Printed and Manuscript Americana

Governor George Clinton Reports on the Burning of Kingston by the British, New York's First State Capital

"Head Quarters, Hurley", October 17, 1777. One sheet folded into four pages. Two-page autograph letter, signed by first New York Governor George Clinton, to his brother, Brigadier General James Clinton, reporting the burning of the state capital of Kingston by British forces. Integral leaf addressed by Clinton with remnants of red wax seal, docketed "17 Octr 1777 Geo Clinton" on verso. Creasing from old folds, separation along center fold starting; text and signature slightly faded; light marginal toning and scattered stains; small holes and light staining along central fold from when sometime bound. Not published in The Public Papers of George Clinton (New York and Albany, 1900), but see No. 863 for James Clinton's subsequent response.

"Dear Brother, Before this can reach you [you] will receive the--disagreeable account of Kingston being laid in ashes by the Enemy--They landed before my troops arrived after a little opposition by the few militia Cols Pawling & Snyder could collect, and marched about 1000 Men immediately up to Town--where they were told by some Tories who continued in it that my People were advancing on the Hurley Road & they immediately set it in Flames and extracted precipitately on Board their Vessels tho their Orders were to proceed to Hurley & the adjacent Neighborhoods to give them the same Fate, so that tho I was not able to get my Troops Time enough to save Kingston, they saved this and the other Parts of the Country near it. This will show you the Fate New Windsor & the other settlements along shore are to partake on the Enemy's Return down. Therefore the Necessity of removing the Forage &c from the Banks of the River among which remember my Slay [sic] in the Barn as it is now the only moveable Property I have left, the Best being removed to Kingston shared its Fate, tho indeed a great share of Property has been saved out of Town. The enemy sailed up the River this Morning as high as Saghertyes [sic] burning along Shore as they go. When they go a little higher I [will] follow them. They have Parties on both Sides of the River. Tryon commands those on the East & Vaughan on the West Side [of] the River. Yours Sincerely Geo Clinton".

First Governor of New York George Clinton recounts the destruction of Kingston, New York to his brother James Clinton, and warns of future danger.

In September of 1777 the state of New York was under siege by the British Army. New York City was occupied, and troops under British General Henry Clinton (no relation), were pushing through to Albany, hoping to relieve John Burgoyne's increasingly outnumbered army at Saratoga. After capturing Forts Montgomery and Clinton in the Hudson Highlands on October 6th, Henry Clinton sent British Lt. General John Vaughan to conduct raids in the nearby river valley.

On October 13, 1777, Vaughan's forces reached the town of Kingston, the state's patriot capital, and a large agricultural center. British and Tory regiments looted, vandalized, and set fire to nearly 300 buildings, leaving the city "laid in ashes" before returning to their ships. Luckily most of the town's residents, including George Clinton himself, had advance notice of the British plans, and moved to the nearby town of Hurley.

The British raids in the Hudson Valley were devastating to the local population, but their main goal of relieving the encircled army at Saratoga was not achieved. The same day George Clinton wrote the present letter, General John Burgoyne surrendered his army of roughly 8,000 men to Horatio Gates, vastly turning the tide of the whole war.

A remarkable letter of historical importance by New York's first governor.