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 53
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The two divisions of the detachment were most ably commanded by Col. Young of the King's, and Major Drummond of the 104th regiment.
Commodore Sir James Yeo conducted the brigades of boats to the attack, and accompanying the troops on their advance, directed the op- eration of the gun-boats. The enemy had a few days before received strong reinforcements of troops, by the report of the prisoners, and a
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corps of five hundred men arrived the night preceding the attack; and from every source of information, his force must have been quadruple in numbers to the detachments taken from the garrison of Kingston.
Capt. Gray, acting deputy quartermaster general, was killed close to the enemy's block-house. In him the army have lost an active and in- telligent officer. Returns of killed and wounded have not been received from the corps.
By his excellency's command.
EDWARD BAYNES, Adjutant General.
The fleet have returned this morning, and landed the troops, with four American officers, and about 150 soldiers, prisoners of war.
By letters which have been seen, we learn that no more than 750 men of British troops were engaged in the attack, of whom 150 were killed or wounded. Captain Gray, of the quartermaster general's department, Captain Blackmore, and Ensign Gregg, of the King's, were killed.
Major Evans, Captain Tyeth, and Lieutenant Nutall, of the same re- giment, Majors Drummond and Moodie, and Captains Snore and Leonard, of the 104th regiment, and Captain McPherson, of the Glengary light infantry, are among the wounded."
Two days before the battle of Sackets Harbor, occurred the capture of Fort George; and on the 1st of June, Commodore Chauncey returned to Sackets Harbor, where he remained two months, until the Pike was ready to sail, the enemy meanwhile lording it over the lake, with a much superior naval force. This consisted of the Wolfe, commanded by Commodore Yeo, having a crew of 300 picked men from the Kent 74, and an armament of 36, thirty-two pound carronades, ship Royal George, of 22, 32's, the Earl of Moira 12, and seven schooners. Several frames of vessels, and large quantities of naval stores were forwarded up the St. Lawrence to Kingston. The Pike was launched June 12, and at the middle of July was ready for sea.
On the 14th of June, Lieutenant Wolcott Chauncey received orders from Commodore Chauncey to proceed on a cruise, and having reached the vicinity of Presque Isle, in the schooner Lady of the Lake, on the morning of the 16th fell in with and captured the English schooner Lady Murray, from Kingston bound for York, and laden with provisions, powder, shot and fixed ammunitions. One ensign, fifteen privates, belonging to the 41st and 104th regiments, were taken. The prize was taken into Sackets Harbor.
On the 2d of July, a secret expedition was fitted out from Kingston, with the design of firing the Pike, and the naval stores at Sackets Harbor in the night. On arriving at the isth- mus of Point Peninsula they drew their boats out, and concealed them in the bushes till circumstances might favor them, but a deserter from their number having escaped to Sackets Harbor, they returned back. Upon receiving intelligence of this, a force was sent to intercept the detachment, but without success.
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On the 2d of July, Major General Morgan Lewis arrived at Sackets Harbor, and took the command. On the 8th, General Dearborn, whose health had been impaired, was succeeded by Major General James Wilkinson, the present command remain- ing with Gen. Lewis. The 9th military district after this change embraced New York north of the Highlands, and Vermont.
Wilkinson was assisted by Generals Morgan Lewis, John P. Boyd, Jacob Brown, and Leonard Covington .*
On the 14th of July, 1813, the Neptune and Fox, the former a private armed boat, under Captain Samuel Dixon, mounted with one six pounder, and one swivel, and manned by twenty-four volunteers; and the latter a public armed boat, under Captain Dimock, with a detachment of twenty-one men from the 21st regiment of infantry, under Lieutenants Burbank and Perry, sailed from Sackets Harbor with Letters of Marque from the de- puty collector of the district, for a cruise on the St. Lawrence. This privateering expedition was fitted out by M. W. Gilbert, and others, and had for its object the cutting off of a detachment of the enemy's boats, that were expected up the river laden with stores. After touching at Cape Vincent, and French Creek, they selected, on the morning of the 17th, a quiet nook, in a creek, among the Thousand Islands, where they landed for muster and review; and the morning being delightfully pleasant, they employed themselves in drying, and putting in complete order their arms and ammunition, and cleaning out their boats, while a small boat of each, was sent out for intelligence, which returned without gaining any news. At 9 P. M. they hauled from the shore, manned a guard boat to prevent surprise, and sent Lieu- tenant Hawkins to Ogdensburgh for intelligence; and at 5 P. M., the next day, Messrs. Baldwin and Campbell arrived with news. At 9 they left Cranberry Creek, and at 4 A. M. of the 18th saw a brigade of British bateaux, convoyed by his majesty's gun boat, the Spitfire, lying at Simmond's Landing, preparing to sail for Kingston. Upon this, they pushed in for shore, and so completely surprised them, that very few of the enemy escaped. The fifteen bateaux and the gun boat were at once seized, with- out a shot being fired on either side. Previous to the attack, Lieutenant Perry, of the 9th, and Sergeant James, of Forsyth's company, with 27 volunteers, were landed to cut off retreat. At 9 A. M. the fleet landed in Cranbery Creek in Alexandria, and at 11, sixty-nine prisoners were sent off to the harbor, under guard of 15 men, of the 21st, in charge of Lieutenant Burbank. The Spitfire was armed with a 12 pound carronade and fourteen men, with a large quantity of military stores. The bateaux had 270 barrels of pork, and 270 bags of pilot bread, which
* American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i, p. 384.
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was landed on the 20th to prevent spoiling, and a request to the neighboring inhabitants for assistance was sent out, which brought in a few militia, who, however, mostly left the same night. At sun-rise on the 21st, the enemy, to the number of 250, with four gun boats and one or two transports, were dis- covered in the creek; these were met by thirty men, and attacked while landing; twenty more being stationed in different places to prevent their approach. A cannonade commenced, and was kept up some time; two of the enemy's boats were so injured from our fire, that most of their crews were compelled to leave them, and to cut flags from the shore to stop the shot holes. At 6 A. M. the enemy retired to their boats, and sent a flag with the demand of surrender to save the effusion of blood, which was instantly re- jected, and the firing recommenced. It appeared that this was but an expedient to gain time, as the enemy hastily retreated, carrying their dead and wounded. Their loss must have been considerable, from the quantity of blood seen where they em- barked. Our loss was three killed and wounded. After the action, trees were felled across the road and creek to prevent a new attack; and on the afternoon of the next day, reinforcements arrived, the boats which had been scuttled were repaired, and on the 23d they left for Sackets Harbor, where they arrived on the 27th. While passing Tibbet's Point they encountered the Earl of Moira, were pursued and hit several times by her shot, but not captured. The gun boat and several bateaux were sunk without consulting Captains Dimick or Dixon, and the owners ultimately lost most that was gained by the expedition.
The foregoing is derived from the journal of the expedition, kept by one of the officers. The following account of the affair of Cranberry Creek (sometimes called Goose Bay), is from Christie's History of the War, a British work:
"To intercept the convoy of bateaux with provisions from that port to Kingston, the Americans had sent several cruisers and privateers from Sackets Harbor to the vicinity of Prescott, and among the Thousand Islands. On the 20th of July the ene- my had succeeded in surpsising and capturing at daybreak, a brigade of bateaux loaded with provisions, under a convoy of a gun-boat, with which they retired several miles up Goose Creek on the south of the St. Lawrence below Gananoque. Three gun boats under the command of Lieutenant Scott of the royal navy, were dispatched from Kingston, with a detachment of the 100th regiment, under Captain Martin, with a view of intercepting them on their return to Sackets Harbor. They proceeded to the lower end of Long Island, where having ascertained the retreat of the enemy, they immediately pushed for that place, but before they came in sight of the American vessels, the evening was too
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far advanced to make an attack with any prospect of success; it was therefore determined to defer the attack until the next morning.
Another gun-boat arriving in the course of the evening with a detachment of the 41st regiment, under Major Frend, that offi- cer assumed the command, and at three o'clock the next morn- ing, proceeded up the creek, with the gun-boats, in hopes of gaining the enemy's position at the dawn of day. They pro- ceeded until the channel became so narrow that the gun-boats could neither use their oars or turn, so as to bring their guns to bear upon the banks, and it was discovered that the enemy had taken precautions to obstruct their further progress, by falling large trees across the creek. In endeavoring to remove these impediments, they were fired upon by the American vessels, and from the gun that they had landed upon the left bank, supported
. with musketry from the surrounding woods. A few of the sol- diers who had landed on the right bank, having re-embarked in the sternmost boats, leaped into the stream and, carrying their muskets on their heads, succeeded, after wading through the wa- ter and swampy soil contiguous thereto, in effecting a landing on the left bank, and led on by Lieutenant Fawcet of the 100th regiment drove the enemy in gallant style, who retreated with precipitation to their log intrenchment. This spirited advance saved the gun-boats, the foremost of which (the only one which bore upon the enemy) exposed to a galling fire had been disa- bled. Major Frend finding the enemy strongly posted and from the impracticability of bringing the other gun-boats into action that a further perseverence must be attended with a greater sac- rifice of lives than the nature of the enterprise seemed to justify, re-embarked the troops, and retired from the unequal contest.
In this affair, Captain Milnes, aid-de-camp to the commander of the forces, was mortally wounded. This gallant young officer had accidentally met Major Frend in pursuit of the enemy, and impelled by a thirst of honor, had volunteered his services to assist in accomplishing his purpose.
The Pike having been equipped, thus giving our fleet an equal strength with the enemy, Chauncey sailed, and arrived at Niagara, July 27th. The British fleet was then in this quarter of the lake. On the 7th of August the fleet had attempted to come to action without success, and the next night was overtaken by a gale, in which the schooners Hamilton and Scourge were overturned and sunk, and every soul on board except sixteen perished. Lieutenant Winter and Sailing-Master Osgood were lost, together with nineteen guns, by this disaster.
On the following days a considerable maneuvering occurred, without coming to decisive action; and on the 9th the schooners
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Julia and Growler were cut out of our fleet by the enemy. Chauncey returned to Sackets Harbor on the 13th, with the Madison, Oneida, Governor Tompkins, Conquest, Ontario, Pert, and Lady of the Lake, the Asp and Fair American being left at Niagara.
The Sylph, pierced for 24 guns but carrying 20, and schooner- rigged, was built and ready for service in thirty-three days from the time her timber was growing. She accompanied the com- modore's fleet in a cruise, which commenced August 21. A fine brig was then nearly ready for the lake. The fleet near Niagara again encountered the enemy on the 7th of September, and on the 9th a running fight ensued, which lasted several days, in which the British sustained some injury in men and vessels, but no American was hurt.
A direct tax of $3,000,000 was laid by Congress, in August, 1813, to sustain the war, of which Jefferson County paid $4,610; Lewis $1,960, and St. Lawrence $3,000. General Wilkinson arrived August 20th at Sackets Harbor.
During the summer, a plan of operations upon this lake was discussed in the cabinet, the details and correspondence upon which are too voluminous for insertion. It was decided that Major General Wade Hampton, who was assembling a force at Burlington, should hold himself in readiness to make a diversion in the direction of Montreal, or to hazard an attack, if circum- stances favored, while a powerful armament should be fitted out at Sackets Harbor; that after strengthening Fort George and reducing the military Indian establishments on the peninsula, should fall upon Kingston, and having reduced that place, de- scend the St. Lawrence, and in concert with Hampton, make a determined attack upon Montreal. Some difference of opinion was expressed upon the first point to be assailed; and General Armstrong, the Secretary at War, in his letter of instructions dated August 3d, advised the first principal attack to be made upon Kings- ton, but left the plan and mode of attack, whether direct or indirect, to be decided by Wilkinson, as he might deem proper. In a let- ter written on the day after his arrival at Sackets Harbor, the latter expressed his confidence in the abilities and resources of Chauncey, and announced his intention of repairing to Fort George, to make arrangements for assembling the forces on that frontier, preparatory to offensive operations. He advised that Hampton should not advance, or appear west of Lake Champlain, as these movements might lead to movements on the part of the enemy, that might derange his plans. On the 26th of August, he indicated the necessity of first gaining the supremacy of the lake, and his apprehensions that the enemy would protract the campaign till a late period in the year. The garrison at Kings-
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ton had been recently reinforced, and was reputed at near five thousand strong. Sir James Yeo had sailed to the head of the lake, and the American fleet was to sail as soon as it could be fitted out.
A council of war was held at Sackets Harbor, August 26th, at which Major Generals Wilkinson and Lewis, Commodore Chauncey, and Brigadier Generals Brown and Swartwout, were present. The following is an account of their proceedings :
" Major General Wilkinson states to the council the views of the government, and the relative situation of affairs.
The conquest of the province of Upper Canada, comprise the instruction of the executive of the United States, for the service of this army, the impending campaign, and the reduction of Kingston by a direct attack, or indirect movement, embraces the primary object of these instructions.
From the best information possessed, the main force of the enemy in Upper Canada, opposed to this command, is divided between the head of Lake Ontario, Kingston and Prescott : say at the first place, two thousand regular troops, besides militia and auxiliary savages ; at Kingston, three thousand six hundred and fifty regulars, and one thousand five hundred militia, together with the naval force when in port, estimated at a thousand or twelve hundred men ; and at Prescott, eight hundred and fifty men-making a total of at least nine thousand combatants .* But this force is so far divided that not more than four thousand men can be brought to act seasonably, and with any effect, at any given point, unless we should attack Kingston, in which case, by the addition of seamen and marines, the number may be in- creased to six thousand, for the defence of the various, the exten- sive, and widely detached works of that depot.
The whole present effective force of the army of this district, may be estimated at seven thousand four hundred combatants, exclusive of the naval department ; but this may, it is expected, by the recovery of the sick, and the junction of recruits, be aug- mented to nine thousand combatants, exclusive of militia, on whom no solid reliance can be placed, by the 20th of next month. Our army at present occupies the following places, viz : at forts George and Niagara, 3,500; at Oswego, 100; at this place, 2000; and at Burlington, on Lake Champlain, 4,000. This distraction of force weakens our hands, and puts it out of our power to make any decisive stroke to break the strength and im- pair the vigor of the enemy; indeed, the division on Lake Champlain is too remote to afford us prompt succor in this quar- ter, should it become necessary; but it may operate a powerful
* This information of the force of the enemy was derived from Major Gen- eral Lewis, and other officers.
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division on the side of Montreal, where it is believed the enemy rests his defence chiefly on his organized militia. The season is wasting rapidly, and the honor and interests of the nation impe- riously demand that a deadly blow should be struck somewhere.
In the meantime, the enemy continues to reinforce his posts in this quarter, and to strengthen his position in the neighborhood of Fort George, where the commander-in-chief is now acting in person. As the success of every operation will depend on the conjunct exertions of the army and navy, it is enjoined by the executive, that a cordial co-operation and perfect understanding, should be maintained between the commanders of these depart- ments, respectively.
Having submitted this statement of facts to the consideration of the council, Major General Wilkinson requests their sentiments on the following points, viz :
1st. To wait, in our present position, a combat between the rival squadrons, for the supremacy of the lake.
2d. To assemble a sufficient force at Fort George to cut up the enemy in that quarter, then to descend to this place, call the division from Champlain, incorporate the whole, and make a di- rect attack on Kingston.
3d. To concentrate all the troops on the lake in this vicinity, order the division on Champlain to feint upon Montreal, or to carry a real attack against it, should circumstances warrant, and then with the troops assembled here, to reduce Kingston, and proceed against Montreal, should the season permit; or,
4th. To rendezvous the whole of the troops on the lake in this vicinity, and in co-operation with our squadron, to make a bold feint on Kingston, slip down the St. Lawrence, lock up the enemy in our rear to starve and surrender, or oblige him to fol- low us without artillery, baggage, or provisions, -- eventually to lay down his arms; to sweep the St. Lawrence of armed craft, and in concert with the division under Major General Hampton, to take possession of Montreal.
Upon the various propositions submitted by the commander-in- chief to the council, consisting of the general officers of the divi- sion, and Commodore Chauncey, of the navy, they are of opinion that,
1st. It is not necessary to await the result of a conflict between the hostile squadrons, as the operation of the army in the event of the adoption of either of these propositions, will not depend on a co-operation of the fleet, further than to secure the passage of the troops into the St. Lawrence.
2d. The second proposition is rejected, because the object ap- pears to be a partial one, as far as relates to the proposed opera- tion against the division in the vicinity of Fort George. The
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loss of time also would probably render it too late to carry an attack against Kingston this campaign.
3d. This proposition is also considered a partial operation, and one for which the force on this lake might possibly prove inade- quate.
4th. The fourth and last meets the approbation of the council. The object appears feasible, and, if accomplished, the upper country must fall of course; for it is incapable of subsisting the enemy's force for any length of time, and the possession of Mon- treal will certainly destroy the line of communication between the upper and lower provinces. The feint on Kingston is re- served for future consideration.
(Signed)
MORGAN LEWIS, ISAAC CHAUNCEY, ROBERT SWARTWOUT, JACOB BROWN.
A true copy from the original.
C. J. NOURSE, Captain and A. D. C.
The relative force of the two belligerants on the lake, on the 1st of September, was as follows:
American-General Pike, Captain Sinclair, 34; Madison, Captain Crane, 24; Sylph, Captain Woolsey, 20; Oneida, Lieut. Brown, 18; Duke of Gloucester, 10; Governor Tompkins, 6; Conquest, 3; Ontario, 2; Asp, 2; Fair American, 2; Pert, 2; Lady of the Lake, 2; Raven, 1. Total 126 guns.
British-General Wolfe, 32; Royal George, 22; Earl of Mo- ira, 16; Prince Regent, 14; Simcoe, 12; Seneca, 4; Hamilton (late Growler), 5; Confiance (late Julia), 3; besides several gun-boats. They were then building a 40 gun frigate, and two sloops of war at Kingston.
The secretary of war arrived on the 5th of September, at Sackets Harbor, the same day that Wilkinson reached Fort George. He was induced to take this position in order to con- sult more readily with the officers of the army, and save the de- lay that would attend the receipt and transmission of intelligence at Washington. The army at Burlington under Hampton at this time numbered 4,500 regulars and 1,000 militia, who early in the month crossed to Plattsburgh, and after making a feigned movement upon Canada, advanced westward to Chateaugay. Large bodies of militia were assembled at Brownville, and other places, and the force at Sackets Harbor amounted to 2,000 men, under General Lewis. Re-enforcements of regulars and militia, were on their march towards various points of the frontier, and the country was alive with the bustle of preparation, and the collection of munitions and men, which would seem adequate for the accomplishment of great results, but which the chief mana- .
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ger, and director, appears to have had either an incapacity, or a disinclination, to use to the greatest advantage.
Sir James Yeo appeared off Niagara, early in September, and on the 17th, Chauncey, favored with a breeze, stood out into the lake, and not meeting the enemy, ran into Sackets Harbor, whence in a few hours he again sailed for Niagara. On the 27th, having learned that the fleet of the enemy was at York, he got out of the river, and on the 28th the Pike, Madison, and Sylph, taking each a schooner in tow, sailed for York, and as he ap- proached that place, he discovered the enemy's fleet under way. Here ensued an indecisive, maneuvering and running fight, in which the Pike sustained considerable injury, and lost twenty- two of her men by the bursting of a gun, which also greatly injured the vessel. The total loss in killed and wounded, on board this vessel, including the loss by this accident, was twenty- seven. The Madison received a few shot, but no person was hurt; the Governor Tompkins lost her foremast, and theOneida had her main top mast badly injured.
About the 20th of September a proposition was made by General Peter B. Porter, Cyrenus Chapin, and Joseph McClure, in case the troops were withdrawn from Fort George, to raise a volunteer force of 1,000 to 1,200 men, to be furnished with four field pieces, arms, provisions and pay, while in the service, which offer was accepted, and about 800 regulars were to be left to garrison forts George and Niagara, under Colonel Scott. Ar- rangements having been made for leaving, the embarkation of troops commenced on the 26th, and on the 30th the flotilla of bateaux with the central army, left Fort George for Sackets Harbor, where they arrived on the 4th of October.
The troops left at Fort George, after occupying the place se- veral weeks, abandoned it, and, having burned the village of Newark, returned to the American side. This provoked the retaliation of the enemy, who surprised the garrison at Niagara, captured the fort without resistance, slaughtered a great number of its inmates, burned the villages of Black Rock and Buffalo, and laid waste the Niagara frontiers with fire and sword. This desolating invasion was without a parallel during the war, and occasioned a distress among the pioneer inhabitants, that required and received the aid of the legislature. General McClure, whose burning of Newark provoked this visit of the enemy, soon after published a vindication of his course, and stated that the act was done in pursuance of the orders of the secretary of war.
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