"Evacuation Day", 1783 Part 4

[17] Believed to have been James Thompson, whose brother John was killed at Fort Montgomery. Others slain in McClaughry's regiment were _Capts._ James Milliken and Jacobus Roosa, _Lieut._ Nathaniel Milliken, and _Privates_ Theophilus Corwin, David Benson, James Gage, David Halliday, etc.

[18] The WEARS, respectable Protestants from the north of Ireland, were noted for longevity. William Wear, their ancestor, dying, his widow with two children, William and Jennie, emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1749, and thence in 1760 to the town of Montgomery. Mrs. Wear died at her daughter's house December 3, 1803, aged 92 years. Her son William, named in the text, resided near Orange Lake, had a numerous family, and attained the age of 97 years. He died November 7, 1828, and was ancestor of William Wear, Esq. Mrs. Van Arsdale was born March 31, 1746, as maintained by her brother, who was much the oldest, and hence was in her 100th year at her decease, September 17, 1845. Her husband, Tunis, died April 9, 1813, aged 67 years. This worthy pair united with the Walkill Church in 1782. Mrs. V. was a woman of remarkable energy, and retained her faculties till the last, almost perfectly. Her memory extended back to the closing events in the life of Steffel Van Arsdale, her husband's grandfather, and she lived to see his descendants of the sixth generation.

[19] The 52d and 27th Regiments, the Royal American Regiment, Col.

Beverly Robinson, the New York Volunteers, Major Grant, and Emerick's Provincial Cha.s.seurs.

[20] Grenadiers and Light Infantry, the 26th and 63d Regiments, one company of the 71st Highlanders, one troop of dismounted dragoons, and Hessian Cha.s.seurs.

[21] The Royal Fusileers and Hessian Regiment of Trumback.

[22] This refers only to the final a.s.sault; the enemy fired upon our people both in the preliminary skirmishes and after they were masters of the forts. J. R.

[23] JUDGE BODLE was born only a stone's throw from the Clinton homestead, in Little Britain (being a second cousin to the Clintons); but at the time of the battle was a farmer on the Walkill. The distance made him late, and he reached the vicinity of the forts only to learn that the enemy had possession. Next morning, going home, he suddenly met Claudius Smith, the noted Tory robber. They knew each other. Bodle was perplexed, but putting on a bold front, approached Claudius, who seemed very friendly. After inquiring the news from the river, Smith said he had to go away, but added: "Mr. Bodle, you are weary, go to my house yonder and ask my wife for some breakfast, and say that I sent you."

Seeming to accept his offer, but suspecting a trick, Bodle steered for home, nor felt quite safe till he reached Chester. Smith was a bold, accomplished villain, a terror to the people of Orange, and whose career of brigandage has all the air of romance. He was finally hung at Goshen, January 22, 1779. Mr. Bodle was one of the citizens who guarded him while in jail. Smith asked him if he would really shoot him, if a rescue were attempted. Bodle said his duty would compel him to it. "Ah! Bodle, I don't believe you," said Smith. See _Eager's Orange County_, for an account of Smith and his gang, made up in part from an article we wrote many years ago for the "True Sun." But not a fact in that article (save the incident above related), came from Judge Bodle, as Mr. Eager a.s.sumes.

[24] JEPTHA LEE, of Lamb's Artillery, was one of those who escaped out of the fort with General James Clinton. He served with John Van Arsdale, under Capt. Faulkner, in 1779, and died in 1855, at Ulysses, N. Y.

[25] COL. MCCLAUGHRY, though a prisoner and sorely wounded, showed the same indomitable spirit as before. Left to suffer three days before his wounds were dressed, in the belief that he could not live, his captors tried to extort information from him, as to our strength. He replied curtly that Was.h.i.+ngton had a powerful army, and would yet whip them, and he should live to see it! He was soon exchanged, resumed his command and survived the war. He was made an honorary member of the Cincinnati, and lived most respectably upon his farm at Little Britain, till his death in 1790, aged 67 years. He left no children.

GEN. ALLISON, as later styled, was exchanged during the ensuing winter, and took home with him to Gov. Clinton $2,000 in gold, loaned by a good whig on Long Island, to aid the American cause. He died in 1804, at the Drowned Lands, where he resided; leaving a very respectable family and an ample estate. His daughter Sarah married William W. Thompson, and daughter Mary married Dr. William Elmer.

[26] The exceptions were Col. McClaughry, Capt. Humphrey, Lieut. Solomon Pendleton and Ensign John McClaughry, both of Dubois's regiment, and Lieut. John Hunter, of McClaughry's; who were still there Nov. 5th.

[27] They were, besides Wells, Robert Huston, Francis McBride, and William Humphrey, of McClaughry's regiment, and John Brooks, of Woodhull's. Abel Wells sickened and died in the Provost, Dec. 13, 1777.

Benjamin Goldsmith and Garret Miller, worthy residents of Smith's Clove in Orange County, deserve notice in this connection. Goldsmith had a valuable horse stolen by Claudius Smith's gang, and some of his neighbors sustained similar losses. Finally a party went out in pursuit of the robbers, but some, including Goldsmith and Miller, fell into the hands of the British, and were sent to the Provost, where both died of smallpox, Miller on the memorable 6th of October, and Goldsmith on the 20th of October, 1777. Goldsmith was the father of Daniel, who was the father of the present Mr. Daniel Goldsmith, of Bloomingrove, and of the late David Goldsmith, of Schuyler Co., N. Y.

[28] This kindness was repaid a dozen years later (1790) when Mr. Van Arsdale and his wife took Mr. Day's eight year old motherless daughter to nurture as their own, they having been bereft the year previous of their three young children, though seven more were given them afterwards. And Mary Day, (whose father died Oct. 19, 1802, aged 49), remained with them till her marriage to William Hutchings, the father of Mr. John Hutchings, of Norwalk, Ct. Amiable woman, pure and artless as a child, and to sum up her life in a word, filling her humble sphere with perfect fidelity,--among the happier days of the writer's boyhood were those spent in summer recreations at her modest home at Cow Bay, with the mill pond and Squire Mitch.e.l.l's old red grist mill, and Uncle Billy's cooperage near it, and around the bluff the broad sandy beach, as rambling ground; your pardon, indulgent reader, if thoughts of the past do force a tear.

[29] LIST OF THE AMERICANS who were made prisoners at Forts Montgomery and Clinton, Oct. 6, 1777.

OFFICERS.

Col. William Allison.

Lt. Col. James McClaughry.

Lt. Col. Jacobus Bruyn.

Lt. Col. William Livingston.

Major Samuel Logan, 5th Regt.

Major Stephen Lush, Brigade Major to Gen. George Clinton.

Major Daniel Hamil, Brigade Major to Gen. James Clinton.

Major Zachariah Dubois, Woodhull's Regt.

Capt. Henry G.o.dwin, 5th Regt.

Capt. James Humphrey, McClaughry's Regt.

Capt. Lt. Cornelius Swartwout, Lamb's Artillery.

Capt. Lt. Ephraim Fenno, Lamb's Artillery.

Lieut. Solomon Pendleton, 5th Regt.

Lieut. Paton Jackson, 5th Regt.

Lieut. John Furman, 5th Regt.

Lieut. Henry Pawling, 5th Regt.

Lieut. Ebenezer Mott, 5th Regt.

*Lieut. Alexander McArthur, 5th Regt.

Lieut. Samuel Dodge, 5th Regt.

Lieut. John Hunter, McClaughry's Regt.

Lieut. Benjamin Halstead, Allison's Regt.

Lieut. Henry Brewster, Allison's Regt.

Ensign Abraham Leggett, 5th Regt.

Ensign John McClaughry, 5th Regt.

Ensign Henry Swartwout, 5th Regt.

Adj. Dep. Qr. Mr. Gen. Oliver Glean.

Qr. Master Nehemiah Carpenter.

Capt. James Gilliland, Director of Ordnance.

PRIVATES AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. _5th, or Col. Dubois's Regiment._

David McHollister. Thomas Conklin.

Martin Shay. Ephraim Adams.

Jacobus Tarbush. Francis Sears.

Thaddeus Kennedy. Samuel Garrison.

John McDonald. William Willis.

John Conklin. Abraham Jorden.

James Montanye. John Storm.

Henry Ostrander. Thomas McCarty.

Jacobus Logier. Thomas Hendricks.

David Bovins. John Chamberlin.

Vincent Venney. Zebulon Woodruff.

Jeremiah Dunn. Paul Keizler.

Robert Patrick. George Heck.

William Barber. John Miller.

Benjamin Wiley. John Allison.

Danford Winchester. Samuel Boyd.

*William Mullen. William Weaver.

Lewis Dixon. William Ivery.

John Ivery. John Stanley.

Nathaniel Otter. John Brown.

Eliakim Brush. George Polton.

Robert Gillespie. *Philip Felix.

Abraham Wright. Aaron Knapp.

Jonathan Hallock. James Mitch.e.l.l.

James Weldon. John Johnston.

Thomas Tinn. Nehemiah Sniffen.

Samuel Turner. Solomon Shaw.

Daniel Dominick. James Montieth.

John Witlock. Daniel Lower.

Jacobus Terwilliger. John Hunt.

James Steel. Michael Johnston.

Thomas Crispell. Joseph Reeder.

Enos Lent. John Price.

Jacobus Lent. Robert Marshall.

John Albright. Scott Travers.