The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-22
From the ~. Y. Journal Of Commerce..

Nllnton p1une1Om--Of NO. 0fOAQWay.
In the olden time the dwelling known No.
Broadway was built for and occupied by Captain
Archibald Kennedy. In the vicinity Of both II and
and Whitehall street were the ship yards, and all
along where now are the stately trees OF the Bat
terry, lay numerous rocks, forming "the LEDGE"
having the river close up to the line of the present
State street, fronting the Battery.
General Howe resided in this fabric Of the olden
time in l776 the after occupants, Sir Guy Garlic
ton, then the Governor of Canada, and Sir Henry
Clinton stationed in Philadephia the latter arrived
in New York with his artillery, baggage, and troops
on the 29th Of June, IT'S. While in possession of
afterwards William the lth, became. for a short pc
riod, his guest. The prince was then midshipman
in the British navy, and but eighteen years OF age
He passed the winter Of 1852 in this city, and was
for time inmate of the dwelling of Sir Admiral
Digby in Hanover Square.
One of the favorite resorts of the prince was
small fresh water pond (the CoecD in the vicinity
OF the city, which presented frozen sheet OF many
acres, and was thronged in the winter time by the
younger part Of the population for the amusement
Of skating.
As the prince was unskied in that exercise, he
would sit On a chair fixed on runners, which was
pushed forward with great velocity by skating
attendant, while crowd ofofficers enyironed him;
and the youthful multitude made the air ring with
their shouts for Prince William Henry.
While the prince was thus enjoying himself, a
daring plan was formed by some adventurous par
tisans OF the revolutionary army, to pounce upon
both him and Sir Henry Clinton, the occupant of
No. broadway.
The deviser Of the plan Colonel Ogden, of
New Jersey, who also named Admiral Dgby in the
list to be captured. Washington was fully aware
of the plan of the colonel and wrote thus to him
being made aware that Sir Henry Clinton had
ceived some inklings of the design:
"Great seems TO be their apprehension here.
About fortnight ago great number of fiat boats
were discovered by a sentinel, from the banks of
the Hudson river, which are said to have been in
tended to fire the suburbs and in the height of the
conhagration TO make descent ON the I0tDer part
of the city, and wrest from embraces his excellency
Sir Henry Clinton, Prince William Henry, and
other illustrious personages."
| 1t was the custom with Gen. Clinton TO have two
sentines stationed at his door, but, on hearing Of
the plan of Ogden and others, the sentries were
doubled at eight o'clock every evening" and the de-
sign totally defeated.
Washington likewise once occupied the Clinton
mansion, No. Broadway, but various records go
to show that he did not make it either his head
quarters a'permanent residence At the corner
of Broad and Pearl streets he partook of his FIRST
dinner entering the city, after the revolutionary
war, and while in command he held his headquar
ters at or near Richmond Hill. He is, moreover,
known to have dwelt on the square above, on the
site of the old Bunker Hotel and also for time in
Franklin Hall, at the head of Cherry street.
In 1889, Don Diego de Cardaqui, the plenpoten-
tiary of the king Of Spain, occupied the mansion
known as No. Broadway. At later period it
became the private abode of Nathaniel Prime esq,
(now deceased of his son, Edward Prime, esq,
and lastly of Mayor Mickle. C. o., jr.