Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-01-21

army.
SToTY PolNT.-1he scenery Of the Hud.
son river bears natures grandest imprint,
The hand that framed an universe Of
worlds, has thrown together along the
banks of this noble stream a wild assem-.
blage Of rocks and mountains. The pail
sides as they are called, ommence on the
western side Of the Hudson, just above the
Weehawk, or Weehawken, and extend
about twelve miles up the river. They
are bold, abrupt demonstrations of omni-
potence, moulded 10y him whose power is
not bounded by time or circumstance
The cannon Of a thousand armies might
roar out their Intellectual vengeance against
this natural battery. which lrowns over
the broad bright stream al an elevation Of
from sixty to one hundred aud fifty feet ;
and the parapet would laugh in scorn the
power Of battle.
After the palisades terminate, a country
Of hills and wales succeeds; the former
rounded up like ioaves Of sugar I; aud the
latter inden,ed like dimples on the cheek
of beauty. Occasionally, however, nature
has projected into the stream one of her
bold fronts-amiDiature formation ofthose
/" hills Of fear" which cas-, their sombre
shadows across the path Of the highlands.
One Of these projections is Stony Point
1t stands out in bold relief from the rural
| scenery just below. and challenges the at
tcniion Of the passenger who has been re
lieved from the sublimity Of the basaliic
rocks of Palisades only to prepare him for
a wilder development OF nature's cranio-
logy But the impressions which crowd
into the spectators mind in this region are
not all derived from river, mountain, or
valley tradition and history lend a me
lancholy glory to this revolutionary ground
| On the right or eastern bank stretches
away the celebrated neutral ground !"
through the entire extent OF Westchester
county, where regulars, COW boys, Virgin
ia horse, and Continentals, whig and to-
fies, appeared and disappeared like the
actors OF a wild and bloody tragedy. On
| the left, Stony Point is allied to ~associa.
| tons of military achievements, and unfa.
ding renown-while farther up, Arnold's
treason, Andres capture and untlmely al
though merited fate. twIne around the me
morabie rocks Of West Point.
Stony Point is about forty miles above
! New York, and ten or fourteen below w.
| Point. II isa rounded gravelIy bill, Of
small extent, jutting into The stream, and
connected with the main land by a low
morass which is partially oyerflowed by
the tide waters. 1t was fortified in the re.
voluiionary war, and occupied by a small
| force, might have been considered as a
remote outpost to the strong fortress oil
West Point. Il was captured by the Bri-
fish in The year 1879, and strongly repair
ed and garrisoned by more than six hum
dred soldiers, commanded by the brave
Lieut.. Col. johnson.
A few days before the sixteenth Of July
IN the same year, a tall, commanding per-
sonage mounted on a strong charger, was
seen on the eminences above Stony Point.
He had a glass in his hand, and appeared
to study the character Of the delences with
an intensity of interest. johnson, who
was returning the gaze Of the horseman
with his spy glass, turned TO one Of his
staff and remarked, that the apparition on
the hill portended no good. Rumors were
aloat in the entertainments that the same
tall figure had been seen on the highest
opposite eminence, the day before, like a
horseman painted against the sky. A COW
boy said this figure was the apparitlon OF
Washington, and that it never was seen
excepting Just before a battle or thunder.
storm. But while these rumors 1oated
around the atmosphere OF the camp, the
real Washington, from observations made
with his own eyes, was concerning a sol.
der like plan for its surprise.
On the night of the sixteenth oil July, BY
the twinkling light Of the stars that broke
over and through the clouds. " % columns
of soldiers might have been seen under ths
brow of the eminence in the rear OF shs
lorr They were stern men-the silent
thoughtful men Of New England. Ih'
eagle eyed Wayne was at their head, ant
his heart like that Of the lion. The regi
mrnts of Febiger and Meigs, with TIN
youthful Major Hulf's detachment iorme,
The right column ; Buffers regiment, will
f. two companies under Maj Murphy, form
ed the left. The van of the right wa
formed Of one hundred and fifty volunteer
: al whose head stood the brave Fieury
| one hundred volunteers under Stewar
composed the van on the left. And sti
further advanced, the noblest post Of al
stood two !" ~forlorn hopes" OF twenty eacI
} -one commanded by Lieut.. Gibbons an
/ the other by Lieut.. Knox. Wayne step
ned from man to man, through the van
i guards-saw them take their hiAts iron