History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 136

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862

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 136

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Kingston had been recently reinforced, and was reputed at near 5000 strong. Sir James Yeo had sailed to the head of the lake, and the American fleet was to sail as soon as it could be fitted out.

A council of war was held at Sacket's Harbor, Aug. 26, at which Maj .- Gens. Wilkinson and Lewis and Commodore Chauncey, and Brig .- Gens. Brown and Swartwout were present. At this council it was ascertained that "the whole present effective force of the army of this district may be estimated at 7400 combatants, exclusive of the naval department, occupying the following places, viz .. at Forts George and Niagara, 3500; at Oswego, 100; at this place, 2000; and at Bur- lington, on Lake Champlain, 4000." Opposed to this force, the enemy had in Upper Canada a total of at least 9000 combatants, of which 850 were at Prescott, and 2000 regulars (besides militia and auxiliary savages) at the head of Lake Ontario, the remainder being located at Kingston.

The relative force of the two belligerents on the lake, on the Ist of September, was as follows: American-"Gen. Pike," Capt. Sinclair, 34; " Madison," Capt. Crane, 24; "Sylph," Capt. Woolsey, 20; "Oneida," Lieut. Brown, 18; "Duke of Gloucester," 10; "Gov. Tompkins," 6; " Conquest," 3; " Ontario," 2; "Asp," 2; "Fair American," 2; "Pert," 2; "Lady of the Lake," 2; "Raven," 1. Total, 126 guns. British-" Gen. Wolfe," 32; " Royal George," 22; " Earl of Moira," 16; " Prince Regent," 14; "Simcoe," 12; "Sene- ca," 4 ; " Hamilton" (late " Growler"), 5; " Confiance" (late " Julia"), 3; besides several gun-boats. They were then building a 40-gun frigate and two sloops of war at Kingston.

The secretary of war arrived on the 5th of September, at Sacket's Harbor, the same day that Wilkinson reached Fort George. He was induced to take this position in order to consult more readily with the officers of the army, and save the delay that would attend the receipt and transmission of intelligence at Washington. The army at Burlington under Hampton at this time numbered 4500 regulars and 1000 militia, who early in the month crossed to Plattsburgh, and, after making a feigned movement upon Cauada, advanced westward to Chateaugay. Large bodies of militia were assembled at Brown- ville and other places, and the force at Sacket's Harhor amounted to 2000 men, under Gen. Lewis. Reinforcements of regulars and militia were on their march towards various points of the frontier, and the country was alive with the hustle of preparation, and the collection of munitions and men, which would seem adequate for the accom- plishment of great results, but which the chief manager and director appears to have had either an incapacity, or a disinclination, to use to the greatest advantage.

Sir James Yeo appeared off Niagara early in September, and on the 17th, Chauncey, favored with a breeze, stood out into the lake, and, not meeting the enemy, ran into Sacket's Harbor, whence in a few hours he again sailed for Niagara. On the 27th, having learued that the fleet of the enemy was at York, he got out of the river, and, on the 28th, the " Pike," "Madison," and "Sylph," taking each a schooner in tow, sailed for York, and as he approached that place he discovered the enemy's flcet under way. Here ensued an inde- cisive, manœuvring, and running fight, in which the "Pike" sus- tained considerable injury, and lost twenty-two of her men by the bursting of a gun, which also greatly injured this vessel. The total loss in killed and wounded, on board this vessel, including the loss by this accident, was twenty-seven. The "Madison" received a few shot, but no person was hurt; the "Governor Tompkins" lost her . foremast, and the "Oneida" had her maintopmast badly injured.

About the 20th of September a proposition was made by Gen. Peter B. Porter, Cyrenus Chapin, and Joseph MeClure, in case the troops were withdrawn from Fort George, to raise a volunteer force of 1000 to 1200 men, to be furnished with four field-pieces, arms, provisions, and pay while in the service, which offer was accepted, and about 800 regulars were to be left to garrison Forts George and Niagara, under Col. Scott. Arrangements having been made for leaving, the em- barkation of troops commenced on the 26th, and on the 30th the flotilla of bateaux, with the central army, left Fort Georgo for Sacket's Harbor, where they arrived on the 4th of October.

The troops left at Fort George, after occupying the place several weeks, abandoned it, and, having burned the village of Newark, re- turned to the American side. This provoked the retaliation of the enemy, who surprised the garrison at Niagara, captured the fort without resistance, slaughtered a great number of its inmates, burned the villages of Black Rock and Buffalo, and laid waste the Niagara frontiers with fire and sword. This desolating invasion was without

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

545

a parallel during the war, and occasioned a distress among the pio- neer inhabitants that required and received the aid of the legislature. Gen. McClure, whose burning of Newark provoked this visit of the enemy, soon after published a vindication of his course, and stated that the act was done in pursuance of the orders of the secretary of war.

As soon as the last of the flotilla had left the Niagara, Chauncey again sailed to divert or engage the enemy, and on the 5th, when near tho Falso Ducks, on the north shore, recaptured tho " Growler" and the " Julia" (named " Hamilton and " Confiance" by the enemy), the " Mary Ann," the " Drummond," and tho "Lady Gore," gun- vessels, and caused the enemy to abandon and burn a sixth. The " Enterprise," a small schooner, was tho only one that eseaped. The prizes, mounting one to three guns each, were taken to Sacket's Ilarbor.

Sacket's Harbor had for several weeks been alive with the bustle of preparation for the approaching desecut upon Canada. A great number of armed boats and transports were built, and large quantities of supplies were collected. Immediately after Wilkinson's arrival, he waited upon the secretary of war and remonstrated against mak- ing an attack upon Kingston. The secretary differel from this opinion, but appointed a meeting on the 5th, to hear the opinions aud arguments on this subject. The chief objeetion against this attack arose from the apprehension of delays and the lateness of the season. Much correspondence ensued, in which various modes of operation were proposed, and several days, in a scason already too late for operations of this class and magnitude, were trifled away to no purpose. Gen. Wilkinson had been sick at Fort George, and was still unwell.

At this late season of the year, when, with no other enemy but the weather, it would seem the extremity of folly to attempt the naviga- tion of the lake in open boats, from the peril arising from sudden tempests, it was decided to pass the enemy's fleet and army, and descend upon Montreal, allowing the enemy the privilege of attack- ing on his own territory in both front and rear, with an intimate knowledge of the country and its resources, and every advantage that a skillful commander could have desired had the selection of circum- stances been left to him. Viewed in its proper light, the expedition may be justly considered an outrage upon reasou and common sense, and justly entitled to the odium which has been attached to it and its imbeeile commander, and in its results it forms one of the darkest pages of American history.

Our forces were first to be assembled at Grenadier Island, and on the 16th of October, Hampton was ordered by Wilkinson to advance to the mouth of the Chateaugay, or any other poiut that might better favor the junction of the two armies, and hold the enciuy in check.

On tho 26th of October, at noon, orders were issued for the heavy, light, and flying artillery, commanded by Colonels Porter, Eustis, and Macomb, and the fourth brigade, commanded by Brig .- Geu. Swartwout, of the infantry, to embark, and proceed immediately to Basin Harbor, in Grenadier Island. At six P.M. the whole embarked, and put off with a favorable wind, the transports mostly consisting of scows, Durham boats, common lake sail boats, and bateaux.

Tho wind and weather favored until one o'elock A.M., when tho boats appeared to be much scattered : some had landed on Pillar Point and Point Peninsula; some had entored Chaumont Bay and other inlets; others had landed on Cherry, Stony, and Horse islands; and others stood off for Kingston, where one boat, with an officer and ten men, is said to havo arrived in safety. Several boats landed on Long Island, in British territory, aud some safely reached their destination at Basin Harbor. It soon began to rain, and the wind increased to a gale, in which the boats and seows which had landed were drifted and beaten on the shore, which in some places was rough and roeky, while others, still on the lake, made the first point of land they eould dis- eover, to save themselves. The morning disclosed a seene of desola- tion truly distressing. The shores of tho islands and mainland were strewn with broken and sunken boats, and the day was spent in un- loading such as could be reached, and in endeavoring to save such per- ishable artieles as could be found, the gale continuing through that day and the following night. On the ISth, tho wind having abated, several boats were got off from the roeks, and arrived at Basin Harbor, but on the next day the storm increased, and several boats that had at- tempted to gain their rendezvous were driven baek upon the shores. On the 20th the day was favorable, and many of the sound boats reached Basin Harbor.

The brigades of Gens. Brown, Boyd, and Covington, which had encamped at Henderson Harbor, arrived at Grenadier island on the 20th. Of the flotilla that had left Sacket's Harbor, fifteen large boats were entirely lost ; many others, with several scows, were mnuch dam- aged, and a large quantity of bread was destroyed. The troops re- mained eneamped on the island until the 1st of November, engaged iu repairing the boats and making preparations to descend the St. Law- rence. The weather meauwhile continued stormy, and snow fell to the depth of ten inches. Many of the regulars were from the South- ern States, and unaeeustomed to the severity of a northern winter, and in this expedition, especially at a later period, suffered extremely from the rigor of the climate, which produecd a frightful mortality among themn.

On the 28th, 196 of the sick wero put on board a schooner and sent to Sacket's Harbor. Wilkinson arrived on the 27th, and finding a large body still in tho rear, wrecked or stranded, returned to Saeket's Harbor to order a supply of winter clothing and shoes for the troops on the island, some of whom were nearly destitute. Ile observed many fires of troops along the shore, but the wind was so violent that he could not communicate with them. On the 23d Col. Cole arrived with 200 men of the 12th regiment, and sailed for the reu- dezvous, and the "Growler" was sent to Oswego for Cols. Randolph and Scott, who were expected there, and as many men as the vessel could earry. The general returned the same day to Grenadier Island and arrived off the island at eight iu the evening, the weather con- tinuing boisterous during this night and the day following, with fre- quent rains and heavy gales, so that a landing could not be effected until the 25th.

. Gen. Brown was ordered to take command of the advance and post himself at French creek, where the detachments were ordered to reu- dezvous. The " Growler" arrived at Grenadier Island on the 31st, with 230 men of the 20th regiment, and November 2, Chauncey took a position to protect the south channel, where it was apprehended the enemy would enter and occupy Fort Carlton, which, with some re- pairs, would have effectually commanded that channel, and compelled the American army to winter on Lake Ontario, or run the gauntlet under the batteries of Kingston.

On the evening of November I, the enemy, having observed the concentration of our forees at French creek, attacked Gen. Brown about sunset with two brigs, two schooners, and several boats laden with infantry. The encampment of Brown was a short distance up the creek, and he had caused a battery of three 18-pounders to be ereeted on Bartlet's Point, a short distance above, which, from its elevation, gave it a superiority over that of the enemy. This battery was under the eommand of Capt. McPherson, of the light artillery, and was served with such effect that the assailants soon dropped down the current beyond its reach. The next morning the attack was re- newed without success, and one of the brigs was with difficulty towed off by the squadron. Our loss was two killed and four wounded ; that of the enemy much more. On the 5th, Gen. Wilkinson, having collected his tempest-tossed flotilla, passed down the river to below Morristown aud eneamped. It is not in our provinee to follow the details of this disastrous expedition. The secretary of war proceeded by land as far as Antwerp, from whence, on the 27th of October, he returned. The batteries at Prescott were passed iu the night, and on the 11th of November was fought the battle of Chrysler's Field; soon after which the American flotilla entered Salmon river, and took np winter quarters at French Mills, now Fort Covington. During winch of this time Gen. Wilkinson was confined to his cabin, and, it has been said by some, was intoxicated. On the 11th, Gen. Hampton informed Wilkinson of his inability to meet himu at St. Regis, and announeed his intention to returu to Lake Champlain, which was done. February 13 the eamp at French Mills was broken up, Brown (who, Jan. 24, 1814, had been promoted to the rank of major-general) condueting a part of the army to Sacket's Harbor, and the com- mander-in-chief tho remainder to Plattsburgh.

This inglorious issue of events on the northern frontier excited the murmurs of the nation, and Gens. Hamptou and Wilkinson were arraigned before eonrts-martial, the latter being removed from com- mand, and succeeded by General Izard.

In the fall of 1813, after great peril, the fleet all arrived at Sacket's Harbor, excepting one vessel that was driveu ou shore in the Niagara river. Gen. Harrison, soon after his arrival at the harbor, resigned his command.

* Sce History of St. Lawrence County.

546

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The winter was devoted to the prosecution of ship-building, which the large addition made to the British fleet at Kingston was thought to render necessary. The crews of the vessels employed themselves in erecting fortifications, under the direction of Capt. Crane, who was left in command in the absence of Chauncey. Circumstances render it probable that the enemy were kept informed of our move- ments by spies, which led to an advertisement in April, by Chauncey, offering $500 reward for the apprehension of cach. The ingenuity and boldness of some of these informers was remarkable.

The official returns of the department, March 4, 1814, gave the fol- lowing as the list of vessels then on this station, with the denomina- tion and number of guus of each, and names of commanders :

Ship " General Pike," Isaac Chauncey, Commodore, 34 guns; ship " Madison," William M. Crane, Master, Commandant, 24 guns ; brig "Oneida," Thomas Brown, Lieutenant, Commandant, 16 guns; schooner "Sylph," Melanchthon T. Woolsey, Master, Commandant, 14 guns ; schooner " Governor Tompkins," St. Clair Elliott, Midship- mnan, Commandant, 6 guns ; schooner " Hamilton," 8 guns ; schooner "Growler," 5 guns ; schooner " Pert," Samuel W. Adams, Lieutenant, Commandant, 3 guns; schooner " Conquest," Henry Wells, Lieuten- ant, Commandant, 2 guns ; schooner "Fair American," Wolcott Chauncey, Lieutenant, Commandant, 2 guns; schooner "Ontario," John Stevens, Sailing-Master, 2 guns; schooner "Asp," Philander A. Jones, Lieutenant, Commandant, 2 guns; schooner "Julia," 2 guns ; schooner " Elizabeth," 1 gun ; schooner "Lady of the Lake," Mervin P. Mix, 1 gun ; bomb vessel, " Mary."

As soon as the ice broke up, the " Lady of the Lake" was sent out to cruise, and, on April 24, ran close into Kingston harbor and showed her colors, which were answered by the enemy's fleet and batteries. Their fleet appeared to be nearly ready for a cruise.

On the 1st of May, the frigate "Superior" (66 guns), built in eighty days, was launched, and the day after there occurred an incident which wellnigh led to serious consequences. The ship-carpenters and sailors, having no interests in common with the soldiers, had acquired a feeling of hostility, and on this occasion there had been an unusual degree of convivial excess in celebrating the launch. A dragoon, being assaulted by two or three carpenters, fled for protec- tion to a sentinel placed over a store-house, and, with the obstinacy and insolence of half-drunken muen, they were persisting in the pur- suit, in which one of their number was shot, and the remainder fled. This at once led to the most in: ense excitement. The ship-carpenters, with axes and adzes, hastily rallied, with the sailors, armed with boarding-pikes and cutlasses, who, forming in a solid body, marched in pursuit of the sentinel. The troops were hastily formed in a hol- low square around him, and drawn up in the street, where they stood prepared to meet and repel any attack ; and the former had advanced to within a few yards, and were yelling and brandishing their weapons in tho wildest frenzy of rage, when Eckford, Chauncey, aud Brown hastened to the spot, threw themselves between the parties, and by a well-timed and judicious appeal checked the advance, and soon per- suaded tho carponters to desist, on the assurance that the sentinel should be impartially tried, and suitably punished if convicted. He was taken to Watertown, an examination held, and he was sent to a distant station to be out of their reach.

The " Mohawk" and "Jones" were still on the stocks, the arma- ment of which, as well as that of the " Superior," must be transported through Wood creek and Oswego river, as the roads through the Black River valley were nearly impassable from mud. This the enemy well knew, and were also informed that the rigging and arma- ment of these vessels was on its way to Oswego. To possess these supplies would be equivalent to the destruction of our squadron, as without them the new ships could not appear on the lake, nor could the fleet of the previous year venture out in the presence of the greatly- increased naval armament of the enemy, with the slightest hopes of success. This descent upon Oswego was therefore planned with great foresight, and had its execution been as successful as its con- ception was beld and masterly, the beam of fortune must have pre- ponderated with the British, and the results of this campaign might have been as disastrous, as those of the previous year had been dis- graceful, to the American arms.

Oswego had not been occupied by regular troops since the Revolu- tion, and Col. Mitchell had arrived at Sacket's Harbor April 30, with four companies of heavy and one of light artillery, serving as in- fantry. Of cannon, the fort had but five old guns, threo of which had lost their trunnions. The place was hastily put in as good a

state of defense as possible, when the enemy appeared, on the 5th of May, with a force of four ships, three brigs, and a number of gun- boats. A cannonade was begun and returned with much spirit, and a landing attempted, but not accomplished, when the enemy stood off from the shore for better anchorage. One or two of the enemy's boats were picked up, and guards were stationed at various points along the shore.

At daybreak on the 6th the fleet again approached the village, and, after a fire of three hours, landed 600 of De Waterville's regiment, 600 marines, two companies of the Glengary corps, and 350 seamen, who took possession of the public stores, burned the old barracks, and returned on board their fleet on the morning of the 7th. The laud forces were under Gen. Drummond, and the fleet under Com. Yeo. The naval stores were then at Oswego Falls, but Col. Mitchell having retired in that direction, destroying the bridges, and filling the roads with timber after him, the enemy thought it inexpedient to follow, and soon after the fleet returned to its station near the Galloo islands, to blockade the passage of the stores, which it was known must pass in that vicinity. These stores, under the charge of Lieut. Wool- sey, and escorted by Major D. Appling,# of Ist rifle regiment, with a company of 150 men, left Oswego on the evening of the 28th of May, in nineteen boats, in the hope of gaining Stony creek unmolested, from whence there would be but three miles of land carriage for the heavy ordnance and stores to Henderson Ilarbor. The brigade of boats rowed all night, and at dawn on Sunday morning met a party of Oneida Indians, under command of Lieut. Hill, of the rifle regiment at Salmon river, and at noon, May 29, entered Sandy creek, except oue boat, which, from the misfortune or treachery of its pilot, fell into the hands of the enemy. This boat contained one cable, and two 24-pounders; and from those on board the enemy learned the particulars of the expedition, and of the force by which it was es- corted. Upon entering Sandy creek, Licut. Woolsey sent an express to notify Com. Chauncey of his arrival, and couriers were dispatched in various directions to rally teams to get the stores removed by land to their destination. The boats were run up the south branch of the creek, till they grounded, a distance of two miles from its mouth.

On Monday morning, a lookout boat in charge of Lieut. Pierce discovered the enemy making for the creek, and communicated the news to Lient. Woolsey, who, at dawn, dispatched messengers to call in the neighboring militia, and made hasty arrangements to meet the enemy, who were seen soon after sunrise to enter the creek with three gun-boats, three cutters, and one gig, and commenced a cannonade with a 68-pounder in the direction of the flotilla of Licut. Woolsey, the masts of which were visible in the distance across a bend in the creek. At nine o'clock, Capt. Harris, with a squadron of dragoons, and Capt. Melvin, with a company of light artillery, and two 6- pouuders, arrived. Meanwhile, the cannon were posted in a position where they could be used with effect if necessary, and the fences thrown down, that the dragoons might manœuvre without obstruc- tion. The enemy slowly advanced up the creek and landed on the south side, but finding it impossible to proceed, on account of the slimy condition of the marsh, they re-embarked and proceeded on to within about twenty rods of the woods, where they landed, and formed on the north bank, at a place now occupied by a store-house, and which afforded the first solid ground for marching. The advan- cing column, headed by Mr. Hoare, a midshipman of the British navy, had approached to within ten rods of the ambush, when, on a signal, the riflemuen of Maj. Appling arose from their concealment and fired. Several fell dead, and their leader fell, pierced with eleven balls-some accounts say seven-in his heart. So sudden and effect- ual was this movement that it threw the enemy into confusion, and, after a fire of a few minutes, the order was given to charge, upon which the riflemen rushed forward with loud cheers, holding their rifles in the position of charge bayonets. The result was the surren- der of the enemy at discretion. This was scarcely done, when the Indians, true to their character as savages, came furiously on, yelling and brandishing their weapons, and were with the greatest difficulty prevented from murdering the disarmed prisoners; and, indeed, it

* Daniel Appling was born Aug. 25, 1787, in Columbia county, Ga. He en- tered the army, and soon evinced uncommon capacity; was promoted Capt., April, 1812; Major Ist Rifles, April 15, 1814; Lt .- Col., May, 1814 ; Bvt. Col., Dec., 1814. At the affair in Sandy creek, May 29, 1814, he rendered himself conspic- uous for his personal valor. He subsequently bore a prominent part in the battle of Plattsburgh. Col. Appling died at Montgomery, Ala., March 18, 1817. A post-office in Adams bore his name for some years subsequent to 1835.

547

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

has been generally believed that one or two British officers were mor- tally wounded after they had yielded. The enemy were commanded by Capts. Popham and Spilsbury, and their loss was 19 killed, 50 wounded, and 133 taken prisoners. A few landed on the south bank and fled, but wero pursued, and not one escaped to report their defeat. Among the prisoners were 27 marine's, 106 sailors, with 2 post captains, 4 lieutenauts of the navy, I captain of marines, 2 lieutenants, and 2 midshipmen. Popham is said to have been an old acquaintance of Woolsey's, and as he came forward to surrender his sword, the latter exclaimed, " Why, Popham ! what on earth are you doing in this creek ?" After some indifferent reply, and a survey of our force, he re- plied, " Well, Woolsey, this is the first time I ever heard of riffemen charging bayonets !" Our loss was one Indian killed and one rifle- man wounded. On the morning of the battle, Capt. Smith was or- dered on, with 120 marines, and Col. Mitchell, with 300 artillery and infantry, who did not arrive in time to participate in the engagement. The same was tho caso of tho neighboring militia, who soon after arrived in great numbers.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 136

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 862

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862