The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-22
!. : - =
historical sketch.


account of an interesting passage in W asihng
toms lie, than is to be found in the formai ms
tories. 1t was prepared for the Press by 'ne
hand of "Traxi."-EDl .4ssd
Everybody has heard of the unior'un" tool,
ior Andre. and what mighty struss'o -
Mace in the great soul of Washington
stern duty and inclination, "he" "o ''s"'u
the death warrant of that an''''0 ma"
esnecially. when he refused .iie las. Emporium
90 nrayer of the condemned, that ne might be
- - soldier, and not hung as a criminal;
-. ,,orhans all have not heard of the equally
'',;arIe and still more innocent Asgill whose
,;ea was suspended as by hair in the hand of
washington; and of that other struggle in this
great mans heart, in which generous nature
triumphed without the sacrifice of duty s
Capt. Asgill was young officer of the Brit
ish Guards, with Lord Corvallis, when he
surrendered the royal army to the combined
American and French forces under Gen. Wash
ington and Count Rochambeau at Horktowh'
B Oct. 1881; and, as a captive, was carried 70
Lancaster, Pa, and retained there prisoner
till his removal to Philadelphia for the purpose
of being executed. He came out from Ems
land in command of splendid company VI
British Guards. and was universal faVorlee III
the army He was gentleman Oh d no0'.
rI;s, fo,,;,, an only son of his parents, OF lib
- ad,,ost;on and hut nineteen years of age.
D., t;s honorable relationships and the purity
c,;a oh.r.,ter. whilst in Lancaster, he ac-
,,,,;roa caneral esteem amongst his American
acouaintances, and was particularly beloved by
his brother officers and men. His corlespon-
dence with his parents and sister at home was
always dutiful and affectionate. Many an earn
est prayer followed him from a mothers fond
heart.
2 Whilst the British were in possession of the
city of New York, under Sir Henry Clinton, a
party of armed Tories was sent into Monmouth
county, New Jersey, for the purpose OF surpris-
ing and capturing small Wing force occupy
ing block house in command of Capt. Joshua
Hubby The enterprise was successful. Capt.
Huddy was carried to New York, and after being
barbarously treated in prison nearly three
weeks, as taken out, without even the form
of trial, by company fTores led by refu-
ugee Capt. Lippincot, carried across the North
river into New Jersey, and there, without
Judge or jury, hung to a tree, and left swing
ing in the winds of heaven to rot, with the fol-
lowing laDel lHSCTlDtu upOn CP
goes Huddy for Philip White" 1t seems a Tory
soldier, Philip White by name, had been cap
tured in Jersey by an American force, and, in
attempting to murder his keeper and escape,
was himself killed in the contest; and, as an
act of barbarian revenge, the innocent Captain
Huddy was made the victim of Tory ferocity,
as above related. d Fssar-.
The Revolutionary army, at that time, was
sixty miles from New York, on the North riv-
err, stationed at West Point, where Washing
ton had his headquarters. The wanton mur-
der of Capt. Huddy created a great sensation
amongst the inhabitants of that part of New
Jersey, and they were prompt to make rep
resentation to the Commander-in-Ch Chief claim
ing justice for the murder of one of their fellow
citizens; or retaliation, in case this should be
refused by the British commander. According
ly, General Washington Immediately address,
ed letter to Sir Henry Clinton, assuring him
that unless LippincOt was delivered up Tor
trial and punishment by the laws of war, he
shoulc be under the painful necessity of retail
ating. In reply to this demand Sir Henry
Clinton declined to deliver the murderer up,
but informed Gen. w that he should have
fair trial before military court of his own APP
pointment. And mock trial oodS had, which,
of course, resulted in Lippincot's acquittal.-
Thereupon Gen. w. ordered all his general Of
ficers to assemble at the quarters of General
Heath, to whom he propounded the following
questions: "1st. Shall resort be had to retalia-
ton for the murder of Capt. Huddy? If so,
I'd, On whom shall it be inflicted? 3D. How
shall the victim be designated?" Each officer
was required to give his written answer, with
out consultation with any of his fellows. The
result was, every one gave it as his opinion
that retaliation ought to be resorted to; that it
should be inflicted on an officer of equal rank
with Capt. Huddy and that the victim should
be designated by lot Orders were therefore
sent forthwith to the commanding officer at
Lancaster to send a refugee [TOryl captain, il
there was one amongst the prisoners in his
custody; and if there was no one of this des-
cription there to assemble all the English cap
tains under his charge, and select one of them
by lot. There being no Tory captain amongst
the prisoners, the others, thirteen in number,
were assembled in rom, and their names
taken ON thirteen slips of paper and put into a
hat. Twelve slips Of blank paper were then put
into another hat, and thirteenth, on which
the word unfortunate" was written. Two
young drummers were then called into the
ROOM one of whom drew from the hat contain
ing the names, and the other from the hat con-
tanning blanks and the one unfortunate" slip.
There was moment OF the most intense anx-
iety. Life or death was depending upon the
drummer boys hazardous performance. How
must those officers hearts have been exercised
A. Ia
men of base characters among the captains
whose names were liable to be drawn, and it
was ardently hoped that the lot might fall up
on one of them. The drawing proceeded, and
from the first to the tenth white slip of paper
saved the life of each man drawn against it,
but ON the eleventh, the word "arJortundte"
came out against the name of Asgill! On this,
the prisoners all ROSE, and were very much af-
fected, as every person present. After a
suitable preparation, the unfortunate victim
was taken to Philadelphia to await his execu-
ton there
The result affected Washington most pain
fully. He knew Asgill was an Innocent man,
most accomplished and deserving young Of
ficer He had been appraised that he had f,
Their wasting upon the bed of pain and death
at home in England; that he had one of the
most intelligent and affectionate of mothers
and an only sister that loved him as her own
soul; and that the hearts of each and all OF
them must be rent with the keenest anguish
when they heard of the undeserved fate of
their son and brother. He knew all this and
his humane feelings revolted at the thought of
signing poor Agsills death warrant. 1t is said
his great frame shook as if convulsed by an
earthquake, and he turned away from the he
roes in arms around him, and wept like
child! But he had duty to perform, and
from that Washington never shrank. How
could that duty bs executed, and the young
victims life be saved? This was the question.
Hoping, even against hope, that some impress
sion might yet be made upon the mind and
heart of Sir Guy Carleton, who had succeeded
Clinton as commander-in-chief of the British
army, in behalf of the life of poor Ascill-
Washington gave directions that Areilps mar
ticular friend, Capt. Ludlow, should proceed
to New York, and make such representations
as might induce Sir Guy to review the whole
case and allow the guilty Lippincet, rather
than the innocent Argyll to suffer the murder
er's fate Sir Guy returned word to Washing
ton that he was convinced of the guilt of Lip
pincot, and was not satisfied with the proceed
ings of the court which acquitted him; and
gave assurances that he would cause further