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namesake of the first proprietor of the Livingston manor. His mother was Catharine, the daughter of General Abraham Ten Broeck, who had settled in Canada. He and his two brothers joined General Montgomery-their kinsman by marriage on his arrival there, and all became officers; he a colonel, Richard a lieutenant-colonel, and Abraham a captain. When the expedition failed the troops returned home, and he, cut off from further recruiting in Canada, appears by a letter dated from New York, and now among the state archives, addressed to John Jay, then in the Provincial Congress, as occupied in filling up his command in that city:

“Dear Sir: I am just now informed by Captain Wright that he can raise a company of men in this town and suburbs. Should take it a particular favor if you'd mention the matter to the gentlemen of the provincial congress, and if approved beg you'll furnish him the money for that purpose. He is a good recruiting officer, and I believe he will soon raise a company.

I shall settle the matter respecting the rank of the officers with General Schuyler, agreeable to the order from Congress, as soon as these two companies— Wright's and Stewarts-are filled. General Washington will order them to the northward, where I propose going to-morrow or next day, at furtherest, if not wanted here.

The enemy are at Flatbush, their numbers not known, though we every moment expect an attack. I shall wait your answer this evening, and am with respect, yours, &c.

NEW YORK, 24th August, 1776."

JAMES LIVINGSTON.

When Colonel James Livingston's regiment, with the main army, was stationed on the Hudson, a letter from Washington to Arnold, dated Peekskill, 3d of August, 1780, attests the great attention he was devoting to the security of the passes of that river, protecting King's Ferry and strengthening West Point. After minute details, in which all his orders abound, he directs 'Colonel James Livingston's regiment to garrison the redoubts at Stony and Ver Planck's Points.' This fixes that officer's presence there. Arnold's object in assuming command of West Point (the key to the concocted disruption of the Colonies), the value of which was appreciated by the enemy, and which he intended finally to turn over to them, is thus given by Sparks in his 'Washington's Writings':

Although there had been various intimations to the commander-in-chief that Arnold wished the command at West Point, yet he had delayed conferring it, probably because he considered the service of so efficient an officer much more important in the main army. In the arrangements of the army, therefore, published in General Orders, on the 1st of August (two days before), the command of the left wing was assigned to Arnold. When it was found that he was disappointed

and dissatisfied, and complained 'that his wound would not allow him to act in the field,' Washington complied with his request to be stationed at West Point.

Arnold's attractive wife, the daughter of Chief-Justice Shippen, was socially cultivated by British officers, and had, it is recorded, Major André as a correspondent and commissonaire in New York. When the general order, that her husband was not to control West Point, was announced at the dinner table of Colonel Robert Morris, at Springatesbury, near Philadelphia (although it was for a position as honorable), she swooned. After the denouement and Arnold's escape, she repeatedly apparently fainted, and was frantic until she had obtained a passport from Washington to follow her husband to within the British lines. It is also recorded that she told an English lady 'she was heartily sick of the theatrics she was exhibiting."

When the sloop of war Vulture, protected by a flag of truce, on the 18th of September, 1780, anchored off Teller's Point, a few miles below King's Ferry (a position singularly inconvenient both to land and cover Major André during his meeting with Arnold at Smith's house at the Clove), where they were consummating their treason, the frustration of which has been attributed to Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, which is not correct, as he then for nearly eighteen months had been out of the service, investigation clearly shows that the credit was due to the vigilance and prompt and independent action of Colonel James Livingston, commanding at Verplanck's Point, he had watched passing events with suspicion, and questioned the propriety and motive of this flag of truce with his general's headquarters. With a seemingly providential instinct he applied directly to Major John Lamb for some ammunition for the only gun-a four-pounder-which Arnold had forgotten and left him. Lamb's answer to his request is interesting, and is as follows:

'West Point, 20th September, 1780.

Sir: I have sent you the ammunition you requested, but at the same time I wish there may not be a wanton waste of it, as we have very little to spare.

'Firing at a ship with a four pounder is in my opinion a waste of powder, as the damage she will sustain is not equal to the expense. Whenever applications are made for ammunition they must be made through the commanding officer of the artillery at the post where it is wanted.

COLONEL LIVINGSTON.

I am, Sir, yours, &c., &c.,

JOHN LAMB.'

A strong tide and the distance at which the Vulture lay prevented André's return to her on the 21st, after the plot was consummated, and on the next day Colonel James Livingston, with remarkable self-reliance, verging on insubordination to his adjacent superiors, and indifferent to Lamb's economical caution, tested the capacity of his little gun, and at the first shot, so skilfully as to strike the Vulture between wind and water, causing her to slip her anchor and drop down to

Tarrytown. The reverberation of its report amongst the surrounding Highlands sounded an era in American history. Deserted by its effect, Major André traveled by land to his unhappy destiny, while the traitor Arnold escaped in the Vulture as a fugitive to New York in his place.

Washington, returning from his visit to Count Rochambeau at Hartford, reaching Arnold's headquarters at the Robinson house on the 25th, and being informed of Arnold's flight, desirous of detail and consultation, and doubtful who then to trust, wrote to Colonel Lamb, as follows:

'Sir: It is my wish to see Colonel James Livingston to-night, and I write him by you on this occasion. In his absence you will take command of the posts of Stony and Ver Planck's points till further orders. I am, sir, with great respect and esteem

Your most obedt servt

GO WASHINGTON.

Headquarters, Robinson House in the Highlands,

25th September, 1780.'

Livingston was a member of the New York legislature from 1784 to 1791, and married Elizabeth Simpson of Montreal. His name appears on the half-pay roll."

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS

AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON

[Editor of Magazine of American History.—I find in my collection of autographs the following letter from Sir William Johnson, the famous Indian agent of central New York during the last century.

THEODORE STANTON.

PARIS, November, 1888.]

Sir William Johnson to Major Jiles Fonda

Johnson Hall, May 10th. 1772.

Sir:

The Cayuga Indian this moment delivered me your letter with the enclosure. You may be assured of my good offices in ye affair, as far as in my power, whenever it comes to be agitated.

The Bell wh you mention was intended to have been sent in Mr. Campbells Boat for the Huron Indians, and I wrote by him to Capt. Stevenson that I had sent the Bell, also a speech to be made by Capt. Stevenson on the Delivery of it, all which will now prove a disappointment, and appear odd, wherefore must request the Favour of you to send it by some carefull person to Capt. Stevenson at Detroit, together with the clapper of it. And you will much oblige, Sir, Your Real Welwisher

& Humble Servant,

W. Johnson.

As I sent my Last down this Morning, have no Commands, I thank you, for Albany,-only this letter.

Major Jiles Fonda.

NOTES

A VALUABLE REVOLUTIONARY SCRAPBOOK-Writing from Philadelphia, August 14, 1776, to his wife, John Adams says: "M. du Simitiere is a very curious man. He has begun a collection of materials for a history of this Revolution. He begins with the first advices of the tea ships. He cuts out of the newspapers every scrap of intelligence and every piece of speculation, and pastes it upon clear paper, arranging them under the head of that state to which they belong, and intends to bind them up in volumes. He has a list of every speculation and pamphlet concerning independence, and another of those concerning forms of government." Does anybody know what became of this collection? If kept up till the close of the Revolution it would be an invaluable contribution to the history of that period.

PATERSON, N. J.

WM. NELSON

GOUVERNEUR MORRIS IN LONDON IN 1789-He says in his diary: "August 8. To-day I call on Mr. Trumbull, the painter. He shows me a small piece he has copied from his original Sortie of Gibraltar, which I think very fine. Return home and dine on a composition called turtle-soup, with which I drink a composition called claret. The latter is preferable to the former." The editor of the new work, "Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris," says: "To the refugees who were always to be found in considerable numbers in the drawingrooms of the Marquis de la Luzerne, Morris tried to administer a little comfort. He says of them: The refugees

talk a little refugee, which is natural. I tell them that all the little commotions. -burning castles, etc.-though painful and distressing, are but specks in the great business, and will, if they get a good constitution, be soon forgotten. M. de Fitzjames inquires of me the news from Paris, but I find that we left it about the same time, and did not recollect him, but it seems that we had met at club. The Marquis de la Luzerne takes me aside, and we converse a little on their politics. I think his object is merely to show an attention before his company which may be useful to me. In going in to dinner M. Cote, the lieutenant de police, takes hold of me, and says he will not be parted. Seats himself next me, and at dinner tells me his story. All this requires polite attention on my part, which is paid. Dine on a very fine trout, or rather a part of one, which I think must have weighed about eight pounds. Observe that I am somewhat a favorite with Madame la Vicomtesse. This must be kept up, et pour cause. Inquiries are made, I find, by Lady Dunmore and her daughter, about jambe de bois. Lady Dunmore makes acquaintance after dinner, asks the opinion of my countrymen about his lordship; I tell her candidly. We have a conversation which she is pleased with, and to my surprise, and I dare say her own, we are on terms of great familiarity. La Luzerne, and Capellis, I find, remark on it, so that I am obliged to join them and stop the laugh. The French tell him a world of wonders and confusions, upon which I take him aside and tell him to believe nothing of what they say;

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