[19] The 52d and 27th Regiments, the Royal American Regiment, Col. Beverly Robinson, the New York Volunteers, Major Grant, and Emerick's Provincial Chasseurs.
[20] Grenadiers and Light Infantry, the 26th and 63d Regiments, one company of the 71st Highlanders, one troop of dismounted dragoons, and Hessian Chasseurs.
[21] The Royal Fusileers and Hessian Regiment of Trumback.
[22] This refers only to the final assault; the enemy fired upon our people both in the preliminary skirmishes and after they were masters of the forts. J. R.
[23] Judge Bodle was born only a stone's throw from the Clinton homestead, in Little Britain (being a second cousin to the Clintons); but at the time of the battle was a farmer on the Walkill. The distance made him late, and he reached the vicinity of the forts only to learn that the enemy had possession. Next morning, going home, he suddenly met Claudius Smith, the noted Tory robber. They knew each other. Bodle was perplexed, but putting on a bold front, approached Claudius, who seemed very friendly. After inquiring the news from the river, Smith said he had to go away, but added: "Mr. Bodle, you are weary, go to my house yonder and ask my wife for some breakfast, and say that I sent you." Seeming to accept his offer, but suspecting a trick, Bodle steered for home, nor felt quite safe till he reached Chester. Smith was a bold, accomplished villain, a terror to the people of Orange, and whose career of brigandage has all the air of romance. He was finally hung at Goshen, January 22, 1779. Mr. Bodle was one of the citizens who guarded him while in jail. Smith asked him if he would really shoot him, if a rescue were attempted. Bodle said his duty would compel him to it. "Ah! Bodle, I don't believe you," said Smith. See Eager's Orange County, for an account of Smith and his gang, made up in part from an article we wrote many years ago for the "True Sun." But not a fact in that article (save the incident above related), came from Judge Bodle, as Mr. Eager assumes.
[24] Jeptha Lee, of Lamb's Artillery, was one of those who escaped out of the fort with General James Clinton. He served with John Van Arsdale, under Capt. Faulkner, in 1779, and died in 1855, at Ulysses, N. Y.
[25] Col. McClaughry, though a prisoner and sorely wounded, showed the same indomitable spirit as before. Left to suffer three days before his wounds were dressed, in the belief that he could not live, his captors tried to extort information from him, as to our strength. He replied curtly that Washington had a powerful army, and would yet whip them, and he should live to see it! He was soon exchanged, resumed his command and survived the war. He was made an honorary member of the Cincinnati, and lived most respectably upon his farm at Little Britain, till his death in 1790, aged 67 years. He left no children.
Gen. Allison, as later styled, was exchanged during the ensuing winter, and took home with him to Gov. Clinton $2,000 in gold, loaned by a good whig on Long Island, to aid the American cause. He died in 1804, at the Drowned Lands, where he resided; leaving a very respectable family and an ample estate. His daughter Sarah married William W. Thompson, and daughter Mary married Dr. William Elmer.
[26] The exceptions were Col. McClaughry, Capt. Humphrey, Lieut. Solomon Pendleton and Ensign John McClaughry, both of Dubois's regiment, and Lieut. John Hunter, of McClaughry's; who were still there Nov. 5th.
[27] They were, besides Wells, Robert Huston, Francis McBride, and William Humphrey, of McClaughry's regiment, and John Brooks, of Woodhull's. Abel Wells sickened and died in the Provost, Dec. 13, 1777. Benjamin Goldsmith and Garret Miller, worthy residents of Smith's Clove in Orange County, deserve notice in this connection. Goldsmith had a valuable horse stolen by Claudius Smith's gang, and some of his neighbors sustained similar losses. Finally a party went out in pursuit of the robbers, but some, including Goldsmith and Miller, fell into the hands of the British, and were sent to the Provost, where both died of smallpox, Miller on the memorable 6th of October, and Goldsmith on the 20th of October, 1777. Goldsmith was the father of Daniel, who was the father of the present Mr. Daniel Goldsmith, of Bloomingrove, and of the late David Goldsmith, of Schuyler Co., N. Y.