No. 6.

86

22 S

11

..

....

31

To the RIGHT HON. WILLIAM EARL OF STIRLING, Brigadier-General.

(Signed)

WINTHROP SARGENT, Captain-Lieutenant of Artillery.

The views contained in Lord Stirling's report were transmitted by Washington, on June 10th, to the officers in charge at Fort Constitution, and the desire expressed to have them adopted with as little delay as possible. In acknowledging their receipt, Colonel Livingston called attention to the omission in the copy of the importance "of throwing up a work on a point called West Point, directly opposite to us, which would be easy of access to our enemies should they pass or take Fort Montgomery. If," said this efficient officer, "I could obtain your Excellency's approbation, a work should be immediately thrown up on this place."

At this time, while Lieutenant-Colonel Livingston held the immediate charge of Fort Constitution, the whole command in the Highlands was exercised by Colonel James Clinton, who was more particularly interested in the construction of the works at Pooplopen's Kill, and which, as early as the 14th of May, had been commenced under Messrs. Palmer and Livingston, Commissioners under the Provincial Congress.*

*Am. Arch., IV., V., 1414.

CHAPTER III.

APPOINTMENT OF A SECRET COMMITTEE FOR OBSTRUCTING THE CHANNEL OF THE HUDSON.-THEIR ACTION AND LETTER TO WASHINGTON. ASSIGNMENT OF GENERAL GEO, CLINTON TO COMMAND IN THE HIGHLANDS.-GENERAL CLINTON AND OTHER OFFICERS EXAMINE THE WORKS AND REPORT UPON THE NECESSITY OF a Boom AND CHAIN AT FORT MONTGOMERY.—Major-GENERAL PUTNAM APPOINTED TO COMMAND.-ADVANCE OF SIR HENRY CLINTON UP THE HUDSON TO CO-OPERATE WITH GENERAL BURGOYNE.—ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF FORTS MONTGOMERY AND CLINTON.

THE suggestions of the Committee of June 13th, 1775 (p. 14), in regard to obstructing the navigation of the river, do not, however, appear to have been acted upon, further than to order the survey mentioned, until the subsequent year (1776); when, on the 16th of July, a few days after the Declaration of Independence, the Provincial Convention* again took up the matter, and appointed a Secret Committee to take the whole subject in charge, as will be seen by the following resolutions:

"Resolved, unanimously, That a Secret Committee be appointed to devise and carry into execution such measures as to them shall appear most effectual for obstructing the channel of the Hudson River, or annoying the enemy's ships in their passage up said river; and that this Convention pledge themselves for defraying the charges incident thereto.

"Resolved, That Mr. Jay, Mr. Robert Yates, Major C. Tappan, Mr. Robert R. Livingston, and Mr. Paulding, be said Committee."

* The title of the Legislature of the State was changed on the 10th July, 1776, from Congress to Convention.

The proceedings of this Secret Committee, appointed 16th July, 1776, have been recently discovered by Mr. James C. Bolton, among the papers of his grandfather, General James Clinton. Besides these minutes, Mr. Bolton has found maps of the Chain at Fort Montgomery, showing the manner in which it was fastened and floated, and the character of the Booms placed in front of it. These long-hidden and valuable documents receive additional illustration from a relic of the original obstruction at West Point, which was raised from the river's bed by Bishop's derrick, in 1855. Collating and combining this mass of new and important materials, with that to be derived from the proceedings of the Provincial Convention, and from other previously known sources, we find that

There were four points at which it was sought to obstruct the navigation of the river, by means, either singly or combined, of fire-ships, booms and chains, and chevauxde-frise. The first point was at Fort Washington, the second at Fort Montgomery, the third at Pollopel's Island, and the fourth at West Point. The fire-ships and obstructions at Fort Washington were constructed in the summer of 1776; the obstructions at Fort Montgomery and Pollopel's Island, in the autumn of 1776 and springs of 1777 and 1778; and those at West Point in 1778.

The Secret Committee, on the 17th of July, addressed a letter to the Commander-in-chief, soliciting his advice as to a plan for the defences of Hudson's River, which, they alleged, had been unfortunately too long neglected. To this Washington replied on the 21st, detailing his order to Lord Stirling, and stating that while he had repeatedly urged on Colonel Clinton to spare no pains to put them

on the best possible footing, he had reason to suppose they were in tolerable order to receive the enemy. On the same day Lieutenant Machin was despatched by him to Colonel Clinton, as the Engineer of the works in the Highlands. He was described as "an ingenious man, who was a proper person, and one who had given great satisfaction as an engineer."

As early as the 15th of July, at the request of the Commander-in-chief, General George Clinton had been appointed by the Provincial Congress to command the newly raised levies, and this officer was now actively cooperating with his brother in obstructing the river at Pollopel's Island, and expediting the erection of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, at Pooplopen's Kill.

The garrison at Fort Constitution, weakened by detachments to prosecute the latter operations,* was, on the 1st of December, strengthened by the addition of two regiments, which, under the command of General George Clinton, were to furnish working parties to aid in obstructing the channel of the Hudson at Pollopel's Island; this General being, in addition, specially instructed on the 10th of December, by the New York Committee of Safety, in relation to the necessity of securing the passes in the Highlands, and on "no account to place himself beyond the power to regain them."

The spring of 1777 approached, and the task of strengthening the defences in the Highlands still continued. On the 25th of March, Congress appointed George Clinton a brigadier-general, thus transferring him from the Provincial rank before held by him, to the Am. Arch., V. III., 348.

* Am. Arch., V. III., 1040.

Am. Arch. V., III., 1157.