Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-04-13


syLrania'S Hero.
Thirty years ago, while was making
pencil sketch of the small monument
that commentaries the cruel midnight
massacre of troops under General
| Wayne (near the old Paoli tavern on
the broad Lancaster Pike in 1777. a
white haired but vigorous man, sun
burned and brawny, came from a
neighboring field to crafty curiosity
which had been excited by the presence
of stranger.
M, legs did coed service or that
terrible night said the septuagenarian
after ! had read aloud the sad lnscrip-
tion on the stone.
Were you with Wayne at this en-
campment?' 2 | asked.
Indeed | was, and at many others,
be replied. Lord how we scam-
percd when those savage red-coats and
more savage Hessians fell upon US ia
the dark without varring. Poor fel-
lows! Many of our men were mur-
dercd as you see. Yes, murdered, for
they were bayoneted while begging
for mercy
You were with Wayne afterward 2
| said lnquiringly.
Yes sir he answered, with empha-
sis. Didn't feel good, though, when
| heard the British end Tories begging
lor mercy from Wayne at Stony Point,
aud ii uas granted.
1T was not Wayne's old regiment
that attacked that post, | replied. 1T
was a portion of the light infantry OF
the army
OF course it was,' he answered.
w hen / heard Wayne was made COM
mander of that corps | got ermission
10 Join it, for the bold, dashng soldier
was my distant kinsman, and good
fellow anyhow. | was one of De
tleury's hundred or nore volunteers
who first entered the fort on that hot
July night.
We sat down on a grassy hillock,
when the white haired man, with AMI
nation gave Inc u minute account o1
the circumstances of the attack upon
and capture of Stony Point before the
lawn oi July is, 1879. When | vis-
tied the spot few weeks afterward,
his narrative was vivIdiy presented hy
memory, for 1 found the topography,
the Ctiicai records and the LEGAL tradi-
tions in general agreement with him.
THE KINGS FERRY.
Stony Point is a conspicuous feature
III the picturesque scenery OF the Hud
son river near the Highlands, and Ii
lhickly Clustered with historic associa-
lions. 1t is bold, rocky pennsulal
pronontory, dotted with evergreens
and sparsely clad with veadure even
in md summer. 1t highest point is
about one hundred and fifty feet above
tidewator 1t juts out from the west
ern shore Of the river at the upper en-
trance to Haverstraw Bay, and is con-
nected with the mainland by low
causeway across a marsh. which, COW
cred with water at high tide, makes
the peninsula en- island. Near lts
summit, upon AID among the mounds
-luC VI oiOlNhe iNoO'Deo obN
breast st-wcrks-stanIs a substantial
stone lighthouse, the keepers lodge
AID a fog-bcll tower. The whole re-
gion around it il classic ground, hal
lowed by deeds II valor and patriot
ism
Opposite Stony Point, and jutting
out toward it Fl IN the eastern shore o.
the Hudson, is !. fertile peninsula call
ed Verplanck's Point. Each jut-land
had been fortiE by the Americans
chiefly tor the p" lection of The Kings
Ferry from = mt to point, which
formed convci. ent and most import
ant open passage across the Hudson be-
tween New England and the Middle
States. These f.rtfied headlands also
presented serious Obstacles to the pas
sage of hostile ships up the rivera
most important function-for the Brit
sh Ministry n.vtr wholly dispelled
the dream of the earlier period of the
war, for weakening the aggregatepower
of the struggling colonies 10y. separat-
ing New England from the rest of the
Union by a series of military posts
stretching from the St. Lawrence to
the sea, along the line of Lake Cham
plain and the Hudson river. The cap
ture of Burgoy .e's army and the fail
ure of Sir Hey Clinton to effect
much by sending a maurauding cxpe-
di,ion up the Hudson in the autumn
of 1777, did nc, absolutely discourage
the Ministry, hut modified their dream.
They afterwart! confined their efforts
to plans for securing to themselves the
free communication between New Eng
land and the other states by way Of
The Kings Ferry and the passes of
the Hudson Highlands. Such was
the object of an expedition led by Sir
Henry Clinton Il person at the close of
May, l779
With lar land force under Gen
Vaughan, born, by fotilla command
ed by Admiral Collier, Sir Henry sail
ed from New * to attempt the seiz-
ure of Stony d Ve'planks Points,
and was succe, rui, for only forty men
garrisoned the former and seventy the
latter. The IL 4ding troops landed be-
| low the two fUr's and marched upon
them. The garrison at Stony Point
fed to the Hi. lands, and the troops
at Verplanck's. after a very slight re-
sistance, were made prisoners of war.
This was g ious disaster to the
Americans. The passage at The
Kings Ferry was closed to them and
the Highland passes and defenses
were menaced With danger, Perceiving
this. Washington took immediate
measures for tleir protection and for
recovery of th, lost posts. His army,
which had wiItered at Middiebrook,
in New Jeasey, was moved early in
June to The Oiove.' fertile valley
far in the rear of Haverstraw, and late