History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 172

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932

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On the 16th of August, 1780, Gates had been totally defeated by Lord Cornwallis at Camden, S. C., the brave De Kalb killed, and the Southern militia completely de- moralized. In this dilemma, Washington was called upon to nominate a successor to General Gates, whose star had suddenly fallen from the zenith of popularity to which the capture of Burgoyne had undeservedly raised it. The commander-in-chief selected General Nathaniel Greene, of Rhode Island, whose future management of the Southern department, under extraordinary difficulties, fully justified the choice. He also, in view of the pressing needs of the service, detached Baron Steuben from the main army, which his genius had rendered so efficient, and ordered him to report to Greene, to act as his inspector-general and second in command.

Grecne repaired to the extreme south, but after a careful examination of the situation in Virginia, he sent instruc- tions to Steuben to remain in that department, of which he was to take command, and watch the movements of the enemy, who, under Gencrals Mathews, Leslie, and Arnold, during the years 1779 and 1780, ravaged all the coasts of Virginia.

Steuben's instructions from Greene were to raise, equip, and forward as many troops as possible to the latter's assistance in the Carolinas ; but the invasion of Arnold, and the lack of means at the command of Governor Thomas Jefferson, prevented any considerable body from being dispatched to the south.

In March, 1781, when Arnold was lying at Portsmouth, in Virginia, Washington conceived a plan to cut him off and capture his whole force. He detached the Marquis de Lafayette, with a sclect body of 1200 light infantry, to pro- ceed to Virginia, where he would assume the command of all the forces, and press the traitor by land, while the French fleet, with a detachment from Count Rochambeau's army, was to blockade him by water.

Lafayette arrived at Yorktown on the 14th of March, and took command ; but the French fleet was anticipated by an English squadron under Admiral Arbuthnot, and the

cherished scheme was necessarily abandoned. Lafayette returned to the north, and Steuben was left in command of the militia of Virginia to oppose the British troops.

Subsequently, Lafayette was ordered to Richmond with his detachment, and Steuben was preparing to join General Greene, when the operations of Cornwallis compelled the presence of every available man in the valley of the James River. Steuben accordingly remained, and, in conjunction with Lafayette, took part in the operations for protecting the storcs and harassing the enemy until the concentration of the Franco-American army under Washington and Count Rochambeau against Cornwallis in September of that year. In the closing operations at Yorktown, Steuben bore a con- spicuous part, and after the surrender of the British fleet and army he returned to the north with the troops under Washington.

The discipline of the army was in nowise relaxed, and the baron continued to exercise and instruct the troops, until their appearance and the excellence of their manœuvres astonished the French officers, who were often lookers-on at the drills and reviews. On one occasion, a grand review was held at Verplanck's Point, and all the French officers were present to witness it. It was a complete success, and abundantly satisfied them of the adaptability of the Ameri- cans to military service and the ability of the baron in his department. Colonel North, in speaking of that day, uses the following language :

" Alas! when I think of that day, and look to that eminence on which General Washington's marquee was pitehed, in front of which stood that great man, firm in the consciousness of virtue, surrounded by French nobles and the chiefs of his own army, my heart sinks at the view! How few of all that brilliaut host are left ! those few now tottering on the confines of the grave. The baron's tent, that day, was filled, and more than filled, with Frenchmen. 'I am glad,' said he, 'to pay some part of the dinner debt we owe our allies.' At the siege of York (Yorktown), or rather immediately afterwards, he sold such part of his camp equipage, brought from Europe, as was of sil- ver, that he might give a feast. 'I ean stand it no longer,' said he. 'We are continually dining with those people, and cannot give a piece of bratwurst in return. They shall have one grand dinner, if I eat my soup with a wooden spoon hereafter.'"

The hardships and sufferings of the army, and particu- larly the officers, who were many months without pay, be- came almost unbearable, and in the baron's case in particu- lar, whose expenses were greater in proportion than the others by reason of the extra amount of travel devolving upon him, reduced him almost to the point of starvation. The following extracts from a letter written to E. Boudi- not, the president of Congress, in December, 1782, graphi- cally portray the situation :

"SIR,-It is now five years since I was first honored with a major- general's commission, in the service of the United States. Having given up respectable commands and affluent eireumstanecs to become useful in this country, it would be doubly mortifying to me to find muy endeavors ineffeetual.

"The journals of Congress will show that this is the first appliea- tion I make to their houorable body coucerning my private affairs. They will at the same time manifest that while I attended to my duty I wholly neglected muy private concerns. I feel this satisfaction, that if I ever partook of the honor, I likewise shared in the ineonve- nienees, toils, and dangers to which the army was exposed.

" My private resources being exhausted, I entreat your Excelleucy will recommend to Congress their directiug a committee to examine iuto muy situation, and report to them the reasonableness of my de-

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

mands. I shall be happy to evinee to their committeo that the in- ternal administration of the regiments and corps, with the institu- tion of which I was intrusted, has been productive of the mnost bene- ficial savings to the publie, in men, arms, ammunition, accoutrements and camp equipago. The testimonials of the commander-in-chief and commanders of the separate armies, as well as of the generals and other officers of the army, will placo this assertion beyond all doubt.

"To address this letter to you, at a time when our army is honored with tho approbation of allied troops, remarkable for their order and discipline, is to me a singular happiness. Encouraged by their suf- frage, I dare assure you that your enemies cannot oppose to you an infantry equal to your own, unless it be superior in numbers.

" You have officers whose military knowledge equals their courage, and soldiers who can execute every possible command. . . .

"When I drew my sword in defense of these States, I did it with a determination that death only should force me to lay it down beforo Great Britain had acknowledged the independence of America, and I still persist in the same resolution. Your own feelings, sir, and those of Congress, may enable you to judge of those of an old soldier who finds himself obliged to mention facts of such a nature as those I have been laying before you. Congress will do me the justice to believe that, in doing justice to the zeal and capacity of the officers, and the docility of the soldiers of the Federal army, to speak of myself is a task highly painful and disagreeable to me."

This appeal brought Congress to the point, and on the 30th of December, 1782, a resolution was passed that for the baron's present support and to enable him to take the field for the coming campaign the sum of $2400 should be paid him, and an allowanee of $300 per month be made him in lieu of his extra pay.

As the war drew to a close Steuben was requested by Washington to draw up a plan for disbanding the troops, and also for a military establishment for the nation in time of peace. He also prepared the outlines for a military academy, which he presented to the acting secretary of war, General Benjamin Lineoln. His last duty in the service of the United States was the execution of a mission to Canada, whither he was sent by the commander-in-chief to arrange with General Haldimand, the Governor-General, for the delivery of the military posts on the frontier eeded to the United States. This mission was intended by Wash- ington to include a visit to all the posts of the northern frontier, and full instructions were prepared and given him. But the refusal of General Haldimand to take any action in the matter without positive instructions from his govern- ment prevented the accomplishment of the designs, and Steuben was reluctantly compelled to return.

He was present at the final disbandment of the army at New York, and also went to Philadelphia, under Washing- ton's orders, and dissolved the posts and cleared the hos- pitals of the siek and invalid soldiers.

As a proof of the high esteem in which the baron was held by the commander-in-chief, the latter wrote him the following letter, which was the last aet of his official eareer before resigning his eommission :

" ANNAPOLIS, Dee. 23, 1783.

" MY DEAR BARON,-Although I have taken frequent opportuni- ties, both in public and private, of acknowledging your zeal, attention, and abilities in performing the duties of your office, yet I wish to make use of this last moment of my publie life to signify, in the strongest terms, my entire approbation of your conduct, and to express my sense of the obligations the publie is under to you for your faithful and meritorious services.

" I beg you will be convinced, my dear sir, that I should rejoice if it could ever be in my power to serve you more essentially than by express-

ions of regard and affection ; but, in the mean time, I am persuaded you will not be displeased with this farewell token of my sincere friendship and esteem for yon.

" This is the last letter I shall write while I continue in the service of iny country. The hour of my resignation is fixed at twelve to-day, after which I shall become a private citizen on the banks of the Po- tomae, where I shall be glad to embrace you, and testify the great esteem and consideration with which I am, my dear baron," cte.

To this letter Steuben replied,-

" The letter of the 23d of December, which I have had the honor of receiving from your Excellency, is the most honorable testimony which my serving could have received. My first wish was to approve myself to your Excelleney, and having obtained your esteem my happiness is complete. The confidence your Excellency was pleased to place in my integrity and abilities gained me that of the armies of the United States. Your approbation will secure it.

" A stranger to the language and customs of the country, I had nothing to offer in mny favor but a little experience and a great good- will to serve the United States. If my endeavors have succeeded, I owe it to your Exeelleney's protection ; and it is a sufficient reward for me to know that I have been useful in your Excelleney's operations, which always tended to the good of our country.

" After having studied the principles of the military art under Frederick the Great, and put them in practice under Washington ; after having deposited my sword under the same trophies of victory with you; and, finally, after having this last publie testimony of your esteem, there remains nothing for me to desire.

" Accept my sincere thanks, my dear general, for the unequivocal proofs of your friendship which I have received since I had first the honor to be under your orders, and believe that I join my prayers to thoso of America for the preservation of your life, and for the increase of your felicity."

In November, 1783, General Lineoln resigned the o ffiee of seeretary of war, and Knox and Steuben were presented to Congress as candidates for the position. Steuben was the most competent, but Knox was a native, and this seemed to outweigh all other considerations, and he was appointed.

Steuben resigned his eommission in the ranks of the army on the 24th of March, 1784. Congress, in accepting his resignation, promised soon to settle his elaims against the United States, and passed the following resolution :

" Resolved, That the thanks of the United States, in Congress assembled, be given to Baron Steuben for the great zeal and abilities he has discovered in the discharge of the several duties of his office ; that a gold-hilted sword be presented to him, as a mark of the high sense Congress entertain of his character and services; and that the superintendent of finance take order for procuring the same."

This sword, aecompanied by a letter from General Knox, then seeretary of war, was presented to the baron on the 4th day of January, 1787. The baron replied in proper terms on the 5th.

The sword was made to order in London, under the direction of Colonel Smith, and was a most elaborate pieee of workmanship. The following inseription was engraved upon it: "The United States to Major-General Baron Steuben, 15th April, 1784, for military merit."

The baron's elaims were before Congress for years before a final disposition of them was arrived at. At last, on the 10th of May, 1790, the following joint resolution passed that body :

" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That in order to make full and adequate compensation to Frederick William De Steuben for the sacrifices and eminent services made and rendered to the United States during the late war, thero be paid to the said Frederick

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

William De Steuben an annuity of $2500 during life, to commence on the first of January last, to be paid in quarterly payments at the treasury of the United States; which said annuity shall be considered in full discharge of all claims and demands whatever of the said Frederick William De Steuben against the United States.

"FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, " Speaker of the House of Representatives. "JOHN ADAMS,

" Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate. " Approved June 4, 1790.

" GEORGE WASHINGTON,

" President of the United States."

The " Order of the Cincinnati" was established by the officers in the spring of 1783, before the disbandment of the army. At the preliminary meeting, held on the 10th of May, Steuben presided. Washington was the first president. Steuben was vice-president of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati from 1785 to 1786, and president from 1786 until 1790.

Though Congress failed to make any donation of lands to the baron, several of the States remembered him in the most generous and handsome manner. The State of Penn- sylvania made him a citizen of the commonwealth, and presented him with a tract of 2000 acres of land in West- moreland County. Virginia presented him with 15,000 acres in Ohio, then a part of her territory, and New Jersey gave him a life-lease of a forfeited estate belonging to John Zabriskie, in Bergen township. This, however, Steuben refused to accept when he found that Zabriskie, in conse- quence of the confiscation, was left without means. He also interposed in bchalf of Zabriskie.

The cities of Albany and New York honored him with their frecdom, and on the 5th of May, 1786, the Legisla- ture of New York granted him one-quarter of a township of land, equivalent to 16,000 acres, in the territory pur- chased of the Oneida Indians. This territory was situated north of the city of Utica, and mostly within the present township of Steuben.

After the close of the war, " the baron," as he was fa- miliarly known, lived for some years in the city of New York, where he was a great favorite with all classes, and especially among the ladies.

A characteristic anecdote is related of him on the occa- sion of the " doctor's mob," about 1787, when by the care- less exposure of a subject in the dissecting-room a certain doctor called down the vengeance of the rabble upon his head. The militia had been called out, and Governor Clinton was on the ground, together with many prominent officials and citizens ; among the rest Stcuben, who in the moment of greatest excitement was remonstrating with the Governor against firing on the crowd. While earnestly en- gaged, a stone struck him on the head, and for a moment stunned him; as his friends were carrying him away he revived, and waving his hand cried out, " Fire, Governor, fire !"

In April, 1787, Steuben was appointed by the Legisla- ture one of the regents of the State University. The body numbered twenty-two, and its duties were to visit and in- spect all the colleges and academies in the State, and make an annual report to the Legislature.

Previous to 1790 the baron had visited his lands once

or twice. In June of that year he made another visit, and remained several months.

Among the highest points in the county of Oneida are Steuben and Starr hills, which are on this tract; from the top of which, it is stated in Mr. Jones' " Annals," seven dif- ferent counties can be seen.

On the 4th of July, 1790, the baron gave a dinner to all the men on his land and the settlers in the neighbor- hood. Whenever he found a worthy Revolutionary soldier he made him a present of a lot of from 40 to 100 acres in extent.

He spent the summers on his land, but returned regu- larly to New York in the autumn, and remained through the winter.

In 1793, when there was prospect of trouble with Great Britain, Steuben made an examination of the harbor of New York, and drew up a plan for its defense. In March, 1794, a commission consisting of Steuben, Peter Ganse- voort, Jr., William North, Stephen Van Rensselaer, John Taylor, John Verner, and Daniel Hale, was appointed by the Legislature to superintend the erection of the necessary fortifications, ete., for the protection of the western aud

northern frontiers of the State. Of this commission Steuben was chosen president, and iu company with Col. North and Stephen Van Rensselaer visited the region about Oneida and Onondaga Lakes. They met a large assemblage of Indians, some hostile and others friendly to the United States, at Salt Point, on the last named lake. The hostility of some of the savages was so manifest against Steuben that he was obliged to return by land to Fort Stanwix to avoid capture.

His lands were mostly leased at the rate of from ten to twenty dollars for every hundred acres, and at the time of his death some twenty families were living on his tract. He enjoyed himself greatly upon his estate, and intended erccting a splendid mansion and making great improve- ments, but had not accomplished much more than the erection of a log house at the date of his death.

Many of his old military friends visited him, and always enjoyed the most unbounded hospitality. He delighted to discuss the political situation and the wars in Europe, but never could comprehend why the Prussian eagles should retreat before the French.

" Ah," said an old man who had been a captain, and afterwards kept a public-house near Utica, "how glad I am to see you, baron, in my house ! but I used to be dreadfully afraid of you."

" How so, captain ?"

" You hallooed and swore and looked so dreadfully at me once, baron, that I shall never forget it. When I saw you so strict to the officers on my right, I felt very queer ; and when you came up to me, baron, I hardly knew what to do, and I quaked in my shoes."

" Oh, fi donc, captain !"

" It was bad, to be sure," said he ; " but you did halloo most tremendously."

In couversation with his friends about military matters, he once criticised the genius of the people of the different States for warfare, saying, "Of all the Americans the Yankees arc, in my opinion, the best soldiers ; they are the

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

most intelligent, and in some respects the best troops in the world. But they always want to know the reason for the orders given them by their superiors, and are too fond of improving upon the plans of the latter."

He was sharp at repartee, as the following anecdote from " Jones' Annals" illustrates : " An old seaman by the name of Simeon Woodruff, who had circumnavigated the world with Captain Cook, had bought a piece of land front Steu- ben. On a certain occasion, while on one of his annual winter visits to the city of New York, some of his friends rather jeered him for attempting to settle the mountains up at the head of the Mohawk. Steuben was a little nettled, and at once retorted ' that it was the best land in the world, and he could prove it.'

"The proof was challenged, and it was at once given, as follows: 'Why, there is Captain Simeon Woodruff, who has sailed around the globe with Captain Cook, and he has bought a farm on my patent and settled on it; and sure if in all his voyages a better location had been found, he would not have done so.'"

A rich anecdote is told at the baron's expense, which illustrates his irritability under difficulties, which was, no doubt, a prominent characteristic. It would appear that he was drilling a body of raw troops, who, between his imper- fect English and their own ignorance, made very indifferent progress :

" After having exhausted his rich store of German and French oaths, he is said to have called Walker (his aid) to his assistance, vociferating, ' Viens, Walker mon ami ! viens, mon bon ami ! Sacré- God damn de gaucheries of dese badauts je ne puis plus, I can curse dem no more !'"

A couple of incidents at the close of the war show the baron's character in another light :

"Steuben was rather haughty in his bearing, which did not in the least diminish his frankness and cordiality in social intercourse, and he was of easy access, benevolent, and full of a high sense of justice. At a review near Morristown, a Lieutenant Gibbons, a brave and good officer, was arrested on the spot, and sent to the rear, for a fault which it afterwards appeared another had committed. At a proper moment the commander of the regiment came forward and informed the baron of Mr. Gibbons' innocence, of his worth, and of his acute feelings under the unmerited disgrace. 'Desire Lieutenant Gibbons to come to the front, colonel. Sir,' said the baron, addressing the young gentle- man, ' the fault which was committed, by throwing the line into con- fusion, might, in the presence of an enemy, have been fatal. I ar- rested you as its supposed author, but I have reason to believe that I was mistaken, and that, in this instance, you were blameless. I ask your pardon ; return to your command. I would not deal unjustly towards any one, much less towards one whose character as an offi- cer is so respectable.' All this passed with the baron's hat off, the rain pouring on his venerable head. Do you think there was an officer or soldier who saw it unmoved by affection and respect ? Not one."#

At the disbandment of the Revolutionary army, when inmates of the same tent or hut for seven long years were separating,

" I saw," says North, "the baron's strong endeavors to throw some ray of sunshine on the gloom, to mix some drops of cordial with the painful draughts. To go they knew not whither : all recollection of the art of thriving by civil occupations was lost, or to the youthful never known. To go in silence and alone, and poor and helpless, it was too hard. To a stern old officer, a Lieutenant-Colonel Cochrane, from the Green Mountains, who had met danger and difficulty at

almost every step from his youth, and upon whose furrowed visage a tear till that moment had never fallen, the good baron said what could be said to lessen deep distress. 'For myself, ' said Cochrane, ' I care not ; I can stand it ; but my wife and daughters are in the gar- ret of that wretched tavern. I know not where to remove, nor have I the means of their removal.' 'Come, my friend,' said the baron, 'let us go; I will pay my respects to Mrs. Cochrane and daughters, if you please.' I followed to the left, the lower rooms being all filled with soldiers, with drunkenness, despair, and blasphemy. And when the baron left the poor, unhappy castaways, he left hope with them and all he had to give."t

" A black man, with wounds unhealed, wept on the wharf, for it was at Newberg where this tragedy was acting. There was a vessel in the stream, bound to the place where he once had friends. He had not a dollar to pay his passage, and he could not walk. Unused to tears, I saw them trickle down the good man's cheeks as he put into the hands of the black man the last dollar he possessed. The negro hailed the sloop, and cried, ' God Almighty bless you, Master Baron !'"}

"Steuben was never married. It seems, however, that he inet with a disappointment in early life. While preparing to remove to his farm, the accidental fall of a portrait of a most beautiful young woman from his cabinet, which was picked up hy his companion and shown to him, with the request to be told from whom it was taken, produced a most obvious emotion of strong tenderness, and the pa- thetie exclamation, 'Oh, she was a matchless woman !' He never afterwards alluded to the subject."?

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 172

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932