History of Oswego County, New York, with illustrations and Biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 1

Author: Johnson, Crisfield. cn
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 798


USA > New York > Oswego County > History of Oswego County, New York, with illustrations and Biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 1


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Gc 974.701 Os9j 1128822


M. L.


REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01152 7832


A. F. EATON, OSWEGO, N. Y.


SALMON RIVER FALLS, PULASKI, N.Y.


1789.


HISTORY OF


.


OSWEGO COUNTY,


NEW YORK.


WITH


Illustrations and Biographical Shetcheg


SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


974.701


PUBLISHED BY L. H. EVERTS & CO., 714-16 Filbert Street, Philadelphia.


07


1877.


79 10650 15


CONTENTS. 1128822


HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY.


PAOE


I .- Introductory . 9,10


II .- A Raid in 1615 10, 11


III .- The Iroquois


IV .- Jesuits and Colonists 13-15


V .- Do La Barre and Garangula 15-17


VI .- Count Frontense's Expedition 18, 19


VII .- From 1697 to 1753 . 19-24


24-35


VIII .- The " Old French War"


IX .- From 1761 to 1775 .


X .- The Revolution 41-55


XI .- From 1783 to 1800 . 55-62


XII .- From 1801 to 1812 .


62-69


XIII .- The War of 1812


69-72


XIV .- From 1815 to 1830 .


XV .- From 1831 to 1861 .


72-75


75-115


XXX. Since the War . . 116, 117


XXXI .- The Press of Oswego County .


117-121


XXXII .- County Buildings . 121, 122


XXXIII .- The State Normal School


. 122-125


XXXIV .- The Common Schools .


125


XXXV .- Religion and Temperance


. 126-129


XXXVI .- Medical Societies


. 129-131


XXXVII .- Agricultural Societies


XXXVIII .- The National Guard 131


XXXIX .- Oswego County Civil List


. 132-135


OSWEGO CITY.


History of Oswego City


View of Oswego Harbor


Residence of lIon. G. B. Sloan


Thomas Kingsford


Thomsen Kingsford


Elias Root


Leonard Amos, with Portrait and Biography 146


148


Delos De Wolf


¥


150


Edwin Allen .


Edwin W. Clarke .


Joseph Hover 152


154


16 and Portrait of B. B. Burt


156


Orville Robinson, with Portraits . 158


"Farm Retreat," Residence of Thomson Kingsford .


160


St. Paul's Church and School


=


164


Rosidenee of E. G. Jones .


R. Gordon


O. M. Bond .


171


First National Bank Building


City Savings


Mannister Wort's Block


=


171


Residence of Luther Wright, with portrait and biography between 186, 187


Portrait and Biography of Alvin Bronson facing 142


Sylvester Doolittle


Cheney Ames .


172


IIon. A. P. Grant = 173


View of Kingsford's Starch-Factory (steel) . between 174, 175


Portraits of Thomas and Thomson Kingsford (steel) 174, 175 Portrait and Biography of R. Oliphant facing 176 Portraits of Myron Pardee and wife, with biography 178


Portrait of Judge W. F. Allen (steol)


IIon. Elias Root (steel) .


S. Batos, with biography .


.


183


Frederick T. Carrington (stecl) facing 184


Portraits of E. G. Jones and wife


185


Portrait of Wm. S. Malcolm Mrs. Catharine Van Rensselaer Cochran


185


Portrait and Biography of John B. Edwards 187


¥ Colonel Edward M. Paine 188


188


189


Portrait and Biography of IIon. B. Doolittle


II. Murray


facing 190


180


Biography of Judge W. F. Allen


B. B. Burt .


Hon. Elias Root . 182


Frederick T. Carrington


184


Moses P. Neal 184


185


Wm. S. Malcolm . 185


Mrs. Catharine V. R. Cochran


190


= Orville Robinson .


Mrs. Lucretia Robinson


191


Military Record .


TOWN OF OSWEGO.


History of the Town of Oswego


Residence of Eli Wilder (double page) between 200, 201


Levi Pease (double page) 202, 203 Portraits of Nathan Lewis and wife, with biography . 204


Stock Farm and Portrait of, Thos. G. Thompson (and Agrieul- 204 Residence of William Clark tural Fair Grounds) 204,205


205


Biography of Eli Wilder .


Levi Pease .


205


Military Record


TOWN OF RICHILAND.


History of the Town of Richland . 208


View of Court-House, Pulaski


Pulaski Academy .


208


Residence and Land-Office of Charles HI. Cross, with portrait and biography between 210, 211


Portrait of Thomas W. Dixon (steel)


214


Residence of S. H. Fellows


J. G. and G. W. White


214


First Congregational Church Building, with portraits of Simon Meacham and Rev. James Douglas facing 217


Residence of Jas. N. Betts, M.D., with portrait opposite and portrait of Don A. King 46 219


faeing 220


Portrait of Robert L. Ingersoll (steel) Biography of “ 220


220


16 Captain Ira Doane


" James N. Betts, M.D. 220


221


16 Don A. King


222


Portrait and Biography of William Strong of Ansel Brown


222


View of Salmon River House, Pulaski opposite


222


Box and Bett's Block, Pulaski .


= 223


Military Record


TOWN OF VOLNEY.


llistory of the Town of Volney


-


225


facing


225


Views on Oswego River, near Fulton


PAGE


facing


180


182


11-13


.€ 185


Daniel E. Taylor


Lucius B. Croeker


190


1 81


200


between 201, 205


199


facing 136


138


140


" 140


144


152


16


Thomas S. Mott


168


168


171


171


Neal's Block (and Masonic Temple) .


143


Residence of Capt. Ira Doane, with portraits


223


facing 208


facing 212


162


218


222


205


XVI. to XXIX .- Oswego in the Rebellion


35-38


38-41


. 125, 126


.


192


CHAPTER


4


CONTENTS.


PAGE


Portrait and Biography of Lovwell Johnson (steel) . opposite 226


Willard Johnson (steel)


227


Residenee of J. H. Distin, with portraits . F. Vant,


Samnel Hart,


Wm. D. Patterson .


231


Residences of John E. Potter and Alexander Potter, with per-


traits


faeing


300


Residence of Ilon. John Parker, with portraits


303


66 Jas. J. Montague 303


S. C. Davis . 303


Property of S. C. Davis and Son


opposite


304


Portraits of the Davis family


305


Military Record .


. 304


TOWN OF HANNIBAL.


History of the Town of Hannibal


. 307


Residence of Norman Titus


facing 307


C. S. Chamberlain 307


E. S. Tallman (double page) between 308,309 Jonas Shutts, with portraits (double page) between 310, 31I


Biography of Jonas Shutts . 311


Residence of Avery Green, with portraits


faeing 312


Military Record .


. 312


TOWN OF PALERMO.


History of the Town of Palermo . 316


Residence and Store of D. II. Trimble, with portraits facing 316


Factory and Hotel of W. H. Hannan opposite 318


Residence of J. F. Lansing


319


Frederick C. Church


319


= W. S. Lansing, with portraits facing 320


= D. L. Brown 321


Portraits of Almon Mason and wife


321


Portrait of Dr. Addison Beckwith


321


Biography of Isaac N. Lansing 320


Almon Mason


321


Biography of David L. Brown


321


Military Record


321


TOWN OF SCHROEPPEL.


Residence and Factory of S. N. Gustin (double page), between 268, 269 History of the Town of Schroeppel . 324 Carriage Manufactory of Lewis Miller facing 270 Residence and Portrait of Alonzo Utley faeing 324


of W. H. Rice .


324


274 Residence of Nelson Corey (double page) between 326, 327


Portraits of Andrew Gilbert and wife Stephen Griffith ¥


330


Portrait of E. L. Jennings


330


" J. M. Williams 330


Residence of R. Sutton, with portraits 334


Biography of Reuben Sutton


334


Military Record


334


TOWN OF NEW HAVEN.


History of the Town of New Haven. . 339


Premises of Orlando R. Cumminga . facing 339


Portrait of Seth Severance, with biography opposito 310


A. W. Severance, 341


Portraits and Biography of A. II. Barton and wife


342


Residence of Edward W. Robinson, with portraits .


343


Views at Captain llenry Daggett's, with portraits (double page) . between 344, 345


Portrait of Norman Rowe, with biography " 344, 345


Residonce of M. S. Lindall, with portrait . " 344, 345


Portrait of L. Cummings . . 345


Biography of Captain Henry J. Daggett


345


Military Record


. 345


TOWN OF AMBOY.


Ilistory of the Town of Amuhoy . 348


Portraits of F. M. Tousley and wife .


facing 348


PAGE


TOWN OF ORWELL.


History of the Town of Orwell .


.


297


228 Residence of I. W. Bennett


facing


297


James J. Montague 298


John Washburn 66


298


D. W. Gardner


Mrs. L. E. Loomis, with portraits


24I


Elias Thomas, with portraits


242


Biography of Hon. John Parker


303


Charles G. Bacon, M.D., with portrait . 243


Portraits of Ira Carrier and wife, with biography Farm View of Ira Carrier .


244


.


facing 244


Portraits of Colonel John Gasper and wives 245


Ira Ives and wife, with biography 245


Thomas Hubbard and wife, with biography


Residence of Thomas Hubbard, Esq.


facing 246


Portraits of Walter Wilber and wife, with biography


Timothy Pratt and wife, with biography


248


Residence of John W. Pratt, with portraits .


facing 248


Portraits of Aaron G. Fish and wife, with biography


249


Portrait of Lyman Patterson, with biography . 250


Portraits of Holsey Hubbard and wife, with biography faeing 250


William Engell and wife, with biography 251


Portrait of Isaae Markham, and biography of Jason S. Markham 252 Residenee of Jason S. Markham, with portraita facing 252


Portraits of Freeman Gasper and wife, with biography 253


Portrait of F. W. Squires, with biography . 254


Hon. Ransom H. Tyler, with biography . faeing 254


Biography of Dr. Ransom Howard, with portraits . opposite 255


L. E. Loomis 24I


John H. Distin 241


Elias Thomas 242


Dr. Charles G. Bacon 243


Samuel Hart


254


Military Record .


TOWN OF MEXICO.


History of the Town of Mexico 262


.


Residenec of the late Eugene N. Hills, with portraits facing 262


L. H. Conklin 264


J. B. Driggs


264


Phineas Davis 266


= 272


Portrait and Biography of IIon. Avery Skinner Ebenezer E. Menter


273


Residence of Mrs. Dr. C. D. Snell


facing 275


Toronto and Stato Mills 275


275


Biography of Eugene N. Hills . 276


Military Record


276


TOWN OF ALBION.


Ilistory of the Town of Albion 278


Residence of D. R. Averill (double page) between 278, 279


Portrait and Biography of Aaron Fuller .


281


=


Military Record . " Thomas Henderson


282


TOWN OF CONSTANTIA.


Ilistory of the Town of Constantia . 287


Portraita and Biography of the Bernhard family facing 290


Residence and Portrait of IIon. William II. Baker


" 292


. Biography of Hon. W. II. Baker 292


Portraits of Rov. Christopher Martin and wifo faeing


293


Henry Winn and wife .


293


Portrait of Ephraim Cleveland


293


293


Biography of Christopher Martin Ilenry Winn 29


Residenec of Patrick Hopkins facing 297


Military Record . . 294


229


230


facing 234


246


. 247


255


View of Grace Church


324


Howard House .


faeing 330


Portrait and Biography of Dr. C. D. Snell


282


5


CONTENTS.


Portraits of D. J. Wilson and wifo


facing 348


Portrait of F. Laing .


348


Philip IIess


" 3-18


" George D. Wells, with biography


. 350


Biography of Thomas Laing


350


Residence of John Jamieson, with portrait


facing


351


Portrait of Charles Leigh, with biography


351


. Biography of John Jamieson 351


Rosidenee of II. and N. Leigh


facing 353


Military Rocord


351


TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN.


History of the Town of Williamstown 353


View of Lake and Mill at Kasoag .


facing 353


Residence of Edwin Comstock, with portraits 355


and Hotel of C. S. Sage, with portraits opposite 356


A. Orton and William Steele, with portraits 357


Biography of Hon. Chauncey S. Sage 356


Ashbel Orton


356


Military Record .


TOWN OF HASTINGS.


History of the Town of Hastings 358 .


Residence of William B. Parkhurst, with portraits


facing 358


D. D. Drake, M.D.


" 360


Robert Elliott


360


Leonard Snow


362


Military Record .


365


TOWN OF WEST MONROE.


History of the Town of West Monroe 367


Military Record . 369 Military Record . 408


TOWN OF BOYLSTON.


History of the Town of Boylston


. 370


Residence of William Wart, with portraits facing 370


Biography of William Wart


. 373


Military Record .


.


373


TOWN OF SANDY CREEK.


History of the Town of Sandy Creek . 374


High School Building


facing 374


Residence of William Bishop, with portraits


376


Orin R. Earl, with portrait .


378


Gilbert N. Ilarding


380


" Ilon. A. S. Warner, with portraits


382


Biography of Hon. Oren R. Earl


382


" Andrew S. Warner


382


Residence of Julia K. Robbins, with portraits


facing 383


Biography of Benjamin G. Robbins . ¥ Julius S. Robbins


383


" William Bishop


383


Residence of J. S. Robbins


facing 384


The Salisbury Honse


66


384


Portrait and Biography of Hon. Azariah Wart of J. Lyman Bulkley


384


Military Record .


. 384


TOWN OF GRANBY.


History of the Town of Granby 388


Residence of Wm. W. Palmer, with portraits


facing 388


Calvin French, with portraits


389


Farm View and Residence of Thos. R. Wright, with portraits, between 390, 391


Farm and Residence of Jasper H. Whitcomb, with portraits


(double page) .


between 392, 393


Residence of Felix M. Rice, with portraits facing 394


395


John C. Wells,


396


397


TOWN OF SCRIBA.


History of the Town of Seriba . . 412


Residenco of Geo. Fradenburgh


facing


412


¥ Russell Turner, with portrait opposite 414


Philo II. Burnham, “ 415


Portrait of Thomas Askew, with biography


416


.


Daniel Ilall (2d), facing 416


Erastus Stone . . 417


Biography of Erastus Stone


417


Portrait of Robert Simpson, with biography Geo. W. Snyder, M.D., 418


Portraits of James Church and wife, "


facing 418


=


Rev. Geo. Blossom and wife, with biography


419


Philo Burnham and wives,


420


Military Record


421


TOWN OF REDFIELD.


History of the Town of Redfield 423


Residence of James Petrie, with portrait facing 424


Biography of James Petrie · 428


Military Record .


. 428


TOWN OF PARISH.


History of the Town of Parish . 429


Portrait of Lientenant-Colonel Melzar Richards, with hiog- raphy facing 429


Residence of llon. Ilarvey Palmer, with portraits = 132


Biography of Hon. Harvey Palmor . 432


Military Record .


. 432


MISCELLANEOUS.


List of Citizens who assisted in the publication of the Ilistory of Oswego County, with personals . . 434


Outline Map of Oswego County


facing


9


View of Salmon River Falls (vignette)


facing title-page.


.


facing 308


W. B. Gaylord, with portraits 399


Portrait of Asa Phillips, with hiography . . 400


Residence of Morgan Blakeman, with portraits facing 400


Lewis II. Hutchins, 46


401


Portraits of Aaron Stranahan ond wife, with biography . . 402


Residence of Aaron Stranahan . facing 102


Wmn. H. Tompkins, with portraits . 403 Portrait of David Willcox, with biography 404 .


Residence of Milo Wilcox, with portraits . facing 404


= Dan. S. Shattuck, 405


II. II. Merriam,


406


= Mrs. Isoae Bogardus,


407


Jesse Reynolds,


opposite 408


Jackson Reynolds,


409


J. H. Langdon facing 412


396


Isaac Bogardus . 306


Jobn I. Walradt facing 397


¥ William B. Gaylord


399


Jackson Reynolds . Morgan Blakeman


400


Seth Paine .* 401


403


= Jasper II. Whitcomb


403


= Dan. S. Shattuck Calvin French


405


H. H. Merriam


406


John Palmer .


406


David Hutchins


406


Jesse Reynolds


407


PAGE


Portraits of Benjamin Wells and wife, with biography = Benj. B. Piorce 398 . 397


Residenco of I. F. Pierce, with portrait . .


.


Oliver Paine,


Mrs. M. Howell


384


William Jay Stevens


380


405


William H. Tompkins


309


Biography of John C. Wells


. 357


PAUL


383


418


.


HISTORY


OF


OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK


BY CRISFIELD JOHNSON.


CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.


Plan of the Work-Sources of Information-List of Books Examined -Acknowledgments of Aid-Closing Remarks.


THE plan of this work comprises :


First, a connected history of the events of general im- portance or interest which have occurred in the territory now comprising the county of Oswego, or in which residents of that county have been actors, from the advent of Cham- plain in 1615 down to the second year of the second century of American Independence.


Second, special and statistical matter relating to the county at large, and intended chiefly for reference.


Third, histories of the city of Oswego and of each town in the county, including notices of early settlers, and sketches of churches, lodges, and other local organizations.


Fourth, biographical sketches and personal records.


The general history is intended to follow strictly the chronological order from 1615 to 1877, confining itself to the territory of the present county and the acts of its resi- dents, referring to outside matters only so far as may be necessary to show the connection of events, telling the story not only of battles and sieges, in which this county has been extremely prolific, but of pioneer struggles and modern development, and not disdaining the use of anecdote and reminiscence to give vivacity to the picture. The other portions of the work must necessarily be arranged according to the subjects of which they treat.


That portion of the general history pertaining to the period previous to the beginning of settlement was derived entirely from books; the later portion is partly from books, but largely from personal recollections, contemporary records, newspaper articles, etc. All these sources have also been utilized in compiling the special sketches and town histories.


The books which we have consulted, and to which we desire to acknowledge our indebtedness, are the Documentary and Colonial Histories of New York, Colden's History of the Five Nations, Smith's History of New York, Morgan's


League of the Iroquois, Squier's Antiquities, Schoolcraft's Report on Indian Affairs, Stone's Life and Times of Sir William Johnson, Pouchot's Memoir of the War of 1754- 60, Lossing's Life of Schuyler, Bishop Timon's History of Missions in Western New York, Stone's Life and Times of Joseph Brant, Mrs. Grant's Memoirs of an American Lady, Bancroft's History of the United States, Cooper's Pathfinder, Clark's Onondaga, Turner's History of the Holland Pur- chase, Ketchum's History of Buffalo and the Senecas, Hough's History of Jefferson County, Hammond's Political History of New York, the New York Civil List, French's New York Gazetteer, numerous directories of Oswego, and several minor works.


Many of the volumes above named are the property of B. B. Burt, Esq., of Oswego, to whom we are indebted for their use, and whose knowledge of local history has enabled him to give us much valuable information regarding the subject of our labors. We are also especially indebted to F. W. Squiers, Esq., of North Volney, for assistance regarding early records and events after the settlement of the county. The Hon. Alvin Bronson, of Oswego, having been a resident there since 1810, having during the greater part of that time been active in commercial and political life, and having entered with form scarce bent and memory scarce dimmed upon his ninety-fifth year, has been able to furnish us much information not attainable from any other person.


We regret that it is impracticable to mention all those who have kindly enlightened us on minor points, but as they number many hundreds, scattered through every town in the county and every ward in the city, we are obliged to confine ourselves to a general expression of thanks to these numerous aiders of our enterprise.


Of the manner in which the work is executed it were idle to speak at any length here. It must stand or fall on its Dwn merits. Doubtless, between the frequent obscurity of the subject, and the numerous and often conflicting au- thorities to be consulted, occasional inaccuracies have crept in. Doubtless some things have been omitted, as worthy of attention as others which have been included ; yet we are certain there is an immense amount of information re-


2


9


10


HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.


garding Oswego County within this volume, and we trust it is so arranged and presented that our patrons and their children and their children's children will long turn to these pages to learn the story of their own and their fathers' home.


CHAPTER II.


A RAID IN 1615.


Champlain in Oswego County-His previous Action-Attack on the Onondagas-Champlain Wounded-The Retreat.


HUNDREDS upon hundreds of almost naked savages, painted and plumed for war, gliding with stealthy step amid the tangled vines and beneath the autumn-tinted leaves of an American forest, armed with the bows and arrows, the war-clubs and the stone tomahawks, which had been the weapons of their ancestors from immemorial time, in whose midst marched a band of ten Europeans, equipped with arquebuse, and pistol, and cutlass, led by one wbose mien betokened the habit of command and whose eye flashed with the fire of his adventurous spirit,-such was the scene to be witnessed in the early days of October, 1615, in the central portion of the territory now composing the county of Oswego.


Doubtless the same ground had previously seen many an Indian war-party on its errand of slaughter, but never before had it been pressed by the foot of the Caucasian. Samuel Champlain was then leading through Oswego County the first white men who ever visited any part of the Empire State west of the immediate vicinity of Hudson river. The period of his advent here was only a hundred and twenty-three years after the discovery of America by Columbus, eighty-one years after Cartier had sailed up the St. Lawrence to Montreal, making some fruitless efforts at colonization, twelve years after Champlain himself had founded the colony of Canada, nine years after Henry Iludson had discovered the noble river which bears his name, and five years before the Pilgrim Fathers landed on Plymouth rock. .


From his first arrival in America, Champlain, eager to ingratiate himself with his neighbors, the Hurons, had aided them in their wars against their most dreaded focs, the far-famed Iroquois. Six years previous to the time in question he had led a band of the northern Indians along the shore of the lake which has received his name, and had engaged in battle with the Five Nations on the outskirts of their territory, thus arousing their deadly enmity-trans- mitted through many generations-against all the inhabit- ants of New France.


At length he and his Huron allies had determined to strike at the very centre of the great confederacy. With ten trusty companions he had sought the principal villages of the Ilurons, situated on the lake of the same name. There he had been promised that twenty-five hundred war- riors should assemble to attack the Iroquois. What number actually congregated at the rendezvous is unknown, but it was undoubtedly large for an Indian war-party, and with


the aid of the terrible fire-arms of the white men they hoped to gain an easy victory over their dreaded and de- tested rivals. From the Huron country the whole party had made a portage with their canoes to the head-waters of the river Trent, had passed down its tortuous channel and through the bay of Quinté to Lake Ontario (never before seen by a white man), had crossed that beautiful inland sea, and had landed somewhere on its eastern shore.


At what precise point they disembarked cannot be ascer- tained from the meagre account which Champlain has left. Most authorities have located it at or near the mouth of Stony creek, in Jefferson county ; but one or two have be- lieved that Sandy Creek bay, Oswego county, more nearly accords with the facts stated by Champlain. At all events, as soon as they landed, the Indians carefully concealed their canoes, and set out in the direction of the enemy. For four French leagues (about ten miles) they marched along a sandy beach beside a beautiful country adorned with prairies and small lakes, crossed by numcrous streams and by what Champlain calls two small rivers, which, if Sandy Creek bay was the landing-place, must have been Salmon river and Salmon creck.


Then the whole body struck boldly into the forest to seek the home of their foes. There is no reasonable doubt but that their object was to attack the main village of the Onondagas, situated on or near Onondaga lake. Other tribes and other localities have been suggested, but none that so well satisfies the description of Champlain. For three or four days the Huron warriors and their French companions pursued their devious and tedious way, guided only by the general knowledge which the former possessed of the location of their enemies. It was not until the fourth day after leaving their canoes, being the 9th of October, that they crossed Oneida river, at or near the site of Fort Brewerton, catching a glimpse of the beautiful Oneida lake, where Champlain, even in his hurried passage, noted the immense number of fish which inhabited the stream, making it the favorite fishing-place of the Onon- dagas.


Thenceforth their course was outside the present bounds of the county of Oswego, and it is not our purpose to give a minute description of events which have happened beyond those bounds, unless residents of the county were the chief actors in them. Barely enough will be related regarding such matters to show the connection in the chain of events. Suffice it to say, then, that Champlain's expedition was entirely unsuccessful. He arrived before the enemy's prin- cipal village on the 10th of October, and found it so well defended by four rows of interlaced palisades that, notwith- standing the number of his followers, notwithstanding the fire-arms of the Frenchmen and his own gallant leadership, he could not induce his undisciplined Hurons to make the persistent efforts necessary to success. After a spirited but irregular assault, in which Champlain himself was twice severely wounded and many of his warriors were also in- jured by the arrows of the Onondagas, and after vainly waiting several days for a friendly tribe which was expected from the south, the IIurons, in spite of their leader's re- monstrances, on the 16th of October turned their steps towards home. The Onondagas pursued them a short


11


HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.


distance, but were soon driven back by the French arque- busiers.


But little over a week after the long cortege swept through the forests of Oswego County, full of savage pride and war- like hope, it came hastening back defeated and forlorn, each wounded warrior being borne on the back of one of his fellows, in a rude wieker-basket. Champlain himself was thus carried, suffering severely from his wound, and still more so from the cramped condition to which he was confined by his basket ambulance. As soon as he could possibly bear his weight, he preferred to hobble with halting steps over the hills than to remain pent up in the basket, which he describes as a perfect hell.




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