CHAPTER XXII.

THE CRISIS ON STATEN ISLAND.

URING the active movements of the British and Colonial armies in the East, all was excitement on Staten Island. The arrival of the mail-coach at Richmond Town was each day greeted by hundreds of people, and the news from the seat of war created animated controversies that resulted in hand-tohand combats.

PRESENT COUNTY COURT HOUSE, ERECTED IN 1837; COUNTY JAIL IN THE REAR, ERECTED IN 1860.

The population of the Island consisted of about three thousand people, including men, women, children and slaves. The men were about evenly divided in their support of the English government, and families soon became disunited and at enmity over the vital

issues of the day. The first movement, however, that resulted in open disloyalty to the King was the partial organization of two military companies which offered their services to General Washington. Before the General's answer could be received, the British army arrived, with all its pomp and glitter, and the inexperienced natives were so terrified that they thought it wiser to be on the stronger side, and so consented to be mustered into the King's service.1

This was a stinging blow to the patriots who were anxious that Staten Island should be in possession of the Colonial army, and they called a secret meeting at Smoking Point (Rossville) for the purpose of recruiting citizen soldiers who were opposed to the oppression of the parent government. But the leaders were betrayed and the meeting prohibited.

Before proceeding farther let us review the social and political condition of Staten Island at the commencement of hostilities. The geographical position of the place gave positive direction to the political sentiments of its inhabitants. Commanding the approach to the metropolis of the province, whoever possessed it took advantage of its natural facilities in a military point of view. The Dutch had a fort on the heights of the Narrows, (now Fort Wadsworth),

1 "There were some, however, who had no faith in the protestations of the British commander, and too much manhood to conceal their sentiments; to these the political atmosphere of the Island was decidedly unhealthy, and they had to escape for their lives.

"Among these was Colonel Jacob Mersereau. He was the son of Joshua Mersereau and Maria Corson, his wife. By the records of the Reformed Church, Port Richmond, he was baptised May 24th, 1730, and died in September, 1804, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. He resided in the old stone-house in Northfield, not far from Graniteville, now [1877] occupied by his son, the venerable and Hon. Peter Mersereau. Soon after the beginning of the war, he became apprehensive for his personal safety, and fled to New Jersey. During his protracted residence there, he made occasional stealthy visits to his family by night, and on one of these occasions had a very narrow escape from capture. Having crossed the Sound, and concealed his boat, he took his course for home across fields, avoiding the public roads as much as possible. It was while crossing a road from one field to another, that he was met by a young man whom he knew well; but as neither spoke, he imagined the young man did not know him. In this, however, he was mistaken, for he was recognized at once.

"There was no British post just then nearer than Richmond, and thither the young Tory hastened and informed the commanding officer, probably Colonel Simcoe, of his discovery. Preparations were made immediately to effect the arrest of Colonel Mersereau, but it was near daylight in the morning before the party set out. They were in no haste, for they sup

posed he intended to remain concealed at home during the day. The family, as was their cus tom, had arisen early; but they did not discover the soldiers until they were within a few rods of the house. The alarm was immediately given, which, being perceived by the approaching party, a rush was made, and as they reached the door, the Colonel sprang out of the upper northwest window of the house, upon a shed beneath it, and thence to the ground.

"A few rods west of the house is a small elevation, and it was while crossing this that he was discovered. On the other side of the hill was a hedge row, terminating at a swamp, along which he ran on all fours, to keep himself out of sight, until he reached the swamp, in the middle of which he found a place of concealment. When he was discovered crossing the hill, those who had begun a search within were called out, and pursuit was made; but when the top of the hill was reached, the Colonel was nowhere to be seen. The swamp was discovered, and it was at once concluded that he was there concealed; but as the purwere ignorant of its intricacies, they could proceed no further.

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"Dogs were then put upon the track, which they followed to the edge of the swamp, where they chanced to scent a rabbit, and away they went in chase of the new game. Here the pursuit terminated, and the Colonel, after remaining concealed the whole day, escaped during the following night to New Jersey. For a week thereafter a close watch was kept upon the house by day and by night. It is some consolation to know that the treacherous young Tory did not receive the reward which had been offered for the patriot's capture.” – Clute's Annals of Staten Island.

during their control; the English enlarged and strengthened it; the State of New York increased its importance during the war of 1812, and the National Government, purchasing it in 1861, has from time to time added to its importance, until it is now one of the strongest points of defence in the whole country.

Whoever, then, possessed this important point, before the Revolution, to a certain extent possessed and controlled the Island and the metropolis. "Whilst the English held the government of the province, the people naturally imbibed English sentiments; freedom of opinion on political subjects, so far as the nature and character of the government was concerned, was not tolerated. It is not to be wondered at, then, that a people who, for more than a century had been taught to believe that it was little short of treason to doubt the divine origin of monarchy, and especially of the English monarchy, should be conscientiously opposed to a change which was calculated to overturn all their most cherished institutions. More than half of the population of the Island, at the dawn of the Revolution, were either of English birth or descent "; and many entertained the idea that the rebellion could not by any possibility succeed. Many indeed who favored rebellion hoped against hope.

A great majority of the early Dutch settlers were in favor of independence, and those of French descent were about equally divided on the question. Quite a number of the French having settled here before the conquest of the province by the English, had intermarried with the Dutch, who were then the dominant class, and had imbibed Dutch opinions, manners and customs, and had even fallen into the use of the Dutch language. In some of the families bearing French name, and of French descent, at the present day, are to be found family records, such as they are, written in the Dutch language.2

In February, 1775, Richmond County was represented in the Colonial Assembly by Christopher Billopp and Benjamin Seaman, and when, on the 23d of the same month, a motion was before the house "that the sense of this House be taken, on the Necessity of appointing Delegates for this Colony, to meet the Delegates for the other Colonies on this Continent, in General Congress, on the 10th day of May next," these representatives of Richmond voted in the negative.

The character of Staten Island was now pretty thoroughly established. The people of Elizabethtown had been eagerly watching and

2 There was, however, another and more marked difference between the people of the several nationalities than mere political sentiments and opinions. The Dutch were imbibed with a deep religious feeling; they were not generally as well educated as the English, but they could read and write, and keep their own accounts. The English had their religion, too; but they were more formal and less earnest and devoted than their neighbors. The French in this, as in other respects, accommodated

their religion to that of the class with which they had amalgamated. The Whig (or democratic) cause throughout the country was calculated to foster religious enthusiasm, for, being conscious of their own weakness as compared with the mighty power and resources of Great Britain, they naturally looked to a higher power than that of man to sustain them in what they conscientiously believed to be the cause of right.-Preston's History of Richmond County.

waiting to see what movement would here be made. The stand which the Islanders would take was no longer in doubt, and the Committee of Observation of Elizabethtown on February 13th, 1775, issued the following interdict:

"Whereas the inhabitants of Staten Island have manifested an unfriendly disposition towards the liberties of America, and among other things have neglected to join in the General Association proposed by the Continental Congress, and entered into by most of the Townships in America, and in no instance have acceded thereto. The Committee of Observation for this Town, taking the same into consideration, are of opinion that the inhabitants of their District ought, and by the aforesaid Association are bound, to break of all trade, commerce, dealings, and intercourse whatsoever with the inhabitants of said Island, until they shall join in the General Association aforesaid; and do Resolve that all trade, commerce, dealings, and intercourse whatsoever be suspended accordingly, which suspension is hereby notified and recommended to the inhabitants of this District to be by them universally observed and adopted.

"GEORGE ROSS, Clerk."

In the course of a day or two afterwards, an oyster boat, belonging to James Johnson, of Staten Island, crossed the Kills and went up the creek to the stone bridge, and the owner endeavored to make sale of his freight. But a pair of horses were speedily attached to the boat by the indignant people, and the poor craft was hauled up the street to the Court House. Johnson was advised by James Arnet to seek redress from Jonathan Hampton, chairman of the Committee of Observation, who was also a magistrate. Hampton was found and gave him protection, and in the evening permitted him to return to Staten Island.

This incident, trivial enough, was reported to Rivington in New York, and an account of it appeared in his Royal Gazetteer of March 2d, in which the affair was magnified into a disgraceful and turbulent riot. Mr. Hampton was accused of being "completely drunk,” and Messrs. Blanchard and Dayton, two of the aldermen, were represented as having "exerted themselves greatly to suppress those violences, but they were only able to check them." Rivington's informant says of the mob, (February 18th), that "about four o'clock, they proceeded to abuse all the people in the town who were known to be well affected to the Constitution [the Tories]; they erected a gallows, and fixed up a liberty pole in the town." Both, however, were soon taken down.

The people of Staten Island assembled on the 11th of April following, to take action in regard to sending delegates to the Provincial Congress, which was to convene in New York soon after, and the result was almost unanimously against sending delegates. It is evident that those in favor of independence must have improved a later

opportunity for gaining a representation, for when the Congress convened, on the 22d of May following, Richmond County was represented by Paul Micheau, John Journeay, Col. Aaron Cortelyou, Richard Conner, and Major Richard Lawrence.

On the 17th of July following, the Committee of Observation had reason to change its mind in regard to the people of Staten Island. It passed the following order, which we copy from the New York Mercury:

"The Chairman of this Committee having received a letter from Mr. Richard Lawrence, a Delegate of Richmond County for the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York, informing that the inhabitants of said county had, in general, signed the Association recommended by the Committee of New York. This Committee are therefore of opinion that the inhabitants of said county be restored to their commercial privileges with the inhabitants of this town."

David Burger, of New York, on September 1st, 1775, sent a letter to the Congress complaining that sundry persons in Richmond County had supplied a British transport with live stock, and the matter was referred to the members of that county to make inquiry on the subject.

Paul Micheau, one of the deputies from Richmond County in the first Provincial Congress, in December, 1775, addressed a letter to the secretary of the Congress, in which he says that he had requested the county committee to convene the people to elect new deputies; that a meeting of the committee had been called, and that only a minority appeared, who for that reason declined to act, and requests Congress to write to them and learn their reasons for not convening the people, and concludes by hoping the Congress may be able to keep tranquility and good order in the province, and make peace with the mother country. He then gave the names of the committee as follows: Capt. John Kittletas, Capt Christian Jacobson, Capt. Cornelius Dussosway, Henry Perine, David Latourette, Esq., Peter Mersereau, John Poillon, Moses Depuy, Lambert Merrill, John Tysen, Joseph Christopher, George Barrus and David Corsen.

Congress replied to this communication on the following day, in a letter addressed to "John Poillon, John Tysen and Lambert Merrill, of the Committee for Richmond County," urging them to elect deputies to represent them without delay, and they added emphatically, "rest assured, gentlemen, that the neighboring colonies will not remain inactive spectators if you show a disposition to depart from the Continental Union." The letter concluded with these words: "We beg, gentlemen, you will consider this matter with that seriousness which the peace, good order and liberties of your county require.” To this the Committee made the following reply:

"Mr. President.

"Richmond County, Dec'r 15th, 1775.

"SIR: Your favour of 2d Decem'r we hereby acknowledge came