Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-14

the story of the famous ride OF
II Gsn. putnam of revolutionary
Ia fame. y story by an eyewitness
has come to light from dcclara-
ton filed years ago in the bureau of pen
sions Thn claimant. it seems, was
waiter for Gen. Putnam. and lis petition
comes nearer being the whole true history
OF the episode of anything that is known.
The declaration is as follows:
In order to obtain the benefit of the act
O. Congress. passed June :, 1882. State of
New York Broome county, SIS.
On this SOth day OF August. 1882 per-
sonaIly appeared in open court before the
Judges of the court of common pleas now
sitting. Joseph Rundel, resident of Sand
ford. in the county of Broome and state OF
New York aged seventy years. who being
first duly sworn according to law. doth on
his oath make the following declaration
in order to obtain the benefit Of the act OF
Congress, passed June {, 1872:
That he entered the service of the United
States under the following named officers
and served as herein stated:
K
I enlisted at Horseneck, in the town of
Greenwich. state of Connecticut, on Long
Island sound, on or about the first day of
February (the day cannot recollecD, IT'S,
for the term of three years in the continen-
tai service. l was thus enlisted by Charles
Bush, a continental recruiting officer. He
was called Capt. Bush. 1 never Joined any
company or regiment, and cannot tell in
what company or regiment did enlist, not
being able to reCollect.
The reason is this; On the day or the day
after l enlisted. Gen. Putnam. whose head
quarters were at Reading, Conn, was visit
ing Horse neck, one of his outposts. He
saw me at that place at what was called
the Picket fort. He told me l looked too
young Il was then in my sixteenth year,
to go Into line, and said he would take me
as his waiter. | told him l should like 1t.
He took me with him to Bush, the person
who enlisted me. and told him he should
take me as his waiter l then went INTO
his service in that capacity.
few days after l enlisted the British,
being part Of Gen. Tryons forces. l be-
lieve. attacked our men. Our men had sta
toned near the meeting house a cannon
or two. which fired upon the enemy, till
they approached in too great force and so
near that Gen. Putnam ordered his men
to retreat and save themselves the best
they could He also retreated on his horse
at full speed. pursued closely by the British
horse He made down a flight of stone
stems, the top Of which Were about sixty
rods q should think from the meetir
house He did not ride down more than
fifteen or twenty of them Ghere being, l
think. about 100 of them in the whole. He
then dismounted and led down his horse as
fast as possible. | was at the bottom of the
steps as soon as he was. He then mounted
his horse. told me to make my escape to
swamp not far off and he rode off.
By this time the British horse, who had
gone around the hill by the usually Travelled
road came in sight in pursuit l run to-
ward the swamp One of the dragons Il
think there were six who came round the
hiID took after me. AS i was getting over
stone wall he overlook me. He hoHered,
stop. you little devil, or III take your head
off In attempting to get over the wall
my foot slipped. He struck my left arm
with his cutlass and inflicted wound, the
scar OF which is still visible. l surrendered.
He took me to kngsbrdge near New York
city. From thence | was sent with other
prisoners to the Sugar House, in the city
OF New York, and there confined / re-
manned there about three months. AS !
was young and small Of my age they per-
mitted me in the day time to be out and
/ was sent 10 bring water and do chores
about the yard. Some others of the pris-
oners were also permitted to be out 1t
was the custom at night to lock us up.
The names were called over. and care taken
to see all were in. had gained the CON
fidencc Of Hessian soldier named Michael
Hilderbrand. lie could speak broken Eng
lsh He was one Of our guard at the
Sugar House l proposed to him to go of
with me. lie at first declined, saying that
they would catch and shoot him. He finally
consented. and We agreed upon a place.
When he stood sentinel Git being dusk
when our names were called over TO go in
and be locked up he secreted me under his
watch cloak. When my name was called
he said that II had gone in" After dark
We started from the Sugar House and went
with all haste out of the city about three
miles on the Hudson river. We then made
n float of some posts We procured from the
fence and some slabs and boards and
got over the river the Jersey
side We slept in the bushes. Early next
morning we went TO a house. They asked
us 10 come in. We declined as we were
lousy. They brought us out some victuals.
We then made our way to West Point,
where we arrived next day about dark. The
name of the person to whose house we
stopped as above was Ephraim Darby. l
have known him since He lived IN Cairo,
Greene county, n. Y, and died there about
twenty years since.
l staid at West Point two days. They
gave myself and Hilderbrand some new
clothes From West Point / went with