6

WASHINGTON'S HEAD-QUARTERS.

and during the early part of the Revolution the Committee of Safety of the precinct assembled within its walls; military companies were here organized, and from before its doors the regiment which Colonel Hasbrouck commanded, marched away to defend the Highland forts.

General Washington resided in this building from the spring of 1782 until August 18, 1783, nearly one hundred years ago. His family was composed of himself, his wife, and his aide-de-camp, Major Tench Tighlman. A Mrs. Hamilton was housekeeper, and a wide hospitality was extended to the officers in the neighborhood. As the house is preserved in nearly the same condition it was in when Washington used it, there is little difficulty in picturing the scenes within its walls, as described by the Hon. John J. Monell in his "Hand Book of Washington's Head-quarters." The front of the house is toward the west, the rear facing the Hudson, and a lawn surrounds it which originally sloped down to the river. At the south-east corner is a small enclosed piazza, or Dutch "stoop," and from this there is entrance to the main apartment of the house, "the room with the seven doors and one window" —as it has always been called the living room and dining room. Here Washington received his guests, and those who came to him on business. From this room a door opened into his bed-chamber, in the north-east corner of the house; another into his private office; a third into the hall; a fourth into a storeroom; a fifth into a cellar-way; a sixth into the kitchen; and a seventh into a private family room. one window is toward the east and in a corner.

The

A huge fireplace occupies nearly all the south side

of the room; the wide, open chimney, with its blackened throat (through which one can get a good glimpse of the sky when standing on the hearth) telling of the great fires of logs which lighted up this homely reception place, with its bare oak floor, incongruous architecture, and boarded ceiling supported by whitewashed beams. The fire-tongs and shovel used by Washington's servants, possibly by the General himself, to keep the hearth bright and warm, still stand by its side. Five o'clock P. M. was the dinner hour at the headquarters, and the guests of the day assembled promptly. General Steuben, stationed at Fishkill, General La Fayette, stationed at New Windsor, and General Wayne, from Stony Point, were ever welcome; their piquant stories of travel and experiences making merriment for their entertainers. Steuben was sure he had seen a whale in the Hudson—it proved to be an eel-and La Fayette told his trials in attempting to visit Mrs. Knox-which made Mrs. Washington laugh heartily. Years and years after, when La Fayette was an old man, and was visiting in a country house in France, his host, M. Marbois, produced a pleasant surprise for the venerabie soldier. One evening, with other guests, La Fayette was led from the magnificent drawing-room into an odd chamber, where a plain oak table was covered with dishes of meat and vegetables, decanters, and silver mugs of wine. A great fire roared on the hearth-stone, and with all its homeliness the room had a look of pleasant hospitality. Where am I?" said the old man, looking about him like one in a dream, and then, with great emotion, burst out, "The seven doors and one window! We are at Washington's Head-quarters on the Hudson!" With this pleasant

8

WASHINGTON'S HEAD-QUARTERS.

picture before us we must remember its reverse side, and that Washington passed the most anguished hours of the Revolution at "The Hasbrouck House;" the year of greatest distress throughout the country; of complaints and discontent in the army, and of inactivity on the part of Congress. It was here that his soul was horrified by a proposal made to him by some malcontents, to become King, for the "national advantage." Here he remained, north of the Highlands and close to the Hudson, to counteract the plans of the British Ministry, who hoped, by obtaining control of the river, to separate the Eastern from the Southern States. The Hudson had, in fact, become the strategic line of the contending armies, to which the Highlands were the key. Through his secret agents, Washington watched his powerful antagonist from the Hasbrouck House, and when the news came of the cessation of hostilities, it was proclaimed to the army, and celebrated with suitable rejoicings, by his order. While the details of the celebration on this occasion have not been fully preserved, it is reasonable to suppose that the exercises were of the same character as those which took place on the 3d of May, 1782, and described in "General Orders" of May 29 and 30.

In wandering through the rooms of the Head-quarters at Newburgh, at the present time, the visitor is rewarded with the display of over seven hundred objects of historical interest in connection with the Revolution and our war with Mexico, arranged in glass cases, etc., too numerous by far to give more than passing mention here. There is considerable furniture that was in the rooms during Washington's residence -tables, chairs, etc. Martha Washington's watch, an

authenticated lock of Washington's hair, and also one of La Fayette's, are carefully preserved. The sword of Aaron Burr hangs on one of the walls. There is a diminutive piano, made in London in 1739, by Astor, and said to have once been the property of General James Clinton. Of the portraits, the best are copies made by Durand of Stuart's famous paintings of General and Mrs. Washington, and owned by the Boston Art Museum. The interesting "papers" alone would fill a large volume; letters, documents, orders, accounts, etc., all of exceeding value as pertaining to the history of our country. A good many articles of dress of Revolutionary times are noteworthy; but, after all, the chief interest of the place is its connection with its illustrious residents rather than as a museum of historical relics. Mrs. Washington's parlor is the best room in the house, and here she spent her mornings receiving the ladies who called upon her. In the upper half story are several rooms and an open garret in its original construction.

After the disbandment of the army, the Hasbrouck family returned to the house and remained in it until 1849, when the title of the property was transferred to the State of New York, and, by an Act of the Legislature, placed in the care of a Board of Trustees. July 4, 1850, the place was formally dedicated, with appropriate ceremonies of a civic and military character, and at its conclusion Major General Winfield Scott raised the American flag on the flag-staff amid the thunder of cannon and the rejoicings of the multitude.

Thus the property was dedicated and set apart, to be forever a reminder of "times that tried men's souls," and to awaken patriotic memories.