The Crisis of the Revolution

              50
In the triangle thus formed stands the dwelling known as the Hollman
house (the name of its 1780 occupant being unknown). It is shaded by huge
trees, seemingly old enough to have witnessed the scenes we are considering.
The squadron here made a second halt, and Andre entered the right-hand
room, according to tradition. The house is said to date from 1750, that is, the
right-hand part, which, as shown, is clearly the original building. Just across
the road is the brick dwelling known as the Van Cortland mansion house, built in
1773, and which Washington occupied for a brief period in 1777. Here occurred
the incident of Smith and Webb's valise.1 The halt was probably brief, and the
squadron went on again by the road over Gallows Hill, where Putnam hanged
Bdmund Palmer, the spy, in 1777, to Continental Village, over another hill to
the old Gay place, down Iron Rock Hill to the gate near the old Nelson place2
(then known as Mandeville's), turned into and down Beverly Lane to the
Robinson House,8 arriving just at dawn of Tuesday, the twenty-sixth.
1  See page 14.
John Webb, younger brother of Samuel B. Webb, was born at Wethersfield, Conn., February 18, 1759, and
died April 18, 1828.
He was Lieutenant in the Second Dragoons — Sheldon's—in January, 1777, and Captain a year later. He was
present at the battle of Springfield, N. J. (1780), as Aid to General Greene. In 1781 he was Aid and
Secretary to General Robert Howe. He served throughout the Revolution, and was one of the original
members of the Cincinnati. After the war he removed to Georgia, where he engaged in business in
Camden County, where he became Colonel of the militia. Returning to Connecticut he spent the
remainder of his life there. In a letter to one of his sons, he says: " I got the rheumatism for my seven
years' service in the Revolutionary War, and that is all I got!''
For the portrait, and these particulars of his life, I am indebted to his great-grandson, Henry Randall Webb,
Esq., of Washington.
2 Garrison!s was then called Nelson's Point.   I quote Judge Dykman's words.
8 This interesting building was burnt in 1892, and many valuable relics with it. For my two illustrations I am
indebted to Mr. H. A. Wright, of Springfield, Mass. They are taken from probably the last photographs
made of it.