USA > New York > Warren County > History of Warren County [N.Y.] with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 12
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"The provisions and stores had been plundered and destroyed. Among the supplies were a large number of boxes of chocolate which had been broken open and their contents strewed upon the ground, which, dissolving in the fer- vid heat of the summer sun, mingled with the pools and rivulets of blood, form- ing a sickening and revolting spectacle. The convoy had been ambushed and attacked immediately after leaving the protection of the stockade post, and the massacre took place upon the flats between the Half-way Brook and the Blind Rock, or what is more commonly known at the present day as the Miller place.
"Putnam, with his command, took the trail of the marauders, which soon became strewed with fragments of plunder dropped by the rapidly retreating savages.
"They were followed to Ganaouske Bay, on the west side of Lake George, where Putnam arrived only in time to find them embarked in their canoes, at a safe distance from musket shot, on the waters of the lake; and their discovery was responded to by insulting and obscene gestures, and yells of derision and defiance. The provincials returned immediately to the scene of the butchery, where they found a company from Fort Edward engaged in preparing a trench for the interment of the dead.
"Over one hundred of the soldiers composing the escort were slain, many
-
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CONTINUATION OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH WAR.
of whom were recognized as officers, from their uniform, consisting in part of red velvet breeches. The corpses of twelve females were mingled with the dead bodies of the soldiery. All the teamsters were supposed to have been killed. While the work of burial was going forward the rangers occupied themselves in searching the trails leading through the dense underbrush and tangled briars which covered the swampy plains. Several dead bodies were by these means added to the already large number of the slain. On the side of one of these trails, the narrator of these events saw a new unhemmed ban- dana handkerchief fluttering from the twigs of an old tree that lay among the weeds near the brook. This he found perforated with a charge of buck shot, part of which remained enveloped in its folds.
" Following up the trail, he soon found the corpse of a woman which had been exposed to the most barbarous indignities and mutilations, and fastened in an upright position to a sapling which had been bent over for that purpose. All of the bodies had been scalped, and most of them mangled in a horrible manner.
"One of the oxen had no other injury than to have one of its horns cut out ; it was still alive and bellowing with agony. This they were obliged to kill.
" Another ox had been regularly scalped. This animal was afterwards driven to the lake, where it immediately became an object of sympathy and at- tention of the whole army. By careful attendance and nursing, the wound healed in the course of the season. In the fall the animal was driven down to the farm of Colonel Schuyler, near Albany, and the following year was shipped to England for exhibition as a curiosity. Far and wide it was known as the scalped ox. The bodies of the dead were buried in a trench near the scene of massacre, a few rods east of the picketed enclosure. The French version of the affair states 'the oxen were killed, the carts burnt, the property pillaged by the Indians, one hundred and ten scalps were secured, and eighty-four prison- ers taken ; of these twelve are women and girls. The escort which was de- feated consisted of forty men commanded by a lieutenant who has been taken. The remainder who were killed or taken prisoners consisted of wagoners, sutlers, traders, women and children. The English 'tis known feel this loss very sensibly. Some baggage and effects belonging to General Abercrombie, as well as his music, were among the plunder. On the news of this defeat, the English general sent a very considerable force in pursuit, under the com- mand of the partisan Robert Rogers, but he was too late. He was on the point of returning, when, on the advice of a colonial gunner, a deserter, he re- ceived orders to lay in ambush to surprise a third detachment which the Mar- quis de Montcalm had just dispatched under the orders of M. Marin, a colonial officer of great reputation. This detachment was composed of fifty regulars, one hundred Canadians, and one hundred and fifty Indians. That of the enemy,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
of about seven hundred men. They met in the woods, about seven o'clock in the morning of the eighth of August, and in spite of superior numbers, M. Marin made his arrangements to fight the enemy.
"He forced them to waver by two volleys, which killed a great many; but having been supported by the regulars, they rallied, and the firing was brisk on both sides for nearly an hour. M. Marin, perceiving that they were receiving a reinforcement, and that the Indians, who feared that they would not be able to carry off some wounded, demanding to retire, he was obliged to think of re- treating, which he did in good order, and without being pursued, after having, for an hour longer kept up a fire with such picked men as he had, who per- formed prodigies of valor. The Indians, in general, have also behaved well; but of one hundred Canadians, more than sixty deserted M. Marin, no one knows wherefore, at the very moment when the English were wavering. The English loss is reported in this account at upwards of two hundred killed and two officers taken prisoners. The French loss is stated at ten killed and eleven wounded. The scene of this engagement was near Fort Anne.' Rogers's jour- nal estimates the French loss at one hundred and ninety-nine."
Putnam and a few others were cut off from the main body. The men were slain, and Putnam captured and securely bound to a tree. As the changes of the battle surged around him, he was placed at times between the fire of the contending parties and his garments torn by the shots, alike by friend and foe. While in this helpless condition, a young Indian approached and amused him- self with the strange pastime of hurling his tomahawk at the prisoner, practic- ing how near he could approach without hitting the mark. A still more sav- age Canadian presented his gun at Putnam's breast, but it missed fire. He then indulged his fierce passions by inflicting upon the prisoner several severe wounds with the butt of the weapon. When the French were repulsed and com- menced their retreat, his Indian captor released Putnam and extended to him that mysterious tenderness and care with which the Indians treat their victims destined to the torture. The savages encamped at night, and then the strange motive that actuated this kindness was revealed. Putnam, stripped of his - clothing, was again tied to a sappling; dried fagots were piled about him, the torch applied, and while the smoke and crackling flames began to ascend, the thoughts of the brave ranger dwelt upon his happy home and prattling children. When the agony of death in this frightful form was almost passed, the generous Marin, who had learned of his peril, rushed to the spot, and bursting through the circle of shouting savages, scattered the firebrands and rescued the victim. In the ensuing autumn Putnam was exchanged and returned to new fields of glory, but to none of such appalling horror.
About this time there were three picketed forts or stockades constructed along the line of the old military road. One was "on what was then called Picket Brook, a small rivulet which crosses the plank road about one-eighth of
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EXTINCTION OF FRENCH POWER IN AMERICA.
a mile south of the upper toll-gate by Brown's Half-way House (at French Mountain), and empties into a stream known in the earlier annals of the town as Hampshire Creek or Rocky Brook, but now called Trout Brook. This for- tification was erected on the south side of the rivulet, to which led a covered way, even now to be distinctly traced. It was called Fort Williams."1 One was at Half-way Brook, and was used as a depot for provisions and stores. A third, " capable of accommodating about three hundred men was built some- where near the site of Richards's steam saw-mill, on the berme side of the Glens Falls feeder, and east of the bridge on the road leading to Sandy Hill. Connected with this fort was a burial ground which has been in use so lately as since the Revolutionary war." 2
CHAPTER IX.
EXTINCTION OF FRENCH POWER IN AMERICA.
Continuation of the Famine - Exigencies of the French - Montcalm's Prophecies - Pitt's Zeal and its Effect - The Proposed Campaign - Abercrombie's Recall and Amherst's Appointment - His Extensive Military Preparations - Assembling His Army - Montcalm Asks to be Recalled - Capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by Amherst - Fort Gage - Destruction of the Indian Village of St. Francis - Rogers's Wonderful Expedition - Amherst's Fleet and its Operations - Gen. Wolfe before Quebec - Fall of the City - Montcalm and Wolfe Killed - Strengthening of Crown Point and Ticon- deroga - Campaign of 1760 - Extinction of French Power in the New World.
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W HILE the events recorded in the preceding chapter would seem to in- dicate an early approaching triumph of the French cause in America, the reverse was the fact. Canada was suffering the actual horrors of famine and was almost depopulated of males who had reached maturity, to swell the ranks of the military. The ocean teemed with British ships, rendering it prac- tically impossible for France to grant the appeal : "We want provisions; we want powder; and France should send ten thousand men to preserve the col- ony." For three years, against odds that would, in any other hands than those of the incompetent English commanders, have crushed him in a single cam- paign, the brave Montcalm had preserved the French possessions; but in the spring of 1759 he wrote the government minister : " If the war continues, Can- ada will belong to England, perhaps this campaign or the next." And then referring to the gross corruption, jealous wrangles and insolence of the French officials towards the Canadians, added in the same letter: "If there be peace the colony is lost unless the entire government is changed." Moreover, a feel-
1 HOLDEN'S History of Queensbury. 2 Ibid.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
ing of jealousy and ill-will had grown up between Montcalm and Vaudreuil and was fostered by the brilliant military exploits of the former ; while the lat- ter, from his position of authority, carried to the throne imputations against Montcalm of insubordination, neglect of instructions, lack of adaptation to the command in Canada, and a personal deportment that alienated the alliance of the Indians. This spirit was reflected upon and infused into the army, while the savages, although still professing fealty, failed to rally to the French cause as they had formerly done. A large body of warriors had been promised Montcalm at Ticonderoga, with the aid of which he felt that he could have successfully pursued and overwhelmed Abercrombie. The warriors did not appear until too late, when they were rebuked by Montcalm.1 The chiefs com- plained to Vaudreuil and he promptly carried their complaints to Versailles.
While this untoward state of affairs with the French was growing worse, the zeal of Pitt was stirring the sluggish British to action. The proposed cam- paign involved, besides the conquest of Ticonderoga, the capture of Fort Ni- agara and the siege of Quebec. On the 27th of July General Prideaux, who was joined by Johnson at Oswego, appeared before Niagara, but the siege had scarcely begun when he was slain. Johnson then assumed command and the siege continued. On the 24th a large body of French and Indians attempted to raise the siege. A sharp conflict ensued and the effort was defeated. The garrison surrendered the next day.
With the fall of Louisburg, as already recorded, General Amherst em- barked four or five regiments and hurried to Boston, whence he marched across the country for Lake George, reaching there in October (1758). Ab- ercrombie had already been recalled (September) and Amherst given the com- mand of all the forces in North America, which he assumed in November.2
Amherst 3 began at once his preparations for an active campaign. He proved to be the right man for the emergency ; and the colonies had need of all their confidence in him and his proposed measures, for he called for more than seventeen hundred recruits, a number that appalled them, coming as an addition to their already heavy sacrifices. But inspired by the enthusiasm of Pitt and relying on the genius of Amherst, the colonies yielded up their men and means.
Rogers, with an augmented force of rangers, under Stark and other Indian
1 When the chiefs proposed to take the war path toward Fort Edward, Montcalm told them to " go to the d-l."
2 Abercrombie returned to England; evaded censure ; was gladdened by promotion, and lived to vote as a member of Parliament for the taxation of a country, which his imbecility might have lost, and which was always the object of his malignant aspersions. - BANCROFT.
3 Amherst, without any claim to brilliancy or genius, was calculated to command success by the excellence of his judgment, his prudent circumspection, and persevering firmness. His character and policy had secured to him the respect and confidence of the colonies. His measures were not stimu- lated by the arrogance of Braddock, nor trammeled by the feebleness and indecision of Abercrombie, nor dishonored by the pusillanimity of Webb. - WATSON.
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EXTINCTION OF FRENCH POWER IN AMERICA.
veteran fighters, was constantly on the move, harassing the enemy's outposts, capturing prisoners, sometimes singly and often in considerable numbers, but always enduring the severest hardships and occasionally suffering defeat. The shores of Lake George and the upper end of Lake Champlain constituted the field of operations, and there was hardly a mile contiguous to the banks of either from Fort George to Crown Point that was not the scene of some thrilling in- cident connected with the war.
" General Gage, who was a prominent officer in Amherst's campaign, being assigned to leading and important duties, with a strong detachment was sent forward in advance of the main army, and taking position at the head of the lake, proceeded to the erection of some temporary defenses on a commanding eminence, spoken of as Element Hill in one of the soldier's journals, to the west of the old Fort William Henry, to which was given the name of Fort Gage,1 in honor of its builder. Gage was soon after joined by Stark with three companies of rangers. Rogers, with the other three companies, remained at Fort Edward, engaged in frequent scouts and reconnaissances, under the immediate supervision of Amherst in person "
Continuing our extract from Dr. Holden : "The main body of the army was put in motion in the early part of June, and after three days' march Gen- eral Amherst encamped with his entire force at Fort Edward. Here the troops were again placed under a rigid system of discipline, exercise, and drill to pre- pare them for their coming duties. The raw and inexperienced provincials who composed the greater portion of the army, unused to the irksome and rigid requirements of stern military rules, soon manifested a disposition to re- turn to the homes from which they had been so unceremoniously torn. Wear- ied and heartsick of the monotonous camp duties assigned them, with a certain prospect of a dangerous march and a sanguinary battle-field before them, the spirit of insubordination 2 and desertion spread to an alarming extent ; the pro- vincials by twos, threes and even whole platoons stealing off to the woods, de- spite the most exacting vigilance, and animated appeals to their patriotism and courage. At length Amherst found it necessary to resort to the terrible death penalty to stay the progress of the alarming defection in his fast dwindling
1 HOLDEN in his History of Queensbury, from which the above extract is taken, says, in a foot-note, concerning this fort that he " has sought dilligently for some account or description of this fortification, whose name and site, tradition has preserved for more than a century, but none has been found. It is on the authority of the late Hon. William Hay, of Saratoga Springs, that the period above named is given as the date of its construction. It was probably little more than a redoubt, and intended as a flank support to the main fortifications now known as the ruins of Fort George."
2 Thomas Burk, waggoner, tryed by a court martiall of the line for abusing and offering to strick his officer at Half-way brook, is found guilty of the crime laid to his charge, and sentenced to receive four hundred lashes. The general approves of the above sentence, and orders that the said Thomas Burk is marched to-morrow morning at 5 o'clock by the provost guard, regiment to regiment and that he receives 30 lashes at each of the four regular regiments, beginning at Forhse's and so on to the right. That he also receives 30 lashes each at the head of 8 provincial regiments, and 40 at the head of Schuy- ler's .- WILSON'S Orderly Book.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
army. Four deserters, Dunwood, Ward, Rogers and Harris by name, were apprehended, and after a trial by court martial, were shot in the sight of the whole army, which was drawn out in battle array to witness the execution. This stringent measure had the desired effect in stopping the progress of de- sertion." 1
"Towards the close of June, the army, amounting to six thousand men, pre- ceded by Rogers's rangers, advanced in two colums to the head of Lake George, where they erected their camp, very nearly on the ground occupied by Abecrombie the year before. On the following day Amherst traced a plan for a fortification near the camp ground, which was soon afterwards con- structed, and whose ruins are now crumbling in massive piles upon the shrub- grown eminence to the east of the village of Caldwell. While the army remained posted at this position. several days elapsed in bringing up, from the various posts below, the artillery, heavy stores, boats and baggage, necessary for prosecuting the siege of Forts Carillon and St. Frederic.
"During this time the corvette, Halifax, which had been sunk at the head of the lake after Abecrombie's retreat the preceding year, was raised and re- fitted, together with several bateaux, and a large floating battery, in which labor Captain Loring of the English navy, lent his most efficient aid. In the mean time several skirmishes both by land and water occurred between the scouting parties of the opposing forces, in the majority of which the French were triumphant."
During the ensuing month Amherst's army was swelled to more than eleven thousand effective men, and on the 21st of July, 1759, the bosom of Lake George was again the scene of a gorgeous array of boats bearing this army towards their enemies. A landing was made on the eastern shore, nearly op- posite Howe's Cove, whence he was prepared for his successful march against Ticonderoga.
The unhappy condition of the French had already impelled Montcalm to ask repeatedly for his own recall, a request that was as often endorsed by Vau- dreuil; but the home government appreciated the genius of the general at its true value and sent him the following dispatch : " You must not expect to re- ceive any military reinforcements ; we will convey all the provisions and am- munition possible; the rest depends on your wisdom and courage and the
1 Of the severity of the discipline followed in this campaign, the following is an illustration.
"TICONDEROGA, 3d August, 1759.
"George Edwards a deserter from the 17th regiment is to suffer death. The Picquits of the line to assemble immediately in front of Montgomerys. The commanding officer of Forbes will order that regiment to erect a gallows imediately on the battery in front of Montgomerys, where the prisoner, George Edwards is to be hanged in his French coat, with a libble on his breast, Hanged for deserting to the French. He is to be hanging all day and at the retreat beating he is to be buried very deep under the gallows, and his French coat with him. This to be put in execution instantly, and if the provost martiall does not find a hangman, the commanding officer of the Picquitts will order that provost mar- tiall does it himself."-WILSON's Orderly Book, p. 113.
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EXTINCTION OF FRENCH POWER IN AMERICA.
bravery of your troops." Our sympathy must go out to the gallant officer who was constrained to turn his thoughts from his family and his wasting es- tate and give up his life for a falling fabric. He wrote a friend in France : "There are situations where nothing remains for a general but to die with honor."
Amherst arranged his forces in four columns, the center ones consisting en- tirely of regulars, and led by himself, while the two flanking columns, com- posed mainly of provincial troops, were commanded by General Gage. His whole force numbered eleven thousand eight hundred and thirty-three men, with a section of the royal artillery and fifty-four guns of various calibre.
On the 21st of July the army landed and bivouacked at the same point where Abercrombie had camped the year before. The next day they reached the foot of the lake and disembarked. Rogers with his rangers pushed for- ward across the mountain ridge, and took possession of the bridge and saw- mills at the lower falls. On what is now known as Mount Hope they were met by a squad of French and Indians and a skirmish followed. The latter were readily dispersed and retreated hastily to the fort. That night Amherst with his whole force occupied the heights around the fort, resting upon their arms.
The next morning the rangers were pushed forward to a point on the shore of the lake partly flanking the enemy's batteries, while a force attacked the works in front, carrying the first entrenchment and forcing the enemy inside the fort. While these preliminary operations were going on the provincials were engaged in hauling the artillery and ammunition over the "carrying- place " from Lake George. As soon as the artillery was in position and his lines formed Amherst moved forward to make the final assault. To his sur- prise he found the entrenchments almost unoccupied. The circumstances sur- rounding the abandonment of the post by the French, as narrated in Holden's History of Queensbury, were as follows : -
" The defense of the frontier of Lake St. Sacrament and fortress of Carillon was entrusted at this time to M. de Boulemarque, an officer of distinguished ability, who for two campaigns had served with great success in this vicinity. The garrison consisted of one battalion of the regiment of La Reine, two bat- talions of the regiments of Berry, one hundred and fifty soldiers detached from the other five battalions, an equal number of soldiers of the marine, and eight hundred provincial militia, making an aggregate of two thousand three hun- dred men. His instructions, based upon dispatches recently received from the court of France, were not to hazard an engagement but to fall back before the advance of the English army, and take position upon an island in the river St. John which was judged to be the post best adapted to protect the frontier. The main body of the French and Canadian forces were at this time drawn away by Montcalm to the north for the defense of the almost impregnable stronghold of Quebec, which was being threatened by the veteran brigades under the command of the daring Wolfe.
8
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
"M. de Boulemarque, finding the English army too well prepared for an attack, and he being too circumspect to trust the event of a siege, prudently re- solved to act in conformity with his instructions and abandon the fortress to its inevitable fate. Accordingly preparations were made for a retreat, and during the night of the 23d the main division of the army filed noiselessly out and retired to their boats. The final defense of the post was committed to the care of Captain d'Hebecourt and four hundred men. During the retreat of the main body the attention of the British army was diverted by the assault of this small force upon the entrenchments. This threw the English lines into such confusion that they fired upon each other, thus enabling the assaulting party to retire in safety to their defenses. In this affray the English lost six- teen men. During the next three days the fire from the French batteries was maintained with great activity and effect holding the English well in check. Among the killed in these discharges was Colonel Townsend, assistant adju- tant-general, an officer of great ability and universally beloved throughout the army.
" During this period the English engineers were busily engaged in plant- ing siege batteries, while a portion of the army was employed in preparing fascines. At the same time a portion of the rangers was dispatched on a scout to Crown Point. To Major Rogers was entrusted the important duty of cutting away a large boom which the French had built across the narrow part of the lake, opposite the fort, to obstruct the navigation.
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