The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-07-12
9istoriral,
THE STORMING OF STONY POINT.


just before it enters the broad basin OF
llaverstraw and the Tappan Sea below,
the Hudson has its course somewhat rude.
y contracted, forty miles above New York,
by two of those rugged capes or promon.
tories which at intervals shoot out from
its already massive banks, as if still moro
securely to guard its passage through the
Highlands. A noble scenery surrounds
them. You can take your stand at either
point, and turning in any direction. dc.
light the eye with all the charms of va.
ried country. Right above, on the west
side, rises old Dunderbcrg, the Thunder
Peak-"that dangerous mountain, the
Dondcrberg, as General james Clinton
describes it--whcre in imagination you
may follow Irving's weird hobgoblins as
they Chamber up the tumbled rocks aud
hard ascent; or looking across and beyond
Pcckskill, there stands Anthons's Nose,
pointing straight up twelve hundred feet,
and proving its right TO its name, as being
in that vicinity the most prominent fea.
turc on natures face; or glaneing north or
south, you can take 10 long stretches of
attractive river view; or again, combna.
tion Of natural beauties, including glimpses
of land aud water, Of village and wilder
ness, of slopes and sleeps, aud many and
pleasant yistas remind the sightseeker
that he has entered the famed Highlands
Of the Hudson. The two projections from
which he looks are Stony Point on the
west side and Verplancks Point on the
east.
The struggle of the Revolution in real.
ity centred here. No strategic position
any where in the thirteen colonies was
more eagerly coveted on the one side or
more sleeplcssly watched on the other
than these same Highlands. They form.
ed, as it were, the covered way between
the strong New England section and the
rest OF the States 10 the southward, by
which they all kept their chain of commu. I.
nieatioD, sympathy, and mutual assistance
nnbroken. IL was to capture aud occupy
this position that Burgoyne marched down
with his formidable expedition from Can
ada in l777; and it was for the same pur.
pose that that infamous plot Of treachery
ard desertion was eoncocted between Ar
mold and Sir Henry Clinton in 1880.
Throughout the long struggle the region
was never for moment barred of defend.
ers. Here Notifications had been com.
meneed as early as 1875, here troops
marched and countermarched in every
campaign, aud here on the Hudson lay the
last cantonment Of the army Of the Revo-
luton, where the soldiers were dismissed
to their homes at the close of the war.
Naturally such spot must have histor-
ical associations almost without number.
Hardly house, hamlet, road, or by path
on either side Of the Hudson from the
Battery at New York to West Point, nor
hardly mile Of the river itself, but what
had at that day some tale TO tell of the
contest. Just off Castle Garden, ia the
metropolis, in l77G, that persistent genius
Bushnell, aflerward captain of sappers
and miners, touched oil his submarine
contriyancc-pioneer of all torpedoes-to
damage all concerned except tho enemy.
At Harlem Heights the remains of Fort
Washington, with those of Fort Lee on
the opposite side, recall a stunning blow
the American cause received in the first
campaign around New York. To the
tramp of how many thousand soldiers
passing to and fro for eight years did
that little wooden affair of Kings Bridge
across the Sppyten Duyyel Creek resound?
How much Of WestGhester County did
not suffer from the raids from one side or
the otherY There, near Yopkcrs, Corn.
wallis crossed unobseryed one night, and
all but captured Greene ut Fort Lee. For
miles along the river above, Tories lived
10 carry news to the British, or secretly
to enlist in the cnemy's service, and keep
the Provincial Congress busy with ferret
ing out their machinations Here tenders
aud galleys we're burned, there British
frigatos anchored, with no long rapge
Parrott guns TO reach them. On that spot
Andre was arrested. Down this road
dashed the American arch-traitor to reach
the Pulture and save his neck. Across
are Forts Clinton and Montgomery, aud
further up, impregnnble West Point. All
along on both sides are camps and huts;
and finally, lower down, you will find
Kings Ferry, often crossed by Washing
ton and his troops, but never before on
the part Of the chief, with such sense Of
the momcntous possibilities Of the move
he was about to mako as when he crossed
10 August, 1871 with his brilliant French
allies, to outwit Clinton, and make that
famous march TO Virginia, where he set
tied forever the question OF our independ.
ence By the capture Of Cornwallis at York
town.
But group these associations as we NAV,
the old scldiers Of the Highlands would
tell us that there Eas ons incident, one
enterprise, on which they loved longest
to dwell, aud which outshope any explo;t
coupled with the history Of the Hudson
an enterprise which challenged the admi-
ration Of the army, received tho applause
Of tho country, aud won the congratula-
tious and encomiums Of Washington. Lee,
Schuyler John DAY, Lafayette, Gates,
Trumbull, and host Of others whose
praises were worth the having. ASk The
veterans what they referred %, and point-
ing to the most westerly Of The two pro
jections at The head Of Hayerstfaw Bay,
their ready answer would be-: ~Therc--
the storming Of Stony Point By the
Americas lightIiaia6try o6 she night Of
the 18Th Of July, 1873"
This performance Eas. ID fact, as Car
lyle says Of an exploit 10 The campaigns
Of Frederick The Great, gtho prolljesl
piece Of war We have bad for mapy
day" Il deserves q centennial remem