West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-07-19
Stony Point.

Stony Point, a strong fort on the
Hudson river, was stormed and taken,
during the war of the Revolution, by
twelve hundred men, under the COM
mand of Gen. Wayne, a brave Pennsyl-
vania soldier. Twelve o'clock was the
time Tor the actual charge to begin. To
reach the Point within assaulting dis
lance it was necessary TO cross the in
tervening marsh as qnickly as possible.
Here there was an unexpected OBJ
stacle in the overflow of the tide, and
twenty minutes were lost-valuable
time just then, but fortunately not fatal
loss. AS the two columns neared the
onemy, Murfree and his North Carroll
mans, by previous instructions, took
position directly in front of the British
works, and opened rapid and contin-
nous fire, for the purpose of drawing at
tention to themselves, while the storm
Ing parties moved on silently on the
right and left. This ruse contributed
largely to the nights success. I'm
mediately there is hot work i'm pro-
gress. The hoped-for surprise is out of
the question, for the enemy's pickets
have given the alarm. In ten minutes
every man of the garrison is up, com
pletely dressed, and at his proper sta
ton. If the fort is to be taken now,
only hard fighting can do it. Mean
while mighty courage and resolution
seem to urge on the American infantry
with an irresistible momentum. The
valient Wayne, determined TO share
the perils as well as the glories of the
enterprise, leads the right column,
spear in hand. Not man falters. AS
they approach the two formidable lines
of abatls which stretched across the
Point in front of the main works, the
fire from the enemy's musketry be-
comes tremendous and incessant."
Although on account Of the darkness
much of its effect Is lost, men neverthe-
less here and there begin to fall i'm the
ranks of the light infantry. Lieut..
Colonel Hay, of Pennsylvania, "bravely
lighting at the head of his battalion"
Is wounded i'm the thigh. Captain
Ezra Selden, of Lyme, n handsome
young officer, fresh from Yale College
at the opening of the war, but now a
veteran of four campaigns, and belong
Ing to Colonel Starts First Connecticut
receives a well nigh fatal wound i'm the
side. Though weak from loss of blood
lie makes his way into the fort. A
shot breaks the standard of Meigs' reg
iment, but Ensign Ichabod Spencer
tears the colors off, winds them round
his arm, and keeps charging on. ont
Of twenty of one of the advance parties.
seventeen are either killed or wounded.
But on, on, the two columns go. The
ascent is rocky, even precipitous. It
takes time to open a passage through
the instructions, and men continue to
fall. At the second abatls, Wayne re-
ceives flesh wound In the head.
Thinking 1t fatal at the moment, he
calls on his own aids, Captains Fish
born and Archer. to carry him along,
that he may die in the fort. In five
minutes more the work is done. The
head OF the right column reaches the
sally-port of the main fort first, and
the head man in 1t is De Fleury. "Hhe
forts our own ~ he shouts and then
strikes the enemy's colors with his own
hands. Right after him, spreading
along and climbing over the parapet,
follow the forlOrn hope and the main
column. Lieutenant Knox is the sec
ond man in. Sergeant Baker, of Vir-
ginia, wounded four times during the
assault, is the third. Sergeant Spencer
from the same State, Is the fourth,
with two wounds. Wounded twice
also is Sergeant Dunlap, of Pennsylva-
mia, the fifth man over the works. The
rest came swarming in. On the other
side the left column appears at nearly
the same time. "The forts our own ="
resounds from every quarter. The
Americans dash in among the aston
ished British, and ply the bayonet
with terrible energy, driving them into
the corners of the work, and compelling
their instant surrender.