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 25
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Suddenly the American cannon and small-arms lighted up the scene with their angry glare, their voices drowning the noise of the cataract. The red battalions were torn asunder, and the hillside strewed with dead and dying men, but the line closed up and advanced still more rapidly, their fire rivaling that of the Americans, and both turning the night into deadly day.
278
THE AMERICANS VICTORIOUS.
Presently the assailants ceased firing, and then with thunder- ing cheers and leveled bayonets rushed forward to the charge. But the American grape and canister made terrible havoc in their ranks, the musketry of Scott and Ripley mowed them down by the score, and the sharp-cracking rifles of Porter's vol- unteers did their work with deadly discrimination. More and more the assailants wavered, and when the Americans in turn charged bayonets the whole British line fled at their utmost speed.
The regulars followed but a short distance, being held in hand by their officers, who had no idea of plunging through the dark- ness against a possible reserve. But the volunteers chased the enemy down the slope, and captured a considerable number of prisoners. Then the Americans reformed their lines, and then again the murmur of the cataract held sway over the field.
Twice within the next hour the British attempted to retake their cannon, and both times the result was the same as that of the first effort. For two hours afterwards the Americans re- mained in line, awaiting another onslaught of the foe, but the latter made no further attempt.
Having no extra teams, the victors were unable to take away the captured guns, with one exception. Accordingly, with this single trophy, with their own wounded, and with a hundred and sixty-nine prisoners, including Gen. Riall, the Americans at midnight returned to their encampment on the Chippewa. Their loss was a hundred and seventy-one killed, four hundred and forty-nine wounded, and a hundred and seventeen missing. Both Brown and Scott were wounded, the latter severely, and both were removed to Buffalo.
One or two British writers have claimed a technical victory at Lundy's Lane, because the Americans finally left the field at midnight, but they do not dispute the facts above set forth, which are vouched for by Generals Brown, Porter and Ripley in a public declaration, viz., the capture of the English cannon, the attempt to recapture them, the utter failure, and the two hours' peaceable possession of the field by the Americans, be- fore leaving it.
The real condition of the two armies is plainly shown by the fact that the next day the enemy allowed Ripley to burn the
279
AN INDIAN SPY.
mills, barracks and bridge at Bridgewater, without molestation. The Americans then pursued their untroubled march to Fort Erie.
On their arrival, the most of the volunteers went home, hav- ing served the remarkably long time of three or four months. Nevertheless they had done good service, and were entitled to a rest according to the views of volunteering then in voguc. The regulars had been reduced by various casualties to some fifteen hundred men. The British on the other hand had received re- inforcements, and felt themselves strong enough to besiege the fort, if fort it could be called, which was rather a partially in- trenched encampment.
Before narrating the renowned scenes around Fort Erie, I will mention a somewhat peculiar event on this side. Though the Senecas, Cayugas, etc., had mostly returned home, yet they were all friendly to the United States, and willing to prove it in any way which did not involve the risk of running against British bat- talions, while chasing Mohawks. Captain Worth, (afterwards the celebrated General Worth,) then a member of Scott's staff, was, like his chief, wounded at Lundy's Lane. His affable manners and dashing valor had made him a great favorite of the Indians, and when he was brought wounded to Landon's hotel they vied with each other in rendering him attention. The veteran Far- mer's Brother, in particular, was in the habit of watching for hours by the captain's bedside.
On the 31st of July a Chippewa Indian came across the river, claiming to be a deserter. Individual desertion is a very un- common crime among Indians, (though tribes sometimes change sides in a body,) and his story was received with suspicion by the Senecas. Nevertheless he was allowed to circulate freely among them, and a bottle of whisky being procured he was in- vited to share it.
Warmed by the vivifying fluid, the Senecas began recounting their valiant deeds, especially boasting of the red-coats and British Indians they had slain at Chippewa. The new comer, forgetful of the part he had assumed, began to brag of the great deeds lic had done, holding up his fingers to indicate how many Yankees and Yankee Indians he had made to bite the dust, especially mentioning "Twenty Canoes," a noted chief and friend
:80
AN INDIAN COURT-MARTIAL.
of Farmer's Brother. The wrathful Senecas at once gathered around and denounced him as a spy. It is said, I know not how truly, that he then confessed that he had come in that capacity.
They were on Main street, close to Landon's, and the angry altercation reached the ears of Farmer's Brother, who was then at the bedside of Captain Worth. The old chief immediately joined the assemblage, and inquired the cause. He was told of the pretended deserter's offense, and particularly of his boasting over the slaughter of "Twenty Canoes." By this time Capt. Pollard, Major Berry and other chiefs had joined the crowd, and several whites were standing by as spectators.
On learning the facts, Farmer's Brother grasped his war-club, walked up to the unfortunate Chippewa, and felled him to the earth with a blow which broke the club into splinters. It was probably a fancy, full-dress war-club, not intended for such severe service. For a moment the Chippewa lay senseless, then suddenly sprang up, with the blood streaming down his face. burst through the crowd of startled Senecas and bounded away. Not a man followed him, but several cried out, (in their own tongue, of course) :
"Ho! coward ! You dare not stay and be punished ! Coward ! coward !"
The Chippewa stopped, slowly retraced his steps into the midst of his enemies, drew his blanket over his head, as Cæsar veiled his face with his toga, and lay down beside the wall of one of the burned buildings.
A brief consultation took place among the chiefs. Some of the whites who had gathered around manifested a disposition to interfere, but were sternly informed that that was an Indian trial, and the court must not be disturbed.
Presently a rifle was handed to Farmer's Brother, who walked up to the recumbent Chippewa and said :
"Here are my rifle, my tomahawk, and my scalping-knife ; take your choice by which you will die." The spy muttered his preference for the rifle.
"And where will you be shot?" continued the unconscious imitator of the mercy of Richard the Third. The condemned man put his hand to his heart, the chieftain placed the muzzle
" BATTLE OF CONJOCKETY CREEK." 281
of his rifle at the point indicated and pulled the trigger. With one convulsive movement the spy expired. Four young Senecas picked up the corpse, carried it to the edge of the wood a quar- ter of a mile cast of Main street, flung it down and left it un- buried, to be devoured by the wild animals of the forest.
On the other side of the river, General Drummond's army for two weeks steadily worked their way toward the American defenses. These consisted principally of two stone mess-houses and a bastion, known as "Old Fort Erie," a short distance cast of the river bank, and a natural mound, half a mile farther south and near the lake, which was surmounted with breastworks and cannon and called "Towson's Battery." Between the old fort and the battery ran a parapet, and another from the old fort castward to the river. On both the north and west a dense forest came within sixty rods of the American works. The British erected batteries in the woods on the north, each one farther south than its predecessor, and then in the night chopped out openings through which their cannon could play on our works.
At this time the commander at Fort Erie was in the habit of sending across a battalion of regular riflemen every night, to guard the bridge over Scajaquada creek, who returned cach morning to the fort. About the 10th of August a heavy British force crossed the river at night, at some point below the Sca- jaquada, and just before daylight they attempted to force their way across the latter stream. Their objective point was doubt- less the public stores at Black Rock and Buffalo.
Being opposed by the riflemen before mentioned, under Ma- jor Lodowick Morgan, there ensued a fight of some importance, of which old men sometimes speak as the "Battle of Conjockety Creek," but of which I have found no printed record. Even the Buffalo Gazette of the day was silent regarding it, though it afterwards alluded to Major Morgan as "the hero of Con- jockety."
The planks of the bridge had been taken up, and the riflemen lay in wait on the south side. When the enemy's column came up, Morgan's men opened a destructive fire. The English pressed forward so boldly that some of them, when shot, fell into the creek and were swept down the Niagara. They were compelled
19
282
STORMING OF FORT ERIE.
to fall back, but again and again they repeated the attempt, and every time they were repulsed with loss.
A body of militia, under Colonels Swift and Warren, were placed on the right of the regulars, and prevented the enemy from crossing farther up the creek. Several deserters came over to our forces, having thrown away their weapons and taken off their red coats, which they carried rolled up under their arms. They reported the enemy's force at seventeen hundred, but that was probably an exaggeration.
After a conflict lasting several hours the enemy retreated, having suffered severely in the fight. The Americans had eight men wounded.
Early in the morning of the 15th of August, 1814, the Eng- lish attempted to carry Fort Erie by storm, under cover of the darkness. At half past two o'clock, a column of a thousand to fifteen hundred men moved from the woods on the west against Towson's battery. Though received with a terrific fire they pressed forward, but were at length stopped within a few yards of the American lines. They retreated in confusion, and no further attempt was made at that point.
Notwithstanding the strength of this attack it was perhaps partly in the nature of a feint, for immediately afterwards two other columns issued from the forest on the north. One sought to force its way up along the river bank, but was easily repulsed. The other, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, advanced against the main bastion. It was defended by several heavy guns and field-pieces, by the Ninth United States infantry, and by one company each of New York and Pennsylvania volunteers.
Received with a withering discharge of cannon and musketry. Drummond's right and left were driven back. His center, how- ever, ascended the parapet, but were finally repulsed with dread- ful carnage.
Again Drummond led his men to the charge and again they were repulsed.
A third time the undaunted Englishmen advanced over ground strewn thick with the bodies of their brethren, in the face of a sheet of flame from the walls of the bastion, and a third time they were driven back with terrible loss. This would have sat- isfied most men of any nation, and one cannot refrain from a
283
THE EXPLOSION.
tribute to English valor of the most desperate kind, when he learns that Drummond again rallied his men, led them a fourth time over that pathway of death, mounted the parapet in spite of the volleying flames which enveloped it, and actually captured the bastion at the point of the bayonet.
Many American officers were killed in this terrible struggle. Drummond was as fierce as he was brave, and was frequently heard crying to his men, "Give the damned Yankees no quar- ter." But even in the moment of apparent victory he met his fate-a shot from one of the last of the retreating Americans laying him dead upon the ground.
Reinforcements were promptly sent to the endangered locality by Gens. Ripley and Porter. A detachment of riflemen attacked the British in the bastion but were repulsed. Another and larger force repeated the attack, but also failed.
The Americans prepared for a third charge, and two batteries of artillery were playing upon the heroic band of Britons. Sud- denly the whole scene was lighted up by a vast column of flame, the earth shook to the water's edge, the ear was deafened by a fearful sound which reëchoed far over the river. A large amount of cartridges, stored in one of the mess-houses adjoining the bastion, had been reached by a cannon-ball and exploded. One instant the fortress, the forest, the river, the dead, the dying and the maddened living, were revealed by that fearful glare-the next all was enveloped in darkness, while the shrieks of hun- dreds of Britons, in more terrible agony than even the soldier often suffers, pierced the murky and sulphurous air.
The Americans saw their opportunity and redoubled the fire of their artillery. For a few moments the conquerors of the bastion maintained their position, but half their number, includ- ing most of their officers, were killed or wounded, their com- mander was slain, and they were dazed and overwhelmed by the calamity that had so unexpectedly befallen them. After a few volleys they fled in utter confusion to the friendly forest.
As they went out of the bastion the Americans dashed in, snatching a hundred and eighty-six prisoners from the rear of the flying foe. Besides these there remained on the ground they had so valiantly contested two hundred and twenty-one English dead, and a hundred and seventy-four wounded, nearly
284
STARTLED BUFFALONIANS.
all in and around that single bastion. Besides, there were the wounded who were carried away by their comrades, including nearly all who fell in the other two columns. The Americans had twenty-six killed and ninety-two wounded. Seldom has there been a more gallant attack, and seldom a more disastrous repulse.
During the fight the most intense anxiety prevailed on this side. The tremendous cannonade a little after midnight told plainly enough that an attack was being made. Nearly every human being who resided among the ruins of Buffalo and Black Rock, and many in the country around, were up and watching. All expected that if the fort should be captured the enemy would immediately cross, and the horrors of the previous winter would be repeated. Many packed up and prepared for instant flight.
When the explosion came, the shock startled even the war- seasoned inhabitants of Buffalo. Some thought the British had captured the fort and blown it up, others imagined that the Am- ericans had penetrated to the British camp and blown that up ; and all awaited the coming of morn with nerves strung to their utmost tension. It was soon daylight, when boats crossed the river from the fort, and the news of another American victory was soon scattered far and wide through the country.
A day or two afterwards the wounded prisoners were sent to the hospital at Williamsville, and the unwounded to the depot of prisoners near Albany. Mr. William Hodge relates that when the wagons filled with blistered, blackened men halted near his father's house, they begged for liquor to drown their pain, but some of the unhurt, who marched on foot, were saucy enough. Looking at the brick house rising on the ruins of the former one, they declared they would burn it again within a year. They could not, however, have been very anxious to escape, for they were escorted by only a very small guard of militia. The late James Wood, of Wales, was one of the guard. Many of the prisoners were Highlanders, of the Glengarry regiment.
Having failed to carry the fort by assault, the British settled down to a regular siege. Closer and closer their lines were drawn and their batteries erected, the dense forest affording every facility for uninterrupted approach. Reinforcements con-
285
VOLUNTEERS TO THE FRONT.
stantly arrived at the English camp, while not a solitary regular soldier was added to the constantly diminishing force of the Americans. By the latter part of August their case had become so desperate that Gov. Tompkins called out all the militia west of the Genesee, en masse, and ordered them to Buffalo. They are said by Turner to have responded with great alacrity.
Arriving at Buffalo, the officers were first assembled, and Gen. Porter called on them to volunteer to cross the river. There was considerable hanging back, but the general made another speech, and under his stinging words most of the officers volun- teered. The men were then called on to follow their example, and a force of about fifteen hundred was raised. The 48th regiment furnished one company. Col. Warren volunteered and crossed the river, but was sent back with other supernumerary officers, and placed in command of the militia remaining at Buffalo.
The volunteers were conveyed across the river at night, about the 10th of September, and encamped on the lake shore above Towson's battery, behind a sod breast-work hastily erected by themselves. They were commanded by General Porter, who bivouacked in their midst, under whom was General Daniel Davis, of Le Roy. General Brown had resumed command of the whole American force.
At this time the enemy was divided into three brigades of fourteen or fifteen hundred men each, one of which was kept on duty in their batteries every three days, while the other two remained at the main camp, on a farm a mile and a half west of the fort.
Immediately after the arrival of the volunteers, a plan was concerted to break in on the enemy's operations by a sortie. The British had opened two batteries, and were nearly ready to unmask another, still nearer and in a more dangerous position. This was called "Battery No. Three," the one next north " No. Two," and the farthest one "No. One." It was determined to make an attack on the 17th of September, before Battery No. Three could be completed.
On the 16th, Majors Fraser and Riddle, both officers of the regular army acting as aids to General Porter, each followed by a hundred men, fifty of each party being armed and fifty pro-
286
THE SORTIE.
vided with axes, proceeded from the camp of the volunteers, by a circuitous route through the woods, to within a short distance of Battery No. Three. Thence each detachment cut out the un- derbrush so as to make a track back to camp over the swampy ground, curving where necessary to avoid the most miry places. The work was accomplished without the British having the slightest suspicion of what was going on. This was the most difficult part of the whole enterprise, and its being accom- plished without the enemy's hearing it must be partly attributed to good fortune.
In the forenoon of the 17th the whole of the volunteers were paraded, the enterprise was revealed to them, and a hand-bill was read, announcing the glorious victories won on Lake Cham- plain and at Plattsburg a few days before. The news was joy- fully received and the sortie enthusiastically welcomed. The volunteers not being uniformed, every one was required to lay aside his hat or cap and wear on his head a red handkerchief, or a piece of red cloth which was furnished. Not an officer nor man wore any other head-gear, except General Porter.
At noon that commander led forth the principal attacking body from the volunteer camp. The advance consisted of two hundred volunteers under Colonel Gibson. Behind them came the column designed for storming the batteries, composed of four hundred regulars followed by five hundred volunteers, all commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wood. These took the right hand track cut out the day before. Another column, of nearly the same strength, mostly volunteers, under General Davis, intended to hold the enemy's reinforcements in check and co- operate in the attack, took the left hand road.
At the same time a body of regulars, under General Miller, was concealed in a ravine near the northwest corner of the in- trenchments, prepared to attack in front at the proper time. The rest of the troops were held in reserve under General Ripley.
Just after the main column started it began to rain, and con- tinued to do so throughout the afternoon. The march was necessarily slow along the swampy, winding pathway, and had it not been for the underbrushed tracks the columns would probably have lost their way or been delayed till nightfall.
287
BRILLIANT SUCCESS.
At nearly three o'clock Porter's command arrived at the end of the track, within a few rods of Battery No. Three, entirely unsuspected by its occupants. The final arrangements being made, they moved on, and in a few moments emerged upon the astonished workers and their guard. With a tremendous cheer, which was distinctly heard across the river, the men rushed for- ward, and the whole force in the battery, thoroughly surprised and overwhelmed by numbers, at once surrendered, without hardly firing a shot.
This attack was the signal for the advance of Miller's regu- lars, who sprang out of their ravine and hurried forward, direct- ing their steps toward Battery No. Two. Leaving a detachment to spike and dismount the captured cannon, both of Porter's columns dashed forward toward the same object, Gen. Davis leading his volunteers and cooperating closely with Wood. They arrived at the same time as Miller. They were received with a heavy fire, but the three commands combined and car- ried the battery at the point of the bayonet.
Leaving another party to spike and dismount cannon, the united force pressed forward toward Battery No. One. But by this time the whole British army was alarmed, and reinforce- ments were rapidly arriving. Nevertheless the Americans at- tacked and captured Battery No. Onc, after a severe conflict.
How gallantly they were led is shown by the fact that all of Porter's principal commanders were shot down-Gibson at Battery No. Two, Wood while approaching No. One, and Davis while gallantly mounting a parapet between the two batteries at the head of his men. In the last struggle, too, Gen. Porter himself was slightly wounded by a sword-cut on the hand, and temporarily taken prisoner, but was immediately rescued by his own men.
Of course, in a sortie the assailants are not expected to hold the conquered ground. The work in this case had been as completely done as in any sortie ever made, and after Battery No. One had been captured a retreat was ordered to the fort, where the victorious troops arrived just before sunset.
The loss of the Americans was seventy-nine killed and two hundred and fourteen wounded; very few, if any, captured. Four hundred British were taken prisoners, a large number
288
THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER.
killed and wounded, and what was far more important all the re- sults of nearly two months' labor were entirely overthrown. So completely were their plans destroyed by this brilliant assault that only four days afterwards Gen. Drummond raised the siege, and retired down the Niagara.
After the enemy retreated the volunteers were dismissed with the thanks of their commanders, having saved the American army from losing its last hold on the western side of the Niagara.
The relief of Fort Erie was one of the most skillfully planned and gallantly executed sorties ever made. Gen. Napier, the celebrated British soldier and military historian, mentions it as one of the very few cases in which a single sortie had compelled the raising of a siege.
It was also the first really important service performed by the kind of soldier whose renown has since become world-wide, the American volunteer. The previous efforts of the volunteers had been very desultory, and, though often showing distinguished courage, they had not before borne a principal part in any bat- tle. At this sortie, however, they were the chief actors, and then began that long series of brilliant services so well known to every American. A few months later the battle of New Or- leans was won by their valor. During the Mexican war the sys- tem of volunteering was thoroughly matured, and during the war for the Union the worth of the American volunteer was tested on a hundred fields.
Very high credit was given to General Porter, both for his eloquence in engaging the volunteers and his skill and valor in leading them. The press sounded his praises, the citizens of Batavia tendered him a dinner, the governor breveted him a major-general, and Congress voted him a gold medal-he being, I think, the only officer of volunteers to whom that honor was awarded during the war of 1812.
These guerdons were justly his due on account of the distin- guished services then known to the public. In addition, there is little doubt that he is entitled to the credit of originating and planning the sortie of Fort Erie. For several days previous he had been holding frequent interviews with General Brown, and also with two officers of engineers, the object of which was con-
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