The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-09-07
THE MIDNIGHT ESCAPE.
An Incident Of the Revolution.

The strip of ground from Broadway
to Centre street, along Chambers.
New York, seventy years ago, was a
burial place. The part nearest Broad.
way devoted to the colored people Tor
the last resting spot OF their dead, ana
the moiety extending to Centre street
was Il kind of Potter field, and during
the Revolution the spot where most OF
the private soldiers Of the British
army, who died in the city, were in
TERED Gallows hill, the spot where
the Manhattan reservoir is now placed,
was decorated with gallows, where
all deserters and prisoners suffered
death who came under the control OF
provost marshal. Cunningham.
1t was customary to execute most OF
the deserters who were native born at
night. There was a policy III, this.
Public executions of the Americans by
the royalists would have been noised
abroad and the injury created thereby,
through the manner III which the
Continentals themselves would have
made use of it. must have resulted to
the injury of the kings cause. These
executions generally took place after
midnight. The prisoners condemned
to death were always confined in the
old Jail. within 4 musket shot of the
place Of execution, and sergeant
guard Of eight men. accompanied by
the provost marshal and his deputy,
generally conducted the prisoners to
thegalloWs.
1t was near twelve clock OF might
in October. in the year liso, that a
Young man was reclining among the
recent graves that raised their mounds
in the vicinity of the gibbet on Gal
lows hill. The hour and the place
were singular for Il lone individual
like the man in question to be reposlng
SAY alone. vet he WAS not exactly SO
If human bodies Invested OF thei
mortality. can be considered compan
: ions for nearly above his head. sway
inc to and fro in the night breeze
hung the remains of two soldiers o
II the Fifth regiment. who had been ex
eeuted that morning for desertion.
The sky was obseured with darl
f murkv clouds. and the moaning Of tin
# wind. rs it swept around the gallow
h and through the trees that here an
o there reared their branches amid III
darkness of the night. gave dessoiat
# and disagreeable sound well betittin
| the place itself. The man hardl
% moved. with the exception. now an
II then. of raising his head. and peerin
n cautiously above the mound OF eartt
N behind which he lay. toward the lai
10 dimly visible. with its high. mass
4 walls, in the field beyond.
i'd At length light glinmered. tn
[e tread of men was family heard. IN
:. the Young man raising himself frol
| the spot where he lay. glided along I'll
lie rude fence which skirted the buri'
IS ground. until he stood within a re
III feet of the execution place. Here /
r. paused and looked in the direction
~ the approaching light. FAINT
~ through the haze appeared two
ne three files of soldiers. proceeded by
ne colored man who carried lantern,
,e the only light which SCENE
e. to be in the party. Then walked
n prisoner with his arms tightly boul
no behind him. and directly after. On
- ningham. the provost marshal, and n
Oh or six soldiers with muskets on the
of shoulders.
IL ..One. two. three. repeated the YOU
ed man to himself. "a ii counting the nu
he her of the men approaching s.twel
ire in ALL" lis desperate undertakir