The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-18
ITS AUTHOR HIS TORY UNCLE.
Record Made by Captain in King
Georges Service. Throws In
tcreSting Sidelight on
Progress of War.
REPuRLIC sPECIAL

A'-r''-a't -NtA''- llF-l J. a ] 'A4lE~-
lie found 1t among "A lot OF books an,
papers that had been handed down in hi.
family 1or many generations It is good
sized notebook, bound in pigskin. and {,
fastened with an olj-style metal clasp
like those found on many family Bibles
It contains copies Of official orders ISSUED
to and by Tory Captain during the prog.
ress OF the War for Independence.
Captain YounEs-whom. for obvious pa.
triot!c reasons the present Colonel Youngs
IS bit ashamed 10 acknowledge as one
Cf his ancestors-was a Captain Of Queens
County militia stationed near Oyster Bay,
l. J.. April -, 1870. on which date lie re-
corded the first memorandum contained in
he book
The recorded notes throw an interesting
side light on minor features and incl
dents upon which the historian has no
t!me TO dwell.
The first one. for example, which is Is
sued by order Of His ENcellency, Gov
ernor Robertson. Major General Of his
Majestic forces commands that no
standing timber shall be cut in the future
without special permission and without
paying unto the owners sixteen shiIiings
for nut and twelve shilling for oakwood
per cord .
Thereafter, throughout the entire book
Of orders, the Captains. CoIonels. ave. and
even the Generals. seem TO have particu-
larry concerned themselves 10 safeguard
Inc wood and property of the Widow
townsend who owned an estate ap-
parenly not far from Sycamore Hill.
II IS left 10 the imagination to picture
lnc WIDOW Townsend as "A most COmely
and stately Colonial dame who, by the
power OF her fair blue eyes. won the
hearts Of all the officers and so induced
n hn Tsvs1v~
tectiuG her woods and fields against the
iuroads Of the soldiery
How well IL was done is evidenced by a
special order issued July L. lIS0 that
reads as follows: 1T IS my desire that
You prevent Henry Durling from cutting
wood or otherwise trespassing upon the
land Of the Widow Townsend. You will
likewise Immediately have the damage
ascertained by three respectable neigh
bors. II. after this During pretends to
cut any more wood yOu must send him a
prisoner to me-
INDEBTED TO WIDOW.
Apparently he did 50 pretend. for in
aiay, 1881, he was adjudged indebted TO
the widow in the sum OF 80. and a levy
ordered upon his goods and chattels. A
letter order tells the Captain that he Is
not only 10 put a stop to the evil ways
Of Henry During. but that every person
whatever IS TO be kept clear Of the
Getting the loyal inhabitants" of Long
Island to furnish sufficient horses and for
age for his A9ajesty's cavalry appears to
nave given the Tory officers considerable
trouble. 4 series of recorded orders con-
cerning this point is interesting.
The first was issued by Colonel Hamil-
ton from Flushing and is dated June 9,
11so. II reads in part: That the Cap
tains Of the regiment do furnish the re-
mainder of their horses agreeable TO his
Excellency; Major General Robertson's
quest on Tuesday. the 18th inst. at
O'Clock. in the morning, at the Half Moon
Tavern. in Jamaica"
The next. dated September 20. deals with
the forage and comes from Governor
Robertson, the highest authority on the
island. II reads:
''rhe Captains OF the Queens County
Militia will Immediately order the inhabi-
tants in each Of their districts to thrash
out their oats as fast as possible and bring
them to the commissary at Jamaica or
Flushing. for which they will receive
ready money. II this order is not COM
Piled with they must blame themselves II
a fOraging party is sent among them.
Colonel Hamilton. being so well convinced
Of the loyalty Of Queens County that he
makes not the least doubt that his Excel
lency the Governors request will be cheer
fully complied with
The Cololels confidence in the unwRver-
ing loyalty Of his Majesty's subjects must
have had a severe jolt, for 1t Is evident
that they were not overanxiOus to furnish
mounts or forage for the British troops.
On April 10 Captain Youngs ordered his
men to look out for horses. young and |
stout ones and also announces that "a
generous price will be paid therefor"
This in response 70 a command from
Colonel Hamilton, who closes his order |
with this fiattering peroration:
Colonel Hamilton Is so well acquainted |
with the loyalty Of Queens County, OF its |
readiness on every occasion TO serve his 4
Majesty. that he thinks It needless to say |
any more upon the head, only 10 assure |
It's people that he will be happy to assist /
and serve them.
Then follows the demand Of the Quarter |
master General for 80 horses. He ex- /
presses the hope that the Captains will /
vie with one another in furnishing the |
hest horses and that those districts which |
were deficient last year will be most for /
ward in this" Colonel Hamilton forwards /
HIS Endorsement with this order and ''begs |
that Major Nissan. with his usual alac- /
rlty, Will forward the affair as much as 1
possible"
He IS also happy to think that the rev.
olutiou Is 80 near to its deserved ruin and, /
therefore. beRs that the Captains will eX-
ert themselves upon this order
Major kissam's Endorsement is more to /
the point and says, simply: The horses
must be got"
THE DISILLUSIONMENT.
Then comes the disiIlusionment Of the
optimistic Colonel. who on June l pub
fishes the following order:
Colonel Hamilton was greatly surprised
M f7rrTE 20, ]