USA > New York > New York City > History of the New Netherlands, province of New York, and state of New York : to the adoption of the federal Constitution. Vol. I > Part 43
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377
DIESKAU'S DEFEAT AND DEATH.
Col. Williams, with this detachment, met the whole of Dieskau's army in a defile, about four miles from Johnson's fortified camp. This defile is formed by the barrier mountains of Lake George, continuing to the south, and extends several miles-a rugged, nar- row pass, filled with forest trees. Through this Dieskau was ad- vancing, to attack Johnson by surprise. The Indians accompany- ing Dieskau gave, from the sides of the defile, their deadly fire- themselves concealed by the thicket3-and while Williams gallantly led his men to the charge, he fell by a ball, which entered his brain. The remainder of the detachment, after resisting until most were slain, gained their security by a rapid flight to Johnson's camp, and gave warning of the approaching foe.
The report of musketry had given the alarm in the encampment at Lake George, which was increased by the fugitives ; and while the confusion existed, Dieskau's French forces appeared, marching in regular order, with all the indication of resistless strength, which the uniformly combined movements of disciplined troops always impress upon the beholder. The French commander, instead of taking advantage of any panick his flying enemies might have created, concluded that a surprise being no longer possible, a regular ap- proach was to be made, and halted his men at about one hundred and fifty yards distance from the encampment. Time was given to the provincials to recover from confusion, and to bring up lieavy cannon, in aid of the field artillery, upon the French columns, who commenced a systematick firing, by platoons, which did no. · injury to men covered by a breastwork. With renovated spirits, the provincials poured a deadly fire upon their assailants, who were immediately deserted by their Canadians and Indians. Baron Dieskau being left by his auxiliaries, and finding that he could make no impression upon the centre of the encampment, moved first to the right, and then to the left ; but was repulsed by a deadly fire from the Americans, sheltered by their breastwork. The French obstinately continued their unavailing attacks until the severe loss and fatigue created despondency and confusion among the troops, and an irregular retreat commenced. This was no sooner perceived by the provincials, than, without waiting for orders, they leaped from their covering and attacked their adversaries with fury. The French army was annihilated. Numbers were killed in their flight, and some surrendered as prisoners. A force, consisting of two thousand men, lost, in killed, about eight hundred. The remainder were dispersed in the woods, or made captives, with the exception of one body which retreated towards the Hudson. Baron Dieskan, mor tally wounded, was among the prisoners. He had received a ball in the leg; and, unable to follow in the retreat, was found leaning against a tree, by a single soldier. The Baron seeing his approach, put his hand to his watch, thinking to indicate his surrender and VOL. I. 48
378
DIESKAU'S DEFEAT AND DEATH.
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'gain the favour of his enemy ; but the soldier mistook the motion for an attempt to draw forth a pistol, and discharged liis musket, the ball of which entered the unfortunate general's hip. He was con- veyed to the encampment and every aid given him ; but he expired upon the bed of his victorious adversary, the commander of the provincials.
Two battles had been fought this day, but still another scene of slaughter occurred. The body of the French, who kept together, passed over the ground on which they had in the morning defeated Col. Williams ; and when about four miles nearer Fort Edward, finding themselves unpursued, halted for rest and refreshment. They threw aside their arms, opened their knapsacks, and were seated on the ground, among the trees, when Captain McGinnes and Captain Folsom, with two hundred men, sent from Fort Ed- ward, fell upon them; and although the French attempted a de- fence, by seizing their muskets and fighting without order, they were routed, killed, or taken captives. McGinnes fell in this ac- tion, say our historians : but Johnson only says, he was brought to the camp wounded .*
Nothing could more elucidate the fortune of war than Dieskau's defeat and Jolinson's triumph. The Frenchman was an experienced soldier, of high reputation ; and his object was an attack upon an entrenched camp, at Fort Edward, that must have fallen ; but when within a few miles of the place, he was informed that Johnson was at Lake George, unprovided with artillery, and that several cannon were mounted at Fort Edward. A prisoner had informed him that Johnson had neither breastwork or cannon to defend his encamp- ment-which was true, when the man left it ; but the guns arrived next day, and Americans require but little time to throw up earth for defence, as Breed's Hill and New Orleans have since testified. Thus an experienced soldier was led to sacrifice his army and his life, when, if he had proceeded as was first intended, it is not im- probable that both the forces at Fort Edward and Lake George would have fallen before him.
It does not appear that Johnson, whose fortune was made by the discomfiture of Dieskau, gave any orders for the pursuit of the French, when they were repulsed ; and the body which kept to- gether in retreat, would have gone off unmolested, but for the en- counter with Captains Folsom and McGinnes, an affair of pure accident, or, at least, not influenced by Johnson .:
Baron Dieskau, though so severely wounded, lived to be con-
* Gen. Morgan Lewis informs.me, that McGinnes lost an arm, and not his life ; and that in 1770-2-3. he remembers him weil, attended by two bull dogs, at the bull-baits, in the Bowery.
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379
INJUSTICE TOWARDS GENERAL LYMAN.
veyed to Albany, and thence to New York and England, where he died. Hendrick, the Mohawk, fell in company with Williams, only regretting that the ball which despatched him, entered from behind ; for it appears that the detachment was nearly surrounded, before the French Indians opened their destructive fire.
The most remarkable circumstance in the history of the event is, that Jolinson, in his official letter of September 9th, 1756, to the governours of provinces who had furnished troops for this expedi- tion against Crown Point, does not once mention General Lyman, the second in command, who must unavoidably have continued the defence of the redoubt, after Johnson received the wound in his thigh. President Dwight, (upon the authority of Mr. Burt, of Westmoreland, New York, who was on the spot ; and a review, attributed to William Livingston, the revolutionary Governour of New Jersey,) says, this wound was received at the commence- ment of the battle, and that Lyman took the command, stationed himself in front, and issued his orders as occasion demanded.
It is likewise asserted, that Lyman urged a general pursuit of . the enemy, which was overruled by Johnson. Lyman is repre- sented by Dwight, as a man distinguished for learning, holding a high rank as a lawyer, dignified in person and manners, and beloved by his soldiers. Jealousy is attributed to the commanding officer, who omitted even the name of Lyman, in his official despatches .*
In the Pennsylvania Gazette, of September 1Sth, 1755, appeared a letter, from the aid of Johnson, adding in a postscript, "General Lyman, and all the officers, behaved with distinguished conduct and courage." Yet, Johnson was created a baronet, with a present of £5,000 sterling; and Lyman, unknown in England, or only named to be vilified, had justice only done him, by the praises and confidence of his countrymen. No writer, until President Dwight, represented to the public the true merits of this affair, or gave due . credit to General Lyman. The second part of Chief Justice Smith's history was not published until 1830, by the New York Historical Society.
Instead of taking advantage of this victory, General Johnson continued to fortify his camp ; and, although joined by the troops raised at his request, by Massachusetts, he made no attempt on Crown Point ; and the French, undisturbed, raised Ticonderoga, yet further upon the territory of New York, to that point of strength, which soon after defied the power of Abercrombie.
* Smollet, in his continuation of Hume, says, that on Johnson's learning that the French were ina. ching on Fort Edward, it does not appear that he called a council of war, until next day, and then despatched 1,000 men "to catch the enemy," as was the general's expression in his letter. though no one knew their number or force.
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350
SIR CHARLES HARDY, GOVERNOUR,
The defeat of Dieskau was considered as an equivalent for the fall of Braddock, by the English government: and I find an officer, writing to Horatio Gates, who, with a wound in his shoulder, was nursed by a relative of Colonel Washington, that happily for the remains of Braddock's army, Dieskau had been prevented from penetrating to the west.
On the 2d of September, 1755, Sir Charles Hardy, another admiral, arrived at New York, commissioned as governour Al- though ignorant of the province, and of civil affairs generally, he was guided by De Lancey, who, in effect, continued governour. Oliver De Lancey was brother to James, and employed by him in the concerns of the province.
In October, the remains of Braddock's army passed New York city, in thirty-three transport vessels, from New Jersey, on their way to Albany.
General Shirley, the commander-in-chief of the English armies in America, summoned the governours of the colonies to a con- gress,* at New York, which met on the 12th of December, and agreed to raise 10,000 men, to reduce Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and the French forts on Lake Ontario. It was then proposed to reduce Duquesne, and conquer Canada. Of all this, nothing was done ; and the French Indians proceeded, as usual, to distress, burn, and ravage the frontiers of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Though hostilities had been carried on during the year 1754, it was not until 1756, that England and France formally declared war-both sending troops to fight in America. Shirley, whose plans had all failed, was removed, and Abercrombie sent to succeed him, as commander-in-chief, ad interim, of his Britannick majesty's
forces in America.
1756
Lord Loudon, the permanent commander-in-chief, ar- rived at New York, on the 23d of July, and proceeded to Albany, where Governour Hardy then was; but Hardy returned to the metropolis, 15th August, displeased that Loudon controlled him in military affairs.
. The French who had previously, as has been mentioned, pre pared to attack Oswego, hal been vigorously opposed. Colonel Bradstreet had defeated their parties, in several skirmishes, on the borders of the Onondaga River, which falls into Lake Ontario, at Oswego.
The force of the enemy, on the lake, made it necessary to con- vey supplies to Oswego, by ascending the Mohawk River to the
* This Congress consisted of Shirley, Hardy, De Lancey, Governour Sharpe, of Maryland, Governour Morris, of Pennsylvania, Fitch, of Connecticut, Colonels Dunbar, Peter Schuyler, Majors Craven, St. Clair, and Rutherford.
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381
MONTCALM'S EXPEDITION.
carrying place, and descending Wood Creek to Lake Oneida, and the Onondaga River, to the fort. Hearing that such a convoy was on its way, an ambuscade was formed by the French, on the Onon- daga River, to intercept it; but Bradstreet ascended the river, secured the convoy, and proceeded to encounter the ambuscaders. While ascending the stream, his batteaux were saluted by the war- whoop of the French Indians, and a discharge of musketry. He immediately landed his troops, and, sword in hand, fell upon the enemy, to their total rout and slaughter. He ascended the river to the carrying place, and then, by the Mohawk, descended to Sche- nectady, and carried intelligence to Abercrombie that the French were prepared, with an overwhelming force, on the eastern side of Lake Ontario, to cross and invest the garrison of Oswego : where, it will be borne in mind, two new forts had been erected, viz. Fort Ontario, on the east side of Onondaga River, and an additional fort at Oswego.
Before succours could be sent to Col. Mercer, who commanded at Oswego, Lord Loudon arrived at Albany, and assumed the com- mand .* The army, on the first of August, was said to amount to two thousand six hundred regulars and seven thousand provincial troops. At Oswego were fourteen hundred men, besides workmen and sailors. The enemy, besides his force on Lake Champlain, had his chief strength ready for action at Fort Frontignac, on the north of Lake Ontario, and prepared to cross upon Oswego. Thir- teen hundred regular French troops, with seventeen hundred Ca- nadians, attended, as usual, by a large body of Indians, were led by the Marquis de Montcalm, duly prepared for this enterprize .- Two armed vessels were sent to block up the port, while a large body of Canadians were landed and pushed up the banks of the river, to prevent any succour by the way of the Mohawk, the car- rying place, (Rome) and Wood Creek, on which route Gen. Webb had advanced. Montcalm then crossed the lake, and landed his artillery. After erecting a battery for the protection of his vessels, he opened his trenches before Fort Ontario, on the 12th of August ; and, next day, entered the fort without opposition, the garrison having spiked the guns and crossed the river to Oswego. From Fort Ontario, Montcalm assailed at pleasure the English force, by means of his superiour artillery ; and Col. Mercer being killed, by
* Loudon, the commander of the British forces in America, at this time, was a man utterly devoid of genius, or any substitute for it. Always in a hurry, and hurrying others, but never miking any progress. He was compared to St. George on a sign-board, always on horseback, but never advancing.
A man of different character succeeded Dieskau, as the commander of the French army in America. The Marquis de Montcalm, always active and energetick, col- lected an army of five thousand regular troops, with militia and Indians, and marched rapidly upon Oswego, conveying his cannon by batteaux.
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882
MONTCALM TAKES OSWEGO.
a cannon ball, a council of officers determined upon a capitulation, which was effected on the 14th-the garrison surrendering as pris- oners of war, to be exempted from plunder, and also conveyed to Montreal.
The terms of capitulation were not observed ; and the usual plea was afterwards made, that the Indians could not be restrained ; that they fought for, and had been promised plunder ; and that some of their warriours having been killed, they would have the blood of the prisoners in return. British officers and soldiers were insulted, and their clothes torn from them. Several men, as they stood defenceless on the parade, were massacred ; and a lieutenant, who lay wounded in his tent, was killed, and with others (sick or disabled) scalped. Finally, Montcalm gave up twenty men to his Indians, to be sacrificed, in lieu of as many that they had lost. Such are the charges made against the French commander ; and they have the more force from the subsequent transactions at Fort William Henry.
The prisoners were afterwards, according to capitulation, carried in batteaux to Montreal, and had no reason to complain of their treatment. The victors demolished the forts, and removed the ar- tillery and ammunition. One hundred and twenty one cannon fell into their hands, fourteen mortars, with warlike stores of every kind and abundant provision. 'I'wo sloops and two batteaux were made prizes ; and the loss of this post caused general consternation through the continent .*
This was the only important transaction of the campaign. Lord Loudon withdrew his army into winter quarters, and prepared for the conquest of Crown Point at a future day, which never arrived. Fort William Henry, at the head of Lake George, was erected, or strengthened, as was Fort Edward, on the Hudson.
The noble earl sent 1,000 of his troops to our city, and repaired thither himself. The difficulties respecting quarters for the officers, may be best told in the words of Chief Justice Smith ; " the ma- gistrates of the capital had crowded the privates into the barracks, and left the officers, about fifty, to find lodgings for themselves. When the earl came down in December, he sent for Mr. Cruger, the mayor, and insisted that the officers of every rank should be exempted from expense ; and, to soothe him, alleged that this was every where the custom ; and that he had, in consideration of our 1
* Gen. Webb, who, with a considerable force, had advanced by the Mohawk River to the carrying place, to the succour of Oswego-by descending Wood Creek by the Onondaga-was so alarmed, that he filled Wood Creek with trees, to pre- vent the approach of the enemy ; and Loudon pushed on Sir William Johnson, with Indians and militia, to support Webb, and prevent the French from descending the Mohawk River to the attack of Albany.
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383
LORD LOUDON COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
efforts, put the army to imconveniences by so wide a dispersion ; but signified, that if he made difficulties, he would convene all his troops here and billet them himself.
" The mayor desired time to consult the body over which he presided. 'The death of his sister made it necessary to apologize for the delay of the answer, until her funeral obsequies were per formed. But his lordship insisted upon a speedy compliance, and told the committee he would meet them on the subject ; and to convince them that free quarters were every where usual, he would assert it upon his honour, ' which (says he) is the highest evidence you can require.' The demand took air ; the citizens raved, and the corporation, consisting generally of elective officers, were at their wit's ends, concerning the course to be pursued. They flew to the governour, but he answered them with reserve, caution, and duplicity : they called a meeting with the judges and city members : -Mr. De Lancey did not attend till the second convention, and excused himself from giving an extra judicial opinion, but it was supposed that Mr. Watts spoke his mind in favour of the people. The act lately passed, gave authority to billet first upon inns, and the surplus upon private houses ; but supposing the inhabitants . were to be paid, authorized the magistrates to rate the allowance : beyond that, the magistrates durst not interfere through dread of prosecution. A committee was appointed to his lordship, and ano- ther to present a memorial to the governour, imploring his medi- ation, and asserting that free quarters were against the common law, and the petition of rights, the stat. 21. Car. Il. and the muting and desertion act ; and that the colonists were entitled to all the rights of Englishmen. The governour escaped, for as soon as the earl saw the opinion of the corporation, he replied to the mayor, who alone was admitted to his presence, 'God d-n my blood! if you do not billet my officers upon free quarters, this day, I'll order here all the troops in North America under my command, and billet them myself upon this city.' The magistrates, counte- nanced by the conscious dread and impotency of the citizens, pro- moted a subscription to defray the expenses, and a calm ensued ; but with a general abhorrence of the oppressor, who soon after pro- ceeded through Connecticut to Boston."
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1757 On the 16th of February, 1757, Sir Charles Hardy met his assembly at Flatbush, and told them that reinforce- ments were coming out ; that the people of the Massachusetts Bay were to contribute, and pressing the immediate levying of our quota, renewed his importunity for money to settle the partition line with New Jersey and the Massachusetts Bay, blood having been lately spilled in the manour of Livingston ; and pursued his object for the vacating of the patents, which he was pleased to call exor- bitant grants. They promised their proportion for the prosecution
384
LORD LOUDON COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
of the war, to avoid the imputation of being instrumental in their own ruin by tedious delays and resolutions, or ill-timed parsimony : but waived any provision for the settlement of lines* till they could say withi propriety that we had lands to divide ; intimated that the quit-rents were a proper fund to defray that expense ; and, respect- ing the grants, informed him that they were purchased by conside- rable suins, paid not only to the Indians, but the officers of the 1. government, in fees equal often to the value of the land granted ; that what he urged was a proceeding harsh and dangerous, and now not necessary, as the Indians were not obstructed in the use of the land ; and that they thought it of consequence to lay out a line of townships on the frontiers, to be given to settlers without fee or reward ; and, as the small-pox then compelled them to sit out of town, they wish to attend only to what respected the war.
Sir Charles having been appointed to command the expedition against Louisburg, hoisted his flag as rear-admiral of the blue, and embarked on the 2d of July, leaving the government to James De Lancey. The admiral-governour had been the fortunate captain of the yacht which brought his sacred majesty safely to England ; for which service, the captain had been knighted, made a governour, and now commander of a fleet. We turn from Sir Charles to ano- ther noble, Lord Loudon, the commander of the king's army, who was to drive the French into (and from) Canada.
His lordship summoned the Governours of New England to meet him in New York ; and attributed the disasters of last year to their supineness or negligence, at the same time demanding addi- tional troops. The provinces overlooked his insolence, and com- plied with his demands. They were not to be dispirited by mis- fortunes caused by the government of England, or the incapacity of the men sent to command them. A respectable army was cheer- fully raised by the colonies, and placed at the disposal of the British general. New York furnished 1,000 soldiers; New Jersey and New England their full proportion, and when his lordship departed for Halifax, he left an army of 6,000 men, under General Webb, prepared for operations against the enemy. Webb, with 2,300, was posted at the south end of Lake George ; 1,500 were at the carrying place, on the Hudson, called Fort Edward; and the remainder scattered at various posts of the province. This divided force did not look like an attack upon the French ; and, in fact, as we shall soon see, Montcalm was preparing on Lake Cham- plain, of which he had the full command, as well as of Ontario, to
* A long memorial, drafted by Mr. Scott, to urge the assembly to make the con- troversy with New Jersey a provincial charge. and presented the 13th of February, 1756, was now printed, on the motion of Mr. Oliver De Lancey, who was not then become interested as a proprietor of New Jersey.
385
PROJECTED INVASION OF CANADA.
penetrate Lake George, and act on the offensive. He collected at St. John's, an army, and 300 batteaux to transport them; and in July, Webb had intelligence that the French army were daily filing of from Crown Point to Ticonderoga, and he let Mr. De Lancey know that he was in expectation of an attack. Lord Loudon's attention, and that of the English commanders in America, was attracted towards Louisbourg, now deemed of great importance ; and M. Montcalm seized the opportunity to advance by the strait near Ticonderoga, and by traversing Lake George from north to south, to fall upon Fort William Henry.
This fort had been erected on the spot where Dieskau had been defeated ; but appears to have been on ground, otherwise, unmili- tary. It is described as being a square structure, with regular bas- tions at the angles-bordered on the east and on the south sides by a swamp-on the west by a valley-and on the north by the lake, to the waters of which, it was almost on a level. It was overlooked by the lands in the neighbourhood, and commanded by the emi- nence on which Fort George was afterwards built.
On the 3d of August, De Lancey learned, by express, that the enemy were, on the 30th of July, within twelve miles of Fort Wil- liam Henry ; and the governour set out for Albany, ordering de- tachments of militia to follow, and collecting when arrived, which was not till the Sth of September, forces for defence. The New York militia marched on the 13th.
In the meantime, Montcalm had been forwarding troops toward Fort William Henry. Three attacks had been made by his advance parties, and repulsed. On the other hand, 400 men, provincials and Indians, had, under Colonel John Parker, proceeded down the lake to attack a post near Ticonderoga, which the French had established. The enemy, having intelligence from prisoners, of Parker's design, lay in ambush for him, and succeeded in cutting off the whole detachment-only two officers and seventy men returning to William Henry.
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