USA > New York > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 134
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September 21, Brig .- Gen. Richard Dodgo arrived at Watertown, with a detachment of militia from the Mohawk country, and issued orders for Gen. Brown to march to Ogdenshurgh with the detached inilitia under his command, and take charge of that fort. As the roads were then nearly impassable, and the journey would have been tedious und expensive, he chose the route of the river, and arrived at Ogdensburgh, without aeeident, on the 1st of October. On the 2d the enemy cannonaded the town, and on the 4th made an unsuccessful attack,¿ in which they were repulsed with considerable loss. His presenee and the efficient exertions of his troops at that time saved the town from eapture. A part of Capt. Forsyth's company aeeom- panied Gen. Brown, the remainder being detained by Gen. Dodge at Saeket's Harbor. Early in October, Gov. Tompkins visited Saeket's HIarbor, to take efficient measures for its defense; and on the 6th, Com. Isaae Chauncey, having been appointed commander of the naval forees of the United States on the lakes, arrived. The vessels on the lake were immediately bonght and fitted with armaments, and ship-building on an extensive seale was commeneed under the dirce- tion of Henry Eekford. The enemy had at this time a naval foree of 105 guns and 890 men. At the request of the governor, Gen. Dodge detached to the aid of Gen. Brown, about the 12th of October, the residue of Capt. Forsyth's company, and the artillery companies of Captains Brown, King, and Foot, in all 160 men, with a supply of munitions, among which were two brass nines, one iron four, two
* Ten killed and eight prisoners.
+ One account says, sixty stand of arms, two blankets, a considerable quan- tity of fixed ammunition, one barrel of powder, one of flints, and some other property.
# History of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, p. 625; Jeff. Co., p. 424.
chests of ammunition, 250 12-pound balls, 300 9-pound halls, 200 6- pound balls, 60 muskets, and 145 pounds of powder.
Com. Chauncey first appeared on the lake on the 8th of November, with his broad pennant on the " Oneida," 16 guns, Lt. Woolsey, and having in company the "Conquest," Lt. Elliot; " Hamilton," Lt. McPherson ; "Gov. Tompkins," Lt. Brown ; "Pert," Mr. Arundel ; " Julia," Mr. Trant ; and " Growler," Mr. Mix ; the last three persons being sailing-masters. The vessels together mounted 40 guns, of different ealibres, and numbered 430 men, ineluding marines. The objeet of the expedition was to intereept the enemy's vessels on their return from Fort George, whither they had gone with troops to rein- foreo that post, and from which they were daily expected to return to Kingston. The reputed forec of the enemy's fleet was as follows :
The ship "Royal George," 26 guns, 260 men; ship "Earl of Moira," 18 guns, 200 men ; sehooners " Prinee Regent," 18 guns, 150 men ; "Duke of Gloucester," 14 guns, 80 men ; "Simeoc," 12 guns, 76 men ; and " Seneca," 4 guns, and 40 men. .
On the morning of the 10th he took u small schooner, which he hurnt, having got sight of the " Royal George," which he followed into Kingston harbor, and engaged her and the batteries an hour and forty-five minutes, but finding these stronger than anticipated, night coming on, and a gale of wind blowing in, he stood off and anchored. In the morning he fell in with the "Simeoe," and so disabled her with shot that she sank before getting alongside of the doek.
On the morning of the 10th he took a large schooner from Niagara, bound in, and the next morning sent down the prize, under convoy of the " Growler," past Kingston, to induce the ship to follow, but without sueeess. The night of the 11th was boisterous; on the 12th was a severe snow-storm, and on the 13th it continued to snow fast, but with little wind. The remainder of this eruise we give in the language of Cour. Chauneey, in a letter to the governor :
" The 'Growler' sent the prize in, and stood in for the Ducks, where he had orders to join me. Near the Ducks he fell in with the . Earl of Moira,' convoying the sloop 'Elizabeth' from York to Kingston. Sailing-Master Mix, who commanded the ' Growler,' ran down in a very gallant manner and took possession of the ' Eliza- beth' within two miles of the ship, and brought her in. I imme- diately weighed and stood for Kingston, in hopes to eut her off; but the elements were against me again, for I scareely had left the harbor before it blew a gale of wind, and snowed so thick that we frequently could not see a mile. We, however, persevered, to the great danger of the vessels and lives of the erews. On the 14th we got sight of the ' Earl of Moira,' entering Kingston harbor, but it blowing a gale of wind, we concluded not to follow, and after beating about almost all that day, I made the signal for all the squadron to bear for this place, where we arrived on the same evening. During these two short eruises we captured three vessels,-two have arrived, one we burnt,-a fourth was so injured that she sunk, and we learn from one who came in with the flags yesterday that the 'Royal George' was so much injured that she had to haul on shore to keep from sinking, having received several shots between wind and water, several guns disabled, and a number of persons killed or wounded, besides eon- siderable injury (though not intentional) to the town. Amongst the prisoners is Capt. Broek, of the 29th regiment, and a relative of the late Gen. Broek, who was returning from York with part of the bag- gage of his deceased friend. Our loss was trifling : one man killed and four wounded; two of the latter by the bursting of a gun on board of the ' Pert,' the commander of which vessel, Mr. Arnndell, was knocked overboard and drowned. The damago done to the rig- ging and sails not much, aud a few shot in the hulls of one of the vessels, but the injury from which was soon repaired. The 'Gov. Tompkins,' 'Ilamilton,' ' Conquest,' and ' Growler,' are now block- ading the vessels in Kingston. I am taking on board guus and stores for Niagara, for which place I shall sail the first wind, in com- pany with the 'Julia,' . Pert,' 'Fair American,' 'Ontario,' and Seourge,' and I am in great hopes that I shall fall in with the ' Prinee Regent,' or some of the royal family which are eruising about York. Ilad we been one month sooner we could have taken every town on this lake iu three weeks, but the season is now so tempestnons that I am apprehensive we cannot do much more this winter. I am, however, ready to co-operate with the army, and our officers and men aro auxions to be engaged."
This brilliant manœuvre conferred great eredit upon those engaged, and ealled publie attention to the operations on this frontier, as likely to afford a theatre for deeds of valor that would confer honor upon the American name. The spirited engagement in Kingston harbor has been compared by Cooper to the assault upon Tripoli, in our previous war with the Barbary States, to which it was not in the least inferior, due allowanec being made for the comparative foree employed. The faet of the " Royal George," which was by much the largest vessel that had then been built on our inland waters, retiring before the " Oneida," has been aseribed to her not being properly
|| Naval History of the United States, by J. Fenimore Cooper, ii. 333.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
officered. The British had not then made their drafts upon tho royal navy for the service of the lakes.
A singularly romantic incident, remarkable in its coincidenees, and verifying the proverb that truth is stranger than fiction, was related to the author by one# who was intimately acquainted with the facts, and whose reputation for veracity and correctness is above sus- picion.
Tom Garnet was the son of an English farmer, living about forty miles from Liverpool, who conducted a large farm with much success, and had acquired more of the conveniences and luxuries of life than the average of that class in England. Tom had arrived at manhood, and had just married the object of his choice, when he was sent by his father to Liverpool with an ox-cart laden with wheat, to exchange for household furniture and articles necessary for an outfit. He had been but a short time in town when he was rudely seized by a press- gang, and, despite of his entreaties and resistance, was taken on board a frigate about to sail for the East Indies, his eart and oxen remaining in the streets, and himself unable to send a single word home, to relieve the dreadful anxiety that his protracted absence would occasion.
During seven long weary years he was detained abroad, without exchanging one letter with home, or knowing whether those most dear were dead or living; when, at length, sun-burnt by tropical heat, and, by hard service, so worn and haggard as scarcely to be recognized, he was landed at Liverpool, and, with a light heart, set his face homeward, wondering what the changes of seven years might have wrought in his home. On the approach of night, fearing to call at an inn, lest his dress and appearance should excite sus- picion that he was a deserter from the navy, he crept into a nook under a stack of straw, and spent the night. In the morning, there being a dense fog, and not knowing the course he was going, he fell into the midst of another press-gang, who, in spite of entreaties, again carried him to the fleet, and he was soon uuder way to the coast of South America. After several years, finding an opportunity, he reached the shore and fled ; crossed the Andes, and, at length, reach- ing another port, and, finding no other opportunity of leaving, he enlisted in an American ship-of-war for a few months, and soon after sailed for the United States. His crew were soon detailed for serviee on Lake Ontario, and he arrived at Sacket's Harbor in the fall of 1812, and became one of the crew of the "Oneida," under Woolsey.
Ilere our informant became acquainted with him, it having been twenty years since he was first abducted, during which time not one word had been received from home. He was of a kind, cheerful, and obliging disposition ; was strictly temperate, used no profane lan- guage, and was made captain of the forecastle, from the entire con- fidence that was placed in his capacity and fidelity. In short, Tom Garnet was the universal favorite of the brig, and both officers and men became strongly attached to him for his kindness of heart, intel- ligence, and moral worth.
On the morning before the fleet of Chauncey sailed to meet the enemy near Kingston, Tom related to his comrades a dream he had the night before, in which he thought his wife appeared to him as a disembodied spirit in heaven, with a son, whom he had never scen, and told him that he would soon join them. His story was treated with levity ; but the calm and serious earnestness with which he related it, and the evident conviction he felt of its reality, checked that hilarity that might otherwise have attended the announcement that he was to be the first man killed on board the ficet. He pro- cecded to divide his wardrobe among his companions, and gave in- structions about the little property he possessed, as would one to whom death was a certain doom ; yet his chcerfulness and alacrity was unabated, and, although he evidently believed in the presenti- ment he expressed, he seemed to be exhilarated with the welcome prospect of meeting the long-lost and dear partner of early hopes blasted,-the object on which his memories had centred, and the only one for whom he had desired to live. Chauncey's fleet sailed aud engaged the enemy's batteries in the harbor of Kingston, as above
related ; the first shot from which was a nine-pound ball that crossed the deck of the "Oneida" and passed through the body of Tom Garnet, at his post. He fell instantly dead, with the same smile upon his countenance that habit had impressed. This singular coincidence and verification of presentiment is so well attested by authentic wit- nesses that it merits the attention of the curious.
A similar experience, as connected with the English system of "pressing" men into the naval service, is related of Commodore Thomas McDonough, the commander of the American fleet at the naval action in Plattsburgh bay, September 11, 1814. A few years previous to the war he was mate on board an American merchant- ship, and when lying in the harbor of Liverpool, England, he went on shore, and was captured by a "press-gang," and, in spite of his protestations that he was an American, was taken on board an English frigate, commanded by Commodore Downie. He told them they would pay dearly some day for their insults to the United States. He soon after managed to escape, and, when the war broke out, entered the navy, and eventually found himself in command of the United States fleet on Lake Champlain. Downie commanded the British fleet and was killed; the entire fleet was captured in the memorable en- gagement which followed, and McDonough was fully avenged.
On the 26th of November the ship " Madison" was launched at Sacket's Harbor, having been built in forty-five days. Fort Tomp- kins had been built during the summer previous, and stood on the plain fronting the bay, near the present ship-house. Temporary bar- racks had also been fitted up under the directions of Major Darby Noon. Late in November, the fleet attempted to gain the head of the lake, but was driven back in a gale, the " Growler" was dismasted, and the fleet greatly endangered by the ice. Early in December the navigation closed for the season, and the winter was spent on both sides of the lake in active preparations for the ensuing campaign.
" In the course of the autumn the Americans had increased their force to cleven sail, ten of which were the small schooners bought from the merchants and fitted with gun-boat armaments, without quarters. In addition to the vessels already named, were the 'Ontario,' ' Scourge,' ' Fair American,' and ' Asp.' Neither of the ten were fit to eruise, and an ordinary eighteen-gun brig ought to have been able to cope with them all in a good working breeze, in close quarters. At long shot, however, and in smooth water, they were not without a ecrtaiu efficiency. As was proved in the end, in attacking batteries and in covering descents they were even fouud to be exceedingly ser- viceable."t
In the cabinet at Washington, a plan of operations against Canada in the ensuing season began to be discussed early in February, and an attack upon Kingston was to make an early and prominent part of these movements. The general outline of the campaign was commu- nicated to Gen. Dearborn, the commander-in-chief, on the 10th of Feb- ruary, which directed 4000 troops to be assembled at Sacket's Harbor and 3000 at Buffalo. The former of these was to be landed at Kings- ton, and, after securing that place and the shipping, to proceed to York, with the view of seizing the stores there collected, and the two frigates said to be there building. Towards the close of the month Gen. Brown received orders to call out several hundred militia, and Col. Pike, then stationed on Lake Champlain, was directed to proceed with 400 of his command in sleighs, by the nearest and best route to Sacket's Harbor. A portion of Gen. Pike's force arrived at Sacket's Harbor on snow-shoes. Several hundred pairs were deposited in the arsenal at Watertown, where they remained until destroyed by mice and decay. Capt. Forsyth, having been driven out of Ogdensburgh on the 22d of Feb., soon after joined the forees at the harbor. Had Chauncey arrived in season an attack upon Kingston, by crossing ou the ice, would have been attempted; but he was detained several weeks in New York, and his presence was deemed necessary in this enterprise.
Gen. Dearborn arrived about the first of March, when he was in- formed that Sir George Prevost, having adjourned the provincial par- liament and arrived in Kingston, was making active preparations for offensive measures; that a force had been collected from Quebec, Montreal, and Upper Canada, of from 6000 to 8000 men, and that an attaek from Kingston might be shortly expected.
By the 14th the apprehensions of attack had nearly subsided, and Gen. Dearborn apprised the Secretary of War of his belief to that effect, and added,-
" All the apprehension is now at Kingston. Sir George has visited York and Niagara, and returned to Montreal. Several bodies of
* Captain Augustus Ford, of Sacket's Harbor. He was born in 1772, and in his boyhood served in the Continental frigate " Washington," and afterwards in several privateers,-" Snakefish," " Dolphin," and others. Capt. Ford died in 1855. In 1793 he first came to Oswego, and from 1796 down to a late period has been connected with the navigation of this lake. He was commissioned as sailing master March 28, 1810, and served under Woolsey.
+ Cooper's Naval History.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
troops have passed up from Montreal; but such precautions havo been taken to prevent their number being ascertained as to render it impossible to form any accurate opinion of their forces, or even to imagine very nearly what they amount to. From various sources I am perfectly satisfied that they are not in sufficient force to attack this place, knowing as they do that we have collected a fine body of troops from Greenbush and Plattsburg, and that the militia have been called in."
On the 15th of March a council of war was held, composed of tho principal officers on the station, and the attack upon Kingston was formally ahandoned until tho co-operation of the fleet could be se- cured. The naval preparations necessary for the accomplishment of these plans were actively prosecuted under the direction of Mr. Eck- ford, tho President having, on the 3d of March, directed six sloops- of-wur to be built on the lakes, and as many to be bought as might be needed for the service, and the sum of $900,000 was appropriated for this object. Several ships on the ocean were laid up in our At- lantic ports, and their crews transferred to the lakes; the pay of sea- aren was advanced twenty-five per cent., and the chief energies of the nation appeared to be directed to this frontier as the probable theatre of momentous events in the coming campaign. Ou the 14th of April the enemy launched two large vessels, and their naval forces received large accessions from the British fleet.#
On the 7th of April the brig " Jefferson" was launched at Sacket's Harbor, and on the 10th the brig "Jones." On the 9th the keel of the " General Pike" was laid. The " General Pike" was said to have been built in one hundred days. The force on the Ist of March was said to number nearly 5000 regulars and twelve-months' volunteers, with 1300 sailors and 2000 militia. On the 28th of March the troops manœuvred on the ico, and on the middle of April the ice had disap- peared from the lake. On the 19th the " Growler" sailed out to re- connoitre. Brig .- Gen. Johu Chandler had arrived early in the month, aud the forces assembled were thought sufficient to justify an attack upon the enemy. The post at York, at which place it was un- derstood several vessels were building, was thought to offer an eligi- ble point for beginning operations, and, if taken, would give us the command of the lake, from whence our forces could proceed to attack Fort George by land and water, while the troops at Buffalo should cross over and carry Forts Eric and Chippewa, and join the army at Fort George, from whence the combined forces might concentrato upon Kingston, without the apprehension of an enemy in the rear.
April 22, about 1700 troops, under the immediate charge of Gen. Z. M. Pike, were embarked on board the fleet of Com. Chaun- cey, the whole boing directed by Gen. Dearborn. On the 25th the fleet sailed, the destination being unknown to the most of those on board.
York, now the city of Toronto, and then the capital of Upper Canada, is situated on a small bay, formed by a low, narrow, sandy peninsula, stretching from the landing. Maj. Forsyth and his excellent and gallant rifle corps, who had been placed in two large bateaux, pulled undauntedly towards the clear ground, where he had been or- dered to land ; but he was forced, by the strength of the wind, a con- siderable distance below his destined point. The fire of musketry and rifles here commenced from the shore, the euemy being within a few feet of the water, and in a considerable degree masked by the woods and copse. Here Maj. Forsyth ordered his men to rest for a few moments upon their oars, and soon opened a galling fire upon the enemy. In the moment while Forsyth's men were lying on their oars and priming, Gen. Pike was standing on the deck, and impationt at the apparent pause of un instant, and seeing that the riflo corps had been driven by the wind beyond the point at which they were to have embarked, ho exclaimed, " By -! I can't stay here any longer !" and addressing himself to his staff, " Come, jump into tho
boat," which they immediately did, the commodore having reserved . a boat specially for him and his suite. The little coxswain was or- dered immediately to steer for the middle of the fray, and the halls whistled gloriously around; probably their number was owing to seeing so many officers in the same boat !
Tho infantry had, according to orders, embarked at the same time, and formed platoons as they reached tho shore. The general took command of the first platoon he reached, and formed it below, and ordered the whole to prepare for a charge as soon as they reached tho top of the bank. They gained the bank under a volley of the enemy's musketry and rifle shot, but had not time to form the platoon com- pletely when the British grenadiers showed their backs. At the very moment tho sound of Forsyth's bugles was heard with peculiar de- light, as it was the indication of his success. The effect of the buglo upon the nerves of the British Indian allies was electrie, for they no sooner heard it than they gave a diabolical yell, and fled in all dirce- tions. The Glengary corps skirmished with Forsyth's while the in- fantry wero landing, and Brigade-Major HIunter formed the troops for action as they landed and reached the plain. Tho volunteer corps, commanded by Col. Maelure, flanked the reserve, and the light artillery, commanded by Maj. Eustis, acting as infantry, covered the left.t
It is proper to state in this place the gallant and masterly co-op- eration of Com. Chauncey and the naval squadron under his com- mand. Ile sent his schooners, mounting heavy metal, to eover the landing, and kept up so well-directed and incessant a fire of grape on the woods as to effectually cover our right flank and afford us great facility in forming our platoons, besides producing the utmost cou- sternation among the Indians. A shot from one of the schooners killed a horse under the aid of the British general, but, owing to the shallowness of the water, neither the ship nor the brig could be brought in to participate in the action ; but the commodore himself was, through the whole of the action, in his boat, encouraging and giving orders to the different schooners. The navy lost two gallant midshipmen, and about 20 seamen were killed and wounded. The troops ordered to land by Gen. Pike, when he went on shore, were the three companies of Capt. Hopsock (who was mortally wounded in the boat), Capt. Scott and Capt. Young of the 15th Regiment, U. S. In- fantry, all under the command of Maj. King, of the same regiment (the same who gallantly distinguished himself at Queenstown).
Their orders were to reinforce Maj. Forsyth, and efect a landing, and they were forbidden to load or use powder. The riflemen of For- syth, as the infantry came up, opened a heavy and effectual fire upon the enemy, and the three companies landed in the most complete style. The enemy gave way before our troops could come to the bayouet's point, and were pursued up the bank by our troops. At the top of the bank a fresh body of British grenadiers (said to be the 8th, or king's grenadiers) made a formidable charge upon this column, and compelled it, for an instant, to retire ; but our troops instantly rallied and returned to the charge, and with the most complete success. Not a man of the grenadiers escaped our fire or charge; and our troops, just reinforced hy the remainder of the 15th, remained undisturbed masters of the bauk. This reinforcement brought the colors of the 15th, which accompanied the platoon of Capt. Steele. The enemy presented a fresh front ; the troops were instantly formed for the charge by Maj. King, who gave them Yankee Doodle ; but the enemy did not like our music, nor our pikes, any better than our rifles ; they gave way, and fled in the utmost disorder.
The American forces having all landed, formed into platoons, and marched towards the enemy's works, flanked by the rifle corps; ono field-piece and a howitzer were placed at the head of the column, in charge of Capt. Fanning, of the 3d Artillery. The general then or- dered a reconnoisance of the enemy's works, and thereby ascertained their strength, and the important fact that they were spiking their own guns towards the shipping.
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