85. Capture of Stony Point
BY HENRY LEE (1779)[211]
STONY POINT, July 18, 1779,
11 o'clock at night.
AN official account of the enterprise on the night of the 15th must
have reached Congress.
For your satisfaction I furnish the particulars.
Early on the morning of the 15th, I received orders from
General Wayne to join the light
infantry with my corps. The General was so polite as to show me his
disposition of attack, and
as my station was the post of intelligence, he also consulted with me on
the line of approach.
The right column under the command of General Wayne took
the route along the beach,
crossed the morass up to their knees in mud and water, and moved on
to the enemy's left.
Colonel Butler commanded our left column, and made his way
through the morass over
the relic of the bridge, although the passage was very and defended by
a work twenty steps in it; a
feint was made in the centre; my corps of infantry followed on the rear
of the two columns as a
reserve.
The troops rushed forward with a vigor hardly to be
paralleled, and with a silence that
would do honor to the first veterans on earth. General Wayne has
gained immortal honor; he
received a slight wound, one proof that Providence had decreed him
every honor in her gift.
Every officer acquired fame in proportion to his opportunity.
The storm was more rapid
than can be conceived, and in fifteen minutes, the works were carried
with the loss only of eleven
killed on the spot, which every officer engaged reckoned would be
purchased by the sacrifice of
nothing less than every third man.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury led on the right, Major Stewart the
left; Captain Lawson and
Lieutenant Gibbons, who commanded the vans of the columns,
distinguished themselves by their
valor and coolness.
We captured the whole garrison excepting a few who got off
in boats. One hundred of
them were killed and wounded; four hundred and forty-four inclusive
of eighteen officers have
marched towards Lancaster as prisoners. The humanity of the
Americans perhaps never was more
conspicuous than on this occasion.
Although from the repeated cruelties of the enemy exercised
on our countrymen, known
by all and fell by many, from the nature of assaults by storm and
particularly in the dead of night,
yet I can venture to affirm the moment a surrender was announced, the
bayonet was laid aside.
The British officers are candid enough to declare their gratitude for the
lenity of their treatment.
May this fresh proof of the magnanimity of our soldiers tend to civilize
our foe; if it does not, it
must and will be the last.
Fifteen cannon, mortars, cohorns, howitzers, &c., were
found in the fort, an abundance
of military stores and a quantity of baggage. The most valuable of these
are safe, the rest are now
burning. Some unfortunate accidents have prevented till too late the
intended attack on Verplank's
Point. General Clinton is at hand, and we have evacuated Stony Point.
I fear the consequences from this signal success will not be
adequate to moderate
expectations. It is probable it will be repossessed by the British, and of
course our old position
will be reassumed, a position which affords neither policy nor
comfort.[212]
To-morrow perhaps Clinton's intentions will begin to show
themselves; should anything
turn up and I should be among the fortunate, you may expect to hear
from me, provided you
assure me that my hasty incorrect epistles are not disagreeable.
[[211]]
This capture, perhaps the most daring deed of
the Revolution, gave to General Wayne his nickname of "Mad
Anthony
Wayne."
[[212]]
The fort was relinquished by
Washington.
