The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-15

'ills point, FOR the house came into his
possession in moment of pntriOtic
ieellnS. which was prompted to some
: extent by visit last winter to France.
: lhere Mr. Kendall Witnessed the spIen.
did patriotism of the French people
ana remembered later that near the
Dobbs Ferry house the French allies
under Rochambeau had Joined he
American army on July G. 1871. As an
unauthorized American he is natural
~ proud of that episode in our MIS-
tory, and proud also of his ownership
OF the house that Is associated with
Rochambeau.
Rich in Historic Places.
Westchester county is rich in hts
torlc places, yet, among them all, per-
haps none Is more justly noted than
! the property now known chiefly us the
Livingston Manor house, though IN
truth it has no claim to that title. The
land on which the house stands was
purchased from the Indians In April,
1862, by Frederick Philipse, whose
Manor house is now the city hall Of
Yonkers, and was held by his family,
under royal charter from the English
crown, until after the Revolution. when
! it was confiscated by the government
on account Of the Toryism Of it's own
ers. 1t was occupied during Revou.
tionary times by Thomas Hyatt. ten.
ant farmer, who had leased it and the
surrounding tract of land from the
lord of Philipsburg. and who prlded
himself on having the best location in
that part Of the country. the Dest
house between Yonkers and Sleepy
Hollow. but whose chief claim to fu.
ture greatness seems to have been his
ability to tell "big stories"
He had no political opinion, and
cared little which party ruled. as long
as crops were good. But the even tenor
of his life was destined to Interrupt.
ton. both by Americans and by Brit.
ish. In 1776, after the battle of
White Plains, came the redcoats, prior
to their march on Fort Washington.
Lord Howe here made his maps of
Westchester roads, ank here General
Lee rested on his march to Morris.
town. And, in the following winter, a
division of Washington's army en-.
camped here. to command the passage
of the river. The poor farmer was, In
deed. besieged.
On August l, 1850. the main body Of
the American army crossed the river
and encamped at Dobbs Ferry, and
the old house became the headquar-
tiers OF the armys chief. and of his
generals, Lafayette. Steuben. Knox
Greene and Hamilton. Washington's
maneuver attained it's object, that Of
drawing the enemy back to Rhode
Island. and the main body of the
American army recrossed to the New
Jersey shore.
Gunboats Open Fire.
On August Z, 1881, about two o'clock
in the morning, the American army
was startled by the firing of cannon
ut Dobbs Ferry. 1t appeared that two
of the enemy's gunboats had come up
as high Us the ferry, probably to try
to seize some vessels or boats. Find
ing that they were discovered. they
fired four cannon, but to no effect
Four cannon we're discharged at the
boats from the battery. on which they
went down the river.
Washington's diary informs us that
on July 4, 1881, he marched and took
Il position little to the left of Dobbs
Ferry, and marked camp for the
French army upon our left" On July
6 the French army formed 1.-THE juno
ton with the American army on the
ground marked out. The American
army was encamped in two lines, with
the right resting on the Hudson river
near Dobbs Ferry. The French army,
stationed on the hills at the left. was
single line reaching to the Bronks
river. There was valley of con-
siderable extent between the two
armies"
Washington's object in taking a po-
sition on the Hudson river near Dobbs
Ferry was to be prepared to make an
attack on New York, and also to in
duce the enemy to withdraw large
portion of his forces from the south.
In this he was successful. and thus 1t
was that he was enabled to defeat and
compel the surrender of CORVALLIS
and end the war. An entry in Wash
ington's orderly book dated July 6.
1881, and written ut Dobbs Ferry. says
that he "embraces the earliest oppor-
tunity of expressing his thanks to
Count de Rochambeau for the unre-
hitting zeal with which he has prose
cuted his march in order to form the
long-wished-for junction between the
French and American armies-an
event which must afford the highest
degree Of pleasure to every friend Of
the country, and from which the hap
piest consequences can be expected"
Told by One Of Heirs.
These and other tales of the old
house were recounted few nights ago
by Miss Anna Gertrude Roberts, one
of the heirs of the Hasbrouck estate,
from which Mr.. Kendall's purchase
has been made. Peter Van Brugh Liv.
incston was an American merchant.
born In. Albany. the son Of Philip
second lord Of livingston Manor.
This house was his country place. He
enjoyed the friendship Of Washington,
and on more than one occasion was
consulted by him. He was one of the