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 55
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The conduct of Lieutenants McIntosh, Calhoun, McFarland, Armstrong, and Smith, and of Ensign. Austin, who were under Major Appling, was especialiy commended in his official reports
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of the engagement. The dead were buried, the prisoners marched to, Sackets Harbor; measures were taken to erect sheers for unloading the heavy freight, and, at 5 r. M., Woolsey was relieved by Captain Ridgeley, whom Chauncey had sent for the purpose. The official report of Lieutenant Woolsey, acknowledges the un- remitted exertions of Lieutenant Pierce, Sailmaster Vaughan, and Midshipmen Hart, Mackey, and Canton, in the affair. The roads were then new, and almost impassable, and the labor of removing the guns, cables, and rigging, was one of no ordinary magnitude. There were, when the flotilla left Oswego, twenty-one long 32 pounders, ten 24 pounders, three 42 pounder carronades, ten cables, and a quantity of shot, and other articles. A cable and two guns had been lost in the boat that fell in with the enemy, and the prizes taken in the creek were one 24 pounder, a 68 pound car- ronade, with several smaller cannon, and a considerable amount of small arms, and ammunition. Such was the industry displayed in this labor, that on Thursday there remained nothing but one large cable, which it was found extremely difficult to load on any vehicle, as it could not be divided, and a sufficient number of teams could not be advantageously attached to it. In this dilemma, the idea was suggested of bearing it upon the shoulders of men, and the proposal was cheerfully adopted by the citizens, who had assembled to assist in these operations. They were accordingly arranged in the order of their stature, and at the word of com- mand shouldered the ponderous cable, and took up their line of march for Sackets Harbor, about 20 miles distant, being as near together as they could conveniently walk. This novel procession passed by way of Ellis Village and Smithville, and on the second day reached the Harbor. As they approached the town, the sailors came out to meet them, and with loud cheers relieved them of their burden, and marched triumphantly into the village.
On the day after the action, Sir James L. Yeo was informed by a flag that his expedition had been cut off, but he continued to blockade the passage for some time. In about ten days, the coast being clear, the boats and prizes were taken around by water to Sackets Harbor. During no time in the war was a more complete victory gained at less expense of blood than this. The enemy acknowledged their defeat in the following official order.
MONTREAL, June 7, 1814.
" It is with extreme regret, we have to acquaint the public. with the unfortunate result of a gallant enterprise by the boats of our squadron on Lake Ontario, under the command of Captains Popham and Spilsbury, of the royal navy, against a flotilla of the enemy's craft, laden with naval stores, which had got into Sandy Creek, on its way from Oswego to Sackets Harbor. On the morning of the 20th ultimo, a large boat, with two 24 pound-
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ers and a 192 inch cable for the enemy's new ship, was captured by our squadron, having sailed from Oswego the evening before with 15 [18] others. Captains Popham and Spilsbury, with two gun boats, and some smaller craft, having on board about two- hundred seamen and marines, entered the creek on. the morning of the 30th, where the enemy's flotilla were afterwards disco- vered. Parties were landed on each side of the creek and pro- ceeded, together with the boats, without opposition, to within a quarter of a mile of the enemy, when suddenly a considerable force, consisting of 150 riflemen, nearly 200 Indians, and a numerous body of militia and cavalry, attacked and soon over- powered our small party, whose gallant resistance to such num- bers proving unavailing, a surrender became indispensable to save our brave men from certain death. Our loss on the occa- sion was 19 killed and 50 wounded. Mr. Boan, master's mate of the Montreal, and Lieutenants Cox and Knight of the marines, are severely wounded. The boats also fell into the hands of the enemy."
Just previous to this event, the enemy's fleet was as follows:
Ship Prince Regent, 58 long sixty-eight and thirty-two pound- ers, Captain O'Connor, 500 men.
Ship Princess Charlotte, 42 guns, Captain Mulcaster, from 300 to 400 men.
Ship Montreal (late Wolfe), 24 guns, Captain Downie.
Niagara (late Royal George), 21 guns, Captain Popham. Brig Star (late Melville), 16 guns, Captain Cover.
Charwell (late Earl of Moira), 15 guns, Captain Dobbs. Schooner Magnet (late Sidney Smith), 12 guns. "Netty (Beresford), 10 guns, Lieutenant Owens.
Gunboats, Lais, Cleopatra, Ninon, Nelly, Regent, Thunderer, Wellington, Retaliation, Black Snake, and Dreadnought, each with one gun.
During the season, the Saint Lawrence, a frigate of 102 guns, made her appearance on the lake.
About the middle of May, reinforcements began to arrive at Sackets Harbor from the sea board. The Macedonian was laid up in the Thames, and Mr. Rodgers, her first lieutenant, with the crew, arrived from the 11th to the 21st, and Captain Elliot, on the 12th of May. Captain Trenchard reached the station on the 15th. The enemy raised the blockade June 5, and on the 11th, the Mohawk, a frigate of 44 guns, was launched at Sack- ets Harbor, having been but 34 days in building .*
* Henry Eckford, the energetic ship builder, who directed this department, acquired a large fortune in the war, but was subsequently reduced by some unfortunate stock operations. He died at Constantinople, November 12. 1832, where, for several years, he had been chief director of the dock yards in the Turkish Empire. No higher compliment to his talents could be paid, than that of the sultan, who in speaking of him said, that, America must be GREAT, if it could spare such men as Eckford.
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The crew of the Congress, 38, repairing at Portsmouth, began to arrive in the middle of June, and the British fleet received large accessions to its naval force. The care that they evinced in the selection of officers for this lake, indicates the importance they attached to its control, and the industry that both nations displayed in the fitting out of large vessels, seemed to portend a mighty struggle for its supremacy. There occurred, meanwhile, some operations on a minor scale that demand our notice. With the view of cutting off some of the detachments of boats, that were ascending the St. Lawrence with supplies, Chauncey about the middle of June, directed Lieutenant Francis H. Grego- ry to take three gigs, with their crews, and secrete himself among the Thousand Islands, to watch for some opportunity to surprise and bring off, or destroy some of these brigades of loaded boats.
This expedition consisted of Lieutenant Gregory, William Vaughan,* and Samuel Dixon, sailing masters, and eighteen men, armed with rifles, pistols and cutlasses. They saw two brigades of boats passing up but full of troops and too strong to attack, and another passing down and not worth taking. Gun-boats were found stationed about once in six miles and a system of tele- graphs erected on the heights, so that intelligence could be con- veyed with great dispatch. On the 19th, the party were laying close under the Canada shore, four miles below Alexandria Bay, and near Bald Island, when a gun-boat was coming down under easy sail, but nearer the middle of the channel. Upon seeing the boats, an officer with one or two men, was sent in a skiff that was in tow, to make inquiries of them, supposing them to be Canadians. Upon approaching, Gregory hailed the strangers, demanding their surrender, which from necessity was obeyed; but those on board seeing the movement opened a fire, which was returned. The vessel was soon taken and found to be the Black Snake, or No. 9, Captain Landon, with one eighteen pounder, and 18 men, chiefly royal marines. The prize was taken in tow and when a mile and a half below French Creek was met by a British gun-boat. Finding escape impossible, the prisoners and small arms were taken out and their prize scuttled. The enemy arrived soon after, but not being able to save it from
* William Vaughan, was born August 15, 1776, at Wilkesbarrie, Pa., and in 1794 first visited Canada, while Oswego, Fort Carlton, and Oswegatchie, were held by the British, and in crossing the lake was required to take out a British passport between American ports. In 1797, he again returned, and soon after engaged in lake navigation. In 1812, he was employed as sailing master, and was prominent and active in that capacity through the war. He subsequently resumed the mariner's life, and was successively master of the steamers Sophia, Ontario, Brownville, William Avery, Telegraph, and Martha Ogden on Lake Ontario. He has for many years resided at Sackets Harbor, as sailing master, under pay of government.
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sinking pursued Gregory's party several miles. Night coming on, he escaped, reached Grenadier Island late in the evening, and the next day arrived safe at Sackets Harbor with his prisoners. The commodore, in his official report, warmly recommended Gregory, Vaughan and Dixon, to the notice of the department, for their activity zeal and success in the cruise. Congress, by an act passed May 4, 1834, awarded Gregory and his men $3,000 for this service.
On the 26th of June, Chauncey, finding that the capture of the Black Snake had created a considerable uneasiness with the enemy, resolved upon disturbing them in another quarter, and sent Lieutenant Gregory, with Vaughan and Dixon, in the two largest gigs, to Nicholas Island (about seven miles from Presque Isle Harbor), to lie in wait for some transports, expected to be sent past that place, for York and Fort George. If they did not pass within three or four days, they were ordered to land at Pres- que Isle, and burn a large schooner, then on the stocks. The day after they arrived on the coast, Gregory discovered a vessel which he was about to attack, but was hindered by the appearance of a gun boat, both of which stood in for Presque Isle Harbor. He immediately secreted himself, and at night sent a boat to take off one of the inhabitants, from whom he learned that his presence upon the coast was known, and had occasioned the sending of two expresses to Kingston. To anticipate any preparations for resistance, he at once landed, placed guards at the houses to pre- vent alarm, and set fire to the vessel, which was stout, well built, fitted for fourteen guns, and nearly ready to launch. When the vessel and a small building that contained the stores intended for the vessel, were consumed, Gregory reembarked, without having allowed his men to enter a house, crossed to Oswego, and arrived at Sackets Harbor on the 6th of July.
On the 9th of August, Abram Shoemaker, with his brother and a Mr. Sergeant, in a boat, bound from Oswego to Sackets Harbor, was attacked off Stony Point by a British barge, under a lieutenant of marines, and after a valiant resistance was cap- tured. After securing the prize, the lieutenant sent all his men to join another boat's crew, except four, which number he deemed sufficient to secure her. Seizing a proper moment, and without waiting for a concerted signal, Shoemaker pushed the lieutenant overboard, knocked down a sailor, and, calling upon his comrades to help, soon found himself the master of the boat, but severely wounded by a cutlass. The movement being seen by the other boat, they were obliged to abandon their prize, and succeeded in reaching Sackets Harbor, in a small boat.
While these minor operations were occurring at this end of the lake, the American army, on the Niagara frontier, was act-
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ively engaged in those aggressive movements which gave cele- brity to the names of Brown, Porter, Scott, Miller, Ripley, and others, and conferred honor upon our national character for valor.
General Gaines remained at Sackets Harbor, from whom Major General Brown received word, on the 23d of July, that the fleet was in that port, and that the commodore was sick. The riflemen and a battering train of artillery were much needed on the Nia- gara frontier, but the American squadron did not get under way before the close of the month. On the 31st of July, the Superior, 62 (Commodore Chauncey), Lieutenant Elton; Mohawk, 42, Captain Jones; Pilce, 2S, Captain Crane; Madison, 24, Captain Trenchard; Jefferson, 22, Captain Ridgely; Jones, 22, Lieutenant Woolsey; Sylph, 14, Captain Elliot; Oneida, 16, Lieutenant Commodore Brown; and Ludy of the Lake, a cruiser, sailed, and arrived off Niagara, August 5th. . On the 7th, his majesty's brig Melville, 14 guns, was chased ashore about four miles from Nia- gara, when she was fired by the enemy, and in a little time blew up.
General Izard arrived September 16th, with 4,000 men, at Sackets Harbor from Lake Champlain, by the circuitous route of the Mohawk and Black River valleys, and on the 19th, 3,000 men embarked, but a gale prevented their sailing until the 21st. On the next day they landed at the Genesee River, and reached Batavia on the 26th. By an order of September 27th, from the secretary of war, he was directed to take the command of the Niagara frontier. A body of artillery, under LieutenantColonel Mitchell, and two battalions of infantry (the 13th, under Major Malcolm, and the 45th, under Major Brevoot) were left to defend the harbor. The command was soon after assumed by General Brown. On the 30th of September, a gig belonging to the Su- perior, with an officer and four men, captured several boats at the head of the St. Lawrence, laden with a valuable cargo of goods bound for Kingston, and brought it into Sackets Harbor.
Great apprehensions were felt in the fall of this year for the safety of the harbor, which led to an application to the execu- tive for aid. Colonel Washington Irving, aid-de-camp to the Governor, arrived at this station October 5, 1814, with orders to the commanding officer to make such requisitions on the militia as he might deem necessary. After consultation with Colonel Mitchell, General Collins called the militia, en masse, from the counties of Herkimer, Oneida, Lewis, and Jefferson. The two former produced about 2,500 men, the latter not more than 400, which made the force at the harbor between five and six thou- sand men. Great difficulty was experienced from the want of suitable quarters for so great a body. Many were quartered in dwellings and barns, and from twenty to thirty were often as- signed to a single room. The discomforts attending these accom-
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modations very naturally excited uneasiness, and at the expira- tion of the draft, it was apprehended that the militia would be with difficulty prevented from going home, and that it would become necessary to supply their places by regulars. The ap- prehensions were not justified by the events that followed, and the milita were allowed to return home. Two frigates of the largest class were begun, one on Navy Point, in Sackets Har- bor, to be called the New Orleans, and another of the same class at Storr's Harbor, farther up the bay, to be called the Chippewa, were begun and their hulls partly completed, when the news of peace put a stop to the work.
An agreement was entered into at Washington, in April, 1817, between Richard Rush, at that time secretary of state, and Charles Bagot, his Britannic majesty's envoy, to the effect that but one vessel of not more than one hundred tons burden, and armed with one eighteen pound cannon, should be maintaind on lakes Ontario and Champlain, and this having been approved between the two governments, was notified by a proclamation by James Monroe, president, dated April 28, 1818. The Lady of the Lake, with three pivot guns on deck, and the brig Jones, with eighteen guns on deck, were kept up till this treaty, the Pike, Jefferson, Mohawk, Madison, Superior, and Sylph, having been dismantled soon after the peace. The Jones, and fifteen barges, were in 1816 reported in good order. Most of these vessels were covered with a roof, but in the annual returns of the department, were successively marked " much decayed," " sunk," " useless," &c., until March 3, 1824, when an act was passed directing all the public vessels on lakes Erie and Ontario, ex- cept the ships-of-the-line New Orleans and Chippewa, then on the stocks under cover, to be sold, and the avails to be applied to the repair and building of sloops of war. Until this act, the Lady of the Lake, with one pivot gun, had been kept up. Of all this formidable fleet, the unfinished hull of the New Orleans now alone remains, having been preserved in the same condition as in 1815, by a house built over it.
Of Madison Barracks we have given an account on page 181 of this work. The condition of the fortifications at this place at the close of the war is thus described by an English writer :*
" A low point of land runs out from the north west, upon which is the dock yard, with large store houses, and all the re- quisite buildings belonging to such an establishment. Upon this point is a very powerful work, called Fort Tompkins, having within it a strong block house, two stories high; on the land side it is covered by a strong picketing, in which there are embrasures; twenty guns are mounted, besides two or three mor-
* Bouchette's Canada; p. 620. 1815.
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tars, with a furnace for heating shot. At the bottom of the har- bor is the village, that contains from sixty to seventy houses, and, to the southward of it, a barrack capable of accommodating two thousand men, and generally used for the marines belonging to the fleet. On a point eastward of the harbor, stands Fort Pike, a regular work, surrounded by a ditch, in advance of which there is a strong line of picketing; in the centre of the principal work, there is a block house, two stories high; this fort is armed with twenty guns. About one hundred yards from the village, and a little to the westward of Fort Tompkins, is Smith's can- tonment, or barrack, strongly built of logs, forming a square, with a block house at each corner; it is loopholed on every side, and capable of making a powerful resistence; twenty-five hundred men have been accommodated in it. A little further westward, another fort presents itself, built of earth, and strong- ly palisaded, having in the centre of it a block house, one story high; it mounts twenty eight guns. Midway between these two works is a powder magazine, enclosed within a very strong picketing.
By the side of the road that leads to Henderson Harbor, stands Fort Virginia, a square work, with bastions at the angles, cov- ered with strong line of palisades, but no ditch; it is armed with sixteen guns, and has a block house in the middle of it .* Fort Chauncey is a small circular tower, covered with plank, and loopholed for the use of musketry, intended for a small arm de- fence only. It is situated a small distance from the village, and commands the road that leads to Sandy Creek. In addition to those works of strength, there are several block houses in differ- ent situations, that altogether render the place very secure, and capable of resisting a powerful attack; indeed, from recent events, the Americans have attached much importance to it, and with their accustomed celerity have spared no exertions to ren- der it formidable."
The revenue cutter Jefferson was built by government at Os- wego, for public service on Lake Ontario, in the summer of 1844. She was 152 feet long, 24 feet beam, pierced for sixteen guns, with one long sixty-eight on a pivot on deck. She was built of iron by Messrs. Knapp & Co., of Pittsburgh, after the model of the Princeton, and to be propelled by steam on the same principle .; She was to be commanded by Lieuten- ant Charles W. Bennet, of the revenue service. After service on the lake one or two seasons, this vessel passed down the St. Lawrence, and has since been upon the high seas.
* This block house is still standing. It is square, and two stories high, with the second story placed obliquely across the first, so as to leave its cor -. ners over-hanging, while the corners of the first story are covered by roofs. The roof slopes from the centre to each side. tBy screw wheels in stern.
to
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CHAPTER XIV.
THE EVENTS OF 1837-1840.
The abortive attempt to revolutionize the Canadas, generally denominated the Patriot War, has claims to our notice, from the fact that Jefferson County was the theatre of excitement, and the scene of follies and excesses that for some time became the ab- sorbing theme of discussion throughout the country, and called into exercise the military force of the country, to suppress these indications of sympathy with measures that threatened to disturb our amicable relations with a neighboring government.
Without attempting a discussion of the origin or merits of this movement, we shall limit ourselves to a recital of the events that transpired in the county, or with which our citizens were di- rectly interested.
The burning of the steamer Caroline, near Niagara Falls, on the 29th of December, 1837, by a band of men from Canada, aroused a general indignation throughout the country, and our citizens, everywhere, irrespective of party, held meetings to denounce the act, and to call upon the executive to provide for the protection of our shores against invasion by subjects of a foreign power.
In accordance with this feeling, congress, on the 30th of Jan- uary, 1838, appropriated $625,000 for the protection of the northern frontier, and calling out militia or volunteers, or adopt- ing such other measures as might be deemed necessary by the secretary of war, under the direction of the president. On the same day a circular was issued at Watertown, signed by six well known citizens, asking contributions in money, provisions, and clothing, in aid of the political refugees from Canada, who had taken shelter among us. They disclaimed any intention of aid- ing the revolutionary movements, and professed to be law-abiding and order-loving citizens.
Meanwhile, secret clubs, known as Hunter Lodges, had been instituted in most of the villages, at which plans for invading Canada were discussed, moneys raised for procuring arms and ammunition, companies enlisted, intelligence communicated in circulars and by cypher, and an arbitrary system of names for the several officers in the proposed service was agreed upon, to pre- vent detection. Preparations were made for an attack upon Canada while the St. Lawrence was still bridged with ice, and Kingston was selected as a point upon which an enterprise was to be undertaken.
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On the night of the 19th of February, the state arsenal at Watertown was entered, and four hundred stand of arms were stolen by persons who were supposed to be concerned in these movements. A reward of $250 was offered for the apprehen- sion of the authors of this outrage, but failed to procure the intelligence sufficient to warrant their arrest. A portion of the stolen property was afterwards recovered. The arsenals at Ba- tavia, and Elizabethtown were also plundered, and with these, and other means, a supply of arms and ammunition sufficient for exten- sive military operations were collected and concealed. On Tues- day, February 20, in the afternoon and evening, forces began to arrive at Clayton (French Creek), with a supply of arms and munitions, consisting, it is said, of 4,000 stand of arms, 20 bar- rels of cartridges, 500 long pikes, and some provisions. Several hundred men under General Rensselaer Van Rensselaer arrived in sleighs, from various places in this and adjoining counties, with the avowed design of making a lodgment at Gananoqui from whence an attack was to be attempted upon Kingston. The day following was intensely cold, and the men suffered much from exposure. There was little discipline, and less organiza- tion among this promiscuous assemblage; and even among those who affected the command, there was a mutual jealousy, and a want of energy and decision, which a conscious sense of recti- tude, and high conviction of duty can alone inspire. A portion of these repaired, on foot and in sleighs, to Hickory Island, on the British side of the channel, about seven miles from Clayton. It is said that Mckenzie was here dissatisfied that Van Rensselaer was to command, which threw a damper on the whole affair. On calling for volunteers to proceed, eighty-three appeared at the first, seventy-one at the second, and thirty-five at the third call; then, acting upon the maxim of " every man for himself,". this motley band dispersed; the officers, with the utmost difficulty, retaining a sufficient number to remove the arms they had taken over. It would seem that very little was to be apprehended from such invasions; yet the rumor of this movement, reaching Kingston, occasioned some uneasiness, and preparations were made to resist any attack that might be made, or act on the of- fensive should the occasion require it.
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