CHAPTER II.
King's Ferry to Tarry town—Danger.
As
OFFICER'S BUTTON,
26th BRITISH REGIMENT.
I have not quailed to danger's brow
When high and happy—need I now?
Byron — Giaour, line 1035.
S with the western, so the eastern end of King's Ferry —nothing but a few logs, submerged at high water, identify it.
The I King's Ferry Road extends for a mile and a half almost due east. There, on top of a ridge extending north to Peekskill, it joins the old Albany Post Road a little north of where another road leads east, down the ridge to the
Montrose station of the New York Central. Our travellers turned north at the junction and in about two miles and a half reached the present
Peekskill, and turned east on the Crompond Road. This is a winding, hilly road,
now bordered after settled Peekskill is past, by modern residence property and
well-kept farms. Diversified by hill and dale, open fields, trim dwellings and
spreading trees, it affords a most delightful drive to the lover of Nature. In
1780 the region must have been rather a lonely one, with here and there a
farmhouse whence, in most cases, had gone a son or brother to the army
or militia. At about four miles from Peekskill, and eight from Verplanck's,
occurred Smith's first check, and the one which ultimately caused his companion's
capture. Here, at about half-past eight,* the party met a sentry, who halted them
until his officer, Captain Bbenezer Boyd,3 of the Third Westchester militia, appeared. Smith dismounted, and talked some time with him, producing Arnold's pass. He took this into his quarters* to read by lamplight, and was satisfied with it, but proved uncomfortably inquisitive as to the travellers' business and their
wish to proceed that night. Smith tried to meet and parry his questions, but
For this button and succeeding similar ones, I an indebted to Mr. W. I*. Calver, of New York. All three regiments—the 26th, 7th and 54th were Andre's.
1 The view shows it at about midway of its length.
2 Sunset was at seven that day, so it must have been deep gloom by this tune.
• Bbenezer Boyd was born either in Scotland or near Bedford, Westchester County, about 1735, and died at Boyd's Corners, in the town of Kent, Putnam County, June 29, 1792. He was Captain of what would now be called the second or "B " company. Colonel Van Cortland had been promoted to Brigadier, and was succeeded in command of the regiment by Lieut. Colonel Drake.
4 The house long since disappeared, and was replaced by a barn, which is just west of Stony Street. On the map it is marked by the figure 3.
