Carleton Commission on the Great Fire of New York in 1776 (Dated 1783)
Page 33
"Mr. Wm Hervey
Merch't was then sworn and examined
Q.4: A He Was appointed one to (ex)"
(ex)amine the houses in the City soon after the fire, by Gen. Robertson and found in a house on Smith Street, near Pitts Statue belonging to one (Hauser) a cartridge of powder in the chamber containing about (½ @) with a straw bed laid over it and a loose train of powder leading from it down to the back door in the yard. That he called in Mr. (Ashsick) who lived in the neighborhood to see it before he removed it.
Mr. Joseph Totten
was then sworn and being examined by the Board saith
Q.1 A. He never did
Q.2d. A. He never did
Q.3d. A. He doth not know
Q.4. A. He saw abundance of matches in Lord Dunmores hands, about Daylight in the morning which Lord D told him he had taken out of a barrel of Combustables
Q5 A. No "
Page 34
"Q. Whether he was of the (Persons) appointed to search the houses in the City for Combustibles after the fire
A. He was and with six persons searched all the vacant houses in the Montgomery Ward but found no Combustibles in any of them.
The Board adjourned to Monday 11 oClock
Monday Oct. 27th The Board met pursuant to the adjournment"
(Ed. Note: a partial testimony of James Deas Hair Dresser is entered on page 34 and 35 but crossed out. Nothing substantive in the testimony [he commanded a patrole after fire] and so is not transcribed here...see original for detail)
Page 35
"No.3
Mr. Andrew
then was sworn and examined and thereupon saith that on the night of the great fire in the City of NY in Sept. 1776 he was alarmed with a cry of fire between 1 and 2 oC looking out saw a house on fire near Whitehall which soon spread rapidly that he saw Trinity Church take fire from the Sparks that fell on it,
Q. Where was you when you saw Trinity Church taken fire
A. I was on top of Mr Seabury's house in Smith Street.
Q. Which side of the Church first took fire
A. The South side on the roof
Q. What progress had the fire then made from Whitehall towards the Ch:
A. The fire had made its way up Broad St: nearly to Beaver St.
Q. What distance do you suppose is to be from Beaver St. to Trinity Ch:
A. I cannot tell it may exactly be measured.
Q.1. A. I did not..."
Page 36
"...Q.2nd. A I did not
Q 3rd. A. No.
Q4.th A. Not to my knowledge
5th. A. I heard there were but do not know it
Q. 7th. A. The wind was fresh at S.W. when the fire began, and afterwards when the fire had nearly reached to Beaver Street shifted to S.
Q9. A. It was currently reported that several applications were made to Gen. Washington by the N. Eng'd. people to have NYork burnt, previous to the Kings Troops taking possession of it
Q. Do you know what answer was given to these applications by Gen Washington
A. It was reported that G. Washington said in answer to them that he would severely punish any who attempted to set fire to the City"
Page 37
"Q10:th Many of the fire buckets and bags were taken from the Inhabitants of the City before the American Army evacuated it, but I do not know where they were carried.- The bell was also taken about the same time from Trinity Church and carried off.
Oct 27th
William Shipman
Cashier in the (&) Paymaster Gen. office was sworn and examined and thereupon saith that towards sunsetting preceeding the night on which the great fire happened in Sept 1776 he walked by a small house*
*formerly the ferry house kept by one Johnson
upon the dock at Whitehall near the corner and saw there several Sailors women and others whom he supposed to be British some of whom were drunk, and a fire in the Chimney that he went home to bed and about 1oC was alarmed with a cry of fire, that from what he had seen the preceeding Evening he suspected the fire was in the small house above mentioned and immediately went to it and found it was on fire and that no other house was at that time on fire.- that he then repaired to the Pay-office in the Broad way where Steven livery now"
Page 38
"Stand, where and near to which he remained during the Night that he saw Trinity Church take fire from the Sparks and flakes of fire which fell upon it.
Q. How long was it after you saw the small house on fire at Whityehall before you saw Trinity Ch. take fire?
A. It was some time, I think about two hours.
Q. Where was you when you saw the Church take fire
A. In the field behind Stevens Stables
Q. What progress had the fire made from Whitehall towards Trinity Ch. when the Ch. took fire
A. It had reached up the Broad-way to the Lutheran Church the next building to Trinity Ch to the best of my recollection
Q. Which side of Trinity Ch first take fire
A. The South side in the Roof near the Steeple.-
Q. What materials were the Roof and Spire covered with
A. Shingles
Q.1. I ever have and still do
A. I suppose it the effect of accident"
Page 39
"from a small house at Whitehall, where I suppose it accidentally originated
Q 4th:
I saw matches after the fire which it was said were found in different parts of the City, which from the form of them I supposed to have been originally prepared for fire rafts
7th. The wind blew very fresh from the S.E. as I judged from the direction of the flakes, when the fire began and shifted more to the E. about the time Trinity Ch. took fire and continued to blow fresh
Jeronymus Alstine,
Blacksmith was sworn and examined
Q. Had you the direction of any of the fire engines on the night of the great fire
A. I had the direction of one.-
Q. Did any thing particular occur to retard or obstruct the playing of the Engine during the fire
A. The Key was twice put out of its place, which prevent the Engine"
Page 40
"From playing properly, but whether it was purposely done I do not know there were very few firemen whose business it is to attend to that circumstance and keep the key in its proper place
Q. Did you see Trinity Ch: take fire and in what manner and at what time.
A. I saw it take fire in the roof and steeple on the S.W. Side from flakes of firewhich fell upon them at what hour I do not recollect.
Q. What progress had the fire made when Trinity Ch. took fire
A. I think it had reached the Lutheran Ch. in the Broad Way and had passed Beaver Street in Broad Street.
Q.1. A. I can't form an opinion how it began*
* It might have been set on fire by the Americans as they burnt the barns and grain as they retreated on Long Island
But imagine it spread from the violence of the wind.
2nd. A. I never did
3. No, but I have heard that the handles of the fire buckets were cut during the fire
4 After the fire I with others appointed found several matches in Mr. (Hallett's) yard in Water Street, lying carelessly about, which"
Page 41
"We threw over the dock.
6 When I first saw the fire, it had reached from Whitehall nearly to the bridge in Dock St.
7 The wind blew very fresh at S.E. in the beginning of the fire and about day light shifted to the W.
11 Most of the bells were taken away and carried into the Country before the Kings troops took possession of the City
The Board adjourned till (II) 1 o'Clock to morrow
Tuesday. 28th October The Board met pursuant to adjournment
A Duplicate of the letter written on the (then): 18th . (imF.) to Benjn Marston and others of Shelburne at Port Roseway was written and forwarded
Alexr. Bridges
was sworn and examined.
Q.1. A. I always did
Q.2nd. I never did"
Page 42
"3. A. No
4. A I was in a house the day after the fire when I saw several Matches; - in this house on Cruger's Wharf formerly occupied by a Sail maker - the Americans were fitting Combustibles for fire-Ships some of which I supposed (these) matches to be.
Q. Were there any fire Ships or Vessels to your knowledge fitted out from this or any other wharf
A. I knew that that there were fire Vessels fitted out and I think from that Wharf upon this Wharf Centries were posted.
Q.5. A. I saw a man the morning after the fire, coming from Cruger's Wharf in custody, having a small Cask under his arm which it was said had powder in it and he had matches also under his arm.
6. A. The Corner of Whitehall
7. A. The wind blew fresh in the Night I think from the S."
Page 43
"9. A. In the month of August I think the 30th : - the windows in the house where I lodged were broken by apples purposely thrown at them, upon enquiring the cause those who broke them answered it did not signify any thing as they meant to burn the City; this my landlord told me: -
The Board adjourned to 11oClock to morrow
Wednesday 29th: Oct. The Board met pursuant to adjournment.
The Revd Charles Inglis
D.D was sworn and examined and thereupon saith [via Narrative]
Q.1. I never did -
2. I never did
3. Nothing more than I have before related I heard frequently that the Pumps were out of order
4. My information repeatedly
5. I heard there were some
6. not more particularly than I have already done
Page 44
"7. It blew fresh between S. and E. in the progress of the fire shifted more W.
8. No-
11. They were taken away and carried into the Country.
Q. Did you learn from Capt. Deveraux how the men who were left to burn the City escaped from it
A. I did not I never asked him
Q. Was there a battalion of Seamen in the American Service
A. I always understood there was a Battalion raised in the towns of Boston, Salem, and Mhd consisting principally of Seamen, a Battalion so described I frequently saw in the City
Q. Do you know anything of any order given to burn the Barns or Grain in Long Island
A - A few days before the British Troops landed on Long Island, I was at Flat Bush and saw Mr. (Wm) Duer Mr.(Sloss Nobart) and Mr. Cli De Witt, who said they were a Committee from the Provcl Convention to go to Long Island and see the order of the Convention executed to burn the boats of the Inhabtnt. Along the shore and the Barns and Grain upon the Island I heard Mr. Nobart reproving A m. Vanderbilt for not being more punctual in seeing this order executed X (Ked?)
Mr. Benjamin Moore
was then sworn and examined.- and thereupon saith that on the night of the great fire in NY. in Sept. 1776, he was alarmed with the cry of fire about 1 oC that he immediately went upon the (loja) of the Rectors house near Trinity Church, where he"
Page 45
"remained two hours. that saw flakes of fire fall upon the Roof of Trinity Church and the building take fire from them, upon which he found it would be impossible to save the Rector's house and quitted it, and went up the steeple of Trinity Church to endeavor to save his books which had been deposited there upon the Episcopal Clergy quitting the City upon the Declaration of Independence
Q. Were the Church doors open at that time or locked
A. I went in at the back Door under the Steeple, which I found unlock'd and open
Q. Was it usual to leave any of the Doors of the Ch. open
A. It was not
Q. Who kept the Keys of the Ch and Belfry
A. The Sexton usually
* Who was then Sexton of this Ch. and what was his character?
A his name was Whaley he is since dead his private character was very good but he was generally supposed to be disaffected to the British government
Q. Did you find any person within the Ch. or Belfry or on the roof
A. I did not.
Q. Did Trinity Ch. take fire before the Lutheran Ch."
Page 46
"A. I did not see any fire on the Lutheran Ch. when Trinity Ch. took fire, but it might have taken fire on the South Side which I could not see, but there it could not have risen to any considerable height
Q.1. - - I did not
2. I never did
3. I do not
4. I do not, but have heard various Reports of that kind
5. I saw a man about 9 o'C the next morn'g brought up the Broad Way a Prisoner, with a tub in his hand which it was said had combustibles in it this man was rescued from the Violence of the Soldiers by an Officer and sent to the Provost. There was at that time handed about a bundle of Matches which I had in my hand and it was said it was taken out of the tub
6 No
7 The wind in the beginning of the fire was about at S.E. moderate, but increased as the fire spread. And shifted to the S.W."
Page 47
"8. No
9. No
10. No
11. Most of the Bells were removed to the Country.
12. It had reached as far as M Wm. Smith's house in the Broad way, which was near the Ch.-
Q. Did you see Sexton Whaley the Night of the fire or do you know where he was and how employed
A. I did not see him during the Night nor know where he was or how employed
Q. Was the Sexton suspected of having set fire to the Ch. or any other part of the City
A. He was not he was apprehended the next morn'g upon being pointed out as a disaffected person, but released from his general good character.