USA > New York > Franklin County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 74
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time > Part 74
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Extract of a letter, February 26, 1813. " I did not leave the house until the British were close to it, and not till they had shot a great number of balls into it. I took nothing with me but some money, and my table spoons, and ran as fast as possible, with a number of other women; our retreat was to the distance of about 15 miles. The next day I returned; our house was plundered of almost every thing, and my husband a pris- oner on the other side. You can easier imagine my feelings than I can describe them. They did not leave any article of clothing, not even a handkerchief-they took all my bedding but left the beds; they broke my looking glasses and even my knives. Thus situated I determined to go over to Canada, and accordingly went to a flag of truce, which was then in this village, for permission, which I obtained. I went to one of my acquaintances on the other side, where I was favorably received. I applied to the commanding officer for the purpose of ascertaining whether I could procure any of my clothes; he assured me that I should have them if I could find them, but did not trouble himself to make any inquiry. My journey was not lost; I procured the release of my husband, who was paroled and returned with me. Most of the houses in the village were plundered. * * You will be astonished when I tell you that they were not contented with what the Indians and soldiers could plunder during the battle, but after it was over, the wo- men on the other side came across, and took what was left." The partizan spirit of Mr. York, which was well known to the enemy, may have rendered his house an object on which to expend their antipathies. It was reported that a company of women, under the protection of a guard, was sent over to plunder, but this rumor is scarcely credible. The following anecdote, however, is doubtless reliable. One of the provincial militia in crossing during the day, was met by a woman re- turning with a large mirror, which she said she had stolen from the Yankees. She had scarcely spoken, when her feet slipped on the ice, which threw her prostrate, and her ill gotten booty was lost, while boast- ing of her success in obtaining it.
Capt. Forsyth having retired with his company to Depeyster, the place was left defenceless, and the same day evacuated by the British. Gen. Brown having received news of the affair arrived the next day, but did not enter the town, and soon returned home, and Forsyth proceeded to Sackett's Harbor, to join the forces at that place, which a few months after participated in the descent upon Little York.
Most of the citizens who fled on the attack returned home, and the place was left entirely without military defence, or any semblance of re-
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sistance during the remainder of the war. This defenceless condition occasionally exposed them to insult, and in May 1813, some deserters having come over from the enemy, an officer was sent across with a flag, with a threat to commit the village to the flames, if they were not re- stored. To this requisition, Judge Ford, with his usual promptness re- plied, that they would do no such thing, for no sooner should he see them landing, than with his own hands he would set fire to his own house, rally his neighbors, cross the river with torches, and burn every house from Prescott to Brockville. The British officer seeing the consequences that might ensue, afterwards apologized for his conduct. In the fall of 1813, Col. Luckett, with a regiment of dragoons, forming a part of the regular service, was sent in advance of the army of Gen. Wilkinson, to examine the country and report.
He is believed to have been instructed to make no demonstration that would create alarm to the enemy, or lead to an attack. On the day of his arrival, Oct. 11, 1813, the town was filled with people, who had come to attend court, which was to commence its session on the following day. It was secretly reported the same evening, to persons still living, that there would be a flurry next day, the meaning of which in due time be- came apparent. The court met and had begun business, Benjamin Raymond presiding as judge, assisted by Daniel W. Church, and John Tibbits, assistant justices. The grand jury had received their charge and retired, and a case was being tried, when a cannonade was heard from the fort at Prescott, which led to much uneasiness, and after a little discussion, the session of the court was interrupted for the day, by the withdrawing of a juror, and the room was hastily evacuated. The grand jury also hearing the cannonade, adjourned for the day, and left the house. Their room was above the court room, in what is now a masonic hall. In passing out, the room was hardly cleared, and the last person of the number in the door, when a 24 pound shot entered the room, shattering an end beam in the house cut obliquely across the seats, but a moment before occupied by the jury, and lodged in the parti- tion beyond. Fortunately no one was injured by the cannonade, but some damage was done to houses. As soon as the firing commenced Col. Luckett retired into the back country, and there are those who be- lieve that a display of his force was designingly made to get up an ex- citement with the enemy.
In August 1813, a direct tax of $3,000,000 was apportioned through- out the United States, of which $770 was drawn from Franklin, $3,000 from St. Lawrence, $4,610 from Jefferson, and $1,960 from Lewis counties.
Before giving an account of Wilkinson's expedition, we will notice the operations in Franklin county, in the campaign of 1812. A com- pany of militia from Lt. Col. Alric Man's regiment was drafted early in the summer, and commanded by Capt. Rufus Tilden, and about 18 mounted men, who were under the orders of the general officers of the regiment, to which Tilden was attached, viz: the 8th, commanded by Lt. Col. Thos. Miller, of Plattsburgh. Tilden's company were posted at French Mills, and commenced building a block house. Early in the fall, other companies of the 8th regiment, under Major Ransom Noble, of Essex, joined, and afterwards others under Major Young (p. 157). The mounted men were used as express men. This party acted in the descent upon St. Regis, which we have described (p. 156), but the merit of their boasted capture of the colors, loses its importance, if the follow- ing extract from Christie's history of the war (a British writer) be true.
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" The Americans in plundering the village found an ensign or union jack, in the house of the resident interpreter, usually hoisted upon a flag staff at the door of the chief, on Sundays or Holy Days, which said the American Major in an order issued upon the occasion (not a little proud of the achievement,) were the first colors taken during the war."
The same author in giving an account of the affair at Toussaint island, states that the British force numbered 138 troops under Major Heathcoat. A detachment of militia commanded by Capt. Munroe had arrived near the close of the skirmish. Soon after the affair at St. Regis, Col. Young was withdrawn, and the enemy planned an attack upon Capt. Tilden, in re- taliation for the first aggression. This took place on the 22d of Novem- ber, according to Christie, by detachments of the Royal artillery, 49th re- giment, and Glengary light infantry, amounting to seventy men, with de- tachments from the Cornwall and Glengary militia, of near the same num - ber, the whole under the command of Lieut. Col. McMillan. The block house was not finished and had no roof, and the company was quartered in a house on Water street, since owned and occupied as a dwelling by the late James B. Spencer. During the night an alarm had been brought in, and the company repaired to the block house. The British marched in on the old St. Regis road, west of Salmon river, crossed and paraded on Water street. The block house stood on a rising ground at some dis- tance east of the river. Deeming it impossible to avoid it, Capt. Tilden surrendered his party prisoners to the number of 44, including himself and two subalterns. Many escaped, and the prisoners were sent to Mont- real and imprisoned, one third being on parole each day until in three weeks they were exchanged for the very men they had taken at St. Regis, and released. At the affair at French Mills, Thomas Fletcher was shot in his door, having first discharged his rifle at a company of soldiers.
After Captain Tilden's company were taken prisoners, their place was supplied by militia and volunteers from Columbia county, under the command of Major Tanner, part of the 9th regiment New York State militia, who remained here until the first of March, 1813, when Captain David Erwin raised a company of volunteers who were stationed as a garrison for the block house, here, during the spring and summer of 1813. This company in the fall joined General Hampden's forces at Chateau- gay, where he was intending to cooperate with General Wilkinson, after which this company was discharged.
Early in 1813, a plan of operations for the reduction of Canada was discussed in the cabinet, Gen. John Armstrong being the secretary of war, and Major General Henry Dearborn at the head of the northern armies. The following is a copy of the general outline proposed by Armstrong to Dearborn, February 10, 1813:
" 1st, 4000 troops will be assembled at Sacketts Harbor. 2d, 3000 will be brought together at Buffalo and its vicinity. 3d, the former of these corps will be embarked and transported under a convoy of the fleet to Kingston, where they will be landed. Kingston, its garrison, and the British ships wintering in the harbor of that place, will be its first object. Its second object will be York (the capital of Upper Canada), the stores collected and the two frigates building there. Its third object, Forts George and Erie, and their dependencies. In the attainment of this last, there will be a cooperation between the two corps. The composition of these will be as follows:
1st, Bloomfield brigade, 1,436; 2d, Chandler's brigade, 1,044; 3d,
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Philadelphia detachment, 400; 4th, Baltimore detachment, 300; 5th Carlisle detachment, 200; 6th, Greenbush detachment, 400; 7th, Sacketts Harbor detachment, 250; 8th, several corps at Buffalo under the com- mand of Col. Porter, and the recruits belonging there, 3000: total, 7000. The time for executing this enterprise will be governed by the opening of Lake Ontario, which usually takes place about the first of April.
The adjutant general has orders to put the most southern detachments in march as expeditiously as possible. The two brigades on Lake Cham- plain you will move so as to give them full time to reach their destina- tion by the 25th of March. The route by Elizabeth will, I think, be the shortest and best. They will be replaced by some new raised regiments from the east. You will put into your movements as much privacy as may be compatable with their execution. They may be masked by re- ports that Sacketts Harbor is in danger, and that the principal efforts will be made on the Niagara, in cooperation with Gen. Harrison.
As the route to Sacketts Harbor and to Niagara is for a considerable distance the same, it may be well to intimate, even in orders, that the latter is the destination of the two brigades now at Lake Champlain."
The attack of Little York, and the operations on the Niagara frontier, were a part of the plan, and tended more or less to its accomplishment, but their details belong to our general history. On the 8th of July, 1813, Gen. Dearborn was withdrawn from the command of the northern army, and on the 5th of August, a communication was addressed to Gen. Jas. Wilkinson, proposing a plan of operations which he approved, and un- dertook to execute. This was to bring a combined force upon Canada, a part to descend the St. Lawrence, and another portion by way of Lake Champlain, which were to unite and cooperate as circumstances might dictate. The former of these was to be under the command of General Wilkinson, and the latter that of Gen. Wade Hampden. It remained to be discussed whether Kingston was first to be reduced, and in the advice of the secretary of war, this measure was strongly recommended. Gen. Wilkinson arrived at Sacketts Harbor, towards the last of August, and proceeded to the head of the lake to make preliminary arrangements for concentrating his forces. A series of unpardonable delays hindered him from effecting this object or of returning to Sacketts Harbor, before the 4th of October. The secretary of war was at that post, and on the day following a discussion was held between Generals Armstong, Wilkinson, Lewis and Brown, at which the reasons for and against making Kingston the first point of attack, were brought forward and examined in detail, but at length abandoned. The same delays and embarrassments con- tinued and were increased by the storms incident to the lateness of the season. The forces assembled at Grenadier island. On the 28th of Oc- tober, he wrote:
"The inexorable winds and rains continue to oppose and embarass our movements, but I am seizing every moment's interval to slip into the St. Lawrence, corps and detachments, as they can be got ready. Our ren- dezvous will be in Bush creek, about twenty miles below, and nearly op- posite to Gananoqui, which position menaces a descent on the opposite shore. I shall sail from that position at 4 o'clock in the morning, and will pass Prescott about the same time the ensuing morning. We have had such a fluctuation of sick and well between this place and Sacketts Harbor, that it is impossible to say in what force we shall move; but I calculate on 6000 combatants, exclusive of Scott and Randolph, neither of whom will I fear be up in season, notwithstanding all my arrangements and exertions to accelerate their march."
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On the first of November, 1813, the commander in chief wrote to Gen. Armstrong, as follows:
"You will perceive from the duplicate under cover (letter of the 28th of October), what were my calculations four days since; but the winds and waves, and rains and snow still prevail, and we have made several fruitless attempts to turn Stoney Point, one of them of great peril to three thousand men, whom I seasonably remanded to the harbor without the loss of a life. Our sick, one hundred and ninety six in number, have not fared as well; they were embarked in stout comfortable vessels, and sailed the day before yesterday morning for Sacketts Harbor, but they were driven on shore by a storm which continued with unremitting vio- lence all night, and as no exertion could relieve them, I anticipated the loss of the whole; but the tempest having abated and the wind shifted from S. W. to N. E., boats were sent out yesterday morning, and Dr. Bull reports the loss of three men only. Other means of transport will be pro- vided to-morrow, and these unfortunate men will be sent to the hospital at Sacketts Harbor. Brig. Gen. Brown, with his brigade, the light artil- lery, the riflemen, the gun boats, Bissel's regiment and a part of Macomb's are, I expect, safe at French creek, with the artillery and ordnance stores. These corps have made the traverse of the arm of the lake under cir- cumstances of great danger, though fortunately without the loss of a life, but at the expense of some boats. I shall wait one day longer, and if the passage shall still continue impracticable to the troops, I will land them on the opposite shore, march them across the country to the St. Law- rence, and send the empty boats round to a given rendezvous. As Major General Hampton is under your orders, permit me to suggest to you what is worthy of reflection-whether he should take a position and wait the arrival of my command near the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Grand rivers, or whether he should move down the St. Lawrence and menace Chambly? If he is strong enough to meet Sir George, the latter will be the preferable plan, because it will have the effect to divide the enemy's force ; otherwise, he should adopt the first idea, hazard nothing, and strengthen my hands. The enclosed copy of a memorandum from Colonel Swift, will show you what he is about, I flatter myself, to your satisfaction. The sole unpleasant circumstance before me, is our total ignorance of the preparations of Sir George, and what we may expect to meet on the island. I fear no consequences; but it must be painful to lead more than 6000 men to battle hoodwinked; and yet all my efforts to procure intelligence from Montreal, have proved fruitless."
The following account of the progress of the expedition down the St. Lawrence, is derived from the journal of Dr. Amasa Trowbridge, of Watertown, who attended in a professional capacity, and occasionally from the published diary of General Wilkinson.
On the 29th, Gen. Brown's brigade, with the light and heavy artillery, embarked and proceeded down the St. Lawrence, the entrance of which was about six miles from Bason barbor, and arrived safe at French creek the same evening. On the 31st, orders were issued directing the remain- der of the army to follow, but a severe storm prevented the embarkation. The winds continued unfavorable till the 2d of November, when the whole embarked and arrived at Cape Vincent, nine miles, the same day, and encamped. General Brown, with the van of the expedition, had been attacked by the enemy's armed schooner and gun boats, but were repulsed with loss, and were compelled to move up the river and take a position eight miles below Cape Vincent. In the evening, about 10
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o'clock, Commodore Chauncey came into the river from the lake, and anchored near the encampment. The army appeared much gratified at the appearance of the fleet.
On the 3d, the fleet weighed anchor and stood down the river. At seven the troops embarked and followed, with a favorable wind, and at nine passed our fleet at anchor, at the junction of the British channel with that on the south, in such a position as to oppose the enemy, should they attempt to annoy the army in descending. At 3 P. M., joined Gen. Brown at French creek. The 4th was spent in waiting for boats with provisions and troops from Sackett's Harbor, and making necessary ar- rangements for the expedition. The 5th was a charming day, and in the morning orders were issued for sailing, and at six the whole army was under way, in about 300 small crafts and boats, and arrived the same evening at Morristown, a distance of forty miles; a favorable landing was selected, and the boats put in in good order. On the 6th the expedition proceeded on to within three miles of Ogdensburgh, and preparations were made for passing the fort at Prescott. At this place Gen. Wilkin- son issued the following proclamation to the Canadians:
" The army of the United States, which I have the honor to command, invades these provinces to conquer, and not to destroy; to subdue the forces of his Britannic majesty, not to war against his unoffending sub- jects. Those, therefore, among you, who remain quiet at home, should victory incline to the American standard, shall be protected in their per- sons and property. But those who are found in arms, must necessarily be treated as avowed enemies. To menace is unjust, to seduce dis- honorable; yet it is just and humane to place these alternatives before you.
Done at the head quarters of the United States army, this sixth day of November, 1813, near Ogdensburgh, on the river St. Lawrence.
JAMES WILKINSON.
(Signed) By the general's command, (Signed) N. PINKNEY, Major and Aid-de-camp."
" The powder and fixed ammunition were debarked and placed in carts, to be transported by land, under cover of the night, beyond the enemy's batteries. As soon as the general returned, orders were issued for the debarkation of every man (except so many as were necessary to navigate the boats), who were directed to march under cover of the night, to save useless exposure to the enemy's cannon, to a bay two miles be- low Prescott; and arrangements were made at the same time for the pas- sage of the flotilla by that place, the superintendency of which devolved upon Brig. Gen. Brown, the general officer of the day. About 8 o'clock P. M., we had so heavy a fog, that it was believed we could pass the British fortress unobserved, and orders were accordingly given for the army to march, and the flotilla to get under way. The general, in his gig, pro- ceeded ahead, followed by his passage boat and family; but a sudden change of the atmosphere exposed his passage boat to the garrison of the enemy, and near fifty-two twenty-four pound shot were fired at her without effect, while the column on land, discovered by the gleam of their arms, were assailed with shot and shells without injury. General Brown, on hearing the firing, judiciously halted the flotilla until the moon had set, when it got into motion, but was perceived by the enemy, who . opened upon it, and continued their fire from front to rear, for the space
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of three hours; and yet out of more than three hundred boats, not one was touched; and only one man was killed, and two were wounded, Before ten next morning, the whole of the flotilla, except two vessels, reached the place of rendezvous."
[Another account states, that the general resorted to the expedient of sending some old boats forward, on which the British expended their long shot; and the army passed harmless, except from one shot, which killed two men and wounded three others.]
" About noon this day, Colonel King, adjutant general of the army of Gen. Wade Hampton, arrived, and waited on the commander-in-chief, whom he informed that he had been to Sackett's Harbor, with a despatch from Gen. Hampton to the secretary of war; that he had no communi- cation, written or verbal, from Major General Hampton (the commander- in-chief), but that not finding the secretary of war at Sackett's Harbor, he had thought proper, on his return, to call for any communication which he (Gen. Wilkinson), might have to make to Gen. Hampton. The gene- ral had intended, in the course of the day, to send an express to Gen. Hampton, with an order to him to form a junction of his division with the corps descending the St. Lawrence, and availed himself of the op- portunity presented by Col. King, to send the order. In passing Pres- cott, two of our largest vessels loaded with provisions, artillery and ord- nance stores, either through cowardice or treachery, had been grounded in the river near Ogdensburgh, and opposite Prescott.
The enemy kept up so constant a cannonade on them, that we found it difficult, and lost half a day to get them out. We perceived the militia in arms at Johnstown, directly opposite us, and several pieces of field artillery in motion. Understanding that the coast below was lined with posts of musketry and artillery at every narrow pass of the river, Colonel Macomb was detached about one o'clock with the elite corps of about 1200 men, to remove these obstructions, and the general got under way about half past three o'clock.
Four or five miles below, we entered the first rapids of the river, and soon after passing them, two pieces of light artillery which Colonel Ma- comb had not observed, opened a sharp fire upon the general's passage boat, but without any further effect than cutting away some of the rigging.
Lieutenant Colonel Eustis, with a party of our light gun barges, came within shot of the pieces of the enemy, and a cannonade ensued without injury to either side. In the mean time, Major Forsyth, who' was in the rear of the elite of Colonel Macomb, landed his riflemen, advanced upon the enemy's guns, and had his fire drawn by a couple of videts, posted in his route, on which their pieces were precipitately carried off.
The general came to at dusk, about six miles below the town of Ham- ilton, where he received a report from Colonel Macomb, who had routed a party at a block house about two miles below, and captured an officer."
On the morning of the 7th, information had been received that the enemy had taken a position on the river above Hamilton, at a narrow pass, and had fortified it to annoy the flotilla in passing. These were dislodged by Major Forsyth. A body of dragoons had assembled here for crossing, and the whole of the 8th and following night were de- voted to transporting these. About noon, advice was received that two armed schooners, and a body of the enemy in bateaux, estimated at 1000 or 1500 men, had descended the river from Kingston, and landed at Prescott; that they had immediately sent a flag across the river to Og-
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densburgh, and demanded the surrender of all public property there, under the penalty of burning the town. Not long after, we received in- formation that the enemy had reembarked at Prescott, in their bateaux, and were following with seven gun boats.
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