6 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



posed to establish a fort, similar to that at the Rip Raps, on the 

 reef of rocks, at the mouth of the Sound, known as Robyn's Rift; 

 and this, in addition to the defense of the navy yard, would from 

 its position be able to effect more — in case of an attack upon New 

 York by sea — ^than all the other forts within the harbor. A strong 

 fort upon Robyn's Rift, with a short chain to the shore of Staten 

 Island, would effectually defend the navy yard; and any other 

 flotilla, on attempting to force its way into the harbor, would ine- 

 vitably be exposed to a raking fire of four or five miles." 



Editor Hagadorn issued annual addresses to his readers, in one 

 of which he stated that "gratitude is a keen sense of favor to 

 come." He continued to publish the Mirror for a number of 

 years, and at last it was merged into the Staten Islander, and the 

 publication office was in the little wedge-shaped building that 

 stood until recently nearly opposite the police headquarters at , 

 Stapleton. 



When scarcely ten years old Mr. Hagadorn entered his father's 

 printing office in Newark and learned to set type. At twelve years 

 of age he began literary work. He wrote stories and poetry be- 

 fore he was sixteen. In later years he wrote a romance of Staten 

 Island, calling it the Story of a Spoon, locating the scene on Rich- 

 mond Hill and in and around the little village at the county seat. 



Mr. Hagadorn took great interest in military matters. He was 

 a sergeant in the Second Regiment New York State Militia, 1835 ; 

 first Heutenant, I42d Regiment, 1838; adjutant, same regiment, 

 1839; adjutant, 146th regiment, 1841 ; captain, Richmond County 

 Guards, same regiment, 1842; major, first battalion, 1850; colonel, 

 73d regiment, 1854; brigadier general on governor's staff, 1854. 

 In 1862 he was appointed major of the Seventy-ninth New York 

 Volunteers. After a short service he resigned to accept the ap- 

 pointment of inspector general of the Army of the Republic of 

 Venezuela, under General Paza, which position he held for some 

 time. General Hagadorn died at Georgetown, South Carolina, 

 on July I, 1897, and was buried with military honors at Troy, 

 New York. 



