National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-10-10
The Battle OF Golden Hill.
A stepping-s,one 10 the Revolutions
AIRY War.

A s,epping-s,one 10 the Revolutions
The "Battle Of Golden Hill, in New
York City, was one Of the first steps
towards the revolutionary war. A flag.
stan had been for years bone of con.
tention between the Sons OF Liberty aud
the soldiers, and had been four times de-
stroyed by the latter. On the 18th of
January, ITO, a party of soldiers again
attacked it. and cutting OF tho wooden
braces, made fruitless attempts to blow
il open with gunpowder. Failing in
this, they assaulted number OF citiz.
ems standing by public house, which
was the headquarters Of the Sons of
Liberty, and forced them into the
house ut the point OF the bayonet.
Doors were barricaded, but the soldiers
broke in and demolished windows and
furniture, and were only prevented
from further destruction by the timely
arrival vi their officets, who ordered
them to their barracks. They subse-
quently succeeded in their attempt,
and leveled the pole to the ground,
sawed it in pieces, and derisively piled
it up before the Sons of Liberty y door.
Three hundred citizens assembled that
night at public meeting upon the
common. Resolutions were passed de-
claring unemployed soldiers to be dan
gerous 10 the peace of the city, while
their employment by the citizens when
of duty was detrimental tn the intcr-
ests of the laboring classes, and should
therefore he discontinued. They fur
ther resolved that all soldiers under
the rank of orderly, except sentinels,
who should appeararmed in the streets,
and all, armed or unarmed, who were
out of their barracks after roll-call,
should be regarded as enemies Of the
city and dealt with accordingly.
The next day three soldiers were de-
tected by two citizens, Isaac Sears and
Walter Quackenbos, in the act of post
ing a scurrilous placard abusive of the
Sons of Liberty. Sears grasped one
and Quackenbos the other, while the
third soldier rushed upon Sears with
his bayonet to free his comrade, but
Quackenbos. seizing an old rams horn
which happened to be near by, hurled
it into his face and placed him A0rs dc
rescue with drawn bayonets, while the
unarmed citizens seized upon the cart
stakes and defended their comrades.
The riot was increasing, every moment
great numbers being added upon both
sides, when Mayor Hicks came upon the
scene and ordered the soldiers to their
barracks. They sullenly yielded obedi
ence, retiring rs far as Golden Hill, in
John street, between William and Cliff
streets, closely followed by the citizens.
Here they were met by reinforcement,
headed by presumed officer in dis
'puise, who gave the command to halt
and charge upon the people. A few
who had been able to obtain weapons
placed themselves III front OF their de-
fenseless friends, and battle ensued,
in which numbers were injured on both
sides A peaceable Quaker standing
in his own door was wounded i'll the
cheek, sailor at a distance was cut
down, boy, wounded in the head, fed
to neighboring house for shelter, and
rs the door was kindly opened by wo-
man, a brutal solder thrust his bayonet
at her, fortunately without injury. The
citizens surrounded the hill and block
AIDED their enemies, but acted on the
defensive, repelliDg attacks, when they
might easily, if disposed, have mas
sacred their enemies: The officers at
last arrived, when the people at once
opened their ranks and raised the
siege, ending the first days battle.
The next morning the soldiers COM
menced the conflict by insulting a wo-
man returning from market. The peo-
pie gathered in groups and discussed
this and the events of the preceding
day. About noon n group of sailors
and party of soldiers came into col
iison, sailor being wounded by bay
onet run through his body. The Mayor
ordered the soldiers to disperse, but
they refused. A messenger was sent to
the barracks for their officers, but the
soldiers intercepted him. Just then
a party of Liberty Boys" returning
from game of ball, came to the rescue
and the soldiers were dispersed, hostil-
lties ceasing for few hours.
In the afternoon they were renewed.
group of citizens having assembled in
front of the new Jail, II party of soldiers
approached them in body and insult
lngly endeavored to force their way
when the citizens quietly
opened their ranks and gave them free
passage. Not satisfied with this, the
soldiers then assaulted the people, who
had only stones to defend themselves.
The Liberty Boys" soon came to the
rescue, when sharp conflict ensued,
the soldiers being driven to their bar
racks, their arms taken from them,
some badly wounded and others arrest
ed and committed to the Jail for trial,
thus ending the two days battle OF
Golden Hill, one of the steppingstones
10 the battles of the Revolution.