I thought some of your subscribers might find this of interest. John Van Arsdale, who lived with his elder brother, Tunis, enlisted in the Continental Army at the beginning of the war, and served faithfully until its close. He suffered intensly from cold and hardship in the Canada expedition, was severely wounded and taken prisioner at Fort Montgomery, languished many weary months in the "old sugar house" and in the foul hole of the "Jersey prison ship," was finally exchanged, and then braved the perils of Indian warfare in several campaigns. On November 25, 1783, he witnessed the evacuation of New York City by the British, which was the final triumph for which he and others had fought and suffered seven long years, and was present when the advancing Americans, following closely upon the retiring British, reached the Battery to perform the last formality in re-possessing the city, which was to unfurl the American flag over Fort George, but found the royal ensign still floating as usual over the Fort. The British had nailed their colors to the staff and taken away the halyards. In this dilemma, John Van Arsdale ascended the flag-staff, partly by ladder, but mainly by shinning, tore down the British flag and drove the new halyards by which the Star Spangled Banner was quickly run up while the assembled thousands cheered, and the artillery boomed forth a national salute. While other localities may boast of those who struck the first blow for American freedom, Montgomery may justly claim for one of her sons the glory of removing the last vestige of British authority from this country. Source: "History of Orange County, New York". Russel Headley. 1908 Joan Gerrits [email protected]