1 63 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



ing over the quarter railing, when the sun burst forth in splendor over that pro- 

 montory. One of its brightest rays fell on the glowing nose of the trumpeter, 

 and reflecting, hissing hot, into the water, killed a sturgeon. The sailors got the 

 dead monster of the deep on board. It was cooked. When Stuyvesant ate of the 

 flesh and heard the strange story of its death, he " marvelled exceedingly ; " and 

 in commemoration of the event he named the lofty hill, which rises more than 

 twelve hundred feet above the bosom of the river "Anthony's Nose." As the 

 steamboat sweeps round the Donder Berg, with Anthony's Nose on the right, the 

 theatre of one of the most interesting of the romances of the Hudson is presented 

 in lofty Bear Mountain in front, Lake Sinnipink, or Bloody Pond, on a broad 

 terrace at its base, and Poplopens Creek flowing into the river on the western 

 shore between high rocky banks. Upon these banks lay Forts Clinton and 

 Montgomery, the former on the south side of the creek and the latter on the north 

 side. 



These forts were built by the Americans for the defence of the lower entrance 

 to the Highlands, against fleets of the enemy that might ascend the river ; for it 

 was known from the beginning that it was a capital plan of the British Ministry 

 to get possession of the valley of the Hudson, and so separate New England from 

 the other colonies. In addition to these forts, a boom and chain were stretched 

 across the river from Fort Montgomery to Anthony's Nose to obstruct the navi- 

 gation. 



We have observed that Clinton swept around the Donder Berg with a part of 

 his army, and fell upon Forts Clinton and Montgomery. That was on the 7th 

 of October, 1777. The brothers, Generals George (Governor) and James Clin- 

 ton commanded the little garrison. They were brave and vigilant. It was not 

 an easy task for the enemy to approach the fort through the rugged mountain 

 passes, watched and attacked by scouting parties. They had divided, one party 

 accompanied by the baronet, making their way toward evening, between Lake 

 Sennipink and the river, there they encountered abattis covering a detatchment of 

 Americans. A severe fight ensued. The dead were thrown into the lake and it 

 was called " Bloody Pond." 



Both divisions now pressed toward the forts, closely infested them, and were 

 supported by a heavy cannonade from the British flotilla. The battle raged un- 

 til twilight ; overwhelming numbers of the assailants caused the Americans to 

 abandon their works under cover of darkness and to flee to the mountains. Be- 

 fore leaving, they set fire to t wo frigates, two armed galleys and a sloop, which 

 had been placed above the boom. 



That conflagration was magnificent ; the sales of the vessels all set, and they 

 soon became splendid pyramids of flame. Over the bosom of the river was spread 

 abroad sheet of ruddy light for a great distance, and the surrounding mountains 

 were brilliantly illuminated by the fire, which gave aid to the fugitives among 

 the dreary hills. These features of the event, with the booming of the cannon on the 

 loaded vessels when the fire reached them, answered by echoes from a hundred 

 hills, produced a scene of awful grandeur never witnessed before or since on the 

 borders of the Hudson. It was a wild and fearful romance, that ended in the 

 breaking of the boom and chain, and passage up the river of the British squadron 

 with marauding troops. These laid in ashes, many a fair mansion belonging to 



