History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 8

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Publication date: 1880
Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co.
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Burgoyne, who in the beginning of the campaign had boastfully exclaimed in general orders, "Britons never re- treat," now found that there was no alternative for him but retreat, and when night came on again he began his retro- grade movement, in the midst of a drenching rain. This had been anticipated, and General Fellows, previous to the action on the 7th instant, had been sent with a detachment to take a position opposite Saratoga Ford, on the east side of the Hudson. Another detachment, of two thousand men, was now sent to occupy the heights beyond Saratoga, to prevent Burgoyne's retreat upon Fort Edward; and still another was stationed at the ford above. On the evening of the 9th Burgoyne halted for the night at Fish creek. The main portion of his army forded the creek and encamped on the opposite bank, while he, with a brigade as a guard, passed the night merrily with some companions in a house belonging to General Schuyler. This delay lost him his army. Find-

ing the ford across the Hudson strongly guarded by the detachment under Fellows, he concluded to continue his retreat up the river to Fort Edward. He sent forward a party to repair the bridges, and a detachment to take pos- session of the fort ; but finding the Americans stationed in force upon the heights, they fell back to the main army. In the afternoon of the roth General Gates came up, with the bulk of the American army, in pursuit, and occupied the high ground on the south side of Fish creek, opposite the enemy's encampment. The detachment sent forward to Fort Edward led General Gates to believe the rumor that the main army of Burgoyne had retreated, and he resolved to fall upon what he supposed was the rear guard. Bur- goyne was aware of Gates's error, and hoping to profit by it concealed his troops for the purpose of falling upon the Americans as soon as a favorable opportunity should be af- forded. Early the next morning, and in a thick fog, which both parties considered favorable to their respective de- signs, the army of Gates advanced. Morgan was ordered to cross the creek and begin the action, and at once fell in with the British pickets, who fired upon him and killed several of his party. His reception led him to believe that the rumor of the enemy's retreat was false; that the main body of Burgoyne's force was still near, and that the position of his own corps was critical. Another brigade had already crossed and captured a picket-guard, and another was about to fol- low when a deserter from the enemy came in, reporting that the entire British army was at hand, and prepared for battle, which statement was shortly after confirmed by the capture of a reconnoitering party. As the fog cleared away and exposed the position of both armies, a retreat was deemed advisable by the detachments that had crossed the creek. As soon as they turned about the British, who were watch- ing their movements and awaiting their advance, opened fire upon them, but they made their retreat with the loss of only a few men.

Burgoyne was now completely environed. On the oppo- site bank of the Hudson Fellows was entrenched, with heavy batteries to open on him if he should attempt to cross the river. Fort Edward was held by an American force of two thousand men. On the south and west the main body of the Americans was posted, while small detachments were in all directions watching his every movement, and continu- ally harassing his outposts. His provisions were almost exhausted, and none could be obtained, and it was extreme- ly hazardous to attempt to get water from the river or creek. There was no place of safety for the sick and wounded, and the women and children, as well as soldiers and officers, were constantly exposed to the cannon balls that were flying about the encampment. On the 12th he held a consulta- tion with his generals, and it was decided to retreat that night, but the returning scouts brought such discouraging intelligence that the movement was postponed till morning. During the night the Americans crossed the river on rafts, and erected a battery on Burgoyne's left flank. Retreat was now hopeless. The next morning a general council was called, when it was unanimously decided to open ne- gotiations with General Gates for an honorable surrender. This conclusion was hastened by the passage of a cannon ball across the table at which Burgoyne and other generals were seated. The negotiations were not completed until the 16th, when the terms of his surrender were agreed upon,

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OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

and were to be signed by the commander on the following morning. During the night a tory succeeded in reaching the British camp from down the river, who reported that Clinton had taken the forts on the Hudson and ascended the river as far as Esopus. This news so excited Burgoyne's hopes that he resolved not to sign the articles of capitula- tion, and to gain time he wrote Gates that he had been in- formed that a part of his army had been sent toward Albany, which, if true, should be considered a breach of faith, and that he could not give his signature until convinced that the strength of the Americans had not been misrepresented. He was informed by Gates that his army was as strong as it had been before these negotiations took place, and unless the articles were signed immediately he should open fire upon him. Burgoyne thereupon reluctantly signed the articles of capitulation.

The surrender of Burgoyne was of the utmost importance to the Americans in their struggle for independence. The preponderance of success up to this time had been on the side of the British. The reverses on Long Island and at New York in the previous year, together with the recent de- feats in Pennsylvania, had darkened the military horizon with thick clouds of doubt and dismay. All eyes were now anxiously watching the army of the north, which had also been forced to relinquish Ticonderoga and Fort Edward at the commencement of the campaign, and shaded the pros- pect of successful resistance in that direction. The news of a complete victory filled the patriots with joy and hope, and appalled the tories, who now began to tremble.

CHAPTER XIIL.

CLINTON'S HUDSON RIVER CAMPAIGN-FRANCE RECOGNIZES THE UNITED STATES WARS WITH THE INDIANS

HEN Burgoyne first perceived the difficulties gathering around him, he urged Sir Henry Clinton to hasten the expedition up the Hud- son to join him, but Clinton was obliged to wait for the arrival of reinforcements, and it was the 4th of October before he was ready to move. The first object to be accomplished was the reduction of Forts Montgomery and Clinton in the Highlands. These had been constructed to prevent the ships of the enemy from ascending the river, and each was indefensible in its rear, and feebly garrisoned. Clinton landed first at Ver- planck's Point, and dropped down with a part of his force to Stony Point, where he landed, and marched toward the forts. These were commanded by Governor George Clin- ton and his brother James. Governor Clinton, on learning that the enemy were moving up the river, sent out a scout- ing party to watch their movements, and from them he first learned of their having landed at Stony Point. A small force was then sent out by him, which met the advance guard of the British about three miles out. Shots were exchanged, and the Americans retreated to the forts. Governor Clinton then sent out a stronger detachment to oppose the enemy's advance, and as this was soon engaged

in a sharp conflict, another was sent to its assistance. They were pressed back by a superior force, but not until the enemy had met with considerable loss. Upon nearing the forts the British were divided into two columns, and made a simultaneous assault upon them. After an incessant fire for several hours the British general demanded an instant and unconditional surrender. The proposition was rejected, and the conflict continued until evening, when part of the be- sieged fought their way out. Governor Clinton made his escape, and likewise his brother, though wounded. Fort Constitution was abandoned on the approach of the British, which gave them command of the river. A detachment under Vaughn and Wallace landed without much opposition and burned Kingston. On hearing of the disastrous ter- mination of Burgoyne's campaign the expedition returned to New York.

It was obvious that France had no sympathy with Great Britain, but looked upon the revolt of her colonies with secret satisfaction, and earnestly desired their separation from England. By the war which closed in 1763 she had been compelled to relinquish her extensive possessions in North America, and she rejoiced to have an opportunity to assist in the infliction of a like dismemberment of territory upon Great Britain. The commissioners of the court of Versailles from the revolted colonies, although not always openly countenanced, were by no means discouraged, and aid was frequently extended to the Americans in a clandestine manner. When intelligence of the capture of Burgoyne reached France her vacillating policy ended, and, casting off all disguise, she entered into a treaty of alliance with, and on the 6th of February, 1778, acknowledged the inde- pendence of the United States. This event made the pa- triots almost certain of ultimate success.

The Indians and tories who had been dispersed at Fort Schuyler were meditating mischief, and making preparations through the winter of 1777-8 to invade the Mohawk valley. Brant, the Indian chief who had prepared the ambuscade at Oriskany, was foremost in these threatening movements. Sir John Johnson and Colonel John Butler were also active in enlisting tory refugees. A council was called by the Revolutionary authorities, to secure, if possible, the neutral- ity of the Indians. It met at Johnstown in March. None of the Senecas, the most powerful of the Six Nations, were present, and but few of the Mohawks. General La Fayette, who was to command a proposed expedition against Canada, attended the council. His attention was called to the ex- posed condition of the settlements, and he directed the building and strengthening of fortifications for their pro- tection. The first hostile movement of Brant was the de- struction of the small settlement of Springfield at the head of Otsego lake. On the 2nd of July an engagement oc- curred on the upper branch of the Cobleskill between an Indian force of four hundred and fifty and fifty-two Ameri- cans. The latter were overpowered. The Indians burned the dwellings, and slaughtered the cattle and horses they could not take with them. The settlers generally were con- tinually harassed by marauding parties of Indians during the summer, but on the approach of winter Brant with- drew with his forces toward Niagara, and hostilities appar. ently ceased. On his way to Niagara he was met by Walter Butler, a fugitive from justice. He had been arrested as a spy and condemned to death, but had been reprieved

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THE CHERRY VALLEY AND MINISINK MASSACRES-SULLIVAN'S CAMPAIGN.

through the intercession of friends, sent to Albany, and confined in prison, from which he made his escape. He joined his father, Colonel John Butler, at Niagara, and obtained command of two hundred tories to unite with Brant in an incursion into the Mohawk valley. Upon meeting Brant he prevailed upon him to return and attack the settlement of Cherry Valley. Colonel Alden, who was in command of the fort at that place, received information of the intended attack, but treated it with unconcern. He refused to per- mit the settlers to move into the fort, believing it to be a false alarm. He, however, assured them that he would keep scouts on the look-out to guard against surprise, and he did send them, but they fell into the hands of the savages, who extorted from them all necessary information respecting the situation. On the morning of the 11th of November the enemy entered the settlement under cover of a thick and misty atmosphere, and began an indiscriminate slaughter of men, women, and children. The house of Mr. Wells, of which Colonel Alden was an inmate, was cur- rounded and the whole of the family brutally massacred. The colonel, in attempting to escape, was tomahawked and scalped. Thirty-two of the inhabitants, mostly women and children, and sixteen soldiers of the garrison, were slain in the most horrible manner. The whole settlement was plundered, and every house burned. Nearly forty prisoners were taken, and conducted down the valley to encamp for the night, promiscuously huddled together, some of them half naked, without shelter, and with no resting-place but the cold ground. The next day, finding the women and chil- dren cumbersome, the captors sent most of them back. The infamous Butler was not only the author of this savage ex- pedition, but he was the director of all the cruelty prac- ticed. With the destruction of this settlement hostilities ceased along the frontier until the following spring. Through the winter Brant and his colleagues were making pro pira- tions for a renewal of their incursions, and necessity seemed to demand the infliction of severe punishment upon the savages who threatened to desolate the border settlements. Accordingly on the 18th of April, 1779, Colonel Van Schaick was sent out with a force from Fort Schuyler to make a descent upon the Onondagas. The expedition had approached to within a few miles of their villages and castle before their occupants were aware of the expedition against them. The Indians fled to the woods, leaving everything behind them, even to their arms. Their villages, three in number, consisting of about fifty houses, were burned, and their provisions and cattle destroyed. The council house, or castle, was spared from the flames, but a swivel found in it was rendered useless. Thirty-three of the Indians were taken prisoners and twelve killed. The expedition then returned to Fort Schuyler, arriving on the 24th, having ac- complished its object in six days, without the loss of a man. While this short campaign was in progress, the lower section of the Mohawk was visited at different points by scalping parties, and the settlements menaced with the fate of Cherry Valley. The Onondagas, fired with indignation at the de- struction of their villages, retaliated by a descent upon the settlement at Cobleskill, and more than twenty of the militia were killed in defending it. The settlement at Minisink being unprotected, Brant resolved to ravage it. On the night of the 19th of July, at the head of a party of Indians, and tories disguised as savages, he silently approached the town,

and had set fire to several houses before the inhabitants were aroused to the danger of their situation. All who could sought safety in flight, leaving everything to the in- vaders, who plundered and destroyed all their property, and retired to Grassy Brook, where Brant had left the main body of his warriors. When intelligence of this outrage reached Goshen, Doctor Tusten, colonel of the local militia, ordered them to meet him at Minisink, and one hundred and forty-nine responded to the call. A council was held, and it was resolved to pursue the invaders. Colonel Tusten was opposed to such a hazardous undertaking with so small a force, but he was overruled, and the line of march taken up. The next morning the pursuers were joined by Colonel Hathorn, with a small reinforcement. On coming to the place where the Indians had encamped the previous night, it was obvious from the number of camp-fires that the force was much larger than had been expected, and the leading officers advised return rather than pursuit, but their rash as- sociates were determined to proceed. Soon after Captain Tyler, who was with a scouting party, was shot by a hidden foe, but this circumstance, although it gave the company some alarm, did not check the pursuit. When the party reached a hill overlooking the Delaware, they saw the enemy marching toward the fording place near the mouth of the Lackawaxen. Hathorn determined to intercept them, and arranged his men accordingly. Hills intervened between the opposing forces and they soon lost sight of each other. Brant was watching the movements of the whites, and anticipating their design turned as soon as they were lost to view, and throwing his whole force in their rear, formed an ambuscade. Not finding the enemy where they had expected, Hathorn's men were greatly perplexed, and retracing their steps discovered the Indians in an unexpected quarter and greatly superior in numbers. The latter managed to cut off from the main body of Hathorn's troops about one-third of the entire force in the commencement of the skirmish. From the summit of a hill the militia main- tained the unequal conflict until their ammunition was ex- hausted, and then attempted to retreat but only thirty suc- ceeded in making their escape from their merciless enemies. When the retreat began there were seventeen of the wounded behind a ledge of rocks under the care of Doctor Tusten, and in this helpless condition they were ruthlessly murdered, together with the doctor, by the Indians.

But a fearful retribution was at hand, and soon fell on the Indians with destructive force. In the spring it was determined to send a large expedition into the Indian country, and so severely chastise the savages and their tory allies as to discourage them from renewing their dep- redations upon the settlements. General Sullivan was placed in the chief command of this expedition, the plan of which was a combined movement in two divisions : one from Pennsylvania, to ascend the Susquehanna, under Sul- livan himself, and the other from the north, under General James Clinton. The two divisions were to unite at Tioga. On the 17th of June General Clinton commenced the transportation of his boats across the country from Cana- joharie to Otsego lake, and proceeded to its outlet, where he awaited orders from Sullivan. While there he built a dam to confine the water within the lake, hoping by its sudden removal to render the navigation of the river more certain in case of a long drought. This not only facilitated the

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transportation of his boats upon the river, but it caused an overflow of its banks and destroyed the corn-fields belong- ing to the Indians, who. being ignorant of the cause of their loss, were greatly astonished and alarmed. General Clinton formed a junction with Sullivan at Tioga on the 22nd of August, and the combined force moved cautiously up the Tioga and Chemung. On the 29th the enemy were discov- ered occupying an advantageous position near the present city of E!mira. The light infantry in the advance formed for battle, and while waiting for the main body to come up skirmishing was carried on with small parties of Indians, who would sally out from their works, fire, and retreat, and make the woods echo with their hideous war-whoops. The Indians occupied a hill on the right, and Sullivan ordered Poor with his brigade to flank them, while the main body of the army attacked them in front. As Poor began to ascend the hill he was fiercely opposed by the savages under Brant and the tories under Sir John Johnson. It was some hours before the latter began slowly to give way. Having gained the summit of the hill Poor moved against the enemy's left flank, which he soon carried, and perceiving that they would be surrounded they abar d ned their works and made a pre- cipitate retreat. Sullivan's army encamped upon the battle field that night, and the next day the wounded were sent back, together with the heavy artillery, and the march was resumed toward Catharine's Town, where the expedition arrived on the 2nd of September. The following day the place was destroyed, together with the corn-fields and orchards. The Indians fled before the invaders, who con- tinued their work of destruction, pillaging the villages of their enemies and thus depriving them of all means of sub- sistence. On the 7th Sullivan's army reached Kanadaseagca, the capital of the Senecas. This they destroyed, as well as all the smaller villages on their way to the Genesee river, which was reached and crossed on the 14th. The Genesee castle was doomed to meet the fate of the rest, and the whole surrounding country, together with the town, which comprised 120 houses, was swept as with the besom of de- struction. On the 16th the expedition recrossed the Genesee river, and retracing their steps arrived at Tioga, the starting point, on the 3d of October. The Indians, although sub- jected to great suffering, were not wholly crushed by these severe losses. Their numerical force was but slightly re- duced, and they retaliated upon the frontier settlements with savage vengeance whenever a favorable opportunity offered.

CHAPTER XIV.

ARNOLD'S TREASON-CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION-ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION-INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

ARLY in June of 1779 Sir Henry Clinton con- ducted an expedition up the Hudson, and attacked two small forts, one at Stony Point, on the west side of the river, and the other at Verplank's Point, nearly opposite. The former had only about forty men to defend it, and they re- treated on the approach of the British ; but the latter, with its garrison of seventy men, resisted, and was

captured. Washington much regretted the loss of these posts, and although they had been enlarged and strength- ened after the British took possession of them he resolved to make an effort to regain them. Stony Point was sur- prised on the night of the 15th of July following, and after a short and fierce conflict the garrison, of more than five hundr.d men, together with the cannon and military stores, were captured, and the works demolished and abandoned.

In the spring of 1780 Brant was again upon the war- path, and with a band of Indians and tories destroyed Harpersfield in April. It was his design to attack the upper fort of Schoharie, but on his way he captured Captain Harper, who represented to him that the fort had lately been reinforced, and he returned to Niagara with his pris- ners. Sir John Johnson, with a force of five hundred tories and Indians, very unexpectedly appeared at Johns- town on the night of May 21st, and the next day swept the country between that neighborhood and the Mohawk. Several persons were murdered, others taken prisoners, and all buildings not belonging to the tories were burned. On the following afternoon the party retreated toward Canada. On the 21st of August Canajoharie and the adjacent settle- ments were attacked by Brant, at the head of a large body of Indians and tories, who did even more damage than Johnson's party.

General Benedict Arnold, wounded at the last battle with Burgoyne, and unable to take any active position, was appointed military governor of Philadelphia in the spring of 1778. Feeling the importance of his station, and fond of making a show, he began living in such an extravagant man- ner as to become pecuniarily embarrassed; and rather than retrench, and live within his income, he resorted to a system of fraud which brought him into unpleasant relations with the citizens of Philadelphia. By order of Congress he was tried before a court-martial, and sentenced to the mildest form of punishment-simply a reprimand from the com- mander-in-chief. He appeared to acquiesce in the sen- tence, but his pride was wounded and he thirsted for re- venge. While in Philadelphia he had married the daughter of a tory residing in that place. She was accustomed to receive the attentions of British officers during their occu- pancy of the city, and through her intimacy with Major Andre a correspondence had been initiated between him and Arnold, by which means the latter's treacherous schemes were developed, and culminated in a most infamous treason. Still he was loud in his professions of patriotism and attach- ment to his country's cause, and pretended to be anxious to again join his companions in the field. He solicited the command of West Point, then the most important post in the possession of the Americans. Washington had assigned him to the command of the left wing of the army, but upon his repeated and earnest request the command of West Point was given him instead, on the 3d of August, 1780. He established his headquarters on the opposite side of the river, at the house of Colonel Beverly Robinson, whose property had been confiscated on account of his espousal of the British cause. Arnold well knew that Sir Henry Clinton would richly reward him for being instrumental in placing West Point in his hands, and hinted as much to Major Andre, between whom and himself letters passed in disguised hand writing and over fictitious signatures. In order to settle the terms of this infamous treachery it be-

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CAPTURE AND EXECUTION OF ANDRE -- INDEPENDENCE ACHIEVED.

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History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 8

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co. Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: