USA > Connecticut > The history of Connecticut, from the first settlement to the present time > Part 15
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The commissioners, having been restored to power since the revolution, met at New-York on the 1st of May, 1690, and ordered that 800 men should be raised to march against Canada, fixing the quotas of the colonies, and rules for the army. In the preceding months a request had been sent to the king, for aid in an intended invasion of that country : but the condition of England would not permit it. The commissioners, with New- York, however, determined to undertake a war alone ; and proposed to get 500 or 600 Indians to accom- pany the whites against Montreal, while a fleet should enter the St. Lawrence and besiege Que- bec. They counted on receiving from that colony a large savage force, and hoped New- York would furnish provisions, and vessels to carry them down Lake Eric.
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214 LEISLER SEIZES GEN. WINTHROP. [1690.
John Winthrop, Esq., was appointed major-gen. eral and commander-in-chief, and reached Wood Creek with his troops in August. About the same time, Governor Phipps, of Massachusetts, with more than 30 vessels, sailed from Nantasket for Quebec. The largest of the vessels carried 40 guns and 200 men. The fleet did not reach its destination until the 5th of October; and, before that time, the army had returned to Albany. This was done in consequence of the Indians sending but 70 instead of 500 warriors, and the want of canoes and provisions. Count Frontenac had his troops in Montreal, expecting the intended inva- sion ; and now hastened to defend Quebec against the fleet, as there were only 200 Frenchmen in that city.
While the army and the fleet were absent from New-England, some of the French force appeared on the coast, and, landing at Block Island, plun- dered the houses and captured most of the people.
Sir William Phipps landed his troops on the 8th of October, marched towards Quebec, cannonading it at the same time from the ships. But he made no impression, re-embarked on the 11th, and, after being exposed to bad weather, was forced to return to Boston without success.
Governor Leisler and Milborn were so enraged at Mr. Winthrop that they arrested him on his reaching Hudson, and kept him prisoner, intending to try him, until the Mohawks, who were attached to him, took him from their hands. Some of the principal men of Albany, being of the general's council, had to flee to Connecticut for safety from Leisler; and Mr. Livingston and several of his
215
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
1691.]
friends resided for some time at Hartford. The Assembly protested against Leisler's lawless pro- ceedings, as a violation of his duty to the United Colonies, when he ought to have complained to the commissioners. They also passed a vote of thanks to General Winthrop for his good service to their majesties and the colony, in bringing off the army when it would have been imprudent to proceed.
There being an alarm in the upper river towns in Massachusetts in the winter, a company of Con- necticut troops was sent to Deerfield for its de- fence.
In May, 1691, William Jones, Esq., was chosen deputy-governor, in consequence of the death of Mr. Bishop; and Captain Caleb Stanley was cho- sen a magistrate in his room.
The colony was under great obligations to Mr. Increase Mather, of Boston, for the faithful and dis- interested exertions he had made in England for her good. Though he was employed by Massa- chusetts as her agent in London, he assiduously laboured for the benefit of the other colonies also whenever an opportunity occurred. When Will- iam and Mary came to the throne, he took such measures as prevented the bill to establish the gov- ernors of New-England from being adopted ; anc he co-operated with Mr. Whiting, agent for Con necticut, to his utmost. The Assembly passed a vote of thanks to those gentlemen, and also to Mr. James Potter for similar services, while they de- sired them to procure from the king his approba- tion of the proceedings in Connecticut, and protec- tion in their privileges. There was great reason to hope for justice from such a monarch, who had
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216
THE FRENCH AND THE MOHAWKS. [1693.
restored the charters of which James II. had so arbitrarily robbed the city of London and many other corporations in England.
For the relief of the many families who had suf- fered from the Indians in the Eastern war, the Assembly recommended a contribution to be made in the colony, requesting ministers to urge upon the people the duty of aiding them.
The town of Windham was incorporated in 1692. It was bequeathed to John Mason, James Fitch, and fourteen others, in 1675, by Joshua, son of Uncas, with the present town of Mansfield ; and the settlement began about 1686.
At the same session (1692) the Assembly or- dered that New.London should be fortified, and the fortifications of Saybrook should be repaired, under an apprehension that the French might re- turn to the coast. At the same time, in conse- quence of intelligence that a large body of French and Indians were preparing to come from Canada, scouts were ordered to scour the upper country, and arrangements were made to send out detach- ments of militia, when needed, with officers quali- fied to command them. These fears, however, were not realized by Connecticut : for Count Fron- tenac decided on beginning operations first against the Five Nations, when he found he could not per- suade them to join him, apprehending the repeti- tion of their invasions of the French settlements in Canada. On the 15th of January, 1693, he sent 600 or 700 Frenchmen and Indians to take them by surprise ; who, after a distressing march, reach- ed the first Mohawk castle (or fortified village) on the 6th of February. This they captured, as well
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1693.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
as two others, with but little loss, taking about 300 prisoners. Most of the warriors were at Schenec- tady, having no fear of an invasion in the dead of the winter. When the news reached Albany, Col- onel Schuyler immediately set off in pursuit of the retreating enemy with 200 volunteers ; and, with 300 Indians, overtook them in a fortified camp. He repulsed them in three sallies : but, while wait- ing for a re-enforcement, they escaped in a snow- storm by night, and, crossing the north branch of the Hudson on a cake of ice, got safely back to Canada, leaving almost all their prisoners, and about 30 dead men. The latter were eaten by the pursuing Indians, who were suffering extremely from hunger.
The Connecticut Assembly was immediately con- voked on the receipt of the news of the invasion ; 150 men were ordered, on the 21st of February, to march to Albany ; and fifty of them set off the next day. A no less urgent demand was soon received from Sir William Phipps in Maine ; and the As- sembly again met in season to order out, on the 6th of March, 60 Englishmen and about 40 Indians, under Captain William Whiting. A new request was made to Massachusetts to settle the boundary.
But now a new source of trouble arose : for the new governor of New-York, Colonel Benjamin Fletcher, demanded the submission of the militia of Connecticut to his orders, being fully empowered by the king. The Assembly referred the question to the freemen, who gave a vote of 2180 against it, and in favour of sending a protest to England. Major-general Fitz John Winthrop was appointed the agent, and instructed to acquaint his majesty T
218 SPIRITED CONDUCT OF WADSWORTH. [1693.
with the inconsistency of such a power with the privileges granted by the charter, and to lay before him the true history and state of the colony. Sir William Phipps had before come out with similar authority : but he never had attempted to exercise it in Connecticut ; and the agent was instructed to declare, that if he had, it would never have been ac- knowledged without a direct reference to his majes- ty. In the mean time, Mr. William Pitkin was sent to New-York, to persuade Governor Fletcher to await the decision of the king : but he refused. The Assembly were in session at Hartford in Oc- tober, when he appeared there, and demanded that the militia should be placed at his command, as lieutenant of his majesty, and commander-in-chief of the land and sea forces; and ordered that the militia of Hartford should assemble, that he might beat up for volunteers. The Assembly called them out, though they insisted that they would not yield the right of commanding them, so explicitly granted to them by the charter. He then directed Colonel Bayard to acquaint the Assembly with his deter- mination to leave the civil rights of the colony as he found them, but that they must admit that the king had an inherent right to command the militia, and that he should not leave them until they should acknowledge it. He offered a commission to Gov- ernor Treat, which he declined ; and the Assem- bly were equally unyielding.
Tradition says that Colonel Fletcher ordered his commission to be read to the trainbands in Hartford, and that Captain Wadsworth, their se- nior officer, immediately dirceted the drummers to beat their drums. He, no doubt, well understood
219
1694.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
the determined spirit of the soldiers ; and, when Colonel Fletcher ordered silence, he called out, "Drum, drum, I say!" The drummers obeyed with great good-will, and did not cease till per- emptorily commanded by Colonel Fletcher. The resolute captain, as if imitating the example of Cap- tain Bull at Saybrook, when opposing the claims of Andross, called out again, "Drum, drum, I say !" and, turning to the intruder, said, with a threaten- ing look, " If I am interrupted again, I will make the sun shine through you in a moment." The in- dications of determined opposition were so strong, and so many people came flocking to Hartford, that Governor Fletcher preferred his more safe retreat at New- York, and departed with his attendants, without attempting anything farther.
CHAPTER XXVII. 1694.
Military Preparations .- The Question about the Militia settled in favour of Connecticut by the King .- The County Courts. -Peace between France and England .- Fitz John Winthrop Governor .- The Lower House of Assembly .- New Town- ships .- The Western Boundary established by the King in 1700 .- Accession of Queen Anne to the British Throne .- War declared against France and Spain in 1702, by England, Ger- many, and Holland .- Defensive Measures .- Governor Dud- ley and Lord Cornbury's Demand for Money .- Their Intrigues in England .- Opposed by Sir Henry Ashurst .- A Book pub- lished against the Colony, entitled " The Doom, or Miseries of Connecticut."
KING WILLIAM having sent a letter to Connecti- cut, stating that he had ordered Albany to be for- tified, and that this colony was to contribute to pay
220
MILITARY PREPARATIONS.
[1698.
the expense, the Assembly was convoked in Feb. ruary, 1694, and granted £500 to be paid to Col- onel Fletcher. A penny was levied on the pound : the rateable polls being about £2347.
Fears of a northern invasion being again ex- cited, the commissioned officers on the northern and western frontiers were ordered to be in readi- ness to send immediate aid to any place which might be attacked, and detachments of militia were provided with everything necessary.
The gratifying news was received this year, that King William had determined the question between Connecticut and Colonel Fletcher in favour of the colony, after his attorney and solicitor general had assented to the justice of General Winthrop's argu- ments, and made their report. It was therefore settled that only a quota of 150 men should be placed under Fletcher's orders, and that the militia should remain at the direction of the governor. A number of troops were soon sent to attend a treaty with the Five Nations.
This year the north line was run by a committee, which Massachusetts would not assist in nor ac- knowledge. In 1696 Captain Whiting was sent to Albany with 60 men, and 40 dragoons marched to Hampshire county : but, in 1697, the Assembly declined sending such a body as Massachusetts re- quested, to assist in attacking the eastern Indians. They, however, agreed to send about 60 English and 40 Indians to range the woods and to protect Hampshire county.
In 1698 it was ordered that each county court should consist of one chief judge and four justices of the quorum, appointed by the Assembly. Gen-
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221
1697.] HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
eral Winthrop, on his return from England, re- ceived a vote of thanks and a present of £300 for his services. On the 2d of April, General Win- throp, Major Sillick, and the Rev. Mr. Saltonstall presented the congratulations of Connecticut to Lord Bellamont, who had arrived at New-York as governor of that colony and Massachusetts; and he expressed great satisfaction at the courteous manners of the committee, especially of the dig- nified demeanour of the venerable minister. And now, the question of the Rhode Island boundary being again agitated, by a call from the Board of Trade and Plantations, a committee was appointed to attend to it.
The news of peace between England and France, which was settled by the treaty of Riswick on the 11th of September, 1697, was hailed with great joy in Connecticut ; and, on counting up what the war had cost her, it was thought that it exceeded £12,000. Of this, £7000 was spent in defending Albany and Hampshire county. The unreason- able alarm repeatedly felt by Governor Phipps had caused much unnecessary trouble : for he had made requisitions, sent orders and countermanded them on many trifling rumours ; and, had the war continued, great vexations would have arisen from this source, although he had been complained of to the king.
The Assembly appointed a day of thanksgiving, to express gratitude to Almighty God for the ines- timable blessing of peace, of which they had been deprived by no act and with no desire of their own. General Fitz John Winthrop was chosen governor this year, and Governor Treat deputy-
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222
CAPT. KIDD, THE PIRATE.
[1699.
governor, William Jones, Esq., having retired, at the age of 72. The Assembly was now divided into two houses : the upper to consist of the gov- ernor, or the deputy-governor, and the magistrates, and the lower of the deputies. The latter were to appoint their speaker and make their own by- laws. The consent of both houses was required for the passage of any law. It was also ordained that a county court should consist of one chief judge and two justices of the quorum.
The lower house of Assembly was first formed in 1699, and chose Mr. John Chester speaker, and Captain Whiting clerk. The clergy were this year exempted from taxation by an act of the Assembly. The settlement of Durham was commenced this year, under the name of Cogingchaug; and Plain- field was incorporated.
A pirate named William Kidd (more familiarly known as Captain Kidd) before this time had occa- sionally resorted to Long Island Sound. Attempts have since been made in many places, both on the mainland and on the islands, to discover the treasure which he is said to have concealed in the earth, though without any success. The marks of excavations are very numerous in some of the Thimble Islands off Branford, where several places still bear his name. His history has been kept alive by an old ballad, in which he is misnamed Rob. ert Kidd. He sailed in a privateer sloop named the Antonio, turned pirate, and committed many mur. ders as well as robberies. He intrusted with Mr. John Gardiner, of Gardiner's Island, a large amount of property, among which was about 150 ounces of gold-dust, and 590 in gold bars, besides coined
1700.]
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
223
money, precious stones, &c. These were buried by Kidd in a large iron chest in a swamp on that island ; and he told Mr. Gardiner that he must an- swer for its safe-keeping with his head.
A short time after this he was captured and con- demned at Boston for piracy ; and the property was delivered at the order of Lord Bellamont in 1699.
It is impossible to determine when the people of Connecticut began to manufacture some of their most important articles, and to what extent they increased. Convenience and necessity, with their intelligence, and industrious and frugal habits, must have disposed them to make many things which they at first received from England. The English manufacturers and merchants were early alarmed by the fear of losing the profits of supplying the colonies, and sent many petitions to Parliament to restrict them. In later times we may trace the revolution, in a great degree, to a similar commer- cial jealousy. This year Parliament declared " that no wool, yarn, or woollen manufactures of the American plantations should be shipped there, or even laden, in order to be transported from thence to any place whatever."
The boundary between the colony and New- York, as it had been agreed on by commissioners in 1683, was established by King William in 1700. But it was twenty-five years before any part of the line was run, viz., in the reign of George I., when, in compliance with the petition of Connecticut, a royal order having been issued to New-York, her legis- lature appointed commissioners. These met, with those of Connecticut, at Greenwich, in May, 1725,
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224
NEW TOWNS INCORPORATED.
[1702.
and began the line, which was finished on the 14th of May, 1731, and a complete settlement made. New-York relinquished certain lands along the Sound, in consideration of which, Connecticut gave up " the Oblong :" a tract of 60,000 acres, which may be seen marked out on many maps on the western boundary.
A township six miles square was granted to Captain Thomas Leffingwell, Mr. John Frink, and other volunteers who had served in Narraganset in Philip's war, to be chosen out of the conquered country. Four years after, Voluntown was con- firmed to them, being bounded by a line drawn north from the pond at the head of Pawcatuck River to Greenwich path, thence west to Preston, and, for the remaining bounds, by Preston, Sto- nington, and Pawcatuck River. A considerable tract was added on the north nineteen years after- ward.
i It was ordered this year that the Assembly should meet at New- Haven, in future, in October ; and that the court of magistrates also should be held there on the first Tuesday of that month.
Queen Anne came to the throne this year, and addressed a letter to the colony, to which the As- sembly made a loyal reply.
Danbury and Mansfield were incorporated in 1702. A patent was given to New-London, and a tract added on the north, from the northeast corner of Lyme to the southwest corner of Norwich, as it goes to Trading Cove. An act was passed by the Assembly confirming all patents given to towns and sequestrations made of land. .
But now the colony was disturbed in the enjoy-
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225
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
1704.]
ment of that peace which they had so much desired, and again involved in a war, brought upon it through its dependance on the mother country. In May, 1702, war was declared against France and Spain by the Queen of England, the Emperor of Germany, and the States-General of Holland ; and Connecti- cut, as well as the other colonies, was involved in its losses and dangers. Governor Dudley and the Massachusetts court asked the Assembly, in Octo- ber, to send 100 men against the eastern Indians ; soldiers were sent to protect the western towns; and a committee of war was appointed, to send others to the frontier and Hampshire county.
A special committee was appointed in 1704, to prevent the friendly Indians from joining or co-op- erating with the enemy. The inhabitants of every town were required to meet and consider the best manner of fortifying it; and commissioned officers were authorized to send out half the militia to re- pel any sudden attack, and to pursue the enemy. One hundred men were ordered out for Governor Dudley in the east, and sixty for Hampshire coun- ty chiefly, to be under the command of the commit. tee of war and the commanding officer there. County committees were appointed, to consult for the public safety ; and persons and families were forbidden to desert any frontier town, without per- mission from the Assembly, under penalty of the loss of their freehold property there. Indians also were enlisted for scouts. The number of troops now kept on foot was 500; viz., 100 in the east, and 400 for the defence of the colony and Hamp- shire country ; and the latter were provided with snow-shoes, that they might be ready for service at all seasons.
226 TROUBLE CAUSED BY GOV. DUDLEY. [1704.
A king's attorney was ordered to be appointed by each county court, to prosecute criminal offend- ers; and these attorneys were required to be not only moral, but religious men.
The colony, in the midst of these trials and ex- penses, was much harassed by urgent demands for money by Governor Dudley, of Massachusetts, and Lord Cornbury, governor of New- York and New- Jersey. They stated that it was needed for the de- fence of their governments : but of this they gave no proof. The former appears to have been a man of an ambitious and domineering character, and versed in the arts of intrigue ; and, while he grasp- ed at the control of all New-England, he persuaded Lord Cornbury to favour his measures, under the hope of being made governor of Connecticut and the southern colonics. Having been connected with Sir Edmund Andross in the days of his mis- rule, he was an enemy to all the civil and religious rights so steadily maintained by the people of Con- necticut. He opposed every plan suggested in England for the benefit of the colonies; and had succeeded in getting a strong party in Parliament to favour the concentration of the government of them all in one person, and superseding the char- ters, and had a bill prepared for that purpose in the reign of King William. It was introduced into Parliament soon after Queen Anne's accession ; and the preamble declared that the charters granted to the New-England colonies, East and West New- Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Carolina, the Ba. hama and Lucay Islands, were repugnant to trade and the interests of the other colonies, favourable to . piracy, &c.
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227
1704.]
HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT.
What this artful and indefatigable enemy might have accomplished if unopposed, we cannot with certainty determine. Fortunately, he had an up- right and skilful antagonist in Sir Henry Ashurst, the agent for Connecticut in London, who pre- sented a petition or remonstrance to the Lords, representing the injustice and injury with which the bill was pregnant, stating that the charter was inseparably interwoven with the state of things, and could not be taken away without greatly in- juring property as well as the rights of the people, and introducing confusion, if not ruin. Sir Henry obtained a hearing at the bar of the House, in be- half of the colony, on the third of May, 1701 ; and, having honourable connexions, ability, and the aid of a righteous cause, he placed the character and claims of Connecticut in an elevated point of view before the members, and made such an impression that the ambitious Dudley was entirely defeated : for his bill was rejected by the Parliament.
But he was not disheartened by this failure ; and Lord Cornbury stood by to second him in a new attack upon the rights and privileges of the colo- nies. They were both imboldened by the con- sciousness that they had powerful acquaintances and connexions in England, and that there were some disaffected men in America. Dudley had many friends at court ; and Cornbury was nearly related to the queen, as well as to several persons who held unfounded claims for land in the con- quered country, or had appealed to England from decisions of the colonial courts, and were disposed to make common cause with any opponent of the existing order of things. Among these dissatis-
228
MASON'S LAND-CLAIM. [1704.
fied persons were Messrs. Nicholas Hallam, Major Palms, Captain Mason, and Daniel Clark. They all might expect much personal advantage from the success of an impeachment of the colony, which was now resolved on. Lord Cornbury was poor, and, wanting money, would have been glad to have the power to force out of Connecticut the sums he had been refused.
The first step, therefore, was to make out a set of charges ; and this work was committed by Gov. ernor Dudley to one Bulkley, who wrote a large folio volume, entitled " The Doom ; or, Miseries of Connecticut," abounding in misrepresentations, and highly extolling the government of Andross. With his customary duplicity, Governor Dudley all this time treated Connecticut with courtesy and marks of friendship, and once wrote a letter in which he gave them thanks for the abundant supplies with which they had furnished him, though it was one of his charges that they had withholden them.
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CHAPTER XXVIII. 1704.
Owaneco, the Mohegan Sachem, incited by disaffected Persons to urge unfounded Claims to Lands purchased by the Colony. -Governor Dudley appointed, with a Court, to try them .- The Land Claim of the Mason Family .- The Charges made by Governor Dudley brought to a hearing before the Queen in Council .- Decided in favour of the Colony .- Governor Dudley holds his Court, which gives a Decision in favour of Owaneco, treating the Colony with Contempt .- Public Em- barrassments.
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