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The Deposition of Isaac Peabody and Samuel Allen, of lawful age, who depose and say, that on the 12th instant they called at the house of Seth Chase, of Little White Creek, and hearing some words dropped which induced them to believe the said Seth an enemy of the country, they feigned themselves to be of the same sentiments. The said Seth and other persons then there, asked these deponents from whence they came; and upon answering that they came from Kinderhook, they said they had often heard that all the inhabitants there were Tories. These deponents thereupon said, that the word Tories was more properly applicable to their accusers than to themselves. The said Seth, and the persons at his house, said that they were of the same opinion. These deponents then asked them if they had not seen or heard of any friends to Government that had fled from persecution at Kinderhook and thereabout; they answered they had not. They then said that one of their Committee had lately been to them with the Association and requested them to sign, which they refused to do, as they did not choose to sign any promise of what they did not intend to perform. That the above discourse passed in the house of the said Seth Chase. These deponents then rode off, and after going some distance from the house, were called back by a person whose name they afterwards discovered to be Hough, and who had been in company with them at the tavern before they left it. These deponents then rode back, and Hough informed that after they left the house, he told the landlord that they (these deponents) were friends to Government and strangers in the place, and he thought they had better call them back; whereupon he had called to these deponents to return. He then invited these deponents to return to the house and lodge there, and if they were willing, they might be there secreted; which offer these deponents declined. These deponents then asked if their Kinderhook friends could get through northward to Burgoyne' s Army. Hough said no, but that there was a much safer way to make their escape, for that there were eighty men from Arlington and Sunderland, that were to march the next night, and there were two of the King' s Armies coming down. Burgoyne was coming around the lake, and Sir John Johnson was to come down the Mohawk river with the other Army, and that the best way for your Kinderhook Tories was to join that party, and they would meet the King' s Army in three days, and be safe and out of danger. These deponents then desired him, if he had an opportunity, to give our Kinderhook friends this information, which he promised he would; whereon we bid him good night, and rode to one Samuel Hodge' s, where we put up for the night, and upon consideration of what had passed, we agreed that it was best that one of us the next, morning should go back to Chase' s, and the other go and acquaint Cambridge Committee of
ISAAC PEABODY,
Bennington, October 14, 1776.
JOHN YOUNGLOVE, Chairman.
No. 30. Deposition of Isaac Peabody and Samuel Allen
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what had passed; whereupon next morning we took our different ways as aforesaid. Deponents further said, that the said Esquire Hough said they are all friends about; we have got good friends in our Committee; had they not been as cunning as the devil we should have been torn to pieces before now, for the people down towards Cambridge were as fierce as the devils, and we would not have you go there, for you will be surely taken. He further said, I did not mean to take up arms or fight on either side, but I have been so harassed, that I have determined that I will go off with the party to Burgoyne, and in a few days turn and let them know what or whom I am, and that great part of the neighbourhood was going too; that there was a number of us met at this place (Seth Chace' s) a night or two ago, it being a place of rendezvous — it being a dark rainy night. We said we believed you had an entertaining opportunity. He then talked and conversed two and two.
SAM' L ALLEN.