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PART II.

SEIZURE OF WHIGS.

108. Newtown. Jona. Coe and Hezekiah Field, two lighthorse, with regimentals on, returned to White Pot, August 28. They had been driving off stock. Early next morning, when starting to cross the Sound, they were seized by British light-horse from Jamaica. Lieut. Coe had thrown his epaulett in the bushes. They were carried to Flatbush jail, where Coe died of dysentery, having suffered much for want of food and necessary attendance. His body was refused his friends for burial.

Richard Bragaw, Robert Moore, George Brinckerhoff, Abm. Devine, and Ludlum Haire, had been with Woodhull, driving off stock. After they left him, they were surprised at Hinchman's tavern, Jamaica. A British light-horse rode up, when Moore came out and received a sabre cut, which nearly severed his two fingers. The other four were taken to the prison ship, where they were urged to enlist; but, by bribing a friend to government, were released.

The Rev. Simon Horton escaped to Connecticut; D. Lawrence lived seven years at Milford; Major Remsen went to Rockland county; Col. Remsen* remained in Jersey till January, 1777; Richard Lawrence was put in the sugar house. December 12, 1776, we find Col. Blackwell and Major Jona. Lawrence, members from Queens county, offering their attendance in the Convention, if desired, although the county is in possession of the enemy. Col. Blackwell returned to Newtown, where he died, 1780. (See Lives of the Lawrences in Thompson, ii.)

* Col. Remsen had served with credit in the old French War, and he and Dowe Ditmars, of Jamaica, were at the taking of Havana.

109. Flushing. About 2 o'clock, on a fine sunny day, on the last of August, a company of light-horse galloped into the town spot of Flushing, and inquired at widow Bloodgood's for her sons. On being told they had already fled, in the frenzy of disappointment, one of them seized a firebrand and threatened to burn the house. He was at length prevailed on to desist.

Thos. Thorne, a blacksmith and innkeeper (now Hover's) was seized, and ended his days on board the prison ship.

James Burling, another committeeman, and John Vanderbilt, were also carried off, but came out of prison alive.

Capt. Tom, (since Redwood's,) and most of the leading whigs, had left their homes, and sought safety across the Sound. Many, however, returned and took British protection. Tom was captain in a new raised regiment at Kingston, in April, 1777. Cornelius Van Wyck, member of Provincial Congress, was kept in the New Gaol till October 25, 1776.

110. Soon after the defeat at Brooklyn, the 71st regiment of Highlanders were seen marching into Flushing, bringing with them fifty or sixty cattle from Kings county. These they drove half a mile east of the village in front of Valk's, when some run among them, cutting their hamstrings, and as they dropped knocking them in the head with their hatchets ; then butchered them in the most wasteful manner, cutting out the best parts and leaving the rest-skin, horns, &c., on the ground; others got ready the cooking apparatus, the rails flew, and a fire was soon kindled under a row of camp kettles along the fence by the roadside.*

* Before the battle of White Plains the 1st, 2d and 6th brigades passed through Flushing to White Stone, and October 12th crossed over to the Main. A part of these forces was lying at Jamaica, and the column, it is said, extended from Dr. Shelton's corner to Flushing village; others came by way of the Fly from Newtown. The forces were so numerous as to occupy half a day in passing through Flushing.

111. Jamaica. August 28, a detachment of the 17th Light Dragoons entered the village amid thunder, lightning, and

a violent rain, in pursuit of Gen. Woodhull's party, who were driving off the stock.

They stopped at Mrs. Cebra's, and inquired for Col. Robinson. The Colonel had gone off with Gen. Woodhull, but Robert Moore, of Newtown, (who had stopped in the house to keep the women company during the violent thunder shower,) came to the door. Mistaking him for the Colonel, they nearly cut off his hand with a sabre blow. On finding their prey had escaped, they hastened on eastward.

men.

Gen. Woodhull had been left at Jamaica with only ninety These he ordered to move on eastward, and expecting every moment an order from Congress at Harlem, he lingered at Jamaica till the latest moment-too late, alas! He then slowly moved on and halted at Carpenter's inn, two miles east of Jamaica. It was in the afternoon, and he is supposed to have sought a shelter there from the rain. He had already sent off his only attendant, Col. Robinson, who went on to Huntington, crossed to Old Milford, and continued in Connecticut during the war.

As the General came out of the house, took his horse from under the shed, and laid his hands on the reins, the light-horse (guided, it is said, by one Smith, John Livinsgton's ostler) galloped up, their swords gleaming in the lightning's red glare. The first salutation was, "Surrender, you d—d rebel." The General delivered his sword. 66 Say God save the King," they cried. His only reply was, "God save all honest men." "God save the King," they again shouted, and showered their sabre blows on his devoted head, and arm as it was uplifted to ward off the strokes.*

After they had sufficiently hacked their defenceless but undaunted prisoner, he was mounted, the blood streaming from his wounds, behind one of the troopers, who instantly hurried back to Jamaica, for fear of being intercepted. That night he was placed in Hinchman's tavern, (still standing,) where Dr. Ogden and Minema, his pupil, were refused

permission to dress his wounds. A British surgeon was called in.

While in Hinchman's tavern, and suffering with pain, he sent for a Miss Cebra, and said to her, "Madam, I understand you are Mrs. Robinson's sister." Then drawing a silver spoon from his pocket, he said, "Take this, madam, and hand it back to Mrs. Robinson. She gave it to me some time ago when I was about to take the field, 'for,' she said, 'she supposed I might not always have conveniences for eating when in camp.'

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His shirt sleeve, cut with seven gashes, and also his hat slashed in many places, were preserved by Miss Cebra, and remained in the General's family some years, till his mansion was burnt.

The next day he was taken westward and put on board an old vessel at New Utrecht, used for transporting live stock, where he had none of the conveniences his wretched condition required. He was next removed to the house of Wilhelmus Van Brunt, (still standing near the church at New Utrecht,) which was used as a hospital.

His arm mortified, and it was decided to take it off. He thereupon sent express to his wife that he had no hopes of life, and requested her to gather up what provisions she could, (for he had a large farm,) and hasten to his bedside. She accordingly loaded a wagon with bread, crackers, hams, butter, and the like, and barely reached her husband in time to see him alive. With his dying breath he requested her to distribute the provisions she had brought among the suffering, starving American prisoners. His body was embalmed by the British surgeons, and taken by his wife to Mastic, and interred on his farm about September 23.†

* Wm. Warne, who left Long Island, September 5, reports to Congress that a light-horse told him he had taken Gen. Woodhull in a barn in the dark, and before he would answer, when spoken to, the General had received a cut on the head and both arms.

The Hartford Courant, September 9, '76, says: "Woodhull refused to give up his sidearms, and was wounded on his head, and had a bayonet thrust through his arm."

+ The following inscription is taken from his tombstone.

In Memory of

GEN'L NATHANIEL WOODHULL,

Who, wounded and a prisoner, Died on the 20th of September, 1776,
In the 54th year of his age,

Regretted by all who knew how to value his many private
virtues, and that pure zeal for the rights of

his country, to which he per

ished a victim.

112. As there have been many different accounts of Gen. Woodhull's capture, we will here insert what may be termed his death-bed confession to a fellow prisoner.

* Robert Troup says, " that while he was confined on board a transport, Brigadier General Woodhull was also brought on board in a shocking mangled condition; that he asked the General the particulars of his capture, and was told that he had been taken by a party of lighthorse under command of Capt. Oliver Delancey; that he was asked by said Captain if he would surrender; that he answered in the affirmative, provided he would treat him like a gentleman, which Capt. Delancey assured him he would; whereupon the General delivered his sword, and that immediately after the said Oliver Delancey, Jr., struck him; and others of his party, imitating his example, did cruelly cut and hack him in the manner he then was; that although he was in such a mangled and horrid situation, he had nevertheless been obliged to sleep on the filthy deck or bare floor of said transport, had not a lieutenant lent him a mattress; that Gen. Woodhull was afterwards carried to the hospital in the church of New Utrecht, where he perished, as the deponent was on good authority informed, through want of care and other necessaries."

Sworn, January 17, 1777, before Gov. Morris.

Troup was Lieutenant in Lieut. Col. Lasher's battalion of New-York militia, and was taken prisoner at 3 o'clock A. M., August 27.

[A ballad on the death of Woodhull, with introductory remarks, may be found in the London Mirror for 1823, but is here omitted for its want of historic truth.]-Ed.

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