pull down the obnoxious
ensign; but the landlady coming to the rescue, with broom in hand, dealt
the Captain such lusty blows, as made the powder fly in clouds from his
wig, and forced him to beat a retreat! The Provost Guard, and the Main
Guard at the City Hall (Wall street, opposite Broad, where the U. S.
Treasury stands), were the last to abandon their posts, and repair on
shipboard.

The brief reception being over, at Cape's Tavern, (with presenting of
addresses to Gen. Washington and Gov. Clinton), the cavalcade again
formed, and marched to the Battery, to enact the last formality in
re-possessing the City, which was to unfurl the American flag over Fort
George.[5] A great concourse of people had assembled, not only to
witness this ceremony, but to obtain a sight of the illustrious
Washington and other great generals, who had so nobly defended our
liberties.

But now a sight was presented, which, as soon as fully understood, drew
forth from the astonished and incensed beholders execrations loud and
deep. The royal ensign was still floating as usual over Fort George;
the enemy having departed without striking their colors, though they had
dismantled the fort and removed on shipboard all their stores and heavy
ordnance, while other cannon lay dismounted under the walls as if thrown
off in a spirit of wantonness. On a closer view it was found that the
flag had been nailed to the staff, the halyards taken away, and the pole
itself besmeared with grease; obviously to prevent or hinder the removal
of the emblem of royalty, and the raising of the Stars and Stripes.
Whether to escape the mortification of seeing our flag supplant the
British standard, or to annoy and exasperate our people were the
stronger impulse, it were hard to say. It was too serious for a joke,
however, and the dilemma caused no little confusion. The artillery had
taken a position on the Battery, the guns were unlimbered, and the
gunners stood ready to salute our colors. But the grease baffled all
attempts to shin up the staff. To cut the staff down and erect another
would consume too much time. Impatient of delay, "three or four guns
were fired with the colors on a pole before they were raised on the
flagstaff."[6] But this expedient was premature and humiliating, while
the hostile flag yet waved as if in defiance. The scene grew exciting:
and now appeared another actor, hitherto looking on, but no idle
observer of what was passing. He was a young