The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-05-19
Hours With Men and Women Of
the Revolution.
rue spy ON NEUTRAL GROUND.


Copyrighted, 1888, By Funk q WdgndllS. J
Soon after the publication Of my Pictori-
al Field book of the Revolution re-
ceived note from the eminent physician
and scholar, the late Dr. John w. Francis,
saying:
"Come to my house this evening and
meet an old friend of mine who wishes to
see you and tell you something about Enoch
Crosby"
was introduced to Mr.. Nj, vener-
able gentleman, who said he had read my
work with much interest, for in his young
manhood he had known some men and
women of the Revolution. Indeed" he
said, II was one of the boys Of the period,
for was born in ITO and am eighty-two
years DID,"
thanked him for his kind intentions TO
give me trustworthy information about
Enoch Crosby. who appears almost like a
myth in history and romance.
II observe he said, THAT in writing of
Enoch Crosby as the original of Harvey
Birch, OF Cooper's novel 'The Spy you al
lude to doubts having been cast upon that
identity. / will tell you what know about
Enoch Crosby, personally and from my
father, who was his neighbor and friend.
Why, / have no more doubt of Enoch
Crosby being the original OF Harvey Birch
than have of my own existence. Captain
Bainum's little book, TO which you allude,
believe to be true, every word of it, sir"
"But Mr.. Cooper makes q declaration
that puzzles me-" replied. I'm the sum-
mer of 1850 / wrote to Mr.. Cooper and in
quired about the trustwortiness of Bar
NUNS narrative. To my surprise he re-
plied that he had never seen the book,
though 1t had been dedicated 10 him al
most a quarter of century before; also
| that he never heard the name of Enos Cros
by uttered before he wrote The Spy In
| 1920, nor since, until it was coupled with
his Harvey Birch. He referred me to the
introduction of the revised edition of The
Spy then recently published.
~ have read that introduction" said
Mr.. NJ, and it confirms my conviction
of the identity of Harvey Birch and Enocl
Crosby. He tells US as plainly as If he hat
spoken the words, that John Jay, who wa
Chairman of the Committee Of Safety, re
lated the 'anecdote' to which he refers
Jay was, of course, in honor bound not tC
mention the name of the secret agent b'
Ia .tox,ad (or tl,a oh ra ~ ar af q anv |,
held 10 be disreputable, though 1t may b'
a patriotic one."
'Dld you know Enoch Crosby personal
lyP" inquired.
eyes. We resided near the Weslchestel
and Putnam county line, not far from th'
Crosby homestead, where the patriotic
hero dwelt. His wife was distant rela
ton of my father, and Crosby visited VI
frequently when l was young man.
was always delighted by listening to hi;
stOries of adventure during the war, a.
1 given long years af.erward by Captain Bar
mum. When was more than iifty ear;
of age, In business In the city, | read
i Coopers Spy aloud to my aged father, al
my mouse, anu we COutlnuah1 lciih hoe
1 Harvey Birch resembled Enoeh Crosby Sc
a muchp And when Captain Barnum'i
book was published we recognized truth
full record of many of the incidents in th'
career of Crosby which We had heard from
his own lips"
1T distinctly remember" continued Mr.
M, THAT while on visit with m.
father at his country home, soon after Bar
NUNS little book appeared, rode will
him to Bedford TO see Mr.. Jay on som
business. It was beautiful spring day
We found the venerable statesman slttin
on the piazza of his pleasant mansion nea
budding wisteria vine. He knew M
father well. In the course of their cor
versatIon my father referred to Barnum'
book. Mr.. jay had not seen II. Whe
my father observed that 1t made the the
venerable Enoch Crosby the reality Of Ii
fictitious Harvey Birch, the old gsntlema
smiled and said;
: "'Enoch Crosby did noble service In II
war. He was as bold as Hon and as cur
ming as fox. Cooper has certainly tol