USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 13
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modifications made by the king, was finally adopted, and the general himself appointed to the command of the northern army of invasion.
The plan of the British campaign in America for the year 1777 included the advance of an army from Canada under command of Lieut. Gen. John Burgoyne, by way of Lake Cham- plain and Lake George into the Upper Hud- son valley as far south as Albany. At the same time the army under Sir Henry Clinton, then stationed at New York, was to force its way north up the Lower Hudson until it met and joined the army under Burgoyne, thus effectually cutting off all communication be- tween the northern and southern colonies.
In addition to these two main expeditions two minor ones were also planned for the pur- pose of distracting the attention of the Amer- icans from the advance of the main bodies. One of these consisted of about two hundred British regulars, a regiment of New York loy- alists, raised and commanded by Sir John Johnson, and a large body of Indians, all un- der command of Lieut. Col. St. Leger. This was to go up the St. Lawrence to Lake On- tario, and from there penetrate to Albany by way of the Mohawk river. The other minor expedition was the detachment sent out by General Burgoyne from Fort Edward on the 9th day of August toward Bennington, under Lieut. Col. Frederick Baum of Riedesel's dragoons. In Lieutenant Hadden's journal (p. III), may be found a copy of General Bur- goyne's private instructions to Lieutenant Colonel Baum, in which the object of this ex- pedition is stated as follows :
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIEUT. COL. BAUM.
"The object of your expedition is, to try the affec- tion of the Country; to disconcert the councils of the Enemy, to mount the Riedesel's Dragoons, to compleat Peter's Corps and obtain large supplies of Cattle, Horses & Carriages."
V .- THE CAUSES OF BURGOYNE'S DEFEAT.
The Burgoyne campaign was on the part of the British admirably planned, but was poorly
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executed. It must be admitted, however, that the one controlling element in its failure was the almost insuperable natural difficulties and obstructions encountered in its progress.
Another element quite as fatal to its success- ful issue was the utter want of cooperation on the part of Sir William Howe, of New York.
Had Sir William moved his forces up the Hudson to Albany, as it was expected he would do, instead of sending them to the south, as he really did do, he could have relieved General Burgoyne in his hour of need.
This unaccountable failure of General Howe to go to the relief of General Burgoyne, has always, until recent times, been looked upon as one of the most unsolved problems of his- tory. But it now appears that while Burgoyne's instructions were positive and unconditional, Howe was left, so far as any orders he re- ceived, at such complete liberty as to justify his conduct in marching to the south.
Of a truth, the only orders which Howe ap- pears to have received upon this point, are comprised in a casual sentence contained in Lord George Germain's dispatch of the 18th of May, 1777, with reference to the threatened operations of the Americans in the south, as follows : " I trust, however, that whatever you may meditate will be executed in time for you to cooperate with the army to proceed from Can- ada."
It appears that at the same time the orders to Burgoyne were prepared at the war office in London, orders were also made out for Howe providing for his full cooperation. But while the orders to Burgoyne were signed and for- warded to him, those to Howe were, through sheer neglect, left unsigned and remained in the pigeon holes of the home office until after all was over.
Lord E. Fitzmaurice, in his " Life of Lord Shelburne," quotes the following memorandum from the hand of Lord Shelburne. He says : "The inconsistent orders given to Generals Howe and Burgoyne could not be accounted for except in a way which it must be difficult
for any person who is not conversant with the negligence of office to comprehend. It might appear incredible if his own secretary and the most respectable persons in office had not as- sured me of the fact. What corroborates it is that it can be accounted for in no other way. It requires as much experience in business to comprehend the very trifling causes which have produced the greatest events as it does strength of reason to develop the very deepest designs. Lord George, having among other peculiarities a particular aversion to being put out of his way on any occasion, had arranged to call at his office on his way to the country, in order to sign the dispatches ; but as those addressed to Howe had not been 'fair copied,' and he was not disposed to be balked of his projected visit into Kent, they were not signed then, and were forgotten on his way to town."
How little a thing sometimes changes the destinies of nations !
VI. - BURGOYNE'S ARMY.
On the 27th of March, 1777, Burgoyne sailed for America, and arrived at Quebec in the be- ginning of May. On the 20th of May he took command of the northern army of invasion, and set out on his ill-fated expedition with the flower of the British army and some of En- gland's best blood in his train. There was a mixed multitude in Burgoyne's army. There were in it the bronzed veterans of many an European battlefield, joined with the undis- ciplined provincial and the savage warrior from the Canadian forests.
Burgoyne's army consisted of seven battal- ions of British infantry, viz .: the 9th, 20th, 2Ist, 24th, 47th, 53d and 62d regiments.
Of these, the flank companies were detailed to form a corps of grenadiers, under Major Ackland, and a light infantry under Major the Earl of Balcarras.
The Germans were dismounted dragoons, Hessian rifles, and a mixed force of Bruns- wickers.
The artillery was composed of five hundred
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and eleven rank and file, including one hun- dred Germans. There was a large number of guns, the most of which were left on Lake Champlain.
The army was divided into three brigades, under Major-General Phillips and Brigadier- Generals Frasier and Hamilton. Colonel Kingston and Captain Money acted as adju- tant and quartermaster generals. Sir James Clark and Lord Petersham were aides-de-camp to General Burgoyne.
The total force was, rank and file : British, 4,135 ; Germans, 3, 116; Canadians, 148 ; In- dians, 503; total, 7,902.
The records of some of the regiments with Burgoyne were full of glory. The oldest was the 21st, or Royal North British Fusiliers. It was raised in Scotland in 1678, during the reign of Charles II., and was first called into action the next year at Bothwell Bridge. When the Duke of Monmouth revolted against the throne in 1685 the 21st helped put his army down. In 1689 it took part in the battle of Killikranky, and the next wars in Flanders, and shared in many victories when King Wil- liam commanded in person. After the treaty of Ryswick, in 1697, it returned to Great Britain, but in 1702 again went to the conti- nent under the great Duke of Marlborough.
It was at Blenheim, in 1704, when its colo- nel was killed ; at Ramillies, in 1706; at On- denarde, in 1708 ; and at Malplaquet, in 1709, when it again lost its colonel. But the record is too long for our place. It was at Dettengen, at Fontenoy, and at Culloden. In 1761 it came to America, and was at Mobile until 1772. In 1776 it again came to America, and in 1777 fared in the fortunes of Burgoyne.
We have space for a brief account of one or two others. The 20th Foot was raised No- vember 20, 1688. It had opened its career at the battle of the Boyne.
This corps owed much to Major-General Wolfe, who, as captain, major, and lieutenant- colonel, did much to make it a model regi- ment. Its colors are now inscribed with
" Minden," "Egmont-op-zee, Egypt" (with the Sphynx), " Maida," " Vimiera," "Cor- unna," "Vittoua," "Pyrenees," "Orthes," " Peninsula," "Toulona," "Alma," "Inker- man," "Sebastapol," "Lucknow."
Of such material were the regiments made that followed the fortunes of Burgoyne in the American wilds, fought on the battle-fields of Saratoga on September 19tli and October 7th, and surrendered as prisoners of war on October 17th at old Saratoga.
CHAPTER XVI.
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION-CONTINUED. PROGRESS OF BURGOYNE'S ARMY- THE FALL OF TICONDEROGA-BATTLE OF FORT ANN-THE RETREAT OF THE AMERICANS.
I .- PROGRESS OF BURGOYNE'S ARMY.
We have seen in the preceding chapter of what material the British army of invasion, under Burgoyne, was mainly composed. In succeeding chapters will be shown its complete overthrow at Saratoga, and the triumph of the American cause. With his army thus made up of veteran regiments whose colors were emblazoned with the names of a hundred battle-fields, made dear to British hearts by British valor, Burgoyne swept proudly up Lake Champlain in the glorious month of June, 1777. For more than a hundred years this fair lake, mountain-bordered and forest- embowered, had been the pathway of hostile men. But never before in all its history had so effective and well disciplined a force as this sped over its waters, arrayed in war's grim pageantry. It was an army composed of thor- oughly disciplined troops, under able and trust- worthy officers. John Burgoyne, the general, statesman, dramatist and poet, was the pet soldier of the British aristocracy. Maj. Gen. William Phillips was a distinguished artillery
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officer of exceptional strategical skill, and Member of Parliament for Boroughbridge, York. Major General Riedesel, who com- manded the Hessians, had been especially se- lected for his military experience, acquired during a long service under Prince Ferdinand, in the Seven Years war. Brigadiers Simon Fraser and Gustavus Hamilton, had been ap- pointed solely on the ground of rare profess- ional merit. Major Robert Kingston had served honorably in Portugal. Majors Lord Balcarras and John Dyke Ackland, were con- sidered officers of rare courage and high at- tainments.
On the 17th of June, Burgoyne encamped with his army at the mouth of the Boquet river, and remained there until the 25th. While there Burgoyne held a council with the Indians. In liis address to the Indians on the 21st, he said :
"CHIEFS AND WARRIORS :- The great King, our com- mon father and the patron of all who seek and deserve his protection, has considered with satisfaction the gen- eral conduct of the Indian tribes from the beginning of the troubles in America Too sagacious and too faith- ful to be deluded or corrupted, they have observed the violated rights of the parental power they love, and burn to vindicate them *
* The clemency of your father has been abused, the offers of his mercy have been despised, and his further patience would in his eyes, become culpable, inasmuch as it would withhold redress from the most grievous oppressions in the prov- ince that ever disgraced the history of mankind. It therefore remains for me, the general of one of his ma- jesty's armies, and in this council his representative, to release you from those bonds which your obedience im- pose. Warriors, you are free! Go forth in the might of your valor and your cause! Strike at the common enemies of Great Britain-disturbers of public order, peace and happiness ; destroyers of commerce ; pari- cides of the State. *
* * * I positively forbid bloodshed when you are not opposed in arms. Aged men, women, children and prisoners, must be held sa- cred from the knife and hatchet, even in the time of actual conflict You shall receive compensation for the prisoners you take, but you shall be called to account for scalps.'"
An old war chief of the Iroquois, answer- ing, said :
"I stand up in the name of all nations present to assure our father that we have attentively listened to his discourse. We have received you as our father because when you speak we hear the voice of our Great Father beyond the great lake. We rejoice in the approbation you have expressed of our behavior. We have been tried and tempted by the Bostonians ; but we have loved our Father and our hatchets have been shar- pened upon our affections."
While at the mouth of the Boquet the army of Burgoyne foraged upon the rich but deserted fields of William Gilliland's manor of Wills- boro until it was turned into a desolate waste.
Leaving the mouth of the Boquet on the 25th, Burgoyne reached Crown Point the next day, and encamped there on both sides of Put- nam creek, the few Americans garrisoned there retreating before him.
II .- FALL OF TICONDEROGA.
On the 30th of June Burgoyne prepared to attack Ticonderoga. Before advancing, in general orders, he used the following language, which struck the key note of this campaign : "The army embarks to-morrow to approach the enemy. We are to contend for the king and the constitution of Great Britain, to vin- dicate the law and to relieve the oppressed - a cause in which his majesty's troops and those of the princes, his allies, will feel equal excitement. The services required of this particular expedition are critical and conspic- uous. During our progress occasions may oc- cur in which no difficulty nor labor nor life are to be regarded. 'This army must not retreat.'"
On the Ist of July the whole of Burgoyne's army moved forward and invested Ticonder- oga. The fort at Crown Point had been built by the French in 1731, but the fort of Ticon- deroga was not constructed by them until 1755, and was taken from them by General Amherst in 1757. Early in 1775 it had been taken by Col. Ethan Allen for the British. It was garrisoned by only two thousand five hun- dred Continentals and six hundred militia, under command of General St. Clair. It was
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looked upon as one of the strongest posts in North America, and the Colonists confidently hoped that it was an effective bar to Burgoyne's further progress. St. Clair's forces numbered less than half those of Burgoyne, while it needed to properly guard the place ten thou- sand men and one hundred cannon. The fatal fault in the construction of this fort was that to the south of it, just across the outlet of Lake George, and within fifteen hundred feet of the fort was a mountain, seven hundred feet high, called Mount Defiance, then known as Sugar Loaf mountain.
The Americans had supposed it utterly im- possible to occupy this eminence with cannon. What was their astonishment, then, when on the morning of the 5th day of July they beheld Sugar Loaf mountain covered with red coats, who were clearing off the ground on which to plant their heavy guns, for the purpose of fir- ing into the fort. The Americans saw at once their fatal error, and had nothing to do but make hasty preparation for flight. They evac- uated the fort on the night of the 5th, and at dawn of the 6th of July the British flag again waved over Ticonderoga.
Bitter was the disappointment of the colo. nists at the fall of this fort. The order to evacuate was received in the fort with curses and with tears. But there was no alternative. The guns on Sugar Loaf would sweep every corner of the works. The main body of the Americans retreated toward Castleton, in Vermont. They were overtaken by the British at Hubbardton, where a severe battle was fought and the Americans defeated with great loss. About midnight, while the main body of the Americans were retreating across the lake, orders were issued to place the sick and wounded, with the women and children, and such ammunition and baggage as might be ex- pedient, on board two hundred batteaux, to be sent at three o'clock in the morning under a convoy of six hundred men, under command of Colonel Long, of New Hampshire, up the lake to Skeensborough, now Whitehall. The
boats reached Skeensborough about three o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, but in less than two hours the British were upon them.
III. - BATTLE OF FORT ANN.
Colonel Long at once threw up his galleys, and setting fire to the fort, mill and storehouse at Skeensborough, retired in great confusion to Fort Ann, where he arrived on the morning of the 7th. On the 7th, Colonel Hill, with the 9th British regiment, followed Colonel Long. Halting for the night on the way, at half past ten on the morning of the 8th, Colo- nel Hill reached the narrow pass in the valley of Wood creek, half a mile below the fort. Upon the appearance of the British before Fort Ann, Colonel Long and Colonel Van Rensselaer, at the head of all the forces they could muster -- about 1,000 men -- marched out to meet them. And there ensued one of the most hotly contested actions of the war, and one of the most important in its results. The British were repulsed and retreated in haste to Skeensborough, and it was not until the 25th that they again advanced as far as Fort Ann. Thus Burgoyne actually suffered a delay of seventeen days in consequence of the defeat of Colonel Hill and the British 9th at Fort Ann. Colonel Van Rensselaer's troops at Fort Ann were raw militia, hastily raised on the Van Rensselaer manor, and were but a few days from the plow. Yet they fought like veterans at Fort Ann. Colonel Long's force was encamped below the fort, near the pass, and first became engaged with the en- emy, meeting him directly in front and check- ing his advance with a heavy fire. Colonel Van Rensselaer marched out to assist him. Part of his force crossed the creek on Long's right, entered a piece of woods, and poured in a heavy fire on the enemy across the stream. The British returned it with great vigor. Captain Money, in testifying before the com- mittee of the House of Commons in regard to the first battle at Saratoga, said it was much
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heavier than any he had known, unless at the affair at Fort Ann. Terribly galled by the fires from the wood, the British made a charge in that direction, but were beaten back with heavy loss. At the same time Long and Van Rensselaer advanced in front. In the height of the conflict Van Rensselaer was severely wounded and fell beside a log over which he was just springing. Several of his men ran to his assistance. "Don't mind me," said the Colonel. "Don't mind me, but charge the enemy, charge I say, charge!" They obeyed his orders and for two hours the brave colonel lay there, while the battle raged thick and fast around him.
Then another portion of the Americans crossed the creek still further down and at- tacked the British rear. Thus almost sur- rounded, Colonel Hill was obliged to retreat up the steep rocky hill, since called Battle Hill, where he held out for another hour. At length a band of Indians arrived from below. They gave the war-whoop, and the British an- swered with three cheers. Then the Ameri- cans who were below, being thus placed between two fires, and becoming short of am- inunition, retreated to their comrades up the stream. Colonel Hill at once took advantage of this movement and beat a hasty retreat down Wood creek to Whitehall, leaving the victorious Americans masters of the field. After the firing had ceased, Colonel Van Rens- selaer looked up from behind his log and saw a young man in rustic dress approaching, gun in hand. The Colonel raised himself on his elbows and cried out : " Who comes there?" The young man sprang behind a tree, and hastily loading his gun, not till then did he answer the Colonel's challenge. "I am a Continental soldier," said he, " Who the devil are you?" " I am Colonel Van Rensselaer," replied the officer. The young man called his comrades to his aid and bore the wounded officer to the fort. He was the father of Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, who was with Wayne in his expedition against the Indians, and re-
ceived six wounds while leading the attack on Queenstown heights, in the war of 1812. Col- onel Long the next day burnt Fort Ann, and retired to join General Schuyler at Fort Ed- ward.
We have dwelt upon this affair at Fort Ann because it has so far never received at the hands of our historical writers the notice it deserves. In view of the overshadowing im- portance of what soon followed in the progress of the Burgoyne campaign, Fort Ann has been quite forgotten. But it should rank with Ben- nington and Oriskany in its importance. Nay, it was the first decided check which the Brit- ish received in the campaign.
IV. - RETREAT OF THE AMERICANS TO THE MOHAWK.
After Colonel Hill, with the 9th regiment of British foot, was driven back, on the 8th of July, from the bloody field of Fort Ann, to the main body, the British army then encamped at Skeensborough, now Whitehall. It was not until the 25th of the month that the van- guard of Burgoyne's troops again appeared at Fort Ann. In the meantime, after filling Wood creek with obstructions, what few American troops there were then in the valley of the Upper Hudson retreated to Fort Edward un- til the morning of the 30th, which was the day after the advance corps of the Britishı, under General Frasier, reached the banks of the Hudson. The American army retreated first to Saratoga, and from thence to the upper points of the Mohawk, below Waterford.
While at Waterford General Schuyler was, on the 18th of August, superseded by General Gates, and the American army remained en- trenched there until the 8th of September, when it again commenced its advance up the Hudson, first to Stillwater, and then to Bemus Heights. At Bemus Heights it threw up in- trenchments, and awaited the approach of the army of Burgoyne.
After the fall of Ticonderoga, a reign of ter- ror, without parallel in the history of this
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country, began to rage in the Upper Hudson valley. Every roadway and trail leading south- ward was filled with fugitives, old and young, men, women and children, struggling along over the rough roads with their scanty stores of household goods, yet their all, snatched in haste from their deserted log cabins, and piled, some on wagons, drawn by horses, some on carts, drawn by oxen, and some on hand-carts, all rushing along in furious and tumultuous haste, in mortal fear of the dread tomahawk and scalping-knife of the Indian warriors, whose fierce yells were even then resounding throughout the Upper Hudson valley. And yet there was another class, equally numerous, who filled the trails leading to the headquar- ters of the British army, made up of tories and royal sympathizers, in equal fear of the savages, who were seeking the protection of General Burgoyne. So, amid all this con- fusion and dismay, General Frasier, with the advance of the British army, on the 27th day of July encamped near Fort Edward. Gen- eral Burgoyne, following him with the main body on the next day, took up his position on the Pitch Pine Plain, near by, his ardent de- sire to reach the banks of the Hudson having ended in fruition. It was the darkest hour in the history of the war of independence, but it was the darkness that comes before the dawn.
Even so, the night in our country's history was long and dark and dreary ; but oh ! the wondrous beauty of the day.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION (Contin- ued) -THE MURDER OF JEANNIE Me- CREA BY THE INDIANS UNDER BUR- GOYNE-THE AMERICAN SITUATION - THE BATTLE GROUND-THE BATTLE OF SEPTEMBER 19.
THE MURDER OF JEANNIE M'CREA.
No one of the several episodes, as they are called, of the campaign of 1777, has such
tragic and pathetic interest as the story of Jeannie McCrea. And as she was an inhabi- tant of Saratoga county at the time of her death, it is proper that her story should be told somewhat in detail in these pages.
It was on Sunday, at noon, of the 27th of July, while General Frasier was encamped on the plains, three miles away, and General Bur- goyne was still at Fort Ann, that she, the one maiden martyr of the American cause, met her death, while on her way to meet her lover, at the hands of Burgoyne's Indians, near the spring of water at the old pine tree of Fort Edward.
About the year 1768, two Scotch families, the McCreas and the Jones', came from Leom- ington, New Jersey, and settled in the wild woods of Saratoga county, on the west bank of the Hudson, nearly opposite and below Fort Edward.
The widow Jones came with a family of six grown-up sons, whose names were : Solomon, John, Dunham, Daniel, David and Jonathan. The Jones' took up the farm now known as the Roger place, in Moreau, nearly opposite Fort Edward, being but a mile and a half or so be- low, and kept a ferry there, then called, and after the war long known as Jones' ferry.
The McCreas settled three or four miles fur- ther down the river, not far from the line of Northumberland. Jeannie McCrea was the daughter of a Scotch Presbyterian clergyman. Her mother having died and her father having married again, she came to reside with her brother, John McCrea, on the banks of the Hudson, and thus she became a pioneer in the settlement of the old north wilderness. The McCrea brothers were strong adherents of the American cause, and men of standing and in- fluence in the neighborhood. In 1773 her brother, Daniel McCrea, was the first clerk of the first court held in Charlotte county by Judge Duer, at Fort Edward, and when the first two regiments, the 12th and 13th of Al- bany county militia men, were commissioned by the committee of safety in 1775. her brother.
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