The state chronicle., 1893-06-23
North Carolina at the Capture OF Stony
Point, n. Y.

North Carolina at the Capture of Stony
Point, NY.
July 10th, 1779.
Among other actions in the cam
paign of 1873, there was no more
gallant enterprise than the capture
of Stony Point on the Hudson, in
which the Continental troops OF
North Carolina bore q most honora-
BILE part.
Gen. Charles Lee, competent
Judge, wrote to Gen. Wayne, who
led the attack: "Your assault on
Stony Point is not only the most
brilliant throughout the whole
course of the war on either side,
but one of the most brilliant I am
acquainted with in history" The
British occupation Of this post
threatened West Point, and WASH
ington formed plan for its capture,
the execution of which he entrusted
to Wayne, who, on the evening OF
July 18th, secretly drew near the
fort with small body of the choi-
cest troops of the army, among
them battalion of North Carolini-
ans commanded by Major Hardy
Murfree, of Hertford county.
The position was considered i'm
pregnable, as it is bold bluff &C
cessible only by a narrow causeway,
which is overfowed at high water.
Strong breastworks crowned the
hill which was encircled by dou-
BILE row of abatis, while the garri-
son consisted of six hundred vete
rams we'll supplied with artillery.
The cannon were 80 arranged as to
enflade any approach to the inner
works. At midnight Wayne moved
silently upon the fort. Besides the
North Carolinians, there were
troops from Connecticut, Mary land,
Pennsylvania and Virginia, SO that
all sections of the country, as it
then was, were represented. In ad-
vance of the left column of attack,
Major John Stewart. of Maryland.
led corps of 100 volunteers with
unloaded muskets, and Lieut.. Col.
Fleury, French officer, a similar
column on the right. Murfree's 8
men in the centre advanced by the
road up the slope dire silly in front
of the works, keeping up An inces
SAINT fire of musketry-and they
were the only troops in the assault
who were allowed to fire at ALTO
distract the attention of the gsrri-
son from the other storming par.
ties; or. as Wayne expressed it, "to
amuse the enemy in front" an
amusement, however, which would
draw upon the North Carolinians
the concentrated fire of the fort. Ir
front of the American line were two
small bodies of twenty picked me1
each called the "forlorn hope,
led respectively by Lieutenantl
Gibbons and Knoz. Armed with
axes, their task was to remove the
abatis and other obstructions fol
the assaulting party. The DANCE,
attending this duty is shown by th.
fact that seventeen of Gibbons lit
J tie company of twenty, and more
J than half of Knox's were killed OF
wounded; yet both officers and me:
} were so emulous of the honor O
} serving in the forlorn hope, that th
! choice of them had to be decided
J by lot.
} The Americans were very near tn
T works before their approach wa
> discovered. "Come on, ye damne'
, rebels; come on" shouted tn
enemy; to which some of our mel
f replied, "Don.t be in such hurry
my lads; We will be with you pres
3 emily" They were met by a terri
l fic fire of grape and musketry, bu
4 dashed on without hesitation, an
q in few minutes the right aud lei
columns entered the fort almost 6
the same time, and met in the ce1
tre. Major Murfree conducted &C
mirably his part of the attack, an
Il his two companies were the onl
n troops that fred a gun, the order
= to the others being to use the bay,
j. net only. In his life of Gen. Wayn
l. Charles J. Steele says:
It "The gallant Murfree with b
n North Carolina troops was towt
,r of strength to both the assaultin
le columns"
N *Lieutenant-Colonel Fluery W,
the first to spring upon the rar
q. parts, and Selling the colors of Il
o post he shouted the watchwor
ye "The forts our own" At the san
h moment Major Stewart, with Il
y left column, entered from the OPP
ID site side, and Murfree's detachme
I'd as bravely seized other portions
Y. the works. Stednan, British OF
Or Ger and historian, describing Il
a assault, says: "The conduct of t
n. Americans was highly meritorio,
T. for they would have been fully il
b. tilted in putting the garrison to t
al sword"
The garrison surrendered at on
be begging for quarter, which v
* magnanimously granted. Not
NJ blow was struck after resistar
st. ceased. "The fort and garrison s
te. ours" was Wayne's laconic dispat
No to Washington, dated July 10Th
is 8. M. "Our officers and men