Carleton Commission on the Great Fire of New York in 1776 (Dated 1783)
Board of Enquiry into the Cause of the great Fire in the City of New York in September 1776
New York 18th Oct 1783
"The Board being assembled in pursuance of the warrant of his Excellency the Commander in Chief of this date –
Present
- Brigadier General Martin
- Major Darby
- Major Beckwith
The Warrant was read and with the approbation of his Excellency the Commander in Chief the Board appointed (Ward Chipman) Esq. to be their Secretary.
It being suggested that there are persons at Shelburne or Port Roseway who can give information respecting the business..."
"...by the members of the Board, (pocited) to Benjamin Marston Esq. and others his Majesty's Justices of the Peace at Shelburne these requesting them to take the examinations of any Witness who can give evidence on the matter and to forward them to the Board with all convenient speed.
The Board adjourned to Monday 11 o'clock.
Monday 20th: Oct. 11 oClock Board met pursuant to their adjournment
Present Brig Gen Martin Major Darby Major Beckwith
Agreed on the form of the summons to be issued and of the oath to be issued to the witnesses,
Directed the Secretary to write to the Police for such papers and documents as they can furnish to throw light upon the business.
Dr. Nooth attended the board and was examined and sworn to his deposition."
"Mr.Chew attended the Board and was requested to attend again on Wednesday for examination. The Board adjourned to tomorrow 1 oClock"
Nooth Deposition
20th October 1783
"Dr. Mervin Nooth Superintendant General of his Majesty's Hospitals in North America being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith, that at the time of the great fire in the month of September 1776, in the City of New York, he was on board the Hospital ship (?igo?) then lying at Anchor in the Bay between the City of New York and Staten Island, that between eleven and twelve of the clock in the night as nearly as he can recollect, he was call'd out of bed to see the fire, that he discovered several houses on fire near Whitehall, and soon after plainly discovered with a glass a man upon the top of Trinity Church with a fire -brand or torch in his hand, going backward and forward upon the roof with great rapidity, that he the deponent soon after saw the fire break out in several parts of the roof of the..."
"...same Church, that he then did and still does believe that the Person he so saw set fire to the Church; - that he does not think the fire could have been communicated to the Church from the houses he first saw on fire, as the distance was considerable and the wind blew a different way - . And this Deponent further saith, that sometime after the fore in the month of October then next following as nearly as he can recollect, an official report was made to him, that the Vaux-hall hospital was discovered to have combustibles concealed in one of the chimneys, that upon a fire being made there was an explosion from them which forced the wood off the hearth below, into the Room, with some violence. signature D. Mervin Nooth Seal/annotated Sworn this 20th Day of October 1783. Before the Board signature Will:Martin Brig. Gen."
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Mackenzie Deposition
New York, October 21: 1783
"The Board met pursuant to adjournment Major Frederick Mackenzie {23rd Btn Welch Fusileers, D. Adjut. Gen. and Sec. to the Com. in Chief attended the Board and} being duly sworn deposeth and saith that in the night between the 19th: and 20th – days of September 1776, he, being then Major of Brigade to Gen. Smith and quarter’d at the house of Mr. Eliot in the Bowery, about one of the clock as nearly as he can recollect, saw a great fire raging in the City of New York, that he soon after rode into the City with General Smith at which time he found Trinity Church on fire, and the houses in the several Streets, where the fire raged all in flames. That after day light in the morning he was sitting at the door of D. Inglis’s house opposite St. Paul’s Church when his attention was called to a fire which appeared in a house in Chatham Row, four or five houses Eastward of D. Inglis’s – that this house was so far distant from the houses before on fire and the direction of the wind was such, that in the Deponent’s opinion, the fire was not communicated from them, but this house had every appearance of being purposely set on fire"
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"That some soldiers by their exertions (and) throwing off the roof of the house put a stop to the fire, and brought out of the house a man whom they said they had found in the Garret and believe he had been setting fire to the house, that they were much exasperated and if not prevented, would in all probability have put the man to death*
*(that this man was immediately ordered to the Provost). That there were many officers and others then near the Deponent who were unanimously of opinion that this house was purposely set on fire. –
Major Mackenzie further produces to the board memorandums made by him the day after the fire, which were collected from facts within his own knowledge and observation, the information of others and prevailing reports at that time.
Major Mackenzie was then asked by the Board if he ever supposed the fire was accidental
– To which he answered that he never did –
If he supposed the City..."
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"...set on fire by the King's Troops designedly or otherwise?
– He answers that he did not suppose it was – as there were Guards placed for the security of the City,details of which*
*(for the19th and 20th: Sept.) he produces to the board.
The board, having (gone/open?) this the examination of Major Mackenzie directed a letter to be written to the D Judge Advocate for a copy of such part of the proceedings of the General Court Martial which was held in the year 1776 of which Lt. Col. (Summing) was President, as relates to the great fire which took place in this City in the month of September of that year.
The Board then directed Baltus Dash to be summoned for examination tomorrow at 11 o’Clock and then adjourned to that hour. –
Wednesday 22nd Oct:
The Board met pursuant to adjournment when the answer of the Judge Advocate to the letter written yesterday was laid before them, when the Board directed him to be summonsed to attend for examination tomorrow."
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Mr. Chew
"Assist. Commissary and Secretary to Indian Affairs attended the board and being duly sworn deposeth and saith that at the time of the great fire in the City of New York in Sept. 1776 he was on board the Ship Earl of Suffolk a transport in government service* -
*then lying at anchor between Whitehall and Governor’s Island, but much nearer to Whitehall –
At about one of the clock in the night time, as nearly as he can recollect he was called out of bed upon an alarm of fire, at which time he saw a small house upon the dock at Whitehall very much on fire – that he saw no other house on fire at that time – that he immediately prepared to go on shore and got into the boat for that purpose, when a Lieut. Of the Navy came by in a boat and ordered him back to the ship and further ordered the Capt. of the ship to remove her further from the City towards Governor’s Island as he conceived her to be in danger from the fire, where she then was –soon after this the Deponent observed a house adjoining to the small house – also on fire; and in a short time..."
Page 5
"he perceived a light in a very high house in (Wincoop) Street upwards of two hundred yards distant from the two houses before mentioned, which disappeared and appeared two or three times, and at length a fire broke out* -
* from the upper chamber (of the) place where the light appeared and soon after –
In the roof near the chimney, which had the appearance of purposely done, (thus;) Mr. Chew then remarked to the persons on board the ship with him, and he still believes to be true. –
About Day-light the deponent prevailed on the Master of the Ship to be put on shore – were he assisted to extinguish the fire which was then raging furiously. – The Deponent upon his return to the ship some time in the fore noon of the same day, while waiting for a boat at Cruger’s wharf, saw a sailor who belonged to the same ship and attended him, pull from under the corner of a store or warehouse two bundles of white cedar..."
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"...matches, about 18 inches long and one inch square at the largest end which was covered with brimstone and rosin about 6 inches – that one of the bundles contained about 25 the other 30 matches some of which the Deponent took with him on board the ship – The Deponent in a few days after the fire called upon a Cooper in Smith Street to repair a cask, when the Cooper in searching for some materials which he wanted took a parcel of shaving out of a large Barrel, upon which the Deponent discovered the barrel to be close packed with matches made of Walnut about 18 inches long and covered at both ends with brimstone and (rosin) – the Deponent immediately enquired of the Cooper, whether the shop was his and how long he had been in it who told him he had (this) possession of it given to him the day before, but he did not know to whom it belonged..."
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"...and that he never till that time seen the matches or knew anything of them – The deponent after the fire saw several matches which had been discovered by different persons in different parts of the City, as he was informed, and never has had a doubt that the City was purposely set on fire. Mr. Chew was then asked how long it was from the time in which he discovered that most of the house in Wincoop Street where the light appeared to be on fire, till the flame burst out in the roof of the house near the chimney. – He cannot exactly recollect but thinks it was four minutes. Whether Trinity Church was to observed to be in flames by any Persons on board the Earl of Suffolk transport previous to there being any fire in that neighborhood and before the Deponent landed from that Ship during the time of the fire? The Deponent remembers..."
Page 8
"...that some persons on board the Ship at that time said, - "They are setting fire to Trinity Church"; upon observing it to be in flames, and he thinks one of those persons was at that time some way up the shrouds looking out.-
"Q. Whether the Deponent ever supposed that the fire was accidental?
"A. He never did. -
"Whether he conceived the City was set on fire by the King’s Troops designedly or otherwise?
"He never did. –
"The Deponent being further interrogated, said that he had often heard from (many) credible Persons that many of the Pump-handles in the City had been taken out and the pumps otherwise (rendered useless), and the fire Buckets hid away or cut to pieces before the fire."
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Mr. Baltus Dash Tinman, an Inhabitant of the City of New York was...
"...then called in and being duly sworn deposeth and saith that*
*upon the King's troops taking possession of the city of New York he was appointed by General Robertson to take charge of the Fire-Engines and Lamps in the City and the Light-house at Sandy Hook, which office he still holds, that about three days afterwards
on ... the day of September 1776 in the night time of the same day between one and two of the Clock as nearly as he can recollect, he was alarmed with the cry of fire, which first broke out at Whitehall, whither he immediately repaired with all the Engines being twelve in number, that he was soon afterward informed that a house was on fire near the North River, back of the Rector’s house which was near Trinity Church – that he does not think it possible that the fire could have communicated to this house from the house on fire at Whitehall, the distance being in his opinion – full half mile.- that in a short time he found that the Lutheran Church, Trinity Church and many other buildings at a great distance from the Whitehall were in flames, that the fire raged so furiously that all efforts to prevent its progress by the Engines were in vain – that the Deponent then repaired to St. Paul’s Church (particularly the Deponent being interrogated by the board says?) to attempt to save that which by great exertions was effected. – that..."
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"...the Deponent further (testified) that he saw several persons after day light that morning taken into custody for having matches concealed under their clothes in side Pockets, which matches he saw; one of these men who was (accosted) in a house with matches about him was dragged out and thrown into the fire by (the) Sailors and Soldiers in their rage and resentment, but was rescued by some officers, who ordered him to the Provost – that this circumstance happened in the Broadway near the Oswego Market."
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"...From his own long experience and observation at many different fires he does not believe it possible, that the fire could have communicated to different parts of the City when it broke out from the houses first on fire, but verily believes that it was purposely set on fire in different places, that he never supposed the fire accidental. –
Q. Whether he ever supposed the city was set on fire at that time by the King's Troops designedly or otherwise.
A. He never did ,- as threats were thrown out by many persons previous to the King's Troops taking possession of the City, that they would set it on fire before they left it. That those who intended to (remain) in the city were in general apprehensive of such an event, which the Deponent (also) very much feared and in consequence of it the day before the fire he dug a hole in his yard (and buried) his most valuable effects. Upon being further interrogated he saith that some of the firemen under his direction reported to him the next day that they had found several of the pumps in the City with the handles broke or otherwise..."
"...rendered useless and that he himself plainly discovered that the handles of many of the fire buckets had been cut.
The Board directed Capt Law Master of the Port to be summoned for examination tomorrow 12 o'clock. The Board adjourned until tomorrow morning 11 oClock"
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Thursday 23 Oct. The Board met pursuant to adjournment -Major Adye...
"...attending & being sworn deposeth & saith that he was in camp about five miles from the City of New York at the time the great fire took place in that City in the month of September 1776 – that within a few days of the fire he was desired by Sir W. Morse to meet General Robertson, Vice Com. of the City & consult upon proper measures for discovering the persons who set fire to the City. That in consequence of this he met General (..&..) Major (Wemyss) Aid de Camp to Gen R several times that examinations were taken by the Deponent jointly with..."
Page 13
"& separately from Genl Robertson of several Soldiers of the (Guards) and of other Corps who were present at the fire, the most particular of which are contained in the paper produced to the Board by the Deponent,*
*which paper the Deponent received at that time from General Robertson or Major (Wemyss)
that among other duties the Deponent had the examination imposed upon him of those who had been confined in the Provost on suspicion of being concerned in setting fire to the City, that in consequence of this he went to the Provost attended by all the Soldiers who had been before examined by him - that upon these Prisoners*
*about forty in number as nearly as the Deponent can now recollect
being paraded in the room he selected from them such as were pointed out by the different Soldiers. & there being among others two who were particularly sworn to - one a grey-headed old Scotch-man - the other apparently a foreigner - The Deponent examined them privately both separately & together and offered to them the King’s Pardon if they would disclose to him the combination there was reason to have supposed had been formed for setting fire to the City of New York & those concerned in it – they both declared their"
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"own personal innocence as well as ignorance of any such combination being formed.
That upon these circumstances being reported to Sir W. Howe, the persons suspected of setting fire to the City were ordered to be brought to trial before a General Court Martial & that the two persons before alluded to were first brought forward to trial which being finished, the opinion and proceedings of the Court were forwarded in the usual manner to the Commander in Chief – that the opinion of that Court was never made known to any nor their proceedings returned as is the custom to the Judge Advocate office. That none of the others confined on suspicion of setting fire to the City were ever brought to trial. That in the course of the trial of the two Prisoners before mentioned, that witnesses widely differed with respect to the identity of the Persons of the Prisoners. – that these Prisoners were afterwards released from the Provost – The Deponent further saith that in a conversation with General Robertson some time afterward General Robertson told him that a man of credibility who had come in"
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"from the country, had informed him - G Robertson – that General Parsons in the American Service had said in the (hearing) of General Roberston's Informant that it was ridiculous to deny that the City of New York was set on fire by their own people (meaning those opposed to Great Britain) as it was a matter of general notoriety, or word, to that affect.
Major Adye further suggested for this information of the Board, that soon after the fire, Lieutenant (Innes) of the Royal Artillery, knowing that Major Adye was collecting evidence respecting it told him, that a Negro man had accosted him in the Street & said if he would go with him he would show him a man that set fire to the City. That he Lieut. Innes accordingly went with the Negro to the house of one Leary in a Street leading to the North River & after searching the rest of the house found a man whose name was Vandy(lne) secreted in a Closet of one of the Bed Chambers*
*which a young lady endeavored to prevent his going into"
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"Major Adye informs the board that he recollects to have seen a man of that name in the Provost afterwards among the Prisoners whom he went to examine, whose Person he had before known - Brig Gen Martin recollects that Lieut Innes...? came into a Room where he Gen M was at that time & related the same circumstances which Major Adye has now done & that he Gen. Martin saw this man Vandy(lne) soon after going by to the Provost under Guard
Question to M Adye – Whether it appeared to him from the evidence given to the General Court Martial he refers to that the fire proceeded from accident or design?
Answer –That it appeared to him from the whole course of the testimony that many of the houses were purposely set on fire, as it was proved that the fire broke out in parts of the city very distant from each other nearly at the same time.
Q to Major Adye – Whether it appeared to him from the evidence before that Court that the city was set on fire by the King’s Troops either designedly or otherwise?
Answer – So far his recollections of a transaction of seven years standing will carry him"
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"there was no appearances in the course of the trial, that the British troops were concerned directly or indirectly in setting fire to the city, nor did it seem probable to him from any observation he could make previous to, during or after the trial that those who were to seek shelter in that city the ensuing winter should be concerned in setting it on fire - that there was a particular scrutiny at that trial to discover whether this event had taken place from motives of plunder on the part of the British troops, but nothing of that kind appeared, from which circumstances his opinion was formed."