USA > Connecticut > The history of Connecticut, from the first settlement of the colony to the adoption of the present constitution, vol. II > Part 28
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
So completely were the Americans dispersed, that when Warner joined St. Clair, on the 9th, he had with him less than ninety men.§ By the 15th, the entire northern army, consisting of about five thousand men, were congregated at
* Botta, i. 457. + Botta, iii. 458, 459.
53 # Botta.
§ Hildreth, iii. 198.
322
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
Fort Edward. Many of the soldiers were without arms, and there was a great deficiency in ammunition and provisions.
The intelligence of these disasters was received with sur- prise and chagrin by Congress, as well as by General Wash- ington. The New England officers charged them upon the mismanagement of General Schuyler-and probably not without some cause. Suspicions of treachery against cer- tain officers, were whispered in the ears of men high in authority. Congress immediately directed the recall of all the northern generals, and an inquiry was ordered into their conduct. This order, however, was suspended by request of Washington, who represented that the army of the north could not be left without officers at that critical moment. Two brigades from the Highlands, Morgan with his rifle corps, Arnold and Lincoln, were detached to reinforce the army at Fort Edward ; and Gates was appointed commander in the place of Schuyler .*
During this brief interval, Burgoyne was making desperate efforts to open a passage from Fort Ann to Fort Edward. The intervening country was for the most part a dense wilderness. Besides removing the trees with which Schuy- ler had caused the road to be obstructed, he had to re-build no less than forty bridges. At length, on the 30th of July, he reached Fort Edward, which by this time had been evacu- ated by the Americans, they having taken up their quarters at Stillwater, lower down on the Hudson.t
A corps of New Hampshire militia, under command of Colonel Stark, had recently arrived at Bennington. Being informed of the approach of Colonel Baum, with two pieces of artillery and eight hundred men, Stark sent off expresses for the militia, and Colonel Warner, who was encamped at Manchester, six miles from Bennington. Baum began to intrench himself on the 14th of August, and sent back to Burgoyne for reinforcements. Lieutenant-Colonel Breyman, with his regiment of Brunswick grenadiers and light-infantry, was sent to his assistance, but he was delayed by rains and by
* Hildreth, iii. 199, 200. + Gordon, ii. 210, 211
323
GALLANTRY OF WARNER AND STARK.
[1777.]
the badness of the road. Similar causes prevented Colonel Warner from reaching Bennington at the time anticipated. About noon on the 16th, having been joined by some Berk- shire militia under Colonel Simmons, Stark approached the enemy. After a hotly contested action of two hours, the Americans began to pour into the intrenchments on every side. The Indians, Canadians, and British, fled into the woods. The German dragoons still continued to fight, and after their ammunition was exhausted, they were led to the charge with their swords. The survivors and their wounded colonel were made prisoners. About four o'clock, the regi- ments of Breyman and Warner, came up from different directions, and the battle was renewed. A fierce conflict ensued, which continued until the dusk of the evening, when Breyman abandoned his baggage and artillery, and retreated. By this victory, a thousand stand of arms, a thousand swords, and four pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of Warner and Stark, besides nearly six hundred prisoners. About two hundred of the enemy were killed ; the Americans had four- teen killed, and forty-two wounded .*
These successes, together with the gallant and resolute defense of Fort Schuyler, had a wonderful effect in reviv- ing the spirits of the American soldiers, and inspiring them with hope and energy.
A strong corps of Connecticut and New Hampshire mili- tia, under General Lincoln, was detached with the hope of recovering the fortresses of Ticonderoga and Mount Inde- pendence, and consequently, the command of Lake George. He parted his troops into three divisions, viz : the first, com- manded by Colonel Brown, of Berkshire county, who sur- prised all the posts upon Lake George, including Mount Hope, Mount Defiance, and the old French lines ; he took possession of two hundred batteaux, an armed brig, several gun-boats, and a very considerable number of prisoners. The second, led by Colonel Johnson, arrived at Ticonderoga and Fort Independence, and summoned the garrison to sur-
* Hildreth ; Botta.
-
324
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
render. General Powell expressed his determination to defend himself ; and the fortresses were besieged for four days, without success. The third, commanded by Colonel Wood- bury, was designed for the reduction of Skenesborough, Fort Ann, and Fort Edward .*
Burgoyne, having by great. efforts obtained about thirty days' provisions, determined to force a passage to Albany. Toward the middle of September, he crossed the river on a bridge of boats, and encamped with his army on the plains of Saratoga. General Gates was encamped in the neighbor- hood, about three miles below. The two armies being thus brought into the immediate neighborhood of each other, a battle was anticipated.
On the morning of the 19th of September, the movements of the belligerent forces indicated that a crisis in their des- tiny was approaching. The English formed themselves in order of battle, their right wing resting upon the high grounds which rise gradually from the river; it was flanked by the grenadiers and light infantry, who occupied the hills. The Indians, Canadians, and loyalists, were ranged some distance in front, and upon the side. The left wing and artillery commanded by Generals Phillips and Reidesel, kept along the great road and meadows by the river side.
The American army drew up in the same order from the river to the hills-Gates commanding the right in person, and Arnold the left.t After several skirmishes, the battle became general, and continued until the shadows of evening fell upon the contending parties. In the language of Gordon, " There was one continual blaze of fire for three hours without intermission. The report of the muskets resembled an inces- sant roll-beating on a number of drums. The Americans and British alternately drive and are driven by each other."} The enemy lost over five hundred men in killed, wounded, and prisoners ; yet they claimed the victory, and encamped upon the field. The Americans retired to their camp, with a loss of about three hundred. They, also, claimed to have
* Botta, ii. 8. t Botta.
# Hist. Am. Rev. ii. 249.
.
325
FALL OF FRAZER.
[1777.]
triumphed, in maintaining their position against such fearful odds.
Among the American troops engaged in this memorable conflict, were Cilley's, Scammell's and Hale's New Hamp- shire regiments, two regiments of Connecticut militia, Van Courtland's and Livingston's New York regiments, Wesson's, Marshall's, and Brooks's Massachusetts regiments, and others .*
From the 20th of September to the 7th of October, both armies were engaged in efforts to replenish their stocks of provisions and ammunition, recruiting their respective forces or throwing up intrenchments. During these few days, the American army was constantly increasing, while Burgoyne's condition was becoming more and more hopeless. His com- munications were entirely cut off, and he could neither advance nor retreat ; his troops at the same time were suffering severely on a short allowance of food, and he had long waited in vain for the expected aid of General Clinton. In his desperation, he resolved to hazard another engage- ment. With this view, he marched forward with fifteen hundred picked men, to make a reconnoisance of the Ameri- can lines, and to cover a forage of his army. He had with him Generals Phillips, Reidesel, and Frazer, together with ten pieces of artillery. A fierce action soon ensued-the attack having been commenced by Poor's New Hampshire brigade, followed up by Morgan's riflemen. The gallant Frazer was mortally wounded ;; and the British troops, after a desperate effort, succeeded in regaining their camp, leaving behind them six pieces of artillery. The retreating enemy were followed up with great spirit by Arnold, and, after an obstinate defense, succeeded in gaining their works, where the fight was continued until the darkness of night again put an end to the strife. In this assault, Arnold was wounded
* Gordon ; Hildreth.
t Besides the loss of General Frazer, Sir James Clark, aid-de-camp to General Burgoyne, was mortally wounded and taken prisoner ; Lieutenant-Colonel Brey- man was killed, and Majors Oakland and Williams were taken prisoners.
326
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
and compelled to retire. Colonel Brooks, of Massachusetts, was still more successful in his attack upon a German brig- ade, having driven them from their intrenchments at the point of the bayonet, and captured their camp equipage, artillery, and ammunition.
That night, the Americans slept on their arms, intending to renew the engagement in the morning. But the British, under cover of the darkness, silently withdrew to the high grounds in the vicinity .*
On the 8th, several skirmishes ensued, in one of which General Lincoln was so severely wounded as to be deterred from further service. During the following day, Bur- goyne, fearing he should be surrounded, abandoned his new quarters, and fell back upon Saratoga, a distance of six miles.
By this time, Burgoyne's force was reduced to four thou- sand effective men, and he was surrounded by three times that number of Americans, who were now flushed with suc- cess and eager for another trial at arms. He was reduced to three days' supply of provisions, and he could gain no intelligence from Howe or Clinton. He called a council of war, on the 13th, who advised that a treaty of capitulation should be opened.
General Gates at first insisted upon an unconditional sur-
* The late Colonel Moses Lyman, of Goshen, then a lieutenant, commanded a company of militia during this northern campaign. He was well known to many of the officers in the camp, as he had been in the service during much of the two preceding years ; and during the memorable night of the 7th of October, he was put in command of a company of observation, to watch the movements of Bur- goyne to see whether he would advance or recede from the position which he held at the close of the action. The sentinels of the two armies were stationed so near together that they might have hailed each other. No movement, how- ever, was discovered in the British camp during the night. Soon after dawn, on the morning of the 8th, Lyman marched out with his men toward the hostile camp, expecting that his appearance would provoke a movement of some kind, on the part of the enemy. He advanced still nearer, but found only the slain and wounded ; he continued his march until he reached their deserted tents. He was the first to inform General Gates that the enemy had abandoned their camp and sought a more secure position. Rev. Grant Powers' Centennial Ad- dress, 1839.
327
BURGOYNE CAPITULATES.
[1.77.]
render, which was refused. But as he had learned that all the American posts in the Highlands had fallen into the enemy's hands, and fearing that Burgoyne might soon be reinforced, he was particularly anxious to hasten the capitulation. He accordingly proposed that the British troops should march out of their camp with the honors of war, lay down their arms, and be conducted to Boston, and there embark for England, under a pledge not to serve against the United States until exchanged. These terms were accepted.
The number of prisoners who surrendered was five thou- sand six hundred and forty-two, with their arms, artillery, baggage and camp equipage. Among these articles were thirty-two brass cannons, seven howitzers, and three royal mortars, besides four thousand six hundred and forty-seven muskets, six thousand dozen of cartridges, shot, carcasses, cases and shells .*
The intelligence of the capture of Burgoyne was hailed
* Hildreth, iii. 214. Among the most accomplished Connecticut officers who participated in the battle and witnessed the surrender of Burgoyne, was Captain Moses Seymour, of Litchfield, who at that time commanded a company of cavalry. A day or two after the terms of capitulation were signed, the American officers invited Burgoyne and his fellow-officers to dine with them. At this interesting festival Captain Seymour was present. His account of the conversations that took place on the occasion, between the conquerors and the conquered, and particularly his minute relation of the toasts given on both sides, are still remembered with interest. The utmost courtesy and good feeling prevailed on the part of the principal officers, and the responses to the sentiments given were hearty and enthusiastic. At length, General Burgoyne was called upon for a toast. . Every voice was for the moment hushed into the deepest attention, as he rose and gave-" America and Great Britain against the world." The response which followed may be imagined.
During the night that succeeded the last battle between Gage and Burgoyne, Captain Seymour watched with a British officer who had been wounded and carried off the field in the midst of the engagement. Soon after he had entered the apartment, the wounded officer, who had not before learned the fate of the day, eagerly asked Captain S. as to the result. On hearing that the British had been defeated, he remarked-" Then the contest is no longer doubtful ; America will be independent. I have fought earnestly for my king and country, but the con- test is ended !" The kindness of Captain S. to him, an enemy, deeply affected the officer ; he thanked him again and again ; and finally offered him his watch
328
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
throughout the country witn thanksgiving and rejoicings. It became a general theme of congratulation in private circles, and in public assemblies-and the pulpit and press joined in celebrating the praises of Gates and his heroic band of officers and soldiers .*
Captain Thomas Y. Seymour, of Hartford, a captain of cavalry in Gates' army, was, for a part of the route, at least, commander of the escort sent with General Burgoyne to Boston. The people in that part of New England through which they passed had been greatly exasperated at the proclamation of the British commander, threatening the extremities of war against all who should oppose his march, and particularly at the barbarous offer of a reward to his
and other rewards, which were of course refused. The gallant American did all in his power to relieve the distresses and sooth the mind of his charge-but his wounds proved fatal.
* On one of the Sabbaths in October, the Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, of Sharon, Connecticut, preached a sermon from Isaiah xxi. 11-" Watchman, what of the night ? the Watchman saith, The morning cometh." "The discourse," says Sedgwick, (Hist. Sharon, p. 54,) " was entirely adapted to the condition of public affairs. He dwelt much upon the indications, which the dealings of Providence afforded, that a bright and glorious morning was about to dawn upon a long night of defeat and disaster. He told the congregation that he believed they would soon hear of a signal victory crowning the arms of America, exhorted them to trust with an unshaken and fearless confidence in that God who, he doubted not, would soon appear for the deliverance of his people, and crown with success the efforts of the friends of liberty in this country. Before the congregation was dismissed a messenger arrived, bringing the intelligence of the surrender of Burgoyne's army. Parson Smith read the letter from the pulpit, and a flood of joy burst from the assembly."
" During the next year," continues the same author, " a large part of Bur- goyne's army marched through this town, on their way to the south. They were met here by a regiment of continental troops, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Jameson, who was afterwards conspicuous in the affairs connected with the capture of Andre, and who here took charge of the prisoners." It appears that a large part of this detachment were Hessians. They encamped in Sharon over night ; and when they started in the morning, the whole body sang devo- tional songs as they marched. The late Governor Smith, then a lad, followed them two or three miles, to hear their singing.
Colonel Gay, of Sharon, with a large number of men under his command from that town and vicinity, shared in all the conflicts which preceded the surrender of Burgoyne. Sedgwick's Hist. p. 53.
329
THE PRICE OF YANKEE SCALPS.
[1777.]
Indian allies for American scalps. In every town where the escort stopped, multitudes of people flocked to its quarters to see him, and in some instances, Captain Seymour found it difficult to preserve his prisoner from actual violence.
One day, the company had halted at a village inn in Mas- sachusetts for purposes of refreshment and rest. General Burgoyne was sitting in the principal room in the house, and a crowd of curious spectators were gathered about the door, eager to catch a glimpse of him. Among others, a large, masculine-looking old woman elbowed her way through the crowd, and actually gained admittance. When first observed by the captain of the escort, she stood directly in front of Burgoyne, with her arms akimbo, scrutinizing him from head to foot, with a look in which were blended curiosity, boldness, and exultation. The general became restless under her gaze, and uneasily shifted his position so as to avoid it ; but to no purpose. Before Captain Seymour could interfere to protect his prisoner from the annoyance, the virago, looking steadily at Burgoyne and shaking her finger in his face, exclaimed in a high shrill voice : " Neow what'll ye give for Yankee scalps ?"
So saying, she suddenly withdrew, leaving the irritated prisoner to digest the insult as he best might ; while the Captain, mortified though he was at the occurrence, could hardly maintain his gravity at the ludicrous spectacle.
It is proper to add, that on reaching Boston, General Bur- goyne presented Captain Seymour with a magnificent saddle and a pair of silver-mounted cavalry pistols, as tokens of his appreciation of the manner in which that officer had per- formed his delicate duty.
This Captain Seymour, mounted on his charger, forms a conspicuous figure in Trumbull's painting of The Surrender of Burgoyne.
CHAPTER XV.
WYOMING.
IN July 1753, the Connecticut Susquehannah Company, formed at Windham, sent out a committee to explore "a cer- tain tract of land lying on the Susquehannah river, at a place called Chiwaumuck, an island in said river .* This committee went forward to view the territory, admitted by the best lawyers of the nation to belong to Connecticut by virtue of her charter, and to perfect in the hands of the cor- poration which they represented, the Indian title to it, in accordance with the old custom of the colony. This territo- ry, embracing that part of Pennsylvania lying within the forty-second degree of north latitude, was one of the most beautiful and attractive regions that the eye of the western pioneer ever rested upon .¿ Hill, valley, mountain, and stream, diversified the landscape, while the magnificent forests and luxuriant vegetation indicated the richness of the soil and gave promise of golden harvests and pleasant homes, as
* Supposed to be the Minocasy.
t The Warwick Patent, dated March 19, 1631, describes the bounds of Con- necticut as extending " throughout the main lands," "from the western ocean to the south sea." So also the charter of Charles II., dated April 20, 1662, describes the bounds "as running from east to west, that is to say, from the said Narragansett Bay on the east, to the south sea on the west part." As, however, the territory of New York had previously been claimed and settled upon by the Dutch, Connecticut did not attempt to establish any right to or jurisdiction over that country, but contented herself with her claim to the lands lying west of New York and south of the forty-second degree of north latitude. The claim of Pennsylvania to the same territory, was founded upon the patent granted by Charles II. to William Penn, bearing date March 4, 1681-nineteen years after the date of the charter of Connecticut.
# In its more limited signification, the "Valley of Wyoming " is a name given to a valley on the Susquehannah river, about twenty miles in length, from north- east to south-west, and from three to four in breadth.
331
THE SUSQUEHANNAH COMPANY.
[1755.]
the rewards of industry and enterprise. The abundance of wild game with which the woods and air were teeming- the varieties of fish that sported in the streams-the rich clusters of grapes and other tempting fruits that grew spon- taneously in those quiet valleys and along those sloping hill- sides-all seemed to add their cordial invitation to the hardy adventurer from the east.
Such, briefly, was the country which the agents of the Susquehannah company were commissioned to explore and purchase of its aboriginal proprietors. This company con- sisted, at first, of eight hundred and forty persons, including a large number of the leading men of Connecticut. The num- ber of proprietors was subseqently increased to twelve hund- red. The purchase was fairly and honorably made, and was ratified by the congress of delegates which convened at Albany in July, 1754, in which Pennsylvania was represent- ed by John Penn, Isaac Norris, Benjamin Franklin, and Richard Peters. In the treaty with the Six Nations, which was executed by the Congress in question, the territory pur- chased by the Susquehannah Company is described as "lying within the limits of the royal charter to Connecticut" ; and it does not appear that any objection was made to the claim thus set forth and virtually recognized by the delegates in their official capacity .*
In May, 1755, Phineas Lyman and others, as a committee of the Susquehannah Company, petitioned the Assembly of Connecticut, praying the acquiescence of the Legislature in the purchase, and desiring their consent for an application to his majesty to erect them into a new colony or plantation. In response to this petition, the Assembly "manifested their ready acquiescence therein." During the same year, sur- veyors were sent by the company to lay out the lands ; but
* The Hon. Charles Miner, in his admirable "History of Wyoming," gives a minute history of the conflicting claims of Pennsylvania and Connecticut- and proves conclusively that Connecticut held the country, first, by a grant or charter from the king; second, by the purchase of the soil from the In- dians ; and third, by the right of possession.
332
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
the war with the French prevented any actual settle- ments.
In 1762, several emigrants from Connecticut visited the valley, cleared up some lands, sowed their grain, and return- ed home. During the following spring, they went back to Wyoming with their families, with the determination of making a permanent settlement-taking with them their stock, farming utensils, and household furniture. Their town was built on the flats near the river below Wilkesbarre. Their crops had proved abundant, they were delighted with their new homes, and they began to anticipate a life of peace and plenty. On the 15th of October, however, they were suddenly startled at the sound of the war-whoop, which was followed by a fierce attack from a large party of savages. The settlers were entirely unprepared for such an assault, and about twenty men were killed and scalped. The residue of the men, women and children fled to the mountains, and ultimately found their way back to Connecticut.
In 1768, the Susquehannah Company determined to renew the attempt to settle the lands at Wyoming. A meeting of the proprietors was held at Hartford, at which it was resolv- ed that five townships, each five miles square, should be sur- veyed and granted, each to forty settlers, being proprietors, on condition that those settlers should remain upon the ground, "man their rights," and defend themselves and each other from the incursions of all rival claimants. Forty per- sons were to set out forthwith ; the others, to the number of two hundred in all, were to follow during the succeeding spring. As an additional encouragement to the settlers, the sum of two hundred pounds, Connecticut currency, ($667,00) was appropriated to provide implements of husbandry, pro- visions, arms and ammunition, for those who might require assistance. The five townships allotted to these adventurers were situated in the heart of the valley. They were Wilkes- barre, Hanover, Kingston, Plymouth, and Pittston. At a subsequent date, three other townships, to be laid out on the west branch of the Susquehannah, were appropriated to forty
333
THE SECOND SETTLEMENT.
[1769.]
settlers each .* On the 8th of February, 1769, the first forty settlers-comprising the advance corps of pioneers from Connecticut-arrived in the valley. On reaching their place of destination, however, they were surprised to find that the block-house and huts from which their friends had been driven a few years before, were in possession of their ene- mies. During the preceding month, three Pennsylvania officers, t with several men, had taken up their abode there -a lease of one hundred acres having been granted to them for seven years, on condition that they should establish an Indian trading-house thereon, and defend the valley from encroachment. The Yankees forthwith invested the block- house of Captain Ogden, cutting off all communication with the surrounding country, so that the besieged could neither obtain fuel nor venison ; and demanded in the name of Connecticut, the surrender of the garrison.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.