History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 22

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 22

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In the early part of the season of 1776, Colonel Van

# This fort is called by Colonel Willett, in a letter to General Washington, July 6, 1781, Fort Rensselaer .- Narrative, page 77.

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY; NEW YORK.

Schaick was stationed with a body of regular troops at Johnstown, and Colonel Dayton* at the German Flatts with a similar force.

The attention of the Continental Congress was early called to the importance of Fort Stanwix, though it was beyond the settlements of the valley. It had long been considered the key of the western country, and whichever belligerent occupied it would be master of the great route frem Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence, and the West, to the Hudson River. Washington had at an early period pointed out to General Schuyler the necessity of repairing and gar- risoning this work ; and in the course of the season Con- gress directed Schuyler to put it in a state of defense, together with other works in the valley.

Colonel Dayton was directed to take command of Fort Stanwix, and the militia of Tryon County were called out to assist in repairing the work. It is stated that the origi- nal cost of the fort, as constructed by General Stanwix, was $266,400, but this was quite probably an exaggeration, as it was wholly constructed of earth and timber .; It was, however, an extensive work for an inland frontier fortress, and Colonel Dayton appears to have made slow progress in the labor of repairing it. To this officer is given the eredit of changing the name to Fort Schuyler in honor of the com- mander of the northern army. By this name it was known through the war. It appears that Colonel Dayton was su- perseded some time in 1776, by Colonel Elmore of the State service, for the latter was in command on the first of January following.

The events of the year 1776 had been various. The American army, after the evacuation of Boston, had been rapidly concentrated in New York, whither the British army and fleet had followed in the months of June and July.

Both the British fleet and army had been powerfully re- inforeed by Admiral Parker and Sir Henry Clinton from the south, and Lord Howe, brother .of Sir Williamn, from Halifax, and the total land foree now amounted to 24,000 men, including a division of Hessians under General Kni- phausen.

Washington had undertaken to fortify and hold New York and Long Island, but the immense superiority of the enemy both by sca and land rendered it wholly impractica- ble. The British forces landed upon Long Island on the 22d of August, and immediately proceeded to attack the American forces, who, to the number of 15,000, under Generals Sullivan, Lord Sterling, and Putnam, lay behind a line of hastily constructed earthworks, stretching in a semi- circle along Brooklyn Heights. A series of desperate ac- tions was fought on the 27th of August, resulting in the 'evacuation of all the positions on Long Island by the Ameri- eans. The losses in the field were given at about 450 on the part of the British, and at from 1200 to 1500 on the part of the Americans, of whom about 1000 were prisoners.

On the night of the 30th, Washington effeeted a masterly

retreat over the East River, under cover of a dense sea fog, without any loss. The British fleet, divided into two squad- rons, occupied both the North and East Rivers, and the army crossed over and began preparations for investing the city of New York ; but Washington seeing the hopelessness of effectual resistance evacuated it and retreated northward. General Greene had advised the burning of the city to pre- vent its occupation by the British, but Congress would not listen to the proposition, and the enemy were in full posses- sion by the middle of September.

Washington had fallen back to Harlem Heights. On the 18th of October occurred the drawn battle of White Plains, soon after which Washington divided his army and erossed over into New Jersey, leaving General Lee with 7500 men at North Castle to watch the enemy. In November, Forts Washington and Lee were taken by the British troops, and Washington was obliged to retreat rapidly across New Jersey, elosely pursued by Lord Cornwallis. Lake Cham- plain was almost entirely taken possession of by Sir Guy Carleton. Rhode Island was occupied by the British in December, and everything wore a gloomy look. A gleam of encouragement came from the south in the summer of this year, when Sir Henry Clinton and Sir Peter Parker were disastrously defeated in an attempt to capture Fort Moultrie, in Charleston Harbor, S. C.

During the manœuvring and fighting around New York the militia behaved very badly and even cowardly, rousing the bitter indignation of Washington ; and the people of New Jersey, instead of hurrying to the defense of the country, hastened to make terms with the enemy.

The last expiring days of the year were lighted up by the brilliant achievement of Washington at Trenton, N. J., where the harassed commander of the American army turned on his confident enemy, and cut to pieces and cap- tured his rear-guard, even when Cornwallis deemed the rebel army in his power. This brilliant exploit produced a condition of almost consternation in the British army, and when a week later Washington again out-generaled Corn- wallis, and destroyed or captured another portion of his army at Princeton, the astonishment of the latter knew no bounds, and he in his turn became the fugitive and Wash- ington the vietor. The British army hastened back to New York, and Washington returned to his winter-quarters, at Morristown.

On the 19th of January, 1777, a delegation of Oneida chiefs waited upon Colonel Elmore, at Fort Schuyler (Stan- wix), and made the following speech :

" BROTHER : We are sent here by the Oneida chiefs, in conjunction with the Onondagas. They arrived at our vil- lage yesterday. They gave us the melancholy news that the great couneil-fire at Onondaga was extinguished. We have lost out of their town by death, ninety, among whom are three principal sachems.}

" We, the remaining part of the Onondagas, do now in- form our brethren that there is no longer a council-fire at the capital of the Six Nations. However, we are determined to use our feeble endeavors to support peace through the confederate nations. But let this be kept in mind, that

+ This statement would seem to indiente the presence of a posti- lence; but there is no explanation of the matter.

# Colonel Elias Dayton was a New Jersey officer.

t It is possible that the cost of constructing Fort Pitt, at Pitts- burgh, Pa., which was a first-class work, covering with its outworks ahont seventeen aeres, may have been substituted for that of Fert Stanwix. General Stanwix also constructed Fort Pitt, in 1759-60, and it is said to have cost £60,000.

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the council-fire is extinguished. It is of importance to our well-being that this be immediately communicated to Gen- eral Schuyler, and likewise to our brethren, the Mohawks. In order to effect this, we deposit this belt with Te-key-un- e-don-hot-te, Colonel Elmore, commander at Fort Schuyler, to transact all matters relative to peace. We therefore re- quest him to forward this intelligence in the first place to General Herkimer, desiring him to communicate it to the Mohawk castle, near to him, and then to Major Fonda, re- questing him to immediately communicate it to the lower castle of Mohawks. Let the belt then be forwarded to General Schuyler, that he may know that our council-fire is extinguished, and can no longer burn."*

This speech announced an occurrence memorable in the history of the confederacy. From henceforth they were a broken people, never again to gather around the great coun- cil-fire which had burned for ages. The " League of the Hodenosaunee" had accomplished its purpose, and from that hour the "long house" was tottering to its fall. Its days were numbered, and the gleam of its perpetual fires was soon to disappear in darkness, from which there was to be no awakening. A new and powerful race was slowly but surely pushing its cabins and their dusky inhabitants from the beautiful region they had for unknown centuries called their own, and maintained against all comers, save only the pale-faces from beyond the sea. Rude and unlettered though they were, they had achieved a wonderful success over all their contemporaries of the tawny race, and built up a form of government which in many respects was worthy of imitation by people calling themselves enlightened. Even at this distant day, we cannot contemplate the rise, progress, and decline of this famous confederacy without a sigh of regret that the wonderful structure of government established by their progenitors on the banks of Onondaga Lake, and maintained for so many generations against red and white alike, could not have continued to a full develop- ment of its capabilities, which none will deny were of a higher order than any known to the hunter race on the American continent. But the same undeviating law, which governs alike the growth of the gentle flower by the way- side and that of the mightiest nation of earth, had deter- mined that they must pass away like all terrestrial things.

Returning to the state of affairs in Tryon County, we find that during the latter part of the winter of 1776-77 there was much uneasiness felt on account of the unusual collection of Indians at Oquaga, + a point on the Susque- hanna River, in the present county of Broome. The Provincial Congress of New York having been apprised of this gathering, and being anxious to understand its mean- ing, sent Colonel John Harper, of Harpersfield (now in Delaware County), accompanied by one white man and one Indian for companions, to ascertain its meaning. Leaving instructions with the officers of his regiment to be ready for any emergency, Colonel Harper departed upon his mis- sion. He reached the rendezvous on the 27th of February, 1777, and was well received by the Indians, who expressed sorrow for the troubles of the country, and declared their

determination to stand aloof from the contest. The colonel gave them a feast, and left them apparently upon good terms, though subsequent events would indicate that they had been playing a deceptive game.

The following paragraphs are transcribed from Stone's " Life of Brant" :

"Colonel John Harper was one of four brothers, who, with eighteen others, planted themselves down upon a tract of country in 1768, which was subsequently nanied Harpersfield. After his return from this mission, he was for a time in command of one of the little forts in Scho- harie.

" On one occasion, in March or April of this year, he took a circuit alone from Schoharie, through the woods to Har- persfield, and thence, when returning, struck farther to the westward, towards the head-waters of the Susquehanna. While ascending a hill he suddenly saw a, company of Indians approaching. As they had discovered him, any attempt to fly would have been vain. They would have shot him down. Having a great-coat over his military dress he made no attempt to avoid a meeting, and in pass- ing the colonel and the Indians exchanged salutations. In one of the Indians be recognized Peter, a Mohawk, whom he had formerly seen at Oghkwaga .; They did not recog- bize him, however, but from his manner of speech supposed him to be a loyalist, and under that impression communi- cated the fact that their destination was to cut off the " Johnstone Settlement," a small Scotch colony, on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna, near Unadilla, or And- quaqua, as the place was sometimes called. Having ob- tained this information, he changed his course, and, hurrying back to Harpersfield, collected fifteen resolute men, with whom he gave chase to the marauders. In addition to their arms the colonel caused each man of his little band to provide himself with two days' provisions and a rope. In the course of the following night, in descending the valley of the Charlotte River, they descried the fire where the Indians were encamped. Halting for a while to refresh and prepare for the contest, the colonel and his men now stole upon the foc with the utmost caution. It was almost daylight, and the Indians were in a profound slumber- their arms being stacked in the middle of their little en- campment. These were carefully removed by Harper and his party as a measure of precaution. The moment for action having arrived, singling each his man, the cords were made ready, and every Indian, ere he was well awake, found himself bound and in the grasp of a foe. The sleeping Gulliver was not more thoroughly secured by the vexations network of the Liliputians. But Peter and his companions were not secured by Liliputian ties, and they had to deal with a different race of men. When it be- came light in the morning, Peter discovered his captor. ' Ugh!' he exclaimed. . Colonel Harper ! Why did I not know you yesterday ?' The gallant colonel proceeded to Albany with his prisoners, and surrendered them to the commanding officer of the station. It was a bold and well- executed achievement, and all the better that it was blood- less."

# Stone's Life of Brant, from the original document. Written also Ogh-kwa-ya.

# Same as Oquaga, variously spelled.

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

In the beginning of the summer of 1777, Thay-en-dan-e- gea visited Oquaga with a small force of warriors, and in June came up to Unadilla* with about eighty of his follow- ers. It seems that he and Colonel Guy Johnson had got into some difficulty after the latter's flight to Canada, but the precise nature of the disagreement does not appear. Brant had led the Indians in the affair of the Cedars the autumn before, where 500 American soldiers were disgrace- fully surrendered to the British, but this fact was hardly known among the settlers on the Mohawk and Susquehanna at the time of his visit to Unadilla. While at the latter place he sent for the Rev. Mr. Johnson and the militia officers of the neighborhood, and stated that the Indians were in want of provisions, and must have them, peaceably or otherwise. At this time the people were still in doubt whether the Mohawks meant peace or war, and during the interview at Unadilla the chief was sounded upon the ques- tion. In reply, Brant said that " the Mohawks were as free as the air they breathed, and were determined to remain so." He complained of bad treatment which he claimed some of the nation who remained in the valley of the Mo- hawk had received at the hands of the Whigs, and de- manded that those who had been seized should be set at liberty. He said the Mohawks were always warriors, that their duty to the king was very binding, and that they were not such villains as to break their covenant.

The Indians continued at Unadilla two days, during which they were plentifully supplied with provisions, and on their departure were permitted to take away some live cattle and sheep. t

The scattered inhabitants now began to be alarmed, and, leaving their homes, sought refuge in the strongest places, a large number flocking to Cherry Valley, and some fleeing to the German Flatts, and even to the towns on the Hudson River.

The Indian forces at Oquaga under Brant continuing to increase, the people in all parts of New York became daily more alarmed, and General Nicholas Herkimert at length

" Tu-na-dilla was the original Indian name.

t Judge Campbell, in his Annals of Tryon County, states that the Indians were insolent, and took cattle, sheep, and horses away by force when they departed down the river.

# In the autumn of 1776, three brigadier-generals of militia were commissioned by the Provincial Congress of New York, of whom Colonel Nicholas Herkimer was one. The Herkimer family was one of the first to settle at the German Flatts, and the name is among those of the original patentees,-not Herkimer, however, which is a corruption, but Ergemore, which was the true German name. [ Letter of L. Ford to Colonel Wm. L. Stone.]

The following copy of General Herkimer's commission we take from the Memorial Volume upon the battle of Oriskany, to which it was contributed hy M. M. Jones, Esq.

" IN CONVENTION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

" To NICHOLAS HERKIMER, ESQUIRE, GREETING :

" We, reposing Especial trust and Confidence in your Patriotism, Valor, Conduct, and Fidelity, Do by these Presents Constitute and appoint you, the said Nicholas Herkimer, Brigadier-General of the Brigade of Militia of the County of Tryon, Embodied for the defense of American Liberty and for repelling every Ilostile Invasion thereof; yon are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of Brigadier-General by doing and performing all manner of things

determined to see for himself what the gathering portended. He accordingly sent forward a messenger, inviting Brant to meet him at Unadilla, and, collecting about 300 of the militia, repaired thither himself. The object of the general in seeking this interview was undoubtedly a desire to know from the lips of Brant himself whether he meant peace or war. It seems that General Schuyler. Colonel Van Schaick, Colonel Harper, and other leaders had been consulted upon the matter, and Colonel Van Schaick, upon the application of General Herkimer, repaired to Cherry Valley, on June 15, with 150 men. Here he was obliged to halt for want of provisions. General Schuyler was also to repair to the rendezvous if deemed necessary. The movement, while os- tensibly in the interests of peace, had a very warlike look, and the prospect was apparently so dubious that Colonel Harper, on the 10th day of June, wrote an urgent note to General Herkimer, asking for a supply of ammunition, in anticipation of an inroad into the valley of the Schoharie Kill by Brant.

On the 13th of June, the Cherry Valley committee wrote an alarming letter to General Herkimer, stating that Brant and the Loyalists of Unadilla had marked a path through the forest to Esopus, now Kingston, by which all the Tories of the lower river counties were to join the chieftain at Oquaga, and it was said that the Mohawk leader had boasted that in a short time he would have a force so strong that he would not fear the approach of three thou- sand men. On the other hand, Major Fonda wrote on the 19th of June that Thay-en-dan-e-gea had agreed with a delegation of Cayuga and Seneca chiefs to abandon his hostile intentions and withdraw into the Cayuga country ; and as confirmatory of this it was added that Brant had released a prisoner and sent him home, at the same time rebuking his captors.

The real design of this remarkable meeting is not entirely clear. General Herkimer and the chieftain had been neigh- bors and friends in former years, and it is possible that the former entertained the idea that he might be able to per- suade the latter to lay down his arms and return to the pursuits of peace. It is also possible that in case of failure he had intended to commence hostilities at once ; if so, the great force of thoroughly equipped warriors which Brant

thereunto belonging, and we do strictly charge and Require all offi- cers and privates under your command to be Obedient le your Orders as Brigadier-General.

" And you are to observe and follow such Orders and directions from time to time as you shall receive from the present or any future Congress of the United States of America, or from this or any future Convention of the Representatives, or future Executive Authority of this STATE, or from the Commander-in-Chief, for the time being, of the Army of the United States, or any other superior officer, accord- ing to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust Reposed in yon. Provided such orders and directions of the said Commander-io-Chief, or of such superior officer, be grounded on the Authority of the present or any future Congress of the United Ameri- can STATES, or the present or any future Convention of the Repre- sentatives, or other Executive Authority of this STATE, Or their Respective Committees of Safety. This Commissiou to continue of force until Revoked by this or a future Convention of this STATE.

"Given at Fish Kills the Fifth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy-six.

" By Order, " AUM. YATES, JUNR., President.

" Attost : JOHN MCKESSON, Secretary."

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

brought to the place of rendezvous made the execution of this part of the programme impracticable.

General Herkimer remained a week at Unadilla before - Brant made his appearance, when he came accompanied by five hundred men.

: Halting his warriors, he dispatched a messenger to the general's, headquarters, asking for information as to the object of the latter's visit. The general replied that he came to see and have a talk with his brother. The mes- senger quickly inquired if all those men wanted to talk, too, He said he would carry the message to his chief, but he warned the general that he must not cross the field upon the margin of which he was encamped, and departed. The following account of the meeting between these two men is thus given in Stone's " Life of Brant":

" The scene exhibited at this interview, as related by those who were present, was novel and imposing. The hostile parties were now encamped within the distance of two miles from each other. About midway between their encampments a temporary shed was erected, sufficiently ex- tensive to allow some two hundred persons to be seated. By mutual stipulations, their arms were to be left in their respective eucanıpments. Soon after the adjustment of the preliminaries and the completion of the fixtures above mentioned, the chief of the Mohawks himself appeared in the edge of the distant forest, and approached the place designated, already in the occupation of Herkimer, some- what warily, accompanied by Captain Bull (a Tory), Wil- liam Jolinson (son of Sir William, by Brant's sister Mary); a subordinate chief of the Mohawks, an Indian woman, and also by about forty warriors. After some little parleying, a circle was formed by General Herkimer, into which Brant and the general entered, together with the other Indian chief and two of Herkimer's officers. After the interchange of a few remarks, the chieftain, keeping an eagle eye upon his visitor, inquired the reason of being thus honored. General Herkimer replied as he had done to the avant- courier, that he had come to see him on a friendly visit. ' And all these have come on a friendly visit, too ?' queried the chief. ' All want to see the poor Indians ; it is very kind,' he added, with a sarcastic curl of the lip. General Herkimer expressed a desire to go forward to the village, but the chief told him he was quite near enough, and that he must not proceed any farther.

"The general next endeavored to enter into. a conversa- tion with the Mohawk touching the difficulties with Eng- land, or in order to ascertain his feelings and intentions. The conference now became earnest and animated, although the chief at first gave Herkimer evasive and oracular an- swers. To a question, however, put to him directly, he finally replied,-' That the Indians were in concert with the king, as their fathers had been; that the king's belts were yet lodged with them, and they could not violate their pledge; that General Herkimer and his followers had joined the Boston people against their sovereign ; that al- though the Boston people were resolute, yet the king would humble them ; that General Schuyler was very smart on the Indians at the treaty of German Flatts, but at the same time was not able to afford the smallest article of clothing ; and finally, that the Indians had formerly made war on the

white people when they were all united, and as they were now divided, the Indians were not frightened .*

" Colonel Cox, who was in the suite of General Herkimer, then made a few remarks, the substance of which was that if such was the fixed determination of the Indians nothing further need be said. But his manner, or some of the ex- pressions uttered by the colonel, gave offense to the chief. He was exceedingly irritated ; and by a signal to the war- riors attending him at a short distance, they ran back to their encampment, and soon afterwards appeared again with their rifles, several of which were discharged, while the shrill war-whoop rang through the forest.

" Meantime, however, by explanations or otherwise, the chief was soothed and his warriors were kept at a proper distance, although the demand of General Herkimer for the surrender of sundry Tories was peremptorily refused. The conference ended hy an agreement between the parties to meet again at nine o'clock the following morning. General Herkimer and his forces, forbidden to advance aby farther, encamped as before."*

Colonel Stone, in his life of Brant, states on the authority of Joseph Waggoner that General Herkimer called Wag- goner to him the next morning and proposed that he and two others should station themselves at the meeting in such a position that they could shoot down Brant and two of his principal men at the same moment. Waggoner does pot say in his account of the affair, or at least it is not stated in Colonel Stone's work, whether he agreed to the proposi- tion or not. The story has a bad look for General Herki- mer, and it is hard to reconcile it with his known character, which was that of a gentleman and a Christian. But per- haps he argued that " all's fair in war," and that the end would justify the means.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 22

Author: Durant, Samuel W Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 920

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920