The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-07-12

through the remaining yerrs Of the war,
To accurately estimate the importance of
the achievement il is only necessary to
recall the facts that the British, after evac-
uating Philadelphia the previous summer,
were once more in force at New York; that
Washington, following after from Valley
Forge, had encamped in the Highlands;
that the battle Of Monmouth, which bad
been fought during the change Of base,
though claimed as an American victory,
had practically decided nothing; and that,
In word, the two armies retained about
the same relative strength and occupied
the same relative positions that they did
two years before. TO an indifferent or
impartial observer it would have seemed
that the struggle for supremacy IN Amer
lea, after four years Of fighting, was still
drawn game. A tedious and discouragiug
experience, but, after all, the very expert
euce that whctted the determination Of our
forefathers to hold out to the end. Fur
thermore, the enemy at this time--the
spring aud summer Of l779--haying com
pleto control of the waters in their yicini-
ty, engaged in several minor and success
ful expeditions along the Sound aud up
the Hudson, which had the effect Of exas-
perating and notifying our people, with
out leaving them the chance to retaliate.
The raid Of Tryron along the Connecticut
coast, for instance, could not be avenged,
for the British held little or nothing in the
shape Of an exposed position. The Con-
neeticut men boiled over with indignation
at Tryon's outrage, but that worthy had
only to laugh in his sleeve. Again, be-
fore this, something moro serious had hap
pened on the Hudson. On the lst of
June Sir Henry Clinton with land and
naval force moved up the river and cap
tured the two American positions at Stony
and ,erplahek's points, already referred
to. AS they were Washingtons advance
pos.s on the r'ver the loss was of consid-
Srao'e importance, though not vitality af-
,ec.ing Tue main situation further up.
MOI over seventy men had been taken
prisoners, ana the works had not been
completed. Clinton, however, had come
70 s'ay' and putting strong garrisons on
potn points, ne ordered them to be secured
with the best iortlheations possible, The
force at stony Point consisted of the Sew
enteenth Regulars, body OF loyal Amer
leans, one grenadier company, and suf-
hclent complement OF artillorists- lin all
something over 600 men, under.the com
mand OF Lieutenant Colonel johnson, Of
the seventeenth. Lleut-Colonel Webster,
an oincer OF the highest ability was sta
TONED with nearly an equal force at Yer
Pianek Point,
The two positions were admirably situ-
ated Tor defense. Stony Point, bold
rocky peninsula Zoo feet high at its sum
mlL Juts OUT lar into the river and where
the water does not surround its base, a
marsh seems to Isolate It from the main,
Verpianek $, nearly opposite, slightly above,
having not half this height, nevertheless
has commanding range. Irving calls
these promontories the lower gates of the
highlands, or miniature Pillars Of Her
cules, OF which Stony Point IS the Gibral.
tar:
Washington, whose strong quality was
his great understanding, thoroughly un-
derstood the general situation at this time.
Clearly the Impudent, defiant, and aggres-
siVe course OF the enemy needed to be
checked or offset. Under the cirenmstan-
ces the country looked to him and his
army not to be idle. The chief felt that
something must be done and done speed
ny. We have his own testimony on this
point that It was matter he had "mueh
at heart to undertake some decisive blow
that should make the enemy wary how
they made excursions "tn distress the coun-
try and reconcile the public to the defen-
sive plan he was obliged pursue. What
gave him the most concern at the time
was the enemys occupation of Stony
Point, for that was menace to Forts
Clinton and Montgomery, and even 10 West
Point. Gould they be dislodgcd from that
place This was the question that now
constantly occupied Washington thoughts
until, after reconnoltrlng the post in per.
son and weighing all the immense moral
physical benefits that would follow success,
and the comparatively inconsiderable dis
advantages OF failure, he determined TO
assault the position.
The determination made, tho utmost SO.
crecy was observed In preparing for the
intended movement Not moro than three
or four officers were let into the plan, and
the preparations were all conducted under
disguise, Ten minutes previous notice to
the enemy would thwart the entire project.
Nc occasion was given in the camps to
start surmises as to what was going on.
The American army in the early days
Of the summer lay encamped--the greater
part Of it--some ten miles back of West
Point, ia the natural passagewny known as
Smiths Glove, where the country at best
vas so rough that the troops we're scattered
along far some distance in finding proper
ground on which to pitch their tents. As
this was no place Tor the horses of the
army, they were kept and pastured, as we
learn from Cornelius Ten Brock, at Gen.
Greepes quarters, Gin the township Of
Bloomingroye, six miles north of camp"
Washington fixed his headquarters at New
Windsor, not far above West Point. Put
nam remajped jn command Of the troops
ip the Glove, which nearly all belonged
TO the Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and
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