Demont, William
Demont, William
DEMONT, WILLIAM. American traitor. Pennsylvania. Born in England, Demont settled in Pennsylvania before the Revolution. Commissioned ensign in the Fifth Pennsylvania Battalion on 6 January 1776, he became regimental adjunct to Colonel Robert Magaw, commander of Fort Washington, on 29 September. He deserted on the night of 2-3 November 1776 to the camp of Earl Percy at McGown's Pass in Manhattan, taking with him complete information on Fort Washington's defenses. Shortly after the fall of fort to the British, Magaw and other American officers learned of Demont's treason; Washington, however, kept the incident quiet for fear of its impact on morale. Dement traveled with General William Howe's army until 1780, when he went to England to press his claims for some sort of reward. Though he had done the British great service in turning over the plans to Fort Washington, as late as 1792 Dement was still attempting to gain recompense for his losses during the Revolution. The government awarded him sixty pounds.
revised by Michael Bellesiles