George Clinton
General George Clinton
George Clinton, a brother of James, was born in Ulster County, New York, on the 26th of July 1739. They were sons of Colonel Charles Clinton who was a native of Ireland. George was liberally educated, possessed a strong mind, great decision of character and highly charged with original. Not modern demagogue patriotism. He was a member of the Congress of 1775-1776. He was present and voted for the Declaration of Independence but being a Brigadier General of the Continental Army he was compelled to leave before that sacred instrument was prepared for signatures. The reason why his name is not enrolled with the other sages. In April 1777 he was elected the first Governor of the State of New York under the new order of things and filled that office 18 consecutive years when ill health compelled him to decline. He commanded at Forts Clinton and Montgomery on the Hudson when they were taken by an overwhelming force after a most desperate resistance of several hours. The British force amounted to 4,000, while the American Army had only 500 within a very imperfect fortification. The works were stormed in the night which enabled the governor and many of his officers and men to escape through the defiles in the mountains. In 1801, he was again elected Governor of New York. In 1805, Vice President of the United States in which office he continued until the time of his decease which occurred at the city of Washington on April 20, 1812, when Congress was in session. A nation mourned the loss of one of her noblest sons, his friends one of their best companions, his kinsmen one of their dearest relatives. The closing sentence on his monument at Washington speaks volumes. "While he lived, his virtue, wisdom and valor were the pride, the ornament and security of his country and when he died he left an illustrious example of a well spent life worthy of all imitation."
Source: The Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution by L. Carroll Judson
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George ClintonQuoted from Hero Implants by Jeannette Holland Austin:
" When the enemy moved up the Hudson River in October of 1777, George Clifton and his brother, James Clifton, desperately defended Fort Montgomery with bravery, yet they were taken prisoners of the British. From a letter written by General George Clinton at King's Bridge, 21st September 1776. "Dear Doctor.I was favoured with yours by Capt. Jackson wrote at my house eight days ago for which I am much obliged to you as it really relieved me of great anxiety respecting Ceaty's health which I however yet fear is in a declining state. Your brother too I hear lays very ill at my house with a favour which gives me great concern. I have been so hurried and fatigued out of the ordinary way of my duty by the removal of our Army from New York and great part of the public stores to the place that it has almost worn me out though as to health I am as well as usual; but how my constitution has been able to stand lying out several nights in the open air and exposed to rain is almost a miracle to me...Whom at home the least wet indeed some times the change of weather almost laid me up. The evacuation of the City I suppose has much alarmed the country. It was judged untenable in Council of General Officers considering the enemy's possession of Long-Island etc. was therefore advised to be evacuated. The Artillery (at least all worth moving) and almost all the public stores were removed out of it before the enemy landed and attacked our lines near the city....we had but few men there (those indeed did not behave well)...."
With the defeat of Lord Cornwallis in Virginia and the end of the war, a considerable number of refugees embarked upon the seas, bound for Nova Scotia and Canada. One large British transport was filled with soldiers of different corps headed for Quebec accompanied by a number of Light Dragoons. According to General Washington, on August 26, 1783, about two thousand Hessians embarked for Europe and one thousand blacks for Nova Scotia."