Hyde's time was spent as a recruiting-officer. His old quarters, the

"King's Arms," were of course closed to him; but there was a famous

tavern on Water Street, shaded by a great horse-chestnut tree, and there

the patriots were always welcome. There, also, the news of all political

events was in some mysterious way sure to be first received. In company

with Willet, Sears, and McDougall, Hyde might be seen under the

chestnut-tree every day, enlisting men, or organizing the "Liberty

Regiment" then raising.

From the first, his valorous temper, his singleness of purpose, his

military skill in handling troops, and his fine appearance and manners,

had given him influence and authority. He soon, also, gained a wonderful

power over Bram; and even the temperate wisdom and fine patience of

Joris gradually kindled, until the man was at white heat all through.

Every day's events fanned the temper of the city, although it was soon

evident that the first fighting would be done in the vicinity of

Boston.

For, three weeks after that memorable April Sunday, Congress, in session

at Philadelphia, had recognized the men in camp there as a Continental

army, the nucleus of the troops that were to be raised for the defence

of the country, and had commissioned Colonel Washington as

commander-in-chief to direct their operations. Then every heart was in a

state of the greatest expectation and excitement. No one remembered at

that hour that the little army was without organization or discipline,

most of its officers incompetent to command, its troops altogether

unused to obey, and in the field without enlistment. Their few pieces of

cannon were old and of various sizes, and scarce any one understood

their service. There was no siege-train and no ordnance stores. There

was no military chest, and nothing worthy the name of a commissariat.

Yet every one was sure that some bold stroke would be struck, and the

war speedily terminated in victory and independence.

So New York was in the buoyant spirits of a young man rejoicing to run a

race. The armourers, the saddlers, and the smiths were busy day and

night; weapons were in every hand, the look of apprehended triumph on

every face. In June the Van Heemskirk troops were ready to leave for

Boston--nearly six hundred young men, full of pure purpose and brave

thoughts, and with all their illusions and enthusiasms undimmed.

The day before their departure, they escorted Van Heemskirk to his

house. Lysbet and Katherine saw them coming, and fell weeping on each

other's necks--tears that were both joyful and sorrowful, the expression

of mingled love and patriotism and grief. It would have been hard to

find a nobler-looking leader than Joris. Age had but added dignity to

his fine bulk. His large, fair face was serene and confident. And the

bright young lads who followed him looked like his sons, for most of

them strongly resembled him in person; and any one might have been sure,

even if the roll had not shown it, that they were Van Brunts and Van

Ripers and Van Rensselaers, Roosevelts, Westervelts, and Terhunes.




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