The Wind not being
favourable before this Day, we set Sail with a Favourable Wind, and got past
Connecticut River & were obliged to put back to black Point. The Next Day
we set sail about 1 o'clock, & the next day about 2 o'clock we arrived at
Turtle Bay, between Hell Gate and New York. Here we were obliged to tarry till
the next day at 9 o'clock for Orders. We set sail, & at 10 arrived in the
City of New York, our desired Port, on the 17 of April. For about 10 Miles
below New York the Passage between the Maine & Long Island was very Narrow.
On both sides many very elegant Country Seats, & at Hell Gate a handsome
& well-constructed Fort lately built by our People. At Turtle Bay are 4
large & beautifull Stores made for the Use of the King's Stores & Amunition,
&c. From this Place the Yorkers took a very large Quantity of Bombs &
Shot; but the Enemy had conveyed the Powder away before. Near this Place are
several elegant & beautifull Country Seats, Several evacuated by the
Tories. I visited the Garden of one Gentleman in which was a Summer House which
the Gardener shewed me in which were many curious Flowers, &c.; but the
greatest Rarity was Orange, Lime, Pomgranet, & Citron Trees all Bearing
Fruit. The Lemons were the largest & best that ever I saw, as also the
Oranges, both sweet and sour. One Lime tree had 5 different Sorts of Fruit
growing at once besside Blossoms.
On our arival we
found Houses provided for both Officers & Men. Our Regt was barracked in
Water Street near to Pecks Slip, & we had 2 Rooms for the officers of our
Company in D. Barkleys on the Same street near our Company.
SOURCE: Edward Bangs,
Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776,
pp. 23-4
