James Clinton, born on the 13th of August, 1736, at the family
residence, in what is now Orange County, New York, received an
excellent education under the supervision of his father, paying much
attention to the exact sciences, and early evincing that taste for
military enterprise which he inherited from his English ancestors.
In 1756, he received the appointment of ensign in the militia, and
remaining in the army after the peace of 1763, steadily rose by
promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At the close of the
French and Indian War, he married Miss Mary de Witt, a lady of great
personal attractions and a descendant of an old Holland family.
In June, 1775, renouncing his allegiance to Great Britain, he was
appointed colonel of the Third New York Regiment, and joined Montgomery
in the expedition against Canada. August 9, 1776, he was raised to
the rank of brigadier-general, and served to the close of the war,
faithfully discharging the duties of the several stations he was called
upon to fill. With his brother, Gov. George Clinton, he conducted
the defence of Fort Clinton in October, 1777, until overpowered by
vastly superior numbers, and then escaped, though severely wounded,
by sliding down a precipice of a hundred feet to a shallow stream.
Wading for some distance up the stream, he threw his pursuers off
the scent. In 1779, having joined General Sullivan in an expedition
against the Indians, he materially aided by a clever engineering feat
in the rapid transportation of the troops. Though stationed during most
of the war in command of the Northern Department at Albany, he took
part during the siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis.
After the evacuation of the city of New York by the British, he took
leave of his commander-in-chief and retired to his home in Orange
County. Subsequently he held various civil positions of trust and
responsibility, and died on the 22d of September, 1812, at his
residence in his native State.