Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

larly the 7th Regiment, with reversed arms and scarfs on the left elbow. The other officers were buried in a very proper manner. He was tall and slender, of an easy, graceful, and manly address, with a handsome countenance, although it was much marked by the small pox. He had the confidence, esteem, and love of the whole army. When he addressed his troops, he spoke with elegance and energy and transfused his own heroic

spirit into the hearts of his men.

In consequence of an act of the legislature of. New York, his remains were taken up by his nephew, Col. L. Livingston, in June, 1818, and conveyed to New York, where they were again entombed with the highest honors. His widow was then alive. The following inscription was on his coffin: "The State of New York, in honor of Gen. Richard Montgomery, who fell gloriously fighting for the Independence and Liberty of the United States before the walls of Quebec, the 31st day of December, 1775, caused these remains of this distinguished hero to be conveyed from Quebec and deposited, on the 8th of July, in St. Paul's church, in the city of New York, near the monument erected to his memory by the United States."

By the direction of Congress, a monument of white marble of the most beautiful simplicity, with emblematical devices, was executed by Mr. Cassiers at Paris, and it is erected to his memory in front of St. Paul's church, New York.

Of ARNOLD, who was next in command to Montgomery, every one knows, that he proved a traitor to his country, and fled from West Point to the enemy at New York in September, 1780. Although a brave man, yet he was destitute of some of the qualifications of a good commander, and was lost to the influence of moral principle. In Canada he was accused of plundering the inhabitants. In Philadelphia he was accused of peculation and various acts of extortion, and was reprimanded in 1779 by the decision of a court martial. He died in London, June 14th, 1801. Mr. Henry describes him as a short, handsome man, of a florid complexion, stoutly made, as complaisant, and possessed of great powers of persuasion, but sordidly avaricious.

Col. GREEN was advanced in years, yet he had the ardor of youth, and afterwards did service to his country at Redbank, on

the Delaware, in the autumn of 1777, in repelling the attack of Count Donop, who was killed. Col. Green was cut to pieces by horseman's sabers at an outpost, called Pine's Bridge, near the Hudson river, in the spring of 1780.

MORGAN, who was eminent during the whole revolutionary war, was of a large person, strong, of rough and severe manners. At the beginning of the expedition he claimed for the rifle officers to be independent of all the superior officers except Arnold; but Washington corrected the evil. Morgan was of an impetuous temper; his passions were easily excited, but they were also soon cooled, and he was prudent in war, while totally fearless of danger. The severity of his discipline was sometimes great, although perhaps necessary. On entering the wilderness he prohibited firing. Soon afterwards a gun was discharged in the woods. Having reason to suspect a man, who returned to camp, he accused him of the offence, and on his denial, seized a billet of wood and threatened to knock him down, unless he confessed. The man escaped by the interference of another officer.

Of Captain HENRY DEARBORN, afterwards Major General Dearborn, deceased within a few years past, a detailed account, it is understood, has been prepared by his son, Gen. Dearborn of Roxbury.

JOHN JOSEPH HENRY was 17 years old the day he crossed the river De Loup, and reached the first house in Canada. He was the son of Wm. Henry, Esq., of Lancaster, Pa. At the age of fourteen he was an apprentice to his uncle, a gun-smith, and probably acquired some skill, which was useful to him in prison. He accompanied his uncle to Detroit, and on his return on foot through the wilderness, his guide perished, and he himself was obliged to subsist on acorns before he reached the Ohio. After his expedition to Quebec, Morgan procured for him the appointment of captain in the Virginia line; but a slight cold, occasioning the return of the scurvy, put an end to his military career. A contusion on his knee, occasioned by a fall on the ice in the battle of Quebec, as he was running towards the first barrier, became a dangerous wound. ile had run against a cable fastening a vessel to the shore, and was thrown down a declivity ten feet. He was confined to his bed, and a lameness ever remained

with him. Having studied law under Stephen Chambers, Esq. whose youngest sister he married, he practiced law from the year 1785, until December, 1793, when he was appointed by Gov. Mifflin, to the office of President of the second judicial district of Pennsylvania. He held this office seventeen years, although the gout and other disorders often interrupted his duties during the last seven years. Under the long years of his bodily sufferings his mind reverted with delight to the adventurous scenes of his youth, and he drew up for his children an account of the expedition against Quebec. His infirmities at last induced him to resign his office, and in four months afterwards, about the year 1810, at his residence in Paxton, Dauphin county, died at the age of 52 years. At the close of his account he expresses a wish which it is afflicting to read, that his sufferings in his sickness, immediately after his return from Quebec, had ended a life, which afterwards was a tissue of labor, pain, and misery. Calamity is indeed the lot of man; and Judge Henry had an unusual share of suffering. It might have gladdened the hearts of other sufferers, if his narrative had rather closed with the expression of his hope, founded upon the religion of Jesus Christ, which he believed and vindicated, that he should soon be translated to a world, in which pain and misery are unknown.

THOMAS BOYD, ilenry's companion in the exploring party, and in imprisonment, and the largest and strongest man in his company, was in 1789, the captain of a company of riflemen of the first Pennsylvania regiment. Under Gen. Sullivan he penetrated into the western part of the State of New York in the expedition against the Indians of the Six Nations in the Seneca country, or country south of Seneca lake. He was sent in the night of September 12th from the camp, near a lake called Conesus with twenty soldiers, five volunteers, and an Oneida Indian chief, named Han-Jost, directed by Sullivan to reconnoiter an Indian town, supposed to be six miles distant. This party fell into an ambuscade the next day, and were all killed but three or four, who escaped. Boyd and Han-Jost and Michael Parker were taken and carried to the Indian town, or Genesee castle, and there tortured and put to death. On the 14th, the army arrived at the town or castle. Boyd's head was found separated from the

body and scalped, right eye taken out, and also his tongue. His right foot from the ball of the heel to the toes was cut open. His bowels had been taken out, and a long knife was sticking in deep between his shoulders. General Simpson, his companion in the wilderness of Maine, with Captain Thomas Campbell, decently buried him on the 14th of September. His scalp, hooped and painted, found in one of the wigwams, was recognized by General Simpson by its long, brown, silky hair; and the dreadful relic was still preserved when Henry wrote his narrative.

[blocks in formation]

From the Record of a Court held at Saco in 1640.

THE plaintiffe declareth that for ten years last past or thereaboute he was lawfully seized and in peaceable possession of a certain tract of land lyeing within this province, knowne by the name of Spurwink the wch. lott of land of two thousand acres the plaint. held as his owne inheritance by virtue of a pmise made unto him by you Sr. Ferdinando Gorges, being then one of the Pattentees unto whom wth the rest of the Pattentees was assigned all the land in New England betweene forty and forty-eight degrees of north latitude, wth the government thereof-wch. pm'ise 1 was made unto me for my encouragement before my coming into this country in any place unposessed, as is to you well knowne.

The plaint. further declareth that aboute the time aforesaid he joyneing himself in p'tenershipp 2 wth. Richard Tucker then of Spurwink, who had also a right of inheritance there, the wch. he bought and purchased for a valueable consideration of Richard Bradshaw, who was formerlie setled there by Capt. Walter Neale by virtue of a commission to him given by some of the lords Pattentees, and soe as appeareth the said Richard Tucker was lawfully posessed of a right of inheritance at and in the said Spurwink.*

Alsoe the plaint. further declareth that he joyneing his right by pm'ise and posession wth. his pt'ner's right of purchase and posession, and soe being accountable to his said pt'ner, they both agreed to joyne their rights together, and there to build, plante and continue: wch. when the plaint. had done and was there settled for two years or thereabouts, this defendt. Jno. Winter came and pretended an interest there by virtue of a succeeding pattent surrupticiouslie obtained, and soe by force of armes expelled and thrust away the plaint. from his house, lands and goods; all wch. the said defendt, to this day unjustly and unlawfully detaineth and keepeth contrarie to equitie and justice for wch. wrongs and injuries the plaint. in this Courte commenceth his action of trespass upon the case for the trover, and demandeth for his damage two hundred pounds sterling-for all wch. the plaint. of this Courte humbly desireth, and in his Ma'ties 3 name requireth a legal proceeding according to his Ma'ties lawes.

The defendt. John Winter cometh into this Courte and saith that he defendeth all the wrongs, injuries and damage where and when he ought-first he answeareth and saith that the plaint. was never lawfully seised and posessed of two thousand acres of land knowne by the name of Spurwink, nor any pte or pcell 4 thereof as his owne inheritance by any lawfull grant from Sr. Ferdinando Gorges (in manner and form as the plaint. declareth) for the plaint. deelaring a pmise to him made by Sr. Ferdinando Gorges nether showeth herein the year, day 1 Promise. 4 Part nor parcell.

2 Partnership.

3 Majesties.

*[Bradshaw's patent was dated November, 1631, the same day with Thomas Caminock's of Black Point.]

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »