History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 19

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 664

USA > New York > Fulton County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 19
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 19

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Sir John remained several hours at the Hall on his return. Here he re- gained possession of about twenty negro slaves, left behind when he fled from the country. Among them was one called William, who had been entrusted with the secretion of the Baronet's plate and some other valu- ables, which he buried in the cellar. Under the Act of sequestration, the Tryon county committee had taken possession of the Hall and estate, which they leased to Jacob Sammons. The latter bought the slave Wil- liam, but that faithful servant kept the secret of the, concealed treasures until he now pointed them out to their owner. Previous to their distribu- tion among the soldiers for conveyance, they filled two barrels.

Toward night the militia from the surrounding country began to gather at Johnstown under Col. John Harper, and Johnson deemed it advisable to resume his homeward march. He accordingly set out for the Sacon- daga, accompanied by a considerable number of tories, who had joined his ranks. The whigs about Johnstown, who had been too completely surprised and panic-stricken to resist his advance, did not recover in time to harass his retreat. The militia who had assembled were in too small numbers to attack him, but Capt. Putman and a few others followed the enemy and observed their movements for several miles. Col. Van Schaick, indeed, went in pursuit with eight hundred militia, but too late to overtake Sir John and his guerillas.

CHAPTER XIII.

SUFFERING OF THE MOHAWK VALLEY PATRIOTS-BRANT'S DESCENT ON CANAJOHARIE-THE SECOND RAID OF SIR JOHN JOHNSON.

The situation of the Mohawk valley was such that it was liable at any time to be further desolated hy hordes of savages. Shortly after the irrup- tion of Sir John, General Clinton ordered Col. Gansevoort to repair with his regiment to Fort P'lain, take charge of a large quantity of stores des- tined for Fort Schuyler, and convoy the batteau containing them to its destination. This caution was necessary to save the supplies from capture by the Indians. Most of the local militia accompanied Gansevoort's com- mand. Brant was again on the war-path, watching for a favorable moment

THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

to spring upon the unprotected inhabitants, and supplied by the tories with information of movements in the settlements. He was early aware of the departure of the troops for Fort Schuyler, and when they were well on their way, made a descent on Canajoharie with about five hundred Indians and tories, chiefly the former. There were several stockades in the neigh- borhoods desolated by the invaders, but the principal fortification was that known as Fort Plain, situated on an eminence near the present village of that name, and commanding an extensive view of the valley. The gar- rison of Fort Plain was insufficient without help from the militia, who were now absent from the neighborhood, to give battle to Brant's force. The approach of the latter was announced to the people, then busy with their harvesting, by a woman firing a cannon at the fort, whither all who were fortunate enough to escape from the savages fled, leaving their property to be destroyed. The Indians advanced to the precincts of the fort and burned the church and parsonage, beside several other buildings. The church spire was adorned with a brass ball, and the savages, believing it to be gold, watched eagerly for its fall. When at last it fell they sprang for- ward to seize the prize, but as gladly relinquished their grasp with blistered hands. The columns of smoke rising from the burning buildings were seen at Johnstown, and were the first intimation of this latest incursion. The farmers left their harvest-fields and joined Col. Wemple, marching up the river with the Schenectady and Albany militia; but they . re not in time to check the work of destruction or cut off the retreat of the maraud- ers. The Colonel, who has been thought to have been more prudent than valorous on this occasion, only reached the desolated region in time to view the smouldering ruins and rest securely in the fort that night.

The next morning some buildings, which had escaped the torch the day before, were discovered on fire. Col. Wemple, on being notified of the fact, said that if any volunteers were disposed to look into the matter they might do so; whereupon Major Bantlin, with some of the Tryon county militia, set out for the scene of the fire. It proved to have been set by a party of Brant's followers, who, as soon as discovered, fied to rejoin the main body. In a day the fairest portion of the valley had been desolated, sixteen of the inhabitants slain, and more than fifty, chiefly women and children, carried into captivity. Fifty-three dwellings with their barns, a grist-mill, a church and two small forts were burned, more than three hun- dred cattle and horses driven away, and the implements of husbandry and the standing grain destroyed. The forts which were demolished were not garrisoned, and had been constructed by the people themselves. The in- habitants of the desolated neighborhood had protested against helping the Government to keep open communication with Fort Schuyler while their own homes were but slightly protected, and the result of their doing so justified their worst apprehensions.

Much as the patriotie inhabitants of the Mohawk valley had already suffered, their afflictions were not yet over. During the autumn of 1780, Sir John Johnson, Brant and the Seneca chief, Cornplanter, led against the Mohawk and Schoharie settlements an expedition designed to sweep away the last vestige of wealth possessed by the adherents to the cause of the colonists. The warriors of the two chiefs named formed a junction at Unadilla with Sir John's forces, which consisted of three companies of the Royal Greens, one company of German Yagers, two hundred of But- ler's Rangers, a company of British regulars and a party of Indians. Sir John and his followers came from Montreal by the way of Oswego, bring- ing with them two small mortars and a brass three three-pounder, mounted on legs instead of wheels, and called from that circumstance a " grass- hopper ;" the artillery was transported on packhorses. The plan of the enemy was, upon reaching the Schoharie, to pass the upper of three small forts on that stream by night and unobserved; destroy the settlements between it and the Middle Fort, and attack the latter in the morning. This plan was carried out October 16, the homes of all but tories being given to the flames. The Middle Fort was bombarded, but no impression was made upon it, and an assault was not attempted. The enemy moved on toward Fort Hunter, making a feeble attack on the Lower Schoharie fort by the way, not sparing a building or grain stack known to belong to a whig, and killing or driving off the cattle and horses. A hundred thou- sand bushels of grain were estimated to have been destroyed that day. Nearly one hundred of the peaceable settlers were brutally murdered. The whigs were so exasperated by the ruin wrought among them that their survivors applied the torch to the buildings and stacks of their tory neigh- bors, and the desolation along the Schoharie was complete.

The invaders remained in the vicinity of Fort Hunter during the day

after their appearance, destroying everything in the neighborhood. On the 18th they moved up the Mohawk, a detachment of the Greens and Indians taking the north bank, and all structures left standing in the spring, or since put up, were burned. At night Sir John encamped near the Nose, and next morning crossed to the north side at Keder's Rifts. From this point a detachment was sent against the stockade in Stone Arabia, called Fort Paris, and the main body shortly followed, after keep- ing to the river bank about two miles further.

As soon as intelligence of this irruption reached Albany, Gen. Van Rensselaer, with the Albany militia, accompanied by Gov. Clinton, marched to the assistance of the people of Tryon county. Van Rensselaer reached Caughnawaga on the 18th, and learning that Fort Paris was to be attacked on the following day, sent orders to Col. Brown, who was in command of that post, to sally out next morning and engage the enemy while he him- self would make a diversion in his favor. Col. Brown obeyed, going out to confront the enemy with his little force at the appointed time. Van Rensselaer was so unpardonably slow in his movements, that before he arrived within reach of the enemy, Brown's little band had been over- whelmed. The Colonel himself was slain while gallantly fighting at the head of his men, and about forty of his followers met the same fate, the remainder seeking safety in flight. Having routed Brown's little com- pany, Sir John dispersed his own force in small detachments, which, burn- ing and pillaging in every direction, left Stone Arabia in ruins. In the afternoon, Johnson's guerillas reunited and moved westward to a place called Klock's Field, where, wearied with their exertions and burdened with plunder, they halted to rest.

On the morning of the 19th, Van Rensselaer renewed his march, keep- ing along the south side of the river, and was joined by Capt. Mckean with about eighty volunteers and a strong body of Oneida warriors, under their principal chief, Louis Atayataroughta, who had been commissioned a lieutenant-colonel by Congress. This accession made Van Rensselaer's force entirely superior to Johnson's. Sir John had taken the precaution to station a guard of forty men at the ford by which he crossed the Mohawk, and Van Rensselaer on reaching this point, not attempting to force a passage, halted until the guard was withdrawn, and even then pro- ceeded without crossing; thus remaining idle and useless on the south side of the river while the enemy were annihilating everything combustible on the north side. Before noon Van Rensselaer arrived opposite the point where Johnson's men were completing the destruction of Brown's party, the firing being still andible. Here the colonial force was halted, and was immediately joined by some of Brown's fleeing soldiers, who had forded the river without difficulty. One of the latter, a militia officer named Van Allen, promptly reported to Gen. Van Rensselaer the state of affairs, and inquired if he was not going over. In reply the General said he was not acquainted with the fording place. He was told there was no difficulty in fording, and Van Allen offered to act as pilot. Thereupon Captain Mckean and the Oneida chief led their hands across, expecting the main army to follow without delay. Instead of supporting his advance party in the promised co-operation with Col. Brown, Van Rensselaer now accom- panied Col. Dubois to Fort Plain, to dine with Gov. Clinton. Returning about four o'clock, he found that the remainder of his army had crossed the river on a rude bridge built upon baggage wagons driven into the stream. He was at length stung to something like activity by his officers remonstrating against his inertness, and the Oneida chief denounced him to his face as a tory; and the provincials advanced with due expedition.

Sir John seeing that he could not avoid an attack, prepared to meet it by throwing up slight breastworks and arranging his forces in order of battle. The tories and Butler's Rangers occupied a small plain partly pro- tected by a bend in the river, while Brant with his Indians, concealed in a thicket on a slight elevation further north, were supported by a detach- ment of German Yagers. It was near evening when the battle began. Van Rensselaer's extreme right was commanded by Col. Dubois. Next to him was Capt. Mckean with his volunteers, and then came the Oneidas, while the left was led by Col. Cuyler. The Indians in ambush constituted the left of the enemy. As the provincials approached, Brant raised the war-whoop, to which the Oneidas quickly responded, and the engagement soon became general. The Oneida warriors rushed upon their Iroquois kindred, followed by MeKean; the latter supported by Col. Dubois, whose wing of the line of battle was too extended to match the enemy's disposi- tions. Brant's savage legion resisted for a time the impetuous charge, but eventually fled toward a ford about two miles up the river. Brant was wounded in the hcel, but effected his escape.

DESPERATE CONDITIONS OF TRYON COUNTY SETTLEMENTS.

The victorious troops were eager to pursue the scattered and demoraliz- ed enemy, but it was now twilight, and Van Rensselaer once more inter- posed for the preservation of the foe, by ordering the patriot army to fall back two or three miles, and encamp for the night. This order was a grievous disappointment to the troops, and was obeyed with reluctance, and but in part, as Louis the Oneida chief, Captain Me Kean and Col. Clyde still harassed the flying enemy, capturing one of their field pieces, and taking some prisoners. The patriots were the more exasperated at being withheld from pursuit on learning from one of their captives that the raiders were on the point of surrendering when Van Rensselaer gave the order to retreat.

Early the next morning, the Oneidas and Mckean with his volunteers moved up the river, only to find, as was to be expected, that under cover of the night the enemy had escaped, fleeing toward Onondaga Lake, where their boats were concealed. Van Rensselaer followed moderately as far as Fort Herkimer, from which point he sent forward Mckean and the Oneidas to harass the fugitives, promising to advance with the main body immedi- ately. Coming next morning upon the still burning camp fires of the marauders, the advance party of the pursuers halted, the Oneida chief fearing an ambuscade, and refusing to proceed until Gen. Van Rensselaer came up. Instead of that active and valiant officer, came a messenger re- porting that the pursuit was abandoned, and the army on its return march. Van Rensselaer has been universally censured for his mismanagement of this expedition, especially his shameful negligence in allowing Stone Arabia to be desolated in his presence, and Johnson to escape with his army only defeated when it might have been annihilated.

CHAPTER XIV.

DOXTADER'S RAID ON CURRYTOWN, AND THE CONSEQUENT FIGHTING- THE FORAY OF ROSS AND BUTLER-DEATH OF THE LATTER.

Gloomy indeed was the prospect at this time in the Mohawk valley. Desolation and destitution were on every side. Of an abundant harvest, almost nothing remained. The Cherry Valley, Harpersfield, and all other settlements toward the head waters of the Susquehanna, had been entirely deserted for localities of greater safety. Some idea of the lamentable con- dition of other communities in Tryon county may be obtained from a state- ment addressed to the Legislature, December 20, 1780, by the supervisors of the county. In that document it was estimated that seven hundred buildings had been burned in the county ; six hundred and thirteen persons had deserted to the enemy ; three hundred and fifty-four families had abandoned their dwellings ; one hundred and ninety-seven lives had been lost ; one hundred and twenty-one persons had been carried into captivity, and twelve thousand farms lay uncultivated by reason of the enemy.

Nor were the terrible sufferings indicated by these statistics mitigated by a brighter prospect. Before the winter was past, Brant was again hover- ing about with predatory bands to destroy what little property remained. Since the Oneidas had been driven from their country, the path of the enemy into the valley was almost unobstructed. It was with difficulty that supplies could be conveyed to Forts Plain and Dayton without being captured, and transportation to Fort Schuyler was of course far more hazardous. The militia had been greatly diminished and the people dis- pirited by repeated invasions, and the destruction of their property ; and yet what information could be obtained, indicated that another incursion might be looked for to sweep perhaps the whole extent of the valley, con- temporaneously with a movement from the north toward Albany. Fort Schuyler was so much injured by flood and fire in the spring of 1781, that it was abandoned, the garrison retiring to the lower posts ; and all the upper part of the valley was left open to the savages.

Governor Clinton was greatly pained by the gloomy outlook, and know - ing that Col. Willett was exceedingly popular in the valley, earnestly solicit- ed his services in this quarter. Willett had just been appointed to the command of one of the two new regiments formed by the consolidation of the remnants of five New York regiments, and it was with reluctance that he left the main army for so difficult and harassing an undertaking as the defence of the Mohawk region. The pint of the people, at this time lower than at any other during the long struggle, hegan to revive when Col. Willett appeared among them. It was in June that he repaired to Tryon county to take charge of the militia levies and State troops that he might be able to collect. The former did not now exceed a hundred men, and in a

letter to Governor Clinton making known the weakness of his command, Colonel Willett said : "I confess myself not a little disappointed in having such a trifling force for such extensive business as I have on my hands ; and also that nothing is done to enable me to avail myself of the militia. The prospect of a suffering county hurts me. Upon my own account I am not uneasy. Everything I can do shall be done, and more cannot be looked for. If it is, the reflection that I have done my duty must fix my own tranquillity."

It was not long before Col. Willett had to repel an invasion. On the 9th of July the settlement of Currytown was attacked by some three hun- dred Indians and a few loyalists led by a rank tory, named John Dox- tader. The inhabitants were at work in the fields when the enemy darted from the surrounding forest, and the now familiar scene of murder and de- struction was re-enacted. Part of the settlers escaped to a small picketed block-house, but nine were carried away prisoners, and all the buildings in the settlement were fired before the marauders retired, save one belonging to a tory.

Col. Willett was at Fort Plain at the time of this foray and saw the smoke rising from the burning buildings. A scouting and foraging party of thirty or forty men under Captain Gross being on the march toward New Dor- lach, came upon the trail of the enemy, and later upon their camp, where a slight guard remained, while the body of the raiders were attacking Cur- rytown. Captain Gross immediately reported with all possible dispatch to Col. Willet at Fort Plain, and himself repaired to Bowman's creek to await orders. Col. Willett, on seeing the smoke of the conflagration at Currytown, sent Captain Mckean in that direction with sixteen of the militia and orders to collect as many more as possible on the way. The party moved so rapidly as to reach Currytown shortly after it was deserted by the enemy, and in time to assist in saving some buildings but partly consumed.

Col. Willett, after despatching Mckean to Currytown, promotly col- lected what force he could and followed, joining the detachments of Gross and Mckean that evening, when the whole effective force did not exceed one hundred and fifty men. They encamped in a cedar swamp near the present Sharon Springs, intending to surprise the enemy's camp by night. In attempting this movement, however, the guide lost his way in the dense forest, and when the point of attack was reached about six o'clock in the morning, the savages and tories, having been warned of their danger, had taken a more defensible position and were prepared for battle. It was at once resolved to attack them, but, if possible, to draw them from their advantageous post, For this purpose a small detachment was ordered for- ward under Lient. Jacob Sammons, with orders to retreat at the proper time and decoy the enemy within a semi-circle formed by the rest of Col. Willet's force. The Indians having repulsed Sammons' willing party, rushed, yelling, in hot pursuit, and were thus brought into contact with Col. Willett's force of one hundred men, while Captain Mckean fell upon their right. Thus entrapped they broke and took refuge behind trees, which they soon relinquished in precipitate flight, leaving their camp and booty behind. About forty of them were found dead on the field. Col. Willett lost in killed five men, and five wounded and missing. Most un- fortunately among the wounded was Captain Mckean, who died the next day at Fort Plain, greatly lamented.

Col. Willett returned hurriedly from the battle field to Fort Plain with- out burying his dead, which service was performed by Col. Veeder, who arrived at the spot soon after with a detachment of militia. Beside the fallen soldiers there were discovered upon the ground seven of the Curry- town prisoners, whom the Indians, on finding they must retreat, had scalped and, as they supposed, killed. Two of them, however, were found alive-Jacob Dievendorff, aged eleven, and a little girl named Mary Miller. The lalter died on the way to Fort Plain, but the boy recovered, as did also his brother, Frederick, who had a similar terrible experience at Curry- town the day before

Soon after the Currytown affair, a party of Indians and tories, led by a son of Col. Jacob Klock, who had cast in his lot with the refugees in Can- ada, attempted an attack upon Palatine. They encamped one night in the vicinity, but Philip llelmer, one of their number, learning that a family of his relatives, named Bellinger, were among the doomed, deserted and informed the threatened settlers. A force of twenty-five patriots hastily gathered, and led by Jacob Sammons went in search of the enemy. The latter, on finding their presence discovered, had retreated, but they were overtaken, and in a skirmish which ensued were routed, with the loss of

THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

their provisions and some of their arms. An Indian, wounded and cap- tured, was killed by Helmer, who joined in the pursuit of his late asso- ciates. Three who escaped died from their wounds on their way to Canada.

Small guerrilla parties continued to lurk around the frontier settlements during the remainder of the summer and early autumn of 1781, but the vigilance of Col. Willett's scouts prevented their doing any great damage. The tories, however, had lost none of their animosity against their former neighbors in the Mohawk valley, and in the autumn of this year they ex- ecuted one more of their murderons and ruinous forays. The expedition, which was led by Major Ross and Walter Butler, of Cherry Valley infamy, consisted of British regulars, tories and Indians to the number of about a thousand. Their stealthily approach to the settlements was undiscov- ered until they appeared at Currytown, October 24th. There, for once, they caused no conflagration, not wishing as yet to announce their arrival to the neighboring communities, but passed rapidly on to Warrensbush and the vicinity of Fort Hunter, killing or capturing all whom they met. In the neighborhood of the fort they were able to destroy the dwellings and plunder the people on the south side of the river before any force could be collected to oppose them.

As soon as the news reached Col. Willett he started to the rescue with what men he could hastily collect. Marching through the night he reach- ed Fort Hunter the next morning .October 25th , but the enemy had already crossed the river and directed their course toward Johnstown, plundering and burning right and left. Willett's force lost some time in passing the stream, which was not fordable at this point, but this accom- plished, the pursuit was vigorously prosecuted and the enemy were over- taken at Johnstown. Col. Willett had but four hundred and sixteen men, and his inferiority of force compelled a resort to strategy in attacking. Accordingly Col. Rowley, of Massachusetts, was detached with about sixty of his men and some of the Tryon county militia to gain the rear of the enemy by a circuitous march and fall upon them, while Col. Willett at- tacked them in front. The invaders were met by Col. Willett near John- son Hall, and the battle immediately began. It was for a time hotly con- tested, but at length the militia, under Col. Willett, suddenly gave way, and fled precipitately to the stone church in the village before their commander could induce them to make a stand. The enemy would have won an easy and complete victory had not Col. Rowley at this moment fallen vigorously upon their rear and obstinately maintained an unequal contest. This gave Col. Willett time to rally his men, who again pressed forward. At night- fall, after a severe struggle, the enemy, overcome and harassed on all sides, fed in confusion to the woods, not halting to encamp until they had gone several miles. In the engagement the Americans lost about forty ; the enemy had about the same number killed and fifty taken prisoners.

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History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 19

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1878 Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 664

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 664