SAR Speech given by Tom Bowen
March 14, 2020 Withlacoochee Florida Chapter
Hudson Valley Campaign and the Battles for Fort Clinton and Montgomery
5-6 October 1777

King George III like all Kings liked to run his own war.  After the receiving the shocking news 
of General's Howe's Pyrrhic victory at Bunker Hill where the BRITISH CAUSALTIES FAR  
EXCEEDED THE COLONIAL’S LOSSES IN MEN HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS NO SMALL WAR.  HIS 
CHIEF ADVISOR LORD NORTH TOLD THE KING THAT "ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH” AND THE KING
WOULD HAVE TO TREAT THIS WAR AS A FOREIGN WAR AND EVERY EXPEDIENT WHICH WOULD
BE USED IN THE LATTER CASE SHOULD BE APPLIED IN THE FORMER'  

THE KING NEEDED NO PRODDING.  HE KNEW HE NEEDED TO USE THE FULL FORCE OF THE EMPIRE 
TO CRUSH THE AMERICAN MALCONTENTS.  NOW WAS THE TIME FOR STERNER MEASURES.  HE 
WAS CONVINCED THAT IF LEFT UNCHECKED THE REVOLT WOULD UNRAVEL HIS EMPIRE WHICH 
HUGE IN THE LATE 1700S.  THE BRITISH NAVY RULED THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD.  THE KING
ALONG WITH ABOUT 400 ARISTOCRATS RULED GREAT BRITAIN.  EVER SINCE THE BOSTON TEA
PARTY OF 1773 THERE WAS A STRONG CURRENT OF ANTI-AMERICAN FEELING IN THE KING'S 
RARIFIED CIRCLES.  THESE FOLKS HAD NO INTENTION OF SHARING POWER WITH THESE LOWER
CLASS RADICALS.  THE KING CONTROLLED PARLIAMENT THROUGH FAVORS AND BRIBES BUT
NEEDED THEIR SUPPORT.  

THE COLONIALISTS MEANWHILE IN 1775 WERE TRYING TO AVOID AN ALLOUT WAR AND ON 
JULY 5, 1775, APPROVED THE OLIVE BRANCH PETITION PLEADING FOR A DIALOGUE TO RESTORE 
HARMONY IN THE KINGS DOMINIONS.  THE PETITION ACUALLY SAID THAT THE COLONIALS 
AFFIRMED THE COLONIAL ATTACHMENT TO HIS MAJESTYS PERSON, FAMILY AND 
GOVERNMENT WITH ALL THE DEVOTION THAT PRINCIPLE AND AFFECTION CAN INSPIRE.
THIS WAS NOT THE UNIVERSAL FEELING OF ALL THE COLONIALS AND SAM ADAMS WARNED '
"IT IS FOLLY TO SUPPLICATE A TYRANT”.  WHEN THE TIME CAME, HOWEVER, THEY ALL SIGNED THE PETITION 
THE KING WAS NOT INTERESTED IN A PARLEY.  HE EVEN REFUSED TO OFFICIALLY RECEIVE THE PETITION.  HE FELT THAT ENTERING INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH AN ILLEGAL BODY LIKE THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS WAS EXACTLY THE WRONG THING TO DO.  IF HE ALLOWED THESE COLONIALS TO NEGOTIATE WITH HIM THE ENTIRE EMPIRE WOULD BE AT RISK.  HE ISSUED A PROCLAMATION IN AUGUST FORMALLY COMMITTING BRITAIN TO SUPPRESS WITH MASSIVE FORCE THE REVOLT SPREADING IN AMERICA.  TWO MONTHS LATER HE MADE A SPEECH TO THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT REAFFIRMING THIS STANCE.  HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT NO INDEPENDENT EMPIRE WOULD BE ESTABLISHED ON HIS WATCH.  
HE HAD A FOUR SHIP TASK FORCE BURN THE CITY OF FALMOUTH/PORTLAND IN OCTOBER OF 1775 and CHARLESTOWN.  HE ALSO HIRED GERMAN MERCENARIES TO HELP PUT DOWN THE REBELLION.  THE KING AND HIS SUPPORTERS VIEWED THESE ACTS AS EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PUT DOWN REBELLION.  IN THE SAME YEAR THE PROHIBITORY ACT WAS ENACTED ALLOWING THE ROYAL NAVY TO SEIZE ANY COLONIAL VESSEL FOUND ENGAGED IN COMMERCE AND IMPRESS ITS SAILORS.  THIS WAS ONE OF THE PRIME REASONS WE WENT TO WAR WITH THE BRITISH EMPIRE AGAIN IN 1812.  THE BRITISH NAVY WAS SO HUGE THEY NEVER HAD ENOUGH SAILORS AND IMPRESSING SEAMAN ESPECIALLY ENGLISH SPEAKERS WAS THE IDEAL WAY TO KEEP THIER NAVY IN BUSINESS.   IN FEB OF 1776 WHEN WORD GOT TO THE COLONIES OF THIS ACT JOHN ADAMS CHARACTERIZED IT AS “ A COMPLETE DISMEMBERMENT OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE”.  
THE KING GAVE THE JOB OF PUTTING DOWN THE REBELLION TO GENERAL WILLIAM HOWE AND HIS OLDER BROTHER VICE ADMIRAL RICHARD HOWE HIS BEST TWO MILITARY MEN.  THEY WERE BOTH CLOSE TO THE KING AND PROBABLY RELATED AS THEIR MOTHER WAS MOST LIKELY THE ILEGITIMATE DAUGHER OF KING GEORGE I.    THEY BOTH HAD IMPRESSIVE MILTARY RESUMES AND WERE GIFTED MILITARY LEADERS.  
THE KING’S PLAN WAS TO INVADE NEW YORK CITY,  CONSOLIDATE HIS FORCES AND THEN WITH A TWO PRONGED ATTACK ON THE HUDSON RIVER - ONE FROM CANADA AND ONE FROM NEW YORK SPLIT THE COLONIES IN HALF.  THE KING FELT THAT THE SOUTHERN COLONIES WERE THE SOFT UNDERBELLY OF THE REVOLUTION AND THE NORTHERN COLONIES WERE THE HARD CORE.  IF HIS ARMIES COULD GAIN CONTROL OF THE HUDSON, HE FELT THE REVOLUTION COULD BE PUT DOWN.   THE NAME OF THIS PLAN WAS THE "HUDSON VALLEY PLAN" AND THE EXACT WORDING WAS "ISOLATE HER AND THE REST OF THE COLONIES WILL COME THEIR SENSES.”  ISOLATE HER THEREFORE BY STRIKING NORTH FROM NEW YORK AND SOUTH FROM LAKE CHAMPLAIN TO SEIZE CONTROL OF THE CROSSINGS OF THE HUDSON.  THEN THE ARMY IN CANADA CAN BE USED IN AN OFFENSIVE ROLE.  AFTERWARDS NEW ENGLAND MAY BE INVADED ON A BROAD FRONT FROM THE REAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FORCE FROM RHODE ISLAND.  
HOWE FIRST LANDED HIS TROOPS AT STATEN ISLAND IN JULY OF 1776 and THEN LONG ISLAND IN AUGUST DEFEATING WASHINGTON IN A LARGE BATTLE.  WASHINGTON SUFFERED SOME FURTHER DEFEATS IN MANHATTAN.  WASHINGTON WAS ABLE TO MAKE A SUCESSFUL RETREAT AND GO INTO WINTER QUARTERS.  IN 1777 GENERAL HOWE LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO CAPTURE PHILDELPHIA AND LEFT GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON IN CHARGE OF THE NEW YORK AREA.  
THE TWO-PRONGED THRUST FOR CONTROL OF THE HUDSON BEGAN WITH GENERAL BURGOYNE DRIVING SOUTH FROM QUEBEC AND GETTING STOPPED AT SARATOGA AFTER HE LOSES A SECOND BATTLE AT BEMIS HEIGHTS. THESE TWO BATTLES WERE ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1777, AND OCTOBER 7 1777.   BURGOYNE BECAME SURROUNDED BY SUPERIOR AMERICAN FORCES AFTER THESE TWO BATTLES.  BURGOYNE KNEW HE WAS IN DEEP TROUBLE AND WROTE A LETTER TO BRITISH GENERAL CLINTON SUGGESTING " AN ATTACK OR EVEN MENACE OF AN ATTACK ON FORT MONTGOMERY MUST BE OF GREAT USE ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1777.  INTERESTING TIDBIT OF INFORMATION HERE WAS THAT BENEDICT ARNOLD WAS A HERO OF THE SECOND BATTLE AFTER HE HAD BEEN STRIPPED OF HIS COMMAND BY GENERAL GATES AFTER A SHOUTING MATCH BETWEEN THE TWO MEN.    MEANWHILE BRITISH GENERAL HENRY CLINTON BEGAN DRIVING NORTH UP THE HUDSON IN AN ATTEMPT TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON BURGOYNE.  THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR THE BATTLES OF FORTS CLINTON AND MONTGOMERY. 
BRITISH GENERAL CLINTON SAILED FROM NEW YORK PARTLY IN RESPONSE TO BURGOYNE'S LETTER ASKING FOR HELP ON OCTOBER 3, 1777.  MEANWHILE THE COLONIALS HAD BEEN BUSY BUILDING AND FORTFYING FORTS MONTGOMERY AND CLINTON.  THE COLONIALS HAD ALREADY CONSTRUCTED A HUGE CHAIN ACROSS THE RIVER FROM FORT MONTGOMERY TO ANTHONY'S NOSE THE NARROWEST PART OF THE RIVER.  THIS CHAIN WAS SUPPORTED BY A LOG BOOM.  THIS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT ANY PASSAGE BY SHIPS UP OR DOWN THE RIVER AND GUARDED BY FT. MONTGOMERY.  THIS CHAIN HAD BEEN ORDERED BY GEN. WASHINGTON AND HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR SOME TIME.  THE FORTS CLINTON AND MONTGOMERY WERE BUILT TO GUARD THE CHAIN.  EACH LINK WAS HAND FORGED, BETWEEN 19 TO 36 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHED AROUND 100 POUNDS PER LINK.  THERE ARE SEVERAL ACTUAL LINKS THAT WERE PRESERVED AND ARE NOW DISPLAYED IN VARIOUS SITES IN THAT PART OF NEW YORK STATE.  THERE WAS ALSO A WOOD BOOM SOUTH OF THE CHAIN TO DISCOURAGE SHIPS FROM TRYING TO RAM IT.  IT WAS ALSO DISCONNECTABLE IN THE MIDDLE TO ALLOW PASSAGE OF FRIENDLY SHIPS.  IT WAS REMOVED IN THE FALL SO ICE DID NOT BREAK IT.  THE ENTIRE CONTRAPTION WAS ESTMATED TO WEIGH 75 TO 80 TONS.  
We WILL GET BACK TO THE BATTLES FOR THE FORTS.  THERE WERE FOUR PRINCIPALS INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE.  BRITISH GENERAL SIR HENRY CLINTON, N.Y. GOVERNOR CLINTON, HIS BROTHER GENERAL JAMES CLINTON AND GENERAL PUTNAM CALLED "OLD PUT".  TO KEEP THE THREE CLINTONS STRAIGHT AFTER THIS POINT I WILL REFER TO THE BRITISH CLINTON AS SIR HENRY, THE COLONIAL CLINTONS AS GOV. CLINTON AND GEN. CLINTON SO WHEN YOU HEAR SIR HENRY THIS IS THE BRITISH GENERAL.   THIS BATTLE ALSO BECAME KNOW AS THE BATTLE OF THE CLINTONS.    ON OCTOBER 5 THE TWO COLONIAL CLINTONS MET AND EXAMINED THE FORTS AND WERE DISMAYED AT THE INCOMPLETNESS OF THE FORTS.  THEY KNEW THE BRITISH ARMY WAS ARRIVING MOMENTARILY. THERE WAS ALSO ALMOST NO CANNONS GUARDING THE LAND SIDE ONLY THE RIVER SIDE.  GOVERNOR CLINTON TOOK COMMAND OF FORT MONTGOMERY AND ORDERED HIS BROTHER TO TAKE COMMAND OF FORT CLINTON.  THE COLONIAL CLINTONS WERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER IN COMMAND OF THE FORTS AND GENERAL PUTNAM WAS ON THE EAST SIDE WITH A MOBILE ARMY OF AROUND 1000 TROOPS.  SIR CLINTON MADE A FEINT ON OCTOBER 5 ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER AND ADVANCED NORTH ALONG THE RIVERBANK.  GENERAL PUTNAM WHEN HE LEARNED OF THIS RETREATED NORTH AND WAS EFFECTIVELY USELESS AFTER THIS BRILLANT FEINT BY SIR CLINTON.  WITH NO EXPENDITURE OF MEN OR AMMO SIR CLINTON HAD TAKEN HALF OF THE COLONIALS OUT OF THE FIGHT.  
AT 11 PM ON THE 5TH THE CLINTON BROTHERS WERE DESPERATE FOR INFORMATION AND SENT A RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE OF 100 SOLDIERS UNDER THE COMMAND OF MAJOR LOGAN .  HE WAS ORDER TO PROCEED SOUTH INTO TIMP PASS (POINT OUT TIMP PASS) AND TO RECONNOITER AS FAR SOUTH AS STONY POINT.  HE WAS GIVEN EXPLICIT ORDERS NOT TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.  HIS JOB WAS OBSERVE, MONITOR AND REPORT BACK.  CAPT STEWART WAS HIS 2ND IN COMMAND AND NOTED FOR HIS AGGRESSIVENESS AND QUICK THINKING.  
GENERAL PUTNAM STILL THINKING THAT THE BRITISH WERE AFTER HIM ORDERED GOV. CLINTON TO DISPATCH 60 SOLDIERS TO CROSS THE RIVER AND SECURE A MOUNTAIN PASS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER.  THERE WAS ANOTHER FORT ON THE EAST SIDE CALLED FORT INDEPENDENCE.  SIR HENRY ORDERED ANOTHER FEINT AT 2AM ON THIS FORT AND SIMULATED A NOISY LANDING NEAR THIS FORT.  HEARING THIS 2ND FEINT FURTHER CONFUSED GEN. PUTNAM.
AT THE MOMENT THE 2ND FEINT WAS IN PROGRESS MAJOR LOGAN REACHED TIMP PASS THROUGH DUNDERBERG MOUNTAIN.  THIS WAS A VERY LONG AND ROCK PASS SURROUNDED BY VERY HIGH AND STEEP TERRAIN ON BOTH SIDES.  THIS AREA WAS ALSO HEAVILY VEGETATED AND THE PATH WAS VERY NARROW ALLOWING NO MORE THEN THREE MEN ABREAST AT ANY TIME. THERE WERE PARTS OF THIS PASS THAT ONLY A SINGLE FILE OF MEN COULD MAKE IT THROUGH.   THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL TOWN CALLED DOODLETOWN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PASS IN THE VALLEY.  ABOUT THREE MILES SOUTH OF FT CLINTON AND JUST BEFORE TIMP PASS THE MAJOR HALTED AND SENT OUT PATROLS.  ONE PATROL UNDER THE COMMAND OF LT ENGLISH WAS ORDER TO INVESTIGATE STONY POINT A LIKELY LANDING PLACE SOUTH OF TIMP PASS.   THIS PATROL GOT CLOSE TO STONY POINT AND TOOK UP OBSERVATION POINTS.   AT AROUND 0600 THE BRITISH ARMY BEGAN TO LAND IN HEAVY FOG.  LT ENGLISH IN CHARGE OF THE PATROL STARTED TO HEAR SIGNS OF ACTIVITY AND FINALLY A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE FOG ASIDE AND THE BRITISH ARMY WAS OBSERVED LANDING IN FORCE.  THEY IMMEDIATELY FELL BACK TO MAJOR LOGAN.  
SIR HENRY KNEW THAT THE KEY TO CAPTURING THE FORTS WAS A RAPID, SIMULTANEOUS THRUST AND ATTACKING THEM FROM BEHIND.  HE CHOSE HIS MOST ELITE TROOPS OF THE BRITISH, LOYALISTS AND GERMANS A TOTAL OF 2100 MEN.  COLONEL ROBINSONS  400 LOYALISTS WERE IN THE VANGUARD AS SIR HENRY WAS EXPECTING OTHER LOYALISTS TO JOIN THEIR CAUSE.  THE MIDDLE WAS A FORCE OF AROUND 1200 COMMANDED BY SIR HENRY AND THE REAR WAS COMMANDED BY A GENERAL TRYON AN INFAMOUS LOYALIST AND FORMER ROYAL GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK WHO HAD A FIERY HATRED OF THE PATRIOTS.  HIS FORMER ESTATE NEAR ALBANY HAD BEEN CONFISCATED BY THE PATRIOTS AND HE WANTED REVENGE.  
MEANWHILE LT ENGLISH THE SCOUTING PARTY FOR THE PATRIOTS REPORTED BACK TO MAJOR LOGAN THAT THE BRITISH WERE ON THE WAY.  A DEBATE IMMEDIATLY BEGAN WITH CAPT STEWART PROPOSING AN AMBUSH AT TIMP PASS.  STEWART PROPOSED THAT THEIR 100 MEN HIDDEN BEHIND BOULDERS AND TREES COULD EASILY HOLD OFF THIS BRITISH FORCE OF 2100 AS THE NARROWNESS AND ROUGH CHARACTER OF THE PASS WAS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.  STEWART ACTUALLY CITED A 1755 BATTLE IN THE FRENCH INDIAN WAR NEAR FORT DUQUESNE WHERE A NUMERICALLY SUPERIOR FORCE WAS SHATTERED IN ALMOST THE SAME SITUATION.  MAJOR LOGAN DISAGREED AND HIS ORDER WERE EXPLICIT - NOT TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.  IN THE MANY WARS AND BATTLES FOUGHT THROUGHOUT HISTORY, SUCCESS FAVORS THE BOLD.  THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES ESPECIALLY DURING WWII WHERE SMALL UNIT COMMANDERS TOOK THE INIATIVE EVEN AGAINST ORDERS AND WERE SUCESSFUL.  THIS WAS A LOST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PATRIOTS.  A VERY FRUSTRATED CAPT STEWART FOLLOWED ORDERS AND RETREATED WITH MAJOR LOGAN AND BELIEVED TO THE END OF HIS LIFE THAT THEY COULD HAVE HALTED AND DEFEATED THE BRITISH AT TIMP PASS.   TRAINED REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS COULD FIRE A MUSKET AS FAST AS 4 TIMES PER MINUTE.  GIVEN THE FACT THAT NOTHING IS PERFECT AND CUTTING THE RATE TO TWO TIMES PER MINUTE A 100 MAN TROOP COULD PUT OUT AN IMPRESSIVE 200 SHOTS PER MINUTE.  GIVEN THE SLAUGHTER THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THIS CONSTRICTED PASS THE BRITISH WOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED COLD AND THE BODIES WOULD HAVE MADE AN EFFECTIVE BARRICADE FOR THE PATRIOTS.    THERE WAS NO EASY WAY AROUND AND THE BRITISH WOULD HAVE HAD TO RETURN TO STONEY POINT, REARM AND TAKE A MUCH LONGER ROUTE AROUND TIMP PASS. THE LONGER ROUTE WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 9 MILES NOT INCLUDING THE 3 MILE RETURN TRIP AND THE ELEMENT OF A RAPID THRUST WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST.  THE PATRIOTS COULD HAVE ORGANIZED AMBUSHES AT CREEK CROSSINGS ALONG THE LONGER ROUTE.  
SIR HENRY ORDERED HIS TROOPS OUT AT 0800 ON 6 OCTOBER FOR THE 3 MILE FAST MARCH TO TIMP PASS WHICH SIR HENRY CONSIDERED TO BE VITAL TO HIS SUCCESS.  AFTER THAT WAS DOODLETOWN ANOTHER 1.5 MILES.  AT DOODLETOWN THE ROAD SPLITS AND HALF OF THE BRITISH FORCE WOOULD TAKE THE RIGHT FORK AND TAKE FORT CLINTON AND THE OTHER HALF WOULD TAKE THE LEFT FORK AND TAKE FT MONTGOMERY.  GEN. PUTNAM WAS STARTING TO NOTICE BRITISH ACTIVITY ON THE WEST BANK AND SENT A MESSAGE TO CLINTON.  CLINTON RESPONDED TO THIS MESSAGE BY ASKING PUTNAM FOR REINFORCEMENTS BUT FAILED TO GIVE THE MESSAGE TO PUTNAMS RUNNER AND GAVE IT TO A CIVILIAN INSTEAD.  
SIR CLINTON GOT TO DOODLETOWN AND DISPATCHED SOME OF A SMALL REAR GUARD OF PATRIOTS AND SPLIT HIS FORCE.  GOV. CLINTON KNOWING THE REINFORCEMENTS WOULD BE ARRIVING SHORTLY FROM PUTNAM DISPATCHED 100 TROOPS TO INTERCEPT SIR CLINTONS FORCE ADVANCING ON FORT CLINTON AND 60 MEN TO INTERCEPT TO THE FORCE ADVANCING ON FORT MONTGOMERY WITH HOPES OF DELAYING THE BRITISH TO GIVE TIME FOR REINFORCEMENTS TO ARRIVE TO STRENGHEN THE FORTS.  SOME ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS SHOWED UP TO STRENGHTEN THE FT MONTGOMERY PATRIOTS.  CLINTON WAS NOW WORRIED, WHERE WERE THE REINFORCEMENTS?  IT WAS NOW 1:30 AND NO REINFORCEMENTS IN SIGHT.  HE WROTE OUT ANOTHER MESSAGE AND GAVE IT TO A DOMESTIC SERVANT OF A PATRIOT LT.  THIS WAS A SECOND MISTAKE OF TRUSTING A CIVILIAN TO DELIVER A CRITICAL MESSAGE INSTEAD OF A MILITARY RUNNER.  
THE PATRIOTS SELECTED TO DELAY THE BRITISH ADVANCE ON MONTGOMERY FOUND A DEFENSIBLE AREA THAT WAS BOUNDED BY CREEK AND A SMALL HILL AND SET UP THEIR DELAYING DEFENSE.  GOV. CLINTON ALSO MOVED SOME OF THE MEN TO REDOUBTS IN FRONT OF FT MONTGOMERY.  HE FIGURED THAT WITH THE DELAYING ACTION BY THE CREEK AND HILL TO DEFEND MONTGOMERY AND THE DELAYING ACTION A MILE FROM FORT CLINTON THE REINFORCEMENTS WOULD ARRIVE TO SAVE THE DAY.  THE COLONIALS AND THE BRITISH ARRIVED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME IN THE DELAYING FORCE FOR MONTGOMERY.  THE COLONIALS HAD A SMALL CANNON WHICH THEY IMMEDIATELY PUT TO GOOD USE WITH GRAPESHOT.  THIS EFFECTIVELY TURNED THE CANNON INTO A GIANT SHOT GUN.  WHEN FACED WITH THE CANNON THE BRITISH WORKED THEIR WAY AROUND THE COLONIALS AND TRAPPED THEM IN A POCKET.  THE COLONIALS CONTINUED THE FIGHT HOPING FOR REINFORCEMENTS AND THE BRITISH COULD GO NOWHERE WITH THE CANNON TAKING ITS TOLL OF BRITISH SOLDIERS.  
GENERAL VAUGHN WHO TOOK THE RIGHT FORK AT DOODLETOWN ADVANCING WITH THIS BRITISH SOLDIERS ON FT. CLINTON HEARD THE BATTLE IN FRONT OF FT MONTGOMERY AND KNEW THAT TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE.  HE ORDER HIS SOLDIERS TO DROP THE PACKS AND DOUBLETIME TOWARDS FT CLINTON.  THE DELAYING FORCE FOR FT CLINTON HAD ACTUALLY ADVANCED TO DOODLETOWN AND FOUGHT A DELAYING ACTION RETIRING IN ORDER TOWARD FT. CLINTON.  THE OFFICERS HAD NOTED A GOOD SPOT TO STOP THE RETIREMENT AND PUT UP A FIGHT WAS A POND ABOUT A QUARTER MILE FROM FT. CLINTON. THIS POND TODAY IS NAMED HESSIAN POND FOR THE GERMANS THAT FOUGHT IN THAT AREA ALMOST 250 YEARS AGO.    THE PATRIOT COMMANDERS DROPPED OFF SNIPERS ALONG THE WAY TO DELAY THE BRITISH FORCE.  
BACK TO THE DELAYING ACTION FOR MONTGOMERY. KNOWING THAT THEY WERE SUROUNDED BY THE BRITISH THEY TURNED THEIR CANNON TO THE REAR AND LET LOOSE ONE LAST CHARGE OF GRAPESHOT HOPING THEY WOULD OPEN A HOLE IN THE BRITISH LINE AND GET THEM BACK TO THE FORT.  THE PATRIOTS SURGED BACK TO THIER FORT AND HAND TO HAND FIGHTING OCCURRED AS THEY BROKE THROUGH THE BRITISH LINE.  THE COMMENT MADE BY ONE OF THE PATRIOTS WAS “KEEP GOING WERE ALMOST OUT OF THE HELL HOLE"  THE NAME STUCK.  THIS PIECE OF GROUND TODAY IS NOW KNOWN AS HELLHOLE.  
NOW BACK TO THE DELAYING ACTION FOR FORT CLINTON.  BOTH SIDES WERE HEAVILY ENGAGED IN THE DELAYING BATTLE.  BRITISH TROOPS WERE ORDERED TO FLANK THE COLONIALS AROUND ONE MILE POND NOW CALLED HESSIAN POND.  GOV. CLINTON WANTED TO KNOW "WHERE WERE HIS REINFORCEMENTS".  
AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE BATTLE HAD BEEN JOINED AT 1600 THE FIRST MESSENGER ARRIVED AT PUTNAMS HEADQUARTERS.  WITHIN MINUTES THE 2ND MESSENGER ARRIVED.  REINFORCEMENTS WERE ORDERED IMMEDIATELY TO PROCEED TO THE RIVER FOR TRANSPORT ACROSSALTHOUGH IT WAS TOO LATE.    BOTH ADVANCE GUARDS NOW RETREATED TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL FORTS.  THE REDOUBTS FOR BOTH FORTS WERE HEAVILY OCCUPIED BY THE PATRIOTS STILL HOPING FOR REINFORCEMENTS AND PITCHED BATTLES WERE FOUGHT FORCING THE BRITISH TO RETREAT AND AWAIT THEIR FULL FORCES.  
MEANWHILE A NAVAL BATTLE PROCEEDED AT THE RIVER CHAIN.  FOUR PATRIOT SHIPS DEFENDED THE CHAIN, MONGOMERY, LADY WASHINGTON, CAMDEN AND SHARK.  COMMANDED BY CAP. HODGES.  THE PATRIOT SHIPS HOWEVER, LACKED CREWMAN AND FIREPOWER.  THE FIVE BRITISH SHIPS WERE SUPERIOR IN MANPOWER, TRAINING AND CANNONS AND THE YET THE NAVAL BATTLE WAS JOINED.  
BACK TO THE LAND BATTLE.  AT 1700 IN AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE FORT MONTGOMERY WITHOUT FURTHER BLOODSHED THE BRITISH COMMANDER COL CAMPBELL ORDERED A WHITE FLAG BE HOISTED.  BOTH SIDES CEASED FIRE.  A YOUNG DRUMER BOY APPEARED BEATING "THE PARLEY" SIGNIFYING THAT ONE COMMANDER WISHED TO MEET WITH THE OTHER COMMANDER.  DRUMMERS WERE AN INTREGAL PART OF ANY ARM AT THIS TIME.  THERE WERE 26 DIFFERENT MILITARY BEATS TO SIGNIFY TO THE SOLDIERS WHAT TO DO.  IT WAS AN VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL THAT COULD BE HEARD ABOVE THE SOUND OF BATTLE.  YOUR TRIVIA QUESTION WAS HOW YOUNG WAS THE YOUNGEST DRUMMER BOY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY AND WHAT WAS HIS NAME ?   - NATHAN FUTRELL 7 YEARS OLD -.  THERE IS A FAMOUS PAINTING CALLED THE SPIRIT OF 76 SHOWING TWO DRUMMERS AND A FIFER.  LT COL CAMPBELL STEPPED FORWARD FROM THE BRITISH LINES.  GOV CLINTON CONSIDERING IT INAPPROPRIATE THAT HE WOULD MEET WITH AN UNDERLING SENT OUT A LT COL. LIVINGSTON WHO WAS EQUAL IN RANK WITH THE BRITISH OFFICER.  CAMPBELL DEMANDED THE SURRENDER OF THE FORT BUT LIVINGSTON POLITELY DECLINED AND INSTEAD REQUESTED THAT CAMPBELL SURRENDER AND ASSURED CAMPBELL THAT HIS MEN WOULD BE WELL TREATED.  BOTH OFFERS WERE DECLINED AND EACH MAN RETURNED TO THEIR LINES AND THE BATTLE WAS RESUMED.  SHORTLY AFTER THE BATTLE WAS RESUMED COL CAMPBELL WAS SHOT THROUGH THE HEART BY A RIFELMAN FROM THE FORT WHO TRACKED HIM FROM PARLEY.  
AT THE TIME MONGOMERY HAD ABOUT 300 DEFENDERS WITH FT. CLINTON HAVING ABOUT 200 DEFENDERS- NO MATCH FOR THE BRITISH ARMY OF 1700 AS 400 HAD BEEN LEFT AS A REARGUARD AT TIMP PASS.   FORT CLINTON WAS OVERWELHEMED AFTER A SHORT BUT VICIOUS FIGHT.  GENERAL JAMES CLINTON ESCAPED THE CAOS AT FT CLINTON AND GOT TO FT MONTGOMERY LIMPING FROM A BAYONET WOUND.   JAMES CLINTON CONVINCED HIS BROTHER GOV CLINTON TO ESCAPE WHICH WAS BETTER THEN BEING KILLED OR CAPTTURED.   THEY GRABBED SOME IMPORTANT PAPERS AND ESCAPED DOWN THE STEEP BANK OF THE HUDSON TO THE PATRIOT SHIPS THAT WERE WAITING FOR THEM.  THE SHIPS HAD TAKEN MANY HITS FROM THE BRITISH SHIPS BUT WERE STILL AFLOAT AND IT WAS NOW DARK.  THE SAILORS RESCUED THE REMNANTS OF THE FORTS SOLDIERS.  GOV. CLINTON THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE EAST BANK TO CONFER WITH PUTNAM.  
IN THE DARK WITH INEXPERIENCE SAILORS THREE OR THE FOUR PARIOT SHIPS GROUNDED AND ALL THREE SHIPS WERE TORCHED TO AVOID CAPTURE BY THE BRITISH.  THE GOVERNOR RAN INTO THE REINFORCEMENTS WHICH HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET MANY HOURS EARLIER AND ORDERED THEM TO RETURN.  WHEN HE MET WITH PUTNAM - PUTNAM IMMEDIATELY ASKED TO BE RELIEVED OF DUTY.  CLINTON DID SO KNOWING THAT PUTNAM HAD BEEN LISTLESS AND INDECISIVE. 
BACK AT THE FORTS THE BRITISH WERE MOPPING UP AND COLLECTING THE PRISONERS ALL 256 OF THEM.  THE NEXT MORNING THE BRITISH WERE BUSY DISMANTLING THE RIVER CHAIN AFTER AND ATTEMPT TO FLOAT A SHIP OVER THE CHAIN FAILED.  THE BRITISH HAULED THE CHAIN LINKS BACK TO NEW YORK CITY FOR RECYCLING.   RECYCLING IS NOT SOME NEW THING LIKE SOME PEOPLE THINK.  THE WAR FOR THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS WAS NOT OVER.  EVEN THOUGH THE FORTS WERE CAPTURED AND DESTROYED THE BRITISH WERE NOT DONE.  BURGOYNE WAS STILL HOLDING OUT AT SARATOGA AND THERE WAS A POSSIBILTY OF RESCUE.  UNKNOWN TO THE BRITISH THE COLONIALS WERE FLOCKING TO THE PATRIOT ARMY EVERYDAY AT SARATOGA AND EVEN THE ADDITION OF THE 1500 MEN FROM THE FORT BATTLE THAT WERE UNINJURED WOULD HAVE NOT MADE A DIFFERENCE.  SIR HENRY'S TROOPS STORMED CONSTITUTION ISLAND ON OCT 8 AFTER A REST DAY BUT THE COLONIALS HAD ALREADY ABANDONED IT.  THE BRITISH ALSO KNEW ABOUT A SUPPLY POINT CALLED CONTINENTAL VILLAGE AND STORMED THAT BUT THE COLONIALS HAD ALREADY LEFT.  THE BRITISH FOUND FULL STOREHOUSES OF CANNONS, BLANKETS, FOOD, TENTS, GUNPOWDER ETC.  THEY TOOK ALL THE SUPPLIES AND TORCHED THE STOREHOUSES.  ON THIS SAME DAY SIR CLINTON DISPATCHED A LETTER TO BURGOYNE AT SARATOGA HOPING THAT HIS SUCESS AT FTS CLINTON AND MONTGOMERY WOULD HELP HIM OUT BUT WAS VAGUE ABOUT ANY OTHER REAL HELP.  
HE KNEW THAT BURGOYNE WAS SURROUNDED SO ENTRUSTED THE MESSAGE TO THREE MILITARY MESSENGERS CAPT. CAMPBELL, SCOTT AND LT TAYLOR.  THEY WERE TO SHED THEIR UNIFORMS AND DELIVER THE LETTER THROUGH COLONIAL TERRITORY IN CIVILIAN COTHES THEY ALSO HAD A VERBAL MESSAGE FOR BURGOYNE THAT THE BRITISH WERE TOO WEAK TO UNDERTAKE A LARGE OPERATION TO RESCUE AND RELIEVE BURGOYNE.  SIR HENRY WAS CONFIDENT THAT ONE OF THE MESSENGERS WOULD GET THROUGH.  
NOW FOR THE SAD STORY OF LT TAYLOR.  TAYLOR ON HIS WAY NORTH IN THE VICINITY OF NEW WINDSOR IN CIVILIAN CLOTHING SPOTTED SEVERAL MEN HE THOUGHT WERE BRITISH OFFICERS.  HE APPROACHED THEM AND THE MEN WHO WERE PATRIOTS WERE SUSPICIOUS AND TOOK HIM TO GOV. CLINTON UNDER GUARD.  WITHIN TAYLORS LONG HAIR HE HAD CONCEALED A SILVER CAPSULE CONTAINING THE MESSAGE.  AS HE WAS SEARCHED THE CAPSULE WAS DISCOVERED.  TAYLOR QUICKLY SNATCHED THE CAPSURE FROM HIS CAPTORS AND SWALLOWED IT.   GOV. CLINTON ORDERED HIS DOCTOR TO ADMINSISTER AN EMETIC WHICH FORCED TAYLOR TO VOMIT IT UP.  THE MOMENT THE CAPSULE HIT THE FLOOR TAYLOR SCOOPED IT UP AND SWALLOWED IT AGAIN.  
GOV. CLINTON HAD HAD ENOUGH.  HE CURSED AND YELLED AT TAYLOR GRABBED A KNIFE AND WHILE TAYLOR WAS HELD AGAINST THE WALL TOLD HIM TO "PRODUCE THE ITEM OR BY GOD I’LL CUT YOU OPEN RIGHT NOW.".  HE ALSO TOLD TAYLOR THAT CAMPBELL HAD ALREADY BEEN CAPTURED AND THEY ALREADY KNEW EVERYTHING.  TAYLOR UNDER THIS EXTREME PRESSURE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO COUGH UP THIS SILVER BULLET WITH THE MESSAGE INSIDE.  HOPING TO IMPROVE HIS POSITION HE WROTE UP A CONFESSION AND GAVE UP EVERYTHING.  UNFORTUNATELY FOR LT TAYLOR COOPERATING DID HIM NO GOOD.  HE WAS CONDEMMED TO DEATH AS A SPY AND BE HUNG.  HE WAS HUNG ON OCT 18.  UNFORTUNATELY FOR TAYLOR THE COLONIALS MANAGED TO BOTCH HIS EXECUTION.  TAYLOR WAS DROPPED AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND WAS STILL WITH THE LIVING.  THE COLONIALS FINALLY HUNG SEVERAL SANDBAGS TO HIS LEGS AND DROPPED HIM AGAIN.  THE GRUESOME RESULT WAS THAT WITH ALL THE EXTRA WEIGHT HE WAS DECAPITATED.  SO ENDS THE SAD STORY OF LT. TAYLOR.  
THE WAR FOR THE HIGHLANDS OF THE HUDSON WAS NOT OVER YET.  AFTER MOPPING UP SIR HENRY WITHDREW TO NEW YORK CITY ON OCTOBER 10TH.   HE LEFT AROUND 1000 TROOPS IN AND AROUND FORT CLINTON.  ON OCTOBER 11 SIR HENRY CALLED FOR A COMMANDERS MEETING IN NYC.  AS THEY CONVERSED A LYDIA DARRAGH A COLONIAL SPY LISTENED IN THE FLOOR ABOVE THROUGH A CRACK IN THE FLOORBOARD, TOOK NOTES AND PASSED THE INFORMATION ON TO THE COLONIALS IN THE HIGHLANDS.  SIR HENRY DECIDED TO TRY TO ASSIST BURGYONE.  SIR HENRY ORDERED GEN. VAUGHN STILL IN COMMAND OF THE ROUGHLY 1000 BRITISH LEFT AROUND FORT CLINTON TO ADVANCE NORTHWARD AND IF THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO LINK UP WITH BURGOYNE.  HE ALSO DISPATCHED ADDTIONAL TROOPS.  HE DISPATCHED SOME OF HIS ELITE TROOPS LIKE THE 45TH FOOT, WHICH WAS HIS PERSONAL REGIMENT.  HE ACCOMPANIED HIS TROOPS AS WELL ALONG WITH 11 BRITISH WARSHIPS.  THE TOTAL FORCE WOULD BE AROUND 2000 PLUS THE NAVAL PERSONNEL ON THE SHIPS.  MEANWHILE GOV. CLINTON WAS BUSY ROUNDING UP HIS SCATTERED TROOPS AND STATIONING MOUNTED PATROLS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER TO MONITOR BRITISH MOVEMENTS.  SIR HENRY ORDERED GEN. VAUGHN TO "FEEL YOUR WAY TO GENERAL BURGOYNE"
VAUGHN DESIGNATED KINGSTON, NY AS HIS FIRST OBJECTIVE, ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH.  HE LOADED HIS TROOPS ON THE SHIPS AND PROCEEDED NORTH AGAINST SCATTERED OPPOSITION.  THEY BURNED EVERY BOAT, FARM AND DOCK AS THEY PROCEEDED NORTH ON 15 OCTOBER.  
MEANWHILE GOV. CLINTON HAD WRITTEN A LETTER TO GEN. GATES COMMANDING AT SARATOGA THAT HEAVY FIGHTING WAS CONTINUING IN THE HIGHLANDS.  WHEN GATES RECEIVED HIS LETTER HE WROTE BACK THAT BURGOYNE HAD ALREADY AGREED ON 14 OCTOBER TO SURRENDER AND THAT IF GOV. CLINTON WOULD KEEP PACE WITH SIR HENRY AND PURSUE HIM UP THE RIVER GATES WOULD ATTACK AFTER THE BRITISH ARMY FULLY CAPITULATED AND SIR HENRY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING HOME AGAIN.  THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DELAY THE BRITISH MOVEMENT NORTH UNTIL THEY GOT TO KINGSTON WHICH THEY ATTACKED ON 16 OCTOBER AND BURNED THE TOWN TO THE GROOUND SPARING SEVEAL LOYALITS HOUSES.  THE REVENGE DRIVING LOYALIST AND FORMER GOVERNOR TRYON DIRECTED THE BURNING OF ALMOST EVERYTHING AND HIS CRIES OF "BURN IT GODDAMN IT BURN IT" WERE HERE FAR AND WIDE.  ALL CONROL WAS LOST AND CITIZENS WERE BEATEN AND ROBBED AND EVEN MURDERED.  SOME OF THE YOUNGER WOMEN WERE REPEATEDLY RAPED.  GOV. CLINTON NOW SEVERAL MILES AWAY COULD SEE THE RISING SMOKE AND THE CAPITAL OF KINGSTON CEASED TO EXIST.  ANOTHER BRITITSH FORCE ATTACKED THE TOWN OF RHINEBECK AND TOOK IT AFTER SUBSTANTIAL RESISTANCE BY THE PATRIOTS.  THEY QUICKLY RETREATED TO THEIR SHIPS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING PATRIOT RESISTANCE.  THEY GOT AS FAR AS CLERMONT ABOUT 10 MILES PAST KINGSTON ON 17 OCTOBER AND THEN SIR HENRY RECEIVED NEWS OF BURYOYNES SURRENDER.  HE ALSO RECEIVED NEWS THAT HOWE NEEDED HELP AT PHILADELPHIA.  HIS RIVER PILOTS REFUSED TO PROCEED ANY FURTHER UPRIVER AND HE KNEW THAT HE HAD GONE AS FAR AS HE COULD ALONG WITH THE INCREASING RESISTANCE OF THE PATRIOTS.  PATRIOT STRENGHT HAD BEEN RAPIDLY GROWING FROM ALL THE NORTHERN COLONIES.  THE ATROCITIES AT KINGSON INFLAMED THE PATRIOTS AND THEY WERE FLOCKING TO THE GOV. CLINTONS ARMY.  A BOAT DISPATCHED BY GEN. GATES CAME DOWN THE RIVER FLYING A WHITE FLAG WITH LORD PETERSHAM CAPTURED SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER BY GATES WITH THE MESSAGE THAT BURGOVYNE HAD SURRENDERED AND WITH A STRONGLY WORDED LETTER OF PROTEST ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF KINGSTON AND OTHER TOWNS AND DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE END TO THIS WANTON DESTRUCTION.  THE LETTER WENT ON TO STIPULATE THAT IF THIS PRACTICE WAS TO CONTINUE THAT THE PREPETRATORS WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. 
ON 22 OCT SIR HENRY ORDERED GEN. VAUGHN TO RETIRE.  AS THEY RETIRED DOWN-RIVER THEY CAME UNDER INCREASING FIRE FROM THE BANKS OF THE HUDSON AND ON 25 OCT ORDERED HIS TROOPS TO RETIRE TO NYC.  ON 26 OCT SIR HENRY SUBMITTED HIS LETTER OF RESIGNATION AS HE WAS CONVINCED THAT ENGLAND WOULD NOW LOSE THE WAR.  HE SAW THE DETERMINATION OF THE PATRIOTS AND THEIR CONTINUED RESISTANCE EVEN AFTER THEY LOST THE BATTLE OF THE FORTS.