It seems that whenever I look into Revolutionary War history in the Hudson Valley I come across a reference the HMS Vulture. In this picture my friend, Ken stands next to a plaque in Sparta Cemetery, which reads:

“This stone was pierced by a cannon shot fired from the British sloop-of-war Vulture commanded by Lieut. Sutherland, September 1780.”

This brings us back to the Ladew family plot mentioned in an earlier post. The Ossining Historic Cemeteries Conservancy states:

A key point of interest is the Ladew family plot. It is the only plot that is enclosed by a brick wall, the west façade of which incorporates all five headstones in the wall. Two of the most famous tombstones are those of Abraham and Anna Ladew’s children—five-year-old Sarah and seven-year-old Abraham. Sarah’s stone is noted as the oldest legible in the cemetery, but Abraham’s is even more famous for another reason: a hole in the surface. Legend has it that in 1780 the headstone was pierced by cannon fire from the British war ship Vulture, patrolling the Hudson River during the Revolutionary War. A plaque has been installed in its place.

I’m at a loss as to why HMS Vulture would fire on Sparta cemetery.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.