The Yale expositor., 1913-08-07
y y

ton contained herein.
He mentions, particularly among the active
work of the post, the branch of the Y. NJ c. A.
conducted by Chaplain Edmund B. Smith. the
classes for enlisted men and the drills supple
mented now With the more picturesque music
drills or silent manual.
The military student finds at present little to
interest him for the island is not fortified being
in no way part of the scheme of Notifications
which embraces Sandy Hook and the mouth OF
the harbor. Fort Jay, for 100 years known as
Fort Columbus, but originally named for John
Jay was during the Civil war manned with heavy
guns, although not threatened. When Fort
Lafayette was too crowded with prisoners at that
period Castle William took charge Of the over
flow and at one time housed thousand
prisoners Among the noted prisoners who have
been confined there John Yates Beall, the
Confederate spy.
Castle William was completed in 1911 and is
built oil bed rock. In of the departmental
reports IL is described as "a stone tower with
hfty-two ~ and 80 Founders maintained on two
tiers under bomb roof and terrace intended
to mount twenty-six 50-pound coumbiads." In
several other reports Castle William is referred
to as an example of outgrown science"
In the museum on the island is Sheridan's ia
nous horse Winchester, who bore his master in
forty-seven battles
In place OF a regular army chapel, Trinity Cor
poration has provided the Chapel of St Cornelius
the Centurion for the use Of the post It is
the old frame building erected in 1S47 by Dr. Nc
Vickar who taught ethics at Columbia college
during the week and on Sunday preached in the
chapel he built and presented to the island him
self Garlanding the chance are several upright
posts connected with a heavy chain and bronze
tablet explains that they cannons used in the
several battles Of the Mexican over the
choir double Of tattered battle flags hang
One is a mere cobweb and the light from the
stained glass window shows fringe of blood
red threads and a splash of blue where stars
were once This is the last flag pulled
down in Cuba. Another of peculiar interest is
the one under which Major Reilly died and which
was carried from Tien Tsin in the Boxer uprising
in China.
Chaplain Smith is about to publish a book OIL
Governors Island, for with the exception of a
monograph or two and some scientific articles on
technical subjects, the place has practically been
overlooked by chronicers. The book is to be
illustrated with several rare prints and engrav-
incs besides more modern work, and contains
data that have never been printed in this coun-
Try and represent years of the most untirng re-
search en- The part Of the author
Situated near what is considered today one
Of the most valuable pieces of real estate prop
crty in the world. Governors Island was pur-
chased OG37l by that shrewd old barater Wouter
Van Tviiler, director general Of New Neither
Lands for some axe heads string of beads and
few nails from two Indians whose names
Cakapeteion and Pehiwas would indicate a great
or mentality than they seem to have possessed
Across Buttermilk channel. TO the origin, naming
ana history of which Chaplain Smith devotes two
chapters OF his book, Sara. the first Christian
child to be born in the Dutch colony daughter OF
Ioris Janson de Rapalye. was taken In tub at a
very early age OF her career and furnished the
only thrilling narrative of the place for some
time.
For several years II furnished convenient
landing place for the settlers cattle, and the first
building was erected O69S) by Van Twiller. and