History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 744

USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 11

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About the first of July, Clinton proceeded with his troops to the southern extremity of the lake, and there awaited orders from General Sullivan. He had previously scourged the Mohawk country and destroyed every village, with a single excep- tion,* which was spared at the solicitation of home- less frontier settlers, who begged that they might occupy it until they could procure other shelter. The villages of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras were also spared.

In the meantime he constructed a dam across the outlet, in order to make the passage of the river feasible and rapid. He waited through the whole of July for orders from General Sullivan, who, immediately on his arrival at Athens, dis- patched a force of eight hundred men under Gen- eral Poor, to form a junction with Clinton and with him rejoin the main army at that place ; but not until the 9th of August was the dain torn away and the flotilla committed to the bosom of the river

* The castle of "Praving Maqua>," at the Schoharie Creek, consisting of four houses.

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

thus suddenly swelled, which afforded a current not only sufficiently deep to float the bateaux, but at (quaga and other places overflowed the river flats, and destroyed many fields of corn belonging to the Indians. At Oquaga, Clinton's forces were aug- mented by a detachment under Col. Pauling, and at the mouth of the Choconut, about thirty-five miles from Athens, they met the detachment of Sullivan's army under General Poor. On the 22nd of August they formed a junction with the forces under Sullivan, which then numbered some five thousand men.

What emotions must have swelled the swarthy bosoms of the Iroquois at the sight of this formida- ble hostile array, which portended to them the de- struction of their loved homes and the breaking of the sceptre by which they had so long held the su- premacy of this vast territory ; and coming too, in a dry season, on the bosom of a river swelled much beyond its ordinary dimensions. So much was it invested in mystery that little resistance was offered to the advancing foe. The Indians fled from their homes and cultivated fields, in many of which, it was remembered by those who participated in the expedition, corn was growing in abundance and great perfection, and cautiously watched their progress from the neighboring hills.

On the 26th of August, after the junction between Sullivan's and Clinton's forces was effected, the whole army proceeded up the Chemung River. In the vicinity of Newtown," (Elmira, ) where the In- dians under their trusty leader, Brant, were con- centrated, a battle was fought on the 29th, and its issue hotly contested for two hours, when the enemy, to avoid being surrounded, tled from their works and retired before the victorious army. The battle-field was well selected by the Mohawk war- rior, and evinced the sagacity and military tart with which he is credited. The enemy numbered about one thousand, including three hundred or four hundred rangers under Walter Butler, who had chief command. Their loss is unknown ; but they left seventeen dead on the field. Sullivan sustained a loss of three killed and thirty wounded.t

General Sullivan's army spent the night in Vete- town, where it remained encamped the next day, a part of which was occupied in burning the village and destroying the corn and other things from

* Authors differ as to the exact locality of this battle. Stone, in his Life of Brunt, says it occurred at Ehir ; Wilkinson, in his Annals of Binghamton, fixes the locality at a distance of six miles below that place, nearly opposite Wellsburg, in which opinion he is generally con- firmed by modern writers ; while others designate a mile below Newtown as the locality.

1 Diary of Dr. Habes Campfield, a Surgeon in Sullivan's army.

which the enemy might hereafter draw subsistence. " The Indians shall see," said Sullivan, " that we have malice enough in our hearts to destroy every- thing that contributes to their support," and most effectually did he execute that purpose, leaving in his path a scene of desolation and woe.

Here it was ascertained that the supply of pro- visions the army had was inadequate for its subsis- tence for a period sufficiently long to enable it to accomplish the objects of the expedition. Gen- eral Sullivan announced the fact in a public order, at the same time declaring that he had used every effort to obtain a sufficient supply, but without suc- cess .* He appealed to the patriotism of his army, and proposed as an expedient to shorten the allow- ance, to which both officers and men "almost unanimously" acceded, offering to subsist on a half pound each of flour and bread per day, "a striking instance of the virtue of the army."t

On the night of the 30th, the wounded, together with four of the heaviest pieces of artillery and all wagons were sent back to Tioga, and on the 31st, the march was resumed. On the night of Sep- tember Ist, they arrived at Catharinestown, distant three miles from and near the southern extremity of Seneca Lake. The march during the latter part of this day was so difficult, says Dr. Campfield, as not to " admit of description, it being totally dark and through a thick swamp." Sullivan " arrived at the entrance of this swamp late in the afternoon and was strongly advised not to venture into it until the next morning ; but he persisted, and a mira- cle only prevented his obstinacy from bringing de- struction upon his men. Some of the defiles through which he had to pass, were so narrow and danger- ous that a score or two of Indians might have suc- cessfully disputed the passage against any number of men. The night was exceeding dark, the men wearied, scattered and broken, and ready to die rather than move on ; but the Indian scouts who had been sent to watch them, having retreated as soon as it was dark under the full persuasion that no General in his senses would attempt such a road by night, the defiles were fortunately unguarded, and the General arrived with his wearied army about midnight at the town."# Sullivan's action in this instance has subjected him to adverse criti- cism, perhaps not unjustly ; but while he was per- tinacious in pursuing a policy dictated by his judg- ment, he can scarcely be charged with obstinacy in

* American Biography, Sparks, 111, 139.

t Diary of Dr. Jabez Campfield.

$ Allen, 11., 278.

SULLIVAN'S EXPEDITION.

the sense in which it is used in the quotation. It is fair to presume that he was not wholly ignorant of the dangers attending so difficult a passage, but that his guide, a l'resbyterian minister, who was a resident missionary at Canidesego, was conversant with them ; and that, with his intimate knowledge of Indian character and warfare, he doubtless fore- saw that while it might be undisputed at such a time, its advantages as a means of defense would not be likely to escape observation by the vigilant Brant, who, without hazarding an engagement, had kept a close watch upon his advancing enemy, and might reasonably be expected to contest in the day time a passage, which, under the most favorable circumstances, could only be forced at a great sac- rifice of life. The undertaking was certainly a hazardous one-seldom warranted ; and while an error in judgment might have entailed irretrievable disaster, the sequel proved that what the enemy regarded an insuperable obstacle was a sure defense, if not the salvation of Sullivan's army. Sullivan was keenly alive to its perils ; for at its conclusion he is said to have remarked that he would not repeat it for the honor of a command. The rear guard, however, under Clinton, did not venture to cross until the following day.

Catharinestown, with its thirty houses, some of them quite good, was laid in ashes and its orchards and growing crops of corn, beans and other vege- tables destroyed. On the way the small settle- ment of Knawahola was destroyed, together with the cornfields around it, and a detachment was sent forth to extend the circle of devastation. The march was resumed on the third, the army pro- ceeding north on the east side of Seneca Lake. On the 4th the little village of Apple Town was destroyed, and on the 5th a village variously named Kendia, Thendara and Canidesego was reached. It presented the appearance of an old village and contained " about twenty decent houses,"# " four or five small framed houses,"f and some of them painted, but "nasty beyond description."} All were burned ; and the apple trees, which were large and of many years growth, destroyed. The corn and beans were gathered by the troops; but the cornstalks and grass about the town was not suffi- cient for the horses and cattle, which strayed away, thus preventing a resumption of the march till the following afternoon. Colonel Gansevoort's ser- vants having missed their way took a path which led them to Cayuga Lake, where they burned a

* Spark's American Biography, New Series, 111., 140.

t Col. Hist , VIII., 785-6.

# Diary of Dr. Jabez Campfield.

deserted village. On the 7th, the army forded the mouth of Seneca Lake, destroyed a small village a little beyond it, and three miles further on entered the village of Kanadaseaga, the capital of the Sene- cas, located a mile and a half west of the village of Geneva, which the Indians had deserted but a short time previously, Kaingwanto, the chief of the village, having it is supposed, been killed at the battle of Newtown. This was a large and impor- tant town, surrounded by numerous apple and other fruit trees, and a few acres of cleared land covered with grass .* The cornfields, which were extensive, were situated some distance from the town. All these evidences of wealth and comfort were sub- mitted to the torch and the avenging hand of deso- lation, which spread with "dreary uniformity" over the entire country. Great quantities of corn, beans and other vegetables were found here. The apple trees at this place were twenty to thirty years old. A few old apple trees which have since grown up from the stumps of those cut down still mark the site of this once populous Indian village. Here the army found a little white boy "about two years old," in whom the officers took great interest. He was doubtless the sad remnant of a desolated frontier home. He was almost famished and had to be restrained from over eating. Though he could un- derstand English he could speak only Indian. He died of small pox a few months after the return of the expedition. On the 8th, while the army lay in camp, Colonel Smith was detached with two hun- dred men to destroy the village of Gothseunguean, called by some of the journalists Kashong, a name perpetuated in that of Kershong Creek. It was situated on the west side of Seneca Lake, seven miles south of Geneva, contained about fifteen houses, compact, and "tolerably well built," and a great quantity of "potatoes, apples, peaches, cucum- bers, watermelons, fowl, &c.," besides corn.

From Kanadaseaga, on the 9th, the invalids were sent back to Tioga under an escort of fifty men, commanded by Capt. Reid, who was ordered to forward supplies for the army on its return to Kanawaholla. The army resumed its westward march on the afternoon of this day and the next day reached Shannondaque or Kanandaigua, situ- ated about a mile west of the lake of the same name, whose outlet they forded. This village, which occupied the site of the west part of the vil-

* Rev. David Craft, in a Historical Address delivered at the Centen- nial Celebration at Geneseo, Sept. 16, 1879), said this village contained fifty houses. The Diary of Dr. Jabez Campfield, says there were about fifty : Sparks' American Biography, says there were about sixty.

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

lage of Canandaigua, consisted of twenty-three houses, elegant and mostly framed, some log houses, large and new. The rear guard of the enemy had so recently left that their fires were found burning. The torch was applied to the buildings and the army encamped about four o'clock in the after- noon among the cornfields about a mile further west. Fatigue parties were at once detailed to de- stroy the crops, which was pretty thoroughly accom- plished before dark. On the 11th the army pro- ceeded to the Indian village of Angayea, (Hon- coye.) situated at the foot of lloneoye Lake, on the east side of the outlet, near the site of the present village of Honeoye. This village consisted of eleven houses,* and about it were five cornfields, " affording abundant forage for the stock and food for the men." When Sullivan's riflemen entered it, a few Indians just made their escape, leaving their packs and blankets behind them and their potatoes roasting in the fire.

On reaching Angayca, Sullivan estimated that he was within twenty-five miles of his destination, Chenussio, the great town of the Senecas. He issued four days' rations and extra ammunition to his men, and, with what baggage a few of the strongest horses could carry, pushed on by more rapid marches toward this objective point ; leaving the remainder of the stores, horses and cattle, and one piece of artillery t at Angavea, under the protec- tion of Capt. John N. Cumming, of the 2nd New Jersey regiment, and fifty good men, to whom were added all the invalids, or, as one journalist ex- presses it, says Mr. Craft, " the lame and lazy," to the number of two hundred and fifty. Capt. Cum- ming at once set about fortifying his position. IIe selected the largest and strongest log house in the town, pierced it with loop holes, and strengthened its walls with bags of flour and boxes of ammunition, while with the apple trees cut down he constructed about it a strong abatis. The little fortress thus improvised the men named Fort Cumming, in honor of its gallant commander.

Sunday noon, Sept. 12th, the army left Angayea, an earlier advance having been prevented by a heavy thunderstorm, and after a journey of eleven miles " over a body of excellent land," even the hills being good, and bearing much chestnut tim- ber, the advance encamped about sunset "in the open wood a mile and a half or two miles from

. Rev. Mr. Craft says, "about twenty." The above is the number designated in the Journal of Major James Norris, an officer in Sullivan's army.

t Diary of Dr. Fabes Campfield and Journal of Major Fumes Nor- ris. Rev. Mr. Craft ( Centennial Historical Address) says two pieces of cannon were left here.

Kanaghsaws,* (Conesus.) an Indian village con- sisting of eighteen houses, on the east side of Conesus Inlet, a short distance from the head of Conesus Lake, and about a mile north-west of Conesus Center, on the north and south road cross- ing the McMillan farm. The main part of the army, being impeded by the rain, encamped nearly two miles north, on the flats south-west of Foot's Corners.t The route of the army this day was acoss the outlet of Hemlock Lake and thence in a south-westerly direction to the head of Conesus Lake, entering the town of Conesus near the old residence of Charles Hitchcock, crossing the main road between South Livonia and Conesus Center near the residence of Mrs. Elizath Mc Vicar ; thence to the flats below now owned by Hiram Boyd, and following these to site of the residence of the late Nathaniel Cole.§ "George Grant says that a fine stream of water ran through the town, and that an enterprising negro called Captain Sunfish, who had acquired considerable wealth and influence, resided here." || It was also the home of a Seneca chief named Big Tree, who was a useful friend of the colonists during the Revolution, and a leading adviser in the treaties and councils of the Senecas ; but who finally yielded to the universal sentiment of his nation in their enmity to that cause. Presi- dent Dwight says, that while Big Tree, in company with other Indians, witnessed from a commanding height the destruction of his possessions by Sulli- van's army, one of his companions observed, "You see how the Americans treat their friends !" He calmly replied, " What I see is only the common fortune of war. It cannot be supposed that the Americans can distinguish my property from yours, who are their enemies." After the war Big Tree lived in the town of that name on the west side of

* 'T'his village is variously named Adjuton, (Craft's Historical Ad- dress, ) Cannehsawes, (Diary of Dr. Fabez Campfield, ) Koneghsaws, (Spark's American Biography, which says it contained twenty-five houses,) and K'aneysas or Fucksea, (Journal of Major James Morris, which says it contained eighteen houses, situated on an excellent inter- vale.)

t "The local tradition that Hand took the road through Union Corners and encamped on the L. B. Richardson farm at the False Faces is not mentioned in any journal and is without doubt incorrect." Rev. David Craft's Centennial Historical Address.

# Upon these flats a few years ago a son of Mr. Boyd plowed up a copper plate in a good state of preservation, supposed to have been worn upon the hat of one of Sullivan's soldiers. It was in the form of a dia- mond, about five inches square ; in the center was a raised eagle, carrying in its talons a bunch of arrows, and at the top corner the inscription, "U. S. Riflemen." The lower corner was destroyed by the finder before he knew what it was .- Pioneer Sketches of Conesus No. 2 .- The Dansville Advertiser, February 10, 1876.

§ A few years since Mr. Cole found upon the flats below his residence a pair of bullet molds, capable of molding twelve ounce balls at a time .- Pioneer Sketches of Conesus No. 2 .- The Dansville Advertiser, Feb- ruary 10, 1876.

# Craft's Centennial Historical Address.

SULLIVAN'S EXPEDITION.

the river near the great bend. He died at his lodgings in Philadelphia, in 1792, after a few hours sickness resulting from over-eating, and was buried there on the 22nd of April with something like public honors .* *

In this vicinity occurred the most tragic events connected with this eventful expedition, and as the further progress and operations of the army were mostly limited to territory now embraced in Liv- ingston county a detailed account of them seems warranted. We quote, therefore, from the admir- able address of Rev. David Craft, before referred to.t

" When General Sullivan reached his encamp- ment near Kanaghsaws, he supposed that he was near the great Seneca town on the Genesee river and accordingly sent Lieutenant Boyd to recon- noitre it. This town, which some of the journals refer to, was generally known as Chenussio, though not in existence at the time of the cam- paign, yet bears such an important relation to it, and Sullivan's mistake in regard to its existence was attended with such serious consequences, that a few words of explanation are necessary.

" As early as 1750 and as late as 1770, this great town was on the east site of the Genesee river, near its confluence with Canaseraga creek, on the site of ancient Williamsburg. It appears on the Guy Johnson map of 1771, as Chenussio, as Connecchio on the Ponchot map of 1758, in both cases at the point described. Cammerhoff and Zeisberger visited it in 1750, calling it Conness- chio, describing it as containing forty large huts. Mary Jemison, in her narrative, mentions the fact of its being on the east side of Genesee river and south of Fall Brook. *

* There is no men- tion in any journal of a town at this point in 1779. on the other hand, Col. Dearborn says expressly that the General expected to find the great Gene- see town a mile and a half from Gaghehegwalehale and on the east side of the river, but upon recon- noitering found it was five miles distant and on the other side of the river.# Keeping this fact in mind will enable us to understand the movements about to be related. All day on the 12th the In- dians had been so near that their tracks were fresh on the path and the water was roiled through which they had passed. Reaching Kanaghsaws a little after 7 o'clock in the morning it was discovered that the inlet ran through a soft miry bottom sev- eral rods in width over which one could go on foot, but where it would be impossible to take the pack horses and artillery, the enemy having destroyed

the bridge across the stream .* The General, therefore, detailed a part of the army to destroy the town and cornfields, and the other part to aid the pioneers in building a corduroy causeway across the marsh and in repairing the bridge. It was near noon when the large cornfields had been laid waste and the bridge completed, and the army ready to resume its march. In the meanwhile events of a most serious character had been tran- spiring in the front. * * *

* * Just west of the inlet and bounding the slough over which the army was compelled to make the road, is a ridge of considerable height, running north and south, whose eastern slope is so steep that one can climb straight up it with diffi- culty ; the path winding obliquely along its face, which is broken by several ravines.

" After the battle of Newtown, Butler with the main part of his army retired to Canawaugus, the site of the present Avon, where he remained until the 12th of September, when learning by his scouts the approach of Sullivan to Kanaghsaws, and knowing the difficulty in crossing the morass, deter- mined if possible to surprise that portion of the army which should first cross the bridge and put them to flight before the remainder could come to their assistance. The place was admirably chosen and the plan skillfully made. For this purpose Butler and Brant with their forces left Canawall- gus early in the morning and posted themselves near the crest of the ridge, which was covered with open woods, but at a sufficient distance north of the path to escape the observation of Sullivan's advance guard. They were within musket-shot of the creek, and could observe every movement of our army, while they themselves were entirely con- cealed. It was at this place that the incident mentioned of Big Tree occurred. Here the enemy anxiously awaited the advance of our army.

" When General Sullivan ordered Boyd to recon- noiter the great Seneca town, he was directed to take five or six men with him, and report at headquarters as early as sunrise the next morning. He took however twelve riflemen, six musketmen of the 4th Pennsylvania Regt., and six volunteers, who, with himself, and Hanyerry, an Oneida Indian guide, and Capt. Jehoiakim, made twenty-seven men in all. The party left camp at eleven o'clock in the evening and set out on the trail leading to the great town. Owing to his misinformation, Sul- livan's directions had been confusing. It was found the principally traveled trail took a different direc- tion than the commander had expected. Boyd did not lose his way, t but instead of taking the unused path which would have led him to the abandoned Chenussio, took the one which led to an important town two miles farther up the Canaseraga. In the clarkness he had passed Butler's right flank without

* Craft's Centennial Historical Address, and Journal of Major Fames Norris ; also Spark's American Biography, New Series, III., 146, Note.

t This address is published in full in The Livingston Republican of Sept. 18, 1879.

# Major Norris' Fournal corroborates this statement fully ; and Dr. Campfield's Diary says in referring to this village discovered by Boyd, and which Major calls Gaghehegwalchale, "we expected this would be the end of our labor, but we are mistaken, we are again to march on."

* The inlet " then extended over the flats south of the main road that crosses the same. The exact location of the bridge is not known, but is supposed to be south of the highway and to have been nearly two-thirds of a mile in length." .- Pioneer Sketches of Conesus No 2,-The Dans- ville Advertiser, February 10, 1876.

t Sparks' American Biography says " his guides, not fully acquainted with the country, mistook the route.

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

either party discovering the other. Boyd reached the town which had been left by the enemy, early in the morning without encountering any difficulty. Halting at the outskirts of the village, himself and one of his men carefully reconnoitered the place, when they rejoined the rest of the party which lay concealed in the woods near the town. He imme- diately sent back two of his men to report his dis- covery, while the rest awaited the light of the day whose morning was just breaking. In a short time four Indians were seen to enter the town on horse- back, and Boyd sent five or six of his party to take or kill them. They succeeded in killing one, wounding another, and taking one horse with its accoutrements. The wounded man with the others escaped. Boyd then sat out to return to camp. When he had gone four or five miles, thinking the army must be on its march toward him, he sat down to rest. After a short halt he dispatched two of his men to inform the General where he was, and of his intention to await the coming of the army. In a short time these two men came back to him with the information that they had discov- ered five Indians on the path. Boyd again resumed his march and had gone but a short distance when he discovered the same party and fired at them. They ran and Boyd, against the advise of Han- yerry, pursued them. The chase was kept up for some distance, they keeping far enough away to escape danger from the fire of the scout which they frequently succeeded in drawing, until they had beguiled him in the midst of the enemy. Butler, hearing the firing on his right, as his force was arranged facing Conesus, and fearing that he had been discovered, and that an attempt was being made to surprise his camp, hastened to the spot, when he discovered Boyd's party, and at once gave such orders that before the Lieutenant was aware of the presence of the enemy he was completely surrounded by them. Once and again he attempted to break the enemy's line but without success ; he then attempted to retreat, but he was encompassed on all sides by Butler's forces. Our men fought with desperate bravery against fearful odds, for there were about eight hundred of the enemy* to twenty- six Americans, and every moment expected relief from our army from whose lines they were not more than a mile distant. Covered by a clump of trees standing on a slight knoll they poured a mur- derous fire upon the enemy, of whom numbers were seen to fall. Here the greater part of Boyd's party were slain. At this point the body of Hanyerry was found literally cut to pieces. The story of the theatrical address of his brother and his tragic end, as related by Stone and followed by others, lacks both confirmation and probability ; on the other hand he was found with the others who fell with him, which would not have been the case had he been captured before he was slain. Near the same spot, fifteen of Boyd's men were found killed. Boyd and his sergeant, Parker, were captured, and eight escaped ; among the latter was that noted scout, Timothy Murphy, an account of whose hair-

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History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 11

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co. Number of Pages: 744

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 744