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 13

Author: Eastman, Francis Smith, 1803-1846 or 7
Publication date: 1832
Publisher: New York, A. K. White
Number of Pages: 930


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 13


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SEC. V. The plan of the campaign for the present year comprehended three expeditions ; viz. against Louisburg, Ticonderoga, and fort du Quesne. The first was completely successful. Louisburg, after an obstinate resistance, was surrendered to general Amherst on the 26th of July, and with it, 5737 prisoners of war, with military stores.


The command of the expedition against Louisburg was assigned to major-general Amherst, assisted by brigadier-gen- erals Wolfe, Whittemore and Lawrence. The naval force under admiral Boscawen arrived at Halifax in May, the whole armament consisting of 157 sail. The fleet appeared in the vicinity of Louisburg on the 2d of June, and, on the 8th, the troops under the direction of general Wolfe effected a land- ing, and immediately invested the city.


The garrison of Louisburg consisted of 2500 regular troops, 300 militia, and a considerable number of Canadians and In- dians, under the command of chevalier Drucour. The har- bor was defended by six ships of the line, and five frigates.


* The several counties in the province furnished the following quotas :-


Albany city and county, 514; New York do. 312; West Chester Co., 304; Dutchess, 389; Queen's, 200 ; Suffolk, 200; Ulster, 'E; Orange, 147; King's, 63; Richmond, 55.


+ In this computation are included troops of every description. 22,000 of them were regular troops. Unic. Hist.


7


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


Amherst advanced upon the place with great caution, and Wolfe conducted with all that gallantry and discretion, which have since immortalized his name. Under these commanders, the siege was prosecuted with so much vigilance and energy, that the French ships were soon destroyed, and the garrison compelled to surrender.


. SEC. VI. Lord Loudon having returned to England, general Abercrombie, now command- er-in-chief in America, with an army of 16,000 men, passed lake George, and appeared before Ticonderoga. Without waiting for the arrival of his artillery, he commenced an immediate at- tack, which was obstinately maintained for more than four hours ; when he was compelled to retire, with the loss of near 2000 killed and wounded.


The forces under Abercrombie amounted to near 7000 reg- ulars, and 10,000 provincial troops. These, with a fine train of artillery and military stores, were embarked on lake George, in 900 batteaux and 131 boats. Their passage across the lake is thus elegantly described by doctor Dwight :-


"The morning was remarkably bright and beautiful; and the fleet moved with exact regularity to the sound of fine martial music. The ensigns waved and glittered in the sun- beams, and the anticipation of future triumph shone in every eye. Above, beneath, around, the scenery was that of en- chantment. Rarely has the sun, since that luminary was first lighted up in the heavens, dawned on such a complication of beauty and magnificence."


The splendor of this parade forms, however, a melancholy contrast with the defeat which was about to ensue. After debarkation at the landing-place in a cove on the west side of the lake, the troops were formed into four columns, the British in the centre, and the provincials on the flanks. In this order, they marched toward the advanced guard of the French, which, consisting of one battalion only, posted in a


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FROM 1756 TO 1760.


log camp, destroyed what was in their power, and made a precipitate retreat. While Abercrombie was continuing his march in the woods toward Ticonderoga, the columns were thrown into confusion, and in some degree entangled with each other. At this juncture, lord Howe, at the head of the right centre column, fell in with a part of the advanced guard of the enemy, which was lost in the wood in retreating from lake George, and immediately attacked and dispersed it, killing a considerable number, and taking 148 prisoners. In this skirmish, lord Howe, a nobleman of the most promising military talents, fell on the first fire.


The English army, without further opposition, took posses sion of a fort within two miles of Ticonderoga. Abercrom- bie, having learned from the prisoners the strength of the enemy at that fortress, and, from an engineer, the condition of their works, resolved on an immediate storm, and made instant disposition for an assault. The troops, having received orders to march up briskly, rush upon the enemy's fire, and to reserve their own till they had passed a breastwork, marched to the assault with great intrepidity. Unlooked-for impediments, however, occurred ; and, just as they were approaching the enemy's works, they became entangled in an abatis. Despe- rate attempts were made to force a passage, during which, they were constantly exposed to a most fatal and destructive fire from the enemy, who, being covered by their entrench- ments, suffered comparatively little. Every effort proving unsuccessful, Abercrombie withdrew his forces, and precipi- tately retired to his former encampment on lake George .*


SEC. VII. Abercrombie, soon after his un- fortunate expedition against Ticonderoga, sent colonel Bradstreet, with a detachment of 3000 men, against fort Frontenac, on the north-west side of the outlet of lake Ontario. Bradstreet sailed down the Ontario, landed within a mile of the fort, opened his batteries, and in two days


* Holmes's Annals.


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


compelled this important fortress to surrender. Nine armed vessels, large quantities of cannon and military stores, fell into the hands of the English. Fort du Quesne was peaceably sur- rendered to general Forbes in November.


SEC. VIII. The object of the campaign of 1759 was no less than the entire conquest of Canada. The contemplated points of attack were Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Niagara and Quebec.


The plan of the campaign of the present year was projected by Mr. Pitt, and was marked by the energy and boldness of that minister's genius. General Wolfe was to ascend the St. Lawrence with a body of 8000 men, as soon as the river should be clear of ice, and lay siege to Quebec, the capital of . Canada. General Amherst, commander-in-chief, with an army of regular troops and provincials amounting to 12,000, was to attempt the reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and thence proceed through lake Champlain and the river Sorelle, to the assistance of Wolfe. Brigadier-general Prideaux, with a body of troops reinforced by the Indians under the influence and command of sir William Johnson, was to invest the French fort at Niagara, and attempt the reduction of that im- portant fortress. It was expected that these forces, making simultaneous movements in different directions, would mutu- ally assist each other, by dividing the forces, and distracting the councils of the enemy.


In March, the legislature ordered a levy of 2680 men, being the quota assigned to the colony of New York, and imposed a tax of £100,000 for their payment and support. By subse- quent acts, the same number of men were raised and supported by the colony for several successive years. In July, in addition to other emissions, bills of credit to the amount of &150,000 were issued for the payment of debts contracted in the prose -. cution of the war. In the course of a few months, the contri- butions imposed on the province for defraying the expenses of the military operations amounted to above $600,000.


+ ++


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FROM 1756 TO 1760. . 169


SEC. IX. General Amherst, who had suc- ceeded Abercrombie as commander-in-chief, appcared before Ticonderoga on the 22d of July, and soon after took possession of the for- tress. After repairing the works, he proceeded to Crown Point, which was surrendered without opposition.


Early in the spring, general Amherst transferred his head- quarters from New York to Albany, where his troops were assembled by the last of May. The summer was, however, far advanced before he could cross lake George, and it was not until the 22d of July that he reached Ticonderoga. The lines around that place were immediately abandoned by the enemy, and the English took possession of them the next day without firing a gun. They were composed of large trees, and banked with the earth of the clay kind to such thickness, that the enemy's cannon afterward made no impression on them. After making proper dispositions for the reduction of the French fortress, on the 26th, all the artillery men were ordered into the trenches, and two batteries were about to be opened; but the enemy, after blowing up their magazines, and doing what damage the time would allow, evacuated the fort, and retreated to Crown Point. Amherst, after repairing the fortifications of Ticonderoga, advanced to Crown Point ; but, before his arrival, the garrison repaired to Isle aux Noix, at the northern extremity of lake Champlain. At this place, the French, he was informed, had 3500 men, with a numerous train of artillery, and the additional defence of four large armed vessels on the lake. The English general made great exertions to obtain a naval superiority. With a sloop and a radeau, which he had built with the greatest despatch, he destroyed two vessels of the enemy ; but a succession of storms, and the advanced season of the year, obliged him to postpone further operations. Returning to Crown Point, he there put his troops into winter-quarters, about the last of October."


Holmes's Annals.


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


SEC. X. The second division of the army, under general Prideaux, appeared before Niag- ara on the 6th of July. The place was imme- diately invested ; and, on the 24th, a general battle took place, which decided the fate of that post, and transferred it into the hands of the English.


" In prosecution of the enterprise against Niagara, general Prideaux had embarked with an army on lake Ontario; and, on the 6th of July, landed without opposition within about three miles of the fort, which he invested in form. While directing the operations of the siege, he was killed by the bursting of a cohorn, and the command devolved on sir Wil- liam Johnson. : That general, prosecuting with judgment and vigor the plan. of his predecessor, pushed the attack of Niag- ara with such intrepidity, as soon brought the besiegers within a hundred yards of the covered way. Meanwhile, the French, alarmed at the danger of losing such a post, which was a key to their interior empire in America, had collected a Large body of regular troops from the neighboring garrisons of Detroit, Venango and Presque Isle, with which, and a party of Indians, they resolved, if possible, to raise the siege. Ap- prized of their intention to hazard a battle, general Johnson ordered his light-infantry, supported by some grenadiers and regular foot, to take post between the cataract of Niagara and the fortress; placed the auxiliary Indians on his flanks; and, together with this preparation for an engagement, took effec- tual measures for securing his lines, and bridling the garrison. About 9, in the morning of the 24th of July, the enemy ap- peared, and the horrible sound of the war-whoop from the hostile Indians was the signal of battle. The French charged with great impetuosity, but were received with firmness, and, in less than an hour, were completely routed. This battle decided the fate of Niagara. Sir William Johnson, the next morning, sent a trumpet to the French commandant ; and, in a few hours, a capitulation was signed. The garrison, consist- ing of 607 men, were to march out with the honors of war, to be embarked on the lake, and carried to New York ; and


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FROM 1756 TO 1760.


the women and children were to be carried to Montreal. The reduction of Niagara effectually cut off the communication between Canada and Louisiana."*


SEC. XI. While the British were pursuing their victorious career in Upper Canada, general Wolfe, with an army of 8000 men, appeared be- fore Quebec. On the 13th of September, a severe battle was fought between the English, under Wolfe, and the French, under Montcalm, in which both these brave commanders fell. Victory decided in favor of the English, and the city, five days after, capitulated.


General Wolfe embarked at Louisburg, under convoy of admirals Saunders and Holmes, and landed with his troops in June, without opposition, on the island of Orleans, a little below Quebec. The city was strongly fortified by nature and art, formidable on account of the number and bravery of its inhabitants, and in a situation in which it could not be much injured by a fleet, or approached but by a powerful force by land. It was defended by an army of 10,000 men, consisting of regular troops and well-disciplined militia, besides a large number of armed Indians. At the head of these forces was the marquis de Montcalm, a general of much courage, activity and experience, and already distinguished for his enterprises and success against the English.


"Determined from the first to take the place, impregnable as it was accounted, the measures of general Wolfe were singularly bold, and apparently repugnant to all the maxims of war. His attention was first drawn to point Levi, on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence, upon which, after taking possession of it, he erected batteries. By means of these, he destroyed many houses, but from this point it was soon apparent that little impression could be made upon the forti- fications of the town.


"Finding it impracticable thus to accomplish his purpose,


.* Holmes's Annals.


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


Wolfe next decided on more daring measures. For the pur- pose of drawing Montcalm to a general battle, Wolfe, with his troops, crossed the river Montmorenci, and attacked the enemy in their intrenchments. Owing, however, to the grounding of some of the boats which conveyed the troops, a part of the detachment did not land so soon as the others The corps that first landed, without waiting to form, rushed forward impetuously towards the enemy's intrenchments. But their courage proved their ruin. A close and well-direct- ed fire from the enemy cut them down in great numbers.


" Montcalm's party had now landed, and were drawn up on the beach in order. But it was near night ; a thunder-storm was approaching, and the tide was rapidly setting in. Fearing the consequences of delay, Wolfe ordered a retreat across the Montmorenci, and returned to his quarters on the isle of Or- leans. In this rencounter, his loss amounted to near 600 of the flower of his army.


"Disappointed thus far, and worn down with fatigue and watching, general Wolfe fell violently sick. Scarcely had he recovered, before he proceeded to put in execution a plan which had been matured on his sick bed. This was to pro- ceed up the river, gain the Heights of Abraham, and draw Montcalm to a general engagement.


"Accordingly, the troops were transported up the river about nine miles. On the 12th of September, one hour after midnight, Wolfe and his troops left the ships, and in boats si- lently dropped down the current, intending to land a league above cape Diamond, and there ascend the bank leading to the station he wished to gain. Owing, however, to the rapid- ity of the river, they fell below the intended place, and landed a mile, or a mile and a half, above the city. The operation was a critical one, as they had to navigate in silence down a rapid stream, and to find a right place for landing, which, amidst surrounding darkness, might be easily mistaken. Be- sides this, the shore was shelving, and the bank so steep and lofty as scarcely to be ascended, even without opposition from an enemy. Indeed, the attempt was in the greatest danger of being defeated by an occurrence peculiarly interesting, as marking the very great delicacy of the transaction.


FROM 1756 TO 1760. 173


"One of the French sentinels, posted along the shore, as the English boats were descending, challenged them in the customary military language of the French, 'Qui vit ?' ' Who goes there ?' to which a captain in Frazer's regiment, who had served in Holland, and was familiar with the French language and customs, promptly replied, ' La France.' The next question was still more embarrassing, for the sentinel demanded, ' A quel regiment ?'' To what regiment?' The cap- tain, who happened to know the name of a regiment which was up the river with Bougainville, promptly rejoined, ' De la reine,' ' The queen's.' The soldier immediately replied, 'Passe,' for he concluded at once that this was a French convoy of provisions, which, as the English had learned from some de- serters, was expected to pass down the river to Quebec. The other sentinels were deceived in a similar manner ; but one, less credulous than the rest, running down to the water's edge, called out, ' Pour quois est ce que vous ne parlez plus haut ?' ' Why don't you speak louder ?' The same captain, with per- fect self-command, replied, ' Tais toi, nous serons entendus !' ' Hush, we shall be overheard and discovered !' The seutry, satisfied with this caution, retired, and the boats passed in safety .* About an hour before day, the army began to ascend the precipice, the distance of 150 or 200 feet, almost perpen- dicular ascent, above which spread the plains of Abraham. By day-light, September 13th, this almost incredible enterprise had been effected; the desired station was attained ; the army was formed, and ready to meet the enemy.


" To Montcalm, the intelligence that the English were oc- cupying the Heights of Abraham was most surprising. The impossibility of ascending the precipice he considered certain, and, therefore, had taken no measures to fortify its line. But no sooner was he informed of the position of the English army, than, perceiving a battle no longer to be avoided, he prepared to fight. Between nine and ten o'clock, the two armies, about equal in numbers, met face to face.


" The battle now commenced. Inattentive to the fire of a body of Canadians and Indians, 1500 of whom Montcalm had stationed in the cornfields and bushes, Wolfe directed his


1


* Silliman's Tour, from Smollet.


15 *


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


troops to reserve their fire for the main body of the French, now rapidly advancing. On their approach within 40 yards, the English opened their fire, and the destruction became inn- mense.


"The French fought bravely, but their ranks became dis- ordered, and, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of their officers to form them, and to renew the attack, they were so successfully pushed by the British bayonet, and hewn down by the Highland broadsword, that their discomfiture was com- plete. -


" During the action, Montcalm was on the French left, and Wolfe on the English right, and here they both fell in the critical moment that decided the victory. Early in the battle, Wolfe received a ball in his wrist ; but, binding his handker- chief around it, he continued to encourage his men. Shortly after, another ball penetrated his groin; but this wound, although much more severe, he concealed, and continued to urge on the contest, till a third bullet pierced his breast. He was now obliged, though reluctantly, to be carried to the rear of the line.


"General Monckton succeeded to the command, but was immediately wounded, and conveyed away. In this critical state of the action, the command devolved on general Towns- hend. General Montcalm, fighting in front of his battalion, received a mortal wound about the same time, and general Jennezergus, his second in command, fell near his side.


" Wolfe died in the field before the battle was ended; but he lived long enough to know that the victory was his. While leaning on the shoulder of a lieutenant, who kneeled to sup- port him, he was seized with the agonies of death. At this moment was heard the distant sound, 'They fly-they fly!' The hero raised his drooping head, and eagerly asked, 'Who fly ?' Being told that it was the French, "Then,' he replied, ' I die happy,' and expired."*


In the ensuing spring, 1760, the French made exertions to recover Quebec from the English.


* Goodrich.


.


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FROM 1756 TO 1760.


Their designs were, however, frustrated by the arrival of an English squadron with reinforce- ments, by which the French fleet was taken and destroyed.


SEC. XII. On the 6th of September, gener- als Amherst and Murray, with a large body of troops, appeared before Montreal, the last fortress of importance now in possession of the French. On the 8th, Montreal, Detroit, Michilimackinac, and all other places within the government of Canada, were surrendered to his Britannic maj- esty.


Three years after, a definitive treaty was ratified by the kings of England and France, by which all Nova Scotia, Canada, the isle of Cape Breton, and all other islands in the gulf and river St. Lawrence, were ceded to the British crown.


.


*


. 176 , ' HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


CHAP. X ..


FROM 1760 TO 1775.


Prospects of the Colony. Controversy relative to the New Hampshire Grants. Opposition from the Settlers. Stamp Act. Congress at New York. Disturbances occasioned by the Stamp Act. Associations to oppose it. Stamp Act


repealed. Assembly restrained. Further At- tempts to tax the Colonies. Controversy with the Grants becomes serious. Parties prevented from proceeding to Hostilities by the Controver- sy with Great Britain.


SEC. I. The conquest of Canada had, for more than 70 years, been an object of solicitude with the colonies generally, but more especially with New York, which, from its local situation, was more imminently exposed to the depreda- tions and ravages of the Indian tribes. The accomplishment of this object put a period to those hostile incursions, and gave to the future prospects of the colony the aspect of tranquillity ; prosperity, rapid increase, and improvement, while the return of peace afforded an opportunity for repairing the embarrassed state of her finan- ces, and augmenting her resources, which had . been impoverished by a series of protracted and expensive wars.


The population of the province, at the termination of the war, . probably did not exceed 100,000. In 1756, it amounted to


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FROM 1760 TO 1775.


96,765. The counties at that time were Suffolk, Queen's, King's, Richmond, New York, West-Chester, Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and Albany. The settlements were chiefly limited to New York, Staten and Long islands, the banks of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, and their vicinity. The most northern set- tlements were Hoosac, Schaghticoke and Saratoga. On the Mohawk, there were no establishments of any importance west of Schoharie creek.


SEC. II. Lieutenant-governor Delancey died suddenly, on the 30th of July, and Cadwallader Colden assumed the government, as president of the council. He received the appointment of lieutenant-governor in August, 1761. Robert Monckton was commissioned governor, and commenced his administration in October.


Soon after his appointment, governor Monckton embarked to take the command of an expedition against Martinique. The enterprise was successful, and, on the 14th of February, the French governor, M. de la Touche, delivered up the whole island to the English on capitulation. With Martinique fell Granada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and every other place pos- sessed by the French in the extensive chain of the Caribbee islands. Governor Monckton returned-to New York in June, 1762, but remained only a short time in the province. During his absence, the government was administered by Mr. Colden, the lieutenant-governor. Towards the close of the following year, apprehensions were entertained for the safety of Schoha- rie and Cherry Valley, in consequence of the hostile attitude of some of the more remote Indian tribes. An act was passed by the legislature, in December, for the raising of 800 men, to be stationed at those places for the protection of the set- tlements.


SEC. III. In 1763 commenced the celebrated controversy with New Hampshire, relative to boundaries. The controverted territory com- prised the country situated between Connecticut


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HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 1


river and lake Champlain, and since known as Vermont.


No settlements of any importance had been made in this territory previous to 1760 ; and the subject of territorial limits had, consequently, never been examined or called in question. The original charters of the colonies, owing to the imperfect surveys of the country, were extremely vague, indefinite, and often contradictory. A grant was made, in 1664 and 1674, by Charles the Second, to his brother, the duke of York, contain- ing, among other parts of America, " all the lands from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of Delaware bay." No other grant of the contested territory had ever been made by any preceding or subsequent charter, and it was, con- sequently, inferred, by the government of New York, that it fell within their jurisdiction.


This territory was, however, by many, supposed to fall within the limits of New Hampshire, and that government, in 1760, and several succeeding years, made large grants of land, to set- tlers, west of Connecticut river. The settlements progressed with astonishing rapidity; and, in 1763, 138 townships had been · granted by New Hampshire, extending as far west as the shore of lake Champlain, and to what was esteemed 20 miles east of IIudson's river.




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