USA > New York > Erie County > Centennial history of Erie County, New York : being its annals from the earliest recorded events to the hundredth year of American independence > Part 19
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Mrs. Root, of Evans Center, then the eight-year old daughter of Anderson Taylor, informs me that these incursions from the Charlotte were quite frequent that first summer, and that the men of the scattered settlements were often taken on board as prisoners, kept a few days and then liberated. When the men were absent in the militia, some of the women did not take off their clothes for weeks together ; keeping themselves always ready for instant flight.
It must have been, then, with feelings of decided gratification that Erie county people read the head-line in large capitals, of a notice in the Gazette, entitled, "The Charlotte Taken." But the ensuing lines, though pleasant enough, only announced the marriage in Hamburg, by "Hon. D. Eddy, Esq.," of Mr. Ja- red Canfield, "a sergeant in Captain McClure's volunteer com-
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HOLDING A COUNCIL.
pany," to Miss Charlotte King, daughter of Mr. N. King, of Concord.
As has been said, the most intense anxiety was felt by the Americans regarding the Indians on both sides of the line. The British, in accordance with their ancient policy, made imme- diate arrangements on the outbreak of war to enlist the Mo- hawks, and other Canadian Indians, in their service. These sent emissaries to the Six Nations in New York, to persuade them to engage on the same side. The settlers on the Holland Purchase, and especially in the county of Niagara, were not only alarmed at the prospect of invasion by savage enemies, but also lest the Senecas and others on this side should allow their ancient animosities to be rekindled, and break out into open rebellion. It must be confessed the danger was not slight, for there was good ground for believing that some at least of the Seneca warriors had been engaged against the United States at the battle of Tippecanoe, only the year before.
Mr. Granger was active in averting the danger, and on the 6th of July he convened a council of the Six Nations in the United States, on the Buffalo reservation. It was opened, as a matter of course, by Red Jacket, and Mr. G. in a long speech set forth the cause of the war from the American point of view, urging the Indians to have nothing to do with the quarrels of the whites, but to remain quietly at home during the war.
He said, however, that he was aware that many of their young braves were anxious to engage in the fight, and if they must do so, he preferred it should be on the side of the United States. If, therefore, they were determined to see something of the war, perhaps a hundred and fifty or two hundred of their warriors would be accepted by the government.
At the next meeting of the council Red Jacket replied, de- claring in favor of neutrality, saying that he hoped no warriors would be accepted by the government without permission of the great council, and asking leave to make another effort to per- suade the Mohawks to abandon the war-path. This was granted, and a deputation of five chiefs, with considerable difficulty, ob- tained permission from General Brock to visit their Mohawk brethren. The effort, however, was useless, as the Canadian In- dians were fully determined not to bury the hatchet.
2II
RED JACKET'S LOGIC.
The neutrality of the Senecas, Cayugas, etc., continued for only a brief time. In fact, the excitement of war was so infec- tious, not only to the "young braves," but to many of those who considered themselves the cautious guardians of their people, that they were quite willing to seize the first excuse for number- ing themselves among the combatants.
In this same month of July a rumor got afloat that the British had taken possession of Grand Island, which was under the jurisdiction of the United States, but the title of which was in the Senecas. It has generally been supposed that this rumor was entirely without foundation, but Mr. John Simpson, of Ton- awanda, informs me differently. He states that several hun- dred Indians appeared on the shores of Grand Island, opposite Tonawanda. There were then sixteen soldiers in the guard- house there. They had been notified of the approach of the Indians, and all the citizens around had been called in. These were furnished with the extra uniforms of the soldiers, to increase the apparent number. They were also, after being paraded, marched into view with all their coats turned wrong side out, giving at that distance the appearance of a new corps with different uniforms. The enemy made no attempt to cross. Red Jacket convoked a council, and asked permission of Superintendent Granger to drive away the in- truders, using the following shrewd logic in support of his re- quest. Said he :
"Our property is taken possession of by the British and their Indian friends. It is necessary now for us to take up the busi- ness, defend our property and drive the enemy from it. If we sit still upon our seats and take no means of redress, the British, according to the custom of you white people, will hold it by conquest. And should you conquer the Canadas you will hold it on the same principles ; because you will have taken it from the British."
Permission being granted, another council was held shortly after, at which a formal declaration of war was adopted, and re- duced to writing by the interpreter. As this was probably the first-perhaps the only-declaration of war ever published by an Indian nation or confederacy in writing, and as its language was commendably brief, it is transcribed entire, as follows :
"We, the chiefs and counselors of the Six Nations of Indians,
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212
MILITIA MOVEMENTS.
residing in the State of New York, do hereby proclaim to all the war-chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations that war is de- clared on our part against the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada. Therefore, we command and advise all the war-chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations to call forth immediately the warriors under them, and put them in motion to protect their rights and liberties."
Notwithstanding this declaration, however, no Indians, (at least no considerable number of them,) took the field on our side that year. It was soon ascertained that the occupation of Grand Island was not permanent, and there were many of the older chiefs, with Red Jacket at their head, who were really de- sirous that their people should remain neutral. But more potent, probably, than the restraining voice of their sachems, were the quick-coming disasters to the American arms.
The militia kept marching to the frontier. There was no lack of numbers, nor of apparent enthusiasm. They were all anx- ious to capture Canada the next day after their arrival. But they were utterly ignorant of actual war, and the first touch of reality chilled them to the marrow.
They were not called out en masse, nor were specified regi- ments ordered to the field. Details were made of the number required from each brigade, and these were collected by details from the different regiments and companies. Temporary com- panies and regiments were thus formed, to endure only through the few weeks of active service. Of course officers and men were unused to each other, the organization was unfamiliar to both, and the efficiency of the command was in the very lowest state.
Lt .- Col. Chapman, commander of the Buffalo and Clarence regiment, moved away about the beginning of the war, and no one was appointed in his place until after its close. Major Samuel Hill, Jr., was the senior officer. Most of the Buffalo- nians seem to have formed themselves into independent com- panies, and Hill's command was left so small that whenever the militia was called out en masse it was joined with Warren's regiment.
Gen. Amos Hall, of Ontario county, major general of this division of the State militia, was in command on the frontier, for a short time, succeeding Gen. Wadsworth. On the IIth of
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FACTIOUS PROCEEDINGS.
July he was superseded by Major General Stephen Van Rens- selaer, also of the militia, but a man of some experience in act- ual war. He established his headquarters and assembled his principal force at Lewiston.
During the lull which succeeded the first excitement, one of the founders of Buffalo, Captain Samuel Pratt, passed away from life, in August, 1812. On the 27th of that month an extra Gazette announced the surrender by Gen. Hull of Detroit and his whole army, to an inferior force of British and Indians. Terrible was the disappointment of the people, as well it might be, over that disgraceful affair, and dire were the fulminations of the press. But denunciation was all too late, and public attention in this vicinity was soon turned toward events nearer home.
The fires of faction burned as fiercely then as in any later days. There was bitter opposition to the war among the Federals of many States, opposition which hardly confined itself to legiti- mate discussion-while on the Democratic side mob violence, reaching even to murder, was sometimes resorted to to silence the malcontents.
In September a convention was held at Albany, which de- nounced the war, and shortly afterwards a meeting of the friends of " Peace, Liberty and Commerce " was called at "Pomeroy's long hall," in Buffalo, for the same purpose. Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, however, though an ardent Federalist, had entered with great zeal into all measures looking toward vigorous work on this frontier, and was by general consent given the lead so far as the citizens of Buffalo were concerned.
On the 8th of October, a detachment of sailors arrived on the frontier from New York, and were placed under the command of Lieut. Jesse D. Elliott, stationed at Black Rock. Their march had been hastened by a dispatch from Lieut. E., who had conceived a bold plan for cutting out two British armed vessels which had just come down the lake, and were lying at anchor near Fort Erie. One was the brig Detroit, of six guns, lately captured from the United States, and generally called by its former name, the Adams ; the other was the schooner Cale- donia, of two guns.
This was the first hostile enterprise which took place in, or started from, Erie county, during the war of 1812.
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A GALLANT EXPLOIT.
The seamen on their arrival were found almost without wea- pons, but Generals Smyth and Hall, of the regulars and militia, furnished some arms, and the former detailed fifty men under Captain Towson, to accompany the expedition. Dr. Chapin and a few other Buffalo volunteers also entered into the scheme.
About one o'clock on the morning of the 9th of October, three boats put out from the American shore, with their prows directed toward Fort Erie. The first contained fifty men under Lieut. Elliott in person, the second forty-seven under Sailing- Master Watts, while the third was manned by six Buffalonians under Dr. Chapin.
The boats moved stealthily across the river, and the darkness of the night favored the project. Arriving at the side of their prey, the three crews boarded both vessels almost at the same time. The men on board the latter made a vigorous resistance, and a sharp but brief conflict ensued, in which two of the assail- ants were killed and five wounded. In ten minutes, however, the enemy was overpowered, the cables cut, and the vessels on their way down the river. The Caledonia was brought to an- chor near Black Rock, but the Adams was carried by the cur- rent on the west side of Squaw Island, and ran aground.
The prisoners taken by the Americans in this gallant achieve- ment numbered seventy-one officers and men, part of whom, however, were Canadian voyageurs. Besides these the captors released about forty American prisoners, captured at the River Raisin and on their way to Quebec.
As the two vessels passed Black Rock a heavy cannonade was opened from the Canadian shore, and returned from the ships. After the Adams ran aground the fire was so heavy that the vessel was abandoned, the men safely reaching the shore. Shortly afterwards the enemy took possession of it, but were in turn soon driven away by the firing from island and mainland. Believing it would be impracticable to keep possession of it, · the Americans set it on fire and burned it to the water's edge.
The first shot from the British batteries instantly killed Major William Howe Cuyler, of Palmyra, principal aide-de- camp of General Hall, as he was galloping with orders along the river road, between four and five o'clock in the morning. His death was the first one caused by the war within the present
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A LATE BREAKFAST.
county of Erie, and, as he was a highly connected and highly esteemed young officer, his sudden taking off caused a profound sensation. It was felt that war had really come.
Some three hundred shots were fired from the British batteries, several of which passed through buildings at Black Rock. In fact Black Rock must have been a very unpleasant place of residence throughout the war. Inmates of its houses were often startled by a cannon ball crashing through the roof, and not in- frequently a breakfast or dinner was suddenly interrupted by one of these unwelcome messengers.
Mrs. Benjamin Bidwell relates, in some reminiscences furnished to the Historical Society, that she and her husband, driven by the cannonade from their own residence that morning, were going to her sister's where there was a cellar in which they pro- posed to take refuge, when a cannon ball passed near them, knocking down by its wind a little girl she was leading. They then fled to the woods, where they found several other families. Having obtained some provisions Mrs. B. was cooking breakfast late in the forenoon, by an improvised fire in the forest, when another cannon ball struck the fire and scattered the breakfast in every direction. Again they fled, and being determined this time to get out of range, they made their toilsome way through the woods to Cold Spring. ' There Mrs. Bidwell cooked a break- fast which was eaten by the family at four o'clock in the afternoon.
If the people of this vicinity were slightly cheered by the achievement of Lt. Elliott and his command, they were at once cast down again by the news of the defeat of Gen. Van Rens- selaer at Queenston, where a few hundred gallant men, who had crossed the Niagara, were left to be slaughtered and captured through the cowardice of an ample force which stood on the American shore unheeding all appeals to aid their comrades.
The news reached Buffalo on the 13th of October, accom- · panied with notice of a week's armistice. The Americans were engaged in getting the guns out of the hulk of the Adams. The commander at Ft. Erie required them to desist on account of the armistice, but the Americans insisted that, as the Adams had already been brought on their side of the line, they had a right to move her guns wherever they pleased, so long as they made no attack on the British. The latter opened fire on the
216
GEN. SMYTH TAKES COMMAND.
troops aboard the hulk, but did no damage, and at night the ever-enterprising Chapin went on board with a party and brought away a 12-pounder, as did also Lt. Watts afterwards.
Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, (nephew of the general,) who had gallantly led the column which stormed the heights of Queenston, and had been severely wounded on that occasion, was brought to Landon's hotel at Buffalo, where he lay, slowly recovering, for four weeks. When he was sufficiently recovered he left for Albany, a salute being fired in his honor by several volunteer companies and by "Chapin's Independent Buffalo Matross," which I presume to have been some kind of an artil- lery company organized by the indefatigable doctor, whose zeal and activity were unquestionable whatever might sometimes be thought of his judgment.
Gen. Van Rensselaer being relieved from duty, Brigadier- General Alexander Smyth, of the regular army, who had been on the lines a short time as inspector-general, was assigned to the command of the Niagara frontier immediately after the con- clusion of the armistice. Gen. Smyth was a Virginian, who in 1808 had abandoned his profession and resigned a seat in the legislature of his State to accept a colonelcy in the army, and who had lately been promoted to a brigadiership. Immediately on taking command he began concentrating troops at Buffalo and Black Rock, preparatory to an invasion of Canada. Thus far he certainly showed better judgment than his predecessors, as it was a much more feasible project to land an army on the gentle slopes below Fort Erie than to scale the precipitous heights of Queenston.
He also had scows constructed to transport the artillery, and collected boats for the infantry. Eight or nine hundred regulars were got together under Col. Moses Porter, Col. Winder, Lieut .- Col. Boerstler and other officers.
On the 12th of November Gen. Smyth issued a flaming address from his "Camp near Buffalo" to the men of New York, calling for their services, and declaring that in a few days the troops under his command would plant the American standard in Canada. Said he : "They will conquer or they will die."
On the 17th he sent forth a still more bombastic proclama- tion, closing with the pompous call, "Come on, my heroes!"
217
PREPARING TO CROSS.
A considerable force came to Buffalo. A brigade of militia, nearly two thousand strong, arrived from Pennsylvania. Three or four hundred New York volunteers reported themselves, in- cluding the two companies of "Silver Greys" before mentioned. Peter B. Porter, who then, or shortly after, was appointed quar- termaster-general of the State militia, was assigned to the com- mand of these New York volunteers, and was ever after known as General Porter. Under him was Col. Swift, of Ontario county. Smyth deemed that the time had come to "conquer or die."
On the 27th of November the general commanding issued orders to cross the river the next day. There were then over four thousand men at and near Black Rock, but as a large por- tion of them were militia, it is not exactly certain how many he could have counted on for a movement into the enemy's coun- try. He, however, admitted that there were seventeen hundred, including the regulars and the twelve-months' volunteers, who were ready, and Gen. Porter claimed that nearly the whole force was available. There were boats sufficient to carry at least three thousand men.
A little after midnight the next morning detachments were sent across the river, one under Lt .- Col. Boerstler, and the other under Capt. King, with whom was Lt. Angus of the navy and fifty or sixty seamen. The first named force was intended to capture a guard and destroy a bridge about five miles below Fort Erie, while King and Angus were to take and spike the enemy's cannon opposite Black Rock. Boerstler returned with- out accomplishing anything of consequence, but the force under King and Angus behaved with great gallantry, and materially smoothed the way for those who should have followed.
They landed at three in the morning. Angus, with his sailors and a few soldiers, attacked and dispersed a force of the enemy stationed at what was called "the red house," spiking two field-pieces and throwing them into the river. Nine out of the twelve naval officers engaged, and twenty-two of the men, were killed or wounded in this brilliant little feat. The sailors and some of the soldiers then returned, bringing a number of prisoners, but through some blunder no boats were left to bring over Capt. King, who with sixty men remained behind.
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218
SMYTH'S VACILLATION.
King and his men then attacked and captured two batteries, spiked their guns, and took thirty-four prisoners. Having found two boats, capable of holding about sixty men, the gallant cap- tain sent over his prisoners, half his men, and all his officers, remaining behind himself with thirty men. He doubtless ex- pected Smyth's whole army in an hour or two, and thought he could take care of himself until that time.
Soon after the return of these detachments, Col. Winder, mis- takenly supposing that Boerstler was cut off, crossed the river with two hundred and fifty men to rescue him. He reached the opposite shore a considerable distance down the river, where he was attacked at the water's edge by a body of infantry and a piece of artillery, and compelled to return with the loss of six men killed and nineteen wounded. Boerstler's command re- · turned without loss.
The general embarkation then commenced, but went on very slowly. About one o'clock in the afternoon the regulars, the twelve-month's volunteers and a body of militia, the whole mak- ing a force variously estimated at from fourteen hundred to two thousand men, were in boats at the navy yard, at the mouth of Scajaquada creek.
"Then," says Smyth in his account of the affair, with ludi- crous solemnity, " the troops moved up the stream to Black Rock without loss." This tremendous feat having been accom- plished, the general, (still following his own account,) ordered them to disembark and dine! And then he called a council of war to see whether he had better cross the river ! It is not sur- prising that, with such a commander, several of the officers con- sulted were opposed to making the attempt. It was at length decided to postpone the invasion a day or two, until more boats could be made ready. Late in the afternoon the troops were ordered to their quarters. Of course they were disgusted with such a ridiculous failure, and demoralization spread rapidly on all sides. Gen. Smyth at the time did not pretend that the most vigilant observation could discover more than five hundred men on the opposite shore. They were drawn up in line about half a mile from the water's edge.
Meanwhile the gallant Capt. King was left to his fate, and was taken prisoner with all his men.
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COMPLETE FAILURE.
The next day was spent in preparation. On Sunday, the 30th, the troops were ordered to be ready to embark at nine o'clock the following morning.
By this time the enemy had remounted his guns, so that it would have been very difficult to cross above Squaw Island. On the shore below it were stationed his infantry and some artillery, every man having been obtained that possibly could be from the surrounding country. The current there was rapid and the banks abrupt.
General Porter objected to attempting a landing there, and made another proposition. He advocated postponing the expe- dition till Monday night, when the troops should embark in the darkness, and should put off an hour and a half before daylight. They could then pass the enemy in the dark, and land about five miles below the navy yard, where the stream and the banks were favorable. These views were seconded by Colonel Winder and adopted by General Smyth, his intention being to assault Chippewa, and if successful march through Queenston to Fort George.
Then it was found that the quarter-master had not rations enough for two thousand five hundred men for four days !
Nevertheless the embarkation commenced at three o'clock, on the morning of Tuesday, the first of December. Again some fifteen hundred men were placed in boats. It was arranged that General Porter was to lead the van and direct the landing, on account of his knowledge of the river and the farther shore. He was attended in the leading boat by Majors Chapin and McComb, Captain Mills, Adjutant Chase, Quarter-master Chap- lin, and some twenty-five volunteers from Buffalo, under Lieut. Haynes.
But the embarkation of the regulars was greatly delayed, and daylight appeared before the flotilla was under way. Then the redoubtable Smyth called another council of war, composed of four regular officers, to decide whether Canada should be invaded that season ! They unanimously decided it should not. So the troops were again ordered ashore, the militia and most of the volunteers sent home, and the regulars put into winter quarters.
The breaking up of the command was attended by scenes of the wildest confusion-four thousand men firing off their guns,
220
A DISGUSTED PUBLIC.
cursing General Smyth, their officers, the service and everything connected with their military experience.
The disgust of the public was equally great. Smyth became the object of universal derision. His bombastic addresses were republished in doggerel rhyme, and the press teemed with de- nunciation and ridicule of the pompous Virginian.
Men unacquainted with military matters frequently cast blame on unsuccessful generals, which the facts if fully known would not justify ; but in this case General Smyth's own state- ment, published a few days after his failure, proves beyond doubt that he was either demoralized by sheer cowardice, or else that his mind was vacillating to a degree which utterly unfitted him for military command. The mere fact of his twice waiting till his men were in boats for the purpose of invading Canada, before calling a council of war to decide whether Canada should be invaded, showed him to be entirely deficient in the qualifi- cations of a general.
There can be little doubt that if the forces had promptly crossed, and been resolutely led, on the morning of the 28th of November, they would have effected a landing, and for the time at least could have held the opposite shore. The enterprise of Captain King and Lieut. Angus had been well planned and gal- lantly executed, giving substantially a clear field to the Ameri- can army. Whether if they had crossed they could have effected any lasting results at that season, is a matter of more doubt.
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