The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-03-28
SCENE OF THE REVOLUTION.
BY THE REV. J. NJ. MAEFIT,

BY TIE REV. }. NJ MAFFlT.
Stony Point is about forty miles from New
/ York, and ten or fourteen miles below West
Point. 1t is a rounded graveIIy hill. Of small
extent, jutting INTO the stream, and connect
ed with the main land by low morasS which
is partially overlooked with the tide waters.
1t was fortified in the revolutionary war, and
occupied by small force must have been
considered us Il remote outpost to the strong
fortress of West Point. 1t was captured BY the
British in the year l779, and strongly repair
ed and garrisoned by more than six hundred
so diprs, commanded tv the brave Lieut.. Col
Johnson.
| A few days before the sixteenth Of July, in
the Same year, tall commanding parsonage,
mounted ona strong charger was seen on tie
commences above Stony Point. He had a
glass in his Iand and appeared to study the
character of the defence, with an intensity of
interest. Johnson, who was returning the
gaze of the horsenlan with his s. -glass,
turned to one Of his staff, and remarked that
the appariton on the hill portended no good.
Rumors were aAoat about the entertainments
that the same tall figure had been seen across
the river, on the highest opposite eminence the
day before, like a horseman painted against
the sky. A cow boy said that this figure was
the appartion of Washington, and that it
never was seen excepting Just before battle
or thunder storm. But whilst these idle ru-
mors toated around the atmosphere Of the
camp the real Washington, tron observations
made with his own eyes, was concerning II
soldler-like plan for it's surprise.
On the night Of the sixteenth of July, bv
the twiulIing light Of the stars that broke
over and through the clouds, two columns
of soldiers might have been seen under the
brow Of the emlnence in the rear of the fort.
They were stern meil--thc silent, thoughtful
men Of New Eng land. The eagle-eyed
Wayne was at their head and his hcayt was
like that of the lion The regiments Of
Fehig"z and Nleigs, and their youthful Major
HILLS detachment formed the right column
Buffers regiment, with two companies under
Major Murphy, formed the left. The van Of
the right was formed of one hundred and fifty
volunteers, at whose head stood the brave
Fleury; one hundred volunteers under He
wart, composed the van Of the left. And still
further advanced, the noblcst post Of all, stood
the "torlorn hopes" Of twenty men each
one commanded by Lieut.. Gihbns, and the
other by Lieut. Knox. Wayne stepped from
man to man through the vanguards-saw
them take their tlints from their pieces and
fix the death bayonet. At twenty minutes
raSt eleven, the two columns moved to the
bloody work before them, one going to the
left and the other to the right, to make THEN
attack on opposite sides.
The inhabitants on the eastern side of the
river, first heard sharp crashing as the "lor-
lorn hope" on either side broke in the double
row Of abattis; the mu>kcts Of the Sentincls
flashed suddenly amidst the darkness, and
in moment the fortress yonlod ont fame
and thunder, as if avoIcaHo had been ignited,
and was tossing its lava upwards. The arv
Of uatlr not to be mistaken, shrill, wild and
fearful broke upon the dull ear of night But
all was in vain for the fortress. Under the
showers of grape, and tulI in the red eye of
battle, hetwogl gloomy stlllunwaveringcoumns
moved on, and the TIVE vanguardS met in the
centre of the work-'Ihe British made an
/ slant surrender, to avoid the DETERMINATIONS
which awaited the deploy Of the columns upon
the intrenchments, Sixty three British SOL