The name of the British man-of-war which brought
Governor Tryon to New York (June, 1775), and anchored off the
Battery, foot of
Broadway.
A party led by
John Lamb, a captain of artillery, proceeded, on the evening of Aug. 23, to remove the cannons from that battery and the fort (for war seemed inevitable) and take them to a place of safety.
There was, also.
an independent corps, under
Colonel Lasher, and a body of citizens, guided by
Isaac Sears.
The captain of the
Asia, informed of the intended movement.
sent a barge filled with armed men to watch the patriots.
The latter, indiscreetly, sent a musket-ball among the men in the barge, killing and wounding several.
It was answered by a volley.
the
Asia hurled three round shot ashore in quick succession.
Lamb ordered the drums to beat to arms; the church-bells in the city were rung, and, while all was confusion and alarm, the war-ship fired a broadside.
Others rapidly followed.
Several houses were injured by the grape and round shot, and three of
Sears's party were killed.
Terror seized the inhabitants as the rumor spread that the city was to be sacked and burned.
Hundreds of men, women, and children were seen, at midnight, hurrying from the town to places of safety.
The exasperation of the citizens was intense; and
Tryon, taking counsel of his fears, took refuge on another vessel of war in the harbor, whence, like
Dunmore, he attempted to exercise authority as governor.
Among the citizens led by
Sears was
Alexander Hamilton,
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then a student in King's College, eighteen years of age. The cannon were removed from the battery and fort, and were hidden on the college grounds.
These did good service in the patriot cause afterwards.
