USA > Connecticut > The history of Connecticut, from its earliest settlement to the present time. Ed. by W. H. Carpenter and T. S. Arthur > Part 10
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1755.
the lake; and both flanks were guarded by im- passable swamps.
In the mean time the Baron Dieskau was ad- vancing from Crown Point, at the head of two thousand Indians, Canadians, and French regu- lars, to besiege the recently constructed Fort Edward.
Informed of Dieskau's movement, Johnson detached from his camp a thousand provincials and Indians, under Colonel Williams, to relieve the threatened fortress. The French general had altered his plans, however, and was now marching directly upon the English camp; about three miles from which, in a narrow, rugged defile, he encountered Williams. Surprised and outnumbered, the provincials were thrown into momentary confusion ; Williams falling, the com- mand devolved upon Whiting, who, rallying the broken troops, they slowly retreated, fighting gallantly, to the camp.
Pressing the fugitives, Dieskau assaulted the centre of Johnson's line. An unexpected dis- charge from the English artillery drove his Indian and Canadian auxiliaries to the woods. With his regulars alone, the brave Frenchman endeavoured to surmount the breastwork; but, after five hours of daring effort, his forces were driven back in disastrous defeat, and such as were able fled precipitately to Crown Point.
167
VICTORY OF LAKE GEORGE.
1755.]
Mortally wounded, Dieskau fell a prisoner into the hands of the victorious provincials.
Johnson having been slightly wounded during the early part of the action, the chief command had devolved upon Lyman. The honours of the victory, therefore, it was contended by the Con- necticut troops, rightly belonged to their favour- ite. But, save by the praises and esteem of the New England people, his gallantry remained un- rewarded, while Johnson was knighted by the crown, and received from Parliament a grant of five thousand pounds.
The triumph of Lake George was not followed up. Johnson alleged that he was unable to do so for the want of provisions and means of transportation. During the fall, while, twenty ยท miles in advance of Crown Point, the French erected works at Ticonderoga, he lingered on Lake George, superintending the construction of Fort William Henry. On the approach of winter, this was garrisoned by six hundred of the provincials. The rest were allowed to return to their homes.
The partial success of the Crown Point expe- dition poorly compensated for the sanguinary and disastrous defeat of that against Duquesne, under the command of the ill-fated Braddock, or for the failure of the one, headed by Shirley of Massachusetts, against Niagara.
Succeeding Braddock as commander-in-chief,
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1757.
Shirley was about to open the campaign of 1756, when he was superseded by Lord Loudoun, one of the most inefficient officers the crown could have placed at the head of the colonial forces. Arriving late in the season, Loudoun determined to lead the main army against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, while General Webb marched with a thousand regulars to reinforce the garrison of Oswego, an important fortress erected, the previous year, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Some time elapsed before the two di- visions commenced their march. Loudoun still lingered at Albany, when Webb hastily returned with the alarming intelligence that Oswego had fallen. At once shamefully closing the campaign, the commander-in-chief recalled the troops ad- vancing toward Ticonderoga, garrisoned Forts Edward and William Henry, and dismissed the greater part of the provincials.
Extensive preparations were made for a vigor- ous campaign in 1757. By the generous efforts of the colonies, in which Connecticut fully shared, Loudoun was enabled to take the field in the spring with a numerous and effective force. But, with his characteristic procrastination, he made no movement of consequence until midsummer ; and then only against Louisburg, which, greatly to the indignation of the colonists, had been re- stored to the French by the treaty of Aix-la- Chapelle.
1757.] FORT WILLIAM HENRY INVESTED. 169
Garrisoning Forts Edward and William Henry with most of the newly-raised provincials, Lou- doun sailed to Halifax at the head of six thou- sand regulars. There he was joined by a British fleet, and six thousand additional troops. Instead of at once investing Louisburg, the dilatory chief lingered at Halifax so long that a large French fleet anchored before the fortress it was pro- posed to attack. An assault was now out of the question. Re-embarking his troops, Loudoun returned to New York, and thus ended the offen- sive operations of the year.
Meantime, Montcalm, the active and enter- prising commander of the French, had filled the northern colonies with alarm. Availing him- self of Loudoun's useless withdrawal of so many men, he collected eight thousand regulars, Cana- dians and Indians, and hastened down Lake George to attack Fort William Henry. This was a structure of no great strength, but of con- siderable importance, situated on a gentle emi- nence near the south-western extremity of the lake, and garrisoned by about three thousand men, under Colonel Monroe. General Webb, with four thousand troops, was at Fort Edward, some fifteen miles distant.
Through Putnam, now a major in one of the Connecticut regiments, who, narrowly escaping capture, had performed the dangerous duty of reconnoitering the enemy's position at Ticon-
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1757.
deroga, Webb received timely information of Montcalm's advance, but he neither followed the advice of Putnam to assail the French as they landed, nor sent a sufficient reinforcement to Fort William Henry. Twenty-four hours after- ward, on the 3d of August, the fortress was invested.
Monroe immediately despatched messengers to Fort Edward for relief. Webb reluctantly allowed a call for volunteers. This opportunity the provincials eagerly embraced ; none more so than Putnam and his rangers. But scarcely had they begun their march, when Webb recalled them, and sent a letter to Monroe advising him to surrender. Montcalm himself afterward as- sured Putnam that, when informed of this move- ment of the provincials by his Indian scouts, he had made every preparation for hastily raising the siege.
Having for six days bravely maintained his post, Monroe was forced to capitulate. The terms were favourable. Promising not to serve against the French for eighteen months, the gar- rison were to be allowed to depart with the honours of war to Fort Edward, under a strong escort of Montcalm's troops. Dissatisfied with these terms, the French general's barbarian allies fell upon the disarmed and retreating English. Twenty were at once tomahawked. The re- mainder fled in dismay to the woods, to Fort
171
DARING OF PUTNAM.
1757.]
Edward, and to the French camp. Aided by his officers, Montcalm exerted himself daringly to stay the work of destruction. Rushing into the midst of the infuriated savages, he begged them to slay him rather than the English, who were under his protection. His efforts were not without success. Very few of the English were killed beyond those who fell in the first on- slaught.
The news of this event caused an intense alarm. For the first time Webb called on the colonies for their assistance. The call was an- swered promptly. Connecticut alone, in a few days, had five thousand men on the march. But this activity was of no avail. Having dismantled the captured fortress, Montcalm was already on his return to Canada.
During the winter following this disastrous close of the campaign of 1757, an event took place at Fort Edward, which exhibited in a strong light the cool and indomitable daring of Putnam, who was then stationed in the neigh- bourhood. Within twelve feet of the magazine, containing three hundred barrels of powder, stood a barrack, which by some accident caught fire. Putnam reached the fort while the flames were spreading fiercely toward the magazine, and took his post on the roof of the burning building, so near to the flames, that, while he laboured to quench them, his mittens were burned
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
- [1757.
from his hands. Supplied with another pair soaked in water, he kept his post. Urged to descend, he replied that a suspension of his efforts would be fatal. Incited by his intrepi- dity, the commanding officer of the station, ex- claiming that if they must perish all should be blown up together, ordered that nothing more should be removed from the fort. As the bar- racks began to totter, Putnam descended, and took a station between them and the magazine, the external planks of which were already con- sumed. Having contended with the flames for an hour and a half, Putnam had the satisfaction of finding his efforts successful. The fort was saved, and through him alone. The earnest thanks thus won from his commander had not been obtained cheaply. Weeks elapsed before he recovered from the exposure he had under- gone. His face, arms, and almost his entire body were blistered. In removing his mittens, the skin of his hands came off with them.
173
CAMPAIGN OF 1758.
1758.]
CHAPTER XIII.
Campaign of 1758-Energetic course of Pitt-Popularity of his measures-Louisburg captured-Abercrombie advances against Ticonderoga-Lord Howe killed-Abercrombie de- feated-Frontenac surprised by Bradstreet-Fort Duquesne abandoned by the French-Perilous adventure of Putnam- He is captured by the Indians-Is saved from torture and death by Molang-Molang sends him a prisoner to Mont- calm-Colonel Schuyler procures his exchange-Campaign of 1759-Niagara surrendered to the English-Ticonderoga and Crown Point abandoned by the French-Amherst takes possession of the deserted posts-Quebec taken by Wolfe- Campaign of 1760-Three English armies advance upon Montreal-Putnam at the capture of Fort Oswegatchie- His important services in that affair-Montreal surrenders -Final conquest of Canada-Benedict Arnold-His cha- racter-Anecdotes of him-Enlists in the army, and is sta- tioned at Ticonderoga-His desertion.
AFTER three expensive campaigns, the Eng- lish had not advanced a single step. Rather, France had signally triumphed. Mortification and alarm filling the colonies extended to the mother country, where a feeble ministry was at length overthrown, and a new one, headed by William Pitt, afterward Earl of Chatham, came into power. By this distinguished man, whose unaided energy and eloquence had elevated him to the position he now occupied, the most vigor- ous measures were immediately adopted.
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1758.
Meeting on the 8th of March, 1758, the Con- necticut assembly took into consideration a cir- cular letter from Pitt, who had sent similar circulars to the other provinces. Appealing to the courage and patriotism of the colonists, he invited them, in terms unusually respectful, to co-operate in his plans for the coming campaign. For any expenses they might incur he promised compensation; and agreed to furnish their levies with arms, ammunition, tents and provisions. Effectually removing one cause of colonial dis- satisfaction, he obtained the king's order that every provincial officer, of no higher rank than colonel, should have equal command with those of the regular service.
His requisition was complied with cheerfully and with alacrity. Connecticut alone summoned five thousand men into the field. Early in May, Abercrombie, the successor of Loudoun, found himself at the head of fifty thousand troops, of which nearly one-half were regulars. With these, Louisburg, Ticonderoga, and Fort Duquesne, were to be simultaneously attacked. In the ex- pedition, led by Abercrombie in person, against Ticonderoga, Connecticut participated largely.
The first blow fell on Louisburg; which, with its numerous dependencies, was surrendered in July to the combined naval and military forces, under Admiral Boscawen and General Amherst.
Meanwhile, at the head of a brilliant array of
1758.]
DEATH OF HOWE.
175
fifteen thousand regulars and provincials, Aber- crombie crossed Lake George. Landing near the outlet of the lake, he sent forward Lord Howe, with the van of the army, to make a cir cuitous march toward Ticonderoga. Led by bewildered guides, Howe's division, while wan- dering through the tangled wilderness, encoun- tered a portion of the enemy's advanced guard. A sharp conflict ensued, in which the victorious English lost the life and soul of their enterprise -the brave, gallant, and widely-esteemed Lord Howe.
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After some delay, the army fell back again to the landing-place, and by a new and shorter route marched to within two miles of the French works. Built upon a neck of land running out into the lake, Ticonderoga was defended by two redoubts, and a strong breastwork of huge logs; the approach to which was impeded by felled trees, stumps, and rubbish of all sorts. Behind this formidable breastwork, which Abercrombie, remaining distant from the scene of conflict, ordered his men to assault, Montcalm, the active and sagacious leader of the French, was posted with the greater part of his three thousand four hundred men.
On the 8th of July the attack was made. After struggling for four hours, obstinately and with the most remarkable bravery, to execute the unwise and hastily-formed plan of their
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1758.
leader, the assailants were driven back, with a loss of more than two thousand of their number. Their precipitate retreat to Fort William Henry would have been a disorderly route, had it not been for the exertions of Bradstreet, Putnam, and others of the provincial officers.
At Fort William Henry, the energetic Brad- street projected an expedition against Frontenac, an important French post, on the Canadian shore of Lake Ontario. Reluctantly supplied by Aber- crombie with the necessary troops, he speedily and successfully put his plans into execution. Deprived of their wonted supplies by the capture of Frontenac, the French garrison of Fort Du- quesne, on the approach of the expedition under Forbes, set fire to their works, and retreated down the Ohio. On the 25th of November the English forces took possession of the deserted post.
Meanwhile, the field of war lying around Ticonderoga and Forts William Henry and Ed- ward, had been the scene of many personal adventures, the relation of some of which falls within the scope and plan of the present history.
Shortly after Abercrombie's shameful retreat from Ticonderoga, Putnam, with five men, was lying in a boat, on the eastern shore of the Hudson, just above the rapids near Fort Miller. Suddenly beset by savages, he found it impos- sible to escape, except by way of the rapids.
177
PERILOUS ADVENTURE.
1758.]
With his characteristic coolness and promptitude, he seized the helm, and steered boldly down the river. Unharmed by repeated vollies from the rifles of the savages, but driven hither and thither, and at times spun round like a top by the furiously-eddying current, and momentarily in danger of being dashed to pieces on the rocks he encountered, Putnam guided his frail bark with a steady hand as it sped with arrowy swift- ness down the hazardous stream. A few minutes of breathless anxiety elapsed, and the peril was passed. Shot from the foaming and roaring rapids, Putnam and his comrades glided quietly over the smooth waters below.
" On witnessing this spectacle," says the ori- ginal narrator, " it is asserted that the Indians were affected with the same sort of superstitious veneration which the Europeans, in the dark ages, entertained for some of their most valorous companions. They deemed the man invulnerable, whom their balls on his pushing from the shore could not touch, and whom they had seen steer- ing in safety down the rapids that had never before been passed. They conceived it would be an affront against the Great Spirit to kill this favoured mortal with powder and ball, if they should ever see him and know him again."
A week or so later Putnam was not so for- tunate. Five hundred rangers having been detached under Major Rogers and himself, to
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1758,
watch the enemy near Ticonderoga, were return- ing to Fort Edward, when they fell into an am- bush, skilfully prepared by Molang, a celebrated French partisan, who had with him an equal number of Indians and Canadians. It was early morning, and the Americans had just left their encampment. Though unlooked for, the assault was sustained with coolness and intrepidity by Putnam, who led the advance.
In the heat of the conflict that ensued, the gallant major presented his musket to the breast of an athletic savage. The weapon missed fire. Powerful though he was, Putnam was now no match for his antagonist. He yielded himself prisoner. Binding him securely to a tree, his captor again entered the fray.
While thus bound, unable to move a limb, the conflict raged furiously around the spot where Putnam was confined. Midway between the contending parties, his position was one of ex- treme peril. Bullets from foes and friends whistled continually by; many struck the tree to which he was bound; and several passed through various parts of his coat. Once, too, a young savage amused himself by throwing his tomahawk at the prisoner, to see how near to him he could hurl it, without striking him; and another, a brutal Frenchman, having vainly endeavoured to discharge his musket in Putnam's
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NARROW ESCAPE.
1758.]
breast, with the butt of it struck him a terrible blow upon the cheek.
At length, after a long and obstinate conflict, the provincials drove the enemy from the field. Putnam, however, was carried off a prisoner. Stripped of his coat, vest, stockings and shoes, with his hands tied painfully together, and la- bouring under the load of several heavy packs, he was compelled to march rapidly over a rugged and stony path, by which his feet were bruised and lacerated at almost every step.
Toward evening he was sent forward with a party of Indians to the place where it was pro- posed to encamp that night. On the way his sufferings were augmented by a severe gash on the cheek from a tomahawk.
Halting at dusk in the deep shadows of the primeval forest, Putnam's barbarian escort, strip- ping him naked, bound him to a tree, and with wild songs of exultation began to pile around him heaps of dry fuel. Calmly and courage- ously the captive awaited what he knew would be a horrible death. One of the heaps was blown into a light blaze, but a passing shower extinguished it. Again and again was the torch applied to the collected fuel. Presently the flames burned briskly. Putnam was the centre of a circle of fire. Already he writhed with torture, but permitted no groan to escape him, when a French officer, breaking through the
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT. [1759.
throng of dancing and yelling savages, dashed aside the blazing brands, and with his sword severed the thongs that bound the suffering captive.
Thus rescued by the brave Molang himself, Putnam was finally taken to Montreal. When he arrived there, he was a doleful spectacle ; scantily covered with rags, barefooted, bruised, gashed, and unshorn. Colonel Schuyler, of New Jersey, then a prisoner at Montreal, with that kindness which formed a prominent trait in his character, promptly supplied all the wants of his less fortunate fellow-captive ; and, when the taking of Frontenac occasioned an exchange of prisoners, he procured the release. of Putnam, who was presently sent home.
Incited by the general success of the late campaign, Pitt, in 1759, planned the complete conquest of Canada. Three expeditions were projected : one against Quebec, and two others, intended to co-operate with it, against Niagara and Crown Point. Stimulated by a prompt re- imbursal of their last year's expenses, the colo- nies displayed an unusual degree of energy. Connecticut, alone, enlisted four regiments, numbering in all six thousand men, and respec- tively commanded by Major-General Lyman and Colonels Whiting, Wooster and Fitch. Putnam again took the field as lieutenant-colonel of the fourth regiment.
181
CAMPAIGN OF 1760.
1760.]
Moving first, General Prideaux, on the 6th of July, invested Niagara. During the siege he was killed by the bursting of a cohorn. On the 25th, the fort surrendered to Sir William Johnson, upon whom the command of the be- sieging force had devolved.
Advancing with cautious slowness, General Amherst, the successor of Abercrombie, after several skirmishes, took possession of the now abandoned fortresses of Ticonderoga and Crown Point ; but, like Johnson, was unable to proceed to Canada, and, by an attack upon Montreal, co-operate with the main expedition against Quebec. The result of this latter is well known, nor need the narrative of it be detailed here. Losing his life in the moment of glorious victory, the gallant Wolfe, after an arduous siege of nearly four months, succeeded in wresting from France its most important fortress in the New World. With the surrender of Quebec to the English, the French power in North America was effectually broken.
Eager to complete the subjugation of Canada, the New England colonies entered into the cam- paign of 1760 with their customary spirit. Mon- treal being still in the possession of the French, three armies were speedily set in motion, to meet under its walls. While General Murray advanced by the river from Quebec, and Colonel Haviland from Crown Point by way of Lake Champlain,
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1760.
Amherst himself, at the head of ten thousand men, among whom were many of the Connecticut levies, embarked at Oswego, and sailed down Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence.
Descending the river, the troops encountered two armed vessels, which not only barred their farther progress, but prevented an attack upon Fort Oswegatchie, a short distance below. Put- nam, whose regiment accompanied the expedi- tion, undertook with a thousand men to capture the ships. Provided with an old beetle, and a number of wedges, with which he proposed to block the rudders of the vessels, so as to prevent them from bringing their broadsides to bear, he set out to execute his bold and novel enterprise. Unexpectedly, however, no resistance was made. Forced by a mutinous crew, the commander of one ship struck his flag; the other was run ashore.
Fort Oswegatchie was next to be reduced. Insulated and defended by a strong abatis, which overhung the water's edge, it seemed scarcely accessible ; but Putnam's ingenuity projected a novel plan for its capture. Under his directions boats were made ready, com- pletely musket-proof, and with a broad plank, twenty feet long, attached to the bow of each, so that it could be raised or lowered at pleasure. These boats were to be rowed directly against the abattis ; over the projecting stakes of which
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1760.] SURRENDER OF MONTREAL.
the planks, till then upright, were to be let fall, so as to form a kind of bridge, by which the assailants might enter the fort. What would have been the success of this singular contri- vance, if it had been necessary to make use of it, can only be conjectured. Disconcerted by the strange appearance of the boats as they moved to the attack, the garrison surrendered without firing a gun.
From Amherst, Putnam received the highest encomiums for his ingenuity and daring. What- ever might have been the merit of his plans, measured by the rules of military engineering, they certainly rendered the passage of the army down the river much quicker than the most san- guine had hoped that it would be. In conse- quence, Amherst and Murray, advancing from opposite directions, appeared before Montreal on the same day. Joined the following morning by Haviland, Amherst found himself at the head of an overwhelming force, against which the French offered no resistance. By the surrender of Mon- treal, on the 8th of September, the conquest of Canada was made complete.
During the subsequent year there was a con- siderable body of provincials called out, but they were mainly employed in repairing and strengthening the captured forts.
Among the new recruits from Connecticut, who thus performed duty at Ticonderoga, was a
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HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
[1760.
youth of nineteen, Benedict Arnold by name, and the runaway apprentice of an apothecary at Norwich, the place of his birth. What in after years the man became to his country the boy Arnold already was to the little circle in which he moved-its admiration and detestation. Like his only good quality-determined and chival- rous, yet rash and reckless daring-his vices, which we are told were many, all sprung from the one bad principle of selfishness. Always foremost in danger, he sought only to gain ap- plause. As mischievous as he was fearless, his boyish tricks seem to have been always cruel, merely to gratify himself. Of these traits anec- dotes have been preserved. " One of his earliest amusements," writes his biographer, "was the robbing of birds' nests; and it was his custom to maim and mangle young birds in sight of the old ones, that he might be diverted by their cries." Of his reckless daring it is related, that " sometimes he took corn to a grist-mill in the neighbourhood, and, while waiting for the meal, he would amuse himself and astonish his playmates by clinging to the arms of a large water-wheel and passing with it beneath and above the water."
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