A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 41

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188

USA > New York > A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 41

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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND.

of the Revolution, and from the date of its or- ganization has been steadfast and earnest in his efforts to build up and enlarge its sphere of influence. He was elected President in 1884, soon after the Society was incorporated, and still holds that position. He is an honor- ary member of the Connecticut State Society of the Cincinnati ; member of the Military So- ciety of the War of 1812, constituting the Vet- eran Corps of Artillery, and of other organ- izations. Mr. Tallmadge married, in 1857, Julia Louisa, daughter of George Belden, of New York City. Mrs. Tallmadge died in 1894, leaving no issue.

Major Tallmadge's memory deserves to be held in more vivid remembrance by the Ameri- can people at large than we fear it is at the present day. He was by no means a man of commanding genius and he seems to have lacked many of the qualities which might have proclaimed him a statesman ; but he was a man of courage, resource and nerve; and all he possessed he freely gave to the cause of his native land, the cause by which he abided with unfaltering zeal during the darkest hours of the conflict. Whatever was given to him to de lie invariably did well, and he enjoyed the entire confidence of those over him in author- ity as well as of those he commanded. As a member of Congress during eight successive terms, he was conspicuous for his useful rather than his brilliant services, but he performed his duties with the same closeness and unfail- ing sagacity which he showed while watching the Tory emissaries in Westchester county. In ' many respects he proved a model member of Congress and the Legislature, and his con- stituency both joined in regret when, at the end of sixteen years of service, he declined re- election.

In private life Major Tallmadge enjoyed the personal friendship of many of the most eminent men of his age, while his thoughtful benevolence and kindly charity, as well as his services to the county, endeared him to the community in which he lived. He was a splen- did type of the patriot citizen of his time, a

man with no ambition but for his country, with no need of rendering any service but to the people, who willingly, cheerfully respond- ed to every call, and whose entire record was clean, pure and above reproach. The memory of such men should be regarded as a priceless heritage in a country where the people rule and make and enforce the laws.

Although neither Gen. Parsons nor Col. Meigs belonged to Long Island by ties of birth, yet their names are so interwoven with its Revolutionary history that some notice of these two heroes may not be inappropriate here.

Samuel Holden Parsons was born at Lynn, Conn., May 14, 1737, and was the son of the Rev. Jonathan Parsons and Phoebe, sister of Gov. Matthew Griswold. Parsons studied law and after eighteen years at the bar became .a member of the local Assembly. When the war broke out he took part under Ethan Allen in the capture of Ticonderoga, and was in part the instigator of that bold deed. He was pres- ent at the battle of Brooklyn and was one of the court-martial which tried Major Andre. Parsons performed many brilliant services while the war lasted and retired at the close of hostilities with the rank of Major General. Resuming the practice of law in Middletown, Conn., he so continued until 1788, when he was appointed by Washington as first Judge of the Northwest Territory and settled in Marietta, Ohio. He was accidentally drowned in Big Beaver River, Nov. 17, 1789.

Return Jonathan Meigs was born at Mid- dletown, Conn., Dec. 17, 1734, and died in Georgia, Jan. 28, 1823. His services in the war began immediately after the skirmish at Lexington, when he marched to Boston with a company of his neighbors and was given the rank of Major under Col. Benedict Arnold. At the attack on Quebec he was taken prisoner. but was exchanged after a few months. In 1777 he raised a regiment and was commis- sioned its Colonel, serving with that rank until the close of the war. In 1788 he went to Ohio and resided in that then wilderness until 1801, when he was appointed Indian agent among

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the Cherokees and resided in Georgia until his death. His son was Governor of Ohio, 1810-14, and was Postmaster General in the Cabinet of President Madison, and continued to hold the office under President Monroe until 1823, when he retired to private life and died at Marietta, Ohio, March 29, 1825.

The deed which has forever woven the name of Col. Meigs into the history of Long Island occurred in 1777. The plan of the in- cident and its general outline were conceived by Gen. Parsons, but he confided its execu- tion to Col. Meigs and as the outcome proved his confidence was not mistaken. I quote the following account of the incident from Prime's "History of Long Island" mainly be- cause that reverend historian compiled it in great measure from statements made to him by Deacon John White of Sag Harbor, who was one of Meigs's party and whom the author described as "a man of observation and sterling integrity :"

Every reader of American history recol- lects the rapid and successful expedition of Lieut. Col. Meigs in 1771 to Sag Harbor for the purpose of destroying a quantity of provi- sions which the British forces had collected here. Embarking at New Haven on the 21st of May, in whale-boats, he was compelled by the roughness of the Sound to hold the Con- necticut shore until the 23d. In the afternoon of that day he left Guilford with 170 men in whale-boats under the convoy of two armed sloops and arrived at Southold about sunset. Taking 130 men and transporting their boats

across the northern branch of the Island, he embarked on the bay for Sag Harbor, where he arrived after midnight and landed at the foot of the beach about two miles above the village. There concealing his boats in the bushes, and leaving a few men for a guard, he proceeded toward the harbor. At the house now (1845) occupied by Mr. Silas Edwards, which was used as a hospital, he seized two men who were taking care of the sick, whom he used as guides, and whom he threatened with instant death for the least failure in ex- ecuting his requirements. Under their direc- tion he was led to the quarters of the com- manding officer whom he arrested and secured while lying in his bed. At this juncture an alarm was given, and a single shot was fired from an armed vessel, which, however, was not repeated, from the inability to determine the cause of the alarm. An outpost was im- mediately carried with fixed bayonets and the land forces secured. He then proceeded to the shipping at the wharf, where, after being ex- posed to the fire of an armed schooner of twelve guns and seventy men for nearly an hour, he completely effected the object of the expedition. In a short time twelve brigs and sloops, one of which carried twelve guns, were enveloped in flames, and with them one hun- dred and twenty tons of hay, ten hogsheads of rum and a large quantity of grain and mer- chandise were completely destroyed. Of the enemy six were killed and ninety taken pris- oners. The same day Col. Meigs embarked for Guilford, where he arrived after an ab- sence of only twenty-five hours, during which he had transported his troops alternately by land and water a distance of ninety miles with- out the loss of a man. A more successful and brilliant affair does not grace the annals of the Revolution.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE WAR OF 1812-NAVAL OPERATIONS AROUND LONG ISLAND.

OR some years before the crisis actual- ly came it was evident to all thoughit- ful observers that the country was slowly but surely drifting into war with Great Britain. The causes for that be- long to the general history of the coun- try, but they were admirably summarized by President Madison in his famous war message to Congress on June 1, 1812, and in- cluded the violation of the United States flag on the high seas and seizing persons sailing under it, wantonly shedding the blood of American citizens, plundering American com- merce, and the introduction of an iniquitous system of blockades. The President with his message left the matter in the hands of Con- gress as the war-declaring power, and it was not slow to act. On June 3d the Committee on Foreign Relations reported in favor of war and the next day the bill authorizing the ap- peal to arms reached the Senate.

Professor McMaster (History of the Peo- ple of the United States, vol. III, page 457) says :

When the vote cast in the House on that memorable day is examined it appears that not a Representative from Ohio, Kentucky, Ten- nessee, South Carolina or Georgia voted for peace, and that not a Representative from Rhode Island, Connecticut or Delaware voted for war; that in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey the majority was for peace; that in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina the majority was for war; that, in short, the Eastern and Middle States, with two exceptions, were against war, and the

Southern and Western States were for it. The deliberations of the Senate consumed two weeks, so that it was not until June 18 that the act was passed and approved by Madison. On June 19 the proclamation was issued. As the riders hurried from Washington to spread the news throughout the land, Madison vis- ited the Department of War and of the Navy, "stimulating everything," said one who saw him, "in a manner worthy of a little command- er-in-chief with his little round hat and huge cockade."

It could hardly be said that at the begin- ning the war was popular, and the vote in the House of Representatives at Washington fully bears this out, showing particularly the position of the States on the northeastern seaboard. The total vote showed 79 for war, 49 against. New York cast II votes for peace and 3 for war, three of her Representatives being absent. New Jersey cast 4 votes for peace and 2 for war; Massachusetts cast 8 votes for peace and 6 for war, three of her Representatives being absent ; New Hampshire voted 2 for peace and 3 for war ; Vermont, I for peace and 3 for war. In this matter the lower house of Congress may be said to have fairly reflected the senti- ment of the country generally as well as of the States. All over New England town meetings were held in opposition to the war policy, and in some places bells were tolled and flags were placed at half mast. New York was equally divided although not so demonstrative, but from the moment the plunge actually was made she arrayed herself loyally on the side of the Government and so continued while the con-

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flict lasted. On Long Island the news of the war was received calmly at first, and outside of Kings county it can hardly be said to have aroused excitement at any time. The effect felt was more of inconvenience than of danger, and, while so far as the island itself was con- cerned the struggle was a bloodless one, yet the blockade of the coast was an annoyance and a source of hardship. Business was pros- trated and the farmers tilled their fields with the feeling hanging over them that a descent might be made at any time which would rob them of their labors by the wanton destruction of their crops or the looting of their barns and their homes. In fact, even as it was, descents from armed vessels for the purpose of robbing the farmers were of frequent occurrence while hostilities lasted. Mr. Richard M. Bayles says :

The war of 1812 gave Suffolk county com- paratively little trouble. In 1813 a British fleet occupied Gardiner's Bay and from their headquarters there made attacks upon the shipping at various points. A draft was made upon the militia for a three months' service at Sag Harbor, where the danger of an attack seemed greatest. Several frigates cruised the Sound and harassed the trading ships plying between the ports along the north shore of the country and New York. The cruising frigates were on the alert and their diligence was every now and then rewarded by a prize. Some of the vessels thus captured were held for a ransom, on receipt of which they were returned to their owners, and others were burned.

At Sag Harbor, as soon as the news of the declaration of war had been sufficiently di- gested, an arsenal was built of brick on the site of an old burial ground, and there munitions of war of all sorts were stored to await events. Information of this reached the British ships and an armed force under Commodore Hardy was sent to capture the stores. A landing was effected but the invaders met with a reception that compelled them to beat a speedy retreat to their boats, the only damage done being the destruction of a small sloop by fire. This was

offset by the large quantity of arms and am- munition which in their hurry to get away the invaders unceremoniously left behind and which helped to swell the stock in the little arsenal.

On March 20, 1813, the entire coast line of the United States was practically blockaded with the exception of Rhode Island, Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire. A month later it was reported that a British frigate was cruis- ing about Long Island Sound, along with sev- eral privateers, and that quite a number of coasting vessels had been captured by them and destroyed. Much complaint was made that no effort to stop such ravages was attempted al- though two American war vessels were in the Brooklyn navy yard undergoing repairs, which might have been completed, it was declared, within one week. What the government failed to do was in a measure accomplished by pri- vate enterprise, and in June the American pri- vateer "Governor Tompkins," one of the most noted of the many vessels of its order sent out during the war by New York merchants, passed boldly through the Sound, and al- though hotly chased by the British cruisers made her escape into the open sea, where she gave a good account of herself as a commerce destroyer. Her last known engagement re- sulted in a victory and she sent hier prize, a valuable merchant ship, to New York in charge of her Lieutenant, Edward Dodd, who afterward resided at Babylon for many years and died July 17, 1843. He brought his charge safe to port, but the "Governor Tompkins" was never heard from afterward; and as no record of any engagement in which she might have taken part exists, it is supposed she foundered in a gale which it was known sprung up shortly after Lieut. Dodd and his prize crew left her side.

In September, 1813, Commodore Lewis of Boston with a fleet of thirty gunboats passed through the Sound from Hellgate to Cow's Neck in search of some of the enemy's vessels that were playing havoc with the coasting trade. The result was the exchange of a few

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shots, but that was all, although the British saw enough of the determination of the Yan- kee sailors and their preparedness for a fight to be exceedingly wary in that vicinity for some time to come. On November 16 Ad- miral Warren, commanding the British fleet, issued a formal proclamation in which he de- clared as under blockade "all that part of Long Island Sound being the seacoast lying within Montauk Point, or the eastern point of Long Island and the point of land opposite thereto, commonly called Plack Point, situated on the sea-coast of the main land, together with all the ports, harbors, creeks and entrances of the East and North Rivers of New York, as well as all the other ports, creeks and bays along the coast of Long Island and the State of New York," etc.

As a result of this the coast of Long Island was more closely watched by the people than ever and reports were in frequent circulation of intended landings in force of the British. Such landings as were made, however, seemed intended only to secure fresh provisions for the ships,-foraging parties rather than any- thing else. But the shipping felt the watchful- ness of the blockades severely. "The Fair Trader" of Babylon was captured near the New Inlet, one of the entrances to the Great South Bay. With her rich cargo she was sent to Nova Scotia and there sold, her stanch tim- bers enabling her to remain in service for many years. "The Amazon" of Huntington (Capt. Conkling), "The Sally" of Cow Harbor ( Capt. Arkerly) and "The Juno" of Brookhaven (Capt. Jones) were among the other Long Island vessels captured in 1813.

In 1814 the cordon was drawn more closely than ever. The fleet in Gardiner's Bay sent out cruising parties in all directions, and these parties ravaged and destroyed property with- out scruple, as much from wantonness as from any necessity. A schooner was set on fire at Rockaway, where she had been beached to pre- vent capture ; and the British warships "Po- mona" and "Dispatch" entered the harbor of Setauket and captured "The Herald," "The

Hope," "The Mercantile" and "The Two Friends" and burned "The Oneida" in Drowned Meadow (Port Jefferson) Bay. Ja- maica Bay was a favorite cruising place for the barge crews of the blockading fleet, and though the inhabitants there, rendered desper- ate by the frequent landings and confiscations, erected a blockhouse to keep the marauders off, it proved of little practical avail and the depre- dations continued to the end of the war.

Mr. James B. Cooper, Babylon, for many years clerk of Suffolk county, relates the fol- lowing incident :

In the month of July, 1814, the village of Babylon and its vicinity were thrown into a state of high excitement by the appearance in Sumpawam's creek of a whale-boat loaded with armed men in uniform. It proved to be Captain David Porter and ten of his sailors who had survived the hard-fought and san- guinary. engagement of Valparaiso (March 28, 1814). * * After a voyage of sev- enty-three days they arrived on the south coast of Long Island and on the morning of July 5, 1814, fell in with H. B. M. ship Saturn, Cap- tain Nash, who examined the papers of the "Essex, Jr.," treated Captain Porter with great civility, furnished him with late newspapers, sent him a basket of fruit and made him an offer of kindly services. The boarding officer indorsed the papers and permitted the ship to proceed. But in a couple of hours the "Essex, Jr.," was again brought to, the papers re-ex- amined and the ship searched. Capt. Porter, regarding this treatment as a violation of all honorable rules of warfare, and finding that he was about to be made a prisoner, deter- mined to escape from his base captor. The next morning about 7 a boat was lowered, manned, armed and provisioned. In this boat Capt. Porter, with about ten men, pulled off ; but he was soon discovered and pursued by "the Saturn," which was favored by a fresh breeze that sprung up about the same time. Fortunately for the Americans a fog then set in, concealing them, and, changing the course of their little craft, they were soon out of danger from their pursuers.

After rowing and sailing about sixty miles, Capt. Porter with much difficulty succeeded in entering Fire Island Inlet. Here he was found by James Mountfort, who piloted him up Sumpawam's creek. When he stepped from

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the boat Stephen B. Nichols told him he doubt- ed his being an American naval officer and in- timated that he might be from the other side. "Then, my good friend," said the Captain, "I will surrender to you," at the same time hand- ing Nichols an iron cutlass. When they reached the center of the village a large and excited crowd gathered. The story of Capt. Porter was so extraordinary that few believed it. Of course nothing had been heard of the battle at Valparaiso, no vessel having reached the United States with an account of the same. Mr. Rushmore, a local storekeeper, informed Captain Porter that his neighbors still be- lieved him to be a British officer in disguise. Upon this he pulled out his commission, which he fortunately had with him. Then all doubts were dispersed and he was treated by the vil- lagers with the greatest hospitality. The best carriage and horse that could be had were soon ready and at his disposal. The whale- boat was hoisted upon a farm wagon and into the boat sprang the brave tars. In this man- ner the party was conveyed to the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Capt. Nash, finding that the commander of the "Essex, Jr.," had escaped, permitted the latter vessel to go in peace.

As illustrating how the people on shore were prepared to defend their homes in case of attack, it may be said that on one occasion a corps of 200 militiamen marched from Hunt- ington to Lloyd's Neck on the circulation of a report that the British were there effecting a landing in force. The following excerpt from Huntington's town records is also in evidence on this point :

At a special town meeting held in the Town of Huntington, held at the house of Ebenezer Gould, on Saturday, the 5th day of November, 1814, it was voted that the sum of $207.86 be paid by the town, being the amount of two bills paid for 6 casks of pow- der, 400 lbs. of musket balls, and a quantity of buck shot by the trustces of said town, for the militia to defend the said town with in case of invasion.

Also voted, that I cask of the powder, and the sixth part of the ball and shot be de- posited with Captain Samuel Muncey at South.

Also voted that I cask of the powder and the sixthi part of the ball and shot be de-

posited with Matthew Gardiner, Crab Mead- ow or Fresh Pond.

Also voted that 11/2 casks of the powder and the sixth part of the ball and shot be deposited with Epenetus Smith, Cow Harbor.

Also voted that 11/2 casks of the powder and the equal proportion of the ball and shot be deposited with Capt. Abel Cockling.

Also voted that 11/2 casks of powder and the equal proportion of the ball and shot be deposited with Capt. John Robers.

Hitherto, in this chapter, we have been treating of naval matters; and we will now turn to the military side of the story. Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins, soon after he was in- augurated, in 1807, foresaw that war between America and Britain was among the prob- abilities of the near future and beset himself to put the military establishment of the State on a sure footing. That purpose he fairly accomplished, but the general Government seemed strangely careless about the defences. around New York, although the fact was only too apparent that in case of war with a naval power its approaches practically of- fered no obstacle to any demonstration which might be made. This was often pointed out, but without avail. From 1808 to 1816 the State of New York appropriated $272,000 upon the fortifications for the defence of its harbor, so that the condition of things prior to the outbreak of the war was not charge- able to any neglect on the part of its author- ities or any lack of public spirit on the part of its citizens. What defence there was seems to have been a continuation of the theory which prevailed in 1776 that there was no need of fortifying Long Island. The Narrows, Buttermilk Channel and the shores of Staten Island and Manhattan Island were equipped in more or less degree, but Long Island lay practically at the mercy of any invader who might happen along: and this in spite of the terrible lesson of August 28, 1776! There was a block-house, mounting a twenty-four pounder at the west end of Rock- away Beach, placed there with a view of re-

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pelling boat parties, and that was all, unless we include two trumpery forts at Hell Gate and an earthwork on the site of the present Fort Hamilton, hastily thrown up after the war was fairly started and to which was given the name of Fort Lewis .*

Gov. Tompkins strove to improve the de- fences of the coast as rapidly and as thor- oughly as time and circumstances permitted. On Aug. 26, 1812, three companies of forty men each, belonging to the Thirty-third Brigade, New York, were ordered to pro- ceed to Suffolk county, and one of these was to be stationed at Sag Harbor. Spe- cial attention was paid to that point. "In 1813," says the State Historian, Mr. Hugh Hastings, "Sag Harbor was one of the most enterprising trading towns on Long Island. The town itself consisted of but eighty or eighty-five houses, but it was a port of entry and was thriving and growing. Throughout the war Gov. Tompkins maintained a detach- ment of New York militia at Sag Harbor." It was the military headquarters of Suffolk county during the war, and its importance may be gathered from the following order, issued May I, 1813:

The superintendent of the arsenal at Sag Harbor is authorized to deposit in the several exposed towns of Suffolk, not already sup- plied, upon the request of the inhabitants thereof, and upon taking a bond to the peo- ple of this State with good and sufficient

surety for the safe return thereof, arms, am- munition and military stores belonging to the State, provided General Rose (in military command of Suffolk County) shall deem and certify the same to be proper. In case of invasion or other emergency the exempts of Southampton and other towns may be sup- plied with arms and equipments from the arsenal, but for all articles delivered under this order to companies of exempts the like security above mentioned must be taken.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 41

Author: Ross, Peter. cn Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1188

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188