History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 4

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 4
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 4

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Montgomery died July Ist, 1731, and was succeeded by Rip Van Dam, whose administration was unfortunately signalized by the erection of a fort at Crown Point by the French, without resistance from the acting Gover- nor. The arrival of Colonel William Cosby, August Ist, 1732, finished his administration, and began one rendered memorable for its arbitrary pro- veedings and tumult, rather than for striking or impo. tant events. Among the first of Cosby's acts was a demand that Rip Van Dam, his predecessor, should divide equally with him the emoluments of the office before his c. ivaL Van Dam assented, on the condition that Cosby should recipro- e by an equal division of the perquisites received by him from the col- ora ince his appointment and before coming to this country. This de-

I on the part of Van Dam was sustained by the people generally, but Cowy despotic and avaricious, refused, and commenced a suit against Van Dam for half of his salary. As the Governor by virtue of his office was chancellor, and two of the judges his personal friends, the counsel for defence took exceptions against the jurisdiction of the court. The excep- tions were overruled by the judges in the interest of Cosby, even against the opinion of Chief Justice Morris, who was immediately removed from his office and Colonel Cosby's claim ordered paid. The indignation of the public at such arbitrary proceedings, found vent in squibs and ballads, aimed at the aristocracy, and placing some of the members of the legislature in a ludicrous position. The New York Weekly Journal, edited by John P. Zenger, in defending Van Dam, published some severe criticisms on the government, arraigning the official for assuming arbitrary power, and per- verting their official stations to purposes of private emolument. These papers were ordered to be burnt by the common hangman, and Zenger was arrested and imprisoned on a criminal charge for publishing a seditious libel against the government. When the trial came on, the publication was admitted, and proof offered for its justification, which was objected to by the Attorney-General, on the ground that in a criminal proceeding for the publication of libellons matter. the truth of the fact- alleged was not proper to be admitted in evidence, and he was sustained by the court. Andrew Hamilton, the counsel for the defence, resisted this decision of the court, and insisted that the jury were the judges of both the facts and the law. and it was for them to interpose between arbitrary violations of law and justice, and their intended victim. The jury after a short deliberation, unanimously gave a verdict of acquittal. Co-by, although repulsed by this verdict, persistently continued to make himself odious to the people by other arlatrary measures. A few days before his death he convened his council in his bed- hamber and suspended Van Dam, the senior member thereof. npon whom the government woul I have devolved upon his derease. He died March roth. 1736. The council convened immediately After his truth, and George Clarke, next senior counsellor, was declared President, and assumed the authority of Governor The suspension of Van Dam was declared illegal by a powerful party in his favor, and a struggle ensaed Sween him and Clarke for the office, both evert ising authority until l'e to- "r 3oth, when Clarke received a commission from England to act as Lieu- : nant-Governor. Ile sought to concihate those hostile to him, and to in favor with the aristocratic party at the same time. He dissolved assembly, that had continued in existence for many years, and a new 1. is elected, which, to his chagrin and regret, was in sympathy with polar party, and at its session could not be prevailed upon to grant a

, e for a longer period than one year, establishing a precedent that . cent assemblies did not depart from.

CHAPTER V.

THE ALLEGED PLOT TO BURN NEW YORK-FRENCH AND ENGLISH HUS- TILITIES-THE CONTEST FOR THE OHIO VALLEY.

In 1741 several fires having occurred in New York, suspicions were awak- ened that a conspiracy had been formed for the destruction of the city. It was not long before it was charged upon the negro slaves, who at that time constituted abont one-fifth of the population. Universal consterna- tion seized upon the inhabitants and a general panic ensued, in which reason and common sense were scarcely entertained. Rewards were offered for the arrest and conviction of the offenders, and a full pardon tendered to any of their number who would reveal their knowledge of the conspiracy. A weak negro servant girl, in a low boarding house, named Mary Burton, after much importunity and full promise of pardon, implicated several negroes, by confessing to have heard them talking privately about burning the city. They were arrested and executed on this slender testimony. Others, among them several whites, were implicated by her, and suffered the same fate. Other informers appeared, arrests became numerous, and the popular fury and delusion did not subside until Mary Burton, the chief informer, after frequent examinations, began to touch characters above suspicion and known to be innocent. Then, as reason began to return, the delusion passed away, but not until one hundred and fifty-four negroes and twenty-four whites had been committed to prison, and nearly forty of these unfortunates executed. In the commencement of his administra- tion, Clarke had succeeded in conciliating both parties, to a considerable extent, but managed before its close to lose the confidence of both, inso- much that his retirement, on the arrival of his successor, Admiral George Clinton, September 23d, 1743, was but little regretted. Favorable accounts of Clinton's talents and liberality had been proclaimed, and he was received with demonstrations of universal satisfaction. The election of a new as- sembly was ordered, and a spirit of harmony so far prevailed that he con- curred in all its measures.

In March, 1744, war was declared between England and France, and measures were again taken for the conquest of Canada. The colonies of New York and New England united in an expedition, to co-operate with a deet under Commodore Warren, for an attack on the French fortress at Louisburg, on Cape Breton Island, which capitulated in June, 1745. The country north of Alhany was seriously molested by attacks from the Indians and French. The fort at Crown Point was garrisoned with a force sufficient to enable its commander to send out detachments to destroy the English settlements. The settlement at Saratoga was burned, and nearly all the inhabitants either killed or taken prisoners. This was followed by an attack on the village of Hoosick. The fort at that place was com- manded by Colonel Hawks, who was compelled to surrender, thus leaving the settlements, all the way to Albany, open to the enemy; but measures were speedily adopted for putting the frontier in a state of defence. In 1746 an expedition against Canada was resolved upon by the English government. 'The colonies, with the promise of assistance from England, entered upon the design with much zeal. New York raised sixteen hun- dred men for the forces directed upon Crown Point and Montreal. Eng- land failed to furnish the promised assistance and the expedition proved unsuccessful. Peace was concluded at Aix la Chapelle in 1748. Hostili- ties ceased, and the colony enjoyed a short period of tranquility. The harmony between the assembly and the Governor did not long con- tinne, for, in 1745, an open dragreement occurred, and almost constant bick stings followed. la 1748 Chnton sent a message to the assembly, de- man ling an appropriation for the support of the government, for five years. The assembly, july regor ling it a. a direct attempt to render the crown indepen lent of the podle, in.ligninil refuse.l: and after a few weeks' contention, the G wernor prorogued that body, and by successive prorog.t- tions pre ented it from sitting for nearly two years, until the affairs of the colony were in an alarming condition for want of funds His reiterated demands for a permanent revenue met with persistent refusal. Opposed and embarrassed by polti al factions, he tendered his resignation, after an administration of ten years, and was succeeded October roth, 1753, hy Sir Danvers Osborne. The new Governor immediately informed the council that his instructions were to maintain the royal prerogative and demand a permanent support for the government. He was told by the members present that the assembly would never submit to the demand, and appeared greatly depressed, the loss of his wife a short time before having already

RIVAL CLAIMS TO THE VALLEY OF THE OHIO RIVER.

thrown him into a melancholy state of mind bordering on insanity. Know- ing the difficulties that his predecessor had experienced, and being charged with instructions still more stringent, he saw in the tempest before him a prospect which so worked upon his morbid mind, that the next morning he was found dead, having hung himself at his lodgings. On his death, James De Lancey, by virtue of his commission as Lieutenant-Governor, assumed the administration of the government. He had formerly heen a leader in the aristocratic party, but recently had opposed the demands of the crown, and consequently had become highly popular. Striving to retain his popu- larity by favoring the representatives in measures advantageous to the colony, while holding his office at the will of the English government, and being compelled by the instructions of his predecessor to convince the ministry that he was zealous to promote the interests of the crown, his task was peculiarly difficult; but it was performed with a shrewdness and skill creditable to his ability as a statesman.

By the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, the boundary between the French and English colonies was left as indefinite as before, and consequently those lands which both claimed the right to possess were still in dispute. The French had established their trading posts, missionary stations and fortifi- cations, from Canada to the gulf of Mexico, and were vigorously pursuing their designs for the extension of their power and dominions. The Eng- lish Ohio Company, formned for settlement and trade with the Indians, obtained, in 1749, a grant from the British government of an extensive tract of land on the Ohio river. Christopher Gist was sent out in 1751 to ex- plore this region, and found that it had already been visited by the French traders, who had so influenced the Indians that they were very suspicious of the designs of the English. The claim of the French to the ownership of this region was priority of discovery and occupancy. The English had from the first claimed from the Atlantic to the Pacific by right of discovery; but they now based their claims on the ground that the country belonged to the Six Nations, who had placed all their lands under the protection of England. Commissioners were sent to treat with the Ohio Indians and win them over to the English interest. They succeeded in obtaining a deed of the lands in question from the Indians, and a guaranty that their settlements should not be molested by them. The Governor of Canada, perceiving the design of the English to occupy the Ohio valley, informed the Governors of New York and Pennsylvania of the encroachments of the English traders upon what he claimed as his territory, and of his inten- tion to seize them whenever found. Accordingly, in 1752 some English traders were seized and confined in a fort at Presque Isle, on Lake Erie. From this point the French were engaged in establishing a chain of posts to the Allegheny, opening communication to the Ohio, and keeping it clear by means of troops stationed at convenient points along the way. The Ohio Company, seeing this intrusion upon their lands, complained to the Governor of Virginia, of which colony their territory was a part, under the grant of the crown. He resolved to send a trusty messenger to the French commander to remonstrate against these encroachments, and George Washington was entrusted with this delicate mission. On reaching the post at Venango, he could obtain no satisfaction, the officer in command boldly declaring that the French intended to seize on the whole valley of the Ohio. He proceeded to Waterford, the headquarters of the French commandant. St. Pierre received him with courtesy, but did not disguise the intentions of the French. His answer to the Governor of Virginia was, that he had taken possession of the Olo valley under the authority of the Governor of Canada, and by his orders should destroy all English posts therein. It was now obvious that the Ohio would not be relinquished without a struggle. The Ohio Conpany commenced to construct a fort at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela, or the present site of Pittsburgh. The Governor of Virginia dispatched a small force to protect the laborers and aid in constructing the fort, and wrote to inform the Board of Trade, of the design of the French to occupy the Ohio valley. He likewise sent to the Governors of New York and Pennsylvama for aid to resist their aggression ;.

When the assembly met in the spring of 1754, Governor De Lancey, in his message to that body, called their attention to the recent encroach- ments of the French, and to the request by Virginia for audl from the colony of New York. The assembly voted only a thousand pounds for aid, and to bear its share in erecting forts along the frontier.

Early in the spring of 1754. Washington, with a small body of troops from Virginia, set out for the disputed territory, with suppdies tor the fort in course of construction at the junction of the Allegheny and Mononga-

hela. When near Will's creek, he was met by the ensign of Captain Trent's company, which had been sent out to protect and help build the fort. From him he received the mournful intelligence, that while they were at work on the fort, the French troops from Venango came down the river with their artillery, and resistance being useless, they were obliged to sur- render it to them. The French completed it and named it fort Duquesne, after the Governor of Canada On hearing this news, Washington reported to the Governors of Virginia and Pennsylvania the situation of affairs, and urged them to hasten forward reinforcements. Moving forward, he soon learned that the French were on their way to intercept his progress, and not knowing their strength, he fell back to Great Meadows, and began to throw up an intrenchment, which he called Fort Necessity. While here, he received a courier from Half King, who, with a party of Indian warriors, was a few miles distant, informing him that a body of French were in his vicinity. He immediately set ont with a part of his men for the camp of Half King. An attack on the enemy, whose position had been discovered, was at once agreed upon, and successfully executed. Receiving additional troops, Washington proceeded towards Fort Duquesne, but had not gone far before he heard of the advance of a large body of French and Indians, and returned to Fort Necessity. Here he was soon after attacked by a superior force, and after an obstinate resistance, accepted the terms of capit- ulation offered, which gave him permission to retire unmolested to Virginia.

Thus were the French left in undisputed possession of the entire region west of the Alleghanies. The necessity of concerted action on the part of the English colonies to resist their aggressions had now become obviau .. but unworthy sectional feelings often prevented harmony of action for a: general defence. The Six Nations were also becoming alienated from .. English by the influence of French emissaries. The English mint. . aware of this critical state of affairs, had advised a convention of dele: " . from all the colonial assemblies, to secure the continned friendship, and alliance of the Six Nations, and to unite their efforts in the common de- fence. In accordance with this recommendation, a convention of delegates from the colonies of New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Conner- ticut, Pennsylvania and Maryland, was held at Albany, in June, 1754. The chiefs of the Six Nations were in attendance, and the proceedings were opened by a speech to the Indians from Governor De Lancey, who had been chosen president of the convention. A treaty with the Six Nations was renewed, and they departed, apparently satisfied. While this treaty was in progress, at the suggestion of the Massachusetts delegates, a plan for the union of the colonies was taken into consideration. The sug- gestion was favorably received, and a committee, consisting of one member from each colnny, was appointed to draft plans for this purpose. The fer- tile mind of Benjamin Franklin had conceived the necessity of union, and before leaving home, he had prepared a plan which was adopted. This plan was similar in many of its features to our Federal Constitution, framed many years afterward. . The provincial assemblies, considering it too much of an encroachment on their liberties, rejected it, and it was rejected by the English government, because it gave too much power to the people.

CHAPTER VI.

THE RESULTS OF FOUR ENGLISH EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE FRENCH- MONTCALM'S SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS.

Though England and France were nominally at peace, the frontier was desolated by savage hordes let loose upon the settlements by the French. While the English ministry were hesitating, the Duke of Cumberland, who at that time was Captain-General of the armies of Great Britain, sent over. carly in 1755, General Braddock, with a detachment from the army in Ireland. Braddock, soon after his arrival, met the colonial Governors in a conference at Alexandria, to devise measures for repelhn. the encroachments of the French. Four separate expeditions were there resolved upon : The first against Nova Scotia ; the second, under Braddock himself, for the recovery of the Ohio valley ; the third against Fort Ni .. ara, and the fourth against Crown Point, on Lake Champlain. The f' resulted in the complete reduction of Nova Scotia. The second and i .. important, under Braddock, from which much had been expected through the folly of that officer, disastrous in the extreme. Washa had repeatedly urged the necessity of sending scouts in advance, ba 1 dock, obstinate and imperious, would listen to no warnings of dan,

OUTLINE HISTORY OF STATE OF NEW YORK.

Indian ambuscades. When within a few miles of Fort Duquesne, the army was surprised by the lurking foe, and only saved from total destruction by the bravery of Washington, who, upon the fall of Braddock, assumed com- mand, and conducted a retreat, but not till more than half the force had been sacrificed. The expedition against Fort Niagara, under Gen. Shirley, Governor of Massachusetts, was also unsuccessful. His troops hearing of Braddock's defeat, snon after leaving Albany, were so disheartened that many of them deserted. At Oswego, he was detained by having to wait for the completion of boats. When these were completed, he was further detained by heavy storms and other casualties, until the lateness of the season rendered it imprudent to proceed. Leaving a garrison at Oswego under Colonel Mercer, he led back the residue of his army to Albany, and returned to Massachusetts. The expedition against Crown Point was entrusted to General Johnson. The greater part of the troops were sent forward under General Lyman, of Connecticut, to the head of boat navi- gation on the Hudson, which being the nearest point on that river to Lake ('hamplain, was called the carrying place, where they erected a fortification, which was afterward named Fort Edward. Here they were joined late in August by Johnson, who advancing with the main body of the army to the head of Lake George, established a camp, and began to make some arrangements for an attack on Crown Point, but apparently was in no hurry to prosecute the enterprise. Meanwhile Dieskau, the French commander, was approaching by way of Lake Champlain, with the intentio .. of surpris- ing Fort Edward, cutting off Johnson's retreat, and capturing his army ; but being misled by his guides, he found himself on the way to Johnson's camp on Lake George. Abandoning his first intention of attacking Fort Edward, he continued his advance on Lake George. Johnson, learning that the French were advancing to the Hudson, sent out Colonel Williams with a thousand troops, and Sachem Hendrik, with two hundred Indians, to intercept them and aid Fort Edward. They had only advanced a few miles when they fell into an ambuscade, in which both Williams and Hend- rik were slain, and the force hurriedly retreated, cinsely pursued by the enemy until they reached the camp, when the Canadian mihtia and Indians, who were in the advance, perceiving the artillery they would have to con- front, skulked into the surrounding woods, and left the regulars to begin the attack, thereby giving the English time to recover from the confusion into which they had been thrown, and undoubtedly saving them from defeat. A severe struggle ensued, in which the French at length began to give way, upon observing which the English leaped over their breastworks and dispersed them in all directions. The French leader, Dieskau, was severely wounded and taken prisoner. Johnson was wounded in the com- mencement of the action and retired from the field, and the whole battle was directed by General Lyman, who proposed and urged a vigorous con- tinuation of efforts by following up the routed enemy, preventing their escape down Lake Champlain, and attacking Ticonderoga and Crown Point ; but Johnson, through fear or some other cause not easily explained, withheld his consent, and allowed the French to intrench themselves at Ticonderoga, while he spent the residue of the autumn erecting Fort Wil- liam Henry, on the site of his camp. On the approach of winter he garri- soned it, disbanded the remainder of his army and returned to Albany.

On the 3d of September, 1755, Sir Charles Hardy arrived in New York as Governor. He was an admiral, and unacquainted with civil affairs. Being conscious of his deficiencies in executive ability, he soon surrendered all but nominal duties into the hands of De Lancey, and in 1757, resigned the government and returned to his former profession, and De Lancey again became Governor. At a meeting of the provincial Governors, held at Albany in December, the plan discussed for the cam- pugn of 1756 consisted of movements against Fort Niagara with six thou- sand men, Fort Duquesne with three thousand, Crown Point with ten thousand, and two thousand were to advance on the French settlements on the Chaudiere, and onward to Quebec. At this time, 1756, the popu- lation of the province of New York was 96,775. In March. De Levy, with three hundred French troops from Montreal, penetrated the forests to the Oneili portage, took and destroyed the fort, and returned to Canada with the garrison is prisoner .. Although active hostilities had been carried on for two years in the colonies, the English ministry did not arouse from Their imbecility enough to issue a formal declaration of war against France till the 17th of Mav. 1756. Lord Loudoun was appointed commander-in- 4 hief and Governor of Virginia, and General Aber rombie was placed second in command. General Winslow, who had been entrusted with the expedition against Crown Point, finding that he had not sufficient force for

the undertaking, waited for reinforcements from England. Late in June, Abercrombie arrived with troops, but at the same time blighted any hopes that might have arisen regarding a vigorous prosecution of the war, by showing his contempt for the Provincials in announcing that the regular officers were to be over those of the same rank in the Provincial ser- vice. On this announcement all harmony for a united effort was dispelled. The men began to desert, and some of the officers declared they should throw up their commissions if the obnoxious rule was enforced. This difficulty was finally adjusted by an agreement that the regulars should remain to do garrison duty, while the Provincials should advance under their own officers, against the enemy. Then, instead of making any effort for the relief of Oswego, which was in danger, Abercrombie ordered his troops to be quartered on the citizens of Albany. De Villiers had encamped with eight hundred Frenchmen, at the mouth of Sandy Creek, on Lake Ontario, whence he could send out detachments to infest the water passes leading to the Oswego fort and intercept supplies or reinforcements on the way thither. Colonel Bradstreet had succeded in throwing some provisions into the fort, and on his return fell in with a party of De Villiers' men in ambush, and gained a decisive victory over them. Hearing that a large force was already on its way to attack Oswego, he hastened to Albany, and informed Abercrombie of the contemplated attack and the necessity of immediate reinforcements. But it was all in vain, as he could not be induced to move before the arrival of Lord Lou- doun. It was nearly August before Loudoun made his appearance, and affairs were not improved by this event. Instead of making an immediate effort to avert the threatened blow at Oswego, he began slowly to make preparations for a descent on Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Reinforce- ments were sent to Forts Edward and William Henry. This procrastina- tion proved fatal, for the opportunity of relieving Oswego was now lost. The Marquis de Montcalin, successor of Dieskau, had cut off communica- tion with Albany, and on the 12th of August opened his artillery on Fort Ontario, nearly opposite Oswego. The fire was returned by the garrison till their ammunition was exhausted, when, spiking their guns, they re- treated across the river to Fort Oswego. Montcalm immediately occupied the deserted fort and turned such guns as were yet serviceable against Fort Oswego. Colonel Mercer was killed, and a formidable breach effected in the walls. Montcalm was making preparations for storming the intrench- ments, when, seeing that the defence was no longer practicable, the garrison surrendered themselves prisoners of war. By this affair sixteen hundred men, one hundred cannon, a large quantity of provisions and stores, and the vessels in the harbor, all fell into the hands of the victors, and were safely conveyed to Montreal. Montcalm demolished the forts, much to the satisfaction of the Six Nations, who afterwards sent a delegation from each castle to make peace with the Governor of Canada. The French sent their emissaries among them, who now succeeded in seducing them from the English interests.

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History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 4

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