USA > New York > A history of the state of New York, from the first discovery of the country to the present time: with a geographical account of the country, and a view of its original inhabitants > Part 12
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SEC. XVI. Governor Shirley, of Massachu- setts, took the command of the expedition against Niagara. He advanced to Oswego, where, be- ing poorly supplied with provisions, and the rainy season approaching, the expedition was abandoned, and the troops returned to Albany.
"General Shirley experienced such delays, that he did not reach Oswego till the 21st of August. On his arrival, he made all necessary preparations for the expedition to Niagara ; but, through the desertion of batteaux-men, the scarcity of wagons on the Mohawk river, and the desertion of sledge- men at the great carrying-place, the conveyance of provisions and stores was so much retarded, that nearly four weeks clapsed before he could go upon action. A council of war, which he held at his camp on the 18th of September, advis- ing to the attempt on Niagara, 600 regulars were drafted for that expedition ; the artillery and ordnance stores were ship- ped on board the sloop Ontario; and part of the provisions were put on board another sloop, the residue being ready for the row-galleys, whale-boats and batteaux. A continuation of heavy rains, which set in on the 1Sth, rendered it impossi- ble for the troops (400 of whom were to go in open boats) to pass the lake with any safety until the 26th of the month, when, on the abatement of the storm, orders were immediate- ly issued for their embarkation. These orders could not be
* Holmes's Annals.
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FROM 1743 TO 1756.
executed. Though there was a short intermission of the rain, the western winds began to blow with increased fury, and were succeeded by continual rains for 13 days. Sickness now prevailed in the camp. The few Indians that had re- mained dispersed. The season was far advanced. In a council of war, called on the 27th, and composed of the same members who composed the last, it was unanimously resolved advisable to defer the expedition to the succeeding year ; to leave colonel Mercer at Oswego, with a garrison of 700 men ; to build two additional forts for the security of the place; and that the general should return with the rest of the army to Albany."*
# Holmes's Annals.
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CHAP. IX.
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH WAR. FROM 1756 TO 1760.
Formal Declaration of War. Campaign of 1756, and Capture of Oswego: Campaign of 1757, and Capture of Fort William Henry. Expedi- tion against Ticonderoga. Capture of Fort
Frontenac. Campaign of 1759. Surrender of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Capture of Niagara. Wolfe's Expedition against Quebec. War terminated in 1760 by the entire Conquest of Canada.
SEC. I. 1756. Hostilities had thus far been prosecuted by the colonies, without any formal declaration of war on the part of the mother country. On the 18th of May, the present year, war was formally declared by Great Britain, and this declaration, soon after, reciprocated by a similar declaration on the part of France.
In the plan of operations for the present year, Niagara and Crown Point, two strong holds of great importance, then in the possession of the enemy, were constituted the principal points of attack.
" The plan for the campaign of this year had been settled in a council of colonial governors at New York. It was agreed to raise 10,000 men for an expedition against Crown Point, 6000 for an expedition against Niagara, and 3000 for an expedition against fort du Quesne. In addition to this formidable force, and in aid of its operations, it was agreed
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that 2000 men should advance up the river Kennebeck, destroy , the settlements on the Chaudiere, and, descending to the mouth of that river, within three miles of Quebec, keep all that part of Canada in alarm. To facilitate the reduction of Crown Point, it was proposed to take advantage of the season when the lake should be frozen over to seize Ticonderoga."*
Early in the present year, an act was passed by the legisla- ture of the state, authorizing the commander of the militia of Albany county to send out detachments of men to act as rangers, in order to guard against a surprise by the enemy. In April, an act was passed for raising 1715 men to cooperate with the troops of the other colonies in the enterprise against Canada. To carry the levy into effect, and provide supplies for the men in service, bills of credit to the amount of 52,000 pounds were issued on the faith of the colony. In December, a law was passed for billeting and quartering the king's forces upon the inhabitants. To meet the expenses of the war, duties were imposed on all imports, stamps introduced, and almost every method of taxation resorted to, which could extort money from the people, whose resources had been ex- hausted by the two preceding campaigns.
SEC. II. General Abercrombie was appoint- ed to command, until the arrival of the earl of Loudon, who was to be commander-in-chief of all his majesty's forces in America. Owing to the improvidence of Abercrombie, nothing was effected by the English. The campaign was unfortunately signalized by the capture of Os- wego, which was surrendered to the French in August.
" The militia of the several provinces, assembled at Albany, remained there, for the want of a commander-in-chief, till the latter end of June, when general Abercrombie joined them in that capacity. The general brought over with him the
* Holmes's Annals.
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35th regiment, and the 42d, or lord George Murray's regiment of Highlanders. These two corps, Pepperell's, Shirley's, the 44th and 48th regiments, with four independent companies from New York, four from Carolina, and a considerable body of provincials, now composed the British troops in North America.
" The command of the expedition against Crown Point was given to major-general Winslow, who, on reviewing the provincial troops destined for that service, found them not much to exceed 7000 men-a number which, after deducting from it the necessary garrisons, was declared inadequate to the enterprise. The arrival of British troops with general Abercrombie, while it relieved this difficulty, created a new one, which occasioned a temporary suspension of the project- ed expedition. The regulation of the crown respecting mili- tary rank had excited great disgust in America ; and Winslow, when consulted on this delicate subject by Abercrombie, expressed his apprehensions, that, if the result of a junction of British and provincial troops should be the placing of the provincials under British officers, it would produce very gen- eral discontent, and, perhaps, desertion. To avoid so serious an evil, it was finally agreed, that British troops should suc- cecd the provincials in the posts then occupied by them, so as to enable the whole colonial force to proceed under Wins- low against Crown Point. General Abercrombie, who had superseded general Shirley as commander-in-chief, now yielded the command to the earl of Loudon. On the arrival of that nobleman, the same subject was revived. While the colonial officers readily consented to act in conjunction with the European troops, and cheerfully submitted, in all dutiful obe- dience, to the British commander-in-chief, they entreated it as a favor of his lordship, as the New England troops had been raised on particular terms, and had proceeded thus far ac- cording to their original organization, that he would permit them to act separately, so far as it might be consistent with his majesty's service. Scarcely was this point of honor satis- factorily adjusted, when the attention of both British and provincial soldiers was arrested by a more serious subject."
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FROM 1756 TO 1760.
The marquis de Montcalm, commander of the French troops in Canada, collected a force of 1300 regulars, 1700 Canadians, with a considerable number of Indians, and pro- ceeded from fort Frontenac by the way of lake Ontario. On his arrival at Oswego, he stationed two large armed vessels to block up the place by water, and posted a strong body of Canadians and Indians to cut off all communication with Albany. Having brought up his artillery and stores, on the 12th of August, he opened his trenches before fort Ontario. The garrison having fired away all their shells and ammuni- tion, colonel Mercer, the commanding officer, ordered the cannon to be spiked up, and crossed the river to Little Oswego fort, without the loss of a single man. The enemy, taking immediate possession of the deserted fort, began a fire from it, which was kept up without intermission. About four miles and a half up the river was fort George, the defence of which was committed to colonel Schuyler. On the abandon- ment of the first fort by colonel Mercer, about 370 of his men had joined colonel Schuyler, with the intention of hav- ing an intercourse between his fort and that to which their own commander retreated; but a body of 2500 Canadians and Indians boldly swam across the river in the night between the 13th and 14th, and cut off that communication. The for- tifications were in no condition to make a defence against artillery, or regular approaches; and, on the 14th, colonel Mercer having been killed by a cannon ball the day previous, the garrison proposed a capitulation.
By the terms of capitulation, they were to surrender pris- oners of war, to be exempted from plunder, treated with humanity, and conducted to Montreal. These terms were, however, most shamefully violated by the French. Several of the British officers and soldiers were insulted, robbed and massacred by the Indians ; most of the sick were barbarous- Jy scalped in the hospital; and, to finish the scene of falsehood and cruelty, the French general delivered up to the Indians above 20 of the garrison, in licu of the same number they had lost during the siege, who were probably put to death ac- cording to the Indian custom of torturing and burning.
Montcalm, having accomplished his object with very incon-
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siderable loss, demolished the two forts at Oswego, and returned with his army to fort Frontenac. By this enterprise, the enemy obtained the entire command of lakes Ontario and Erie, and of the whole country of the Five Nations. About 1500 men were made prisoners, and 120 pieces of cannon were taken, with 14 mortars, 2 sloops of war, and 200 boats and batteaux.
" On this disastrous event, every plan of offensive opera- tion was immediately relinquished. General Winslow had orders from lord Loudon not to proceed on his intended ex- pedition against Ticonderoga, but to fortify his camp, and to prevent the enemy from attacking him or advancing into the country by South bay or Wood creek. General Webb, with about 1400 men, was posted at the great carrying-place; and sir William Johnson, with about 1000 militia, was stationed at the German Flats. The proposed expedition up the Kennebeck, to destroy the settlement on the Chaudiere, terminated in a mere scouting party, which explored the country. The attempt proposed against fort du Quesne was not prose- cuted."*
SEC. III. The campaign of 1757 was equally unsuccessful on the part of the English. Mont- calm made a descent on fort William Henry, situated on the southern shore of lake George. The garrison of the fort consisted of 3000 men. It was besieged by Montcalm, with a force of 9000, and, after a gallant defence of six days, was compelled to surrender, giving to the French the command of the lake, and the west- ern frontier.
" The spirited and protracted defence of the fort, against such numbers, reflects the highest honor upon its brave com- mander, colonel Munroc. Six days was the enemy kept at bay, with unabated resolution, in full expectation of assistance
* Holmes's Annals.
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FROM 1756 TO 1760.
159
from general Webb, who lay at fort Edward, only 15 miles distant, with an army of 4000 men.
" The character of general Webb continues sullied by his unpardonable indifference to the perilous situation of his brethren in arms at fort William Henry. It deserves to be known, that sir William Johnson, after very importunate so- licitations, obtained leave of general Webb to march, with as many as would volunteer in the service, to the relief of Mun - roe.
" At the beat of the drums, the provincials, almost to a man, sallied forth, and were soon ready and eager for the march. After being under arms almost all day, what were their feelings when sir William, returning from head-quarters, informed them that general Webb had forbidden them to march ! '
" The soldiers were inexpressibly mortified and enraged ; and their commander did himself no common honor in the tears he shed, as he turned from his troops, and retired to his tent.
" The defence of fort William Henry was so gallant, that colonel Munroe, with his troops, was admitted to an honorable capitulation. The capitulation, however, was most shameful- ly broken. While the troops were marching out at the gate of the fort, the Indians attached to Montcalm's party dragged the men from their ranks, and, with all the inhumanity of savage feeling, plundered them of their baggage, and butch- ered them in cold blood. Out of a New Hampshire corps of 200, 80 were missing."*
The following account of this dreadful scene is related by captain Carver, of the Connecticut troops, and one of the garrison at that time :- " The morning after the capitulation was signed, as soon as day broke, the whole garrison, now consisting of about 2000 men, besides women and children, were drawn up within the lines, and on the point of marching off, when great numbers of the Indians gathered about, and began to plunder. We were, at first, in hopes that this was their only view, and suffered them to proceed without opposi-
* Goodrich.
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ĐỘNG
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tion. Indeed, it was not in our power to make any, had we been so inclined ; for though we were permitted to carry off our arms, yet we were not allowed a single round of aminu- nition. . In these hopes, however, we were disappointed; for presently some of them began to attack the sick and wounded, when such as were not able to crawl into the ranks, notwithstanding they endeavored to avert the fury of their enemies by their shrieks or groans, were soon despatched.
" Here we were fully in expectation that the disturbance would have concluded; and our little army began to move ; out, in a short time, we saw the front division driven back ; and discovered that we were entirely encircled by the savages. We expected every moment that the guard, which the French, by the articles of capitulation, had agreed to allow us, would have arrived, and put an end to our apprehensions ; but none appeared. The Indians now began to strip every one, without exception, of their arms and clothes ; and those who made the least resistance felt the weight of their tomahawks.
" I happened to be in the rear division ; but it was not long before I shared the fate of my companions. Three or four of the savages laid hold of me, and, whilst some held their weapons over my head, the others soon disrobed me of my coat, waistcoat, hat and buckles, omitting not to take from me what money I had in my pocket. As this was transacted close by the passage that led from the lines on to the plain, near which a French sentinel was posted, I ran to him, and claimed his protection ; but he only called me an English dog, and thrust me with violence back again into the midst of the Indians.
" I now endeavored to join a body of our troops, that were crowded together at some distance ; but innumerable were the blows that were made at me with weapons as I passed on; luckily, however, the savages were so close together, that they could not strike at me without endangering each other. Notwithstanding which, one of them found means to make a thrust at me with a spear, which grazed my side ; and from another I received a wound, with the same kind of weap- on, in my ankle. At length I gained the spot where my countrymen stood, and forced myself into the midst of them
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FROM 1756 TO 1760.
But before I got thus far out of the hands of the Indians, the collar and wrist-bands of my shirt were all that remained of it, and my flesh was scratched and torn in many places by their savage gripes.
" By this time the war-whoop was given, and the Indians began to murder those that were nearest to them without dis- tinction. It is not in the power of words to give any tolera- ble idea of the horrid scene that now ensued : men, women and children were despatched in the most wanton and cruel manner, and immediately scalped. Many of these savages drank the blood of their victims, as it flowed warm from the fatal wound.
" We now perceived, though too late to avail us, that we were to expect no relief from the French ; and that, contrary to the agreement they had so lately signed, to allow us a suf- ficient force to protect us from these insults, they tacitly per- mitted them ; for I could plainly perceive the French officers walking about at some distance, discoursing with apparent unconcern.
" As the circle in which I stood enclosed by this time was much thinned, and death seemed to be approaching with hasty strides, it was proposed, by some of the most resolute, to make one vigorous effort, and endeavor to force our way through the savages-the only probable method of preserving our lives that now remained. This, however desperate, was resolved on, and about 20 of us sprung at once into the midst of them.
" In a moment we were all separated; and what was the fate of my companions I could not learn till some months after, when I found that only six or seven of them effected their design. Intent only on my own hazardous situation, I endeavored to make my way through my savage enemies in the best manner possible ; and I have often been astonished since, when I have recollected with what composure I took, as I did, every necessary step for my preservation. Some I overturned, being, at that time, young and athletic, and others I passed by, dexterously avoiding their weapons; till, at last, two very stout chiefs, of the most savage tribes, as I could distinguish by their dress, whose strength I could not resist, 14 *
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laid hold of me by each arm, and began to force me through the crowd.
" I now resigned myself to my fate, not doubting but that they intended to despatch me, and then satiate their vengeance with my blood, as I found they were hurrying me towards a retired swamp, that lay at some distance. But before we had got many yards, an English gentleman of some distinction, as I could discover by his breeches, the only covering he had on, which were of fine scarlet velvet, rushed close by us. One of the Indians instantly relinquished his hold, and, springing on this new object, endeavored to seize him as his prey ; but the gentleman, being strong, threw him on the ground, and would probably have got away, had not he, who held my other arm, quitted me to assist his brother. I seized the opportuni- ty, and hastened away to join another party of English troops, that were yet unbroken, and stood in a body at some distance. But before I had taken many steps, I hastily cast my eye towards the gentleman, and saw the Indian's tomahawk gash into his back, and heard him utter his last groan. This added both to my speed and desperation.
"I had left this shocking scene but a few yards, when a fine boy, about 12 years of age, that had hitherto escaped, came up to me, and begged that I would let him lay hold of me, so that he might stand some chance of getting out of the hands of the savages. I told him that I would give him every assistance in my power, and, to this purpose, bid him lay hold ; but, in a few moments, he was torn from my side, and, by his shricks, I judge, was soon demolished. I could not help for- getting my own cares for a minute, to lament the fate of so young a sufferer ; but it was utterly impossible for me to take any methods to prevent it.
" I now got once more into the midst of friends; but we were unable to afford each other any succor. As this was the division that had advanced the farthest from the fort, I thought there might be a possibility (though but a bare onc) of my . forcing my way through the outer ranks of the Indians, and getting to a neighboring wood, which I perceived at some distance. I was still encouraged to hope by the almost mirac- ulous preservation I had already experienced. Nor were my
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FROM 1756 TO 1760.
hopes in vain, or the efforts I made ineffectual. Suffice it to say, that I reached the wood; but, by the time I had penetra- ted a little way into it, my breath was so exhausted, that I threw myself into a brake, and lay for some minutes appar- ently at the last gasp. At length I recovered the power of respiration ; but my apprehensions returned with all their for- mer force when I saw several savages pass by, probably in pur- suit of me, at no very great distance. In this situation, I knew not whether it was better to proceed, or endeavor to conceal myself where I lay till night came on. Fearing, how- ever, that they would return the same way, I thought it most prudent to get farther from the dreadful scene of my distress- es. Accordingly, striking into another part of the wood, I hastened on as fast as the briers and the loss of one of my shoes would permit me; and, after a slow progress of some hours, gained a hill that overlooked the plain which I had just left, from whence I could discern that the bloody storm still raged with unabated fury.
" But, not to tire my readers, I shall only add, that, after passing three days without subsistence, and enduring the se- verity of the cold dews for three nights, I at length reached fort Edward, where, with proper care, my body soon recovered its wonted strength, and my mind, as far as my recollection of the late melancholy events would permit, its usual com- posure.
"It was computed that 1500 persons were killed or made . prisoners by these savages during this fatal day. Many of the latter were carried off by them, and never returned. A few, through favorable accidents, found their way back to their native country, after having experienced a long and severe captivity.
" The brave colonel Munroe had hastened away, soon after the confusion began, to the French camp, to endeavor to pro- cure the guard agreed on by the stipulation ; but, his applica- tion proving ineffectual, he remained there till general Webb sent a party of troops to demand and protect him back to fort Edward."*
Major Putnam was despatched, the day after this awful tra- * Carver's Travels.
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gedy, with his rangers, to watch the motions of the enemy, and gives the following account. He arrived at the shore of lake George while the enemy were in the act of retiring. The prospect was horrid beyond description. The fort was de- molished; the barracks, out-houses and buildings were one heap of ruins; the cannon, stores, boats and vessels were carried away ; the fires were still burning, the smoke and stench offensive and suffocating; the place was covered with fragments of human skulls and bones ; and carcasses half consumed were still frying and broiling in the decaying fires. "Dead bodies, mangled with scalping-knives and tomahawks, in all the wantonness of Indian fierceness and barbarity, were everywhere to be seen.
More than 100 women, inhumanly stabbed and butchered, lay naked on the ground, with their bowels torn out, and still weltering in their gore. In some, their throats were cut; in others, their brains were oozing out, where the hatchet had cleaved their heads; and in others the hair and scalp had been torn off, and nothing was to be seen but the bloody skull. Devastation, barbarity and horror everywhere appeared, and presented a spectacle too diabolical and awful to be endured or delineated .*
SEC. IV. 1758. The celebrated Pitt, lord Chatham, was now placed at the head of the British ministry, and gave a new tone to their measures, and a fresh impulse to the spirit of the colonies, which had been depressed by a se- ries of ill-conducted and unfortunate expeditions. The tide of success was now turned in favor of the English, and continued, with few exceptions, until the whole of Canada was subjected to their arms.
In a circular addressed to the provincial governors, Mr. Pitt assured them that a large force would be sent to America to act in concert with the colonies by sca and land against
* Putnam's Life.
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FROM 1756 TO 1760.
the French, and called on them to raise as large bodies of men as the number of inhabitants would allow. The north- ern colonies were prompt and liberal in furnishing the requisite supplies. The province of New York contributed 2680* men, and appropriated 100,000 pounds towards defraying the ex- penses of the provincial troops. Such was the active spirit of the colonies, that the provincial troops, amounting to about 25,000, were ready to take the field early in May. The entire forces of the English now amounted to 50,000t men, the most powerful army ever seen in America.
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