Филип Ван Кортландт: Американ саяхатшысы және саяси қайраткері

American politician 1749–1831

Philip Van Cortlandt (September 1, 1749 – November 5, 1831) was an American surveyor, landowner, and politician from Westchester County, New York. Van Cortlandt was the son of Pierre Van Cortlandt and brother of Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. He was a Continental Army officer during the American Revolution, and later served several terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Philip Van Cortlandt was born in New York City in the Province of New York on September 1, 1749, in the Van Cortlandt ancestral home located on Stone Street, near the Battery. He died unmarried, on November 5, 1831, at Van Cortlandt Manor, and was a member of one of New York's most prominent families. He was the eldest son of Pierre Van Cortlandt and Joanna Livingston, daughter of Gilbert Livingston, a son of Robert Livingston. His great grandfather was Stephanus Van Cortlandt, the first native born Mayor of New York City, and his family were the patroons of Van Cortlandt Manor. Philip Van Cortlandt attended Coldenham Academy. In addition to exercising manorial rights while assisting in the management of the estate's farming and manufacturing activities, Philip Van Cortlandt was a civil engineer, and was active in New York's pre Revolutionary War loyalist militia as a major. At the start of the Revolution, he resigned from the militia, and became active in politics as a founding member of the New York Provincial Congress in 1775. He owned slaves.

During the Revolutionary War, Van Cortlandt commanded 4th Battalion of the New York Continental Infantry, served on George Washington's staff, and commanded the Continental Army's 2nd New York Regiment. He fought at the Battle of Saratoga, was with the Army at Valley Forge, and took part in the Sullivan Expedition. In his memoir, Van Cortlandt recalled his activities during the 1777 Saratoga campaign. In the course of attempting to capture a British gunboat on the Hudson River on the night of the September 17, he and his men stumbled upon an advance guard of Burgoyne's British forces at a place he designated as "Blind Mores". Upon realizing that a main enemy encampment was nearby, Van Cortlandt dispatched messengers to Continental Army commanders in the area, including Benedict Arnold and Enoch Poor, and Daniel Morgan, informing them that "the Enemy was advancing so that they (the Continental Army) might make arrangements Immediately to check their (Burgoyne's troops) advance." Van Cortlandt's regiment occupied a position on the left flank, and played a significant role in the fighting on September 19 and in the subsequent Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7, which led to Burgoyne's surrender on October 17. After Burgoyne's surrender, Van Cortlandt moved his regiment moved to Kingston, which Sir Henry Clinton had burned before his hasty retreat to New York; Van Cortlandt subsequently joined Washington at White Marsh, and then went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Van Cortlandt subsequently commanded the post at Radnor Friends Meetinghouse; his regiment pursued the British during their retreat from Philadelphia, and took part in the June 1778 Battle of Monmouth. He rejoined the regiment in Poughkeepsie, and resumed the command during the winter of 1778 in the cantonments at New Windsor.

Van Cortlandt served in local office, including town supervisor of Cortlandt, member of the town school board, and town road commissioner. In 1788, Van Cortlandt was a member of the state convention which ratified the United States Constitution, and worked for its approval. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1788 to 1790, representing Westchester County, and the New York State Senate from 1791 to 1793, representing the Southern District, which consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties. In January 1793, Van Cortlandt was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Democratic Republican, and he served eight terms, 1793 to 1809. Van Cortlandt's wartime portrait, copied from a miniature painted about the close of the Revolution, reveals his likeness to Lafayette. Van Cortlandt accompanied Lafayette on Lafayette's 1824 Tour of the United States. His resemblance to Lafayette was used to advantage at least once. At a large reception Lafayette, wearied with handshaking, suddenly disappeared and left Van Cortlandt as a substitute. The guests, unaware of the change, departed satisfied that they had shaken hands with Lafayette.

In 1783 Van Cortlandt was one of 35 officers who created the Society of the Cincinnati. He was an organizer of the New York Society of the Cincinnati, served on the committee creating its bylaws, and served as Treasurer from 1783 to 1788. Van Cortlandt was one of the Masters of Ceremony for the presentation of the gold eagle insignia and diploma to new members at the New York Society's first meeting, held July 4, 1786, at the City Tavern Club, formerly the home of Van Cortlandt's brother in law Stephen Delancey.

He died at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton on Hudson on November 5, 1831, and was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Cortlandt Manor, New York. Van Cortlandt never married, and had no children; his sister Catharine Van Wyck resided with him after the death of her husband.