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 16
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FROM 1770 TO 1775.
Place came forth from his quarters clad only in his night apparel. He was confronted by Allen with a peremptory summons to surrender. When he re- quested to know by what authority the demand was made, Allen uttered his immortal response, " By the authority of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress !"
Allen says, in his own graphic account of the event: "The authority of the Congress being very little known at that time, he began to speak again ; but I interrupted him, and with drawn sword over his head again demanded an immediate surrender of the garrison ; with which he then complied, and ordered his men to be forthiwith paraded without arms, as he had given up the garrison. In the mean time some of my officers had given orders and in con- sequence thereof sundry of the barrack doors were beat down, and about one- third of the garrison imprisoned, which consisted of the said commander, a Lieu- tenant Feltham, a conductor of artillery, a gunner, two sergeants, and forty- four rank and file, about one hundred pieces of cannon, one thirteen-inch mor- tar, and a number of swivels. This surprise was carried into execution in the gray of the morning of the 10th of May, 1775. The sun seemed to rise on that morning with a superior lustre; and Ticonderoga and its dependencies smiled to its conquerors who tossed about the flowing bowl and wished success to Congress and the liberty and freedom of America. Happy it was for me, at that time, that those future pages of the book of fate, which afterwards un- folded a miserable scene of two years and eight months imprisonment, were hid from my view."
Allen's well planned measures were all successful. Crown Point surren- dered on the following day, with its entire armament and its small garrison of twelve men. Herrick made his capture of Skenesborough, with Skene and his forces, besides several boats and a trading schooner. This success was crowned by the capture of two dispatch boats by Baker, which had been sent from Crown Point with news of the fall of Ticonderoga. Amos Callandar was detached with a party to the fort at the head of Lake George, whence he soon after conducted the prisoners to Hartford.
Although, when viewed from certain standpoints, this event was not one of great magnitude, yet it was, at that particular time, one upon the success or failure of which depended momentous issues; and its success caused a thrill of joy and astonishment to pervade the country. The men who were most prominent in its brave deeds became the possessors of high military distinction before the close of the Revolution -distinction won by their own efficient heroism.
New York was slow to acknowledge the importance of Allen's victory, or to profit by it. The Albany Committee, to whom John Brown bore Allen's letter of particulars of the event, with a request for such reinforcements as would prevent the recapture of the fortifications, merely forwarded the letter to the
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New York Committee. They also refused to act in the matter and in turn for- warded the dispatches to the Congress in Philadelphia. Brown was already there and gave the August body an account of the brillient event. Their re- ception of it shows that they were still uncertain and vacillating in attempting to decide what were to be the future relations of America and Great Britain ; whether it might not still be the best policy not to arouse the mother country to unconditional hostility. While Congress privately exulted over Allen's conquest, it hesitated to publicly and directly assume the responsibility of it. Instead, it recommended the New York and Albany Committees to immedi- ately remove the armament and stores at the two forts on Lake Champlain to the head of Lake George, and "indirectly counseled the establishment of a strong post at that point." As an indication of the uncertainty just alluded to, Congress also recommended "that an exact inventory of them [the arma- ment and stores] should be taken, in order that they might be safely returned when the restoration of the former harmony between Great Britain and the colonies, so ardently wished for by the latter, should render it prudent and consistent with the overruling law of self-preservation."
To this response Allen, as well as Connecticut and Massachusetts at large, manifested the most earnest opposition, and the plans were abandoned. When, a few months later, Washington at Boston was in sore need of artillery,I the immense value of the victory won by Allen and his men at Ticonderoga and Crown Point became apparent. Henry Knox, the young Boston bookseller (afterwards a brigadier-general in the American army), transported fifty heavy guns from Ticonderoga to Washington's camp in the mid-winter of 1775-76. This enterprise was one of almost unparalleled toil, the work being accomplished by numerous teams of oxen, and the journey entending through two hundred miles of wilderness. The procession was received with an ovation.
The Continental Congress had reassembled and organized on the 10th of May, the day on which Allen captured Ticonderoga. Almost its first labors were in the direction of raising an army for general defense. New York was ordered to raise three thousand volunteers. A Provincial Congress of New York convened on the 22d of May, authorized the raising of troops, encour- aged the manufacture of powder and muskets in the province, and projected fortifications on the Lower Hudson.
The capture of the fortifications on Lake Champlain opened the way for an invasion of Canada, which, at that time and amid the then prevailing spirit of the Canada soldiers and people, could scarcely have failed. Canada was in a peculiarly defenseless condition, many of her troops having been withdrawn to Boston, and it was believed that a large portion of her people would assume the
1 The whole train of artillery possessed by the colonies when the war for independence broke out, was composed of four field pieces, two belonging to citizens of Boston, and two to the province of Massachusetts. - LOSSING.
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FROM 1770 TO 1775.
cause of America in the event of an invasion promising success. But Congress hesitated, and although Allen had, in a communication of June 7th, declared that " with fifteen hundred men I could take Montreal," that body was averse to an act involving possibilities of apprehension in the minds of many citizens of the colonies, and so thoroughly offensive in its character against the mother country.
Soon after the capture of the forts fifty men who had been enlisted by Arnold arrived at Ticonderoga. An armed schooner was then lying in the Sorel River near St. Johns. Her capture would secure the naval supremacy of the lake, and Arnold and Allen resolved upon the attempt. Arnold took his fifty recruits and manned the schooner captured at Skenesborough, and on the fifth day after the surrender of the fort sailed for St. Johns. Allen accom- panied him with one hundred and fifty men in bateaux. Favorable winds enabled Arnold to distance the bateaux. Arriving within thirty miles of his destination, a calm overtook him; but he was not disposed to share with Allen whatever honor might be forthcoming, and accordingly embarked thirty-five men in two boats, hastened forward, surprised and captured the fort, with its guard of twelve men, and seized the schooner, making a successful retreat with his prize. Returning he met Allen and acquainted him with intelligence he had received of an approaching detachment of troops towards St. Johns; but Allen pushed on and landed. The presence of a large force with artillery compelled him to return.I
" Among the military personages to whom the emergencies of the hour gave special prominence," says Dr. Holden, "was Colonel Bernard Romans. .. . He was a soldier by training, a gentleman by birth and culture and an accomplished scholar." That he was connected with the capture of Skenes- borough is an undisputed fact, but under whom or by whose orders no record exists to show; it is only known that he took possession of Fort George on the 12th of May (1775), as the following petition of John Nordberg, a British officer on half pay who, as his petition states, was living in or near Fort George at the time :-
1 Following is Arnold's own subsequent estimate of the importance of these captures : " We were now masters of Lake Champlain, and the garrisons depending thereon. This success I viewed of con- sequence in the scale of American polttics ; for, if a settlement between the then colonies of Great Britain had soon taken place, it would have been easy to have restored these acquisitions ; but viewing the then future consequences of a cruel war, as it has really proved to be, and the command of that lake, garrisons, artillery, etc., it must be viewed to be of signal importance to the American cause, and it is marvelous to me that we ever lost command of it. Nothing but taking a Burgoyne with his whole British army could, in my opinion, atone for it; and notwithstanding such an extraordinary victory, we must be obliged to regain the command of that lake again, be the cost what it will; by doing this Canada will easily be brought into union and confederacy with the United States of America. Such an event would put it out of the power of the western tribes of Indians to carry on a war with us, and be a solid and durable bar against any further inhuman barbarities committed on our frontier inhabitants by cruel and blood-thirsty savages ; for it is impossible for them to carry on a war, except they are supported by the trade and commerce of some civilized nation ; which to them would be impracticable did Canada compose a part of the American empire."
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"CAPTAIN NORDBERG TO THE NEW YORK PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
"The most respectable Gentlemen Provincial Congress in New York. I beg leave to represent to the most respectable congress this circumstance.
"I am a native of Sweeden, and have been persecuted for that I have been against the French faction there. I have been in his Brittannick Majesty's ser- vice since January, 1758.
" I have been twice shot through my body here last war in America, and I am now 55 years old, reduced of age, wounds, and gravels, which may be seen by Doctor Jones certificate.
" [In] 1773, I got permission in Jamaica to go to London, where I petition to be an Invalid officer, but as a foreigner, I could not enjoy a commission in England or Ereland. His Majesty was graciously pleased to give me the allow- ance for Fort George, 7 shillings sterling per day, with liberty to live where I pleased in America, because the Fort has been abandoned this 8 year and only 2 men remain there for to assist any express going between New York and Canada. I arrived here in New York last year in September, with intention to live in New York, as I heard nothing els than disharmony amongst Gentlemen which was not agreeable to my age, I resolved to go to Fort George, and live there in a little cottage as a Hermit where I was very happy for 6 months.
"The 12th of May last Mr. Romans came and took possession of Fort George, Mr. Romans behaved very genteel and civil to me, I told that I did not belong to the army, and I may be considered as half pay officer or invalid, and convinced him that I was plagued with Gravell, Mr. Romans gave me his passport to go to New Lebanon for to recover my health, and he told me that in regard to my age I may go where I pleased.
" As I can't sell any bill for my subsistence, and I can't live upon wind and weather, I therefore beg and implore the most respectable Congress per- mission to go to England, and I entend to go to my native country. I could have gone away secret so well as some others have done, but I will not upon any account do such thing.
"I hope the most respectable will not do partially to refuse me, because Major Etherington, Captain Brown, Captain Kelly, which is in the army have been permitted to go to England, and it may happen they return here again on actual service, which old age and infirmities render me incapable off.
" As it is the custom amongst the Christian Nations and the Turks, that they give subsistence to every Prisoner according to their rank, should the most respectable Congress have claim upon me to be a prisoner here, I hope they will give me my subsistence from the 12 May last, according to my rank as captain. I implore the favour of the most respectable Congress, answer. ] have the honor to remain with great respect, Gentlemen, Your most obedt. servant,
"JOHN NORDBERG.
"New-York, december, 1775."
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FROM 1770 TO 1775.
In June Arnold turned over his command to Colonel Benjamin Hinman, who was stationed at Ticonderoga with about five hundred troops of the 1,000 he had brought from Connecticut. Soon after this, through an understanding with General Washington and by direction of Congress, General Schuyler as- sumed the general command of all the northern troops On the Ist of July following Schuyler, in his returns to Congress, reported the following troops under his command, and their disposition : At Ticonderoga, 495; at Crown Point, 302; at Lake George Landing, 102; and at Fort George 104, all be- longing to Colonel Hinman's force of Connecticut troops; and of the Massa- chusetts troops there were at Ticonderoga 40; at Crown Point, 109; at Fort George, 25; of New York soldiers there were 205 at Fort George.I
Lossing, in his Life of Schuyler, quotes from a letter of Schuyler to General Washington the following not encouraging report of the discipline in force at Ticonderoga upon his arrival at that post : " About ten last night, I arrived at the landing place, the north end of Lake George, a post occupied by a cap- tain and one hundred men. A sentinel, on being informed that I was in the boat, quitted his post to go and wake the guard consisting of three men, in which he had no success. I walked up and came to another, a sergeant's guard. Here the sentinel challenged, but suffered me to come up to him, the whole guard, like the first, being sound asleep."
The course pursued by the Indians early in the Revolutionary struggle was the cause of much anxiety to the colonists and opened the way to the bloody deeds that followed their alliance with the English and their association with the Tories. The alarming encroachments of the white settlers upon the do- main of the Iroquois undoubtedly had its influence in producing this deplorable result. Sir William Johnson, England's Indian agent, died in 1774, but much of his great influence over the Six Nations descended to his successor, an in- fluence that was potent in withholding the Iroquois power from alliance with the French in the earlier war. The successor was Sir Guy Johnson, a nephew of Sir William. Upon the breaking out of the Revolution it became the policy of the Americans to secure simply the neutrality of the Indians (which policy was successful as far as the Oneidas were concerned), while the British made undisguised efforts to effect their close alliance to the royal cause. La Corne St. Luc, a bitter partisan, had declared, "We must let loose the savages upon the frontier of these scoundrels to inspire terror and to make them submit.'' In the spring of 1777 Governor Tryon wrote to Germain that he and the par- tisan named were perfectly agreed as to the employment of Indians in the war. Brant, the great Mohawk chief, had already been taken to England (1775-6), was shown marked favor by the government and employed to lead all who would follow him against the colonists. Against this inhuman policy Pitt hurled his bitterest invective and in 1777, when the policy was thus de-
1 LOSSING.
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fended by one of the secretaries of state, in parliament: " It is perfectly justi- fiable to use all the means that God and nature have put in our hands," Pitt replied : " I know not what idea that lord may entertain of God and nature, but I know that such abominable principles are equally abhorrent to religion and humanity." He called upon the bishops to disavow such principles and "to vindicate the religion of our God." But his appeals were in vain, and the colonial secretary (Germain) gave special instructions to employ Indians " in fighting Republicans."
At length, late in the season of 1775, the Congress began to see the im- portance of an invasion into Canada. It had, apparently, become a necessary measure for self-protection, as Governor Carleton (of Canada) had received a commission authorizing him to muster and arm the people of the province, and to march them into any province of America and arrest and put to death, or spare " rebels " and other offenders. Major-General Philip Schuyler had been appointed to the command of the northern department (which included all of New York) with Richard Montgomery as his chief lieutenant. An army of three thousand men was concentrating at Ticonderoga for the proposed expe- dition, while Carleton, apprised of the movement, made preparations to oppose it by creating a naval force competent to maintain supremacy on the lake. To defeat this design Montgomery took the small force already assembled and rap- idly descended the lake and seized the position at the Isle aux Noix. There he was joined by Schuyler and an address of conciliation was made to the Canadians, which had the effect of partially influencing the people to maintain neutrality towards the Americans. At the same time Carleton's efforts to en- list the general populace were almost unsuccessful; they would not join in act- ive aggression against their neighbors across the border.
A council had already been held at Montreal by the chiefs and warriors of the Iroquois, Guy Johnson and Brant both taking part. Here the savages swore fealty to the king, the first act in the long catalogue of slaughter and devastation that followed.
As the first step towards the invasion the Americans, 1,000 strong, made a demonstration against St. Johns, during which they were attacked by a body of Indians who were repulsed. After erecting a slight breastwork near the fort, Schuyler fell back to his original position and erected a chevaux de frise in the Sorel, obstructing navigation into the lake by Carleton's vessels, then in progress of construction at St. Johns. Schuyler was now called to Albany and was there detained by sickness, leaving the command in the efficient hands of Montgomery. He soon adopted aggressive measures. St. Johns was then occupied by a garrison of 700 men under Major Preston, and was looked upon as the key to Canada. This position was considered impregnable to the force at Montgomery's command, and he resolved to assault the works at Chambly, a few miles below. It was accomplished in the night (Oct. 19th), after feeble
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FROM 1770 TO 1775.
defense by the small garrison, and placed in Montgomery's possession several heavy guns, a large quantity of powder and other stores, all which he was in extreme need of. This success turned the scale of Canadian sympathy more towards America and large numbers joined the army ; which spirit was fostered by Montgomery, who sent detachments of his soldiers in different directions through their country for that purpose. Two of these parties, under Allen and Brown, respectively, approached Montreal, and without order and with appa- rent injudiciousness, resolved upon capturing the island. Brown failed to co- operate with Allen, as arranged, and the latter with his party was captured after gallant fighting. 1
Carleton's success over Allen and Brown now led him to attempt the re- lief of St. Johns. His plans embraced a conjunction with Colonel McLean who was stationed with a corps at the mouth of the Sorel. Carleton started with a force of about 1,000, mostly Canadians and Indians, to make the passage of the river from Montreal to Longueil ; but Seth Warner had already occupied the eastern bank of the river with his Green Mountain boys, and ap- prehending Carleton's movements, he fortified his position with a few pieces of artillery and awaited the fleet. Carleton was welcomed by Warner with a ter- rible fire of musketry and grape shot, which sent his undisciplined troops flying back to the island. McLean also retreated to his former position and at this time through an intercepted letter from Arnold to Schuyler, learned that a formidable force was descending the valley of the Chaudière to assault Quebec ; he accordingly hastened, with such force as he could collect, to occupy that place. Montgomery immediately occupied the position from which McLean had fallen back, erected works at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and So- rel and, further aided by floating batteries, completely controlled both streams, cutting off Montreal and the fortifications on the upper waters of the river and lakes from communication with Quebec and the sea. This well conceived ac- tion forced Preston to surrender St. Johns, after which Montgomery marched against Montreal and that city also surrendered without making defense. Carle- ton relinquished the command at Montreal to Prescott before Montgomery's arrival, and escaped in disguise in the night down the river past the American batteries.
Meanwhile Washington had planned one of those remarkably bold and original movements for which he was famous, with the capture of Quebec as its object. This was no less than the march of a thousand men from Cambridge, by way of Kennebec River, through the untrodden wilderness between that stream and the Chaudière, and the descent of the latter to Quebec.
Had it been possible for human sagacity to foresee the almost insurmount-
1 Allen was taken a prisoner to ;England, where he was held nearly three years, and persecuted with all manner of indignities in loathsome prisons. At the end of his imprisonment he was exchanged and received with honors by his country.
10
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
able obstacles and hardships to overcome in this then unparalleled expedition, it would in all probability have been so directed as to have been entirely suc- cessful. But as it proved the heroic troops and their officers were buried in the depths of the wilderness for thirty-two days, suffering the horrors of starv- ation, tempestuous weather and freezing floods in the streams they were forced to ford, before reaching the Chaudière. Here actual starvation threatened, and it was still seventy miles to the nearest French settlement. Arnold, therefore, left the main body of his troops and, taking with him fifty-five men, started down the river for food. The settlement was reached and Indians sent back with supplies and to guide the troops down the river. This was all accom- plished, but it took time, and it was nearly two months from the date of leav- ing Cambridge before they reached the St. Lawrence opposite Quebec (No- vember 9th), decimated to 750 strong. 1
It is more than probable that this expedition, bold, hazardous, and secret as it was, would have secured the prize for which it was planned, but for the intercepted letter before alluded to. The alertness of McLean saved the city from capitulation. Four days Arnold was prevented from crossing the river, at the end of which, on the night of the 13th of November, he embarked 550 men in bark canoes and landed them at Wolf's Cove, whence they ascended to the Plains of Abraham. Here he ordered his men to give three cheers, in the hope of thus calling the garrison out to attack him, upon which it was his pur- pose to rush through the open city gates, call around him the sympathizers he believed to be in the city and hold the situation. The regulars did not come out. Arnold was joined by the 200 men left on Point Levi across the river, and he now spent a few days in issuing proclamations and arrogantly demand- ing the surrender of the city. Little attention was paid to him or his move- ments by the enemy. Learning that Carleton was coming down the river and that the garrison was preparing for a sortie that might overwhelm his really insignificant force, he prudently retreated to Point aux Trembles, twenty miles above, and awaited instructions from Montgomery. The latter had left Mon- treal in charge of a force under General Wooster, and on the 3d of December reached Arnold and his " shivering troops." With the clothing he brought the. complaining soldiers were reclad and then the combined force, still less than 1,000 strong, outside of 200 Canadians who had volunteered under Col- onel James Livingstone, pressed forward and halted before Quebec on the 5th of December. A demand for the surrender of the city was made on the follow- ing morning but the flag sent was fired upon, and in response to a letter from
1 Their sufferings from cold and hunger had been extreme. At one 'time they had attempted to make broth of boiled deer skin moccasins to sustain life, and a dog belonging to Henry (afterwards General) Dearborn made savory food for them. In this expedition were men who afterwards became famous in American history. - Aaron Burr, R. J. Meigs, Henry Dearborn, Daniel Morgan and others. - LOSSING.
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