Moses Harris, the subject of this sketch, was a man of more than ordinary mental and physical ability, and a cooper by trade. He was born on the 8th day of November, 1745, in Dutchess County, N. Y., where his father, Moses, Sen., had settled with a colony from Wales. The latter, on the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, was living on the Brayton farm, about one mile south of Fort Ann village, but went back in the early spring of 1777 to Dutchess County, where he remained until Burgoyne's surrender enabled him to return.

His son, who was an earnest advocate of the patriot cause, was accustomed to visit a Tory uncle, Gilbert Harris by name, then living in the town of Kingsbury, on a farm long known as the " Bill Colvin," or " the Thousand Appletree Farm," and now owned by Thomas Owens. At such times he invariably espoused the side of the Crown, completely deceiving his uncle, who would applaud his nephew's loyalty, and urge him to stand firmly by the king.

Young Harris, who during the early summer of 1777, was living in Dutchess County with his father and brothers, Joseph and William, entered the Ameri. can service under the following circumstances: Schuyler had expressed to a friend his great need of a trusty spy to obtain information of the designs of Burgoyne. Schuyler's friend, after a little reflection ' replied that he knew just the man for his purpose, adding that not one in ten thousand was so well fitted for that dangerous and important service. Schuyler lost no time in sending for Harris, who readily fell in with the plan of that general.

Before setting out on his hazardous mission he visited his Tory uncle, who asked him how he would like to serve the king as a messenger from Montreal to New York. The nephew seemingly entered into the idea with alacrity, and so completely did he hoodwink the uncle, that the latter urged him to tarry until morning. About midnight he was aroused from sleep and informed that if he were really in earnest an opportunity had arisen to serve his king, and at the same time win future favor and great reward.

He dressed himself and followed his uncle to the barn, where a secret passage disclosed a room in the centre of the hay-mow; Here he was introduced to three British officers, who told him they were seeking for a trusty messenger to carry communications between Generals Burgoyne and Clinton. The uncle's recommendations and the young man's apparent honesty and zeal won the confidence of the officers, and Harris was engaged on the spot to enter his Majesty's service.

After delaying a day to make a canteen with three heads for the more safe convenience of the dispatches, Harris visited Burgoyne, who, fully trusting him, confirmed the bargain with the officers, and immediately made him the bearer of dispatches to Clinton. On reaching Fort Edward he had an interview with Schuyler, who read and altered the dispatches so as to mislead Clinton and delay his advance towards Albany; and on his return, the dispatches were again opened and changed so as to completely puzzle Burgoyne.*

(* A similar trick was once played by Frederick the Great, who, after Leigniz, 16th August, 1760, caused a letter to fall into the hands of the Russian general, Chernicheff, which induced the Muscovite, with every chance of success before him, to retreat precipitately. The incident mentioned in the text doubtless originated the "Canteen Story," told by General J. Watts de Peyster, in one of his able letters to the New York Times on the "Burgoyne Campaign." See, also, Stone's Burgoyne, p. 342, note.)

The usual custom of Harris, however, on his trips south was to stop over at Easton with a Mr. Fish, who would take the papers to Schuyler's headquarters, where they were copied, altered and returned to the spy, and by him taken to Albany. Here they were delivered at once to William Shepherd, who forwarded them to New York, giving Harris in return dispatches for Burgoyne from Clinton, which, on the way back would, as usual, be subjected to the inspection of Schuyler.

Shepherd, at length, becoming suspicious of the King's messenger, tried to poison him. The attempt failed; but shortly after the spy was arrested at Tripoli, near the dwelling of his old Tory uncle, and conducted to an island in the centre of the big swamp east of Sandy Hill, where he was nearly killed by his captors in their endeavors to make him confess his treason.

Moses Harris, the youngest son of the spy, lately told Mr. S.O. Cross, of Sandy Hill, N. Y., that the Tories strung up his father on a tree three times, to extort a confession of guilt. The prisoner persisted in declaring his fidelity to the King, and finally, having given the Masonic sign of distress, the captain of the gang--himself a Mason, let him go, remarking that it was possible a brother might otherwise perish unjustly.*

(* The celebrated Mohawk Chief, Tha-yen-da-na-gea (Brant), during the Revolution, also saved several captives on recognizing the "Grand Hailing Sign of Distress." Brant was made a Mason by Sir William Johnson, at Johnstown, N. Y. See Stone's Brant. Brant also, by the way, visited Burgoyne at Fort Miller; but, perhaps, not being so sanguine of results, made no effort to restrain Burgoyne's Indians from deserting.)

This, however, in turn, aroused the enmity of the Whigs, some of whom swore they would shoot him at sight. Jacob Benson especially, a staunch patriot, became so enraged that he lay in wait for him all of one night, threatening to " put a ball through the cussed Tory." But Swart, a loyalist neighbor, warned the supposed traitor in time, and the latter, taking another route, escaped the vengeance of the infuriated Whig. Indeed, the presence of mind of Harris never forsook him, and he always eluded the most dangerous traps.

Once, when badly wounded, as he was fleeing from danger, he escaped immediate pursuit by swimming the Hudson near Fort Miller, and took shelter with Noah Pain, a Whig, to whom he revealed in confidence his relations with Schuyler and the American army. His host respected his secret, and concealed him until he was able to resume his journey. So great, however, had now become the feeling against him, that Schuyler was obliged to have him arrested and thrown into jail in Albany, but he was released by private instructions to the jailor as soon as the excitement among the Whigs had subsided.

Soon after his release he was sent by Schuyler to St. John's with false information to the authorities in Canada, by whom he was handsomely rewarded; but before leaving he was again suspected of duplicity. He seems, however, always to have so acted his part as to escape, and on this occasion, when summoned before his accusers, he, as was his wont, assumed the air and attitude of injured innocence. He tore open his ruffled shirt bosom, and bearing his breast, called upon those present to shoot him then and there. It was, he said, worse than death to be suspected of disloyalty to his King; and once more he demanded that his mental tortures should be ended by death. So well feigned were his actions, that for the time being, he completely imposed upon the spectators. Not only was there no opposition to his leaving the room, but on his departure he was again entrusted with important dispatches for the Southern army.

He had not been long gone, however, before the authorities, regretting their action, sent an officer to arrest him. It was too late. The spy was nowhere to be found. Taking advantage of the darkness which by that time had come on, Harris hastened to put himself outside of the British lines; and within an hour he was well on his way to the American army. This haste increased the general suspicion. Swift Indian runners were put upon his track; but being fleet of foot, and possessed of great powers of endurance, he outstripped his pursuers, and reached Vaughn's Corners in the town of Kingsbury (Washington county, N. Y.).

At this point he was so fatigued and hard pressed, that in passing an old building used for boiling potash -- which stood on a farm now owned by J. W. Brown -- he dodged in, and clambering up a ladder, hid himself behind a large chimney. A moment after the Indians came round to the place where he had entered. One of them ran up the ladder, but seeing no one, gave a grunt and returned to his companions. The Indians were not seen again, and it is supposed they went over to visit Gil Harris, who lived half a mile west.

Harris's stratagem, in not pulling up the ladder after him, probably saved his life, for had the savages suspected the fugitive to be in the garret, they would have set fire to the cabin and thus destroyed him. In the evening he made his way to the American lines, where he was arrested as a spy, and closely guarded until his true character was known. The despatches of the Canadian authorities, which he had managed to preserve, he delivered to Schuyler in person, as his friend Fish was sick and unable to act as the "go between."

At length he was so closely watched by Tory spies in Albany, that he was forced to abandon the British service, carrying the last message with which he was entrusted by Burgoyne, to Washington. At the same time he bore with him to the Commander-in-Chief a commendatory letter from Schuyler, who had given him one hundred guineas -- probably out of the secret service money.

He was offered a good position in the Southern army by Washington, but he declined it; and throwing off his disguise as a Tory, he returned to Kingsbury, saying that "all the Tories this side of Hell should not drive him from his home." Nor did they. He remained on his farm until 1787, when, having bought a large tract of land in Queensbury, he moved his family thither the succeeding year.

He never entered the Continental army, but became a pensioner in his old age for his services as a spy. He died on the 13th of November, 1838, and a monument to his memory in the burial ground at Harrisena (Warren county, N.Y.) bears the following inscription :
[West side: MOSES HARRIS- DIED- Nov. 13, 1838- AGED 89 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AND 24 DAYS
Northside: IN JUNE, 1787, I MOVED WITH TWO OF MY BROTHERS, WILLIAM AND JOSEPH HARRIS, ON TO THE JOHN LAWRENCE PATTENT, AS YOU MAY SEE BY THE RECORDS IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY. BUT NOW I AM DONE WITH THIS WORLD AND RACE, AND NONE BUT GOD SHALL SAY WHERE SHALL BE MY ABIDING PLACE"

I have visited his son," writes Mr. Cross to the author, "and my conclusions are that Moses Harris was the man of all others who risked most in becoming a target for both sides, thereby procuring information that resulted in the defeat of Burgoyne. Harris, like thousands of other common men who have done great service, passed into obscurity and was forgotten. More than a hundred years have elapsed and justice should now be done to one of the bravest of men, who lived in times that tried men's souls! His name should be placed high on the Saratoga monument that is to record the results of all these heroic deeds."