah Bunker myself, and have just come down from Connecticut. Are 1, trudging up the cart track to his father's farm. you from these parts?" Another five mile walk brought Enoch at nightfall to "Our farm is just down the road," said the young Young's Corners between Tarrytown and White Plains where man. "By the way, my name is Josiah Bunker." he stopped at "Esquire" Young's for the night. Squire "Enoch Crosby's mine," said Enoch reaching out and Young was one of the most active Whigs in Westchester shaking Josiah's hand. Enoch leaned confidentially to County and a member of the Westchester Committee of Safety. ward the young Tory. Enoch told him about his encounter with Josiah Bunker. "I am hoping to get down safely to New York to join "You must come with me tomorrow to White Plains," the King's army," he whispered. exclaimed Squire Young. "The Committee of Safety is "There's no need for you to risk going down alone," meeting at the Court House. With your information we can 7 8 4 round up that enemy company before it leaves for New York. That night Enoch Crosby escaped easily from Captain Will you come?" Townsend's guardhouse and walked all the way back from "Of course," answered Crosby at once. White Plains to the Bunker farm. Knocking at the door, The next morning the Committee listened carefully to he called out Josiah's name softly. After a few agoniz- Enoch's story. When he was finished, Colonel William ing moments of suspense, the door opened. Duer leaned forward and tapped the tobacco from his clay "Enoch Crosby!" Bunker said in amazement. "What pipe. are you doing here?" "Mr. Crosby," said Col. Duer, "your chance meeting "Sh-h-h! Come outside, quickly," urged Crosby, "and with this man Bunker was indeed a stroke of fortune for I'll tell you what happened." He told Josiah a story us and has given you an opportunity to serve your coun of being captured and questioned by the Committee of Safe- try differently from any way you may have ever dreamed ty and of being placed under Captain Townsend's guard. possible. Would you be willing to help capture Captain "You were right," he said, shaking his head. "It is Fowler and his whole company? If so, we will write Col- too dangerous to try to get through to the British alone. onel Swartwout and tell him that you are working for us I had better wait and go down with your company.11 at the moment and will not be joining his regiment right The next morning, Josiah Bunker introduced Crosby to away." Captain Fowler. Over the next several days, Enoch met Enoch smiled. It looked as if he were going to find other young Tories who were joining the company. At last some action sooner than he had thought. "Nothing would the quota had been filled and plans were made for the please me more, Sir," he answered. group to leave early the next morning. During the night, "Captain Townsend and his Rangers are in town," said Enoch jogged to Squire Young's house, gave the message Young. "Supposing we bring him a nice fresh Tory prison- that the Tories were ready to go, and returned to his bed er by the name of Crosby to add to his guardhouse. We'll before he was missed. is arrange for you to escape tonight. Then you get back to Just before dawn, Enoch joined the young Tories mill- , your friend Bunker as fast as possible and stay with him ing around in the Captain's front yard. Suddenly up the until Fowler's company is ready to march. When they are farm lane a party of horsemen appeared through the morn- ready to go down, you come to my house and I'll alert ing mist. Captain Townsend and his Rangers. We'll round up the "By the authority of the Committee of Safety of West- whole loyalist group at once." chester County, you are all under arrest!" Captain Town- 9 10 4 I send shouted. The thirty young loyalists, Enoch Crosby among them, surrendered without a struggle. They were "There's a company of soldiers being raised in the marched to jail in White Plains. neighborhood to go below and join the British Army. I'm A few days later, the prisoners were taken to Fish- going to run away and enlist." kill where the State Committee on the Detection of Con- "I'll enlist with you," said "John Smith". spiracies under Chairman John Jay was meeting. Enoch That afternoon Crosby saw an example of the ingenuity Crosby was called from his prison cell to meet the com- of the "secret foes" about whom Mr. Jay had spoken. In mittee. the meadow near the Captain's house stood an enormous "Mr. Crosby, you have rendered your country a great "haystack". A huge wooden frame covered with hay con- service by helping to capture this band of men, and we cealed a room large enough to hold fifty men! thank you," said John Jay. "Well, what do you think of it?" boasted the Cap- John Jay then asked him a most difficult question. tain. "Would you be willing to continue as a spy and try "I've never seen anything like it!" declared Enoch to capture other British recruiting agents like Captain truthfully. Fowler? Our greatest danger," he continued gravely, "is "Well, tomorrow night you can see it put to good use. our secret foe. We know how to guard against our enemies The company is due to meet here then. Why don't you stay in the field, but we have no defense against secret ene- 2. with me tonight and come to the meeting tomorrow?" mies who plot their treasons at midnight meetings." "I'll be happy to do so," said Crosby. Enoch was completely taken aback. "Oh, no, Sir," he That night "John Smith" made another round trip to a burst out, "I could never be a spy! I would much prefer 1 committeeman's house in White Plains to warn of the to be a regular soldier!" He had never admired spies. planned meeting in the haystack. He was back in his bed But the Committee pressed him to agree. They were well- at the Captain's and safely asleep before the family spoken, influential men and they needed him badly. In awoke the next morning. That night the haystack was the end, Crosby agreed reluctantly. raided: the entire Tory group was arrested and taken A few days later a young cobbler calling himself north to the old Dutch Church in Fishkill. There they John Smith sought work at a farmhouse in upper Westchester were herded in with about two hundred other Tory prison- County. It was Enoch Crosby. As Crosby made shoes for ers and examined by John Jay's Committee on the Detection the family, their oldest son confessed that he and his of Conspiracies. family were loyalists. 11 ; 12 [ i 1 The Lost Battle of the Revolution: "It's too dangerous for you to stay in that church The Battle of Pelham Manor with all those Tories," said William Duer. "If any of October 18, 1776 them suspects you of being a spy, they'll kill you on In the late summer of 1776, Enoch Crosby's regiment, the spot. The red-haired guard is my nephew. He can like many others from the thirteen new states, marched to join Washington's Continental army camped on the north- help you escape." ern end of New York Island (Manhattan) . The British army, considered the most professional That night the young guard walked into the dank, fet- in the world at that time, had defeated the Americans at the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776. Washington id church basement and called out at the door, "Prisoner had saved his army by ferrying 14,000 men across the East River to New York Island at night. The British army had John Smith wanted for questioning." Wending his way followed and fortified the lower end of New York Island, but except for a short battle on Harlem Heights on Sep- through the tightly packed roomful of Tory prisoners, En- tember 17th, Sir William Howe, British Commander-In-Chief, had not attempted to attack the Americans again. General och finally reached the door. Washington, however, felt it was only a question of time before the British army and navy combined in a pincers "The sentries are on the other side of the church hav- movement to surround and cut off the American retreat to the mainland over King's Bridge. ing a smoke," whispered the guard. "Go quickly before On October 12, 1776, the British landed 4,000 men at Throg's Neck on the southeastern tip of Westchester they return." County (near Throg's Neck Bridge, Map I, #1) . Howe planned to march through the villages of West Chester and to attack W s ch ster Square, Bronx) and West Farms e t e Enoch looked out. It was all clear, or so it seemed. ( q the Americans from the rear. Washington had posted But before he could reach the trees on the other side of groups of twenty-five crack riflemen at two strategic points: one behind a huge woodpile across a causeway over the drive, the guards reappeared around the side of the a milldam at West Chester; the other at the ford across Westchester Creek leading to East Chester Road and the church. Boston Post Road. "Halt, or I'll shoot:" shouted the sentry. Enoch General Washington began moving his army inland along the Hudson River and the Albany didn't wait to answer. With musket balls whistling past Post Road to the safety of White Plains on October 18th (Map II, #1,#3) . Progress was his ears, he raced to the safety of the trees. He didn't agonizingly slow because of a crippling lack of transport wagons to haul supplies stop running for a full mile, until he was sure he was no and ammunition. It took the army nine days to move thirteen miles. During this longer being pursued. Once again he was free to return painfully slow retreat, the American army was extremely vulnerable. 1 to his life as a secret agent for the newest nation on In the meantime, Sir William decided to attack from a new direction. During the night of October 17th, he earth: moved his army by water around Throg's Neck northeast in- to Eastchester Bay to Pell's Point near the mouth of the Hutchinson River. When messengers arrived at Washing- Footnotes: ton's headquarters from West Chester on October 18th, say- 1. Pickering, James H. , "Enoch Crosby, Secret ing that the British troops were on the move, Washington Agent of the Neutral Ground, His Own Story," thought that the British had decided to land at Morris- New York History, Vol. 47, No. 1, January, ania (near Randall's Island) . He immediately sent troops 1966, 63. in that direction to protect the west bank of the Bronx 2. Shonnard, Frederic and Spooner, W.E. , History River and his retreating army. of Westchester County, New York, N.Y. , 1900, 421. 13 14 ' " . As a result, when the British launched their real invasion of the American mainland on he was proceeding to engage the enemy. Glover left his October 18, 1776, with 4,000 troops, they were opposed only by a small detachment of 750 Con- own regiment on the ridge at East Chester with his three tinental soldiers which had been posted as a rear guard to protect the Boston Post Road and artillery pieces to cover his retreat. the road to White Plains (Route 22) . The cour- ageous stand of these men, led by Colonel John Then he ordered the remaining men to Glover of Marblehead, Massachusetts, made the over-cautious Howe pause long enough to allow follow him in a quick march to face Washington and his army to safely reach White Plains. the British army. The Marbleheaders were experi- Colonel John Glover, a short energetic red-haired I enced fighting men. John Glover ° man of forty-four, was up before dawn to look over his and his Mariners had already saved troops' position. He was the commander of the "Marble- Washington'sColonelJohnGlover troops by ferrying head Mariners", a regiment of sailors and fishermen from the entire army across the East River in one night to � I the Marblehead, Massachusetts area, which was encamped Manhattan after their first terrible defeat on Long Is- on the first high ridge in East Chester overlooking the land. Hutchinson River (Map I, #5) . "But this time," Glover thought to himself, "I would An orderly approched Colonel glft give a thousand worlds to have General Lee present to 2. Glover with a steaming mug of grog. nItt ' direct or at least approve of what I am doing!" But His blue short jacket and breeches, there was no time to wait for orders from the general. tarred hat tarred for waterproofing, indicated Colonel Glover and his men had to act alone and quickly. the seafaring background of Glover's regiment.l' ` The Americans rushed down the Boston Post Road hill Taking his mug and spyglass with him, Glover made his (Sandford Boulevard, Mount Vernon) , to cross Philip Pell's way up the steep, rocky slope to the highest point of the Bridge into Pelham Manor. The last few men pulled up its hill just as the sky began to brighten. What he saw made planks and threw them into the underbrush. Turning south him gasp. He readjusted his glass and looked again. up Wolf's Lane hill, they marched spiritedly to Pell's There, in Eastchester Bay, more than 200 ships Point Road (Split Rock Road, Map I, #6) . They had come a were landing the British army on Pell's Point. Colonel little more than a mile when a guide spotted an advance Glover dashed down the incline into camp. He immediately 1 e y guard of the British. This troop of 40 English infantry- sent an express courier to tell his commanding officer, men, sent ahead to reconnoiter, had just reached a split General Charles Lee, that the British had landed and that rock with a tree growing through the middle. 15 16 1 den behind the wall, Glover and Colonel Read waited, hearts Glover sent forward a captain and forty men at a dead pounding, arms out, palms down to quiet the men. When run to meet the British advance guard. Then the Colonel the British were within thirty yards of the wall, Glover positioned his troops. He had three "skeleton" (incom- shouted, "Now, FIRE:" Read's 226 men blasted a deadly plete) regiments under his command led by Colonels Bald barrage into the massed ranks of the advancing British. win, Read, and Shepherd. Glover put Baldwin's regiment So unexpected and so effective was the attack that the at the top of Wolf's Lane behind the Secor House. Then, seasoned British infantry broke and ran back toward the moving south a few hundred yards, he hid Shepherd's reg- main body of its army. iment behind a stone wall on the right side of the road For the next hour and a half, Glover's men waited for on top of Prospect Hill. Crossing Pell's Point Road, another charge. Then through the crisp air they finally Glover moved Read and his men closer to the British but heard the faint sounds of the British fifes and drums concealed behind the stone wall on the left hand side of playing "British Grenadiers". Framed by flaming foliage, the road. Glover's strategy was one of tactical leap- in full formation with regimental flags flying, 4,000 frog performed from ambush. It was to have a deadly of men in magnificent uniforms marched up the road toward fect on the unsuspecting British. John Glover and his 750 Massachusetts troops. Led by Satisfied that the few troops he had were in the best Lord Cornwallis and Sir Henry Clinton, the Redcoats were position possible, Glover galloped forward to his advance the spearhead of the British invading force in North party which was awaiting further orders. America. "Let's go, boys," Glover shouted. He personally led Sir William Howe himself was present,accompanied by the men into the fray. For fifteen minutes the British "Mr. P.", Mr. Joshua Pell of Pelham Manor, who guided the and Americans battled with only about fifty yards separ- 3. British army through his family's manor. 3,000 of the ating the two fighting forces. When British reinforce troops were Hessians, mercenary soldiers hired by Britain ments arrived and the enemy began to push toward him, from the German state of Hesse. Approximately 1,000 of Glover knew he could no longer hold them off. the attacking troops were British soldiers. Seven field "Retreat:" ordered Glover. The captain and the sur- guns, brought up to lend support, began firing. viving men fell back in good order to where Colonel Read Colonels Glover and Read waited until the British and his men lay hidden behind the wall. were within fifty yards. At that moment their men were Convinced that they had the rebels on the run, the the only barrier between the British army and Washington's British advance guard rushed forward with a cheer. Hid- 17 18 41 vulnerable retreating troops strung out between King's "It was obeyed," said Baldwin, "with the greatest re- Bridge and White Plains. This time the British responded luctance imaginable, though with as much good order and with cannon fire and showers of musket balls. 5. regularity as ever they marched off a Publick Parade." After his men had fired seven rounds in about twenty Returning down Secor Hill and Wolf's Lane, Glover's minutes, Glover said, "All right, men. Fall back until exhausted men waded across the bridgeless Hutchinson Riv- we are opposite Shepherd's regiment on the other side of er and up the hill to where Glover's own regiment anxious- the road." Once again the men obeyed the orders exactly. ly awaited them. Howe again failed to move quickly and They retreated in good order behind the cover of the stone decisively. Instead of following and capturing the Amer- walls. icans, the British general moved into the Secor House as Colonel Shepherd's two hundred men were concealed be- a temporary headquarters. His men camped along the Bos- hind a fine double stone wall on Prospect Hill. By stag- ton Post Road (Colonial Avenue) through Pelham Manor and gering their fire and shooting by divisions, they were into New Rochelle. able to keep up a constant withering fire into the Brit- As luck would have it, Glover's men did not even have ish ranks crowded in the narrow roadway. It was here that time to rest or eat. Orders arrived almost immediately the fiercest fighting of the day took place. With their to take a new position in advance of the enemy. So they advantageous position on the hill behind good cover, and marched three miles toward White Plains (up Route 22) , by firing in divisions into the British crowded in the ". . .then," Glover wrote a few days later, "after fighting narrow road below, the Americans were able to force the all day without victuals or drink, (we lay) as a picket enemy to retreat several times. Finally the British all night, the heavens over us and the earth under us, brought their artillery up to the front and sent troops which was all we had, having left our baggage at the old along the Hutchinson River to outflank the Americans. encampment we left in the morning. The next morning we Colonel Baldwin and his men waited in the rear, "calm marched over to Mile Square (Yonkers) and joined the and steady as expecting a shot at a flock of pigeons and 6. rest of General Lee's troops." not in the least daunted or confused," Baldwin later 4. Official reported losses of the battle for both sides, wrote his wife. Glover pulled Read's and Shepherd's including dead and wounded, were: Americans, twenty one men back behind Baldwin's regiment, but he knew he could and the British, twenty five. Not reported at all were no longer fight effectively. He gave Baldwin's men a the Hessians who fell that day and who filled St. Paul's chance to fire one volley and then ordered a retreat. Church that night in East Chester (Mount Vernon) . Glover 19 20 4 and Hessian deserters later estimated the Hessian losses Hessians lost would rank the Battle of Pelham Manor ahead at between 200 and 800 men. of the battles of Long Island, Harlem Heights, White The Hessian losses were not reported for political 8. Plains and Princeton. as well as military reasons. The Hessians were German Of more significance than the numbers killed, however, mercenaries hired out to the British. King George III was the brilliance of Glover's strategy and the courage had to pay the German princes extra and military discipline of the men under him. The men money for every mercenary killed. from Marblehead realized that they were outnumbered by Moreover, Howe himself was in a dif- as many as ten to one. Yet they unhesitatingly stood ficult political position. His own i their ground when faced with the world's finest army. political party in Parliament was Their resolute stand on Prospect Hill evidently discour- opposed to suppressing the colonial aged the British from pursuing them. rebellion by force. Howe had tried Sir William Howe Once again, Howe missed the opportunity to destroy as recently as a month earlier to negotiate a settlement the American army. Once again, John Glover was instru- with American officials in New York. mental in saving it. Admitting heavy losses in such an early battle could have led to severe criticism from his enemies, if not the loss of his command. So, as many military commanders have done before and since, Howe underestimated his own British losses and entirely omitted any report of Hessian dead and wounded. The Battle of Pelham Manor became the Footnotes: "lost battle of the Revolution" when the British desig- 1. Billias, George, General John Glover, N.Y. 1960, 70. nated it as a skirmish based on Howe's statistics. 2. Billias, op. cit. , 116, from Glover's "Letter" printed in "Freeman's Journal", Nov. 25, 1776. However, the importance of this engagement should not 3. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , be overlooked. In comparing the Battle of Pelham Manor New Rochelle, N.Y. , 1844,1. 4. Abbatt, William, The Battle of Pell's Point, with other Revolutionary War battles, the total number Pelham, New York, 1901, 17. 5. Ibid. of 4,750 men engaged is higher than the number who fought 6. Franko, Dr. Alfred M. , Pelham Manor: The Forgotten Battle of the Revolution, at the battles of Trenton, Stony Point, Bennington, King's Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 1966, 40. 7. 7. Montross, Lynn, Rag, Tag, and Bobtail, N.Y. Mountain and Cowpens. Even the low figure of 200 1952, 7. 8. Billias, op. cit. , 121. 22 21 I Isaac Quintard stretched his legs. It felt good to Yankee Whale boatmen walk again after hours of rowing. At the Major's signal Capture British Gunboat he hurried over to join the crew. February, 1777 "I'm calling off our original plan to take the Fort at White Stone Ferry," Major Lockwood announced. "Why, Sir?" Andrew Mead spoke up. A good man when Whaleboatmen of Westchester County and Connecti- cut villages along Long Island Sound usually went action was involved, he had been looking forward to at- out in groups of two or three boats. Each boat car- ried eight to ten oarsmen, a helmsman and a man to tacking the fort. handle a swivel gun on the bow. Commissioned by the Governors of New York and Connecticut, the "I received some news from Fade Donaldson last night, whaleboatmen were really rowboat privateers preying on Tory farms and sloops headed for the British food in New Rochelle," continued the Major. "There's a brig markets in New York. The most famous whaleboat exploit was the capture and another armed vessel tied up alongside the fort now. in February, 1777, by Major Samuel Lockwood's crew 1. of about twenty men,of the ten-gun British guard- It's too risky. Besides, I've got a better idea. How ship Schuldham, anchored near Minneford Island (City Island) in Eastchester Bay. It is retold would you like a real prize this time. . .something more here from the stories of two of the crew, Isaac Quintard and John Dibble, and the widow of another than just intercepting a few chickens or pigs bound for crew member, Andrew Mead. his Majesty's soup kettles in New York. . .something that would put some real silver in your palms?" Early on a cold February afternoon in 1777 Major Sam- "Aye, that's what we need! !" Isaac exclaimed. uel Lockwood of Stamford, Connecticut, stood in the bow "Fade tells me that a Tory market sloop called the of his whaleboat straining to spot familiar landmarks a- Little Stanton plies between East Chester and New York. long the shore. His upraised hand signaled silence to She sells fresh vegetables and poultry to the Schuldham, the men rowing soundlessly behind him. that guardship off Minneford Island. The Little Stanton "Good! This thick mist is a perfect cover," he is due back in a couple of hours." thought. Slowly the whaleboat slipped around the north "We haven't taken a Tory prize all day," said Andrew end of Hunter's Island and moved into Pelham Bay at the Mead. "Perhaps the Captain of the Little Stanton would head of Pell's Point in Long Island Sound. The two like a holiday in Connecticut -- in jail!" whaleboats behind slowly edged toward the beach and slid "I've got a better idea," said Lockwood. "Johnson, softly into the mud. Wordlessly the men pulled their you and your crew stay here on Pell's Point and keep long whaleboats into the tall marsh grass that hid them watch. DeForest, you and I and our crews will carry our completely from view. boats across Pell's Neck to Eastchester Bay. The master 2 24 3 of the Little Stanton doesn't know it yet, but we are going With the precision of long practice the whaleboat- to borrow his sloop and use it as bait to catch us a nice men swung into action. Pulling alongside the sloop, Lock- fat fish!" "You don't mean we are going to try to take the Schuld wood leaped on board, pointed his pistol at the Tory cap- tain's head and said, "We'd like to borrow sloopfor ham?" exclaimed John Dibble. your "Why not?" broke in Andrew Mead. "If we can catch the night, Captain. If you don't give us any trouble, the crew while they are still asleep, I bet we could do neither you nor your boat will be harmed." The Captain gave in without a struggle. it!" The whaleboats escorted the Little Stanton back to "Are you willing to give it a try?" asked Major Lock- • their secluded cove. There they spent the night waiting wood. • for the tide to turn. About five o'clock in the morning, "You bet!" cried the men. Captain DeForest roused the men. "We'll give those British sailors a taste of real "Let's go, boys! Time to catch our prize. Ten dol- Yankee fighting!" a Leaving Johnson lars to the first man to board the Schuldham and five dollars to the second. If we succeed there will be dol- and his crew to keep �' m �• 1\\4 ' \\\�i'�\\\"' \�� lars aplenty for all of us!" The crew hid down in the hold watch, Lockwood, De A�1,�\���� � �.� V AV "IC�V` U•- `� V• along with the sloop's 300 barrels of salt and twelve ten- Forest and their men ��� iJ�jr•,•�Na� hoisted their whale 1 �,�.1�I��I�2�ta,'', 0� �`�\\\�1�",\���� `'1 gallon kegs of brandy. With the Tory captain at the helm JI _ ����4(�ii�ll�y�r I'li �1 A11�1�A ' c 10. �h�y� ,111�I�pI NV�i� and Lockwood at the bow, the Little Stanton sailed down boats on their / .kw shoulders shoulders and set off. When they reached the other side Eastchester Bay under a light breeze from the west. of the narrow neck of land, they stopped and peered cau Suddenly out of the grey dawn loomed the Schuldham. She was completely encased in a net that reached ten feet tiously through the tall marsh grass. Through the mist, they could just see the dim outline of the Schuldham. up from the water to act as protection against small rebel They launched their boats and hugging the shore to boats. She resembled a shrouded ghost in the morning fog. The man on watch was real enough however, and wide awake. keep out of sight, rowed from Eastchester Bay into the "What ship is that?" he called. narrow Hutchinson River. Then, hiding the boats in the marsh, Lockwood and his men waited an hour, shivering. "The Little Stanton," answered Major Lockwood. A small sloop sailed into Eastchester Bay. It was the "The rebel boats are out tonight and I want to lie under your stern lee for safety."2' Little Stanton. 25 26 • •r 1 Just at that moment, the bowsprit of the little boat with two British crewmen: their freedom in exchange for rammed the Schuldham's netting. The whaleboatmen swarmed their sailing knowledge. up out of the hold. Andrew Mead leaped to the bow and "Even so, " Andrew Mead said later, "we sailed that slashed at the netting with his cutlass. The sentry fired vessel very slowly and very awkwardly, like an old woman, 4. his musket at Andrew. Only grazed, Andrew fired back, but all the way home!" missed. Triumphantly the Schuldham entered Stamford harbor. "Leave your muskets, men. Use your boarding axes. Isaac Quintard took Andrew Mead to his father's house to Follow me," Major Lockwood yelled. The men rushed for- recover and Captain Roney went to Isaac's aunts, the Widow ward. Andrew Mead climbed the netting, hooked his boarding Hubbard's house nearby. The two men became quite friendly axe over the railing and pulled himself on board thus during their recuperation. earning the ten dollar reward. "Mead, aren't you well yet? I have di PRoney "Lock the hatches! Keep the marines below;' shouted almost recovered,„5. Captain would Pu1 Andrew to the men following him over the rail. But they say to tease Andrew. Suddenly, just � ,�' ' \ �'� iI� �weren't fast enough. when he seemed almost well, Captain 1'� i \�i, fatally. H )i1ilt1 I A British officer burst throu h the nearest hatch Roney hemorrhaged eg a .'. ,.,yelling, "Kill him! Kill him!" Mead came face to face was mourned by Andrew Mead whoilI,In Ali with the British Captain Roney with a pistol in each of his lived on to have many more '/ 1,� rift I\�adventures as a whaleboatman. LIIl�1 ' hands. Mead lunged at Roney with his boarding axe, wounding = -- - i-' him severely in the chest and side, but the Scotsman fired But not one of them ever equaled sitli ): his pistols wounding Mead in each shoulder. As the day he helped capture the Schuldham; the other whaleboatmen guarded the hatches, An- drew Mead, now barely able to support himself, called on the Captain to surrender. The Captain, lying on the deck replied, "If I must, I must!" Footnotes: n 1. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, and surrendered. Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , 1 New Rochelle, N.Y. , 1844, 586. The battle was over. But not one of the 2. McDonald, op. cit. , 613. Boarding axe 3. McDonald, op. cit. , 71. whaleboatmen knew how to man the stern topsail 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. of the enormous Schuldham: And so a bargain was struck ill 28 ' 27 X . I Cow Boys Raid Elmsford Farm had been ordered to send his patrol to that troublespot. November, 1777 Peter shivered. "Even the heavy woolen socks that Cata- rina knit for me won't keep out the cold today. Or may- be it is the silent barnyard that is making me nervous. I Tory men who joined the Refugee Corps in Mor wish the soldiers were here:" risania (Bronx) made many raids back to their old Westchester neighborhoods. These Cow Boys stole Twelve miles away in Morrisania a Cow Boy raiding cattle and grain to sell to the British, and also tried to capture well-known rebel leaders. The party was preparing to ride. Colonel Andreas Emmerick, Van Tassel cousins were prime targets since they were militia officers and members of the West the leader, swung his short, muscular body onto the back chester Committee of Safety. Their farms were the southernmost outpost of the American army. of his chestnut English charger. He turned a powder- This story is told by John Romer who later mar- ried Leah Van Tassel and together with her father stained face to look over the company. The Hessian troops, rebuilt the farm after the war. * * * * lent to him for the expedition by General Knyphausen, were The cold wind whipped across Cornelius Van Tassel's mounted and ready. The men's blue uniforms and the sheep- barnyard in Elmsford, New York (Map II, #5) . It was skin blankets under their high saddles set the Hessians November 17, 1777, and although it was only five o'clock apart from Emmerick's own American loyalist troops dressed the weak autumn sunlight was rapidly disappearing. A in scarlet uniforms trimmed with green. The sounds of sharp gust of wind caught Cornelius' homespun jacket and creaking saddle leather and the stamping of the hoofs sent a chill down his spine as he shut in his livestock on the frozen ground were sharp and loud in the cold for the night. afternoon. The men beat their arms together for warmth. "I hope those infernal Cow Boys stay by their hearths As the Cornelius Van Tassel family father, mother tonight. It's the coldest night of the season," Cornelius Elizabeth, Cornelius, Jr. , and baby Leah ate stew and thought to himself. "Come on, son," he called to the teen dumplings around their cheery kitchen fire, Colonel Em- a ed Cornelius Jr. who was brin merick's party was galloping up the Albany Post Road, their g ging in firewood. "Let's wash up for supper." ears and noses stinging from frost. On this black and On the adjoining farm, a cousin, Peter Van Tassel, moonless evening, Captain Joshua Barnes, their Tory guide, led them over roads he had known since childhood. felt uneasy as he finished his chores. Colonel Acker's Colonel Emmerick halted in front of Captain Abraham militia patrol of sixty men was usually headquartered at the Van Tassel farms. Yesterday news had come that the Storms' tavern on the corner of Tarrytown and Saw Mill British were planning a raid elsewhere, so Colonel Acker River Roads. He threw open the door, filling the room with a sudden chill of cold air. "Where is Abraham Storms? We 29 30 1 ` .,, —, (:''' ,• want him!" But Captain Storms, a member of the First Regi- /��, /- 1 14 �" , ment of Minute Men was not at home. "We'll give him a pile :`: \ ,, 1', of ashes to return to then. Burn the tavern!" shouted the 1:/\ �� �,/� Colonel. His men quickly lighted torches in the huge fire- / 4 d 1 place and soon had the tavern in flames. A ...• j On the road again, Captain Barnes reined back to shout, ( �\ it ` i "The Van Tassel farms--there. The houses are both owned by • if l 11 damned rebels. Burn them!" Emmerick ordered the raiding --� 414 , i',. 4'..< party to surround the houses. ��1 \\*\ t A r ' ' "Come out in the name of the King and surrender, or �i ; we'll burn down the houses!" he shouted. His answer was 4 t rat the blast from Van Tassel muskets. Furious, Emmerick :! , �`' �' � r '' again gave the :m:: IPP leaped eagerly ly. Anything they could steal was '' ► "? ., • i theirs to keep. Soldiers dashed through the rooms with �' / ", %,� Rtorches. Whenever they saw anything they liked they said4i°9 *, "rebel good for Hesse man's," and took it. Then they 4 �s herded the terrified families outside. \i, r4:' 1',�� "Leah! Leah! Where is my baby?" Elizabeth Van Tas- ( ' L sel dashed back into her house searching for her infant daughter. Flames drove her back. Sobbing, she collapsed '' ',. A ,P I t - into the shadows. Suddenly out of the dark,his face red ;,of. _ ' T- J _' and sweating from the intense heat of the fire, stepped a i �� , young Hessian soldier. The German youth led Elizabeth /i, i;;/,'( /A . behind a shed. There in the snow, snuggly wrapped in a �. ✓ blanket, lay the baby he had saved from the flames. Clutch- h� -- ing the infant, Mrs. Van Tassel crept back into the shadows i /V V ^—�—�_ — and hid from the rampaging British and Hessian soldiers. r _...... "Young Cornelius jumped from the roof 31 into the crowded farmyard swinging his musket like a club." 4 f Van Tassel and Leah hid until the next afternoon. When Cornelius Jr. , had climbed from his attic bedroom she heard a horse neighing outside, she cautiously peered window onto the roof. Carrying his musket, he clutched out. The horse was one the British had driven off the pre- the chimney and waited for his chance to escape. Finally, his shirt smoldering on his back from the intense flames, vious night. Grabbing the baby and the feather bed, she mounted the horse and fled to friends near the Upper Cross young Cornelius jumped from the roof into the crowded 4 Roads. farmyard, yelling loudly and swinging his musket like a club. Before the astonished British could recover, he Footnotes had knocked out two Redcoats and was dashing across the k lb 1. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot- fields to the Saw Mill River. qP Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, N.Y. , 1844, 112. "After him, don't let him get away!" shouted Emmer- .. 2. Montross, Lynn, Rag, Tag & ick. But Cornelius had had a fast start. Plunging into jklfr\ ' ' Bobtail, N.Y. , 192, 153. ��•\ 3. Raymond, Marcius D. , Souvenir the icy water, he swam to the other side, clambered up of the Revolutionary Soldiers ; Monument Dedication, Tarry- the bank, and took a last look at his burning home before town, N.Y. , Oct. 19, 1894,54. 4. Romer, John L. , Historical running to Farcus Hott, the high look-out and rebel hide- - Sketches of the Romer, Van Tassel and Allied Families, 3. Buffalo, 1917.96. out on Beaver Mountain. Hessian soldier ! With rope to their horses tied around their necks, 11 Peter and Cornelius Van Tassel were forced to walk the fl twelve miles to King's Bridge, driving their own cattle to the British Army slaughterhouse. They were imprisoned in the Provost Gaol in New York for a year before they were exchanged for British prisoners. 11 Elizabeth Van Tassel and baby Leah took refuge in an old root cellar, the only building left standing. Another il'I Hessian soldier,poking around the farm for plunder, dis- ICI covered her and the baby shivering in their hiding place I "Kalt! Kalt!" ("cold! cold!"),he cried, and he threw her a feather mattress he had stolen. Then he closed the door and left. Wrapped in the warm covering, Mrs. 11 i 33 34 t Americans and British Clash adjusted his saber under his rain gear. at Poundridge and Bedford "Give the men the order to mount," Tarleton barked July 3, 1779 to an aide. As the party of three hundred British caval- ry, Hessians and Refugee Cow Boys wheeled their horses in- On May 31, 1779, the British, with a fleet of to line, Tarleton pulled his hat over his forehead and 50 ships and 5,000 men came up the Hudson River and captured two strategic forts. Washington headed out into the storm. By 11:30 p.m. , the group was had erected Fort Lafayette on Verplanck's point and Fort Stony Point on the opposite side of the moving rapidly up White Plains Road toward their destina- Hudson to guard King's Ferry, the river crossing connecting his main route between New England and tion in Poundridge. the middle Atlantic states (Map II, #6) . Twice in the next month, on June 12th and 24th, Luther Kinnicutt, a double agent, had warned the com- one of Britain's most eager partisan fighters, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton raided Crom- mander of the Continental troops, Colonel Sheldon, that pond, surprising the militia and burning the church which was the center of rebel activity in the area the raid was due. This courageous spy had walked in dis- (Map II, #7) . After the British raids on Crompond, the Americans strengthened the posts north of the guise twenty miles from West Farms (Bronx) to Poundridge, Croton River. Two militia regiments were ordered to join Colonel Sheldon's Continental troops, sta- to warn of the attack. But he did not know when it would tioned at Poundridge (Map II, #8) , and news soon arrived that Colonel Moylan's regiment of reinforce- occur. Sheldon's headquarters were at the home of Major ments had crossed the Hudson River and was due mom- entarily. Ebenezer Lockwood. After Kinnicutt had left, Lockwood 1 * * * * * gathered his family together and said, "I want you to go It was 11:00 p.m. on July 2, 1779. Outside Banastre immediately to my uncle in Ridgefield. With the troops Tarleton's headquarters in Mile Square (Yonkers) , a heavy quartered in the barns here, it is too dangerous." The rainstorm was raging. Gusts of wind flung sheets of water women packed a few belongings and prepared to leave. against the small leaded windows of the quarters. The "Why don't you wait till tomorrow?" suggested Col- sound resembled galloping horses. onel Sheldon. "The British will never come out on a night "Good!" Banastre Tarleton smiled to l like this." Too nervous to sleep, the family sat up by i himself. "The rain will drown out the the fire the entire night. sound of my troops and the rebels Sheldon had ordered his men armed and ready to ride, will never expect a raid on a so the horses stood saddled and tied to the fences all 1. through the stormynight. night like this!" Black-haired � \ g g and handsome, the twenty-five . At 4:00 a.m. Tarleton's drenched party reined in, 1e year old Lieutenant Colonel wet and weary, in front of old North Castle Church Lt.Col.Banastre Tarleton 35 36 1 "A little more and you wouldn't have touched me at all!" A -- 1 �� (Mt. Kisco) . After a short rest, the riders continued on I / 1$1'pr 0. ..,^ 't the northern road to Poundridge. But all chances for a i. sp'; :�•.s surprise attack were lost when Tarleton took the wrong fork or Or • .e' in the road and headed about half a mile north. His men %cf, � - r� were spotted by one of Sheldon's videttes (lookouts) who l�� galloped back to his headquarters. 1 liliiP -;;--- o r:I.,..,, t;' % "A large body of cavalry is approaching on the north rI/' 7 / road from Bedford, Sir," he reported breathlessly. /`' 11 — "It must be Moylan's men," remarked Sheldon, thinking M4 . *..'/ his reinforcements had finally arrived. Just to be sure, f il C however, he sent Major Tallmadge with a small detachment !, D ) ) ) , to investigate. Tallmadge and his men had not galloped 1 "At �,_==n-� �/1' }. % far when they found themselves face to face with Tarleton's , ' • ��'�' ,� advance guard. "Charge, men charge!" shouted the British. ..\\''.. ,._ a vane g g g �� ' Tallmadge's men wheeled about, spurred their horses , � _ /IOU., ��, \ -�, and dashed headlong back along the main street of Bedford ` �; �� yam- with the British in hot pursuit. 1.4 ,i_ ;'y / / `� �l4 _ A large body of militia and 100 continental cavalry j \ �IIP troops, led by Major Leavenworth, rushed in from the n /� i South Bedford road when they heard the shots. g I+ As the British and Americans fought their way into _ r �,'�" the town, the militia fell back, but the cavalry held \ ��41, their line. Sheldon's men charged the British. Fierce , htiltSi o j; .�� V hand to hand fighting took place. Suddenly Colonel he N k Tarleton,with his main body of troops, thundered up the road. The odds were now about three to one against the i Americans. Tarleton sent his infantry around the rebel � � is �A -� flank to prevent their escape, and ordered the trumpeter Vt kiy‘, \,: •N. f :_ z - - --- - ' - s SS Lake M• c ss' •^� °� o r 0 I I, v Relic r i ( 'L -f e \ , ., /.R A./ /I s s P N' o ',x H i D T/C I—1 r i !OAT -411W qrfr— O �`: ,. a .4.S. , S A.. AL E: M E.x f� «o,. .T.,.,, o x. , o , \; i L E � .M1OA Ee RI { � ' 4 j ,im441 1 I )�� 11;2 ;,fr.�At tt..,....--c-\ ', �. RIOGEF EIyD " 4`-';‘''`i-lv.c-. 17.,111-114‘';---ii mi so NB ° ro ,, °,414116 --\ os yl . ,iir 114. !m./ •:t A , , , c ` o �/ P i \E F. R . i 411* .....---jh-- I ') . HAOERso W V' I "�/ 1,, `f11°. .%•C.• , AIN 1iC.xAoNx I iit; . / :ii OA* . ..,/ .-- ,< , ' Al ~OVApm � NORTH OF THE A.. Y *111111111L A:71.7" �t NEW YORK CITY LINE Q c`�x S / i 1 ` ANDRE S ROUT[SHOWN BY ARROWS y / 0 br4 111 NOWNEXiSTOAR/ES ARE SHOWN AS THEY b N t L -1 0 IN OERN NAMES IN()-SR,RM,SHES x 0 i '.I / e°" ( - ,?;>o; ,`` ;., ' •=IApproximate American line q .,:..o o� _ , during the Revolution X TARRYTOWN r v ` Approximate British line nye during the Revolution A ' Location Of Events Allo0L--; ; �1 1. American Army retreats to y White Plains via Albany Post v 7Att H, Road 4�R /14 , ,o 2. Battle of Pelham Manor ew j�R .:a° oaswY � "° � �p�ti 3. Battle of White Plains x•, "..x . ul�' 4 E ch is TS�.v. :�: � ,� � no Crosby mee ory reerulIII 5. Van Tassel farn,CI-� e -�s ' -'' 6. Fts Ston Point& Lafa ette } k` " t , RY E J . kJi!i; aid onCy� 4 ' 'm - •� ... oe;� � ' \ , �� � � . j Es"x H / .. / r t 12. Delancey raids Pines Bridge °, /j e� a �� 13. Shube Merritt killed at ^�'�°�'LL.,,,, a Davenport Neck A. kl.— R �4 « NEW b1�� _ L 1111/41 1), I O� l S �I, AIAr l.t • 1 �, I �,i�°,, . 13 J �11 �' 4 . 1 S L A 1 n \---- ---'--4 •. $1 .. , A Map II f Major Leavenworth posted his men along the southern ,', to sound "charge", road to Bedford. Learning of this, Tarleton sent a Sheldon, realizing that he was hopelessly outnumbered, rear guard to engage Leavenworth, while he galloped with decided to retreat. Trumpets for each side sounded simul- the main body of his troops back along the north road taneously, the one blowing "charge" the other sounding the 2 to Bedford. By the time Leavenworth's men had rushed signal for "retreat"! The chase was on again. Down the across the fields to the north road, Tarleton and his men road toward Stamford (locally referred to in the future were well into Bedford. as "Sheldon's Race Course") , the British chased Sheldon 3. An American officer later stated, "They, as usual, and his men. I plundered most of the houses they came to and set fire John Buckout, one of Sheldon's troopers, was being to several other houses which were fortunately extin- followed closely by a Redcoat dragoon. 6' guished." "Surrender, you damn rebel," the Redcoat shouted, Sheldon had managed to regroup some of his men. as he swung his saber repeatedly at Buckout. But John Joining Leavenworth and the militia, they chased Tarle- 1 spurred his horse faster. Pulling out his pistol, the ton past the North Castle church. However, Banastre cavalryman fired a ball which went through Buckout's hat Tarleton, probably the best partisan officer Britain and just grazed his scalp. produced during the Revolution, had too much of a head IIII Li "There, you damned rebel, a little more and I should start. His strategy of surprise, making good use of the have blown your brains out!" the Redcoat shouted. unexpected, and charging fast had proved successful. His Turning in his saddle, Buckout yelled back, "But you II troops, on their superb English horses, arrived back at are a bad shot. A little more and you wouldn't have 4 Mile Square by 10:00 p.m. that same night! touched me at all! !" He whipped his horse and escaped. Footnotes: 1. Hadaway, William S. , The McDonald Papers, N.Y. II In the meantime, Major Leavenworth had been busy 1927, 38. i II gathering the militia and local men. He had almost 400 2. Hadaway, o . cit. , 40. 3. McDonald, Jon, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot- i Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, men ready to try to cut off the enemy's retreat. N.Y. , 1844, 439. 1II 4. McDonald, op. cit. , 41. Women in farmhouses along the way shouted encourage- I15. McDonald, op. cit. , 589. 6. Hinitt, Dorothy and Duncombe, Frances, The ment to the militiamen. Burning of Bedford, July, 1779, Bedford, I . N.Y. 1974 20. "Why don't you fight? Why don't you face the ' enemy? Come! That's good boys! Do something for the good cause! Strike a blow for Congress!" they exclaimed. j 41 42 ' Refugees and British Burn Bedford to control his men. Many of these Cow Boys had suffered July 11, 1779 at rebel hands. "The Refugees did all the mischief, plunder and burn- The British Commander In Chief, Sir Henry Clinton ing whilst the Leather Caps (Queen's Rangers) sat on horse- was disappointed by his summer campaign of 1779. True, the British had taken the two forts of Stony back and kept their ranks," recalled Mrs. Nancy Sarles. Point and Lafayette and had captured some cattle Her father, Israel Lyons, was an active Whig and Committee, and Whig prisoners at Crompond, Poundridge and Bed- ford. But Washington remained secure in his Hudson man whose house was targeted for the torches of the Brit- highlands south of West Point. Hoping to lure the American army out into the open, Clinton sent the Royalist Governor of New York, "Burning Tryon" on ish. a series of raids along the Connecticut shore. "It was early in the morning and we had not been up From July 3rd until July llth, Tryon and the British fleet plundered and burned the helpless inhabitants long," Mrs. Sarles continued. "They were hungry when at of New Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk. On July 8th, Sir Henry himself accompanied his troops from his our house and asked constantly for bread and we gave all headquarters at Philipse Manor (Yonkers) to Mamar- oneck to lend support to the raids. we had. . . . The Refugees said, 'Fire the house, boys, * * * * * * and be off. . . . ' I tried to put the fire out and succeeded "Our boys had just gone to bed. It was a bright, downstairs, but they had fired a bed upstairs which I knew moonlight night on 10, 1779, when 500 British g g July 1 not of until too late. Just then a party of militia came troops marched past our house in great silence," recalled to our assistance and helped to save some things in the Elizabeth Carpenter. William Griffin's family, two miles 3' house.„ from Mamaroneck Village, also watched the eerie parade. The American troops did not actively pa/rM Only the clattering of the swords and the tramping of the ''�'� fight the British. Mrs. Sarles thought heavy infantry boots could be heard. Bright moonlight that Colonel Sheldon should have attacked i .{, gleamed from the trappings of the officers' horses.2. the Refugees before they got away from Colonel Simcoe sat crookedly on his horse as he led ' Bedford, "and at least hung upon (their) Itik a party of 400 Queen's Rangers, Hessian Yagers, and Cow rear and picked up the stragglers as the 7 2., Boys. Their destination was Bedford, which had been Refugees were disorderly in their re raided only a week earlier. „4' .: treat. We called the Stamford Road / i Arrivin at dawn the British burned the Bedford g ' " �Sheldon's Race Course", after Tarleton church and every house, except one which belonged to a chased him down it," she said. British caricature . Tory, to the ground. Colonel Simcoe found it difficult of an American rifleman But British raids along the 43 44 4 1 ICI 1 Connecticut shore had drawn off almost all the patriot gasted Colonel until he lost his temper. Spying her hus- militia. Moylan, behind the door, Colonel Simcoe ordered, "Takeh just the daybefore, Colonelband o that In fact, Y , , who had arrived at last to reinforce Sheldon, had marched man prisoner. Now, termagant, I've got your husband:" to Norwalk to aid its inhabitants. A few miles down the road this lucky man suddenly and plunderingfinished, Sim- got his freedom. As often happened in the Neutral Ground, so, their burning pp I i coe's unhurried troops turned back toward Mamaroneck. A- compassion for those who had chosen the opposite side in- long the way they stopped at the Nash homestead. Answer- tervened. One of Simcoe's Tory guides knew the husband ing the knock on the door, Mrs. Nash was surprised to see and, after learning what had happened, persuaded Simcoe her yard full of soldiers. j to let him go. Reluctantly Simcoe agreed, but made him "Good morning, Madam," said Colonel Simcoe. "My offi- promise to put a curb on the tongue of that "cursed rebel 6. cers and I are very hungry and would like to prevail upon scold," I you for some breakfast." The terrified housewife prepared Footnotes: i'll the best meal she could. The short little Colonel, sit- 1. McDonald, John, Notebooks, MSS, Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, N.Y. ,881. ting slumped and round-shouldered as he devoured his meal, 2. McDonald, op. cit. , 372. 3. McDonald, op. cit. , 437_ 438. turned and pointed his fork at Mrs. Nash. "Your house will 4. McDonald, op. cit. , 439. II 5. McDonald, op. cit. , 890,.891. be burnt down in three-quarters of an hour. Get your things 6. McDonald, op. cit. , 270. 5. out as soon as you can." Another Whig home went up in flames. 111 i II Simcoe and his men : e';:: n: a: :°:a: rrived r hat fte t z: � . �.e. .t .- sk4.-.fir? :, •..�. I I ,: ye. ..Z. s u..,�wit4S��,~'. �. !G-.*+t I i g'tio �' r.,..- the Four Corners formed sY ~�= r f c �r _ I'�l' �' and Purchase Street in Harrison. The Colonel stopped at ` '' ; y1r� -f + ~' from the well. ^ w a house to ask for a bowl so he could drink ,�.re:� �,i . But one rebel housewife was not intimidated by the British >, ' r II 1 uniforms. She had just returned from Bedford where she /I� - -�1 "ice} .�,� g had seen the still smoldering ruins of friends' houses � , "Good-for-nothing cruel fellows like you who go about burning people's houses ought to drink like cattle out of the brook on all fours! Away with you!" she shouted. Then, . gett ing even angrier she continued beratingthe flabber- g g g 46 II 45 1 Westchester Guides Raid Ranger corps and eight of the best Westchester Guides were DeLancey at Fordham in camp to help Colonel Greene perfect plans for a raid on March 1 780 DeLancey's Fordham headquarters. "With luck," thought Greene, "I can deliver Colonel Colonel James DeLancey, commander of the Refu:ee James DeLancey to General Washington in person." Corps of the British army, was the loyalist 4110% The next morning the door burst open at the American the Americans most wanted to capture. Time �'. and time again he had eluded capture by Amer- '.. g parties. ��... 116 headquarters. Colonel Millen, in charge while Colonel ii ican raiding Once he had hidden �,,,�Yi J q in an old pine tree for two weeks while his /^ sweetheart, Martha Tippit, brought him food vy Greene was away for the day, glared at the young soldier at night before helping him to escape.l• He iiitior slept in different houses almost every night who had intruded so rudely. for years. As an extra precaution, DeLancey "Sir," the scout reported breathlessly, "DeLancey and rarely accompanied his troops on their raids. Ni Thus he had been able to keep his freedom since 1777 when he had been exchanged for an his Refugees are marching on the road from Singsing to American prisoner of equal rank after a brief i imprisonment in Connecticut. Now, however, DeLancey Chappaqua. The Tories are driving a huge drove of cattle had established headquarters three miles inside the this wayfrom Dutchess County. Reports are that DeLancey lines at the Archer House in Fordham (Bronx P See Map I, #8) . Within three hundred yards of Fort No. 8 DeLancey considered himself safe from the himself has come out to bring them back safely below!" American raids. Colonel Millen dispatched Captain Cushing's First Mass The winter of 1779-80 had been the coldest in P p g Mass- memory. New York harbor froze, interrupting normal food deliveries, and causing food prices to sky- achusetts Battalion to Chappaqua. With them, he sent the rocket. Huge profits were made by anyone willing to Rangers and the Guides that Colonel Greene had planned to take the risk of running sleighs of food or droves g of cattle overland through the American lines to New use on his DeLanceyraid. "For once DeLanceyhas come out York. Since then DeLancey and his Cow Boys had be- come increasingly bold, attacking American pickets from behind the skirts of the British and is marchingwith farther and farther north. People in the area were pressing for retaliation. his troops," said Millen. "If Providence is with us, we * * * * * may capture the elusive Colonel and save ourselves a long "At all events, take Colonel DeLancey!" Colonel Chris- . march to Fordham." topher Greene, in command of the American post at Pines But when Captain Cushing and his men reached Chappaqua, IBridge (Map II, #12) in northern Westchester, reread the2. the inhabitants could only point down the road in the dir- letter from General Washington. In frustration Greene ection the Cow Boys had gone. Although he pushed hard, slammed his fist on the table. Cushing's infantry battalion could not catch DeLancey's . "What I wouldn't give to capture that slippery Tory mounted corps. That evening the exhausted men took refuge eel!" he exclaimed. Thirty volunteers from American from a heavy thunderstorm in Mile Square (Yonkers) . 47 48 Calling his lieutenant, Peter Blake, and the Westchest- advance guard, he waited at a stone wall -for the three-man er Guides together, he announced, "I think we have gone as Refugee patrol to pass on its rounds. Silently the Refugee far as we can go considering the time of night and the bad pickets were ambushed, gagged and dragged back to Cushing. weather. DeLancey is home high and dry by now." After some quick questioning, the Guides had the inform- The Guides included two cousins, Cornelius and James ation they needed. Because of the storm only one guard was Oakley, two brothers, Michael and Abraham "Brom" Dyckman, posted outside DeLancey's headquarters in the Archer house. and John Odell and Samuel Young. The six looked at each The countersign for the night was "Long live King George!" 4. other. accompanied by three claps over the head. They also "Well, Sir," said broad shouldered, Brom Dyckman, learned that every door to the house was fastened with "we've come so far and have been planning this raid for three heavy iron bars for extra security. DeLancey was • so long, it seems a shame to quit now. Besides, they'll taking no chances! II I never expect us to attack on a stormy night like this "It's got to be fast so we can surprise them before jli one."3 they can get to their muskets," said Oakley. i ','', Cushing paused. He had no authority to go further, "We'll have to go in through a window. I know the !,llII°' but knowing the respect in which the Guides' opinions were house well and I'm thin. Let me be the one to greet them HI 4 ., held at headquarters, he compromised. "I want DeLancey as first!" The rest agreed. !' youagreeunanimously Untying one of the Refugee pickets, Lt. Blake declared, Ir badly as you do," he said. "If all ',II II I to go ahead with the raid, I'll back you all the way." "You, my fine Tory friend, are coming with us. You are i'' The cautious and meticulous John Odell reviewed the going to lead our little party. When we get to the Archer careful plan the Guides had devised for the raid over the House you have two choices. Give the correct countersign I past weeks. Could they carry it out under these new cir- and you will see the dawn; give us away to the guard, and II iil cumstances? After talking it over, Dyckman, Odell and I'll kill you on the spot!" II II j ' Oakley gave a short, affirmative answer. "I can't do it!" pleaded the Cow Boy. "If they ever Through dark woods and fields in the pouring rain, the find out that I told the countersign they'll hang me!" I American force moved quickly toward DeLancey's headquart- "We give you our word of honor never to tell anyone ers, avoiding British pickets and outposts. who gave us the sign tonight," said Brom Dyckman. The I I' , "Rest your men here," whispered Cornelius Oakley, the terrified prisoner agreed. III I i,liH smallest and lightest of the Guides. Then, with a small Leaving half of Cushing's men to cover their retreat, II the rest of the party moved silently forward. So well had 49 50 %-; � the Guides planned this /aid that the stones between Fort ' , ) ,< No. 8 and the Albany Post Road had been marked on an ear- / _ r ���,� ,- L lier visit. Thus the whole force could grope its way to 6. /- within two hundred yards of the fort in total silence. _.-." ii( I t The sentry outside the Archer House thought he heard a -_- 4 //- \ noise, but the : :,5: r::: he could not be sure. He r41511451 Sri / ;;.� called out the answered by "Long live 121 \ti '� / King George!" and the claps. Brom jumped the guard from ie / i` /AK" ���� ' behind and Cushing's men silently surrounded the house. /� Cornelius Oakley, Brom Dyckman and Lieutenant Blake -++7' a crept toward a parlor window which was shuttered against i 0. % the storm. Oakley climbed upon a horse block, then gently t� ii .. (.,; pried the shutters open a tiny crack. Peering into the k\\411111k 01 ,, room he could see that most of the Cow Boys, exhaused from III ' 41V their long ride, were sleeping along the walls. But, / i, sitting at a table in the center of the room, four men were r...1://tils,:ftl stillplaying cards. Then, puttingonaheavyleather i �' horseman's cap to protect himself from the breaking glass, :w :t: e w.21: 4.* gelh , ,4J,71er s he pried open the shutters a little further / ke: \tom✓ , to get a good grip on them they gave a loud, Cre e ak! . 1 'fti qc4 "Take care! If you make so much noise you'll startle "l / / , the Refugees!" Brom whispered frantically. : I ) :( 4 ' ''' 't/ tI\ \I ix `/� "It's too late now," shouted Cornelius. "They're run j nig for their arms. Quick follow me!" Cornelius hurled I' himself through the window. Brom Dyckman and Lieutenant "Z ...0 Blake were so close behind him that they all landed to- 7-- I, gether in a heap on the floor. "Oakley shouted,'Quick,follow met'and hurled himself through the window." 52 1 I ' Before the amazed Cow Boys could recover from their Three Westchester Men surprise, Cornelius drew his sword and shouted, "Be still Capture Major Andre British Spy upon your lives! You are surrounded and can't escape. September 23, 1 780 If one of you draws trigger, you shall all be put to Benedict Arnold needs little introduction. death!" His very name has become a synonym for "traitor". Everyone in the house was taken prisoner. Everyone, In September, 1780, he attempted to betray to the British the American fortress of West Point, built that is, except the main prize! ! Colonel James DeLancey to replace Forts Stony Point and Lafayette. That August, Major General Arnold had persuaded General escaped again! Because of the heavy storm he had decided Washington to give him command of West Point and had immediately informed his British contact in to stay at Williamsbridge and so was not at home when the New York, Major John Andre, that he was ready to turn over the plans of the fortifications. Andre, Westchester Guides paid him their memorable visit! who until this time had only corresponded with Arnold, felt it was necessary to meet with the Gen- eral in person to finalize the plans. Footnotes: Andre's commander, Sir Henry i 1. Crary, Catherine S. , The Price of Loyalty, � � Clinton, reluctantly gave his N.Y. , 1973, 173. '' adjutant general permission to 2. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, �1, travel north into enemy ter Assoc. , 00. Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historicalssoc. , ritory. But Clinton gave Andre 3. Hadaway, William S. , The McDonald Papers, 1 specific instructions designed Vol. I, 84; Vol. II, 9, New York, 1927. 4#A r\ to prevent his being considered 4. McDonald, op. cit. , 333. K a spy if he was caught by the 1 5. Hadaway, Vol. II, op. cit. , 6. 1, Americans. Major Andr6 was to ' 6. McDonald, op. cit. , 449. wear a British uniform at all 1,11N � I times and was not to carry any secret papers from Arnold. Major Andrg travelled north on September 21st and met with Arnold in Haverstraw, N.Y. , on the western side of the Hudson I1' r k at the home of Joshua Hett Smith. i . 0 , ' British Grenadier officer Arnold left the meeting in the `t , " morning with instructions that Smith was to return Andre to the British gunboat, Vulture, anchored in ' Haverstraw Bay. during day,But that da . as Andre watched anxiously from the window of Smith's house, ,I'°��U • ;lli' �_,i,. _ - the Americans, by firing cannon from Teller's Point across the river, forced the Vulture to weigh an I ���, �,!'~ �' % ��:r chor and move downstream to safety. —— �� �j � 1 Joshua Smith refused to row Andre down to the �i-.=. ht ,II��) +(I� ,• , ship. He felt it would be safer to take Andre Refugee Camp atMorrisania i, across the Hudson River to Westchester County and accompany him by horseback to loyalist territory. Andre, ignoring Clinton's careful instructions, borrowed an American military overcoat and stuffed Arnold's plans of West Point inside his socks. Smith felt sure that passes for the two men written by General Arnold would get them past the American patrols. it 54 53 . m Late Friday afternoon, September 22nd, Smith and of the other boys." Andre crossed the Hudson River at King's Ferry. The two rode east along Crompond Road. About four miles John Paulding went to the American army encampment at I up the road they were stopped by an American patrol whose captain advised them to stay clear of the Brit North Salem where he easily got permission from his offi- ish reported along the Albany Post Road and suggested that they spend the night at the Andreas Miller house. cers. While there he met another friend, Isaac Van Wart, The next morning Joshua Smith left Andre near Pines Bridge with instructions to travel south to White who eagerly agreed to join the scouting party. The two Plains. Andre was alone in the Neutral Ground, twenty miles from the British lines. A boy he met rejoined Yerks, who by this time had persuaded Sergeant told him that American scouts were stationed at Young's Corners on the road to White Plains. So John Dean, Isaac See, James Romer and Abraham Williams to Andre turned west toward Tarrytown and the Albany Post Road where he hoped to meet the British or at go along. least Tories friendly to the lower party. For Major + John Andre this change of plans was fatal. Friday afternoon, September 22nd, the young American * * * * t militiamen started south. On the way they met David John Paulding was feeling great. The eighteen year Williams who joined them. They walked about fifteen miles r 1 I i old six footer was much admired for his escape a few days to Pleasantville and spent the night in a barn. The next earlier from the Sugar House Prison in New York City. morning they stopped at James Romer's house for breakfast. Paulding had stolen a Hessian Yager's coat, and had man- "Here, boys," said James' mother, "take this basket aged to get past a guard by speaking German. He wore and pewter basin. You'll be wanting some dinner for later. !I' the Hessian coat proudly and was the envy of his friends. 2' Good luck in your hunt. Catch some Cow Boys for me.„ "Hey, John," his friend John Yerks called, "do you At David's Hill the group decided to split up. They want to go on a scout down south and see if we can catch agreed to divide all the plunder equally and to fire a any Cow Boys driving cattle below? We can keep and split gun if either group needed help. Yerks, Romer, Dean, See± i any plunder they have." Though both young men were mem- and Abraham Williams stayed on the hill, while John bers of the local militia, it was their week off. They Paulding, Isaac Van Wart and David Williams continued planned to take advantage of a law passed by the New York down the Tarrytown Road for about a mile. After climbing State Assembly that all livestock found being driven a fence they cleared a spot in the thick underbrush. toward the enemy below Pines Bridge was a lawful prize "We will draw cuts," said Paulding. He took out a to its captors. deck of cards. "Two can play while the third stands sen- ,immunim "Sure, if you can get enough men to go with us," try." Isaac lost and lay down in the bushes close to the answered Paulding. fence to watch the road. Paulding and Williams played "That will be no problem," Yerks assured him. "You 3' p cards in total silence. get the permit from the commander, and I'll round up some 55 56 L.-- . I II About thirtyminutespassed. Several people whom Andre relaxed and smiled. His harrowingride thou through Isaac recognized travelled down the road, but they were enemy territory seemed to be over. all patriots. Suddenly he spotted a stranger approaching. "Am I glad to see you!" Andre went on, "I am an offi- "Here's a horseman coming!" The three grabbed their cer in the British service out in the country on particular muskets as Major Andre approached. business, and I hope you won't detain me a minute; and to i'I 1, "Shall we let him pass?" whispered David Williams. let you know that I am a gentleman, here is my gold watch!" ill "Damn him! I don't like his looks!" exclaimed "We are Americans, and don't belong to the lower Paulding. Andre's light blue military overcoat, and his party,"snapped Paulding. high military boots with spurs made him look suspicious Andre turned white. He realized that he had given him- to Paulding, who jumped into the road pointing his musket self away. Shifting stories quickly, he exclaimed, "God at Andre's chest. Williams and Van Wart followed and bless my soul! A body must do anything to get along now 11 - 4. a-day s. I am a Continental officer on my way to Dobbs surrounded the Major. Y "Where are you going?" asked lik Ferry to get information from the enemy. Here's my pass 6. i from General Arnold." Paulding, who had taken command ��"` of the situation. Ot‘.8 Paulding studied the pass. Andre dismounted. Andre com letel taken b � � Gentlemen," Andre said firml "You had p y y iiiill y, better let surprise,'looked at the three me go, or you will bring yourselves into trouble." men before him. Paulding in a "I hope you won't be offended, Sir," said Paulding, Hessian Yager coat looked like "we don't mean to take anything from you, but there are a Tory. Andre must have con- a great many bad people on the road, and we do not know cluded that these young men but you might be one. Do you have any papers about you?" Hessian Yager7 were Cow Boys. Instead of "No!" lied Major Andre. showing Arnold's pass immediately, Andre exclaimed with "I think you had better come with us, Sir," said relief, "God bless you, my dear friends. I hope you be- Paulding. And so they took down the fence rail and led 5. 1Andre into the thicket out of sight of the road. Williams long to our party!" "What party?" asked Paulding. quickly replaced the fence rail to avoid suspicion from "Why, the lower party," answered Andre. any chance passers by. In the thicket the Americans "That's right, yes Sir, we do," lied Paulding. searched Andre's clothes but found nothing but eighty 57 58 continental dollars that Joshua Smith had given him that guineas you shall not stir one step!" The charade was 9. 9. over. The moment of temptation was past. II morning. Paulding, Van Wart and Williams took Andre up the road "All right," ordered Paulding, "take off your boots." to join the other men in the scouting party. Then they all ;I Andre hesitated and hedged, but finally took them off. walked back to James Romer's house. Paulding noticed a sag at the bottom of Andre's silk stock- ings. As Andre took them off a packet of papers fell to Years afterward, John Romer, James' younger brother, remembered that day clearly. "John Paulding, leaving the the ground. Paulding, the only one of the three captors prisoner outside, came in to talk to my mother who was a who could read, looked them over. warm Whig. "This man is a spy!" exclaimed Paulding. Glaring at 'Aunt Fanny, ' he said, 'take care what you say, now. the hapless Andre he ordered, "Get dressed." I believe we've got a British officer with us and if you Later, Isaac Van Wart was to say to his friends, "You 10. take on badly it may be an injury to you. '" He was afraid never saw such an alteration in any man's face. Only a 9 that the British might retaliate against the family if they few minutes before, he was uncommonly gay in his looks; were unpleasant to a British officer. So Mrs. Romer held but after we had made him prisoner, you could read in his 8• her tongue and fixed the boys some dinner. When she of- 11 face that he thought it was all over with him." Iul fered the food to Andre he politely refused. Mrs. Romer As he put on his stockings and boots, Andre' apparently was afraid that the fine English gentleman did not like had second thoughts. "These are simple country boys," he I her plain food and apologized for the simple meal. probably thought to himself. "Maybe they will take a bribe." Aloud he said, "If you release me, I'll give you "Madame,"said Major Andre, "It is all very good, but 11. , indeed I cannot eat." Later, as she watched the party de- any sum of money you ask!" part, Mrs. Romer noticed that big drops of sweat fell "Will you give up your horse, saddle, bridle, watch from Andre's face. and one hundred guineas?" asked Williams. A few miles down the road Andre turned and said to "Yes," replied Andre seriously. his captors, "I would to God you had blown my brains out "More?" asked Williams. when you stopped me!" Van Wart said later, "He suffered "Any amount of money or any quantity of dry goods you much in mind, but he acted like a gentleman, candidly and ask. And, I'll bring them to any place you want!" the 12. politely. He never once attempted to escape." Major eagerly replied. Back at Romer's, sixteen year old John was sent to get "No, by God," exclaimed Paulding, speaking for all the basket and pewter basin. They were still in the three of the men. "If you would give us ten thousand 60 59 11 thicket along with the pack of cards at the site of the most DeLancey Raids American erican famous capture of a British officer in Westchester County. Post at Pines Bridge * * * * May13, 1781 After a trial before a board of fourteen general offi- cers of the American army, Major Andre was found guilty on September 29th of being a spy. The facts were undeniable. A year later, in the winter of 1780-1781, the situ- He had been wearing a borrowed American military coat, car- ation in Westchester County had worsened. Philip Pell, rying secret papers, and had been traveling under the as- Jr. , of Pelham Manor, a member of the Assembly and one of sumed name of John Anderson. Andre confessed at the trial. the Pell family who chose the American side, wrote this He was sentenced on October 1st and hanged the next day at letter to a friend on December 22, 1780. American headquarters in Tappan, Rockland County, New York. "I was in Westchester County last Saturday and found General Washington, in a letter to the President of the that there were no Troops there but a few Continentals Continental Congress, declared that the militiamen who cap- at Pines Bridge, which can afford protection only to tured Andre, ". . .acted in such a manner upon the occasion Crompond; the rest of the County's altogether open to as does them the highest honor and proves them to be men of the ravages of DeLancey's thieves who faithfully im- great virtue. They were offered, as I am informed, a large proved their opportunity and last Monday night (18th) sum of money for his release, and as many goods as they came up to Nc,rth Castle and took Major Israel Lyon, would demand, but without effect. Their conduct gives them Captain Gilbert Lyon and Esquire Peter Lyon, the prin- a just claim to the thanks of their country, and I also hope cipal supporters of that part of the Country, besides they will be otherwise rewarded."13• several others. This I had from a man who came from On November 3, 1780, Congress awarded John Paulding, Bedford yesterday and was on his way up country to look jl1 David Williams and Isaac Van Wart two hundred dollars to for a place to move. North Castle is now broke up, be received annually during their lifetimes. Silver medals Bedford . . . was some time ago burnt, and Salem. . . r, inscribed "Fidelity" on one side and "Vincit amor patriae" is now the frontier, and it is in the power of DeLancey I, (love of country conquers) on the other were presented by to destroy that place when he pleases. I General Washington himself to the three young men at a cere- The people of Westchester County think themselves mony at Verplanck's Point. After the war the State of New given up to ruin, are discouraged and worn out, and be- York also awarded each of the three captors a farm that lieve they shall receive no further help; the enemy had been confiscated from loyalists. drawing large supplies from Connecticut and other places by means of that part of the country being left open . . . Footnotes: verily I believe that unless something is done, West- 1. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot- chester County, in less than a month will be totally Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, in the Enemy's power; their exposed situation occasions N.Y. , 1844, 280. those who were once good men to become corrupt by trad- 2. McDonald, op. cit. , 833. ing with the enemy, and this I am afraid gains ground 3. Raymond, Marcius D. , Souvenir of the Revolutionary fast; besides the constant taking away of them lessens Soldiers; Monument Dedication, Tarrytown, N.Y. , the number of fighting men."1• 129-130. In order to stop DeLancey's raiders and to improve 4. Abbatt, William, The Crisis of the Revolution, the morale of the inhabitiants and troops, Lieutenant N.Y. , 1899, 25. Colonel William Hull, stationed at Pines Bridge, planned 5. Shonnard, Frederic and Spooner, W.E. , History of and carried out a successful raid on DeLancey at Morris- Westchester County, New York, N.Y. , 1900, 471. ania on January 21, 1781. Aided by volunteer Rangers 6. Raymond, cit. , 130. and guides, they burned forty huts and captured many 7. Shonnard an Spooner, op. cit. , 471. prisoners and cattle at the refugee settlement. DeLancey 8. Raymond, o cit. , 131. escaped again and seethed when he surveyed the smoking 9. Shonnard an Spooner, o . cit. , 472. ruins. 10. McDonald, op. cit. , 14 , 2 , 848. Then in April, 1781, another incident occurred that 11. Romer, John L. , Historical Sketches of the Romer, made DeLancey more determined than ever to raid Pines Van Tassel and Allied Families, Buffalo,1917,24. Bridge. 12. Raymond, oo. cit. , 131. 13. Shonnard as Spooner, op. cit. , 476. * * * * * 61 62 Gilbert Totten, one of DeLancey's officers, had been "The next flag that comes up will be a bloody one!" 4. born and raised in North Castle. In April, 1781, he travel- snarled Totten. ed back to his old neighborhood under a white flage of truce. Colonel Christopher Greene and Major Ebenezer Flagg were Totten had expected the Americans to honor the truce flag well liked by their hosts, the Richardson Davenport family and to pass him through the area safely. But Colonel Chris- of Pines Bridge. After dinner on the night of May 12, Col- topher Greene, the commander at Pines Bridge, suspected that onel Greene sighed as he and Davenport had their evening Totten was up to scout military defenses. He arrested pipes together in front of the fire. "Mr. Davenport," he Totten, refused to give him parole, and held him prisoner said in his soft Southern drawl, "you are a happy man, sur- at his headquarters at the Davenport House about two and a q p rounded by a fine wife and dutiful children. I envy you half miles from the fortifications. Gilbert Totten was in- much. But I hope this unnatural war is drawing to a close sulted. Even though he was a Tory and had gone below to and that by this time next spring, I also shall enjoy dom- join DeLancey, he had expected better treatment by the Amer- estic happiness as you do with my wife and children."5 icans. In his old neighborhood, the handsome, well-built As Colonel Greene went peacefully to bed that night in man had been well-liked, and despite his politics he still the room he shared with Major Flagg and Lieutenant Olney, had many friends in the area as often happened in the neu- refugees DeLancey and Totten were preparing a sunrise 2. tral ground. attack that would end the Colonel's dream of home. Finally Greene released him, but not until he had put Jackson Odell, son of John Odell, a famous Guide, Totten through a rather unpleasant session of hard question- claimed that this raid of DeLancey's was one of the bold- ing. est and best conducted enterprises of the entire war. By "Colonel Green," Totten said as he prepared to leave, using skillful guides of his own, DeLancey was able to lead "before long you will repent the treatment I have received his entire force of 300 "Invincibles" thirtymil es to Pines 6. this day! The first opportunity I have I will repay you Bridge past all the American patrols without being detected. 3. in kind." The Refugees arrived at the Croton River at Blenis's Colonel Greene, neither impressed nor intimidated by ford, just before dawn, only to find the river so swollen the indignant Tory, gave him a cold look and said, "When by spring rains that it was almost at flood stage. Only will you be up again with a truce flag?" about two hundred of DeLancey's men were able to cross the river. (�0)) Davenport's house was built into a hill. Colonel Officer's sword Greene, the Major and the Lieutenant occupied a large 63 64 7. second floor room that had a door going directly outside, are only a bunch of Cow Boys! Fire away, lads! !" Major Flagg ran back to the west window, but a volley of The Davenport family rooms adjoined the Colonel's. Mr. shots from below hit him and he fell dead, pierced by five Davenport heard clearly all that happened in that room on that fateful morning. or six musket balls. About fifty American soldiers were scattered in tents By this time Totten had led his men to the rear door and around the back of the house. Some of them were asleep leading into Greene's room. By throwing large rocks against on the stoop when the Refugees crept into the yard from the it, they forced it open. west where only one sentry was posted. They were almost on "Surrender, Greene!" shouted Totten: top of him before he saw them. Colonel Greene swung his broadsword with all his might "Halt!" the sentry shouted as he fired his musket. The at Totten. Fortunately for the Cow Boy, another man behind soldiers on the stoop sprang to their feet and fired at the him parried the blow, but even so, Totten was stunned and wounded. A furious hand to hand battle of swords and pis- invaders. The Refugees, with Totten at their head, ran toward the tols followed. house calling out, "Surrender! Surrender, in the name of Minutes later the fight was over. Lieutenant Olney lay dead by the door and Colonel Greene had been shot sev- h the King!" Lieutenant Olney always slept with a pair of loaded eral times and had been badly hacked by sabers. pistols upon a stand by his bed. He ran to the west win- "I surrender," gasped Greene, "and ask for quarter and dow, threw it open and fired both pistols down at the ap- parole." proaching Refugees. "Quarter you shall have," answered Totten, "but you "Kill! Kill! No quarter! !" screamed the Cow Boys. would not give me my parole when I was your prisoner. Re- "Olney, you've undone us!" shouted Major Flagg. member8what I told you then. You must go with us to Morris- Colonel Greene, with his sword in his hand said reso- ania." lutely, "We must sell our lives as dearly as we can." As They dragged the mortally woundedAOW he ran to the head of the stairs, Greene called to his Greene down the stairs and placed him \ U//� soldiers below, "Stand to your arms, men! Courage! They behind a dragoon on a horse and then proceeded toward Pines Bridge. About Cocked hat (/I a mile and a half down the road Greene fell unconscious off the horse. "He's done for," said the dragoon. They dragged him 65 66 "any able bodies negro, mullato, and Indian man slave" could off the road to a spot surrounded by whortleberry bushes. enlist for the duration of the war and gain his freedom. The Though they propped up his head for comfort, the Refugees Army paid the owners for the slaves. Colonel Christopher left him to die alone as they rode on. Totten watched silent- i Greene, Major Ebenezer Flagg and Lieutenant Olney were called ly from his mare. in to recruit and train the men. The regiment had won praise Little Lydia Vail, the eleven year old grandaughter of for its fighting ability and bravery at the Battle of Rhode Richardson Davenport, was running across the fields from Island, fought on August 29, 1778. They were men who were her own house, a half mile up the road. Soldiers had come 11. high in morale and proud of their achievements. to tell her father that everyone at headquarters had been As DeLancey's troops rode up to the Griffen house, massacred. Suddenly she saw the Refugees, who were leaving about thirty of the Rhode Island soldiers grabbed their her grandfather's house, their caps and swords glittering weapons and prepared to fight. DeLancey sent up a man with the trees. The little girl th rew herself on the through a white flag. ground where she hid until the Refugees had passed. After "We have killed your Colonel and destroyed your head- they P had departed, she ran to her grandfather's house where quarters. I demand that you surrender unconditionally at she found the floors and walls spattered with blood. The once: :" dead and dying lay everywhere. Her grandfather was ban- Some of the soldiers followed their sergeant, who, daging two of his black servants who had been wounded while 9. seeing they were surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered, bravely defending the house. surrendered. The rest, said a witness, ". . .obstructed a Meanwhile DeLancey led the "Invincibles" down the road force five times their number, with no other thought in to the Widow Griffen's house where the Rhode Island Regi- mind than fighting as long as they were able for their ment was quartered under Ensign Greene, Colonel Greene's 12. country's freedom." As DeLancey's troops advanced, the nephew. The Griffen house was an important post because it vastly outnumbered black soldiers fired. Then the Refugees sat high on the north bank of the Croton Valley and over- closed in and, although the blacks fought back bravely, looked the defenses at Pines Bridge as well as the main they were killed to a man. road to Yorktown. That ended the gruesome work at Pines Bridge. On The Rhode Island Regiment, stationed at the Widow Grif- their way back to Morrisania, DeLancey and his men fen's was an unusual one in the American army during the stopped at Jonathan Odell's house. After a light dinner, Revolution. In order to fill their quota from Congress, he commanded, "Mr. Odell, I need a bed," and taking the Rhode Island Assembly had passed a law stating that 67 68 * 13. off his boots, slept soundly. Shube Merritt, Cow Boy 4%%w Scourge and Terror of the Neutral Ground Footnotes: 1. Hufeland, Otton, Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution, White Plains, Some fascinating heroes and villains emerged N.Y. , 1926, 370-371. during the Revolutionary War years in Westchester 2. McDonald, John, Papers, The McDonald MSS, Hu uenot- g County. Time and time again in John McDonald's Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, interviews one name was mentioned with fear and N.Y. , 1844, 441. 3. McDonald, op. cit. , 301. hatred: Shube Merritt, the Cow Boy from Rye, who had gone below to Morrisania. He, more than 4. McDonald, op. cit. , 715. any other individual in the Neutral Ground, fits 5. McDonald, op. cit. , 173. Dr. Thacher, the American army surgeon's des- 6. McDonald, op. cit. , 139, 185. cription of ". . .a shameless marauder. . .an in- 7. McDonald, op. cit. , 252. famous bandit. . .whose atrocious deeds. . .have be- 8. McDonald, op. cit. , 301. come a scourge and terror to the people."1. 9. McDonald, op. cit. , 651. He leaps from McDonald's notebooks as one of the 10. Albee, Alison, "Defenses at Pines Bridge", most interesting villains of Westchester County Westchester Historian, Vol. 37, No. 2, 55. 11. Albee, Alison, Westchester Historian, Vol. 35, during the American Revolution. No. 20, 38. * * * * * 12. Albee, op. cit. , 56. 13. McDonald, op. cit. , 160. This branch of the Merritt family were all loyalists. ol At the outbreak of the fighting, Mr. Merritt, Shube and his brother, Thomas, went below to join Emmerick's Refu- gee Corps in Morrisania. Shube gained such an unsavory reputation for his savage behavior that Major Emmerick expelled him from his Corps. From then on Shube raided r IWestchester County as a renegade Cow Boy. Shube was easily recognized because he had only a o stump where his left hand and forearm had once been. During a raid on King Street in Rye he had attempted to force his way into the home of American militia Captain Wilson. Wilson attacked Shube with an axe which cost Merritt his hand. Shube was inside having the wound dressed by a surgeon when a young lad, excited and cur- 1 ious to see a "real Refugee", entered the room. The I69 70 I young soldier promptly fainted when he saw Shube's arm. "How many?" he asked. "You are a damned poor soldier if you faint away at the "Two" was the answer. 2. "Then, I'll stand my ground," said Sergeant Dole. sight of a little British blood.,,, said Shube. Always wily and cunning, Shube wriggled out of a tight Shube and Adderton stationed themselves on either side situation the day he and Benoni Newman were bargaining for of a gateway. Dole drew his sword and started toward the a pair of shoes with Nathaniel Brown in Rye. While they two men. were in the house, an American patrol, informed that Refu "Surrender!" shouted Shube. gees were at the shoemaker's, raided the house. Benoni Dole slashed at Merritt as Shube fired and and missed. But Newman tried to fight his way out of the house with his sword Adderton's shot hit Dole in the side. The wounded Scot, nevertheless, made it to his horse and fled to Nathan Mer- and was killed. But Shube used his head, literally, to save himself. He untied the ribbon that held back his hair and ritt's house. His wound was being dressed when Shube, go I combed it over his face. Then he put his cocked hat over ing after his prisoner, charged into the house. (Whether these Merritts were relatives of Shube's is not stated.) the stump of his arm. In a most humble way Shube stepped out and surrendered. "This man is my prisoner and I demand his property," He meekly begged quarter. The Captain of the patrol, being he shouted. The Merritts gave him Dole's sword and pistol. a humane man, agreed. With that, Shube, combed back his "Now I shall parole you, since you are my prisoner," he hair, tied it and put on his hat. When the Captain rea said to the injured Scot. Parole meant giving a prisoner lized that he had just missed the chance to dispatch the full or partial freedom in exchange for the prisoner prom- infamous Shube Merritt, he regretted having given him ising to fulfill certain conditions. This practice was used quarter but, nevertheless, ordered his men to treat him a great deal in the unpredictable political arena of the 4. Neutral Ground. It eliminated the bother of taking pris- well, "notwithstanding his wickedness!" It was not long before Shube had escaped from the oners, and the captor often gained money or a promise that Americans and was back to his old shenanigans. One story the prisoner would not fight for the enemy again. tells of Shube's personal combat with Sergeant Dole, a "Parole won't be necessary," gasped Sergeant Dole, "as Scotsman serving in Sheldon's American corps. When Ser- I'll probably die anyway." geant Dole was informed that Shube Merritt and a man named "You must surrender to me if you recover!" Merritt be rated the wounded man. But Dole was not about to give in. Adderton, were out looking for him he asked, "How are they "If I recover, I'll surrender, if you promise that you armed?" "With pistols only," he was told. will parole me," he said stubbornly. 71 72 6. "I don't make promises!" snarled Merritt. with Shube. With another prisoner, Captain Lockwood, pos- "Then I refuse to surrender," shouted Dole. sibly Samuel Lockwood who captured the Schuldham, Merritt had "I'll finish you off here and now!" yelled Shube. said, "Run twenty paces, and if my gun misses fire, you shall "Go ahead and kill me. Then I won't have to surrender!" go clear!" Fortunately, once again Merritt's gun misfired. gasped the Scot. This remark stopped Shube Merritt cold. Lockwood vowed he would pull the same trick on Merritt if he 7. Recognizing a kindred spirit in the feisty Scotsman, he ex- ever caught up with him. claimed, "You are a very brave man and have shown great Shube shot away the thumb of a Captain Smith in Stamford. courage at the very gates of death. I'll leave it to your He teased a man named Ackley as if he were a cat playing with honor to surrender if you recover. By the way, being sick a mouse when he announced to the terrified man, "I never take and among strangers, you must need some money." Shube hand- prisoners. But sometimes I make a sacrifice and give the devil some!" He snapped his pistol three times at Ackley. ed Dole a guinea. "I henceforth consider you my friend!" he said to the man whom five minutes before he had been It failed to fire. "If you ever take me," he boasted, 8. "serve me in the same manner." ready to run through with his sword. Sergeant Dole, taken aback at Shube's change of heart, By the last months of the war, Shube's list of enemies finally consented to surrender. When he did recover, Dole was long. He had become so notorious that Samuel Reynolds, went below, surrendered to Shube in person, and was given Captain Lockwood, and some other whaleboatmen had vowed to 5' kill him if they could catch him. Finally in April, 1783, his parole. Sergeant Dole had good reason to demand that Shube Mer an opportunity arrived. - ritt promise to have him paroled. Shube had a reputation Merritt plundered the home of a man by the name of Hol of humiliating and threatening to kill the men he took croft who lived on Davenport's Neck in New Rochelle. Hol prisoner. Stories of Shube tormenting prisoners were well croft, a Tory who traded with the British, was thoroughly known through the county. For example, he had fired his disgusted when Shube Merritt, a Cow Boy, robbed his house. pistol at Samuel Reynolds, a whaleboatman whom he had taken Holcroft traveled all the way to Morrisania to complain to prisoner. The gun missed and Reynolds swore to get even Colonel James Delancey and to demand that Shube return the plunder personally. It was later rumored that Holcroft tipped Sam Reynolds rge/�%� off as to Merritt's whereabouts. When he heard that Shube was in the area, Reynolds assembled a whaleboat crew. They whaleboat swivel gun 73 74 1 Who actually killed Shube Merritt has been lost in the were out in New Rochelle harbor when they spotted him on mists of time. Typically, even in the manner of his death, shore. Rowing fast, they landed and chased him on foot. the criminal stirred up trouble. As David Brown of Harrison Shube took refuge in the Widow Toulon's tavern. said, "Bad as Shube was, yet good faith was outraged in his As the men rushed into the tavern, Shube ran up the 12. death and at the time there was even a feeling in his favor." circular staircase. Brandishing a pistol in each hand Footnotes: 1. Thacher, James, M.D. , A Military Journal During the American Revolutionary War, Boston, 1827, 232. 2. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot- ~` Thomas Paine Historical Society, 994. 3. McDonald, op. cit. , 864. I 4. McDonald, op. cit. , 1070. 5. McDonald, op. cit. , 38. 6. McDonald, op. cit. , 59. 7. McDonald, op. cit. , 6. 8. McDonald, op. cit. , 380. he turned and shouted, "The first man that steps up these 9. McDonald, op. cit. , 863. 10. Ibid. 9. 11. McDonald, op. cit. , 7, 246, 300. stairs, I'll blow him through!" 12. McDonald, op. cit. , 300. "Let's fire the house, boys!" shouted Reynolds. The men set the house on fire and as the smoke poured into the second story, Shube tried to bargain for his freedom. "I'll surrender if you'll give me quarter," he offered, descending the staircase. What happened next is unclear. Several men claimed the honor of killing the notorious ter- rorist. Most accounts claimed that Sam Reynolds shot Merritt as he reached the last stair. Reynolds is supposed to have said, "I'll give you the same quarter you offered me," and 10. shot him. Others claimed that the men ordered Shube outside and told him to march twenty paces, saying "If our guns miss I you, you shall go clear," as Shube had said so many times to his victims. These witnesses said that as he marched, Shube turned around to look and several guns went off, killing him.11' 76 75 .__ . IL REVOLUTIONARY WAR TERMS AMERICAN BRITISH Whig Tory patriot loyalist rebel Refugee Skinner Cow Boy T : 7. + ;; _-� Westchester Guide Hessian t �. ��� Ranger Yager .1I l.-.-A.(`4- , _. upper party lower party "For Congress" "For King George" * * * * * GLOSSARY • advance guard detachment of troops sent ahead of a main force to reconnoiter or protect the line of march brigade army unit of two or more regiments in Continental By 1782 the fighting had ended between the main armies army in the north. Conditions in the Neutral Ground continued to deteriorate. DeLancey's Cow Boys and outlaw Skinner Committee of Safety local committee of Whigs responsible bands took advantage of the complete breakdown of law and for protecting the community from British sympathizers order and military protection to increase the frequency company smallest unit of troops in the Continental army and violence of their raids. The Guides and Rangers be- Continental army American army during the Revolution came even more anxious to capture Colonel James DeLancey, Cow Boy Tory cattle thief, robber, rogue but they never succeeded. In the last raid, led by Guide John Odell and Captain Daniel Williams in January, 1783, dra oon soldier capable of fighting on foot or on horse DeLancey escaped by hiding in a pigpen. His life as a rove herd of cattle or other livestock being driven Cow Boy had been profitable. It was said he left for Eng- land with six barrels full of dollar bills! 1• Guide man who served as a scout for army or militia On March 23, 1783, news arrived that the British min- istry had ordered a ceasefire. By May 13, 1783, the Brit- Hessian soldier from Hesse in Germany who fought for the ish had left Westchester territory, but the Cow Boys were British during the American Revolution still so active that eight companies of infantry were sta- tioned in Westchester to check the Refugees from raiding. mercenary soldier serving for pay in a foreign army Finally, on November 25, 1783, the last British troops left New York City and General George Washington and Gov- 1 Neutral Ground area in Westchester County, N.Y. , between ernor George Clinton entered New York side by side. The the lines of the American and British armies War was over! parole promise made by a prisoner that in exchange for freedom he will abide by certain conditions Footnotes: picket soldier(s) stationed at an outpost; guard; sentry 1. McDonald, John, The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot-Thomas pillage to loot; the act of looting or stealing Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, N.Y. , 1844, 104. quarter mercy granted to a surrendering foe Rangers American volunteer cavalry corps recall to order to return; the order to return Refugee Tory who went behind British lines regiment army unit of two or more companies in 1776 Skinner Whig bandit that preyed against both sides termagant quarrelsome woman; shrew 1 Yager (Jager) Hessian rifleman 77 78 Bibliography Abbatt, William, The Battle of Pell's Point, N.Y. , 1901. Abbatt, William, Crisis of the Revolution, N.Y. , 1899. Albee, Alison, "Defenses at Pines Bridge," Westchester To order additional copies of Historian, Vol. 35 No. 20; Vol. 37, No. 2. Billias, George, General John Glover, N.Y. , 1960. BETWEEN THE LINES Callahan, North, Royal Raiders, New York, 1963. Crary, Catherine S. , The Price of Loyalty, N.Y. , 1973. send to: Chidsey, Donald Barr, The Loyalists, N.Y. , 1973. Franko, Dr. Alfred M. , Pelham Manor; The Forgotten Battle THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF PELHAM, INC. of the Revolution, Mt. Vernon, N.Y. , 1966. 901 PelhamdaleAvenue Hadaway, William S. , The McDonald Papers, N.Y. , 1927. Pelham Manor,N.Y. 10803 Hinitt, Dorothy and Duncombe, Frances, The Burning of Bedford, July, 1779, Bedford, N.Y. , 1974. Hufeland, Otto, Westchester County, N.Y. , During the American Revolution, White Plains, N.Y. , 1926. McDonald, John M. , The McDonald Papers, MSS, Huguenot- Thomas Paine Historical Assoc. , New Rochelle, N.Y. ,1844- 1850. Montross, Lynn, Rag, Tag and Bobtail, N.Y. , 1952. Moore, Frank, Diary of the American Revolution, Vol.I, New York, 1860. Pickering, James, "Enoch Crosby, Secret Agent of the Neutral Ground, His Own Story," New York History, Vol. 47, No. 1. Raymond, Marcius D. , Souvenir of the Revolutionary Soldiers' Monument Dedication, Tarrytown, N.Y. , 1894. Romer, John L. , Historical Sketches of the Romer, Van Tassel and Allied Families, Buffalo, N.Y. , 1917. Acknowledgements Scharf, J. Thomas, History of Westchester County, N.Y. , g Vol. I, N.Y. , 1886. Shonnard, Frederic and Spooner, W.E. , History of Westchester Mrs.Frederick Richardson,Huguenot-Thomas Paine Historical Association. County, New York, New York, 1900. Mr.William F.Dornbusch,Westchester County Historical Society. II School Consultants: Mrs.Joan McCann,Principal,Fox Meadow School,Scarsdale,New York; reading specialist. Mr.Rodney W.Smith,Chairman,Social Studies Department,Pelham Memorial JGLl1TlC1N High School,Pelham,New York. �l�, Mr.Ronald Wayne Chidlow,Fifth Grade Teacher,Siwanoy School,Pelham, New York. UZZ Typist: Mary Ann McGrath. m Printer: Westchester Lithographers,Inc.,New Rochelle,N.Y. Illustrator: Bette Williams. 7 76-191 o Many thanks are due to the members of the Junior League of Pelham: i Editors: Diana Reische, Mary Hearle. RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN REVOLUTION Illustrator: Nancy Warner. BICENTENNIAL ga CartO r p ADMINISTRATION her: Barbara Bartlett. Business Manager: Sallie Mackie. 79 I