New-York tribune., 1906-11-04
REVOLUTIONARY RELICS.
Fec Left on Washington Heights
In Danger of Being Wiped ont.

The visitor to Washington Heights in this
city, will find to-day few evidences of the bloody
and discouraging battle which involved the loss
Of Fort Washington and the capture of nearly
three thousand seasoned American soldiers on
November 1G, l776 Besides Fort Washington.
there were several lines Of embankments cross
ing the tongue of land between the Hudson and
Harlem rivers north Of l45th street. and more
than fifteen redoubts the Heights Nearly
all Of these have been obliterated. The few
relics that remain are in danger OF being wiped
out.
From the platform Of the Dyckman street sta
tion of the subway may see on the heights
above the west. broad. low structure with
uagodalike towers that remind one Of a japanese
building. Climbing the hill by means Of the
tagged walk which zigzags up TO this structure,
comes upon large white house which is
nearly completed. 1t is being built for c. X c.
Billings. This house commands a fine view of
the Hudson and the purple Palisades beyond. 1t
stands the site OF a portion of Fort Tryon,
the earthworks having been removed within a
year to make room for it. At the north end Of
the house is a mound of earth. perhaps thirty
or forty feet long and breast high II oyerlooks
the narrow valley which separates the bluff from
InWood Hill, on the north Attached To a tree
j. "a sign which reads: Remainder of Breast
works An arrow on the sign points toward
the mound. II tells the truth about Fort Tryon.
The mound is the remainder" 1t has been re-
ported that this mound is TO be leveed also
10 make room for roadway a garden. The
representative Of Mr Billings told The Tribune
man that this was incorrect, Mr.. Billings had
given orders that earth be taken from it
This Viii be welcome news to those who are in
tercsted in its preservation and have feared that
il was TO be removed.
ON the sunny October day which a repre-
tentative Of The Tribune visited the spot. the
hollow behind the elongated mound where Mar
caret Cerbin proved that there were at least two
Molly Pitchers" in Pennsylvania was filed
with tools a pile OF shingles, barrels tile piping
and a trough for staining shingles. On the crest
of the mound rested red box labelled Danger
The color Of the box and the word painted upon
il suggested dynamite. and the visitor wondered
what would become Of this sole remainder" of
Fort Tryon and the pathetic sign if he or any Of
the Workmen who were lounging about eating
their midday meal should accidentally hit il.
On the day Of the battle there two guns
in this redoubt. Among those in the redoubt
was Margaret, the wife of John Corbn, one Of
the Pennsylvanian artillerymen. She had per-
sisted in coming with him to keep him company.
and had marched across Pennsylvania and New
Jersey at his side. AS the lighting grew hot
and the men began TO fall around her she saw
that she could be OF assistance at the guns
She helped clean and load her husbands gun
until he fell at her side. pierced through the
breast 10y a Hessian bullet Animated by the
emergency she assumed charge of the gun and
loaded and fired the gun herself. with skill and
yigor. until a charge Of grapeshot swept UP the
hillside from a field battery below. 1t passed
around her, but three Of the shot struck hei
and tore her in a terrible manner. The bones OF
a number of Hessians killed in the action have