History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 140

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 140

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" March 19 an act was passed by Congress, empowering 'the several collectors, naval officers, surveyors, inspectors of customs, the marshals and deputy marshals of the United States, and every other officer who might be specially empowered by the President, to seize and detain any vessel, or any arms or munitions of war, which may be provided or prepared for any military expedition or enterprise against the territory or dominions of any foreign prinee or State, or of any colony, district, or people adjacent to the United States.'

"On the night between the 29th and 30th of May, 1838, the Brit- ish steamer 'Sir Robert Pecl' was plundered and burned at Wells' island, under the following eircumstances. This boat was owned by David E. O. Ford, of Brockville, Jonas Jones, of Toronto, William Bacon, of Ogdensburgh, George Sherwood and Henry Jones, trus- tees of the creditors of Horace Billings & Co., of Brockville. She was built at the latter place at a cost of $44,000, and first came out in June, 1837, and was commanded by John B. Armstrong. She was then ou her way from Prescott to Toronto, with nineteen passengers, and had left Brockville in the evening, which was dark and rainy, and arrived at MeDonnel's wharf, on the south side of Wells' island, at midnight, for the purpose of taking on wood.

" Threats of violence had been intimated, and before the steamer had left Brockville it was hinted to one on board that there was dan- ger of an attack, but this threat was not regarded. The passengers were asleep in the cabin, and the crew had been engaged about two hours in taking on wood, when a company of twenty-two men, dis- guised and painted like savages, and armed with muskets and bay- onets, rushed on board, yelling, and shouting ' remember the Caro- line!' drove the passengers and crew to the shore, allowing but a hasty opportunity for removing a small part of the baggage, and to- wards morning, having cast off the boat into the stream to about thirty rods' distance, set it on fire. The scene of confusion and alarm which this midnight attack occasioned among the passengers can be better imagined than described.

"Some of them fled to the shore in their night-clothes, and a con- siderable portion of their baggage was lost. After the boat was fired in several places, the party, including Thomas Scott, a passenger (a surgeon, who had remained to dress a wound), got into two long boats, and steered for Abel's island, four miles from Wells' island, where they arrived about sunrise. He stated that there were twenty- two persons beside himself and the wounded man in the two boats. These brigands were known to each other by fictitious names, as Te- cumseh, Sir William Wallace, Judge Lynch, Captain Crocket, Nelson, ctc. Several thousand dollars were taken from the boat, with various

* These citizens were Alvin Hunt, F. W. White, Charles W. Given, Nathaniel Wiley, James Mckenzie, and Thomas G. Wait.

+ II. Kings, vii.

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

articles of clothing. The only house in the vicinity of the wharf was the woodman's shanty, where the passengers found shelter until five o'clock in the morning, when the 'Oneida,' Capt. Smith, came dowu on her regular trip, and finding the distressed situation of these un- fortunate persons, returned with them to Kingston.

" It is said to have been the intentiou of those who took the ' Peel' to have captured with her aid the steamer ' Great Britain' the next day, and to have cruised with these stenmers on the lake, and trans- port troops and supplies for the patriot service.

" The acknowledged leader of this infamous outrage was William Johnston, better known as Bill Johnston, who, since the war with Great Britain, had been known on the lines as a vindictive enemy to Canada, and at a moment's notice ready for any broil that might af- ford him an opportunity for revenging the injuries he claimed to have received from that government. Ile was born at Three Rivers, L. C., Feb. 1, 1782, and from 1784 till 1812 lived near Kingston. He was here employed as a grocer, and at the occurrence of the war was connected with a military company, but was scized on a charge of insubordination, and lodged in jail, from which he escaped and fled to the American shore. He was soon employed as a spy, and on one occasion robbed the British inail, containing important official dis- patches, which he safely brought to the military commandant at Sacket's Harbor. In another of his adventures he was cast on the Canada shore, and his companions allowed to return ; but not wish- ing to run the hazard of a disclosure, he concealed himself, and finally escaped with much peril. His familiarity with the geography of Canada made him particularly serviceable in procuring intelli- gence.

" At a recent interview Johnston assured the author that he had been promised 150 men by a Cleveland committee, who had planned the capture, and that the assailants numbered but 13 men .**

" Gov. Marcy immediately hastened to the county upon the receipt of the news, and on the 4th of June offered a reward of $500 for Johnston, $250 cach for David McLeod, Samuel C. Frey, and Robert Smith, alleged to be concerned in the destruction of the 'Pecl,' and $100 each for others who might be convicted of the same offense. In a letter from Watertown, dated June 3, to the secretary of war, he advised the co-operation of our government with that of Canada, in pursuing the offenders.

" June 2, the Earl of Durham, Capt .- Gen. of the British military forces in Canada, issued from Quebec a proclamation, offering a reward of £1000 for the conviction of any person actually engaged in or directly aiding and abetting this outrage.

"Several arrests were made June 6, and on the 7th Wm. Anderson, James Potts, Nathan Lee, Chester Warner, Seth Warner, Wm. Smith, Marshall W. Forward, Wm. S. Nichols, and Henry Ilunter (all but Lce, Canadians), were in jail at Watertown, charged with having shared in this affair. Several others were afterwards committed, and for several days it was thought necessary to guard the jail contain- ing the prisoners, as threats of attempt at rescue had been made.

" June 23, the trial of these prisoners commenced at Watertown, with that of Anderson, who was indicted for arson upon six counts, the first of which expressed that crime in the highest degree. This trial was conducted beforo John P. Cushman, one of the circuit judges, Calvin McKnight, Benjamin Wright, and others, and excited extraordinary interest. When submitted to the jury, the latter, after a deliberatiou of two hours, brought in a verdict of not guilty. De- eember 13, seven prisoners were, for want of witnesses from Canada, discharged from confinement, but not from indictment.

" Immediately after news of this reached Washington, Maj .- Gen. Macomb was dispatched to Sacket's Harbor, to take such measures as the exigencies of the occasion required.

" On the 20th of June he sent word to Sir John Colborne, or the

officer commanding at Kingston, inviting his co-operation in a search among the Thousand Islands for the persons who had plundered and burned the ' Peel;' and about a week afterwards a joint effort was made to arrest the purtios. After a search of several days their retreat was discovered; but in their attempt to take the outlaws, all but two escaped. The gang consisted of but eight men at that time, of whom Johnston was one. They were well supplied with arms and ammunition, and had a fast-rowing boat. These efforts to arrest the leader of the expedition were fruitless, and he was not captured till after the affair at Prescott, late in the ensuing autumn.

" The immediate command of the frontier was given, on the 28th, to Lieut .. Col. Cummings, of the 2d Infantry, and subsequently to Col. Worth. The steamer ' Telegraph' was chartered by our govern- ment, and several steamers were fitted up by the Canadian authori- ties for the protection of the borders. Congress, on the 7th of July, appropriated $20,000 for the defense of the St. Lawrence line.

"On the 11th of November, the steamer ' United States' touched at Sacket's Harbor, on her downward trip, having on board 150 urale passengers with little baggage; and many circumstances occurred calculated to excite suspicion that they were engaged on some mili- tary expedition.

" Their number was here increased by twenty or thirty more, and at Cape Vincent by ten or eleven. On arriving a little below Millen's bay she overtook the 'Charlotte of Oswego' and the ' Charlotte of Toronto,' two schooners that had left Oswego on the 10th, while the ' United States' was in port, which vessels were taken in tow, one on each side, with which she continued down the river. As soon ap- peared, these vessels contaiucd munitions of war, and the great num- bers of men, who, with the passengers on board the steamer, were mostly destined for a descent upon Prescott.

"It is not within our limits to detail the events that ensued, and the melancholy issue of the memorable battle at Windmill Point,t which revolutionized public opinion on the subject, by revealing the consequences to which these measures were tending. It also had a salutary influence upon the public mind, by disclosing the cowardice and treachery of those who had been foremost in promoting the ex- pedition, but who shrunk from the test of leaden bullets, and fled, leaving the unfortunate victims of their duplicity, the majority of whom were youth under age, to atone with their blood, or with long, bitter years of exile, for their indiscretion.

" Bill Johnston was captured November 17, and conveyed to Au- burn, where he escaped. He was afterwards recaptured by William Vaughan (about seven miles north of New London, and ten from Rome), by whom he was delivered to the United States marshal, and lodged iu jail at Albany. He escaped from thence, and was for some time obliged to avoid the pursuit of civil officers. After tranquillity had been restored he returned to quiet life, at the village of Clayton, and by the present administration? has been appointed keeper of Rock Island Light, that shines on the spot where the 'Pcel' was burned.

" The patriot prisoners, under the command of Von Schoultz, a Polish exile, who had seen much military service in his native coun- try, were conveyed to Fort Henry, at Kingston, and tried by a court- martial, that begun its session Nov. 26, 1838. The rule adopted by this court was to execute all of the officers that were known to be such, try and sentence the rest, reprieve the minors, and banish the remainder to the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land. It is probable that they were induced to relax somewhat from the rigor with which they began, from the feeling which the issuc of the expedition had occasioned in the States, and the disposition that was everywhere evinced to discountenance further aggression. In Jefferson County meetings were held at Cape Vincent, December 18, at Sacket's Har-

* William Johnston was a former resident of Watertown, where, about 1815- 16, he kept a store, and his wife had a millinery shop in connection. The fol- lowing anecdote is told, illustrative of the courage of the man. On one occasion n band of Indians had encamped near his place, and were engaged in selling brooms, baskets, and other articles. During their stay a young Indian becamo intoxicated, and reeled along the streets, brandishing a big knife, and- daring every one to fight him, threatening and gesticulating fiercely. Johnston ob- served him for a few moments, when he suddenly, and without the appearanco of fear, approached the Indian, struck him a heavy blow in the face, threw him down, and would have given him a severe chastisement, had not the savage begged for mercy. Johnston took his knife, threw it away, and allowed him to go, which he speedily did, completely cured of his braggadocio.

+ This expedition is fully described in our llistory of St. Lawrence County. # During the month of September, 1838, a stranger, calling himself Col. Scott, and claiming to be a relative of Gen. Winfiel Scott, came to Watertown and formed a class for instruction in military discipline, including field evolutions, the usages of the camp, and sword exercise. Many young men improved the opportunity for learning something of a science of which there was then good prospect of need. The ostensible purpose of this system of training was to pre- pare a corps for efficient aid to the government in caso of emergency, which then seomed imminent.

The favorite drill-ground was in the broken and rocky fieldl on the north side of the river, opposite the cascade and bridge, then an uncultivated, half- cleared field.

Instructions in fencing were given In a public hall in the village. ₴ 1849-53.

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IIISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

bor on the 21st, at Depauville and Ellis village on the 27th, and at La Fargeville on the 31st, at which contributions were made for supplying the wants of the prisoners, eoneiliatory speeches were delivered, and resolutions passed, and published in the papers, dis- couraging any further agitation of a question that threatened to cin- broil the two nations in a war, and make their territory the theatre of a sanguinary struggle. Several gentlemen from abroad were es- peeially active in quieting this excitement, of whom Judge Gridley and Joshua A. Speneer, of Utiea, were prominent. The grand jury, at the Deeember term of the county court, as a body, published a short manifesto, deprecating the continuance of the secret associa- tions, and a inceting was held at the court-house, in pursuanee of a notice from the beneh, on the evening of December 18, to promote the peace and harmony of the frontier.

" Of this meeting the Ion. Calvin MeKnight, first judge, was chosen president ; Daniel Wardwell, Eli Farwell, Thomas Loomis, Abner Baker, Jr., and O. V. Brainard, vice-presidents; Dr. Reuben Goodale and Joseph Mullin, Esq., seeretarics. Col. C. Baker, late sheriff, and E. G. Merrick, Esq., related their recent visit to Kingston to learn the condition of the prisoners. They had found the authorities dis- posed to give these unfortunate men all advantages, consistent, and the citizens of Canada generally active and determined in their pur- pose of resisting any attempt at revolution. They had employed se- eret messengers to visit the States, gain aeeess to the hunter lodges, and keep them informed of every movement on foot, with the preparations made, and persons engaged in these measures. The meeting was ad- dressed by J. A. Spencer, Esq., of Utica, Judge Gridley, Hon. Samuel Beardsley, Attorney-General R. Hulbert, T. C. Chittenden, E. Camp, William Smith, and Daniel Wardwell, who urged the importance of sustaining our laws and adopting immediate but pacific measures for preserving tranquillity, arresting further agitation, and mitigating tbe fate of the prisoners in Kingston. At an adjourned meeting, held next day, the following resolutions were passed, which are believed to embody the sentiment of the majority of our citizens :

"' Resolved, That we regard the preservation of peace with Great Britain as all-important to the best interests of the American and British nations ; but that we have no reason to expeet its long contin- uance unless our citizens refrain from hostile invasions of, or inter- meddling with, its territories.

"' Resolved, That we feel a decp-seated desire to maintain and pre- serve the greatest freedom of intercourse and the most friendly rela- tions with our neighbors of Canada; and that the best evideuee we can give of our sincerity will be to do unto them as they do unto us, -leave them to enjoy the government of their choice.

"' Resolved, That the inhabitants of our frontier are loudly called upon by every consideration of justice and sound poliey to exert themselves to the utmost of their power to prevent all hostile inva- sion into the neighboring Canadian provinces by bands of armed men from our borders, and that we pledge ourselves to our govern- ment and to each other faithfully and fearlessly to discharge this sacred and too long neglected duty.

"' Resolved, that any movements injurious to Canada are open, fla- grant violations alike of international law, of the enactments of the Congress of the United States and of the Canadian Provincial Par- liament, and that our ministerial officers, civil magistrates, and judi- cial tribunals should be vigilant and prompt to arrest and ready to condemn any and every violation of our laws.

"' Resolved, That there is too much reason to believe that many of our citizens have formed themselves into secret lodges or societies, under the sanction of extra-judicial oaths, for the purpose of promo- ting the organization and armament of bands of men to invade the Canadas, and that we earnestly call upon these misguided citizens everywhere and at once to disband.

"' Resolved, That we regard the late attack on Prescott as charac- terized alike by rashness, weakness, and folly ; and that while we pointedly condemn and rebuke those engaged in it, we feel called upon to express our solemn conviction that most if not all of them were influenced by misrepresentation and acting under a delusion as strange and unaccountable as it has been disastrous and fatal, without any feclings of hostility towards our Canadian neighbors, but under the expectation and belief that instead of fighting with, they would be hailed by them as the champions of liberty, and received with open arms and heartfelt greetings.

"' Resolved, That we, in common with all our countrymen, feel a deep commiseration for our misguided citizens captured near Pres- cott, and now in confinement at Fort Henry, in Canada, and that while we acknowledge the right of the provincial authorities to con- demn according to the laws of their country, in the exercise of this authority we hope to see justice tempered with mercy, and expeet to witness magnanimous treatment towards thesc unfortunate men, wor- thy of a brave and generous people.'

" Delegations were sent from various places to Kingston to obtain some mitigation of the fate of the prisoners, among which were the Hon. John Fine and C. G. Myers, of Ogdensburgh, the persons above-

named from this eounty, and numerous relatives of the patriot cap- tives, who were treated with civility, and shown all the indulgence that under the circumstances could be extended. Von Schoultz, Daniel George, Dorephus Abbey, Duncan Anderson, Christopher Buckley, Sylvester A. Lawton, Jocl Pceler, Russell Phelps, Sylvanus Sweet, and Martin Woodruff were hung; eighteen were released, fifty-eight pardoned, sixty transported, tbree were acquitted, four turned Queen's evidenee, and of ten we have been unable to ascertain the fate.

" The court-martial adjourned from Jan. 4 till Feb. 26. A mass- meeting, consisting of from two thousand to three thousand persons, assembled in front of the court-house, Feb. 23, under the impression that more executions were about to take place at Kingston, and reso- lutions less conciliatory than those of the former meeting were passed.

" On the 8th of April, 1839, the British steamer ' Commodore Bar- rie,' under the orders of Col. A. McDonnell, sheriff of Midland Dis- trict, Upper Canada, arrived at Saeket's Harbor, with 22 prisoners, pardoned by the lieutenant-governor. The magistrates of the village · were sent for, and the colonel informed tbem what had been done for the prisoners, and earnestly hoped that it would have a happy effeet in allaying the existing excitement. This was met by an answer ex- pressing, in warm terms, their sense of gratitude for this exercise of clemency, and tbe thanks of our citizens to their government. The pardoned prisoners, before separating for their homes, drew up and signed a paper expressing their obligation to the Canadian govern- queut for the clemeney shown, and urging paeifie measures in future. On the 27th of April, 37 more prisoners arrived at Saeket's Harbor.

"On the 6th of June, 1840, an infamous attempt was made at Oswego to burn the British steamer ' Great Britain,' by conveying on board a trunk, charged with explosive and combustible materials. The explosion took place, doing considerable injury, but the flames were soon arrested. Lett and Defoe, two Canadian refugees, were arrested, charged with this outrage, and a confession was obtained, in which the design of burning the vessel was avowed, with the hope of renewing irritation between the two governments. The trunks contained copal, turpentine, nitre, and powder, paeked in cotton, to which a fuse was attached.

" With this closed the active measures of disturbance on our border, but the irritation was slow to subside, and restless spirits were found . who labored to excite a broil between the two nations, but without success. For one or two years a steamer was kept in commission on the lake, and troops were stationed at Madison barracks still later. That some were honest and believed themselves patriotic in this affair may be admitted, while it cannot be denied that the majority thirsted for power, wealth, or plunder, according as they were aetuated by ambition or avariee.

" Among the humbugs connected with this speculation was the plan of a bank, the ostensible objeet of which was, first, to ' aid tbe cause of liberty,' by loans to the President of the Convention, for the pat- riotic service, after which loans were to be made to individuals, for private business. The capital was at first only $7,500,000, in shares of $50 each, but it was designed to be extended, so as ' to allow every individual on the continent to hold one share.' The whole wealth, revenue, and resources of the patriot dominions (that they had, or that they may hereafter have dominion over) were pledged for the faithful repayment of the sum subscribed, with interest. Subscrip- tions were taken of sixpence a week, or half a dollar every two months.

"The vignettes of the bills were to be heads of the late martyrs to the cause of liberty in Canada ; the head of Matthews on the left end of the bill, the head of Lount in the centre, with the words in a semi- circle over it, The Murdered ; Death or Victory ; and on the mar- gins of the bills the words Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. The name of the bank was to be the Republican Bank of Canada.

"We have no statistics of the dividends of this institution, but have been assured that there were such,-the capital being divided among a few.

"On the 5th of Sept., 1841, the prevalence of the secret clubs called fortb a proclamation from President Tyler for their suppression. .

" NEILS SZOLTERCKI VON SCHOULTZ.

"The melancholy fate of Von Schoultz excited the commiscration of an extended circle; and bis conduct from the time of his capture till the moment of his exit was such as to heighten our esteem for his character. He plead guilty of the charges alleged against him,

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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

and made no effert to sercen himself from the consequences into which betrayed confidence had led him. An exile frein unhappy Poland, a descendant from an ancient and noble family, and a witness of the oppression and tyranny of Russian despotism towards his na- tive country, he was too easily led into a sympathy fer the alleged sufferings of Canada, and, frem his experienec in military affairs, was intrusted with the expedition which came to a disastrous issue near Preseett. Ile had landed in New York in 1836, and after visit- ing numerous places witheut a settled purpose, chance led him to the village of Salina, where he became engaged in some chemical re- searches.

" During the short period that intervened between his sentence and his execution, he employed himself in writing a vindication of his character, which closes with the following language:

"' Misrepresentation and deception led me to em hrace a cause which I then believed just and righteous, but now find them the mere insti- gation of cowardly and designing demagogues. I could have been influenced by no motive but that love of liberty, that desire to resist oppression, which is innate in the heart of every true Pole. It is said I was led on by the hope of plunder : the promise of reward ! What were their paltry aeres and their traitors' gold to me, who have more than enough of this world's wealth, since 1 have lost every ohject with whom it would have been my joy to share it? We were told the people groaned under the rod of military despotism. Had I not seen in my native land the peasant in his field, aye, and the noble in his hall, insulted, smitten to the earth, by a hireling soldiery ? We were told that the people waited to receive us,-that thousands would rally around our standard whenever it was unfurled in the land which we came to liberate. The indignation with which we were re- pelled from these shores, the united hravery of citizens and soldiers, is the best answer to the aspersion. . . . My trial is over; witnesses have been examined, and the evidence adduecd against wie is thought sufficient for my condemnation. In the eye of the world, my sentence will be considered just. Fallible man may err, but God knoweth the heart! A brigand! a pirate! these are hard names, which once would have aroused my soul to indignation; but that time is past. To-morrow, I am told, is the time fixed for my execution. ] would that I could die a soldier's death ! and yet it matters not. I rejoice I have few who will bewail my fate,-none who can feel hu- miliated by my ignominy. I have but a short, very short, time to pre- pare for that hour and make peace with the righteous Being whom we have all offended.

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History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 140

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