Carleton Commission - The Reverend Dr Inglis Written Testimony
Page 1
"The Reverend Dr. Charles Inglis deposeth and saith: That he was in the City of New York when the great Fire happened in the Month of September in the year 1776 then lived in the House which he now occupies, opposite to St. Paul’s Church in the Broad Way– that he there heard the Alarm of Fire between 1 O’Clock and 2 O’Clock as nearly as he could then judge, and immediately got out of Bed, dressed and went down the Broad Way towards Whitehall where the Fire was – that he halted at the upper End of Stone Street, where he met a Number of People, Citizens and Soldiers, and not far from the House, then in the Occupation of John Tabor Kempe Esq., the Attorney general – that he there discovered more particularly where the Fire began, which was on the South east Side of the Slip at White Hall – that although the Fire raged violently it had not proceeded so far as the House of David Clarkson, or that of the Widow DeLancey which were directly in its Way, and not far from the Place it began
– that the Wind blew fresh from the South east, or to the eastward of South, as near as the Deponent could Judge, and carried the Sparks from the burning Houses (across) the White Hall Slip over the Battery, Pearl Street and Fort George – that while the Deponent stood at the upper End of Stone Street, Fire was discovered on the Roof of Mr. Kempe’s House, though out of the line of the Sparks which were carried from the burning Houses – that the Fire on said House appeared to the Deponent and other Spectators as a faint glimmering Flame, and as they judged came out of the Trap Door of the Roof of said House – that the Deponent then called several Soldiers and Citizens to his Assistance – that the(y) tried to procure Water from a Pump which was at a small Distance, but the Pump Bolt was missing – that the Deponent then went to an adjacent House to procure a Bolt, or some Iron that might serve as a Bolt for the said Pump; but could find Nothing that would answer the Purpose except a Fire Shovel, which he gave to a Soldier, and with Directions to break off the Blade, and apply the Handle as a Bolt for the Pump..."
Page 2
"...that the Deponent then went to the said House, and with others who accompanied him endeavoured to force open the Doors, with the Design of getting on the Roof and extinguishing the Fire; but found the Doors both in Front and Rear so well secured that they could not get in – they also examined Cistern belonging to said House, but could not discover any Water therein – that during these Transactions which happened in the Course of a few Minutes, not more than a Quarter of an Hour, as the Deponent thinks, a Person informed the Deponent that two Houses were on Fire in New Street, which was still further from Mr. Kempe’s out of the Line of the Sparks from the burning Houses _ that these Circumstances induced the Deponent to think then that the City was set on Fire on Purpose; and he was more inclined to that Opinion as he recollected that the Rebels, according to the Deponent’s Information which he believed, had frequently thrown out Threats that they would burn the City, if compelled to abandon it: That the Deponent was so fully persuaded of the City’s being set on Fire by Design, that he immediately went to Gen. James Robertson, who had been appointed Commandant, and was then at his own House in the Broad Way, below Trinity Church – that the Deponent found the said Gen. Robertson, walking in the Entry of his House – that he the deponent informed the General that the City was on Fire – that from several
Circumstances, he, the Deponent, was convinced that the Fire was set to it on Purpose, and that if speedy and vigorous Exertions were not used the whole City must be consumed, or Words to that Purpose – that the Deponent then proceeded up the Broad Way with the Intention of sending the several Sextons to their respective Churches, to take care of them when the Fire approached – that on his way he examined the Gates of Trinity Church Yard which he found locked as usual – that the Deponent then went to his own House where he chiefly remained during the rest of the Night, after dispatching the Sextons to their respective Churches, as he had proposed – that in the course of the Night and next Morning, while the Fire continued, the Deponent was informed that Persons had been repeatedly detected in the Act of setting Fire to Houses, and that some of these Persons so setting Fire to Houses were instantly put to Death; and he was moreover informed that Bundles of Matches and other Combustibles were found in many Houses, and in different Parts of the City, with Design, as was supposed, ..."
Page 3
"...to promote and increase the Conflagration
And the Deponent further saith, that he received the following Narrative from James Devereux, formerly an Inhabitant of this City but now of the City of London, a Man of Veracity and good Character, to whose Testimony, the Deponent thinks, the utmost Credit is due; which Narrative was in these Words. Or Words to this Effect; to wit – that the said James Devereux, Master and partly Owner of a Brig on his Voyage from London to New York, was taken by a Rebel Privateer from Boston, some Time in the latter End of Autumn, or beginning of Winter in the Year 1776, and before the said James Devereux had heard of the Fire which happened in new York in the month of September of that Year – that after his Capture, the said James Devereux was out on Board the Privateer, which proceeded on her Way for Boston – that one Day while walking the Deck, three Sailers belonging to the Privateer, came to him, and one of them asked him whether he was not from New York, and whether he had heard that the City was burnt? – that the said James Devereux replied in the Affirmative as to his being from New York; but said he had not heard the City was burnt – that one of the Sailers asked him again whether he knew such and such Places in the City, to which the said Devereux replied in the Affirmative, that he knew them well; and that the Sailer then replied that those were the Places to which he and his companions had set fire; and one of the Sailers declared further to said Devereux. That he, the Sailer, and the other two Sailers, then present, were part of forty Seamen from Boston and Marblehead, who had been left in the City of New York, when it was evacuated by the Continental Army for the Purpose of setting it on Fire.
And this Deponent saith further, that on hearing this Narrative from said James Devereux, he, the Deponent judging it of Consequence to..."
Page 4
"...have those particulars duly authenticated, desired the said Devereux to go to the mayor of New York or some other Magistrate, and make Oath of the Truth of those Particulars – that said Devereux assented to the Propriety of his doing so, declared with the most solemn (Asserations?) that the several Particulars before related were true, and repeated the Infromation from the Sailer, that a Party of Forty Sailers were left to set Fire to the City of New York, and
that he, the said Devereux would consider the Matter – that the said Deponent, some Time after, asked the said Devereux whether he had given his Deposition with respect t the above information; and that Devereux signified his Apprehensions of its being of dangerous Consequences to him if he did so; that he followed the Sea as his Occupation, had been twice taken by the Rebels, and that he should be taken again by them, and they knew of his giving such a Deposition they in all Probability would use him very ill – that for these Reasons the said Devereux thought it prudent not to make Oath of the above Particulars; but at the same Time declared again to the said Deponent in the most solemn Manner that he had received the Information above related, as there specified; particularly that forty Seamen had been left in New York by the Rebels in order to set it on Fire – further this Deponent saith not -"