THE BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION
In order justly to appreciate the circumstances in which Henry Ludington
and his young family found themselves about fifteen years after his
return from the French and Indian war, it will be desirable to recall
briefly the political and social conditions generally prevailing
throughout the Colonies at that time, which were nowhere more marked
than in New York City and the rural counties lying just north of it.
During the two or three years before the actual declaration of American
independence, or secession from England, the people of the Colonies were
divided into two parties, the Patriots and the Loyalists or Tories.
The latter maintained the right of England to govern the Colonies as
she pleased, and regarded even a protest against the maladministration
of George III’s ministers as little short of sacrilege. The former
were by no means as yet committed to the idea of American separation
from the mother country, but they were most resolute in their demand
for local self-government, and for government according to the needs
of the Colonies rather than the caprices of English ministers. When
they first placed the legend “Liberty and Union” upon their colonial
flag, and called it the “Grand Union Flag,” they had in mind liberty
under the British constitution and continued union with England.
Nevertheless, antagonism between the two parties became as bitter as
ever it was between Roundhead and Cavalier in Stuart days; and while in
some respects Boston and Philadelphia figured more conspicuously in the
pre-revolutionary agitation and operations than did New York, there was
probably no place in all the Colonies where the people were more evenly
and generally divided between the two parties, or where passions rose
higher or were more strongly maintained, than in and about the last-named
city. No ties of neighborliness, friendship, or even family relationship
sufficed to prevent or to quell the animosities which arose over the
political interests of the Colonies. Nowhere had the Patriots a more
ardent or persuasive leader than young Alexander Hamilton, or the Tories
a more uncompromising champion than Rivington, the printer, whose office
was at last sacked and gutted by wrathful Patriots. An illuminating
side-light is thrown upon the New York state of mind by an item in the
New York “Journal” of February 9, 1775, as follows:
A company of gentlemen were dining at a house in New York. One
of them used the word Tory several times. His host asked him,
“Pray, Mr. ⸺, what is a Tory?” He replied, “A Tory is a thing
whose head is in England, and its body in America, and its neck
ought to be stretched!”
Nor were these passions by any means confined to the urban but not
always urbane community on Manhattan Island. They prevailed with equal
force in the rural regions of Westchester and Dutchess counties. During
the Revolutionary War that border region, between the British garrison
on Manhattan Island and the American strongholds in the Highlands of
the Hudson, was the fighting ground of the belligerents, and was also
unmercifully harried and ravaged by the irregular succors of both sides,
the “Cow Boys” and “Skinners,” and others, celebrated in the unhappy
André’s whimsical ballad of “The Cow Chase.” Patriots from Westchester
County were foremost among those who wrecked Rivington’s Tory printing
shop, and an aggravated sequel to the item just cited from the New York
“Journal” is provided in the annals of Dutchess County a little later in
the same year. At that time a County Committee, or Committee of Safety—of
which we shall presently hear much more—had been formed in that county,
for the purpose of holding the Tories in check, and it had forcibly
deprived some men of their arms and ammunition. The despoiled Tories
made appeal to the Court of Common Pleas for redress, and James Smith, a
justice of that court, according to a contemporary narrative, “undertook
to sue for and recover the arms taken from the Tories by order of said
committee, and actually committed one of the committee who assisted at
disarming the Tories; which enraged the people so much that they rose and
rescued the prisoner, and poured out their resentment on this villanous
retailer of the law.” The “resentment” seems to have been poured out of
buckets and pillows, for we are told that Justice Smith and his relative,
Coen Smith, were “very handsomely tarred and feathered, for acting in
open contempt of the resolves of the County Committee!”
In or near that part of Dutchess County in which Henry Ludington lived
a third small but not insignificant factor was involved in the problem.
This was provided by the members of the Society of Friends, who were
settled at Quaker Hill, near Pawling, in The Oblong. This was the
first community in America to abolish negro slavery, in 1775, and on
that account it was probably regarded with some suspicion. But worse
still was the regard given to it in the strife between Patriots and
Tories. There can be little doubt that the sentiments and wishes of the
Quakers were largely with the Patriots. Yet their religious principle
of non-resistance forbade them to take up arms or to engage in forcible
conflict of any kind. They were therefore generally looked upon by
the Patriots as Tories, and were on that account sometimes fined and
otherwise punished, while on the other hand, the Tories made themselves
free to quarter troops upon them and to demand aid of them at will. On
the whole, however, they appear to have commanded the respect of the
Patriots, for their sincerity, and thus to have been far more leniently
dealt with than were the more militant Tories outside the Society of
Friends.
[Illustration: Map of Quaker Hill and Vicinity, 1778-80, showing location
of Colonel Ludington’s place at Fredericksburgh]
The earliest organization of the Patriots in and about New York was a
Committee of Vigilance, the chief functions of which were to watch for
oppressive acts of the British Government and incite colonial protests
against them. This was in 1774 superseded by a Committee of Fifty-One,
and it in turn in the same year gave place to a Committee of Inspection,
of sixty members. In both of these latter John Jay, who was a neighbor
and friend of Henry Ludington, was conspicuous, and it is to be presumed
that Henry Ludington himself was either a member of the committees or
at least was in active sympathy with their work. In April, 1775, came a
crisis and the turning point in the movement for independence. The old
Colonial Assembly of New York went out of existence on April 3. Then came
the news of the first clash of arms at Lexington and Concord, acting as a
spark in a powder-magazine. “Astonished by accounts of acts of hostility
in the moment of expectation of terms of reconciliation,” said the
lieutenant-governor of New York in his account of the occurrence, “and
now filled with distrust, the inhabitants of the city burst through all
restraint on the arrival of the intelligence from Boston, and instantly
emptied the vessels laden with provisions for that place, and then seized
the city arms and in the course of a few days distributed them among the
multitude, formed themselves into companies and trained openly in the
streets; increased the number and power of the committee before appointed
to execute the association of the Continental Congress, convened
themselves by beat of the drum for popular resolutions, have taken the
keys of the custom house by military force; shut up the port, drawn a
small number of cannon into the country; called all parts of the country
to a Provincial Convention; chosen twenty delegates for this city,
formed an association now signing by all ranks, engaging submission to
committees and congresses, in firm union with the rest of the continent,
and openly avow a resolution not only to resist the acts of Parliament
complained as grievances, but to withhold succors of all kinds from the
troops and to repel every species of force, wherever it may be exerted,
for enforcing the taxing claims of Parliament at the risk of their lives
and fortunes.” This only half coherent but wholly intelligible and
graphic narrative tells admirably how the Patriot sentiment of New York
startled into life and action. A year later it was forcibly repressed
by the British garrison on Manhattan Island, but in the counties at the
north it continued dominant and triumphant.
The “association now signing by all ranks” was promptly entered into by
Henry Ludington and his neighbors in Dutchess County, as the following
transcript, from the MS. collection of Mr. Patrick, shows, the date of
the original being April 29, 1775:
A General Association agreed to and subscribed by the
Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Dutchess:
Persuaded: That the Salvation of the Rights & Liberties
of America depends, under God, on the firm Union of its
Inhabitants in a Vigorous Prosecution of the Measures necessary
for its Safety; and Convinced of the Necessity of preventing
the Anarchy & Confusion which attend the Dissolution of the
Powers of Government, We, the Freeholders and Inhabitants of
the County of Dutchess, being greatly alarmed at the avowed
Design of the Ministry to raise a Revenue in America, and
shocked by the bloody Scene now acting in the Massachusetts
Bay, Do, in the most solemn Manner, Resolve, never to become
Slaves; and do associate under all the Ties of Religion,
Honour and Love to our Country, to adopt and endeavor to
carry into execution, whatever Measures may be recommended by
the Continental Congress, or resolved upon by our Provincial
Conventions, for the Purpose of preserving our Constitution and
opposing the execution of the several arbitrary and oppressive
Acts of the British Parliament, until a Reconciliation between
Great Britain and America, on Constitutional Principles (which
we most ardently desire) can be obtained: And that we will
in all things, follow the Advice of our General Committee,
respecting the Purposes aforesaid: the Preservation of peace
and good Order and the Safety of Individuals, and private
property.
Mathew Paterson
Joseph Chandler
Comfort Ludinton
Ruben Miers
James Dickinson Junr.
Isaiah Bennett
Malcolm Morison
Alexr. Kidd
Henry Ludinton
Elijah Oakley
William Alkin.
David Atkins
Stephen Baxter.
One other signature is illegible. Those of the two Ludingtons are clear
and firm.
The new Provincial Congress of New York met in the New York City Hall on
May 22, 1775, and remained in session until May 29, its most important
act being the adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to all counties
in this colony (who have not already done it) to appoint
County Committees and also sub-committees for their respective
townships and districts without delay, in order to carry
into execution the resolutions of the Continental and this
Provincial Congress; And that it is also recommended to every
inhabitant of this colony who has neglected to sign the general
association to do it with all convenient speed, and for this
purpose that the committees in the respective counties do
tender the said association to every inhabitant within the
several districts in each county; And that the said committees
and persons respectfully do return the said associations and
the names of those who shall refuse to sign the same to this
Congress by the 15th day of June next, or sooner if possible.
This obviously “meant business.” It compelled every inhabitant of the
colony to align himself, either with the Patriots or with the Loyalists;
with a certainty that if he chose the former, he would be held as a
traitor by the British Government, and if he chose the latter, he would
be subject to whatever pains and penalties his incensed Patriot neighbors
might see fit to impose upon him. Into the work thus recommended by the
Congress, Henry Ludington entered with zeal and ardor. He was at the head
of the local committee, in Fredericksburgh Precinct, and also a member
of the Dutchess County Committee, among his colleagues being John Jay,
William Duer, Jacobus Swartwout, and other eminent Patriots.
How vigorously and unsparingly these committees went to work will appear
if we anticipate for a moment the chronological record by a year. On a
motion offered by John Jay on June 16, 1776, the Provincial Congress
of New York declared guilty of treason, with the penalty of death, all
persons inhabiting or passing through the colony, or state, as it then
began to be called, who should give aid or comfort to the enemy. A week
later the Continental Congress adopted a similar resolution. It does not
appear that this penalty was ever actually imposed, but the terror of
it was held as a powerful measure of restraint over the Tories. Again,
at Conner’s tavern, at Fishkill, Dutchess County, on October 8, 1776,
there was organized a secret committee “for inquiring into, detecting and
defeating conspiracies … against the liberties of America,” with full
power to send for persons and papers, call out the militia, and arrest or
expel persons regarded as dangerous to the state, apparently without any
judicial process. Thereafter numerous parties of suspects were sent in
by the various local committees, including men, women, and children. All
who consented to sign an oath of allegiance to Congress were dismissed.
The others were variously dealt with. Some were exiled from the State,
some were imprisoned, and some released on parole, to remain near
Fishkill within call and surveillance of the committee. The chairman of
this committee was William Duer, and if Henry Ludington was not actually
among its members he was certainly one of its most trusted and efficient
agents. It continued in existence and action until February 27, 1777,
when it was dissolved by the State Convention and was replaced by a Board
of Commissioners. Two minutes of the proceedings of this committee will
serve the double purpose of showing the character of its activities and
the part which Henry Ludington played in executing its decrees. The first
is dated only four days after the organization of the committee:
In Committee appointed by a Resolution of the Convention of the
State of New York for enquiring into, detecting and defeating
all Conspiracies which may be form’d in the said State against
the Liberties of America. Fish Kill Octr. 12. 1776.
This Committee taking into Consideration Coll. Ludington’s
Letter respecting Thomas Menzes Esqr. received yesterday—
Ordered that Coll. Ludington carry into Execution the former
Orders of this Committee respecting Thomas Menzes Esqr. in such
manner as to him shall appear most prudent.—
Ordered that the Secretary transmit to Coll. Ludington by
Express a Copy of the above Order.
Extract from the Minutes,
A. W. D. PEYSTER _Secry_.
[Illustration: Reduced Fac-simile of Letter, from Committee on
Conspiracies, to Col. Henry Ludington.
(Original in possession of Charles H. Ludington, New York City)]
The second is dated eight days later:
warrant from commite to aprhend sundry persons
In Committee of the Convention of the State of New York
appointed for enquiring into, detecting and defeating all
Conspiracies which may be form’d in the said State against the
Liberties of America. Fish Kill Octr. 20, 1776.
Whereas this Committee did on the 17th inst. resolve that the
following persons, Inhabitants of South East and Frederick
Precincts in the County of Dutchess, should forthwith be
disarm’d apprehended and secured, to witt, Uriah Townsend,
Ebenezer Rider, Charles Cullen*, Barns Hatfield, Uriah Wright,
Joseph Hitchcock, Eli Crosby, Dr. Daniel Bull*, Charles Theal,
and Gilbert Dickeson—⦿
Ordered that Coll. Luddington do forthwith apprehend and bring
before this Committee the above mentioned Persons and that
he secure the Papers of such whose Names are mark’d with an
Asterisk in order that the same be examined by this Committee.—
Ordered that Capt. Clarke detach Leut. Haight with a Party of
15 Men, to repair to Coll. Luddington and to follow such orders
as they may receive from him.
Signed by Order of the Committee,
WM. DUER _Chairman_.
In the margin of this warrant, which is here copied from the original in
the possession of Charles H. Ludington, are these additional names:
⦿ Daniel Babbit Jeremiah Birch Junr. David Nash Samuel Towner
William Merrit Thomas Carl* Daniel Brundage Moses Fowler.
The Charles Cullen mentioned in the warrant was a brother-in-law of the
distinguished jurist, Chancellor Kent.
[Illustration: Reduced Fac-simile of Order of arrest issued, by Wm. Duer,
Chairman of Committee on Conspiracies, of the “Provincial Congress of the
State of New York” to Col. Henry Ludington.
(Original paper in possession of Charles H. Ludington, New York City.)]
In order to understand clearly the geographical scope of the operations
already and hereafter credited to Henry Ludington, the division of that
part of Dutchess County into precincts should here be explained, with
the aid of a map. The reference is to that southern part of Dutchess
County which was afterward set off, as at present, into Putnam County.
From 1737 down to March 24, 1772, it was known as the South Precinct.
On the latter date it was divided into three longitudinal strips, that
along the Hudson being called Phillipse, or Philipsburgh Precinct;
that in the central and east central part being called Fredericksburgh
Precinct; and the smallest strip at the extreme east, consisting of part
of The Oblong hitherto mentioned, being known as South East Precinct. It
may be added, in anticipation of the narrative, that on March 17, 1788,
these names were changed to Philipstown, Frederickstown, and South East,
respectively; that on March 17, 1795, the towns of Carmel and Franklin
were formed from Frederickstown, and the remainder of the last named
was called Fredericks; that on April 6, 1808, Franklin was changed to
Patterson, and on April 15, 1817, Fredericks was changed to Kent. It
may further be explained that the Philipsburgh Precinct was subdivided
into two nearly equal longitudinal strips, and the one along the Hudson
River was again divided laterally into three parts, making four lots in
all, which were numbered from 1 to 4, and which in the partition of the
original Phillipse Patent were apportioned as follows: No. 1, at the
extreme southwest, Susannah Robinson; No. 2, next at the west center,
Philip Phillipse; No. 3, at the northwest, Mary Phillipse; and No. 4, the
long strip inland from the river, Susannah Robinson. The Fredericksburgh
Precinct was likewise divided into three longitudinal strips, and the
easternmost of them into three laterally, making five lots in all,
numbered from 5 to 9, and these were apportioned as follows: No. 5,
the long strip next to No. 4 of Philipsburg, to Mary Phillipse; No. 6,
a long strip next to No. 5, to Philip Phillipse; No. 7, a “short lot”
at the northeast, to Susannah Robinson; No. 8, a short lot at the east
center, to Philip Phillipse; and No. 9, a short lot at the southeast, to
Mary Phillipse. When, as we shall presently see, Henry Ludington became
colonel commanding a militia regiment, his territorial command included
all of these nine lots excepting Nos. 7 and 8. He was thus of all the
militia commanders nearest to the seat of government when it was at
Fishkill, and was brought much into contact with state officials there.
[Illustration: Map of Philipse patent, showing original divisions]
[Illustration: Map showing territory (shaded portion) covered by Colonel
Ludington’s regiment]
Appreciating the important part which the militia would play in the
conflict which was then seen to be impending and inevitable, the
Provincial Congress of New York, in session at New York City on August
22, 1775, adopted an elaborate measure for the enlistment, organization
and equipment of such troops. Every county, city, manor, town, precinct,
and district within the colony was to be divided by a local committee
into districts or beats, in such a manner that in each beat might be
formed one military company, ordinarily to consist of eighty-three
able-bodied men and officers, between the ages of sixteen and
fifty—afterward sixty—years. Not less than five nor more than ten such
companies were to form a regiment, and the regiments were to be organized
into brigades. One brigade was to be formed of the militia of Dutchess
and Westchester counties, commanded by a brigadier-general. It was also
ordered—
That every man between the ages of 16 and 50 do with all
convenient speed furnish himself with a good Musket or firelock
& Bayonet Sword or Tomahawk, a Steel Ramrod, Worm, Priming
Wire and Brush fitted thereto, a Cartouch Box to contain 23
rounds of cartridges, 12 flints and a knapsack agreeable to
the directions of the Continental Congress under forfeiture
of five shillings for the want of a musket or firelock and
of one shilling for want of a bayonet, sword or tomahawk,
cartridgebox, cartridge or bullet. That every man shall at
his place of abode be also provided with one pound of powder
and three pounds of bullets of proper size to his musket or
firelock.
There were numerous additional prescriptions, concerning discipline and
drill, the duties and responsibilities of officers, and the penalties
to be imposed for non-compliance. In case of any alarm, invasion or
insurrection, every man thus enrolled was immediately to repair to
headquarters, to wit, the home of his captain, and the captain was to
march the company straight to the scene of invasion or insurrection “to
oppose the enemy,” at the same time sending word to the regimental or
brigade commander. A little later, to wit, on December 20, the Provincial
Congress ordered that the militia of Dutchess and Westchester counties
should form two separate brigades; whence we may assume that a larger
enrolment of militia men was secured in those counties than had at first
been expected.
The militia were called out whenever needed, and were kept out as long
as they were needed, but they could be taken outside of the colony or
state for no more than three months at a time. Sometimes, as Mr. James
A. Roberts explains in his work on “New York in the Revolution,” a
regiment or half of a regiment would be called out half a dozen times
in the course of a year, perhaps for half a dozen days at a time; and
again might not be called out once for a whole year. The regiments
were commonly designated first by their colonels’ names and next by
their counties. Officers and men seem to have served, says Mr. Roberts,
in different organizations almost indiscriminately. At one call they
were in one and at another they were in another regiment or company.
Each colonel had almost unlimited powers in the district to which his
regiment belonged, and he was specially required to see that every
able-bodied male inhabitant between the ages of sixteen and sixty years
was enrolled. Moreover, every such person must serve whenever called upon
to do so, under penalty of fine and imprisonment; and if incapacitated,
he must contribute toward the cost of securing and equipping another
man. Among the rations served to all were tobacco, sugar, and tea, and
in addition the colonels and chaplains received liberal allowances of
rum. A colonel’s pay was $75 a month, and a private soldier’s pay $6.66
a month; not always in money, but sometimes in state scrip and sometimes
in authority to “impress” cattle and goods; for all which things taken
receipts were to be given to the owners in the name of the state, so that
payment could afterward be made.
This enactment by New York was made in pursuance of an act of the
Continental Congress, on July 18, 1775, which “recommended to the
inhabitants of all the united English Colonies in North America that all
able-bodied, effective men between sixteen and fifty years of age, in
each Colony, might form themselves into regular companies of Militia,
to consist of one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants,
four corporals, one clerk, one drummer, one fifer, and about sixty-eight
privates.”
Each company was permitted to elect its own officers; the companies were
to be formed into regiments or battalions, officered with a colonel,
lieutenant-colonel, two majors, an adjutant or quartermaster. All
officers above the rank of captain were to be appointed by the respective
Provincial Assemblies, or Conventions, or by the Committees of Safety.
One fourth part of the militia in every county was to consist of minute
men, who were ordered “to be ready on the shortest Notice to march to any
Place where their Assistance may be required for the Defence of their own
or a neighboring Colony.” As the minute men were expected to be called
into action before the body of the militia were sufficiently trained, it
was recommended “that a more particular and diligent attention be paid to
their instruction in military discipline.”
The equipment of these militia companies was at first painfully meager,
and their muster-rolls, “spelled by the unlettered Muse,” were such as
would drive the modern officer to despair. As an example, the muster-roll
of Captain Nathaniel Scribner’s company may be cited, copied _verbatim
et literatim_ from an original MS. in the possession of Mr. Charles H.
Ludington:
Capt. Scribner’s muster role.
Capt Nathaniel Scribner gun sword o
Ltn Daniel martine o o catrig box
In David merrick o sword o
St. Thomas grigrory o o o
St. Caleb hazen o o o
St makis Brundige o o o
Cl Thomas willson gun o catrig box
Cl Isaac Evritt gun sword o
Benianan hamblon fiffer
Stephen Hyatt Drummer
Joshua grigrory o o o
gilbirt ganung gun o o
Samuel Pears o o o
Caleb Pears gun o o
Rusel grigrory gun sword o
freman hopkins o o o
Samuel horton o o o
Joseph hopkins o o o
alexander pears o o o
henery Bolding gun sword o
John ferguson gun o o
Noah robinson o o o
Joseph ganung gun o o
Jesse ganung gun o o
Elezur hazen gun o o
william haighson o o o
Lewis Furguson o o o
abiiag Barker o o o
Samuel Jinkins gun o o
Jacob mead gun o o
John mcLean gun o o
John Lounsbury o o o
John thrustin o o o
Nathanel finch o o o
Jona Carle o o o
Thomas Furguson o o o
Richard p e grigrory o o o
James Carle o o o
Nathaniel Jinkins o o o
David Storms gun sword o
John Sloot o o o
John frost o o o
gorge Evritt gun sword o
Edward Vermilyea o o o
John Stedel o o o
Jonathan hustice gun o o
Thomas Hall gun sword o
James Barker o o o
John wright o o o
Thadeus Ramond gun o o
robint wright o o o
Beniaman Birdsel o o o
Isaac ganung gun o o
Job Veail o o o
Isaac Sloot o o o
adonija carle o o o
Samuel Conkling o o o
Elisha Bolding o o o
Jeremiah hughson o o o
Jerediah davis gun o o
alaxander Brown o o o
gedien Simkins o o o
David Fowler o o o
Daniel worden o o o
abraham Furguson o o o
Jones Semans o o o
Nathanel Robinson o o o
John Sloot o o o
Annexed to the muster roll was the following addendum:
These air men What is gon into the servis
Leftenant John munrow
St. Josiah grigrory
Jacob birdsel
Jacob ganung
john Shaw
Solomon hustice
parce bolding
John Vermilya
Richard Barker
Daniel grigrory
Zebulon wright
Isaac merick
Eli hopkins
James mcfarling
Rhubin finch
Timothy wood
Jonathan Semans
william Virmilya
Thomas hagson
Jonathan hopkins
moses hazen
Samuel bouton
Isaac Lounsbury.
In the work of enlisting and organizing these militia levies the
most efficient men were naturally those who had already had military
experience and command as officers in some of the colonial wars. Henry
Ludington was among these. He had had such experience in a noteworthy
degree, and to it he added both physical and temperamental aptitude
for military labors, and an ardent spirit of patriotism. Leaving the
service in 1759 as a lieutenant, he had, as already related, resigned
his commission in indignation at the Stamp Act. On February 13, 1773,
however, he accepted a commission as captain in Colonel Beverly
Robinson’s Dutchess County regiment, and this commission, which was
signed by William Tryon, the last British governor of New York, he
held until 1775, or possibly 1776, when he cast it aside and entered
the “Rebel” or Patriotic service. The militia of Dutchess County was
organized, under the law already cited, in the fall of 1775, and on
October 17 Petrus Ten Broeck, the colonel of the First or Rhinebeck and
Northwest regiment, was commissioned brigadier-general commanding. Of
the Second regiment of Dutchess County, Jacobus Swartwout was colonel,
and when in time the militia of the county was so increased as to form
two brigades, he was, on March 3, 1780, appointed brigadier-general
commanding one of them. Swartwout’s commission as colonel was also
issued on October 17, 1775, and at the same time Malcolm Morrison was
commissioned first major and Henry Ludington was commissioned second
major of his regiment. Ludington seems also to have served as captain
of the company raised in his home district, and to have been prompt and
energetic in his service; for on February 20, 1776, we find Colonel
Swartwout in a letter to the Provincial Congress reporting that he was
in hourly expectation of Captain Ludington’s appearance at regimental
headquarters, together with Captains Woodford from Pawling’s, Clearck
from Beekman’s, and Durling from Rombout Precinct. The Congress the next
day ordered that all the men thus reported should serve until May 1 of
that year, unless sooner discharged.
Soon afterward came Ludington’s first promotion. On March 8, 1776,
Malcolm Morrison, the first major of Swartwout’s regiment, addressed to
the Provincial Congress of New York this letter:
Gentlemen: Whereas the gentlemen of the Provincial Congress has
been pleased to appoint me First Major in Colo. Swartwout’s
regiment, and as my situation and business is such, that it is
not within my power to serve without doing injustice to myself
and creditors, having a considerable interest in my hands to
settle, and having a large family to take care of without any
person to assist me in settling my affairs, and whereas Major
Henry Ludington, appointed in the militia, is prevailed upon
to accept the commission sent me, and if agreeable to you, do
resign in his favor. He can be recommended by Colo. Swartwout
or the Committee of Dutchess County, and I hope you will be
prevailed upon to appoint him in my stead, he being a person
that has served in the last war and well acquainted in the
military service, and, Gentlemen, your compliance will greatly
oblige,
Your Very Humble Servant,
MALCOLM MORRISON.
Mr. Ludington waits for an answer.
N.B. Gentlemen, enclosed you have the commission.
This extraordinarily naïve and unconventional letter was received on
March 9, apparently being borne by Major Ludington himself as messenger.
It was favorably acted upon, and the next day, March 10, Ludington was
made first major of the regiment in Morrison’s place. At this time the
companies were not yet filled, and the regiment was small. But recruiting
went on rapidly, so that by the first of May, 1776, the regiment was
actually too large. Accordingly on May 6 the Committee of Dutchess County
took action for the formation of another regiment in that part of the
county, as reported in the following letter to the Provincial Congress:
Sir:—It having been represented to the General Committee of
this County, that the Southern Regiment of Militia was too
large and extensive, containing 12 companies and covering
a space of country upwards of 30 miles in length, we have,
therefore, not only because in other respects it was expedient,
but also in compliance with the Resolution of Congress
prohibiting a Regiment to consist of more than 10 Companies,
divided it, and instead of one have formed the Militia in that
quarter into 2 regiments, together with a list of persons
nominated for Field Officers. As this part of our Militia
will remain unregimented till the Officers receive their
Commissions, we must request that the Commissions be made out
as soon as possible and sent to the Committee in Rombout’s
Precinct with directions to forward them to the Officers
immediately.
I remain, by order of the Committee,
Your very humble servant,
EGBERT BENSON _Chairman_.
[Illustration: Reduced Fac-simile of the Commission of Henry Ludington as
Colonel.
From the “Provincial Congress for the Colony of New York,” June 1778.]
The new regiment, as described in an enclosure in Mr. Benson’s letter,
was to consist of all the militia in Phillipse Precinct, and in all
of Fredericksburgh Precinct “except the Northern and Middle Short
Lots”—at the northeast, as hitherto explained. The field officers
nominated were as follows: Colonel, Moses Dusenbury; lieutenant-colonel,
Henry Ludington; first major, Reuben Ferris; second major, Joshua
Nelson; adjutant, Joshua Myrick; quartermaster, Solomon Hopkins. These
nominations were promptly confirmed. A little later Henry Ludington was
commissioned colonel of this regiment, to succeed Colonel Dusenbury.
The exact date is not now ascertainable, but according to the mutilated
remains of the commission, a facsimile of which is given in this volume,
it was some time in June, 1776. The commission—his first as colonel—was
issued by the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York, and was
one of the last acts of that body, which in that month of June, 1776,
went out of existence, and on July 9 following was succeeded by a new
Provincial Congress, meeting at White Plains, which the next day, July
10, changed its name to the Convention of the Representatives of the
State of New York. With this change of government new commissions were
issued to officers, Henry Ludington receiving one as colonel, which
is now in the possession of his grandson, Charles H. Ludington. His
regiment, the seventh of the Dutchess County militia, was thereafter
popularly known and indeed often officially designated as Colonel
Ludington’s regiment. Unfortunately its earliest muster-rolls and record
of organization have not been preserved, or cannot now be found, but it
is known to have consisted of six companies. The minutes of the Council
of Appointment do not mention it until May 28, 1778, when it is called
Colonel Henry Ludington’s regiment. At this latter date Stephen Ludington
was a second lieutenant in Captain Joel Mead’s (1st) company. We may here
add that in various rosters of New York troops the following names of
members of the Ludington family appear, in addition to Colonel Ludington:
Stephen Ludington, and also Stephen Ludenton (doubtless the same person),
private, in Brinckerhoff’s company of Brinckerhoff’s regiment—the second
regiment of Dutchess County, Rombout Precinct.
Elisha Luddington, private, of Livingston’s company of Malcolm’s
regiment—the first regiment of New York levies in the United States
Army. Also, Elisha Luddington, private, in Barnum’s company of Hopkins’s
regiment—the sixth regiment of Dutchess County.
William Luddington, private, in Westfall’s company of Wessenfels’s
regiment.
Comfort Ludington, private, in Hecock’s company of Field’s regiment—the
third regiment of Dutchess County. Also, Comfort Ludington, private, in
Mead’s company of Ludington’s regiment—the seventh regiment of Dutchess
County. Also, Comfort Luddington, captain of a company of the second
regiment of minute men of Dutchess County, commissioned on February 26,
1776.
Early in June, 1776, probably at about the time of Colonel Ludington’s
appointment, and a month before the formal declaration of American
independence, the Continental Congress called for 13,800 militia from
the Colonies, to reënforce the army at New York, in addition to other
levies for the army which was to invade Canada. New York’s share of this
levy was 3,750, of whom 3,000 were for service at New York and 750 for
the expedition to Canada. The latter were naturally selected from the
northern counties, while the 3,000 for local service were taken from
the counties along the Hudson and around the city of New York. Among
the latter were 335 men from Dutchess County, a larger number than was
contributed by any other county excepting New York and Albany. The
Dutchess County contingent was ordered to be ready to march on June 21.
[Illustration: Reduced Fac-simile of the Commission of Henry Ludington as
Colonel.
From the State of New York. May 28, 1778.
(Original in possession of Charles H. Ludington, New York City.)]
The local needs of Dutchess County were not, however, to be overlooked.
A committee of the New York Congress on June 20 reported that there
were many disaffected and dangerous persons in Dutchess and Westchester
counties, who greatly disturbed the peace, and who would probably take up
arms whenever the enemy should make a descent upon that region, and that
the requisitions of troops made by the Continental Congress had left the
militia incapable of keeping peace and order “without great inconvenience
to themselves and much injury to and neglect of their private property.”
It was therefore recommended, and ordered, that 100 men and officers in
Dutchess County and 50 in Westchester County be taken into the service of
the Provincial Congress “and confined to the Service of those Counties.”
The 100 men in Dutchess County were organized in two companies. On July
16 the Provincial Congress, or Convention, was in session at White
Plains, and it there ordered that one fourth of the militia of those two
counties should be summoned into active service, until the end of the
year; each man receiving $20 bounty, and the same pay and subsistence as
the Continental soldiers. Among those thus drawn into the service was
Colonel Ludington.
The first care of Colonel Ludington on assuming command of his regiment
was to fill up its ranks and organize a complete staff of officers.
In reporting to the Convention—or Provincial Congress, as he still
called it—upon this work, he wrote under date of July 19, 1776, from
Fredericksburgh, as follows, this letter being transformed into modern
and corrected orthography, and others which follow being thus edited
only enough to insure intelligibility:
These may inform Your Honors that I meet with some difficulty
in furnishing my quota of men for the present emergency, for
want of commissions in the regiment which I have the honor
to command. We have a number of officers chosen already that
have no commissions, and several more must be chosen in order
to have the regiment properly officered. And whereas I have
applied to the County Committee for blanks to be filled up,
and there are none to be had, therefore I, in conjunction with
the committee of this Precinct, would desire that there might
be about twenty blank commissions sent up by Mr. Myrick, the
bearer hereof. I would further acquaint Your Honors that the
regiment is destitute of Majors, and would be glad if Your
Honors would appoint two gentlemen to that office and fill
up commissions for them. There are two gentlemen that I do,
with the advice of the Committee, nominate, viz., Mr. Gee—his
Christian name I am not able to tell—of Phillipse Precinct, and
Captain Ebenezer Robinson of this Precinct. These gentlemen
are doubtless known by several of the members of the honorable
House.
From Your Humble Servant,
HENRY LUDENTON, _Colonel_.
To the Honorable Provincial Congress.
[Illustration: Reduced Fac-simile of Letter from Abraham Bancker to Col.
Henry Ludington.
(Original in possession of Charles H. Luddington, New York City.)]
The annals of the New York Convention, under date of July 20, 1776,
relate that this letter was received, read, and filed, and that—
On reading the said letter from Colonel Ludenton, of Dutchess
County, and considering the state of his Regiment at this
critical time,
Resolved, That Commissions be issued to the two gentlemen
therein named in said letter, and that 20 other Commissions
be signed by the President and countersigned by one of the
Secretaries and transmitted to Colonel Ludenton, to be
filled up for the Captains and Subalterns of his Regiment
when necessary, by the Precinct Committee and himself; that
said Precinct Committee and Colonel Ludenton return to this
Convention an exact list of the names, rank and dates of the
Officers commissioned, which they shall fill up and deliver.
And Resolved, That the sending blank commissions to a Precinct
Committee shall not from this instance be drawn into precedent.
In this fashion Colonel Ludington prepared for the stern activities
before him. The “critical time” referred to in the resolutions of the
Convention was indeed critical. New York was in imminent danger of
being occupied by the British, and British warships were likely soon to
ascend the Hudson River. John Jay was intrusted with the making of plans
for the defense of the Hudson Highlands. On August 1, Jay, Duer, and
others, were made a committee to draft a plan for a new government for
the State of New York. The battle of Long Island was fought on August
27, and a little later the British were in full possession of New York
and its environs. The Convention was driven to Harlem, to Kingsbridge,
to Odell’s in Phillipse Manor, to Fishkill, to Poughkeepsie, and to
Kingston. On October 20 the battle of Chatterton Hill was fought, at
White Plains, in which Colonel Ludington’s regiment was engaged, and in
which he himself served as one of Washington’s aides, and thus began
his acquaintance with the commander-in-chief. When Washington’s army
crossed the Hudson River, however, for the “devil’s dance across the
Jerseys,” and the superb turning at bay at Trenton, the New York militia
levies remained at home, where indeed they were sorely needed. The Tory
element in Westchester and Dutchess counties had from the first been
ominously strong. With the British victories in and around New York,
and with the American Army in apparently hopeless rout and flight, they
were emboldened to open hostility to the Patriot cause. A report to the
Convention, or to the Committee of Safety, on September 4, made it appear
that in the four counties of Dutchess, Westchester, Orange and Ulster
there were only 3,100 armed and trustworthy militia, while there were
2,300 disaffected Tories and 2,300 slaves to be held in order. A month
later the situation was much worse, and it was then that there was formed
the committee already mentioned, “for inquiring into, detecting and
defeating conspiracies against the liberties of America.” The war was now
on, in earnest, and “malice domestic, foreign levy,” were both at once to
be grappled with by the Patriot soldiers.