USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > An authentic and comprehensive history of Buffalo : with some account of its early inhabitants, both savage and civilized ; comprising historic notices of the Six Nations or Iroquois Indians, including a sketch of the life of Sir William Johnson, and of other prominent white men, long resident among the Senecas ; arranged in chronologial order > Part 30
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Under similar expectations, many of our friends in the interior have intimated to us their readiness to join with respectable reinforcements, on the shortest notice, and we are informed that one company, about seventy strong, is actually on its march, and will be here to-day or to- morrow.
We are, at this moment, much at a loss how to act, and our difficulty is increased by the various rumors and conjectures circulated by the vari- ons officers daily arriving at headquarters, some of whom represent that no offensive operations are to be undertaken on this frontier, but that the regular army is immediately to be marched either to the east, to at- tack Kingston, or to the west to join Gen. Harrison. Others state that an attack is to be made upon the British forces in the vicinity of this place. Under these circumstances we are induced to inquire of you
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whether such a force as we have in our power to raise, is desired by you to effectuate your plans, and if so, in what numbers and at what time. If it be your object to sally out upon the enemy at Fort George, we could bring you a respectable force; but, on the contrary, if you medi- tate an attack at some other point, and the withdrawal of the regular troops at Fort George, and placing this frontier on the defensive only, by means of militia, we would observe that our prepared force is of such a character as could not be engaged in this service. Upon the supposi- tion that you intend to withdraw the regular troops from this frontier. we beg leave to submit a proposition for your consideration.
We believe that we are not incorrect in saying that it would require nearly or as great a force to defend this line of frontier against a given force of the enemy, as it would to attack and subdue him. Sir Goorge Prevost has ordered the militia of Upper Canada to be ordered out en masse. They are to assemble on Sunday next. And if. after your de- parture, the enemy opposite here should take it in his head to retain all his regular force and play off his skill against the inexperience of our militia, we might have occasion to fear a repetition of former scenes in the present war. Our proposition (in case of your leaving this place) is that we be permitted to raise, between this and the first of October, a volunteer force of from one thousand to twelve hundred men, exclusive of Indians; that we add to it as many of the militia stationed on the lines as may be willing to join us; that we be furnished with a small train (say four pieces) of field artillery, with experienced officers and men to fight them; and that with this force we be authorized to invade the enemy's country. Should you think proper to confer such authority on us, and direct that the volunteers shall be furnished with arms, am- munition, provisions, &e., and receive pay while in actual service, we pledge ourselves that before the close of the season. that we will occupy the whole of the valuable and populous peninsula opposite this river. and either capture, destroy or disperse. all the enemy's force in this quarter.
You may, perhaps, make it convenient to send an answer by the bearer, Capt. IIall.
We are, sir, most respectfully, &e .. PETER B. PORTER. CYRENIU'S CHAPIN. JOSEPH MO FIRE.
Gen. WILKINSON.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
GEN. WILKINSON'S REPLY.
FORT GEORGE, Sept. 18th, 1813.
GENTLEMEN :- Your letter of yesterday, which reached me last eve- ning, gives you a claim to my acknowledgments, and to those of your conntry. But as I am altogether unauthorized by law or instructions to sanction your plan for the levy of a body of volunteers, and as your an- ticipations, propositions and suggestions embrace a range and character upon which I have neither right nor authority to deliberate, I have con- sidered it my duty to present a copy of your letter to the Secretary of War, now at Sacket's Harbor, by express, for his deliberation and deci- sion. I hope he may find it convenient and proper to meet your views, and have only to add that you shall be advised of his answer without a moment's delay, after it reaches my hands.
With high consideration and respect, I have the honor to be, gentlemen, Your most obedient servant, JAMES WILKINSON,
To P. B. PORTER, Major CHAPIN and JOSEPH MCCLURE.
FROM THE BUFFALO GAZETTE, FEB. 8TH, 1814.
FORTUNATE ESCAPE .- It is with pleasure we inform our readers of the escape of Mr. Jacob A. Barker, son of Judge Barker,, and Lieut. Isa ac Warner, son of Deacon Warner, of Phelps, from captivity in Canada. Mr. Barker, it will be recollected, was taken at Pierce's tavern, Schlos- ser, and Warner was wounded and taken at Black Rock.
On Tuesday evening last, Barker and Warner were in the hospital, two miles up the river from Fort George. According to some previous arrangements, they left the hospital, which was guarded, and proceeded two miles up the river and formed a raft, with rails, and proceeded, at much hazard, to cross the river. The river being some choked with ice, they were obliged, in a measure, to take the current of the river, and landed only about a mile and a half above Fort Niagara. They then went on in safety to the American camp.
From Mr. Barker, we learn that the force assembled for the invasion of Black Rock and Buffalo was about two thousand, including Indians and militia; that, from the best information he could gain, the British lost, in killed, one hundred and fifty, and out of between eighty and a hundred taken across the river, two thirds died of their wounds; that
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no public or private property of any amount was taken across the river by the British army from any part of our frontier, save what was taken at Fort Niagara and what the savages carried on their backs. The Can- adian militia plundered considerable.
The British have removed the pickets of Fort George, and are strengthening Fort Niagara. All their wood they obtain from the Cana- da side since Gen. John Swift captured their choppers.
Maj. Gen. Riall commands on the Niagara frontier-has his headquar- ters at Queenston Mountain. The One Hundredth regiment is at present stationed from Chippewa to Fort Erie. Lieut. Gen. Drummond has gone to Kingston, and is understood to be preparing a force to go against Sacket's Harbor. IIe only waits the arrival of two regiments of High- land Scots, which were on their march from Quebec a fortnight since. A great effort will unquestionably be made to destroy our shipping at that place. It is said that Gens. Proctor, DeRottenburg and Vincent, are ordered home to England. It is rumored that the One Hundredth regiment, with all the British Indians, are to be sent against Malden.
The British give our militia credit for the spirited manner in which they commenced the action, and had stated unreservedly that had they held out half an hour longer, the British would have been defeated.
DANIEL RODMAN TO GEN. WILKINSON.
CANANDAIGUA, Sept. 14th, 1813.
SIR :- A large number of the patriotic citizens of this and the adjoining towns, anxious to do their duty in a crisis so interesting to the nation in general, and to this part of the country in particular, have associated themselves to volunteer their services to the United States for the residue of the campaign at least.
In order to effectuate their intentions, however, it will be necessary that their movements should receive your approbation and sanction, and that they should be assured that the corps, whether a company, or battallion, or (as is possible) a regiment. should be received, organized. and countenanced by your order and authority.
The lateness of the season, and the anxiety of the members, induce us to request an early and authoritive reply, that the association may be equipped according to law, and be useful to their country this season.
It may not be hardly decorous for us to say it, but we must observe that the subscribers will prove to be excellent and brave soldiers.
In their behalf, I am, &c., DANIEL RODMAN.
Maj .- Gen. WILKINSON, Commanding Fort George.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
From the Buffalo Gazette of Jan. 25th, 1814. INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF THE FALL OF FORT NIAGARA.
Robert Lee, Esq., late of Fort Niagara, has just returned from the Province of Upper Canada, where he had been taken as a prisoner on the surrender of Fort Niagara. Not having seen anything like a correct account of the loss of our fort, of the slaughter of our brave soldiers, or of the enemy's treatment of them and our fellow citizens whom they had taken prisoners, we feel it a melancholy satisfaction that we have it now in our power to give the particulars of that tragical event, from a gentle- man so intelligent and so well acquainted with the situation of Fort Niagara, and of the subsequent conduct of the enemy.
The fort was attacked, or rather entered, by the enemy about four o'clock on the morning of the 19th ult. So silently was this done, that the garrison was not alarmed when the enemy entered the gates of the fort. On their entering, some firing took place between the guard at the southeast block house, and the sick in the red barracks, on the part of the Americans and the enemy that had, and were, entering the gate. The whole American force in the fort at that time was, at least four hundred, including men of all descriptions; three hundred and fifty of those were able and willing to defend the fort to the last extremity, in the way the impotent and convalscent were able to do, viz: firing on the enemy from the block house, barracks, &c. The principal, and in fact the only re- sistance the enemy met with, was from the sick in the red barracks, and the guard at the southeast block house.
From the order of congratulation issued by the enemy the same morning, it appeared we had lost sixty-five in killed, and fifteen wounded-the wounds, as the order said, were by the bayonet, but this order was issued very soon after the enemy got possession of the fort, and did not include fifteen of our poor fellows that were afterwards bayoneted in the cellars of the houses. Our whole number killed was, at least, eighty. The British force that took possession, was about four hundred, commanded by Col. Murray, who was wounded in the arm on entering the gate; the command then devolved upon Col. Hamilton. The private property in the fort was given up to plunder. He does not believe that any individual saved anything, except the clothes he had on. Capt. Leonard, the American commander, was at his house, about two miles distant from the fort, and, hearing the attack, rode towards the fort and was made prisoner, and was kept in close confinement two days and a half-how much longer our informant does not know. A
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non-commissioned officer and about twenty privates made their escape about the time of the attack, by scaling the pickets. Our soldiers were kept two days in close and miserable confinement, without the use of pro- visions and with a very scanty supply of wood and water; at the expiration of which, both the citizens and soldiers were crossed over the river and lodged in a part of what had been the British magazine at Fort George, and in open plank and board huts, in either situation it was impossible to lie down. The magazine was so filthy that many of the prisoners be- came infested with vermin. They remained there seven days. The citizens were then removed to a brick building near Queenston, where they were so much crowded that it was impossible to take any kind of comfort either by day or night. The supply of provisions was no only scanty, but of the worst kind. Meat of the most inferior and repulsive quality, and bread that cannot be described, both at this place and at the magazine, &c. What water the prisoners used they had to purchase. Our informant believes that through the influence of a gentleman resid- ing in Upper Canada, himself, with ten other citizens, were permitted to cross over to the United States.
On the 13th inst., the residne of the citizens, to the number of about seventy, were marched under a strong gnard to Burlington Heights, and from thence, it was said and believed, would be sent to Kingston. It was a matter of frequent conversation and exultation between the British non-commissioned officers and the privates, while our informant was a prisoner under guard, that the Americans cried out and begged for quar- ter, but that they bayoneted, or in their language skivered them, notwith- standing. The women and children that were taken at and near Lewiston were stripped of the principal part of their clothing and taken across the river. After our informant was allowed to cross, he applied for some kind of protection from the British commander from parties of their Indians and others scouting on the American side of the river. but was answered he could have none; he, and the rest, must make the best of their way to the American line.
COL. CHAPIN TO THE PUBLIC.
The distressing scenes exhibited on the Niagara frontier last fall and winter having excited many painful sensations and anxious inquiries for the causes which led to those disgraceful disasters. have induced me to lay before the public some of the most conspicuous actors of those base exploits.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
While the American regular forces continued at Fort George nothing occurred to effect our security till that strange phenomenon, George McClure appeared. He, with much pomp and parade, however, kept out of harm's way by riding up and down upon the east side of the Streights of Niagara, till I had with a small force of volunteers, militia and Indians. routed the enemy from his encampment at the Four Mile Creek. Then this mighty man crossed the river with all the wind of a Hull or a Smyth, aided by the fœtid breath of J. C. S., who burst forth with terror and rage upon the defenseless inhabitants of Canada. These terrible heroes, however, very cautiously avoided any engagement with the ene- my. They conceived it sufficient for them to war with women and chil- dren; to lay waste their dwellings; to " burn up the d-d rascals " was their favorite maxim.
Their march from the Beaver Dam to Queenston, will long be remem- bered by the distressed victims of that march. Property of almost every description was plundered, and buildings burned under his own eye. This, however, was a mere prelude to the tragedy he was destined to enact.
The ill-fated town of Newark was burnt, under his orders, the night of the 10th of December, 1813. Here was exhibited a scene of distress which language would be inadequate to describe. Women and children were turned out of doors in a cold and stormy night; the cries of infants, the decrepitude of age, the debility of sickness, had no impression upon this monster in human shape; they were consigued to that house whose canopy was the heavens, and whose walls were as boundless as the wide world. In the destruction of this town, he was aided by the most active exertions of Joseph Willcox, who had for a number of years resided in this pleasant village, and had been patronized far beyond his merits; and at that time, when it became his duty as a man of justice and as a subject of His Majesty, whose government he had sworn to protect and defend, he, like a cowardly sycophant, deserted the cause of his country and actually led a banditi through the town, setting fire to his neighbor's dwellings and cursing every American-applying the epithet of tory to every one who disapproved of this flagrant act of barbarity. It will be remembered that this town was burned when the British forces were not in any considerable force within the distance of thirty miles.
The General next selected the American side of the river for the theatre of his operations. HIe took up his quarters at Buffalo. A small force of about two hundred regulars was called from Canan- daigua, which we should have supposed ought to have been sent to the protection of Fort Niagara, as that place was menaced by the enemy.
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Instead of this, the General ordered them to remain at Buffalo. Fort Niagara was taken on the morning of the 19th of December, 1813. The day previous, the General was informed by a citizen-who had made his escape from Canada-that an attack would be made on Fort Niagara at the time it was made. Here, then, is something very remarkable in the conduct of Gen. McClure; instead of dispatching an express with this very important intelligence, he omitted it, if not altogether, until it was too late for the express to reach there.
As soon as the capture of that post was known at Buffalo, the General removed himself and men from Buffalo to the Cold Springs, a distance of two miles. This movement appeared to be made, that the redoubtable General should have time to retreat, without hearing the whistle of British balls-which, by the bye, we suppose would have been very un- pleasant to the General's organs of hearing, as he was totally unused to such sounds. Here he remained for a few days. but. finding from intel- ligence which he received from Canada, that the enemy were preparing to attack Buffalo, he took up his line of march to Batavia, a distance of forty miles, no doubt conceiving that, a place of greater safety, as there be could not hear the report of the enemy's guns. From Batavia, I was told, he made good his retreat to his own home in Steuben county, hav- ing covered himself and his associates with laurels of disgrace. As to his assertions, that he was fired upon by men who. he said, were under my command, I believe to be utterly false. The inhabitants of Buffalo all felt deeply interested in the protection of that place. apprehending full well the consequences of an invasion of it by an enemy whose char- acter had been marked with acts of outrage and cruelty. and who was now stimulated to the most desperate measures of retaliation by the conduct of McClure in the burning of Newark. They repeatedly re- quested him to afford them the necessary protection. The public are al- ready acquainted with the protection he afforded. The ruins of the Niagara frontier, the tears of the widows and the cries of orphan chil- dren, still testify to his cowardice and villainy. AAs it regards myself, and the command I held in the army, while it was under Gen. MeClure. I think proper to state the principal reason that induced me to resign. After having been repeatedly exposed to much danger by his order. es- pecially when he ordered me to the Forty Mile Creek, in Upper Canada, and while I remained there, under his orders, with about forty men, he said, in presence of Mr. Curtiss, whose affidavit I procured. " that he regretted I had not been taken by the enemy; that he wished I had been ; and that he hoped the damned rascal would be." Now. the public will
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observe that I was acting under the orders of Gen. McClure, and had taken a commanding position at that place. He ordered Col. Hopkins to command the men in rear of me, who were twelve miles from that place. I was ordered to remain at the Forty Mile Creek till I was rein- forced, but contrary to the assurances which McClure gave me, Colonel Hopkins was ordered to remain twelve miles in rear of me. Should any person concerned, reply to these observations, further facts will be devel- oped; meanwhile, the public are requested to peruse the subjoined docu- ments. Others are in my possession, and will be published next week,
JUNE 13th.
CYRENIUS CHAPIN.
NIAGARA COUNTY, SS .- Benjamin Caryl, of Buffalo, being duly sworn, deposes and says: that he, in company with Capt. Frank Hampton, of the 24th regiment of United States Infantry, on or about the third day of January last, at Batavia, then and there heard the said Hampton de- clare that he most cordially rejoiced at the burning of the village of Buffalo-that he regretted the loss of two or three of its inhabitants only; and in the same conversation he heard him say he wished he had the power of the Almighty, he would exercise the same in d -- g the greater part of the inhabitants of Buffalo to all eternity. Further this depo- nent saith not.
BENJAMIN CARYL.
Sworn to, this 14th day of March, 1814, before me, SAMUEL TUPPER, First Judge of Common Pleas for Niagara county.
STATE OF NEW YORK, NIAGARA COUNTY. ORK, È s.
Asa Ransom, of the town of Clarence, in said county, being solemnly sworn, deposeth and saith: that on the 23d or 24th of December last past, he (this deponent) was at the house of Frederick Miller, near the late village of Buffalo. Brig. Gen. McClure and his aids, and several gentlemen from Buffalo and elsewhere were there. In a conversation with Erastus Granger, Esq., this deponent heard Gen. McClure publicly declare that he would take away the regulars, and was going away him- self. Judge Granger asked him if he meant to take away the ammuni- tion. Gen. McClure answered that he did. Judge Granger observed, " for God's sake, don't do that, for we shall all be destroyed. Buffalo will be burned, and we shall have nothing to defend ourselves with." Gen. McClure said: " I will stay and defend you, if the inhabitants will arrest and bind that d-d rascal (Chapin) and bring him to me; if they
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will not do that, they may all be destroyed, and I don't care how soon." And this deponent further saith, that be had understood that MeClure and Chapin had quarrelled violently about the burning of Newark, and that he believed that animosity continued to exist up to the time of McClure's departure from Buffalo, which was on or about the day above- mentioned. And further ihis deponent saith not.
ASA RANSOM.
Sworn, &c.
NIAGARA COUNTY, SS .- Dadley Frink and Jacob L. Fort, being duly sworn, say that on or about the 23d day of December last, they were in company with Capt. John A. Rogers, of the Twenty-fourth regiment of United States Infantry, then acting aid to Gen. McClure, at Key's tav- ern, in Batavia; these deponents heard the said Rogers solemnly declare in the presence of a number of other gentlemen, that he wished to God Buffalo was burned, and that he would give one hundred dollars to any person who would bring him information that Buffalo was actually burned. And further these deponents say not.
DUDLEY FRINK. JACOB L. FORT.
Sworn to, &c.
STATE OF NEW YORK, ? COUNTY OF NIAGARA, K,¿ss.
Nehemiah Seeley, late a resident of the village of Buffalo, being duly sworn, says that on the 22d or 23d day of December last, this deponent had a conversation at the house of Frederick Miller, with Donald Frazer, a Lieutenant in the regular service, who was then acting as an aid to Gen. MeClure, in which conversation the said Frazer said that if Buffalo should be burned, he had no doubt the inhabitants would be remunerated by government; that he believed that it would be an advantage to the country to have it burned; it would make hundreds of soldiers; it would stimulate men to enlist-to prosecute the war with more vigor; he said if he had a house in Buffalo, he should be glad to see a fire brand in it in two minutes. And further saith not.
NEHEMIAHI SEELEY.
Sworn to, &c.
NIAGARA COUNTY, SS .- Reuben B. Heacock, late of Buffalo, in the county of Niagara, on oath, saith that on the 3d or fourth day of Janu-
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ary last past, he saw Capt. Hampton, of the Twenty-fourth regiment United States Infantry, four miles east of Batavia, in the county of Gen- esee, and heard the said Hampton say that he rejoiced that Buffalo was burned; that he did not regard the loss of any, except one, and all he regretted was that some of the inhabitants of Buffalo were not burnt in the village. And further deponent saith not.
R. B. HEACOCK.
Sworn to, &c.
NIAGARA COUNTY, SS .- Edmund Raymond, being sworn, saith that on or about the 23d day of December, at Porter's tavern, in Clarence, he fell in with Gen. McClure and Capt. John A. Rogers, the General's aid, on their march with the regular troops from Buffalo to Batavia, at which time and place he heard Capt. Rogers say (in the hearing of Gen. McClure) that he hoped Buffalo would be burned, and if he could save it by lifting up his hand, he would not do it, at which remark the Gen- eral made no reply.
Sworn to, &c.
E. RAYMOND.
NIAGARA COUNTY, SS .- Frederick Miller, in the county of Niagara, being sworn, deposes and says that on the 21st or 22d day of December last, Gen. George McClure was at the house of this deponent, and while he was at his house, this deponent heard him say that he hoped to God the village of Buffalo would be burned by the British; that he would do nothing to save it, and that he would march the regular troops to Batavia. And this deponent further saith that Gen. McClure marched the regular troops from Buffalo to the house of this deponent, on the 19th day of December last, and marched said troops from this deponent's house to Batavia on the 22d day of December. And this deponent further says that at the time Gen. McClure ordered the said troops to Batavia, it was not ascertained whether the enemy were proceeding up this side of the Niagara river towards Black Rock and Buffalo, or remained at Schlosser, as this deponent understood and verily believes.
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