USA > New York > Jefferson County > A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York, from the earliest period to the present time > Part 50
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On the night of the 20th of September, an expedition was despatched from Sackets Harbor, which is thus described by General Brown, in a letter to the governor.
" At a time when my force was the lightest, and a very considerable alarm prevailed for the safety of that port, I fitted out a secret expedition, under the command of that excellent officer, Captain Forsyth, against Gananoqui, a small British post, twenty miles below Kingston, with the view of capturing some of the enemy's ammunition, of which we were and are greatly in want, and of alarming them as much as possible for their own safety. My order was executed by Captain Forsyth, as became an officer and a soldier, and Captain McNitt and Lieutenant Brown, and Ensigns Hawkins and Johnson, of the militia, who volunteered on the expedition, are reported to me, by Captain Forsyth, as deserving the highest praise for their cool, intrepid valor and good conduct. There was not a man, but did his duty. Captain Forsyth landed in open day, two miles above the village ; his whole force amounting to ninety-five. At three quarters of a mile he met two horsemen, one of whom was probably shot, the other fled to the village, where Captain Forsyth found on his arri- val the enemy drawn up in order of battle, 110 strong, and upon his ap- proach they commenced a heavy fire upon him, but over. He rushed imme- diately on, without firing, until within 100 yards, when his party made a
* Afterwards the Conquest. t
66 Growler.
41 Pert.
ยง Afterwards the Scourge.
Gov. Tompkins.
Hamilton.
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few deliberate shots, then rushed on, and broke the enemy, drove them across a bridge, which, for his better security, Captain Forsyth broke up. HIe had one man killed and one wounded. The loss of the enemy, in killed, Captain Forsyth has declined stating, but from the best inform- ation I can collect from the party, it was from ten to fifteen. Twelve prisoners were taken, 3000 ball cartridges, and 41 muskets. There were in the King's store about 150 barrels of provisions, and as there were no boats to bring it away, it was consumed by fire, together with the store. Private property was held sacred. To the soldiers on this expediton, I have presented the public property taken, as a reward for their valor and good conduct. I wish your Excellency to approbate or disapprobate this my donation to these brave men. Your Excellency must bear in mind, that with my very little brigade, or at best a part of that at Oswego, I have been put upon the defence of this northern frontier, from St. Regis to near Oswego. The men that I have the honor to command, have done and suffered much for militia; their clothes generally were in tatters, and they are poor men. They can not clothe themselves in this region for $6.66, per month, and it is not in human nature that these men can endure a winter campaign in this climate thus clad. I can not believe that these men would leave me; it would grieve me if they should; but it is a stain upon our national character, that the citizen soldier of this country should be worse paid and provided for, than any other class among us." * *
On the 21st of September, Brig. Gen. Richard Dodge arrived at Watertown, with a detachment of militia from the Mohawk country, and issued orders for Gen. Brown to march to Ogdens- burgh with the detached militia under his command, and take charge of that fort. This was the first intelligence he had re- ceived that he was to be superseded at Sackets Harbor, and he felt extremely grieved at this movement, which the customs of the service and priority of commissions indicated.
He did not, however, allow his personal feelings to conflict with duty, but proceeded to comply with the order, though in a manner different from that directed. As the roads were then nearly impassable, and the journey would have been tedious and expensive, he chose the route of the river, and arrived at Og- densburgh without accident, on the 1st of October. On the 2d the enemy cannonaded the town, and on the 4th made an unsuc- cessful attack,* in which they were repulsed with considerable loss. His presence and the efficient exertions of his troops at that time saved the town from capture. A part of Capt. For- syth's company accompanied Gen. Brown, the remainder being detained by Gen. Dodge at Sackets Harbor. Early in October, Gov. Tompkins visited Sackets Harbor, to take efficient mea- sures for its defense, and on the 6th, Com. Isaac Chauncey, hav- ing been appointed commander of the naval forces of the United States on the lakes, arrived. The vessels on the lake were im- mediately bought and fitted with armaments, and ship-building
* History of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, p. 625. See also this volume, page 424.
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on an extensive scale was commenced under the direction of Henry Eckford. The enemy had at this time a naval force of 105 guns, and 890 men. At the request of the governor, Gen. Dodge detached to the aid of Gen. Brown, about the 12th of October, the residue of Capt. Forsyth's company, and the artillery companies of Captains Brown, King and Foot, in all 160 men, with a supply of munitions, among which were two brass nines, one iron four, two chests of ammunition, 250 121b. balls, 300 9 lb. do., 200 6 lb. do., 60 muskets, and 145 lbs. of powder.
Com. Chauncey first appeared on the lake, on the 8th of No- vember, with his broad penant on the Oneida, 16, Lt. Woolsey, and having in company the Conquest, Lt. Elliot; Hamilton, Lt. McPherson; Gov. Tompkins, Lt. Brown; Pert, Mr. Arundel; Julia, Mr. Trant, and Growler, Mr. Mix, the three last persons being sailing masters. These vessels together mounted 40 guns, of different calibres, and numbered 430 men, including marines. The object of the expedition was to intercept the enemy's vessels on their return from Fort George, whither they had gone with troops to reinforce that post, and from which they were daily expected to return to Kingston. The reputed force of the ene- my's fleet was as follows:
The ship Royal George, 26 guns, 260 men; ship Earl of Mo- ira, 18 guns, 200 men; schooners Prince Regent, 18 guns, 150 men; Duke of Gloucester, 14 guns, 80 men; Simcoe, 12 guns, 76 men, and Seneca, 4 guns and 40 men.
Having taken a station near the False Ducks, he fell in with the Royal George, 26 guns, and chased her into the bay of Quin- te, where she was lost in the night. On the morning of the 10th, he took a small schooner, which he burnt, having got sight of the Royal George which he followed into Kingston harbor, and engaged her and the batteries an hour and forty-five minutes, but finding these stronger than anticipated, night coming on and a gale of wind blowing in, he stood off and anchored. In the morning the wind continued so strong in shore that he thought it impru- dent to hazard an attack, and beat out, and soon after fell in with the Simcoe, and chased her over a reef of rocks, but so disabled her with shot, that she sank before getting along side of the dock.
On the morning of the 10th, he took a large schooner from Niagara bound in, and the next morning sent down the prize under convoy of the Growler, past Kingston, to induce the ship to follow, but without success. The night of the 11th was boisterous; on the 13th was a severe snow storm, and on the 13th it continued to snow fast, but little wind. The remainder of this cruise we give in the language of Com. Chauncey, in a let- ter to the governor:
30
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" The Growler sent the prize in, and stood in for the Ducks, where he had orders to join me. Near the Ducks, he fell in with the Earl of Moira, convoying the sloop Elizabeth from York to Kingston. Sailing Master Mix, who commanded the Growler, run down in a very gallant manner and took possession of the Elizabeth within two miles of the ship, and brought her in. I immediately weighed and stood for Kingston in hopes to cut her off, but the elements were against me again, for I scarcely had left the harbor before it blew a gale of wind, and snowed so thick that we frequently could not see a mile. We, however, persevered to the great danger of the vessels and lives of the crews. On the 14th we got sight of the Earl of Moira, entering Kingston harbor, but it blowing a gale of wind, we concluded not to follow, and after beating about almost all that day, I made the signal for all the squadron to bear for this place, where we arrived on the same evening. During these two short cruises we captured three vessels, two have arrived, one we burnt, a fourth was so injured that she sunk, and we learn from one who came in the flags yesterday, that the Royal George was so much injured that she had to haul on shore to keep from sinking, hav- ing received several shots between wind and water, several guns disabled, and a number of persons killed or wounded, besides con- siderable injury (though not intentional) to the town. Amongst the prisoners is Capt. Brock of the 29th regiment, and a relative of the late Gen. Brock, who was returning from York with part of the baggage of his deceased friend. Our loss was trifling; one man killed and four wounded, two of the latter by the burst- ing of a gun on board of the Pert, the commander of which vessel, Mr. Arundell, was knocked overboard and drowned. The damage done to the rigging and sails not much, and a few shot in the hulls of one of the vessels, but the injury from which was soon repaired. The Gov. Tompkins, Hamilton, Conquest, and Growler, are now blockading the vessels in Kingston. I am taking on board guns and stores for Niagara, for which place I shall sail the first wind, in company with the Julia, Pert, Fair American, Ontario and Scourge, and I am in great hopes that I shall fall in with the Prince Regent, or some of the royal family which are cruising about York. Had we been one month sooner we could have taken every town on this lake in three weeks, but the season is now so tempestuous that I am apprehensive we can not do much more this winter. I am, however, ready to co- operate with the army, and our officers and men are anxious to be engaged."
This brilliant maneuver conferred great credit upon those en- gaged, and called public attention to the operations on this fron- tier, as likely to afford a theatre for deeds of valor, that would
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confer honor upon the American name. The spirited engagement in Kingston harbor has been compared, by Cooper, to the assault upon Tripoli, in our previous war with the Barbary States, to which it was not in the least inferior, due allowance being made for the comparative force employed. The fact of the Royal George, which was by much the largest vessel that had then been built on our inland waters, retiring before the Oneida, has been ascribed* to her not being properly officered. The British had not then made their drafts upon the royal navy for the service of the lakes.
A singularly romantic incident, remarkable in its coinciden- ces, and verifying the proverb that truth is stranger than fic- tion, was related to the author, by onet who was intimately acquainted with the facts, and whose reputation for veracity and correctness, is above suspicion. His memory appears strong and unclouded, and a life time spent in the naval service, has afforded unusual facilities for becoming acquainted with the lights and shades that checker the life of the mariner.
Tom Garnet was the son of an English farmer, living about forty miles from Liverpool, who conducted a large farm with much success, and had acquired more of the conveniences and luxuries of life than the average of that class in England. As his family became of age, they were comfortably provided with the means of starting in life, with the same advantages they en- joyed at home, and which an early, careful and correct educa- tion had instructed them to employ with the greatest advantage. Tom had arrived at manhood, and, in the natural course of hu- man events, had felt and acknowledged the truth, that it is not well for man to live alone; in short, he chose a partner with whom to travel the journey of life, to afford mutual assistance, in lightening the burdens, and sharing the pleasures of the pilgrim- age. The ceremony being completed, he was sent by his father to Liverpool, with an ox cart laden with wheat, to exchange for household furniture, and articles necessary for an outfit, and, doubtless, on the way, his fancy pictured the pleasant surprise that on his return he would occasion, by the present to his bride of some unexpected trifle, some token of affection, and evidence that her memory had not been absent from him.
He had been but a short time in town, when he was rudely seized by a press gang, and despite of his entreaties and resist- ance, was taken on board a frigate about to sail for the East
* Naval History of the United States, by J. Fennimore Cooper, ii, 333.
t Captain Augustus Ford, of Sackets Harbor. He was born in 1772, and in his boyhood served in the continental frigate Washington, and afterwards in several privateers. In 1793, he first came to Oswego, and from 1796 down to a late period, has been connected with the navigation of this lake. He was commissioned as sailing master, March 28, 1810, and served under Woolsey.
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Indies, his cart and oxen remaining in the streets, and himself unable to send a single word home, to relieve the dreadful anxi- ety that his protracted absence would occasion.
During seven long weary years he was detained abroad, with- out exchanging one letter with home, or knowing whether those most dear were dead or living; when, at length, sun-burnt by tropical heat, and, by hard service, so worn and haggard as scarcely to be recognized, he was landed at Liverpool, and paid his hard-earned wages, which he had carefully saved by avoid- ing all those vices that sailors too frequently acquire; and, with a light heart, set his face homeward, wondering what the changes of seven years might have wrought in his home. On the approach of night, fearing to call at an inn, lest his dress and appearance should excite suspicion that he was a de- serter from the navy, he crept into a nook, under a stack of straw, and spent the night. In the morning, there being a dense fog, and not knowing the course he was going, he fell into the midst of another press gang, who, in spite of entreaties, again carried him to the fleet, and he was soon under way to the coast of South America. After several years, finding an opportunity, he reached the shore, and fled; crossed the Andes, and, at length, reaching another port, and finding no other opportunity of leaving, he enlisted in an American ship of war for a few months, and soon after sailed for the United States. His crew were soon detailed for service on lake Ontario, and he arrived at Sackets Harbor, in the fall of 1812, and became one of the crew of the Oneida, un- der Woolsey. Here our informant became acquainted with him, it having been twenty years since he was first abducted, during which time not one word had been received from home. He was of a kind, cheerful, and obliging disposition; was strictly temperate, used no profane language, and was made captain of the forecastle, from the entire confidence that was placed in his capacity and fidelity. In short, Tom Garnet was the universal favorite of the brig, and both officers and men became strongly attached to him for his kindness of heart, intelligence, and moral worth.
On the morning before the fleet of Chauncey sailed to meet the enemy near Kingston, Tom related to his comrades a dream he had the night before, in which he thought his wife appeared to him, as a disembodied spirit, in heaven, with a son, whom he had never seen, and told him that he would soon join them. His story was treated with levity; but the calm and serious earnest- ness with which he related it, and the evident conviction he felt of its reality, checked that hilarity that might otherwise have attended the announcement that he was to be the first man killed on board the fleet. He proceeded to divide his wardrobe among
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his companions, and gave instructions about the the little pro- perty he possessed, as would one to whom death was a certain doom; yet his cheerfulness and alacrity was unabated, and, al- though he evidently believed in the presentiment he expressed, he seemed to be exhilarated with the welcome prospect of meeting the long-lost and dear partner of early hopes blasted, the object on which his memories had centered, and the only one for whom he had desired to live. Chauncey's fleet sailed, and engaged the enemy's batteries in the harbor of Kingston, as above related; the first shot from which was a nine pound ball that crossed the deck of the Oneida, and passed through the body of Tom Garnet, at his post. He fell instantly dead, with the same smile upon his countenance that habit had impressed. This singular coin- cidence, and verification of presentiment, is so well attested by authentic witnesses that it merits the attention of the curious.
On the 26th of November, the ship Madison was launched at Sackets Harbor, having been built in forty-five days. Fort Tomp- kins had been built during the summer previous, and stood on the plain fronting the bay, near the present ship-house. Temporary barracks had also been fitted up, under the directions of Major Darby Noon. Late in November, the fleet attempted to gain the head of the lake, but was driven back in a gale, the Growl- er was dismasted, and the fleet greatly endangered by the ice. Early in December, the navigation closed for the season, and the winter was spent on both sides of the lake in active prepa- rations for the ensuing campaign. " In the course of the autumn, the Americans had increased their force to eleven sail, ten of which were the small schooners bought from the merchants, and fitted with gun-boat armaments, without quarters. In addition to the vessels already named, were the Ontario, Scourge, Fair American, and Asp. Neither of the ten were fit to cruise, and an ordinary eighteen-gun brig ought to have been able to cope with them all, in a good working breeze, in close quarters. At long shot, however, and in smooth water, they were not without a certain efficiency. As was proved in the end, in attacking bat- teries and in covering descents, they were even found to be ex- ceedingly serviceable."-Cooper's Naval History.
In the cabinet at Washington, a plan of operations against Canada in the ensuing season, began to be discussed early in February, and an attack upon Kingston was to make an early and prominent part of these movements. The general outline of the campaign was communicated to General Dearborn, the com- mander-in-chief, on the 10th of February, which directed 4,000 troops to be assembled at Sackets Harbor, and 3,000 at Buffalo. The former of these was to be landed at Kingston, and after secur- ing that place and the shipping to proceed to York, with the view
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of seizing the stores there collected, and the two frigates said to be there building. Towards the close of the month, General Brown received orders to call out several hundred militia, and Colonel Pike, then stationed on Lake Champlain, was directed to proceed, with four hundred of his command, in sleighs, by the nearest and best route, to Sackets Harbor. Captain Forsyth, having been driven out of Ogdensburgh on the 22d of February, soon after joined the forces at the harbor. Had Chauncey ar- rived in season, an attack upon Kingston, by crossing on the ice, would have been attempted; but he was detained several weeks in New York, and his presence was deemed necessary in this enterprise.
General Dearborn arrived about the first of March, where he was informed that Sir George Prevost, having adjourned the provincial parliament, and arrived in Kingston, was making active preparations for offensive measures; that a force had been collected from Quebec, Montreal and Upper Canada, of from six to eight thousand men, and that an attack from Kingston might be shortly expected. An express was sent to hasten on the troops destined for the place, and the militia were hastily assem- bled to repel any attack that might be made. The force of every description, at Sackets Harbor on the 3d of March, was about 3,000 men. On the 9th, General Dearborn thus wrote to the secretary of war:
SIR: "I have not yet had the honor of a visit from Sir G. Prevost. His whole force is concentrated at Kingston, probably amounting to six or seven thousand, about three thousand of whom are regular troops. The ice is good and we expect him every day, and every measure for preventing a surprise is in constant activity. The troops from Green- bush (upwards of 400) have arrived. I have heard nothing from Pike; he should have been here yesterday. I have sent three expresses to meet him; neither has returned. I have suspicions of the express em- ployed by the quarter master general to convey the orders to Pike, The earliest measures were taken to convey a duplicate of his orders. I hope to hear from him to day. His arrival with 800 good troops would be very important at this time. The enemy are apprized of his movement.
I begin to entertain some doubts whether Sir George will venture to attack us; but shall not relax in being prepared to give him a decent reception. I should feel easier if Pike should arrive in season. I am in want of officers of experience. My whole force, exclusive of seamen and marines, who will be confined to the vessels, and have no share in the action, until my force shall be worsted, amounts to nearly 3,000, exclusive of 450 militia, at Brownville, and on the road, leading from Kingston by land. Within two or three days I may have 300 more militia, from Rome and Utica.
The ice will not probably be passable more than from six to ten days longer; it is not usually passable after the 15th of March. This unexpected movement of the enemy will effectually oppose the movements on our part, and I shall not deem it advisable to order Chandler to move at pre- sent. As soon as the fall of this place shall be decided, we shall be able to
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determine on other measures. If we hold this place, we will command the lake, and be able to act in concert with the troops at Niagara, while Chandler's brigade, with such other troops as may assemble in Vermont, may induce a return of a considerable part of those troops that have left Lower Canada.
When I ordered Pike to move, I directed General Chandler to have the provision at Plattsburgh moved to Burlington. There was a small proportion of our magazines at Plattsburgh; they are principally at Bur- lington and Whitehall."
By the 14th, the apprehensions of attack had nearly subsided, and General Dearborn again wrote :
"From the most recent and probable information I have obtained, I am induced to believe that Sir George Prevost thinks it is too late to attack this place. He undoubtedly meditated a coup-de-main against the shipping here. All the apprehension is now at Kingston. Sir George has visited York and Niagara, and returned to Montreal. Several bodies of troops have passed up from Montreal; but such precautions have been taken to prevent their number being ascertained, as to render it impos- sible to form any accurate opinion of their forces, or even to imagine very nearly what they amount to. From various sources I am perfectly satisfied, that they are not in sufficient force to attack this place, knowing, as they do, that we have collected a fine body of troops from Greenbush and Plattsburgh, and that the militia have been called in.
We are probably just strong enough on each side to defend, but not in sufficient force to hazard an offensive movement. The difference of attacking and being attacked, as it regards the contiguous posts of Kings- ton and Sackets Harbor, can not be estimated at less than three or four thousand men, arising from the circumstance of militia acting only on the defensive. I have ordered General Chandler with the 9th, 21st and 25th regiments to march for this place; Clark's regiment, and a company of artillery to be left at Burlington, for the present, where the regiment will be filled in a few weeks. I have ordered the recruits for the three regiments that will march for this place, to be sent to Greenbush, and Colonel Larned is ordered there to receive them with Backus' dis- mounted dragoons, and other detachments from Pittsfield.
On the 15th of March, a council of war was held, composed of the principal officers on the station, and the attack upon King- ston was formally abandoned until the cooperation of the fleet could be secured. The naval preparations necessary for the ac- complishment of these plans were actively prosecuted under the direction of Mr. Eckford, the president having, on the 3d of March, directed six sloops of war to be built on the lakes, and as many to be bought as might be needed for the service, and the sum of $900,000 was appropriated for this object. Se- veral ships on the ocean were laid up in our Atlantic ports, and their crews transferred to the lakes; the pay of seamen was ad- vanced twenty-five per cent, and the chief energies of the nation appeared to be directed to this frontier, as the probable theatre of momentous events in the coming campaign. On the 14th of April, the enemy launched two large vessels, and their naval forces received large accessions from the British fleet.
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