The Taking of Pelham 1 7 7 6

Readers of The Cavalier Spy might recall some of the maneuvers by the British commander-in-chief, Lord William Howe, as he tried to trap George Washington's forces near Kingsbridge (the Bronx). This led to a series of battles and skirmishes in the New York campaign, which could have crushed the spirit of '76. The small engagement at Pells Point, or Pelham, was one of these minor but strategically important fights.

An Excellent Plan:

In the summer of 1776, the British and their Hessian (German) allies defeated Washington’s forces in Brooklyn and Manhattan. However, Washington’s ability to organize timely retreats and General Howe’s reluctance to aggressively pursue the rebels prevented total destruction. In September, the Continental Army was holding defensive positions at Harlem Heights on the northern tip of Manhattan, with the British army in front and the Royal Navy (under Howe's brother Richard) controlling the North (Hudson) and East Rivers. But the Continental Army's Harlem defenses were strong, so in mid-October, Howe attempted a flanking move by water, taking advantage of the Royal Navy's dominance. His goal was to cut across Westchester County and trap the Americans.

A Clever Strategy:

Leaving behind a holding force in Manhattan, Howe moved about 4,000 troops, mostly Hessians, up the East River toward Long Island Sound for a landing at Throg’s Neck, which is now part of the Bronx. Howe’s objective was to cut off the American supply line to Connecticut, and the British commander also hoped to lure Washington into a major battle or to crush the Americans from the right flank while the holding force launched a frontal attack. Intelligence reports warned General Washington that the enemy was surrounding him with a naval landing at his rear. In desperation, the besieged American commander-in-chief positioned the few forces available along strategic points. The numerous stone fences and marshy ground made the British approach challenging and his position defensible. However, he realized that a determined British effort was likely to succeed. Additionally, they might have been planning other landings as well.

Prelude at the Neck:

General Clinton

On October 12, the British landing force under General Henry Clinton landed under the cover of fog at Throg’s Neck, a marshy peninsula that was not part of the mainland. There were only two ways to reach the mainland: a causeway and bridge at the lower end, and a ford at the other. The Americans guarded both. American Colonel Edward Hand and a detachment of 25 men from the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment were determined to slow the British until help could arrive. The brave Pennsylvanians tore the planks from the bridge and took position behind a stack of cordwood lining the causeway. Checking flints and powder, each man took a good firing stance and waited. At last, the British arrived. The Pennsylvanians' accurate musket fire startled the advancing British troops. Puffs of smoke, the crack of muskets, and the zing of lead balls had their effect. The British frontline retreated and tried to cross at the ford to bypass the rebels, but they faced another group of defenders. Soon, both American defense points were reinforced, bringing the total American forces to more than 1,800. Howe wisely decided it would be better to retreat and land elsewhere. While the Americans had the advantage of position and interior lines, they also had the advantage of mass and maneuver. The British camped on Throg’s Neck and stayed there for six days while supplies and reinforcements, including 7,000 Hessian soldiers under Gen. Wilhelm von Knyphausen, arrived from New York. When he was confident his force was ready, Howe ordered the move. To surprise the enemy tactically, they moved at night. Just after midnight on October 18, Howe launched his army again and landed at Pell's Point, near Pelham, a few miles north. Maneuvering by sea provided a huge advantage when you control the waters, as the British did.

Taking of Pelham:

The British landed at dawn, with General Clinton commanding the operation. His forward unit of 4,000 British light infantry and Hessian Jägers led the way. Near Eastchester, waiting for them, was a 750-strong brigade led by Massachusetts Colonel John Glover. (Note: Glover is a minor but important character in the first two books of the Yankee Doodle Spies series.) Glover himself spotted the British landing from atop a hill overlooking the coast. He requested orders from his immediate commander, General Charles Lee. Lee, Washington's second in command (and also a key figure in the second book of the Yankee Doodle Spies, The Cavalier Spy), however, gave no orders. Recognizing that the narrow causeways and inlets favored a defensive stand, Glover, the resolute Yankee he was, decided to act on his own. He ordered his brigade into action, consisting of the 14th, 13th, 3rd, and the 26th Massachusetts Continental Regiments. 

Continental Line Infantry

Glover held 150 Continentals in reserve. His force soon engaged enemy skirmishers. Glover deployed his Marblehead Regiment (former seamen) at the front. At Breed's Hill, Glover had seen the carnage caused when the British advanced in ranks against well-positioned infantry. He sent a company forward as an advance guard to keep the British in check. This allowed him time to prepare a defense before the expected assault. Glover arranged a series of ambushes by placing his forces in staggered positions. They cleverly used the stone walls lining each side of the lane that led from the beach inland. His orders were to hold as long as possible and then fall back to a rear position, with the next unit doing the same. Glover planned a classic fighting withdrawal to delay the enemy's progress. He positioned himself with his advance guard. The Marbleheaders opened fire on the advancing British. The sound of muskets and puffs of smoke to the front caused the British to pause. Once again, heavy lead balls zinged past the advance guard, which quickly deployed and returned fire. Volleys were exchanged, and for a time, the Americans held the enemy's advance.  

When the British called for reinforcements, Glover's men withdrew in good order. Seeing the Americans retreating, the British fixed bayonets and advanced. But 200 troops of the 13th Massachusetts Continentals waited anxiously behind the next stone wall. On command, the Americans rose and fired a devastating volley into the British at 30 yards - point-blank range. Surprised, the British column suffered heavy losses and retreated to the main body of the invading army.

Glover's Marblehead Regiment in action at Pelham

Not to be denied, the British reorganized and attacked again with all 4,000 men and seven cannons. They bombarded the Continentals behind the stone wall. Under cover of artillery fire, the infantry launched its attack. Most British shells fell short or flew high, and the few that hit the stone walls caused little damage. The bombardment had little effect. Prepared, the Americans unleashed another deadly volley on the advancing infantry at 50 yards. This time, the British responded with volley after volley. The firefight lasted a full 20 minutes. Finally, British artillery moved closer in support, and this time, their fire was effective. Under pressure from combined arms, the lead American regiment fell back. The next regiment provided strong covering fire to keep the British at bay until their allies could retreat. The British then turned to attack the position of the 3rd Continentals, stationed behind a stone wall on the other side of the road. Both sides kept firing steadily. The British advanced several times, but each time, American fire broke their lines.

 However, the British's superior numbers eventually began to overpower the Americans. Realizing this, Glover pulled the regiment back to another stone wall atop a hill. The next regiment in line, the 26th Continentals, soon engaged the advancing enemy. Once more, using the cover of a stone wall, the 26th fired one last volley before Glover ordered a retreat. Moving in good order, Glover's brigade crossed a bridge over the Hutchinson River. Glover left a rearguard of 150 men from the 14th Massachusetts Continentals to cover them. True to form, Howe chose not to exploit the situation. He camped his forces on a hill on the opposite side of the stream but made no attempt to cross. This allowed Glover to pull his brigade back to Yonkers.

Glover's smartly executed defensive withdrawal
was as classic as the British amphibious tactics

What was the (Pell's) Point?

With the British advance delayed, Washington left a small garrison at the fort on the heights that bears his name and safely evacuated the main American army north through Kingsbridge to Westchester. Howe's army slowly moved through New Rochelle and Scarsdale. This marked the beginning of the Battle of White Plains. The series of skirmishes resulted in relatively few casualties for both sides. However, the clever American actions at Throg's Neck and Pelham bought Washington time to prevent his army from almost certain entrapment. A war of posts would soon evolve into a war of movement.

Author's comment:  

People who live in or are familiar with the New York area might be amused to see famous place names where they have lived, worked, or commuted mentioned as part of a great military campaign and one for the life of the nation at that. Our First Patriots had no idea that the swampy lowlands and rugged uplands of the Bronx and Westchester, where they fought, would become part of arguably the greatest metropolis in the world. What neighborhoods and byways are today are also hallowed ground. We should never forget that.

The Surgeon Counterinsurgent

The cause of the American Revolution was a conflict between two motives: one for independence from Britain and its monarchy, and the other for continued allegiance to that same monarchy as part of the larger British "empire" that grew in the 18th century. The Loyalists often get a bad reputation. They were not evil, misguided, or any more treacherous than the patriots overall. They were simply traditional folks who saw greater benefits in remaining under the crown than in rejecting it. In the long lead-up to the War for Independence, many tried to steer the politics of their respective colonies toward resolving their grievances.

Political agitation caused some to  remain ambivalent

But by the outbreak of actual hostilities, Loyalists were forced to go underground (keep their sympathies secret) or assert royal prerogative through action. New Jersey was the most divided of all the states in this regard. Many influential Loyalists had participated in the various committees, associations, and even Congress to guide the disaffected toward a political solution. But once the challenge was made, they began to slip away quietly or suddenly to action.

Loyalists organized for the day the British would arrive

One such "First Loyalist" was a little-known doctor from Teaneck, New Jersey, in divided Bergen County, named Abraham Van Buskirk. Van Buskirk was a notable figure in the region. The Van Buskirk family was an old Dutch family that had lived there for many years. His father, Lawrence Van Buskirk, operated a successful stagecoach service. By the time of the war, the elder Van Buskirk had passed the enterprise, called The Flying Machine, to his son Andrew, who managed the stage to the Hoboken Ferry. He also ran a tavern in New Bridge.

Doctor Abraham occasionally helped out, usually making the run to Paulus Hook. Van Buskirk and his family were well established in the area. His travels on the stage and familiarity with the region would later prove useful. Abraham Van Buskirk and many other prominent New Jersey Dutch failed in their political efforts to keep the colony aligned with the crown. Additionally, they secretly took other measures as the cloud of war gathered over the troubled Royal Colony.

Despite his Tory leanings, Van Buskirk became an officer in the county militia. However, many local patriots were skeptical and saw him as a Loyalist. He had been associated with the patriot cause early on, having been elected as a moderate to the county committee and provincial congress. Van Buskirk managed to dodge accusations so skillfully that he appeared more like a patriot. But he was a man of principles; he broke ranks with the patriots over the issue of outright independence for the thirteen colonies, refusing to swear the oath of abjuration, renouncing his loyalty to the Crown, and resigning from the provincial congress. Yet, in his practical Dutch way, Van Buskirk and his fellow secret Loyalists would only openly declare if the British showed up in loco. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for the patriots, they did not have to wait long.

Cornwallis's Invasion of the Jerseys

During late summer and into the fall of 1776, the people of Jersey waited anxiously as the British, under Lord William Howe, systematically drove Washington and his Continental Army from Staten Island, Long Island, and the Island of New York (Manhattan). After an inconclusive battle at White Plains (in Westchester), Washington moved most of his forces across the North (Hudson) River to the "safety" of the Jerseys.

In November, British General Lord Cornwallis led a force of 5,000 men up the palisades overlooking the Hudson River and forced the Continental Army into a hasty retreat toward Pennsylvania. Now was Van Buskirk's moment! On November 22, the British crossed the Hackensack River and captured the city. Swarms of Hessians dazzled or terrified residents, depending on their allegiance. The Volunteer Loyalists gathered in town. He and his men could openly declare and organize their unit, the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers. Van Buskirk, the citizen, soon proved himself as a capable military leader, guiding his unit with a steady hand and determined efficiency.

Loyalist Infantry

The War for Independence was fought fiercely at the local level, especially between Loyalists and rebels. Some of the most intense fighting took place in the Hackensack Valley. To support British efforts to control Jersey, Van Buskirk began sending his men on raids across Bergen County and later patrolling key areas like Bergen Neck and Staten Island. Van Buskirk's patrols captured prisoners for questioning or exchange. They foraged from the local people’s resources, just like the patriots did. They engaged in numerous skirmishes with the hated rebel militia and sometimes with Continental troops. Van Buskirk quickly became a terror to Hackensack Valley patriots and any Continental units passing through the area.

After Washington's surprise victory at Trenton, many British units left New Jersey, but a few stayed near Paulhus Hook and Bergen. From there, Van Buskirk's companies launched more raids into the so-called "neutral ground" of the valley. They played a part in the "Winter War" (or Forage War), helping to safeguard farmers trying to supply goods to the British forces concentrated in New York. Throughout 1777, Van Buskirk effectively waged unconventional warfare from his base at Bergen Point, sending operatives as far as the New York border to capture patriots for interrogation and retaliation.

In September 1777, the British commander in New York, General Clinton, launched a three-pronged, 2,000-man assault into New Jersey. Van Buskirk's men participated eagerly, landing at Elizabeth Town and moving quickly north, where they performed well during an engagement at Passaic. In August of that year, American General John Sullivan started an attack on British and Loyalist forces on Staten Island. Abraham Van Buskirk's battalion was part of Brigadier General Cortland Skinner's Loyalist Brigade.

Patrick Ferguson

In May 1779, Van Buskirk supported a British raid on Closter with the aim of reaching Paramus. Captain Patrick Ferguson, who would later gain fame for King's Mountain, played a key role in the operation. Later that year, Van Buskirk foiled local patriots in another way by escaping Light Horse Harry Lee's raid on Paulhus Hook, where he was among the intended targets. Van Buskirk's intelligence network was now well-established in that part of New Jersey, and it made a real difference.

The winter of 1779-80 was exceptionally cold. Van Buskirk's 4th New Jersey was based on Staten Island. Conditions would soon warm up. On January 14, American General Lord Stirling attempted a raid against Van Buskirk but was ultimately unsuccessful. Undeterred, Van Buskirk launched a counter-attack on January 25, capturing 50 prisoners despite the severe cold affecting both sides. In April of that year, Van Buskirk played a leading role in the Battle of Hooperstown.

In September 1781, Van Buskirk led his battalion during the turncoat Benedict Arnold's infamous burning of New London and the siege at Fort Griswold, where the surrendering fort commander, Colonel Ledyard, was infamously stabbed and many of his men were bayoneted to death. The last action of the war in the North somewhat symbolizes the true nature of the desperate struggle for America.

Benedict Arnold: British general

The action in Connecticut in 1781 was one of the last major engagements in the North. Following the lengthy negotiations after Yorktown in October 1781, the war returned to a state of "low intensity." One can imagine Van Buskirk played his part skillfully until the end. After the war, Van Buskirk's fate was no different from that of many other Loyalists whose dreams were shattered and whose homes were destroyed or seized by vengeful rebels. Someone as dedicated to the crown as Van Buskirk had few options. As a result, the surgeon, businessman, politician, and soldier joined many other Loyalists who emigrated to Nova Scotia. There, he settled in Shelburne, where he died in 1791.

George Washington, Vampire Slayer!

Excuse the Halloween hyperbole but now that I have your attention I can discuss hauntings in the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. Truth be told, had I begun the action and adventure series with a book titled, say, "The Marching Dead," I'd be on easy street today. People like to be scared and they prefer the macabre and horrifying over mundane things such as action and intrigue. Just imagine if you will, a tale of a rebel unit massacred while bivouacking at a cemetery. Only this unit of wraiths rises, Zombie-like, whenever the Cause needs them. Imagine still a team of cunning British officers desperately trying to find a way to stop this phantom army's onslaught not realizing that silver, not lead balls would do the trick... what's in your ammo box?

Greenwood cemetery in Brooklyn, New York

The American Revolution has more than its share of hauntings and spooky tales. Most of these are known only locally (most hauntings are locally celebrated). And most are tied to places... a Poltergeist-like phenomenon. But one legend is a national story of long-standing: Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. The original story of Ichabod Crane, the superstitious schoolmaster fearful of the legendary headless horseman of the Old Dutch Church spooked young and old alike for generations. I recall driving through the tale's setting, Tarrytown New York, with my father as a boy. I was around ten. As we drove south on NY 9, he pointed to the church and cemetery and said, "the Headless Horseman of sleepy Hollow is here, the Hessian's ghost haunts the cemetery,"  and a chill went down my spine. It was broad daylight in the summer. Imagine how I'd feel on a dark October night? I'm not sure I knew what a Hessian was back then. But he had me at Headless Horseman. The tale evolved as new media brought the story to larger audiences and stretched the original plot to its breaking point. It has been made into radio shows, TV dramas, cartoons, and recently a major film (with Johnny Depp) and then a TV series (that stretches the plot to the next galaxy).

The Headless Horseman is the iconic RevWar Spook

Ringwood Manor

The Mid-Atlantic is chock full of RevWar hauntings. In a past Yankee Doodle Spies Blog, I discussed the Morris-Jumel house in New York's Harlem and the speculation and tales of its haunting. The Van Cortland Mansion, Greenwood Cemetery (ground zero for the Battle of Long Island - a place the saw the most bloodshed of the war) are other New York venues. Just across the great North River, in Passaic, New Jersey stands Ringwood Manor. This was once the home of General Robert Erskine, who was the geographer for George Washington's army. Later he ran an ironworks on the grounds. He's buried near the manor house, and it's said that at dusk he sits on his grave, looking at the pond beyond. Some have reported his ghost walking the grounds, carrying a lantern. There are also French soldiers buried nearby, who fought for the American cause. They, too, come out at night and walk alongside the pond, speaking in French. The house itself is not the original but it has hauntings of its own stemming from the 19th century.

Erskine's ghost haunts Ringwood cemetery

New England, home of the Salem witch trials a century earlier, is no stranger to tales of the macabre. Boston Harbor’s scenic Long Island is home to one of the most tragic Boston ghost stories. At the close of the American Revolution's actions around Boston, the British still had several ships in the harbor, primarily to evacuate Loyal Americans who wished to depart before the rebels seized the city. Onboard one of these ships were William and Mary Burton. The young couple, ardent Loyalists were among those fleeing. While sailing from the harbor, a shot from the besiegers' battery on Long Island struck Mary in back of the head.

Mary Burton's ghost roams the Long Island Dunes

According to the legend, she lingered on for several days in excruciating pain before dying. In her death throes, Mary allegedly asked her husband not to bury her at sea. After she died, William returned to Long Island to fulfill his love's dying wish. He wrapped her bloodied corpse into a red blanket that Mary owned and buried her under the island's sand dunes. Her headstone was a piece of driftwood carved with her name.  Before leaving her grave, William swore that he would return someday with a real headstone. He never did. But according to the legend, Mary still waits for him. Over the years visitors to the island report seeing a woman with pallid skin covered in mud in a scarlet cloak walking among the dunes. Many report blood on her cloak and a gaping hole in the back of her head, where the cannon fire had struck her skull.

The South is no stranger to fantastic stories and RevWar hauntings are no exception. Ground zero for this is the site of THE major event of the war itself, Yorktown, Virginia. Here, in October (hmm...) 1781, a desperate British General Charles Cornwallis led his army in the vain expectation that the Royal Navy would extract him from a land now crawling with rebel soldiers and their French allies. Weeks of siege under trying conditions would set the stage for tales of the macabre that linger to this day. The depredations and sufferings of the siege make Yorktown frightfully haunted. From “Cornwallis’ Cave on the banks of the York River to Crawford Road – the town is a magnet for urban legends and ghostly tales. Cornwallis’ Cave has no specific connection to Cornwallis. But legend has it British troops took shelter in the cave to escape the incessant bombardment by Continental and French artillery.

Cornwallis's Cave

Some legends hold that the civilian residents of Yorktown took refuge there. Evidence does show that after the war the cave was probably used by smugglers. It is located along the waterfront. Perhaps they spread haunting tales to keep prying eyes from their lair? There are still reports that voices can be heard at night coming from the dark recesses of the cave. Those who follow such things believe them to be the voices of Revolutionary War soldiers, the moaning of the injured and dying hiding in the cave.

Myths are to cultures what dreams are to people. In a similar way, horror stories are to cultures what nightmares are to people. The eight-year war for independence was a nightmare for all involved. The Americans who suffered in rebellion; the Loyalists who lost their homes and property; and the British who lost their empire. It is perhaps only fitting that such a war be the well-spring of myth... and of horror. Have a spooky Halloween.  Stay frightened my friends...

Fort William and Mary

The scenic town of New Castle, New Hampshire, is home to the ruins of Fort William and Mary. Similar to the college in Virginia, the fort was named in honor of the (sort of) iconic British rulers associated with the Glorious Revolution. It's ironic that each played a role in establishing the British monarchy in America under the guise of a revolution. Nevertheless, some assert that the first armed resistance to royal authority began here long before Lexington and Concord.

The Agitation

Royal Governor Wentworth

In May of 1774, the closure of Boston's port had most New Englanders inflamed. British authorities demanded that the "salt-water tea" be paid for and required Bostonians to concede. In New Hampshire, the Committee of Correspondence vowed to make Boston's fight their own. Royal Governor John Wentworth recognized a radical shift in public opinion and perceived a potential threat to Royal authority. He tried to install a garrison at his only military post, Fort William and Mary in New Castle. However, the Assembly, now antagonistic to the British, voted to grant him only 200 pounds for the enterprise. Wentworth appointed an officer and three men to administer the fort, thus demonstrating the King's authority. Not much of an army to stave off a revolution.



The Politics

The Assembly was not intimidated by Wentworth's measures. Later that month, they voted to establish a second Committee of Correspondence. Wentworth and the Rockingham County sheriff attempted to intimidate and shut down the Assembly, dismissing them from the chamber for holding an unlawful meeting. Undaunted, they retired to a local tavern, and in that congenial atmosphere, they made plans for a Provincial Congress to be held in Exeter in July. Over the next few months, the situation around Boston went from simmer to boil, and the impact spread across New England like a forest fire.





The Action

On December 13th, 1774, Paul Revere rode south to Portsmouth to report the British ban on importing military stores and that rumors about expected British troops were the worst kind: true rumors. John Sullivan, a Patriot leader and firebrand just returned from the First Continental Congress, decided to take action. Along with local Patriot merchant John Langdon, he vowed to seize the bastion of Royal authority

 Sullivan

sitting right under their noses at New Castle. On the 14th, Langdon made his way through Portsmouth with a drummer leading the charge. Once he had gathered a crowd, he addressed them. Approximately 400 people joined him, forming a mob that set out to take the powder from the fort. A single volley fired from the fort was answered by some shots from the crowd, but there were no injuries. They surged into the fort in a rush. Breaking into the magazine, they removed about 100 barrels of powder. Overwhelmed, the fort's commandant, Captain John Cochran, quickly surrendered his four-man garrison. This marks Fort William and Mary as the location for one of the first overt actions of the American struggle for independence. Some likened it to Lexington and Concord, but the absence of bloodshed makes it less compelling. Still, it was the first organized resistance to the King.

Fort William and Mary 1704

The Take

The following day, John Sullivan led more rebel forces now streaming in from across the colony. They first surrounded the governor's residence, but violence was avoided there, as Wentworth complied with their demands. That evening, December 15th, they returned to the fort and took all the arms and supplies, as well as some cannons. This action resulted in the Americans seizing some booty, a tangible benefit. This included about sixty muskets, sixteen cannons, and one hundred barrels of valuable powder. The gunpowder was swiftly transported inland and distributed among various armed groups in New Hampshire. Some of it may have reached the Patriots around Boston. In a land starved for ordnance, this was a small treasure desperately needed.

Gunpowder from the fort moved inland over ice

The Place

History is about a sense of time, people, and place. On a picturesque promontory overlooking the ocean, a colonial people inflamed by perceived injustice made their mark. New Castle is a scenic town of around 900 residents. It is also the smallest town in the state and the easternmost. Its narrow streets are lined with colonial-style houses. The fort itself was built at the beginning of the 18th century on the site of an earlier fort erected to deter pirates. Its major landmark is the Fort Point Lighthouse, constructed in 1877 on the site of an earlier lighthouse built in 1771. Until the latter was built, the only navigational aid for the rocky harbor was a lantern hung high on Fort William and Mary.

Site of Fort William and Mary today

Things: The Cavalier Spy

"1776: His army clinging to New York by a thread, a desperate General George Washington sends Lieutenant Jeremiah Creed behind British lines again. But even the audacity of Creed and his band of spies cannot stop the British juggernaut from driving the Americans from New York and chasing them across New Jersey in a blitzkrieg fashion. Realizing the imminent loss of one of the new nation's most important states to the enemy, Washington sends Creed into the war-torn Hackensack Valley. His mission: recruit and train a gang of rogues to work behind British lines."

As you can tell from the lead-in above, my second novel, The Cavalier Spy, is now out. I posted an entire page on The Cavalier Spy on this blog, but a post on it would be appropriate just a few weeks after its release. Those following me on Twitter (@SWOConnell) or on Facebook (S.W. O'Connell) have been bombarded with promos, nuggets, and tidbits. You may thank me later for all that. This work was much more challenging to produce than my first novel, The Patriot Spy. Going into it, it would be easier. But I was wrong.

Writing The Patriot Spy was my first venture, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had no timeline and only a vague idea of where it would go when I started. The Cavalier Spy, as a sequel, was more challenging. For one thing, I had to remember everything I wrote in the first book to ensure I did not repeat anything unintentionally. Second, I intentionally had to repeat enough scenes from the first book. Why is that, you ask? Because I wanted The Cavalier Spy to be a "stand-alone" work. That way, readers who had not read The Patriot Spy would be up on things. And, of course, I had to do that without giving away any nuggets from the first book. Ice cream headache time!

The other challenge was how to follow the largest battle of the war and all the excitement and intrigue that went with it. How do you make it more enjoyable? As it turns out, that became easier as I went along and got into the plot's rhythm. Things started to happen. I read several new works related to the period following the loss of New York, and before long, I had several interesting things to build the action around. And a new piece of the Revolutionary War struggles to be revealed. And to juice things up, I have a multi-chapter flashback providing more insight into the main protagonist, Lieutenant Jeremiah Creed. As I paced through it, new ideas and characters developed. A fictional town. A British plot. Political intrigue on both sides.

About halfway through the story, I knew where I would end it, with an iconic scene from America's history. But you'll have to read the book to learn more about that.

Shameless plug:  The Cavalier Spy is available on Amazon at:

https://www.amazon.com/Cavalier-Spy-S-W-OConnell/dp/1737663651

The Life Guard

With Labor Day weekend upon us, I am officially concluding the Yankee Doodle Spies summer vacation. But in the spirit of those sun-drenched beach protectors, I’ve decided to blog about the lifeguards. This post isn’t about Baywatch, so you can put away your sunscreen and towels. And don't bother searching for a happy snap of Pamela Anderson and her crew. Even before America had recreational beaches, it had lifeguards, or in this case, The Life Guard. This is about George Washington's Life Guard, to be precise. Readers of The Patriot Spy and its just-released sequel, The Cavalier Spy, have probably noticed that wherever George Washington was, a Life Guard was likely nearby.

 

Despite fighting a war for independence and liberty, the founders' generation still believed in titles. And just like today, those titles often came with perks. Lieutenant General George Washington was more than just the commander in chief of the Continental Army. He was also the unifying force of the eight-year struggle we call the American Revolution. This wasn’t so much planned as a natural result of his leadership qualities, integrity, and stature. He brought together different classes and sections. He was a symbol. And as a symbol of his acknowledged position as the highest executive in the land, he received the title: "His Excellency." It’s a tribute to Washington’s unique presence and importance that this honorific didn’t disappear when he resigned from military service, at least officially.

 

The British were well aware of Washington's significance to the cause they aimed to crush. And the Americans knew that the British were aware. Throughout the war, the fear that the enemy might assassinate or capture the "essential man" lingered. But it wasn't long into Washington's command at Cambridge, Massachusetts, that the need for military bodyguards was recognized. On March 11th, 1776, Washington issued the following orders,

The General wishes to select a specific number of men to serve as his guard for himself and his baggage. The Colonel or Commanding Officer of each of the established regiments, except for the artillery and riflemen, will provide four men, from which the required number will be chosen. His Excellency relies on the Colonels to recommend good men based on their sobriety, honesty, and good conduct. He prefers them to be between five feet eight inches and five feet ten inches tall, well-built, and, above all, he emphasizes the importance of cleanliness in a soldier. Consequently, he requests careful selection of men who are clean and tidy. These men are to assemble at headquarters precisely at 12 o'clock noon tomorrow, when the final selection will be made. The General does not require them to be in uniform or armed, nor does he want anyone sent to him who is not fully willing or eager to be part of this Guard. They should be trained men."

Ever conscious of the need to avoid sectional preference, Washington chose a A New England man to lead the special unit: Captain Caleb Gibbs of the 14th Massachusetts Continental Regiment commanded the Guard, but George Lewis, a nephew of Washington, was named the Lieutenant. The explicit mission of the new group was "to protect General Washington, the army's cash, and official papers." Gibbs began reorganizing the unit. He created the motto, "Conquer or Die." The unit had several names. The official name was "His Excellency's Guard" or the "General's Guard." Many enlistees called it "The Life Guards," "The Washington Life Guards," or "Washington's Body Guard." Washington himself usually referred to them as "My Guards." In dispatches and correspondence, Gibbs called himself "Commandant C-in-C, Guards." The force was specially uniformed and outfitted, making it the best-dressed and equipped among all the Continentals. The uniform consisted of a blue coat with white facings, white waistcoat and breeches, black half-gaiters, and a cocked hat with a blue and white feather. The Guard's size varied during the war but generally settled around 180 men, about the strength of three regular infantry companies. It temporarily grew to 250 men during the winter of 1779–80, when the Continental Army was encamped at Morristown, New Jersey, near the British Army.

Life Guard and Traitor

It did not take long for the elite new unit to prove its worth—and its danger. By May 1776, the British evacuated Boston, and, anticipating an attack on New York, Washington began moving the Continental Army south. On May 24th, 1776, an element of the C-in-C Guards set up camp near Richmond Hill on Manhattan Island. Spies recognized the elite unit and understood what it meant. Anticipating Washington's arrival, a group of New York Tories had secretly plotted earlier that month. Their goal was to assassinate George Washington. Luckily for the Americans, the plot was uncovered. The New York Provincial Congress ordered several Tories, including the city's Mayor, David Matthews, arrested. Meanwhile, Washington sent Gibbs and a hand-picked team to arrest another forty conspirators. Disturbingly, some of these were Continental Army soldiers, including members of Washington's Life Guards: Sergeant Thomas Hickey, Drummer William Green, Fifer James Johnson, and Privates John Barnes and Michael Lynch. Hickey, who had previously been jailed for passing a counterfeit note, was entangled in this conspiracy. As often happens, foolishness and ego led to his downfall—he revealed the plot to another inmate, who used the information to improve his own situation. (I believe this is where plot lines for shows like Law and Order or NYPD come from.) Hickey faced a court-martial alone among the conspirators and was found guilty of mutiny and sedition. He was executed in New York before a crowd of 20,000 spectators on June 28, 1776.

Escorting His Excellency

After that fiasco, the Guard went on to serve with distinction for the rest of the war. The Guard's strength at that time was about 50 men. They accompanied Washington to White Plains and took part in the battle there on October 28th, occupying their position on Chatterton Hill. The next day, the entire Army retreated to New Jersey. When their enlistment terms expired, Washington discharged twenty of the Guard on the condition that they would reenlist in the cavalry unit being raised by Lieutenant Lewis, who had been detached from the Guard for that purpose. A small group fought alongside Washington at Trenton during the darkest hours of the revolution. Others were assigned to different regiments to bolster their numbers and morale.

The Life Guard (in helmets) also honored
distinguished visitors to HQ: here Lafayette

During the spring of 1777, as the army emerged from its first winter encampment at Morristown, NJ, Washington ordered Gibbs to procure new uniforms for the unit. Blue jackets and buff facings with leather helmets adorned with medium blue cloth binding and a white plume tipped in blue on the left side of the helmet. However, Gibbs, possibly due to limited supplies, outfitted them with red vests instead of buff. The Life Guards proved their worth the following winter. At Valley Forge, Von Steuben used members of the Guard as his demonstration company for the new American Drill. Von Steuben personally trained them and then sent them to other Continental Army regiments until the entire force was drilled in the new tactics. This transformed the often hapless Continental units into a force capable of facing the British regulars. It also established the Commander-in-Chief's Life Guards as the Continental Army's truly elite unit, not just a group of dandies in the general’s circle.

It is often overlooked that a key mission of the Life Guard was to protect the commander-in-chief's immediate supplies and equipment. Tents, office equipment, and especially correspondence needed safeguarding during the numerous marches made by Washington.
The Life Guards marched with Washington throughout the war. They were at his side during the campaigns in New York, New Jersey, and into Virginia. In 1779, Caleb Gibbs, now a major, was replaced by another New Englander, Connecticut-born William Colfax. Washington promoted the young officer to Captain. Colfax was present at the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and was allowed by Washington to occupy a prominent position on horseback near him. As the long struggle drew to a close, Washington's Life Guard, now reduced to about fifty men, was furloughed from duty in June 1783 at army headquarters in Newburgh, New York. With the British about to evacuate New York City, the Life Guard was ordered disbanded on November 15th, 1783.

The Life Guard Flag

One Huck of a Loyalist

Christian Huck is a name only a writer could come up with. So, who is this guy with a name straight out of Hollywood's badboy casting? He was, in fact, a prominent Loyalist during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. But he was much more than that. And I am posting this on the anniversary of the day that made him famous—the day he died.

Huck the Immigrant

Christian Huck was born somewhere in Germany around 1747. His origins are pretty vague since "Germany" in the 18th century was not a nation but a region in Central Europe. By the early 1770s, he had emigrated to America and settled in Philadelphia, where he studied law. His law practice mainly dealt with real estate, a profitable yet risky business at the time. He focused on buying and selling property for cash or short-term credit, often on very favorable terms and with security. Because banks were scarce and money was tight, a lot of interesting things could happen in that field. Even George Washington himself invested in land—though that’s a story for another time. Huck became wealthy, joined the Anglican church, and clearly integrated well into society. He worked his way into Philadelphia’s upper class, many of whom were loyal to the crown and remained so throughout the war. Some of these same Philadelphians later got involved with Benedict Arnold. 

Philadelphia was anything but the City of Brotherly Love
during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies

Huck Goes to War

And so, our German immigrant Christian Huck (sometimes spelled Houck or even Hook) was a Loyalist and remained loyal. When the war broke out, he, along with other prominent Philadelphians, suffered for their loyalty. Harassment by the Whigs, vandalism, public humiliation, and ostracism were common. Huck’s mentor, Isaac Hunt, was paraded through town and forced to admit his Tory “misbehavior." Christian Huck stayed in Philadelphia despite these hardships. He continued working in real estate, buying and selling property. He also helped members of the Tory cause, associating with and aiding those targeted for their loyalty. When the British Army occupied Philadelphia in September 1777, Christian Huck offered his assistance and joined the army. Some might say he joined the wrong side. Because in 1778, the war intensified in its demand for retribution. That year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court published a list of people accused of knowingly and willingly aiding the enemies of the State and the United States by joining the British Army in Philadelphia. The list included "Christian Hook, attorney at law.” Everyone on the list lost their property for committing high treason. They faced severe penalties, including all “pains and penalties.” This was not a good list to be on!

Captain Christian Huck

Huck followed the British Army when it abandoned Philadelphia and headed to New York. By June 1778, he had raised a company of thirty men for provincial duty and was granted a captain’s commission in a Provincial corps. This corps, under the command of Major Andreas Emmerick, included many men of German descent. Emmerick's corps had participated in several battles in 1777 and 1778, earning a reputation for distinguished service in the Hudson Highland Campaign, skirmishes around Kingsbridge (The Bronx), and the Battle of Monmouth. In 1778, the corps was expanded with new recruits and grew to include two troops of light dragoons, one infantry company, one rifle company, and three chasseur companies, one of which was Huck’s. Chasseurs (French for hunters) were trained to skirmish and fight in small bands. 

Banastre Tarleton

Huck Moves South

Soon, the corps was divided, and one light dragoon troop was assigned to Huck to attach to the British Legion under the notorious Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. Note: Tarleton plays a cameo role in my upcoming novel, The Cavalier Spy. However, by the end of 1779, Huck’s troops were simply known as part of the British Legion. Huck took part in the infamous Battle of the Waxhaws in May 1780. He was involved in the destruction of Hill's Ironworks, an important Patriot supplier and the headquarters for Hill's Militia. The war in the South intensified in 1780. Huck became known for fighting in the Carolina backcountry. He earned the nickname “the swearing captain” because of his reputation for profanity (ach du Scheisse). He was also brutal with the Presbyterians in the region, perhaps because many of his Whig tormentors in Philadelphia were Presbyterian. Some said they reminded Huck of the rebels who had harassed him, accused him of treason, and seized his property. He certainly had reasons to seek retribution for his lost possessions. And of course, he was an Anglican. There might have been a religious reason behind his hatred. Tasked by Cornwallis with recruiting supporters for the Loyalist cause, Huck ravaged the backcountry, threatening and plundering civilians, destroying properties, and earning a reputation for cruelty for himself and his men. 

Back Country Mayhem

In June 1780, Huck was sent from Rocky Mount toward Fishing Creek to disperse rebels believed to be gathering there. Along the way, he recruited 300 Loyalists and burned all the homes and plantations of known Patriots in the Catawba Valley of upper South Carolina. When he reached Fishing Creek, Huck led his men to the Presbyterian Church to seize the pastor, a known Patriot named John Simpson. When they found Simpson had fled, they torched his parsonage. Huck continued his rampage to the New Acquisition District along the North Carolina border, now York County. There, he destroyed two key rebel assets: Whites Mills on Fishing Creek and William Hill's Ironworks. The latter was a vital source of rebel cannon and ordnance. As Huck caused chaos in the backcountry, about 500 loosely organized Patriot militias responded. They launched a sweep through the woods and fields to hunt down the marauders.

Christian Huck continued his rampage and, in early July, arrived at the Bratton Plantation. Desperate to find the proprietor, Colonel William Bratton, a prominent Whig leader, Huck ordered Martha Bratton to reveal her husband’s location. At that time, Bratton was leading his militia in pursuit of Huck and other Tory bands. When Martha refused, she was threatened with a reaping hook (a fitting play on his name). Only the intervention of another Loyalist officer saved her. Note: Incivility, not to mention violence, against women of a certain status was considered particularly vile during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies. If nothing else, this made him what the Germans call a Schlechter Knabe (Bad Boy).

Martha Bratton stands up to Huck's interrogation

The Mayhem Continues, or A Woman Scorned

Undaunted, Huck moved on to the Williamson Plantation. After capturing five Whig supporters hiding in the corn crib, Huck and his officers took up quarters in the main house. His force of around 120 men set up camp nearby. Because they quickly seized the plantation, they believed there was no threat. As a result, he posted only a few guards and did not place pickets or patrols outside the perimeter. Unaware to Huck, Martha Bratton had sent a family slave named Watt to find her husband, who was with his unit on Fishing Creek. Watt told him where Huck was headed. In a double blow for Huck, a crippled spy named Joseph Kerr also found Colonel Bratton. Based on Kerr and Watt’s intelligence, Bratton planned an attack on Huck’s men.

Bratton's Plantation Today

Icing the Huck

At dawn on July 12, 1780, the rebels moved against Huck’s unsuspecting encampment. There, 250 Patriots under Bratton surrounded the plantation in the cover of darkness. The few guards never saw them coming. When the Loyalist forces were awakened by the attack, Bratton's men shot them down. War in the Carolinas was brutal! Surprised by the morning assault, many of Huck’s men fled into the woods. Huck himself was shot off his horse while trying to rally his men. The Patriots tracked down and killed those of Huck’s forces that had escaped into the woods. Some reports estimate that 85 percent of the Loyalists were killed, wounded, or captured. That’s quite impressive, considering the battle lasted only a few minutes. The Patriots lost only one man killed and another wounded in the skirmish. As for Huck, he died from his wounds and was buried right there. In a final insult to the immigrant Loyalist, his body was later used as a medical skeleton. 

Huck defeated in a battle that lasted minutes

Defeat Significant?

In a word, yes. The Loyalists' morale in the Carolinas declined due to numerous recent losses. Many Carolinians began to see British rule as inevitable. After Huck's defeat, the fact that a Patriot militia group decisively defeated part of the British Legion rekindled the people's support for the cause. The Legion was a formidable and feared force in the Carolinas: well-led, well-equipped, and highly motivated to show no mercy. They were known as the "Huns" of their day and dominated most engagements. Therefore, the defeat of part of the Legion strengthened their resolve against British attacks and skirmishes. This shift ultimately influenced the course of the war. Over time, the British grew frustrated with their efforts to pacify the Carolinas. That frustration led Cornwallis and his troops on a long march to a place called Yorktown. But that's another story (or three). The legacy Christian Huck left behind was one of Loyalist brutality and Patriot revenge. It also highlights the intense hatred on both sides of the American struggle after five years of fighting.

The Liberty Pole

Liberty Pole as Symbol

For many colonists, the patriot cause in fighting for independence from Great Britain represented liberty. Patriots believed that representation in government, economic freedom, and personal liberties defined true freedom. However, this view was not shared by everyone. The fight for American liberty involved an ideological struggle between neighbors and brothers, and in some regions, just as many people loyal to the King as there were patriots. Many doubted which side was right or wrong. These individuals were undecided at first. 

Unfortunately, just as today, some people were indifferent, and many shifted their loyalties from patriot to Loyalist depending on who controlled the area. Not everyone believed the best way to achieve individual freedom was to establish a new government. Many colonists thought that, as Englishmen, the King would protect their rights, and anything else was considered treason. To some, the Liberty Pole symbolized freedom; to others, it represented treason. Stark differences.

Liberty Tree: Boston

But the Liberty Pole actually started as a Liberty Tree. The original Liberty Tree was a large elm tree in the South End of Boston. Angry Boston citizens first used it around 1765 as a rallying point during the Stamp Act crisis, when the British Parliament was threatening a tax on paper goods like legal documents and newspapers. 

The Sons of Liberty, an organization founded in Boston by Samuel Adams to protest British taxes, saw their membership grow quickly across the colonies. As the movement spread from Boston, the Sons of Liberty continued the practice of gathering under a large tree, which was present in many village greens, and these came to be called Liberty Trees. 

Their goal was to shape public opinion and coordinate patriotic actions against Britain. In towns without a sufficiently large tree, patriots sometimes erected tall poles to symbolize a Liberty Tree. These became known as Liberty Poles. Most Liberty Poles were set up in town squares, the centers of civic life, often as tall as 100 feet. These squares served not only as gathering places but also as symbols of resistance to British rule.

Erecting a Liberty Pole G, Goshen, New York

In New York City, where some of the earliest battles of the Revolutionary War eventually took place, there was an ongoing fight over the Liberty Pole. In May 1766, when news spread that the Stamp Act had been repealed, the Sons of Liberty celebrated by erecting a Liberty Pole. It became a rallying point for large meetings and a symbol of the American struggle. In June, two regiments of British soldiers arrived in New York City and were housed in the upper barracks. These troops cut down the liberty pole on August 10th. A second and third pole were erected and also taken down. A fourth pole was raised and encased in iron to prevent it from being cut down again.

First Liberty Pole in New York City

Liberty Pole as Place

And that place would be New Jersey, in a time long ago: before the Sopranos, Bridgegate, or even the Turnpike. In present-day Englewood, New Jersey, there stands a pole erected in 1964. It is believed to be at or near the site of an earlier pole erected almost 200 years earlier to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act. This event was more than symbolic, as it served as a catalyst for further action in the defense of liberty in the Hackensack Valley, a hub of political agitation and warfare. The "English Neighborhood" (which included today's City of Englewood) in New Jersey was part of the larger Patriot and Loyalist conflict in the state. Even the name, "English Neighborhood," reveals the division among the people in the valley. The Dutch settlers named it to highlight its position as the settlement closest to the foreign English in Manhattan, then called the Island of New York.

Even before the fighting started, neighbors disagreed on issues of religion and government. The spot in the "English Neighborhood," known to all the colonists (including George Washington) as Liberty Pole, would become a key symbol of liberty. But on November 20th, 1776, the Liberty Pole witnessed a time of great despair. The valley was a strategic crossroads connecting New York City, Long Island, the west, the Hudson Highlands, and the south. 

Along with the waters of the Hackensack, the Kings Highway ran north-south before turning west. At this junction stood a tavern that became the focus of much social, economic, and political activity. In 1776, the inn’s owner, a passionate patriot, followed the example of the Liberty Boys in New York by erecting a Liberty Pole topped with a gold Liberty Cap to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act. Known as the Liberty Pole Tavern, the inn was a center of activity, and the surrounding area was also called Liberty Pole.

Watching the Hudson from Fort Lee

Although no major battles occurred here, events crucial to the American cause took place in Englewood. On the night of November 20, 1776, British General Lord Cornwallis crossed the Hudson River with nine thousand men to what is now Alpine, aiming to capture the rebel forces at Fort Lee, commanded by Nathaniel Greene. General Washington, aware of the plan, led his army from Fort Lee down the King's Highway to the Liberty Pole Tavern, then veered onto what is now Teaneck Road toward New Bridge, where he managed to cross the Hackensack River. 

By summer 1776, the fight for independence with real armies pushed closer to the English Neighborhood. The British drove George Washington's army from Long Island and lower New York across the North (Hudson) River. For a time, Washington made his headquarters in Hackensack, trying to organize a defense against a British attack up the Hudson River. He ordered the arming of forts on both sides of the river, Fort Washington and Fort Lee. On November 16, 1776, the British captured Fort Washington in upper Manhattan, leaving Fort Lee unsupported and allowing the Royal Navy free movement up and down the river. The fall of Fort Lee as a defensive outpost was imminent. 

Washington realized he would be vulnerable to a British attack and faced the decision to move his declining force of 2,000 men across the Hackensack—by ferry or via the one bridge located in River Edge at New Bridge. During this crisis, Washington was criticized, and his army’s morale was low. Recognizing Washington's predicament, British Commander Lord Howe permitted Lord Charles Cornwallis to launch an amphibious attack on New Jersey, just miles north of Fort Lee. 

They moved on the night of November 19, 1776. The next day, Washington learned of the British invasion and quickly rode to Liberty Pole. There, he planned to meet General Greene, the commander of Fort Lee, and his men, who were evacuating the fort. The British were about 2 miles away in Tenafly. Most of the soldiers marched together (down what is now Grand Avenue in Leonia) until reaching Liberty Pole and Washington. Amid the chaos of the retreat, some soldiers were ordered to secure the

Cornwallis moves across the North River (Hudson)  to the Jerseys

As the exhausted American army withdrew from the Jerseys, the area around Liberty Pole entered a different kind of warfare—one that symbolized the fight for independence even more than the pitched battles described in most accounts. It became a war of political intrigue, espionage, sabotage, and small skirmishes. Raids were carried out. Loyalties were questioned, as many of the Dutch were at best ambivalent about the struggle. Spies operated and were caught. Chaos and disorder spread throughout the area around Liberty Pole. 

The conflict simmered continuously, flaring up into brief, fierce bursts of action whenever the armies returned. Liberty Pole became the site of a notable skirmish later in the war. In 1779, a tired but resilient band of troops under the famed General "Light-Horse Harry" Lee courageously defended against Tory attacks as a Patriot force returned from a successful raid on the Paulhus Hook, what is now Jersey City. The raid on the Hook was only partly successful, but Lee's boldness and his successful retreat across the Hackensack River earned praise from General Washington and gratitude from Congress.

Light Horse Harry Lee's rear guard fought
bravely at Liberty Pole

In 1780, Washington’s Army was in the Hudson Highlands, and the forward lines around Tappan drew the attention of spies from both sides, Tory bands, militias, Continentals foraging, and various bandits. A British pardon lured American deserters from the Highlands, giving British intelligence a wealth of information. In one recorded act of reprisal, a raiding party of American militia marched down the valley to Liberty Pole and captured several deserters. These examples illustrate the type of fighting that took place around the pole and throughout the valley during the long fight for America's independence.