Person Page - 213

312. Colonel Nicholas Fish, 1758–1833, son of Jonathan Fish and (96) Elisabeth Sackett, was married Apr. 30, 1803, to Elisabeth Stuyvesant, a lineal descendant of Petrus Stuyvesant, Dutch governor of New Amsterdam. He was born in New York City. At the outbreak of the Revolution he was a student at Princeton College, but immediately turned aside from his books, secured a commission as Lieutenant, and entered the patriot army, serving at first on staff of Brig.-General Charles Scott. In November, 1776, he was commissioned Major of the Second New York Regiment of the Line, and a little later was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He participated in the battle of Saratoga, and in 1778, was Division Inspector under Baron Steuben. At the battle of Monmouth he commanded with credit a body of light infantry, and in 1779 accompanied General Sullivan on his expedition against the Indians. Later he had a command under Lafyette. At the battle of Yorktown he was actively engaged, taking a prominent part in the storming of a redoubt, and was a witness to the surrender of Cornwallis. In 1786 he was appointed Adjutant General of the State of New York, and held that position for several years. In 1794 he was a Supervisor of Revenue; in 1797, President of the New York Society of the Cincinnati; and from 1800 to 1817 an Alderman in the Municipal Government of New York City. Colonel Fish was reported to have been a strict disciplinarian, had the confidence of Washington and was on intimate terms with Hamilton and many of the prominent statesmen of his time.