History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 9

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Publication date: 1880
Publisher: F.W. Beers & Co.
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came necessary for Sir Henry Clinton to send Major Andre for a personal interview with Arnold, not only to agree upon the conditions of his contemplated surrender but to guard against a counterplot. Major Andre sailed up the Hudson on board of the " Vulture," and a meeting was finally effected. Near the village of Haverstraw resided Joshua H. Smith, who was duped by Arnold to assist in carrying out his de- signs. It was he who brought Major Andre on shore, where Arnold was awaiting him, and concealed in a thicket they plotted the ruin of the patriot cause from about midnight until day began to dawn, and then repaired to Smith's house to complete their plans. Arnold was to receive ten thou- sand pounds and the office of brigadier-general in the British army, while West Point was to be given up on the approach of the English fleet. Major Andre was supplied with papers explaining the military condition of the fort, which were concealed in his stockings ; while a pass was given him under the name of John Anderson. In the morning a cannonade was opened upon the "Vulture," and she was obliged to fall farther down the river, which re- minded Andre of the fact that he was within the American lines. Smith's fears were so much aroused that he refused to convey him by boat to the " Vulture," but offered to accom- pany him a considerable distance by a land route. They crossed the river and proceeded toward White Plains. Near Pines Bridge they parted, and Andre continued his journey alone. When near Tarrytown he was stopped by three militiamen, who were watching for stragglers from the British lines. From what they said to him he was led to believe they were loyalists, whereupon he avowed himself a British officer, but upon discovering his mistake he pre- sented Arnold's pass, and endeavored to explain his previous statements ; they insisted upon searching him, and he was forced to submit, and the important papers were found. His liberal offers of money if they would release him were of no avail, and he was conducted to the nearest military post.

On the same morning that Washington arrived at Arnold's head-quarters from Hartford, where he had been to confer with some French officers, Arnold received intelligence of Andre's arrest, and hastening to his barge made his escape to the " Vulture." He was apprised that Washington would soon be at his quarters, and left orders to inform him that he had gone over to West Point, and would soon return. Washington arrived shortly after, and crossing over to West Point found, to his surprise, that Arnold had not been there. After spending some time in examining the works he re- turned, when the papers which had been found upon Andre were placed in his hands and the whole conspiracy revealed. An immediate pursuit to overtake the traitor was made, but it was too late to prevent his escape. Unfortu- nate Andre was tried by a court of fourteen generals, con- victed of being a spy, sentenced, and executed. Arnold wreaked his malice on the Americans by devastating differ- ent parts of the country during the war. After its close. he went to England, where he was shunned and despised by all honorable men.

On the 15th of October, 1780, a large party of tories and Indians, under Sir John Johnson and Brant, invaded the Mohawk valley by way of Schoharie creek, destroying the settlements on the way to Fort Hunter, and thence up the Mohawk on both sides. As soon as intelligence of this invasion reached Albany General Van Rensselaer marched

against them with a body of militia. Colonel Brown was stationed at Fort Paris, and receiving orders from Van Rensselaer to attack the enemy promptly obeyed, but his small force was dispersed, and himself and forty of his men slain. Van Rensselaer, after great delay, attacked and routed the invaders, who fled and succeeded in making their escape to Canada. The Mohawk valley continued to be devastated by the savage foe. On the 9th of July, 1781, Currytown was attacked by a party of more than three hun- dred Indians, commanded by a tory named Doxstader. They were pursued by Colonel Willett, and in a battle forty of their number were slain and the others routed. On the 24th of October Major Ross and Walter Butler, at the head of nearly a thousand men, consisting of British regulars, Indians and tories, made a sudden descent into the Mohawk valley and began a work of plunder and devastation. They were met by Colonels Willett and Rowley near Johnstown, and a sharp engagement ensued, lasting till dark, when the enemy fled. They were pursued, and at Canada creek another skirmish took place, wherein the cruel and infamous Butler was slain. Upon his fall their whole force filed in the utmost confusion. This was the final invasion of the Mohawk valley, and their flight the closing scene in one of the most terrible warfares on record.

While menacing an attack on New York, Washington carefully withdrew from the Hudson to attack Cornwallis in his devastating march through the South, and was far on his way to Virginia before Sir Henry Clinton was aware of the movement. Cornwallis was besieged at Yorktown, and compelled to surrender his whole army on the 19th of October, 1781. This virtually closed the war. Sir Guy Carlton was sent to take the command of the British forces in place of Sir Henry Clinton, with directions to open nego- tiations for peace. A provisional treaty was signed on the 30th of November, 1782, and a definitive treaty, recognizing the independence of the United States, was concluded at Paris September 3d, 1783. On the 25th of November the British troops took their final departure from the city of New York, and on the same day Washington entered it with his army, amid the joyous. acclamations of the emancipated people. Never, perhaps, was peace more welcome, for the long war had been a terrible ordeal for the patriots, and we who are living in peace and plenty, so far removed by the wheels of time from that eventful period, are not likely to properly estimate their endurance of great and continued sufferings, nor fully appreciate the liberties they obtained at so great a sacrifice, and bequeathed to succeeding genera- tions.

The United States having been recognized as an inde- pendent nation, it was early perceived that the powers con- ferred upon Congress by the Articles of Confederation were in many essential respects inadequate to the objects of an effective national government. The States had been leagued together for a particular purpose, but retained their indi- vidual sovereignty, and Congress had no power to compel them to obey its mandates. The people were losing their regard for the authority of Congress ; its recommendations for the liquidation of the debts incurred by the war were not promptly complied with, and financial and commercial affairs were falling into serious derangement. Each State being independent of the others in the confederacy, jeal- ousies would naturally arise, and without concerted action

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OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

on the part of the States it was almost impossible to collect revenue. In view of these increasing evils the leading minds of the country desired a closer union of the States under a general government. A convention was held at Annapolis in September, 1786, to take into consideration the establishment of a general tariff on imports and a uni- form system of commercial regulations. Commissioners were present, however, from only five States, among which was New York, represented by Alexander Hamilton. They recommended the calling of a convention of delegates from the several States in May following, and transmitted a re- port of their conclusions to Congress. Their recommenda- tions were adopted by Congress, and that body deemed it expedient that the delegates should be instructed to revise the Articles of Confederation and report to Congress and the several State Legislatures such amendments and pro- visions as should seem adequate to the exigencies of the government. All the States except Rhode Island were represented in the convention, which was held at Philadel- phia. Believing that the Articles of Confederation were so defective as to be wholly inadequate to the wants of the country, the delegates went to work to form a new constitu- tion. Its plan was generally approved, but there were many in the convention who looked upon the preservation of State sovereignty as pre-eminently essential, and regarded the proposed change in this particular as an infringement of State rights. The delegates from New York upon their appointment had been restricted to the revision of the ex- isting Articles of Confederation; and when the convention decided to provide a new constitution they, with the excep- tion of Alexander Hamilton, withdrew. That body then proceeded to form a constitution, which was adopted and submitted to the several States for approval, the assent of nine being required for its ratification. A spirited contest ensued in the State of New York between its advocates and opponents, the latter being in the ascendancy; but having been adopted by the requisite number of States, it was rati- fied in convention by the State of New York by a close vote on the 26th of July, 1788, but with the recommendation of several amendments which, however, were not adopted. The city of New York was chosen for the seat of the federal government, and George Washington was elected President.

The difficulties relative to the New Hampshire grants still continued. A convention of the people in that dis- puted territory in 1777 declared it an independent State, and petitioned Congress for admission into the confederacy. New York thereupon sought the interposition of Congress in her behalf, and that body recognized her claims; but the people interested in the New Hampshire grants were de- termined to maintain their independence, and during the following year organized a State government. This revived the discord, which had remained inactive since the breaking out of the war, and so great was the hatred of the New Hampshire people toward the State of New York, that rather than be subject to her jurisdiction they chose to re- turn to their allegiance to Great Britain, and were secretly negotiating with the British to become a colony under the crown ; but before the conspiracy was fully matured it was interrupted by the capture of Cornwallis. Hostile feelings continued after the war, but in 1790 the difficulties were amicably adjusted. New York, on receiving a stipulated

sum for the extinction of land claims, relinquished her jurisdiction, and in the following year the disputed terri- tory was admitted into the Union, under the name of Vermont.

Large tracts of wild land were in possession of the State of New York at the termination of the war. In 1786 the State granted two tracts to Massachusetts, to satisfy certain antiquated claims of that State; but retained her sovereignty over the ceded territory. The largest of these tracts, known as the Genesee country, embraced the western part of the State, and was designated by a line running south from Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania. The other embraced a portion of the present counties of Tioga and Broome. Land commissioners of the State, a few years later, author- ized by an act of the Legislature, disposed of large tracts of land in the northern part of the State for very small considerations. The largest and most important of these was that granted to Alexander Macomb, containing upward of three and a half millions of acres, at about eighteen pence per acre.

In 1791 the Legislature ordered an exploration and sur- vey to ascertain the most eligible method of removing ob- structions from the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, with a view to improving their navigation by the construction of canals. The following year two companies were incorporated, styled the Northern and Western Inland Lock Navigation Com- panies, for the purpose of facilitating navigation by connect- ing by canals Lake Ontario with the Mohawk and Lake Champlain with the Hudson.

Governor Clinton in 1795 having declined to be a candidate for re-election, John Jay was chosen as his successor. The State was now rapidly gaining in population, and in 1800 had nearly six hundred thousand inhabitants. By an act of the Legislature a convention was called to amend the State Constitution in regard to the appointment of members of the Legislature. This body convened in 1801, chose Colonel Aaron Burr to preside over it, and fixed the number of Assem- blymen at 100. In 1801 George Clinton was again elected to the governorship, which office he held until 1804, when he was chosen Vice-President of the United States, and Morgan Lewis was appointed his successor. At this time Aaron Burr was holding the office of Vice-President, and failing to receive the nomination for re-election was nomi- nated by his friends for the office of governor of New York. Mortified and chagrined at his defeat, he sought revenge upon those who had been the most prominent and influen- tial in causing it. He regarded the influence of Alexander Hamilton as having contributed largely to his failure, and in his desperation at his blighted political prospects deter- mined to wreak his vengeance upon him. An excuse was presented by Hamilton's expressing political views antagon- istic to his own, which having been reported to him in a dis- torted form he chose to consider as personal, and challenged him. The challenge was accepted and the duel fought, Hamilton falling mortally wounded at the first exchange of shots. His deplorable death produced a gloomy feeling throughout the country, as his brilliant talents and unex- ceptionable character had won for him the esteem of the whole community. After this occurrence Burr visited the Western States and engaged in treasonable schemes for de- taching them from their present political associations, to form, in conjunction with Mexico, a separate government.

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THE WAR OF 1812.

He was arrested and tried for treason, but escaped convic- tion for want of sufficient proof. All confidence in his in- tegrity, however, was lost, and the remainder of his life was passed in comparative obscurity. In 1807 Daniel D.Tomp- kins was elected to succeed Morgan Lewis as governor of New York. In this year Robert Fulton completed the "Clermont," the first boat that ever succeeded in steam navi- gation. It was launched in Jersey City, and made its trial trip up the Hudson to Albany.

Great Britain and France being at war, the former by a series of "Orders in Council " prohibited vessels of neutral nations from trading with France or her allies, and in re- taliation Napoleon proclaimed the notable Berlin and Milan decrees, forbidding all trade with England and her colonies. The effects of these ordinances were very injurious to American commerce ; and in consequence thereof Congress, on the 23d of September, 1807, laid an embargo on all ves- sels in the harbors of the United States, which bore heavily on the mercantile interests of the country, and excited con- siderable opposition.

CHAPTER XV.

CAUSES OF THE LAST WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN-EXPE- DITIONS AGAINST CANADA-BORDER HOSTILITIES.

HE country was now rapidly drifting into an- other conflict with Great Britain. The aggres- sions of the British had for several years been a subject of great anxiety and bitter animosity, which continually increased. Although the United States maintained a strict neutrality while the Napoleonic wars were raging between Great Britain and France, their rights as a neutral nation were disregarded. The embargo laid by Congress upon the shipping in Ameri- can ports was found so injurious to commercial interests that it was repealed, and a non-intercourse act passed in its place. In April, 1809, the English ambassador at Washing. ton opened negotiations for the adjustment of the existing difficulties, and consented to the withdrawal of the obnoxious " Orders in Council " so far as respected the United States, on condition that they should repeal the act prohibiting in- tercourse with Great Britain. Upon this basis an agree- ment was effected, when the President issued a proclamation declaring that as it had been officially communicated to the United States that the "Orders in Council " would be re- pealed on the Ioth of June, trade might be resumed with Great Britain after that date. As soon as intelligence of this agreement on the part of their ambassador reached the English government, the latter refused to ratify it on the ground that he had exceeded his instructions, and imme- diately recalled him. The proclamation of the President was then revoked, and the two governments resumed their for- mer relations. In addition to other injuries and encroach- ments upon the rights of the United States as neutrals, the English government claimed the right to search American vessels, and authorized its officers to examine their crews, seize all whom they chose to regard as British subjects, and

force them into their service. All remonstrances were una- vailing. The English officers in enforcing this right of search committed great outrages, and the practice became so obnoxious as to demand some decided measures for its suppression. Under these circumstances there appeared to be no alternative but war, and Congress having author- ized it, war was declared against Great Britain on the 19th of June, 1812. The measure, however, was far from being universally sustained. The Federal party, then in the minority, opposed it, and their political opinions being ap- parently stronger than their patriotism, they loudly de- nounced it It was also but feebly sustained by a portion of the Democratic party, not on political grounds, but from the belief that the country was unprepared for war. New York and New England were most prominent in their op- position, and if they did not directly aid the enemy their conduct was discouraging and injurious to those who were periling their lives in their country's cause.

The Americans, deeming it expedient to invade Canada, directed their attention at once toward that point, and measures were taken to collect forces along the northern frontier of New York, and westward to Michigan. They were distributed in three divisions. The eastern rendez- voused in the vicinity of Plattsburg, on the western shore of Lake Champlain. The central was under the command of General Stephen Van Rensselaer, who made his head-quar- ters at Lewiston, on the Niagara river; and the northwest- ern division assembled at Detroit. In connection with these armaments a paval force was fitted up on the lakes, the command of which was assigned to Commodore Chauncey. In July a small British fleet made an attack upon Sackett's Harbor, on Lake Ontario, which was defended by Lieuten- ant Woolsey, who, from a battery arranged on the shore, so disabled the hostile fleet that it withdrew. In October an attack on Ogdensburg by a British fleet was repulsed by General Brown. In the same month Lieutenant Elliott, by a bold movement, captured at the foot of Lake Erie the British vessel "Caledonia," laden with a valuable cargo of furs, while she lay in fancied security, protected by the guns of a British fort.

After the inglorious surrender of General Hull at Detroit, the next offensive movement on the part of the Americans was assigned to the central division, which was eager to ofiset Hull's disgrace by a brilliant achievement. An attack on the heights of Queenston was decided on, and was made October 13th, 1812. With inadequate means of transportation about a thousand men were transferred to the Canadian bank of the Niagara, drove the British from their batteries, and took the heights. General Brock ral- lied the enemy and attempted to recapture the position, but was mortally wounded and his force repulsed. The Ameri- cans, however, were unable to hold their ground against the British reinforcements which were brought up, having no implements for fortification; and the militia who had not yet crossed the river became panic-stricken on seeing some of the wounded brought over, and refused to go to the aid of their outnumbered comrades. The latter were therefore overwhelmed and forced to surrender, after having about sixty killed and a hundred wounded.

Nothing save a little skirmishing occurred in this quarter during the remainder of the year. The disgrace which had fallen upon the American arms on land this year was alle-

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OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

viated to a considerable extent, however, by their splendid triumphs on the water. Soon after the new year had been ushered in, the sanguinary conflict at Frenchtown, on the Raisin river, took place, resulting in the surrender of the American forces. The prisoners taken on this occasion were left to be tortured by the barbarous Indians under Proctor, the infamous British commander, in direct violation of his pledge for their safety. Several persons in St. Lawrence county were arrested by the British authorities and confined in Canada on charges of desertion. On February 7th, 1813, Captain Forsyth, the commander of the post at Ogdensburg, crossed to the Canadian shore with a small force, and cap- tured about fifty prisoners, and some military stores. In retaliation Colonel McDonnell, on the 22nd of the same month, crossed the river with a considerable force, and at- tacked Ogdensburg. Only a feeble garrison was stationed there for its protection; but this, with the aid of the citi- zens, defended the town gallantly, although they were finally obliged to abandon it to the invaders. A large quantity of military stores came into the enemy's possession, several vessels were destroyed, and considerable damage was done to the property of the citizens.

General Dearborn had been entrusted with the command of the central division, and on the 25th of April detached a force of seventeen hundred men, under General Pike, for a descent upon Toronto, then known as York. They em- barked at Sackett's Harbor on board the squadron of Com- modore Chauncey, and landed on the 27th in the vicinity of York in the face of a spirited fire from the enemy, whom they soon drove back. The British before leaving their fortifications had laid a train of combustible matter, and connecting it with their magazine thus plotted the destruc- tion of the invaders. The scheme was in part successful, for the Americans took the redoubts as they advanced, and when within about fifty rods of the barracks the explosion took place. General Pike was mortally wounded, and about two hundred of his followers either killed or injured. The troops were appalled at this disaster; but at the order of their dying commander they sprang forward and captured a part of the retreating enemy, and drove the remainder from the field. After the capture of Toronto the squadron re- turned, and preparations were made for an attack upon Fort George, on the Niagara river, near Lake Ontario. A de- scent was made upon this point on the 27th of May, and although meeting a stout resistance was in the end success- ful. On the landing of the troops Colonel Scott advanced to attack an advantageous position held by the enemy, and after a sharp conflict succeeded in dislodging them. General Vincent, the British commander, in alarm, ordered the evacuation of the remaining posts on the Niagara frontier, and on retreating from Fort George caused the magazine to be blown up. The greater part of the garrison made their escape, but nearly four hundred regulars and five hun- dred militia were made prisoners. General Vincent re- treated with the view of taking a position on Burlington Heights, and was followed by a detachment of the Ameri- cans; but the British turned and attacked their pursuers in the night, and succeeded in capturing their generals, and further pursuit was abandoned. Colonel Boerstler was de- tached with a force of about six hundred men to dislodge a body of the enemy stationed at Beaver Dam, about seven. teen miles from Fort George. Arriving in the vicinity of

that place he was attacked by a body of Indians in ambush, who kept up a conflict in their skulking manner until the arrival of a reinforcement of British troops. The British officer then 'sent a summons to the colonel to surrender, at the same time magnifying the number of his troops. Colo- nel Boerstler believing that he had a superior force to con- tend with, and unable to obtain a reinforcement, surrendered his detachment as prisoners of war.

During these offensive operations on the part of the Americans, like expeditions were undertaken by the British. The force at Sackett's Harbor having been reduced to aid the expedition along the Niagara river, and the fleet of Commodore Chauncey being at Fort George, Sir George Prevost made an attempt to take the former post. On the 29th of May he appeared before the place with a force of about one thousand men. It had been left in command of Colonel Backus, who, aided by General Brown, so success- fully resisted the onslaught that the enemy, after sustaining considerable loss, withdrew. This affair was followed by considerable skirmishing along the New York side of Lake Ontario, and on the 11th of July Colonel Bishop made an attack upon the village of Black Rock, on the east side of the Niagara river. In this conflict the British force was repulsed with considerable loss, and their leader mortally wounded.

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History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents, Part 9

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

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