Carleton Commission on the Great Fire of New York in 1776 (Dated 1783)
Page 17
"Henry Law
Captain of the Port of New York was then called in and being sworn deposeth saith – that in the beginning of the Month of May 1776 finding himself in danger from the violence of the people he left the City of New York, that after the arrival of the King's troops, on the 16th day of Sept. 1776 he was appointed by Lord Howe Captain of the Port, that in consequence of the threats which were generally thrown out previous to his leaving the city..."
Page 18
"...that the city should be set on fire rather than that the King's troops should get possession of it, and of his observing many stragglers lurking about in the City whom he did not know, he did not think it safe to lodge on shore and therefore kept on board a Schooner called the Alert lying at a wharf near the New Slip. – that in the night between the 19th and 20th Days of the same month, he was alarmed at about 2 oClock with the cry of fire. – that at that time he discovered a small house at Whitehall in flames, upon which he went on shore, but being prevented by a sentry from going on, it being unsafe for him without a uniform, he returned again to the schooner* -
*that he observed from the shrouds of the schooner that the City was on fire in many places distant from each other
That from time afterwards in going towards Cruger’s Wharf to order some ships there to haul off, he discovered as he passed Wall-Street that Trinity Ch. was on fire, and after day light he saw a large quantity of Combustibles in the stores on Cruger's Wharf from which he saw several Men and Women dragged out by..."
Page 19
"the Sailors, that two of the women had matches in their arms and were ordered to the Provost.
Q. Whether he ever supposed this fire to be accidental?
A. He never did
Q. Whether he ever supposed the City of New York was set on fire by the King's Troops either designedly or otherwise?
A. He never did –
Q. Whether he knew of any of the Pumps or Engines or the Buckets in the city being rendered useless previous to the fire?
A. That it was generally reported that many of the Pumps and Buckets had been rendered useless, that he saw two Pumps, one of them in Beaver Street from which the (Spears) were taken out. That a man named Wright White whom he personally knew, was put to death and hung up by the heels for cutting the handles of the fire buckets as was reported; that Midshipman belonging to the Eagle told the Deponent that he saw White cut some handles of the buckets and a woman's arm in doing it."
Page 20
"Q. Was the wind violent or otherwise and in which direction did it blow during the time of the fire?
A. The wind was moderate in the beginning of the fire, from south to S.E. – after day light it blew fresh –"
Page 21
Mr. Wm Backhouse
"The board met pursuant to adjournment – Mr. Wm Backhouse Merchant being one of the people called Quakers attended and solemnly declares and affirms [here insert his affirmation]
Q. Whether he knows for what reason Lamps were returned, and why the menaces of setting fire to the City ceased
A. He thinks it was owing to a report, that Sir Wm Howe had heard of the intention of burning the City and threatened to retaliate by marching his army into Connecticut and laying the Country waste –
Q. Whether his apprehensions of the town being set on fire in pursuance of the threats that were thrown out induced him to remove his effects from the City?
A. He did remove his effects on that account."
Page 22
"Q.1 Whether he at anytime supposed the fire was accidental
A. He never did
Q.2 Whether he ever conceived the City of NY was set on fire by the King's Troops either designedly or otherwise
A. He never did
Q.3 Whether he knows anything of the Pumps or fire Buckets or Engines being designedly destroyed or rendered useless the night of the fire or previous to it.
A. He knows nothing, but heard it generally reported that the handles of the fire buckets were cut during the fire,
Q.4 Whether he knows of any matches or combustibles being found in any house in the City at or near the time of the fire
A. Persons were appointed by authority after the fire to make search and he saw a quantity of combustibles in the city-hall which were collected in consequence of that search."
Page 23
"Mr. Edward Laight Sr
being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he came into the City of NYork on Monday morning the day after the King’s Troops took possession of it and walking thro’ the City discovered Combustibles in many parts of it, which among many other circumstances induced him to believe that the City was purposely set on fire – That upon the fire breaking out at a small Blacksmith’s Shop near the Whitehall stairs, about 12 oClock he went to the place, where he found one of the Engines under the direction of one Alstine and observed that instead of throwing the Water upon the fire, the pipe was twice turned another way, which appeared to him to be done by some person wresting it from Alstine’s hands – that it was soon observed by some persons coming up. That it was in vain to attempt to extinguish the fire as it had broken out in two places in Beaver Street, and the Deponent soon after saw many houses on fire in other parts of the City. – that a very credible man opposed to the Government, who is now dead, told the Deponent that from the top of the Deponent’s house he saw the fire (break) out..."
Page 24
"...in two or three places at once from the roof of Trinity Church, where he saw no other fire near it, and he supposed the Church was purposely set on fire.
Q1. As above
A. He never did.
Q2. As above
A. He never did.
Q3. As above
A. Within a short time after the fire…upon examining the Pumps he found many of them out of order – the (spears) broken and taken out. –
Q4. 5 and 6th nothing
7. As above
A. When the fire broke out, the wind blew strong at S.W. and in about in an hour when the fire had made some progress shifted to the S.E. in which direction it continues till about Day break and then came around to the N.W.
8. – nothing"
Page 25
"John L. C. Roome Esq.
being duly sworn deposeth and saith that at the time of the fire in the City of New York in Sept 1776 he was a prisoner on account of his loyalty in Norwich Goal, that about the latter end of Dec. following being released from Goal on parole he was in Company at Norwich with (Durkie) a Lt. Col. in the American Service who told the Deponent
That he Col. (Durkie) was second in command at Paulus hook at the time of that fire that about 8 o'C in the Evening 0f the Night on which the fire took place. A whale-boat was sent from Paulus hook to the City with 8 men one of which was a mullatto, with directions to land behind Trinity Church among the Stink Weeds, with a design as the Deponent understood to set fire to the City, that Col.
(Durkie) further told the Dept. that they were anxiously awaiting at Paulus hook for the return of the Boat – that they found before the boat returned, which was about ten oClock, that the design had been effected as the fire had broke out in several places. – that six of the men only returned in the boat, that the other two one of which was the mulatto it was afterwards found were thrown into the fire and burnt to death, the mulatto into the (Aimes?) house in Broad Street*
*that he had frequently heard (Durkie) relate these circumstances and upon his return to NYork in March 1777 reported the same to Lord Howe and Gen. Tryon.
Q. N. g.
A- It was frequently threatened by many Persons in NY while the Dept. was in and out of NYork previous to the King’s Troops takin possession of the City, - that when the troops should arrive, they would lock up the Goal and set fire to the City and go off"
Page 26
"Francis Panton
being duly sworn deposeth and saith that previous to the King's Troops taking possession of the City of New York in the year 1776 – he heard it frequently said by the American Soldiers then in the City that it would be burnt whenever the King's Troops should later possession of it. – that he was not in the City on the night of the fire in the month of Sept. in that year – that in the evening of the day after the fire, he was patrolling in Broad Street with other citizens to watch and protect their houses from being set on fire, that passing by Lord Sterling's house in that Street one of the citizens with him proposed to go in and search that house, which was empty to see if any Villains had concealed themselves there, that one of these citizens accordingly went into the house when a man rush'd out cross'd the Street pass'd by the Deponent and said with an Oath, that "he would do it yet" which the Deponent and other Citizens supposed to mean, that he would set fire to that house – that a Centry..."
Page 27
"posted close by the house immediately level'd his piece at the man and snap'd it but the lock breaching, it (miss'd fire) and the man escaped, running off violently.
Q.1. – A. He never did.
Q.2. – A. He never did.
Q.3. – A. No
Q.4. & 5. – A. The morning after the fire he met several persons going in to the City hall under Guard with Matches and other Combustibles about them which it was said had been found upon them. – particularly one man with a powder barrel, fill'd with Combustibles under his arm
A letter from the Police was received and read in answer to that written to them by order of the Board… The Board adjourned till tomorrow morning 11 oClock"
Page 28
"The Board met pursuant to adjournment -
Mr. Comfort Sands a member of the Provincial Congress for New York in the year 1776 – being duly sworn was examined by the Board –
Q. Whether he at any time since the fire in New York in Sept. 1776 has heard that the City was set on fire by direction of any authority whatever in the United States or by any officer either in the American Army or at Paulus hook at that time, or by any and what other order or direction?
A. He never heard it was set on fire by any order or authority whatever. And does not believe it was. –
Q. Whether it was ever proposed to or debated in the Provincial Congress of which he was a Member to burn the City of New York as a measure of policy
A. It never was to his knowledge or belief –"
Page 29
"A. He upon the whole thinks it was accidental
.2d. (ed. refers to question re the Kings Troops)
A. He never did as it must have been equally against their interest as of the Americans. –
Q. Whether he knew of the fire-buckets being collected or taken from the private families in the City or of the Lamps being taken down at any time previous to the fire
A. He never heard or knew of circumstances of that kind. –
Wm. Waddell Esq. Alderman of the City being duly sworn was examined by the Board. – and saith that he was directed by General Howe immediately after the King's Troops took possession of the City to see the Pumps, fire-buckets and engines repaired and put in order that they might be ready for use in case a fire should happen. - that on the night of the great fire in New York Sept 1776 he was called by a Segt"
Page 30
"from the Main Guard about 12 o'Clock upon the alarm of fire, and exerted himself during the Night to stop its progress.-
Q. Were the Pumps buckets and Engines examined and put in order previous to the fire
A. They were –
Q.1- A- He did and still does
Q.2nd. A. He never did –
Q. 3rd. A- Several buckets were shown to him, the handles of which had been cut during the fire
Q.4. A – Many Matches and other Combustibles were discovered in the Stores on Cruger's Wharf – which he was informed were prepared for the purpose of fitting out fire-ships - and he was informed that matches were found in other parts of the City"
Page 31
"Q.5. A. Some Persons were taken up having matches about them which he supposes they had taken from the stores from mere motives of curiosity without any design of doing any mischief with them,
Q.6. A. He heard the next day it began in a small house in a small house at Whitehall when it was said some Sailors or Soldiers had carelessly left a fire. –
Q.7. A The Wind blew very fresh he thinks from the Eastward of S. during the fire
Q8 A – he never heard of any
Q.9 A – He knew of none
Q. Whether he thinks from his observations during the fire, that the suppression of it was obstructed, by any and what persons and in what manner?
A. There was a large fire ladder made use of at the fire, which was taken away and secreted"
Page 32
"In a narrow Street leading from John Street, by one Samuel Charlotte a Baker a disaffected character, who upon being found in a house in that Street acknowledged to the Deponent that he had taken it
away – that this man was committed to the Provost and upon having a reward of 50 Guinea and his Majesty's Pardon offered to him by the Dept. said he would discover what he knew respecting the fire. – but upon the Deponent's going to examine him he said he knew nothing about the matter – declared he carried away the ladder alone, and altho remonstrated with, that the size and weight of the ladder were such as would require 6 or 8 men to lift it he still persisted in this Assertion.
Q. Whether he knows what became of this man Charlotte and whether he was ever brought to trial –
A. He does not know.