Show WILLIAM IV IN NEW YORK it maybe may be an old story to the hi historian says the new yol yoi k sun 8 in but it is not very widely known outside of the he students craft that queen victorias Victor Wis uncle and predecessor william IV spent a very pleasant winter in new york city while a lad en enjoyed joyet himself immensely and just missed being kidnapped by the americans and held as a hostage to be used in getting good terms of peace the winter was that of 1781 1782 prince william was a boy of 16 a midshipman on the british flagship prince george under the especial care of admiral digby during most of the winter the A admiral and prince william henry it must not be imagined that he was named after a famous hotel up in this state for he but that was his name or part of it lived in hanover square one of oe the princes favorite resorts was the kolch pond later called ailed the collect pond on the site of w which litch the tombs prison now squats lie he was olid flotd of watching the skaters on the pond but it is eaid caid that lie he never learned to kate himself lie he used to sit 6 t on acha achain r fastened to a sled ded arid and have himself I 1 pushed around the pond while the prince was enjoying himself colonel ogden of the first new jersey regiment devised the plan to carry carry him blin off ile he submitted the plan to washington who approved it thinking that the prince in captivity would facilitate the adjustment of affairs with willi england on march 28 1782 washing ington tent sent these orders to colonel ogden to colonel ogden of the first jersey regiment ment sir the spirit ciril of enterprise so in your plan tor for surprising in their quarters and bringing off the prince william henry and admiral digby merits applause and yo have my authority to make your attempt in any manner and at such time as your judgement jud gement shall direct 61 6 1 I 1 ant am fully persuaded that it is un necessary to caution you against offering insult or indignity to the person of the prince or Ad admeril mirril should you be to fortunate as to capture them but built it may not be amiss to press the propriety of a proper line of conduct upon the party you command in case of success as toon soon as you get them to a place of safety treat them with all possible respect but you are to delay no time in conveying them thern to congress and reporting brur proceedings with a copy of these orders given at morristown this day of 0 march 1783 1782 GEORGE washington note enote take care not to touch upon the ground which Is agreed to be neutral viz from rahway radway to newark and four miles back colonel ogden drew up a detailed plan of proceedings the prince lived in hanover square the fortieth regiment was quartered in broad street in lorl starlings Stir lings old quarters two sentinels guarded the princes house a captain with 40 men were in the city hall then in wall street where the sub treasury Is now a sergeant and 12 men were stationed at the head of old slip slid and another guard of equal strength was at the old coffee house at wall and queen now water streets to handle the guards he found that he needed tour four whale boats with their respective crews including guards etc besides the these seone one captain and one subaltern three sergeants and 36 men they were ere to start from the jersey shore at such an hour as would let them reach counties Co enties market by half past p nine at that time on a march night there would not be over much light to interfere with the kidnappers kid the order of proceeding arranged by colonel ogden was as follows first two men with a guide seconded by two others for the purpose of securing the sentinels these men to be armed with naked bayonets and dressed in sailors habits they are not to wait for anything but immediately execute their orders second eight men with myself preceded by two men each with a crowbar and two each with an ax these are for the purpose of forcing the doors should they be fast and to be followed by four men entering the house and seizing the young prince the young noblemen aides etc third A captain and is 18 to follow briskly form and defend the house un til the business Is finished and retreat a half gunshot in our rear fourth A subaltern and 14 with halt half of the remaining boats crew and form on the right and left of the boats and defend them until we return the remainder of the crews to hold the boats in the best possible position for embarking barkl ng colonel ogden decided that he needed two crowbars two axes four dark lanterns and four large oilcloths these last perhaps to wrap around the expected prisoners ile he drew up an order for the retreat and one for the ein embarks barka tion according to the latter the prisoners with those proceeding prece eding them w were ere to embark first then the guides and boatmen then the subaltern and I 1 and finally the rear but the cup never reached the up lip almost immediately after his letter of march esth washington wrote to col ogden quoting from an agent in the city that a great number of flatboats flat boats w were ere discovered which are said to have been intended to fire the suburbs and in the helgoth of the conflagration to make a descent on oil the lower part of the city and wrest from our embraces ills his excellency sir henry clinton prince william henry and several illustrious personages fince which great precautions have been taken for the security of those gentlemen by augmenting the guards and to render their persons as little exposed as an possible from Nc burg on april 2 1 1782 82 washington wrote again to col ogden saying that he had learned that the 6 sentries entries at the door of sir henry clinton were doubled at 8 every slight night arid and that it was more than probable the same precaution extends to other personages in the cuy city of new york this intelligence knocked out col ogden and his plan ile he could have handled such a number of men as he had arranged for but more than that number especially it if they were to meet t tu ice as a many guards as he had arranged to meet would be so he gave up his plan and prince henry william remained unmolested a at long as he stayed here and finally he went home to become duke of clarence and lord high admiral and finally king willi william ant IV |