History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 13

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 13

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"Soon after they were joined by two Indians with two German captives they had taken that day, and killed and scalped another, in one Anthony West- brook's field, near Minisink, so called. Not long after, Cole returned home, where to his great surprise he found his four children murdered, and his wife and other son missing. Upon which he went to Minisink (Napanoch) Fort, and got a few soldiers

to assist him in burying his children and the German. The soldiers joined with some of the neighbors that evening to cross the Delaware River at daylight, and waylay the road to Wyoming; and as four of them were going to one Chambers', about two o'clock at night, they heard the Indians coming down a hill to cross the Delaware, as was supposed, when one of the four fired on them. They immediately fled, giving a yell after their manner. The woman they led with a string about her neck, and the boy by the band ; who, finding themselves loose, made their eseape along the road, and happily met at James McCarty's, the boy first and afterward the woman.

" The daughter of one Widow Walling, living near Fort Gardiner, between Goshen and Minisink, going out to pick up some chips for the fire, was shot at hy three Indians. Her shrieks alarmed the people. Her brother, looking out at a garret window, and seeing a fellow dispatching and scalping his sister, fired at them and was pretty certain he wounded one of them. The old woman, during this, with her other daughter and son, made off and escaped.

" About this time (beginning of June), a sergeant went from Waasing? to Minisink with a party of men, but returned not at the time they were expected. Upon which a larger party went out in search of them, and at their arrival at Minisink, found seven of them killed and sealped, three wounded, and a woman and four children carried off. Near about the same time, a house was beset by a party of Indians, where were seventeen persons, who were killed, as I remember the account. A man and a boy traveling on the road with their muskets, were fired on by some Indians in ambush. The man was killed, but the boy escaped, having first killed one of the Indians. Not far from this time-whether before or after I am not certain-the Indians killed seven New York soldiers. This slaughter was committed at a place called West- fall's."

Sneh is the imperfect record of these hostilities, at- tested by the most respectable residents of the dis- triet,-among others by Col. Thomas Ellison and Col. Charles Clinton, of the settlements on the Hudson, which, though exempt from the brand of the enemy, were not the less sufferers by the war, their male in- habitants being in almost continual service on the frontiers, and their dwellings converted into places of defense. That the incursions of the Indians on the frontiers were not continued in their first severity was due in part to the erection by Governor Hardy, in the summer of 1757, of a series of block-houses along the western frontier, | and in part to the nego-

* " All the families between the deponent's house and Minisink, to the amount of one hundred and fifty persons, have deserted those settle- ments and come into four frontier houses, one of which is the deponent's house, which is now a frontier house on that side, and which was, Inst year, fifteen or sixteen miles within the settlements at Minisink, and about sixteen miles from Hudson's River."-Affidavit of James Howell, N. Y. MSS., Ixxxii.

# The nitack here spoken of was on the house of Peter Jan, in the southwestern part of Rochester. Jun's house was burned and one of his daughters, and two men who ucted as scouts, were killed. His wife and two daughters, and himself and two sons, who were in the field, escaped. -Doc. His., ii. 763, 764.

# Napunoch, Neepenuck, and Peenpack refer to one and the same pince.

¿ Wawarsing block-house, probably.

I " From a place called Machakamak to the town of Rochester."- Gov. Hardy's Message. Mr. Guamer states that at this time there were three small forts in the Upper Neighborhood and three in the Lower Neighborhood. "One in the Upper Neighborhood was on the Neversink, at the northeast end of the settlement; one at the house of Peter Gna- mer, in the central part of the neighborhood, and the third at the south-

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

tiations which had been instituted with Teedyuseung, the king of the Delawares, who, seeking only the re- dress of his people, was ready to restrain them from war could that end be secured by other means. In October, 1758, the proprietaries surrendered their titles and recognized the right of the government to arrange the boundaries of the lands claimed under them ; the Minsis were paid for their lands in the Minisink country ; an exchange of prisoners was agreed to, and terms of peace concluded. Subse- quently the Indian allies of the French held the frontier under terror until after the elose of the war, when the avocations of the pioneers were resumed and their rude forts permitted to decay.

The services of the militia during this struggle come down to ns in imperfeet records. Writes Col. Thomas Ellison in 1757 : "It is but too well known by the late numerous murders barbarously committed on our bor- ters, that the county of Ulster and the north end of Orange is become the only frontier part of the pro- vince left unguarded and exposed to the cruel ineur- sions of the Indian enemy, and the inhabitants of these parts have been obliged to perform very hard military duty for these two years past, in ranging the woods and guarding the frontiers, these two counties keeping out almost constantly from fifty to one hun- dred men ; sometimes by forced detachments of the militia and at other times by voluntary subscriptions; nay, often two hundred men, which has been an in- supportable hurthen on the poor people. And yet all the militia of these parts were ordered to march to Fort Edward, while the officers had no orders to leave a detachment to guard the frontiers. . . . The gener- ality of them marehed as soon as it was possible to get so scattered a people together ; and I would say for the three hundred who went out of the little dis- tressed Seeond Regiment of Ulster, that men never marched with more cheerfulness."

From Col. Vincent Mathews' regiment nothing appears but eloquent bills :

To Lieut. Samuel Denton and Company .. 14 16 0

Ensign Thomas Bull and Company ... Sergeant Benj. Booth and Company

15 11 0

7 G

Capt. George De Kay, going express from Goshen to Mini- sink for Gov. Bnrdy in 1756 .. 2 0 0

Col. Vincent Mathews for guides for regulars posted at Goshen, from October, 1757, to February, 1758, 97

10 0

Capt. John Wisner and Company as sconts in 1757. 7 13 9

Lient. Calvin Bradner for taking horses home from Sara- toga, by order of Col. De Kay, 1757. 5 10 0

Sammel Gale, for provisions to troops on frontiers, near Goshen ..

Calvin Carpenter, in Capt. Case's Company, 1758 2

12 0

('apt. John Bull and detachment, 1758 ..

8 0

Lient. Robert Deoton and detachment, 1758 1

Daniel Gale, in Capt. Wisner's Co., 1757 1

0 0

Doct. John Gale, attending sick, 1756 30

0 0

40 0 0 Maj. Wm. Thompson for guarding frontiers, 1758

Col. Benjamin Tustin, Capt. Daniel Case, and Capt. J.

Bull for money advanced in building block-houses Nos. 1 and 2 on the western frontiers in Jun. 1757 ...... 100 0 0

west end of the settlement. These forts were occupied by about twelve families and a few soldiers who were there from time to time. The loca- tions of the forts in the Lower Neighborhood are not known. They gave protection to about eighteen families." In a subsequent paragraph he says that " Westfall's Fort" was in the lower part of the latter neigh- borhood.

Lient. John Denton and Company for guarding Col. (Charles) Clinton and De Kay in Inying out the ground, etc., for block-housey .... 6 12 0

Hugh Dobbin, in Capt. Wisner's Company, for pasturage of 115 horses of Col. De Kay's regiment in Albany when Fort William Henry was taken .. 4

7 0

Peter Carter, David Benjamin, Philip Reid, and Francis Armstrong for guarding George De Kay an Express from Goshen to Minisink in 1756. 4 0 0 James Sayre and Ebenezer Gilbert and Companies for

guarding block-houses in February, 1757 ..

4 0

Further research is unnecessary. From the dark and almost forgotten field of this important struggle we turn to

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION,

It is perhaps unnecessary to say that the people of Orange and Ulster, and especially of the distriet now composing the county of Orange, acted with great unanimity in the war for independence, not only in their political associations but in their military organ- izations. During the earlier years of the struggle the militia were almost constantly under arms or engaged in the construction of the forts in the Highlands, and in preparing obstructions to the navigation of Hud- son's River. It was during this period, too, that the companies already named as belonging to the first Continental regiments (1775) took part in the Canada expedition. In July, 1776, apprehending a move- ment of the enemy up the Hudson, the Provincial Convention ordered that "one-fourth part of the militia of the counties of Orange and Ulster be drawn out for the defense of this State" and "stationed in the Highlands on the west side of Hudson's River to guard the defiles." Two regiments were organized under this order: one from Ulster, Levi Pauling, colonel, and one from Orange, Isaae Nicoll, colonel ; Gilbert Cooper, lientenant-colonel; Samuel Logan, major. A more sweeping requisition was made in Deeember, when, after the capture of New York, the British followed Washington into New Jersey, they were ordered to co-operate with the forces under Gens. Lee and Gates in that State. Assembling at Chester,* they marched thence to a place called " the City, at the parting of the roads leading from Tappan to Pyra- mus," under command of Gen. George Clinton.t That their service in the fiehl at this time was ardu- ons and sacrificing is abundantly shown by a letter written by Henry Wisner, Jr., under date of December 24th : " I have been visiting," he writes, " the differ- ent battalions of militia, and finding them so uneasy that I am afraid that, notwithstanding everything that can be said and done, many of them will go home. The situation of their families is so very distressing that no argument can prevail with them. Many of

* " Resolved, That all the militia of Orango and Ulster Counties be fortb with ordered to march, properly armed and accoutered, to Chester, in Orange County, there to receive further orders from Gen. George Clinton for effectually co-operating with Maj .- Gen. Lee and Maj .- Gen. Gates, in harassing and distressing the enemy, who have entered the State of New Jersey."-Res. Pror. Conv., Dec. 9, 1776. A subsequent order confined them to the limits of New York.

+ At that time brigadier general of militin of Ulster County ; subse- quently Governor of the State.

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

them left their families without wood, without meal, and without fodder at home for their cattle, many of their families without shoes, and some of them little better here," and he might have added, perhaps, with- out proper food, for he takes occasion to say that he had stopped, on his own responsibility, for their use a drove of cattle that were being sent to Philadelphia. The victory of Washington at Trenton changed the aspect of the campaign, and they were soon after re- turned to their homes. Their retirement, however, was only temporary. As a part of Clinton's brigade they were, for over two years, practically resolved into minute men and placed under orders to march upon signal to the defense of the Highlands ;* special ser- vices almost innumerable were thrown upon them.t Rallying after the loss of Fort Montgomery, we see them on the march to Kingston, struggling against hope to save that place from the flames, and from thence returning to build anew their shattered citadels, and to reappear in the conflict at Minisink.

Although familiar, an abridged narrative of their services in these fields may not be omitted in this con- nection. In July, 1775, the British ministry, in ar- ranging their plan for the suppression of the rebellion, determined " to command the Hudson with a number of small men-of-war and cutters, and maintain a safe intercourse and correspondence between Quebec, Al- bany, and New York, and thus afford the finest oppor- tunity to their soldiery, and the Canadians in conjune- tion with the Indians, to make continual incursions into Massachusetts, and divide the provincial forces, so as to render it easy for the British army at Boston to defeat them and break the spirits of the Massachu- setts people, desolate their country, and compel an absolute subjection to Great Britain." To counteract this plan, the Continental Congress, in May of the same year, at the suggestion of the Convention of New York, resolved, "that a post be taken in the Highlands, on each side of Hudson's River, and bat- teries erceted, and that experienced persons be imme- diately sent to examine said river in order to discover where it would be most advisable and proper to ob- struct the navigation." During the succeeding fall, Forts Clinton and Montgomery were erected under

* " On the firing of two caunon at Fort Montgomery, and two at Fort Constitution, to be answered by two from the brass twenty-four-pounder at New Windsor, the militin on the west side of Hudson's River, in the couaties of Orange and Ulster, as far us Col. Hasbrouck's regiment, in- chiding the same, are to march by detachments, without further notice, as reinforcement of this garrison."-Order of Brig-Gen. James Clinton, commanding at Fort Montgomery, July 10, 1777. From December, 1776, to April, 1778, the militia were called out twelve times and speut two hun- dred and ninety-two days in the fich.

+ A single instance of the muny recorded services of this nature is the following, which ocenrred on the morning preceding the battle of Mini- sink, and which accounts for the limited number of men in that action : "On the evening of the 21st of this instant I received au order froui his excellency Gen. Washington, together with a regnisitlun of the Com- missary of Prisoners, to furnish one hundred men of my regiment to guard the British prisoners on their way to Easton. I ordered three companies of my regiment, Including the exempt company, to parade for that purpose."-Hathorn's Report, July 25, 1779.

the supervision of the Convention of New York, and the navigation obstructed by means of chains, booms, fire-ships, and vessels of war, during the summer of 1776.# The forts were largely garrisoned by the mi- litia of the district, who were called together by a system of beacons and signals, consisting of flags and alarm-cannon by day, and beacon-fires upon the mountain tops at night. The works were strengthened during the summer of 1777, by the construction of | Fort Constitution on Constitution Island, and of Fort Independence at Peekskill, and the command, on the east side of the river, intrusted to Gen. Putnam; Governor Clinton and Gen. James Clinton and the militia retaining the west side.

Scarcely had the work been completed when Bur- goyne swept down from Canada with his splendid army, and the campaign for the possession of the Hudson opened. To aid in the movement, Howe threatened an attack on Philadelphia, by way of Dela- ware River, and thus forced Washington to draw men from the Highlands until only fifteen hundred re- mained. About the 20th of September, while Howe was marching into Philadelphia and Burgoyne had reached Saratoga, over three thousand British soldiers arrived in New York, and there joined the armament of Sir Henry Clinton, then in waiting, and in a few days started to force their way up the Hudson. Mis- leading Gen. Putnam by feigning an attack on Peeks- kill, the,forces of the enemy crossed the river to Stony Point, marched around the western base of the Dun- derberg (October 7th), and appeared before the forts. The militia of the district, about six hundred in number, that had been hastily called in the day previous, united with the garrisons and made a most heroic defense, fighting against superior numbers until twilight, when they gave way and made a scattered retreat, leaving behind them about three hundred of their number in killed, wounded, and prisoners .?

# The first obstructions consisted of a chain eighteen hundred feet in length from the foot of the rock at Fort Montgomery to the base of An- thony's Nose. A considerable portion of it was brought from Fort Ti- curleroga, where it had been used to obstruct the river Sorel; the remainder was manufactured at Poughkeepsie. It was protected by a booni of logs, and guarded by batteries on the shore. From Plum Poiat to Pallopel's Island a chevaux-de-frise was constructed. The fire-ships were rafts loaded with combustibles. The ships-of-war were two armed frigutes, two galleys, and an armed sloop.

¿ The following report of the action was nuule by Governor Clinton to Gen. Washington :

" NEW WINDSOR, Oct. 9, 1777.

"DEAR GENERAL,-I have to inform you that, in consequence of in- telligence received by Gen. Putuum from Gen. Parsons (who lay with his brigade at the White Plains), of the enemy's having received a reinforcement front Europe at New York, and that by their movements there was reason to believe they intended an attack ou Peekskill, and to possess themselves of the passes in the Highlands, the general inne- diately wrote to me these circumstances; and to prevent if possible the disagreeable consequences that might arise if the army at the different posts was not timely reinforced, I ordered that part of the militia of this State that had not already marched to the northward to move, and part of them to join Gen. Putnam, and the remainder of them to reinforce the posts of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton; but, it being a critical time with the yeomanry, as they had not yet sown their grain, and there being at that time no appearance of the enemy, they were extremely

E Br

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

The regiments engaged were Col. Allison's, from Goshen, commanded by himself; Col. Jesse Wood-

restless and uneasy. They solicited Gen. Putnam for leave to return, and many of them went home without his permission. Urged by these considerations he thought proper to dismiss a part of them.

" As I thought it essentially necessary that they should remain in the field for some time, in order to check the progress of the enemy should they attempt to put their design in execution, I issued another order for one-half of them immediately to march, part of them te join Gen. Putaam and a sufficient number to reinforce the forts and the pass at Sydman's Bridge, at the month of the Clove ; and, in order to induce them to turn out with the greater alacrity, I thought it necessary to fix their time of ser- vice to one month, at the expiration of which time they were to be relieved by the other half. While this arrangement was in agitation, and before a proper arrangement could possibly be made by the respective officers as to what part of theni could serve for the first month, they were not so expeditions as was absolutely necessary, which the event has fully evinced. A number of the enemy's ships made their appearance on the 3d instant in Tarrytown Bay, where they weighed anchor the next day, being joined by several ships-of-war and transports from New York. They proceeded up the river as high as King's Ferry, and at day-break on Sunday, the 5th, landed a considerable body of men on Verplanck's Point.

"As I was apprehensive from many circumstances that an attack on the forts was intended, I dispatched Maj. Logan, an alert officer, who was well acquainted with the ground, on Sunday evening, through the mountains to reconnoitre, and if possible gain intelligence of the enemy's motion. The major returned about nine o'clock on Monday, informing me that, from the best intelligence he could procure, and the rowing of the boats, he had reason to believe they had landed a considerable force on the west side of the river at King's Ferry, and between that and Dun- derberg; but, as the morning was foggy, it was impossible to discern them so as to form any judgment of their numbers. As soon as I had obtained this intelligence, I immediately dispatched Lient, Jackson with a small party to discover the enemy's movements ; but they had not pro- reeded more than two miles on the Haverstraw Road when they were attacked by a party of the enemy, who had formed an ambuscade at a place called Doodletown. They immediately retreated after returning the fire. As soon as the firing was heard, I detached Lient .- Col. Bruyn with fifty Coutiuental troops, and as many of the militia under Lieut .- Col. McClaughry to sustain Lieut. Jackson; the garrison at that time being so weak that we could not afford them greater aid on that rond, and I imagined it would be necessary to send out a party likewise on the road which leads to the Forest of Dean. The detachment under Cols, Bruyn and McClaughry were soon engaged, Imt, being too weak to withstand the enemy's great force, retreated to Fort Clinton, disputing the ground inch by inch. Their gallant opposition, and the roughness of the ground, checked the progress of the enemy for some time.

" While matters were in this situation in the neighborhood of Fort Clinton, a large body of the enemy were advancing on the road which leads from the Forest of Dean to Fort Montgomery. As I hul only one field-piece at the above fort, I ordered t'ol. Lamb of the artillery to send it off to nn advantageous post on that road, with a covering party of sixty men, and another of the same number to sustain them, in order to give the enemy a check, aod retard their movements till I could receive rein- forcements from Gen. I'ntnam, to whom I had sent an express for that purpose. This order being immediately complied with, the piece had hardly reached the place of its destination, and the covering party been posted on strong ground, when the enemy were seen advancing with hasty strides ; but being unexpectedly annoyed by discharges of grape- shot from the fiold-piece and a well-directed fire from the muskets, which made great havoc among them, as we have since been informed, they were repeatedly driven back, till, filing off through the woods upon the right and left with a view of surrounding our men, and the handful of brave fellows being alarmed at their critical situation, they were con- strained to abandon the field-piece, after rendering It useless to the enemy by spiking it. la order to cover the men who were retreating, and to check the farther progress of the enemy, I ordered imt a twolve- ponnder, which being well-served with grape-shot, annoyed them greatly, and gave the meu an opportunity of retreating into the garrison with very little loss on our side, except that of Capt. Fenno, who commanded the field-piece, and was made a prisoner.

" This was about two o'clock in the afternoon, and the enemy ap- pronched the works aud began the attack, which continued with few in- tervala till about five o'clock, when an officer appeared with a flag. I 5

hull's, from Cornwall, under command of Maj. Zachariah DuBois; Col. James Clinton's, from New Windsor, commanded by Lieut .- Col. James Me- Claughry; Col. Hasbronek's, from Newburgh, under Lient .- Col. Masten ; three regiments from other dis-

ordered Lieut .- Cel. Livingston to meet him without the works and knew his business. Col. Livingston having demanded his rank and business, he was told by the bearer of the fing that he was Lieut .- Col. Campbell, and that he came to demand the surrender of the fort to prevent the effu- sion of blood. Col. Livingston replied that he had no anthority to treat with him, but if they would surronder themselves prisoners of war they might depend upou being well treated, and if they did not choose to accept those terms they might renew the attack, as soon as he should retire within the fort, he being determined to defend it to the last ex- tremity. As soon as Lieut .- Col. Livingston returned the attack was renewed with great violence, and, after as obstinate a resistance ns our situation and the wenkness of the garrison would admit, having de- fended the works from two o'clock till the dusk of the evening, the enemy, by the superiority of numbers, forced the works on all sides. The waut of men prevented us from sustaining and supporting every part, having received no reinforcement from Gen. Putnam.

" Our loss, killed, wounded, and prisoners, is not so great as might have been expected, when the strength of the enemy and our weakness are properly considered. My brother was wounded with a buyonet. Many i officers and men, and myself, having the advantage of the onemy by being well acquainted with the ground, were so fortunate ss te effect our escape under cover of the night, after the enemy were possessed of all the works. I was so happy as to get Into a boat, crossed the river, and immediately waited en Gen. Putnam, with a view of concerting meas- ures for our future operations, to prevent the designs of Gen. Clinton, and impede his progress in facilitating the movements of Burgoyne from the northward. I can assure your Excellency that I am well convinced if night had not approached rather too fast to correspond with our wishes the enemy would have been disappointed in their expectations, as a re- inforcement of five hundred men from Gen. Putnam's army were on the west side of the river ready to cross for our relief when the works were forced; and many of the militia were in the mountains on their march to join us, had not the communication between us and them been cut off.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 13

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1336

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336