USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie county, and border wars of New York > Part 51
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I am, dear sir, Your humble servant, THOS. MACHIN."
" The Honorable Maj. Gen. McDougal.
" April 20th, 1778."
" Poughkeepsie, 3d May, 1778.
" Dear Sir-I received your letter of yesterday and am happy to learn that the chain is across the river, and that you had the good fortune to accomplish it so expeditiously and so much to your satisfaction.
"I am informed that old Mr. Teabout, who lives (or did lately) at Van Deuzens, near the Clove, has a phaeton that he will dispose of. If so, and it is a neat, good one, as I am told it is, I wish to buy it, provided it can be had at a reasonable price. A new one used to cost about £80. I would be willing to give something more now. Will you call and take a look at it-know the price, and if good and reasonable purchase it for me. The sooner you see it the better. Yours, sincerely,
" Capt Machin.
GEO. CLINTON."
The following paper tells credibly for the skill and character of Capt. Machin :
" I hereby certify that about the middle of July, 1776, Capt. Machin, of the Artillery, came to Fort Montgomery, and by the
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direction of His Excellency, Gen. Washington, was there employ- ed in laying out and erecting works for the defence of that place, and for securing the pass to Anthony's Nose, until towards the lat- ter part of August, when Gen. James Clinton took the command of that post. That in December following, Capt. Machin was em- ployed in constructing chevaux-de-frize for obstructing the navi- gation of Hudson's river, opposite Pollopel's island ; and that he continued in that business, sinking the same, making the necessa- ry preparations for fixing the chain across the river at Fort Mont- gomery, and occasionally superintending the works at that place, until some time in June 1777, when Gen. Putnam took the com- mand of the army in the neighborhood of the North river, and by his orders Capt. Machin was employed in constructing and making booms to draw across the river in front of the chain, till the reduc- tion of that fort by the enemy, at which time he was badly wound- ed. And I have reason to believe, that upon his recovery he has been steady employed to this time in the necessary preparations for fixing the new chain across the river, completing one of the booms, the chevaux-de-frize, and raising the galley which was sunk on the enemy's advance up the river. In justice to Capt. Machin I am bound to add, that while he was under my command he discovered great diligence and industry in forwarding the differ- ent works committed to his care, and that in the execution of them he experienced an uncommon share of labor and fatigue, being often necessarily exposed to work in the water in very cold weath- er.
"Given under my hand at Poughkeepsie, this 17th of August, GEO. CLINTON." 1778,
The expenses of placing obstructions in the Hudson at the Highlands, were necessarily very great. An account current, in the hand writing of Capt. Machin, shews an indebtedness (before deducting assets,) of the "Quarter Master General, to Noble & Townsend, proprietors for the Sterling Iron Works," for some 135 tons of iron wrought into booms, bolts, clips, chains, swivels, clevises, bunds, &c., of fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty- nine dollars and eighty nine cents ; nearly all of which is accre- dited in the latter part of the year 1777. Another memorandum among the Machin papers, which is headed " A general abstract of several companies of Artificers employed in the works obstruct- ing the navigation of Hudson's River, under the direction of Capt. Thomas Machin, Superintendent," gives the footing of the Pay- rolls for the labor of twelve companies of artificers, which amounts to eleven thousand eighty-nine dollars and fifty cents :
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
the longest term for which any of the Rolls was made being from Dec., 1776, to the first of June, 1777. After the enemy evacu- ated Fort Montgomery, and the Americans began to repair those works in the fall of 1777, a dock, anchor and booms, for obstruct- ing the river at that place, were again constructed by Capt. Ma -. chin, as engineer, agreeably to the orders of Gen. Putnam, as his papers show.
The iron of which the mammoth chain used at West Point was manufactured, was wrought from ore in equal parts from Sterling and Long Mines, Orange county, N. Y. The links of this chain weighed from 100 to 150 pounds each. The whole chain weigh- ed 186 tons .* This chain was buoyed up in the middle of the river by several large spars, secured a few feet apart by strong timbers framed into them, upon which the chain rested. Every Fall it was drawn on shore by a windlass and the float taken out-both being replaced early in the Spring .- (Capt. Eben Wil- liams.) The chain, as may be supposed, was properly fastened on shore at the ends. Several writers have promulged an error by stating that a chain was stretched across the Hudson, at West Point, in the Autumn of 1777.
A chain of half the diameter of the one placed at West Point, in the Spring of 1778, was drawn across the river near Fort
· Report of W. Horton, assistant Geologist in 1838, on the geology of Or- ange county.
In addition to the above, I glean the following facts from a letter from Pe- ter Townsend, Esq., of New York, to Mr. Franklin Townsend, of Albany ; the latter gentleman is a great grandson of Peter Townsend, of Chester, the principal contractor for manufacturing the chain. The Sterling Iron Works, in Sterling, Orange county, are situated 25 miles back of West Point, and have been in extensive operation since about the year 1750. Col. Timothy Pick- ering, who was entrusted with the responsibility of making the chain, ac- companied by Capt. Machin, arrived at the house of Mr. Townsend, in Ches- ter, late on a Saturday evening, early in March, 1778. The latter gentleman readily agreed to construct the chain, and such was their zeal in the popular cause, that the parties left Chester at midnight, in a violent snow-storm, and rode to the Sterling works, a distance of fourteen miles, to commence the job. At daylight on Sunday morning, Mr. Townsend had all his forges in operation, and the chain was begun. The work went on without interruption, the herculean task was finished, and the chain, carted in sections by New England teamsters, delivered at West Point in six weeks.
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Montgomery, in Nov., 1776. This chain, which, agreeably to the letter of Peter Townsend, already quoted, was made at the Ringwood Iron Works, New Jersey, and composed of cold short iron, was broken by the enemy in the fall of 1778. The West Point chain crossed the river just above the Point to Constitution Island, a distance of some 1500 feet. It was guarded by a strong battery, erected at each end to command its approach, and was never molested by the enemy.
C
B
WEST POINT, AS SEEN IN 1780.
Explanation .- A, a battery on Constitution island. B, the great chain suspended across the Hudson. C, Fort Clinton on the West Point. The latter, which occupied nearly the present site of the military academy, commanded a southern approach to the Point.
The following letter, found in the correspondence of the Pro- vincial Congress of N. Y., shows the result of the survey, made agreeably to the request of Gen. Schuyler, in the Autumn of 1776 :
"Nov. 22, 1776.
" In consequence of a letter received by us, the subscribers, members of the secret committee, from the Committee of Safety, dated the - day of November instant, when we were at Fort Montgomery fixing the chain across the river, enclosing an extract from Gen. Schuyler, requesting the Convention to have the river sounded in different places in the Highlands, we have sounded the
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
river, beginning between Verplanck's and Stoney Point, thence northward through the Highlands to Pollopel's Island, and find no part of the river in that distance less than eighty feet deep in the main channel, till within a short distance of the island.
" From the island to the western shore, we found, by measure- ment, the distance to be fifty three chains; the channel near the middle of the river at that place, is about eighty chains broad, and about fifty fect deep ; from the channel the water shoals gradually on both sides to the flats, which are about eight or ten chains broad, reckoning both sides. This above described place is the only one, in our opinion, that it is possible for an obstruction to be made by docking, effectually to impede the navigation of Hudson's river, at any place above the south part of the Highlands.
" HENRY WISNER. " GILBERT LIVINGSTON."
In accordance with the survey made as above certified, chev- auxdefrize were sunk in the river between Pollopel's Island and the west bank of the river, under the direction of Capt. Machin. The chain which guarded the river near Fort Montgomery, parted twice soon after it was fastened. The following certifies to the accident :
" Fort Montgomery, Dec. 9, 1776.
" These are to certify that the chain that has been stretched across the North river at this fort, has been broke twice ; the first, a swivel broke, which came from Ticonderoga, which was not welded sound ; the second time, a clevin broke, which was made at Poughkeepsie, in a solid part of the chain, and no flaw to be seen in any part of said chain. Which we do certify at the re- quest of Messrs. Odle and Vanduzer.
" JAMES CLINTON, B. GEN. " ABM. SWARTWOUT, CAPT. " JAS. ROSECRANS, CAPT. " DANL. LAWRENCE, LIEUT."
This chain, which was stretched across the river from Fort Montgomery to Anthony's Nose, was 1800 feet long. The State Committee authorized Capt. Machin to alter it or change its place. Below the chain he placed a boom. Of those works the historian Botta thus observes : " They were remarkable for their perfection, and had been executed with equal industry and difficulty."
Several writers have stated that skillful engineers were sent out by the King of France to explore the Highlands of the Hud-
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son, and locate suitable defences; that they superintended the erection of forts and obstructions along the river, for which they were never paid. This is all untrue. The Continental Congress recommended a survey of the Hudson, and the erection of seve- ral batteries in the Highlands, as early as May, 1775. In June following, Col. James Clinton and Christopher Tappen were ap- pointed by the Provincial Congress of New York to designate sites, and having reported to that body, it resolved to build them. Com- missioners to superintend the construction of the works were select- ed from the delegates, of which number John Berrien acted as com- missary. Bernard Romans, then a pensioner from the British crown, was employed to act as engineer, and entered upon the duties in the latter part of September. Fort Constitution, situated on " Martelair's Rock Island," afterwards called Constitution Island, in the east side of the Hudson, just above the West Point, was then commenced. Some difficulty having arisen between the en- gineer and commissioners, a special committee visited the works in December, to reconcile the existing differences. They censured the course of the engineer in not consulting the commissioners-dis- approved of the plan adopted, as too expensive for the benefits likely to accrue, and recommended the erection of defensive works at Poplopins' kill. Romans continued at Fort Constitution until some time in the winter.
In January, 1776, the erection of a battery, to mount 30 guns, was commenced by Thomas Grennell, one of the commissioners, on an eminence 714 yards east of West Point, to command the stretch of the river above and below it, about which time a bat- tery, to mount eighteen heavy cannon, was begun on a gravel hill, 500 yards eastward of Fort Constitution, and 1700 north of the other battery, intended to cover the fort and scour the West Point. In Feb., 1776, Capt. Smith, Gen. Lee's engineer, suc- ceeded Mr. Romans, and began the construction of Fort Mont- gomery, on the north chop of Poplopin's kill, 6 miles distant from Fort Constitution : and soon after, Fort Clinton, on the south side of the kill was commenced.
Application having been made in June, 1776, to Gen. Wash-
37
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
ington for an engineer, by the Provincial Congress of New York, he agreed to send them one " who would take the whole direction of the works in the Highlands ;" whereupon the commissioners were discharged from further service. The engineer sent, as has been shown, was Capt. Thomas Machin.
The correspondence inserted will serve to show the reader, to some extent, the duties performed by Capt. Machin in the High- lands. Under his direction, forts Montgomery and Clinton were completed, and several other forts and batteries along the river planned and erected, and the navigation obstructed. After the enemy destroyed forts Montgomery and Clinton, the latter was never rebuilt, but a strong fortress was placed on West Point, (the present site of the military academy,) and given the same name. Above, and commanding this fort, stood Fort Putnam, the ruins of which are still visible, and on an eminence, half a mile south-west of [the former, was a strong reboubt called Fort Willis.
Early in Jan., 1778, John Sloss Hobart, Henry Wisner, John Hathorn, and Zeph. Platt, delegated for that purpose by the State Congress, Generals Putnam and George Clinton, the Lieut. Col. of Engineers, Capt. Machin, and several other military gen- tlemen, met at Poughkeepsie, to consult about fortifying and ob- structing the Hudson ; and the works located at and near West Point, were placed there in accordance with their views. Gene- rals Schuyler, Lee, Sterling, and a few other officers, were also consulted on some occasions, about fortifying the river.
The following letter from Doct. Freeman, shows Capt. Machin still engaged in the valley of the Hudson.
" Sandwich, August 10th. 1778.
" Dear Sir-Your favor by Mr. Williams I received, also one before; am very glad to hear you are well, and employing your ingenuity and abilities in such a glorious cause, and with suck promising aspects.
" Your chest of books and instruments are safe here, and ready to be delivered to your order at any time, and should be very happy to see you here yourself, which hope shall have opportunity for ere long. Mr. Williams can tell you all ye news from this quarter, to whom I refer you. He manifests a great regard for you, and
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any favor you can show him will meet my sincerest gratitude, as he is my neighbor and friend. Your letters give me much satis- faction, and would have been answered before, but for want of opportunity. As often as you write me you will greatly oblige your affectionate friend and humble serv't.
" N. FREEMAN."
" Mrs. Freeman sends her compliments, &c .. "
" P. S. Our report respecting the channel was seasonably made and in favor of it, but nothing done."
Lieut. Woodward, mentioned by Capt. Machin as being his assistant at West Point, became after they separated his constant correspondent. The following is one of his letters.
" White Plains, 5th Sept. 1778,
" Dear Captain-This is the fourth time of my writing without hearing or receiving from you. I believe you to be buried by this. Give me joy ; I am ordered to join Capt. Walker, who is annexed to Gen. Huntington's Brigade near the Artillery Park. We live exceedingly happy on rum, beef and bread. The board of officers are sitting to settle the rank of the regiment, which makes me sorry you are not present. I waited on Gen. Parsons yesterday, who expressed surprise that you had not got down yet. Your company does duty with Capt. Wool's in Gen. Clinton's Brigade. Your lads are all well and want to see you. Our Captains are all high for rank. I hope you will not forget my foiles, but send them down by the first opportunity. I should be very glad if you can send down my ward, which is in my chest at Mr. Fraser's. Give my tender regards to Mrs. Logan and the Maj. if returned-also to all your friends as well as mine.
" Your friend,
" PETER WOODWARD."
In a bill of expenses for extra services, Capt. Machin rendered in 1778, are the following items : " Exploring Hudson's River from the 1st day of Jan. with 7 men 6 days, £6 10 0; expenses of getting down the chain logs with 40 men 4 days, £6 0 0; ex- penses in raising the Lady Washington galley at Kingston creek 20 days, £9 10 6." This vessel was purposely sunk on the enemy's approach the preceding October.
In the years 1777 and 1778, Capt. Machin paid out, indepen- dent of sums already named, as appears from the vouchers among his papers, between thirty and forty thousand dollars-mostly for obstructing the River. The usual price paid carpenters per day was $0.932-foreman $1.50 : blacksmiths from $1.37} to $1.50
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
-foreman $2 : artificers same as blacksmiths : shipwrights $1. 50-foreman $2.123, and captains of companies $3. "Joshua Marriner, super-instructor of the artificers, employed in making carriages and stocking cannon," had $2 per day. Men employed in the summer of 1778, in burning coal to be used in preparing obstructions for the River, received 7s. 6d, or 932 cents per day. The burning of coal from January to August of that year amounted, as appears by vouchers, to two hundred and forty dol- lars. A few pounds of sole-leather used in making pump boxes to aid in raising sunken vessels, was paid for at the rate of $1.25 per pound.
As appears from Capt. Machin's papers, he acted in the latter part of 1776, and early part of 1777, under the direction of Gov. Clinton : in the latter part of that year and early part of 1778, under that of Maj. Gen. Putnam; and in the summer and autumn of 1778, under that of Brig. Gen. Parsons.
To secure the passage of the Hudson through the Highlands against the enemy's shipping, was considered of most vital impor- tance; and its principal direction being assigned to Capt. Machin, tells credibly for his skill and integrity.
In the spring of 1779, as a part of the meditated invasion of the Indian country in New-York by Gen. Sullivan; Col. Van Schaick marched to Onondaga, as I have shown, to destroy the possessions of that nation. The following journal of that trans- action is on file among Capt. Machin's papers.
" Early on Monday morning, 19th of April, 1779-Marched from Fort Schuyler with a detachment of troops consisting of 558 men including officers ; and after marching [putting] eight days provision into bateaus which had been conveyed over the carrying place in the night, and leaving a sufficient number of soldiers to assist the bateaumen to get the boats down Wood Creek, with five officers to hurry them on-the remainder of the troops marched to the old scow place, twenty-two miles by land, but much more by water : the troops arrived by 3 o'clock P. M., but the boats did not all arrive until 10 o'clock, having been much obstructed by trees which had fallen across the Creek. As soon as the boats arrived the whole of the troops embarked, and on entering the Onidahogo [Oneida Lake], was much impeded by a cold head wind. Made one halt in the night for the rearmost boats to come up, and then
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proceeded to Posser's Bay, where we arrived at 8 o'clock in the morning of the 20th, to wait again for the coming up of the boats, when we continued with as much expedition as possible to the On- ondaga Landing opposite the old fort, and arrived there at 3 o'clock P. M. from whence, after leaving the boats with proper guard, we marched eight or nine miles on our way to the Onondaga settle- ment and lay on our arms all night without fire, not being able to continue our marching-dark-the night cold. Very early on the 21st proceeded on to the old Salt Lake, and at 9 o'clock A. M. forded an arm of that Lake two hundred yards over and four feet deep a considerable part of the way : pushed on to the Onondaga Creek, where Capt. Graham with his company of Light Infantry took an Onondaga warrior prisoner, which was the first Indian we had discovered. Ordered Capt. Graham to endeavor to surround the first Onondaga settlements which were about two miles off, and hastening on the troops by companies as fast as he crost the Creek upon a log-the Creek not being fordable. I soon arrived with the whole detachment at the principal Castle, but was before apprised of their having discovered our advanced parties while they were taking some prisoners, upon which I ordered different routes to be taken by several different detachments in order to surround as many of their settlements as possible at the same time, which extended eight miles in length, with some scattered habitations lying back of the coasts and on the opposite side of the Creek ; but notwithstanding, entered their first settlement in the most secret manner and quite undiscovered by them. They soon received the alarm throughout the whole and fled to the woods, but without being able to carry off any thing with them. We took thirty-three Indians and one white prisoner, and killed twelve Indians-the whole of their settlement consisting of about fifty houses, with a quantity of corn and every other kind of stock we found were killed [destroyed]-about one hundred guns, some of which were rifles, were among the plunder, the whole of which, after the men had loaded [themselves] with as much as they could carry, was destroyed, with a considerable quantity of ammunition : one swivel taken at the Council House had the trunnions broken off and otherwise damaged : in fine, the destruction of all their settle- ments was compleat, after which we begun our march back re- crossing the Creek, and forded the arm of the Lake alongside of which we encamped on very good ground ; having been once in- terrupted in our return by a small party of Indians who fired at us from the opposite side of the Creek, but were soon beat off by Lient. Evans' riflemen, with the loss of one killed on the part of the enemy and none on ours; unfair weather all this day. 22d marched down to the landing ; found bateaus in good order ; re- embarked and rowed down to the Seven Miles' Island where we encamped-fair weather. 23d, crossed the Lake and landed two miles up Wood Creek; at two o'clock left two companies to guard and assist the bateaumen in getting up the boats-marched eight miles and encamped alongside Feals Creek-fair weather. Sa-
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
turday 24th, small shower of rain on our march to the Fort, where we arrived at 12 o'clock; having been out five days and a half, the whole distance of going out and returning being one hundred eighty miles, not having lost a single man."
In May, 1779, Capt. Machin was engaged in taking a water- level between Albany and Schenectada, with a view of supply- ing the former city with water. He submitted a plan for this object to the city corporation, with drawings to show the manner in which an aqueduct and reservoir should be constructed. Agreeable to his table of levels, a mark on a post at the water- ing trough at Bratt's half-way house, was 277 feet 31.3% inches above the city hall wharf. The first mile stone out of Albany was 211 feet 5,2.5% inches below the mark at Bratt's.
Capt. Machin, as engineer, was in Sullivan's expedition to the Genesee valley in 1779. At Canajoharie he received one, and at Otsego lake the other, of the following letters from Dr. Young.
"Dear Sir-Yours of the 21st by Doct. Maus came safe to hand this forenoon, and gives me the greatest pleasure to find things are conducted with spirit. The fortunate capture and im- mediate execution of Lieut. Hare, will, I hope, produce good consequences, as it will convince the enemy, that we have spirit enough to retaliate, and chastise them for their savage barbarity. The surgeon of Hazen's regiment writes Doct. Stringer, that Ha- zen, with about half the regiment are within 40 miles of St. Johns, that many Canadians had joined him, that the Canadians in bulk (a few of the lowest of the people excepted,) are strongly attached to the cause of the Americans. That two French frigates have lately made their appearance in St. Paul's Bay, near Isle a Caudre, and that no English vessels had arrived this season, which causes some to imagine that the French have a fleet in the river. The news from Charles Town, I think may be depended upon-as soon as it comes officially from Congress, I will trans- mit it to you by the first opportunity. Continue to write, and ex- pect the most material occurrences in our quarter in return. Two members of Congress, viz: Doct. Weatherspoon and Col. Atlee passed thro' this place to the state of Vermont, on Monday ; pro- bably to deliver to them [Vermonters] the sentiments of Congress concerning their separation from this state.
" Please to present my compliments to the gentlmen of the Artillery Corps, and believe me to be with sincere esteem,
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