In looking through the _Journals of Congress_, edited by Mr.
Worthington C. Ford, I found by accident the following (Vol. 6, p. 851):
“Monday, Oct. 7, 1776—
“Resolved, That Gen’l Lee be directed to repair to the camp on the
heights of Harlem, with leave, if he thinks it proper, to visit the
posts in New Jersey.”
This proves that I am correct in saying that all north of Harlem
Flats was called Harlem Heights at the time and after the Revolution.
When the change was made I do not know, but at some time it became
desirable to locate the “Buckwheat Field” for the battle of Harlem
Heights somewhere in the neighborhood of Columbia University;
which region, at the time of the encounter was, I believe, heavily
timbered, not-withstanding the alleged existence of the buckwheat
field. It was not until after the battle of White Plains, and early
in November, that any portion of the outworks of Fort Washington was
abandoned by the Americans. These works were near King’s Bridge,
and were at once taken possession of by Knyphausen with his German
battalions, which crossed the Flats from McGowan’s Pass, and for the
first time the English got a foothold on Harlem Heights. We are all
thankful to the Sons of the Revolution for their well-meaning efforts
through the erection of these various tablets to establish for the
people a knowledge of the truth. But in this instance at least,
I think the tablet will have to be moved, and replaced somewhere
between the “Point of Rocks” and Trinity Cemetery. And while this is
doing, the propriety may be considered of moving the statue of Nathan
Hale to the neighborhood of 56th or 57th Street, between Second and
Third Avenues; if its present position is meant to mark the place
of his execution. Hale was taken across Long Island Sound to the
headquarters of Howe, then at the Beekman House, near 61st street
and the East river. He was likely confined over night at old Cato’s
house, which was on the Boston Post Road, (where Howe’s bodyguard was
stationed), and hung early next morning from one of the apple trees
of the orchard just across the road, where I, as a boy, often looked
upon the one nearest the road and decided as to the very limb from
which he was most likely hung.
There was no necessity for taking him to the “Old Provost” for the
night, nor have I found any evidence that he was ever within five or
six miles of where his statue now stands, in City Hall Park.