USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > A history of the town of Queensbury, in the state of New York : with biographical sketches of many of its distinguished men, and some account of the aborigines of northern New York > Part 43
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" At an annual town meeting held in Queensbury on Tues- day ye 2nd day of May, 1776, for the township of Queensbury.
1. Voted. Abraham Wing, Moderator.
2. Voted. Asaph Putnam, Town Clerk.
1 Now Schuylerville, N. Y.
2 Carroll's Journal, p. 49.
412
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
3. Voted. Abraham Wing, Supervisor.
4. Voted. Asaph Putnam, Constable.
5. Voted. Nehemiah Sealy, Constable.
1
6. Voted. Daniel Jones, Constable.
7. Voted. Ebenezer Fuller, Constable.
8. Voted. Nehemiah Sealy, and Benjamin Wing, As- sessors.
9. Voted. Abraham Wing, Path Master.
10. Voted. Benedict Brown, Path Master.
11. Voted. Ichabod Merritt and Nehemiah Sealy, Overseers of the Poor.
12. Voted. Benjamin Wing, Collector.
13. Voted. Abraham Wing, Town Treasurer.
14. Voted. Abraham Wing, Keeper of the Pound.
15. Voted. Ichabod Merritt, and Asaph Putnam, viewers of fence and prisers of damage.
16. Voted. Abraham Wing, Asaph Putnam and Nehemiah Sealy, are appointed to enspect all persons that shall hunt the Deer in Queensbury, for . the year ensuing.
17. Voted.
That any person that shall harbor or entertain or assist any person or persons from any County to hunt or kill any fawn, buck or deer in Queensbury, in ye year ensuing shall Forfeit and pay to the treasury the Sum of five Pounds."
The Daniel Jones here mentioned and a sketch of whom is elsewhere given was a son-in-law of Abraham Wing, and a brother of David Jones, whose name has become historical from association with the Jane McCrea massacre. The brothers were mill-wrights, and Daniel as already shown was largely interested in the mills at this point. The family were among the earliest settlers of Kingsbury patent and owned large and valuable possessions in the north part of that town, which were afterwards sequestrated by the commission of forfeitures.
Their house was for a short time made the head quarters of Burgoyne's army during the following year.
Thus it will be seen that even among the peaceful Friends of Queensbury the elements of discord were early sown, for while the elder Wing and James Higson, another son-in-law,
413
ESCAPE OF SIR JOHN JOHNSON.
were undoubted patriots, the Jones family were loyalists to the bitter end, and their persuasions no doubt had great weight in influencing some of the younger scions of the family to take sides with the royal cause. None of the Wing or other leading families of the settlement at the Corners, ever took arms on either side.
In the month of May, 1776,1 General Schuyler despatched Col. Dayton with a portion of his regiment to Johnstown, to arrest Sir John Johnson, who, it was alleged, had broken his parole. The latter, being notified of his danger by some Albany loyalists, took refuge in flight; and with a large number of his dependents and retainers, made their escape down the valley of the Sacandaga to the Hudson, and thence up the, west branch of that stream, skirting around the base of Crane's mountain through the town of Johnsburgh, and thence a due northerly course through the tangle of lake, forest, mountain, and stream now known as the Adirondac wilderness ;2 and after nineteen days of severe toil, hardship, and suffering, reached the St. Lawrence river at a point considerably above Montreal, whence they made their escape into Canada, where they met with a cordial welcome, and received all needed assistance. He shortly after received a commission as colonel, and organized a regi- ment composed of his own followers, and tory refugees, with which the province was already swarming. It was at first called the Royal Greens, but it was afterwards famous in the annals of the border warfare of the period, as " the Johnson Greens."
On the 7th of July, a council of general officers consisting of Schuyler, Gates, Sullivan, Arnold and Woedtke, pronounced the position at Crown Point insecure and untenable. Twenty- one inferior officers, among whom were Stark, Poor, and Max- well, remonstrated against this view.
On the 12th of July, General Gates assumed the command of the northern army,3 making his head quarters at Ticon-
1 Stone's Life of Brant (first edition), vol. I, p. 144.
2 Lossing, in his Life of Schuyler, vol. I, p. 71, makes the route of Sir John's escape by the way of Schroon river and lake, but the local tradition of the in- habitants determines it as recorded in the text.
3 " The appointment of Gates to the command of this department, was from the first unacceptable to the officers of New York, nor was his own course conciliating towards them. In the course of the present summer, it was reported to Lieutenant Colonel Gansevoort, a brave, and deservedly popular officer belonging to the re- giment of Col. Van Schaick, and, then in command of Fort George, at the head of the lake of that name, that the general had spoken disrespectfully of that regi
414
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
deroga. His first attention was directed to the disposal and care of the hundreds of invalid troops then pouring back from Canada, the large proportion of whom were suffering from small pox.1 In a communication from him to General Wash- ington, dated at Ticonderoga, July 28th, he says : " everything about this army is infected with the pestilence; the clothes, the blankets, the air, and the ground they walk upon. To put this evil from us, a general hospital is established at Fort George, where there are now between two and three thousand sick, and where every infected person is immediately sent. But this care and caution have not effectually destroyed the disease here ; it is, notwithstanding, continually breaking out." 2
A spacious building, known in later years as the long house, was at this time erected for the purposes of a hospital on the flat below the outworks of Fort George. In addition tents in considerable numbers, and temporary barracks were put up for the accommodation of the sick, who were daily transported hither from the overcrowded, and pestilential wards and barracks at the lower end of the lake.
In a letter from Col. Trumbull, adjutant general of the northern department, to Col. Gansevoort on the 24th of July, he communicates the fact that a large hospital had been erected at the head of Lake George, where three thousand small pox cases had been brought from our garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. This fearful pestilence, he alleges, was purposely introduced through private inoculation, by a villain calling him- self Doctor Barker.3
ment, and also of the regiments of Colonels Wynkoop and Fisher. His letters to Colonel Gansevoort were unnecessarily harsh and pragmatical, so much so as justly to give offence. Irritated by such treatment, Gansevoort wrote a spirited letter to Gates, referring to several matters in which he had been aggrieved by the letters and conversations of that officer. He requested a court of inquiry, and avowed his determination, with the leave of the general, to relinquish the command of the post."- Stone's Life of Brant, vol. I, p. 162, note. On the 30th of July, Peter Gansevoort, in a letter to John Mckesson, signs himself, " Lt. Colonel, com- manding Fort George."
1 " The annals of disastrous war, scarce present a more deplorable picture than that exhibited by the Americans escaping from Canada. In addition to the small pox, the army had been afflicted by otlier diseases, generated by exposure, desti- tution, and laxity of discipline. Fleets of boats came up the lake, freighted with the sick and dying ; and even those reported from day to day fit for duty, pre: sented but the appearance of a haggard skeleton of an army."- Stone's Life of Brant, vol. I, p. 164.
2 Force's Am. Archives, fifth series, vol. I, p. 650-1.
3 As the disease had already thoroughly pervaded the army in Canada ; making
,
415
INSUFFICIENT MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
The large and extensive hospital at Lake George, was com- mitted to the charge of Dr. Jonathan Potts,1 who subsequently held a commanding position in the medical ranks of the army, and who, according to the scant information at hand concerning him, was a gentleman of culture, eminent in his profession, and of good administrative ability.2 Under his management, the desperate condition of affairs at the head of the lake began to amend, and to take on habits of method and regularity. Notwithstanding the want of medicines and hospital supplies of which the doctor repeatedly complains in his reports and correspondence, the number of deaths is small as compared to the number of cases received. . The following is a summary of the returns for the fortnight ending the 26th July. Admitted 1497. Discharged 439. Died 51. Deserted 3. Remaining 1004. Detailed as nurses 106. Total 1110.3 Dr. McCrea, surgeon in Van Schaick's Albany regiment is mentioned as being on duty during this period. Among those who died here at that time, was brigadier general, the Baron de Woedtke, whose remains repose in an unknown grave somewhere among the plains surrounding the moss grown ruins of Fort George.(a) Major Hubby of the baron's personal staff, made an inventory . of his effects, and Col. De Haas of the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion, was appointed administrator of his estate.
Among the patients at the hospital during this period was the afterward famous Gen. James Wilkinson ; who was stricken
its appearance simultaneously at the southern forts on the lake ; and, as inocula- tion was the universal practice of the day, rigorously observed at all the military posts, it is difficult to comprehend at this distance of time, wherein Doctor Barker was specially to blame. He was arrested and sent to Albany.
1 He petitions congress, 29th April, 1796, for appointment as director of hospital to be erected in Canada .- Force's Am. Archives, 4th series, vol. v, p. 1118. At this time Dr. John Morgan was director general of the hospitals.
2 Thursday, June 6th, 1776. In Continental Congress. " Resolved, That Dr. Jonathan Potts be employed as a physician and surgeon in the Canada Depart- ment, or at Lake George, as the general shall direct ; but that this appointment shall not supersede Dr. Stringer."- Force's Am. Archives, fourth series, vol. V, p. 1118.
3 Idem, fifth series, vol. I, p. 857.
(a)" The BARON DE WOEDTKE, mentioned above, had been for many years an officer in the army of the king of Prussia, and liad risen to the rank of major. Coming to Philadelphia, with strong letters of recommendation to Dr. Franklin from per- sons of eminence in Paris he was appointed by congress a brigadier general on the 16th of March, and ordered to Canada. He died at Lake George about three weeks after the above council was held at Crown Point, (July 7th), and was buried with the honors due to his rank."- Spark's Life and Writings of Washington, vol. IV, p. 6, note.
.
416
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
down with a typhus fever which " swept off over one thousand of our troops," and notwithstanding the personal attendance of Doctor Jonathan Potts, the surgeon general, he says, I was con- signed to my grave and a coffin was prepared for my accommo- dation." He however recovered and survived to fill a con- spicuous place in the annals of the country.1
On the 18th of September, Major Carnes at Fort George, reports to General Gates that the pestilence is abating.2
The small pox had more than decimated the small force with which Arnold had held the English garrison of Quebec at bay. This now being strengthened by fresh auxiliaries and supplies, he was forced to retire from one stronghold to another, until the retreating column was finally intrenched at Ticonderoga. This retreat had been managed in a most masterly and skillful manner by Gen. Sullivan.3 The chain of disasters linked with this campaign, was supplemented by a triumph which seemed to give a seal of success to the British arms. The early summer months had been diligently employed by Gen. Carleton in the preparation of. a powerful flotilla on Lake Champlain,4 which now seemed to have been summoned into existence as if by magic. Two spirited naval engagements succeeded on the 11th and 13th of October, which were fought with desperate bravery, - but which resulted in the " defeat of Arnold, the annihilation of his flotilla, and the possession of the lake and Crown Point by the foe." 5
The rumors of a tory conspiracy in and about the Helleberg, and a threatened invasion of the forts at the north, occasioned the recall of Col. Van Ness's regiment to Fort Edward this month,6 and the forwarding of recruits to Skenesboro and Fort George. For the same reason Col. Dayton's regiment had been previously ordered to Fort George without delay.
' See Wilkinson's Memoirs, vol. I, p. 86.
2 Force's Am. Archives, fifth series, vol. I, p. 388.
3 " General Sullivan, with his usual activity and alertness, collected together a debilitated, dispirited army, tried the strength of the enemy, who were at least four to one, and performed one of the most remarkable retreats that was ever known. No person who was not present can conceive a tenth part of the difficul- ties attending it ; the enemy at our heels, 3000 of our men sick of the small pox and those who were most healthy like so many walking apparitions."- Force's Am. Archives, fifth series, vol. I, p. 339.
4 Stedman's American War, vol. I, p. 252.
5 Stone's Life of Brant, vol. I, p. 173.
6 Rev. Papers, vol. I, p. 512.
417
AMERICAN DISASTERS.
The campaign of 1776 had been peculiarly disastrous to the American arms. In addition to the severe losses at the north, the expulsion of our troops from Canada, the defeat of Arnold, the capture of Lake Champlain with one of its most important southern out posts, there followed in rapid sequence the battle of Long Island, with its severe loss of upwards of 2000 killed and taken prisoners, among whom were three of our ablest generals, namely Stirling, Sullivan, and Woodhull; the British occupation of New York city, and capture of nearly all the military stores belonging to that department ; the drawn battle of White Plains which was tantamount to a defeat; the fall of Forts Washington and Lee; the seizure and occupancy of Rhode Island; and the general feeling of doubt, distrust, and dismay, prevailing among the militia whose term of service was nearly expired, cast a dark shadow of gloom over the close of the year, relieved only by the brilliant success at Trenton, and the promulgation of that magna charta of our liberties, the declaration of independence.1
Carleton, after a brief occupancy of Crown Point retired with his forces to Canada, without a single blow to rivet his conquest.
Nov. 9th, Col. Gansevoort, according to General Gates's state- ment, had 231 men and officers fit for duty at Fort George.2 Three weeks previously, 588 barrels of flour were reported in store at that post.
In the same month, Gen. Schuyler, who seems to have re- sumed command in the northern deparment, announces his in- · tention to have 400 troops at Fort George for the winter ; 3 asks "that a sufficiency of pitch, oakum, and whatever may be ne- cessary for building and repairing vessels, floating batteries or batteaux be collected and carried to Fort George, Fort Ann, Skenesboro and Schenectady in the course of winter."4 In a letter to Congress dated 30th Dec., he says, " it is therefore of importance that the garrison should be strengthened, and I have therefore repeated my former applications for assistance to the eastern states. Those of Van Schaick's, and Gansevoort's. regiments that are raised, are under orders to march to Fort
1 The motion for the Declaration of Independence was submitted to congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on the 7th of June, 1776, and the declaration itself solemnly adopted by that body July 4th, ensuing.
2 Force's American Archives, fifth series, vol. III, p. 623.
3 Idem, p. 641.
4 Lossing's Life of Schuyler, vol. II, p. 147.
53
418
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
Edward, Fort George, Chesire's, and Skeensborough, but I fear the garrisons of those places (Pennsylvania troops), will have left them before the relief gets there, which is detained thro' the want of blankets, which I am trying to collect from the in- habitants in this city, and county." 1
1 Lossing's Life of Schuyler, p. 157.
419
TORY ACTIVITY.
CHAPTER XI.
CAMPAIGN OF 1777 -MOVEMENTS OF THE TORIES - ACTION AT SABBATH DAY POINT - GENERAL HOSPITAL AT LAKE GEORGE- NEW YORK DECLARES ITSELF A FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATE - TORIES ARRESTED NEAR LUZERNE - ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM ROBARDS AND COMPANIONS -THE PARKS MASSACRE AT SOUTH GLEN'S FALLS - CAPTIVITY, ESCAPE AND ADVENTURES OF ISAAC PARKS - THE BRADSHAWS AND BAKERS OF SANDY HILL - PRE- PARATIONS FOR BURGOYNE'S ADVANCE.
{N injudicious, unsettled, and vacillating policy cha- racterized the administration of the affairs of the northern department, which was exhibited in the frequent change of its commanding officers ; as well in untimely and unjust criticisms upon their course and con- duct during the campaign of 1777.
The opening of the year found General Schuyler in charge. · To his untiring activity, able executive qualifications, exalted patriotism, and sterling good sense, the first great successes of the war are really to be credited. His hearty dislike of the Yankees, which he was at no pains to conceal, was doubtless fostered, if not engendered by the Vermont controversy, which on the 15th of January, found expression at a convention of delegates gathered at Westminster, in a declaration of inde- pendence, and a resolution that the new state should be called New Connecticut.1
An unwonted and general activity pervaded all the tory set- tlements and hamlets from the Mohawk to the St. Lawrence. Great expectations were entertained by the numerous royalists of the border counties, respecting the long talked of invasion from the north, and a disposition was manifested to cooperate with the British army so soon as it should make its appearance.
Gen. Anthony Wayne, then in command at Ticonderoga writes to Gen. Schuyler on the 13th of February,2 that two
1 Doc. Hist. N. Y., vol. Iv, p. 930, note. See also p. 942, note.
2 Rev. Papers, vol. I, p. 633.
So early as the middle of February, a deputation of Indians was sent southward from Canada through the wilderness west of Lake Champlain, to obtain informa-
420
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
French deserters from Canada, just brought in by some scouts, report a large party of hostile Indians on the way to a foray along the northern border.
In the early spring, a sanguinary engagement was had be- tween a scout of fifty Americans and eighty Indians and tories at Sabbath-day point on Lake George, in which the latter suf- fered a loss in killed and wounded of half their number.1
According to evidence adduced in one of the many courts martial held at this time, it appears that a general uprising of the tory element, and a raid toward Fort George by the way of Jessup's patent was contemplated and arranged for the early spring of this year,2 a part of which plan, as will presently be seen, was but too faithfully carried out.
Oh the 25th of March, Gen. Schuyler, by order of congress, was superseded by Gen. Gates, his inferior in rank, and whose imperious manner, arrogant temper, and overbearing, uncon- ciliating disposition, had made him generally unpopular, and especially disliked by the New York troops, for whom, proba- bly by reason of his rivalry with Gen. Schuyler, he seemed to have a special antipathy. During the brief duration of his command, no changes or events of note transpired within his department. On the 22d of May, without any apparent motive or expressed reason, the command of the northern department was again committed to General Schuyler whose head-quarters at this time, and for seven weeks following, were in Albany.
The general hospital of the northern department, which for a time, during the prevalence of small pox at the head of Lake George the previous year, had been established at Mount Inde-
tion in relation to Gen. Howe's movements. They returned with prisoners from whom was first learned the disasters of the British at Trenton-Lossing's Life of Schuyler, vol. II, p. 195.
1 Neilson's Burgoyne's Campaign, p. 85.
" Capt. Alexander Baldwin of the independent company of rangers being exa- mined says, that on the 20th day of March last, he was taken prisoner with seven- teen others at Sabbath-day point by Capt. M'Kay and a party of Indians; that they were conducted thro' the wood to Montreal, and obliged to carry the packs of the Indians, and upon their arrival there were confined in the Recollec church where they remained about six weeks. That while there, they were every day insulted by John Cobham, Thomas Mann, David Jones,1 Ebenezer Jessup,? and divers others all Americans who had gone over to the enemy."-Rev. Papers, vol. II, p. 320.
2 Rev. Papers, vol. II, p. 219.
1 The betrothed of Jane McCrea.
2 One of the proprietors of the Jessup's patent at Luzerne which was afterwards confiscated. .
421
NEW YORK DECLARED A FREE STATE.
pendence, was by the order of Gen. Schuyler, early in the spring of the year transferred to the head of Lake George.1
In the convention of the representatives of the state of New York held at Kingston on the 20th of April, the colony of New York is formally declared a free and independent state. Among other provisions to meet the new order of things, it was deter- mined that the assembly should consist of at least seventy members, of which the county of Charlotte should be entitled to four.
In May the movements of the tories became bold, and une- quivocal. . On the 6th of the month Col. Gordon of Ballston arrested a party of 31 tories in arms on their way from Ballston to Crown Point. They were taken about twenty miles north of Ballston near or on Jessup's patent now the town of Luzerne. They were tried by court martial and fined fifteen dollars each. It appeared in evidence on the trial, that they were on their way to join the enemy at Crown Point, to avoid taking the oath of allegiance to congress.
We now come to the narration of the personal adventures of several of the residents of this town who were made prisoners during this campaign by the wandering bands of tories and Indians who continually infested this region until after Bur- goyne's surrender. Among the papers on file in the state archives, is the following :
" Ezekiel Roberts of Saratoga district, states that in August, 1776,2 he engaged as sergeant in Capt. Baldwin's company of rangers; was taken prisoner 19th May, 1777, and remained until December [when he was paroled and sent home with other prisoners by Gov. Carleton]. In May, 1780, was in- formed by Gov. Clinton that he was exchanged and discharged from his parole. Went over Lake George by order of his excellency in pursuit of Sir John Johnson, and soon after appointed lieutenant in the state levies, and again taken prisoner when under the command of Capt. Sherwood at Fort Ann, 10th Oct., 1780 ; remained two years in confinement, and then made his escape. Has a wife and two children for whose support he was obliged to contract debts. Is now destitute .of
1. As early as January 8th, Col. Van Schaick, still in command at that post, stated in an official communication, that "a surgeon ought to be appointed without the least loss of time, and sent to me that I may forward him to Fort George where part of the regiment is stationed."-Rev. Papers, vol. II, p. 23.
2 From Dr. E. B. O'Callaghan.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
every thing. Prays for relief in a petition to the legislature, January 20th, 1783." .
Ezekiel Roberts was a brother of William Robards who fills so large a space in the early records of the town. He with Andrew Fuller his wife's brother and James Higson1 an un- compromising whig, a son-in-law of Abraham Wing, were cap- tured while preparing to go a fishing on Lake George.
They were carried to Canada and imprisoned. While in jail Robards was visited by some gentlemen, who wished him to give his parole that he would not escape and they would give him the jail liberties. He refused, saying that his family needed his services, and if there was any chance of his getting home, he should make the attempt. In consequence of this declaration, he had a strict guard placed over him, being con- fined in a room with another, a British deserter, and through the day an armed sentry was stationed in the room to watch their movements. The gentlemen who visited Robards were so well pleased with his spirit and nice sense of honor, that they fre- quently sent him wine and delicacies from their tables. While the sentry was out to his meals, the prisoners, being in some way cognizant or suspicious that a window was boarded up in the room, amused themselves by throwing sticks of firewood against the walls, until the locality of the window was determined, and it was shortly ascertained also that there was no intervening bars or bolts to prevent their escape. Taking turns night after night in cutting away the boards cautiously and carefully, with which the window was ceiled, secreting and disposing of the chips and shavings thus made, they at length achieved their purpose, and one day, while the guard was at dinner, the boarding was removed, and the deserter first clambered out. Robards, being lithe, supple, and active, jumped from the window, clearing the stockade which surrounded the building, and alighted in one of the streets of the French city of Montreal, where they had been imprisoned. They were fired at by the guards on duty as they ran, the Canadians on the street cheering and swearing to encourage the fugitives. The guards had to go around on the opposite side of the building, and open the gates before they could follow in pursuit.
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