[Illustration: Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh

An early picture showing American soldiers on guard at the
headquarters of Gen. Washington at Newburgh. The house itself was
built about 1760 and was occupied by Washington from the spring of
1782 to August, 1783. It is now open to the public as a museum.]

Back of Matteawan are seen Beacon Mts., their name recalling
Revolutionary days when beacon fires were lighted as signals on their
summits. The summit of the highest of the group, Beacon Hill* (1,635
ft.) can now be reached by means of a cable railway, making possible a
very pleasant excursion. The Matteawan State Hospital for the Insane is
at Beacon on the north side of Fishkill Creek. Beacon's products include
hats, silks, woolens, rubber goods, engines, brick and tile; the total
annual value of manufactures is about $4,500,000. Four miles to the
northwest on Fishkill Creek is the village of Fishkill, notable for two
quaint old churches, both still standing, and interesting enough to
repay a visit: the First Dutch Reformed (1731), in which the New York
Provincial Congress met in Aug. and Sept., 1776, and Trinity (1769).

After Congress moved elsewhere, Trinity was used as a hospital,
and the Dutch church, being constructed of stone, was converted
into a prison. Its most famous prisoner was Enoch Crosby (who
served as the original for Cooper's hero in _The Spy_), a patriot
who twice escaped with the help of the Committee of Safety, the
only persons who knew his true character.

Across the river Newburgh is visible rising above the Hudson. From the
Spring of 1782 to Aug. 1783 Washington made his headquarters in the
Jonathan Hasbrouck house* (to the south of the city), built between 1750
and 1770. The house, a one story stone building with a timber roof, has
been purchased by the State of N.Y. and is open to visitors. It contains
many interesting Revolutionary weapons, documents and other relics. Here
in May, 1782, Washington wrote his famous letter of rebuke to Lewis
Nicola, who had written in behalf of a coterie of officers suggesting
that he assume the title of king.

Washington's reply was peremptory and indignant. They could not
have found, he said, "a person to whom their schemes were more
disagreeable," and charged them, "if you have any regard for
yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these
thoughts from your mind, and never