News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-11-08
At THE END OF 4 WAR.
, Trick played by the British WHOM The,
were I.cIvinG tii- s....s.-

were. I.c5tvin@ t-Ii- .......s.-
\ never-to-bo-forgotteu incident oc-
cured when-~~e@sI ~ \, .,-
rs 1n.-itish amy left it, at the
close of the Revolutionary War. Lieu
tenant Clean had been ordered by Com
modore GrinueI to raise the American
standard on the staff where the English
ensign had been heretofore flying. The
evening before the British had unreevcd
the haIyards, broke off the stepping
cleats. and slushed the flagstaff. The
flagstaff stood on Fort George, at the
north end or bastion. close to the Bat
terv. Several men tried to climb the
staff, which was as slippery as ice, but
in vain. A young sailor boy named Van
Arsdale made three attempts, got up
about three feet and slipped down again
Then several persons ran to Goelct's
hardware store on Hanover square and
got a haudsaw, hatchet, gimlet and nails.
One sawed lengths across a board, one
split the cIeats and another bored them
until there was plenty to use. The sailor
boy tied the halyard around his waist,
filled his outside pockets fUll of cleats-
and then began at the ground to nail
| them in on the right and left of the flag
staff. As he ascended higher he nailed
the cIeats on, and then, reaching the
! top. he rove the halyards and descended.
! The flag was Immediately run up, amid
a salute of thirteen guns and three thun-
dering cheers from the multitude assem-
bled. The time spent III preparing to
hoist the flag was a period of intense
interest and suspense. The English
vessels were moving down the bay and
spreading their canvas to the wind, ano
it was passionateIy desired to let then
see the American standard waving Ovel
the city before they reft. The sailor hoy
was given a more substantial token o
approval than mere applause, those
present. from General Washington dow
to the plainest citizen, cheerfully con
tributing to Il collection for his benefit
The son of the sailor hoy David Va
Arsdale is now night Inspector in tn
= Barge Office in New York.
Another incident, related by an ey
? witness of the scene, may serve to Illus
trata the reluctance nth which tn
British quilted their hold of the cit
which they had so long claimed as thei
own. BY the conditions agreed upo
the city was to be surrendered at noon
but au impatient shopkeeper in tn
r neighborhood of Chambers street al
4 ticipated the arrangement and hoiste
1 the American flag during the course {
b the morning. Provost Marshal Gun
ningham hastened to the spot ami col
G frontcd the proprietor. ''Pull dow
c that flag" he exclaimed, with an oatl
7 sthe city belongs to tine British ii
v noon" The man objected, hesitateC
n and was ON the point Of yielding, whe
IS the good woman of the house came
+ the rescue. "The flag shall not con
n down. " said she. Cunningham stormc
/, and swore. and finally attempted to te'
II down the colors with hisown hands; bI
n thc woman assailcd HIM so vigorous
1t with broomstick striking q cloud
1t powder from his WIG at every blow, tn
d he was forced at last to abandon the tie
S and leave the American flag unmoleste
rs 4 WmppTNG- Indianapolis p
Is lice were told that Il man was wmppn
I l.