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the " English 8 (Presbyterian)1 church, about ten miles west of the Hudson.
Here a halt was made for dinner, guards and pickets being posted around
meanwhile.
The house—now very shabby—stands close to the highway, unfenced.
There are but few houses near—I do not recall any in sight—and in 1780 the
place must have been very lonely, although, as two roads cross, it was doubtless
a fit site for a house of public entertainment.2 Never since that time has it
received a visitor of equal historic importance with him who was the centre of
attraction that September Thursday. As shown in our view, it is probably
larger than in 1780, and is somewhat modernized, but the dining-room is
probably very little changed, barring the substitution of carpet for bare floor
and wall-paper for paint. The room, which is on the left of the entrance, is not
large, and must have been well filled by the diners—probably seven or eight,
besides Major Tallmadge. It is remarkable that of this occasion, the only one
during his whole experience (up to this time) when the prisoner could have been
in the company of so many American officers, no recollection or reminiscence has
been handed down from any of them. In fact, with the exception of Tallmadge's,
no names of any of them have been preserved. Dinner being over, Andre for the
first time referred to the undignified appearance he felt he must present, in the
borrowed coat, which Lieutenant King had before noticed as shabby. On this,
Tallmadge promptly offered the loan of the dragoon cloak he was wearing, which
was accepted after a little hesitation. (The light-blue cloak Andre wore up to the
time of capture seems to have disappeared, as King does not mention it at
South Salem.) The march was resumed, towards what is now New City, the
present County seat, by the road extending almost due east from Coe's. If it
was then as now it was extremely picturesque, bordered by woodland for a long
distance, and crossing two or three pretty brooks, which make a charmingly
diversified landscape. The stranger who to-day visits the interior of Rockland
County is impressed by the exceedingly quiet and secluded aspect it presents.
Although traversed by three railroads it is difficult to realize it is so near crowded
cities and the great highway of the Hudson River, and the modern settlements
on the east bank. The population is still very largely descended from the
original Dutch settlers, and very many of the patronymics of the Revolution
are still common. "Turning to the right, they passed over the road leading
south to the highway near the corner of the road where the present railroad
crosses the same, then wheeling to the left, they went nearly east, crossing a
small stream, one of the branches of the Hackensack River. Continuing on to
the Four Corners they turned to the right and passed through Clarkstown.
1 So called, apparently, to distinguish it from the Dutch (Reformed) Church.
* It is commonly referred to, in contemporary records, as Coe's "Tavern."
