USA > New York > New York City > History of the city of New York : its origin, rise, and progress. Vol. II > Part 13
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Thus ended 1757. It is not singular that New York should have grown suspicious, inquisitive, and cautious ; that Loudoun was 1758. regarded with contempt whenever he inflicted his presence upon the city ; that his military skill, courage, and integrity were called severely in question ; that men spoke openly of the "Cabbage Planting Expedition "; that they laughed incredulously when a winter attack upon Ticonderoga was proposed ; that witty jokes circulated freely con- cerning the hand-sleds and snow-shoes that were being made at Albany, and the worsted caps which were advertised "wanted." After a few weeks nothing more was heard of this latter undertaking. General Webb spent the winter with Loudoun in New York, and they both devoted themselves to such amusements, concerts, theatrical performances, assem- blies, etc., as the city afforded, and played cards and drank wine the re- mainder of the time.
The repeated failures of the British arms had exasperated the nation. A change in the Ministry wrought a new phase in military operations. The elder Pitt (who succeeded the silly Newcastle) declared in Parlia- ment that he never could ascertain what Lord Loudoun was doing in
America. His recall, and also that of General Webb, soon followed. March. Abercrombie, who had remained quietly at Albany, was appointed to the chief command.
1 Among the aldermen of New York at this time were, Philip Livingston, Nicholas Roosevelt, Leonard Lispenard, Pierre De Peyster, Abraham De Peyster, William Coventry, Oliver De Lancey, Albert Herring, Theodorus Van Wyck, Joris Johnson, and John Bo- gart, Jr.
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A campaign against Canada was planned upon a gigantic basis, and this time seemed invested with the elements of fact. The crown was to furnish all the arms, ammunition, provisions, tents, boats, etc .; the colo- nies were to raise as many men as their population would warrant, and the governors were desired to buy clothing, appoint officers, and pay troops, with a promise of Parliamentary reimbursement. The provincial colonels were to be made brigadier-generals, and the lieutenant-colonels were to rank as colonels.
Nothing could be more grateful to the people than these tidings. Every town and hamlet were at once drained for men and means. The New York Assembly promised liberal aid without a moment's hesitation. Money was raised for bounties, for compensation, and for the support of every poor soldier's family during his absence. Bills were emitted for £100,000, to be cancelled by a tax for nine years. There was not a jar among the legislators during the spring session of the Assembly ; they went to their homes at the end of a month, and all eyes were turned to- wards the movements which were to deliver New York and her sister colonies from a terrible foe.
Three formidable expeditions were planned. That against Quebec was placed under the command of General Wolfe. One of the lords remon- strated with the king concerning this appointment ; Wolfe was represented as a " young, rash madman." " If he is mad, I hope he will bite some of my generals," was the vexed reply. General Amherst was to accom- plish the conquest of Cape Breton and vicinity. The third enterprise was against Fort Du Quesne and other French posts on the Ohio.
Preparations went on vigorously and with great spirit. Abercrombie determined to lead the forces destined for Ticonderoga in person. Sir Wil- liam Johnson was obliged to defend the Mohawk Valley, where the French and Indians suddenly destroyed a beautiful town, massacring every in- habitant save two persons, in order, it was supposed, to create a diversion, and thereby enable them to repel the expected invasion.
It was a proud and courageous army that rendezvoused at the head of July 5. Lake George, upon the site of the charred ruins of Fort William
Henry, on the morning of July 5, 1758. Seven thousand British troops of the line in full uniform, and upwards of ten thousand provin- cials, were about to embark for Ticonderoga. The spectacle was imposing. The flotilla consisted of nine hundred bateaux, and one hundred and thirty-five whale-boats, together with rafts to convey stores, ammunition, and artillery. The accomplished Lord Howe, distinguished alike for his gallantry and his daring, was the life and soul of the enterprise. Lord John Murray was there, with his Highland regiment in costume and with
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THE ARMED HOST UPON LAKE GEORGE.
bagpipes. Young noblemen from Old England, of chivalrous bearing and high promise, nodded their gay plumes in every direction, and an equally fine array of proud-spirited colonial officers paraded with their companies as if marching to a grand review. The armed host started from its re- pose at early dawn, and while the sun was peeping over the mountains and gathering up the mists from the crystal waters of the pretty seques- tered lake, embarked for the deeper solitudes, to settle in bloody conflict the disputes between the rival courts of St. James and St. Cloud, a thou- sand leagues away.
Victory was a foregone conclusion. Every heart beat high with joyous expectation. The exhilarating notes of the trumpet, the roll of drums, and the swell of cheerful voices echoed from the hills as the barges streamed over Lake George, shifting and changing places as convenience required ; and favorite airs from well-appointed regimental bands added every now and then to the hilarity of the occasion. With the bright- colored uniforms, the banners of the different regiments floating on the breeze, the dazzling glitter of polished steel, and the flashing of oars, the scene must have resembled some great aquatic pageant.
About noon of the following day the troops landed in good order in a cove upon the west side of the lake, where they formed into four columns and began their march, leaving the artillery and heavy baggage behind until bridges could be built. Abercrombie intended to hurry forward and carry Ticonderoga by storm, before the reinforcements which were hasten- ing to the relief of Montcalm could arrive. But he was inexperienced in the matter of pushing troops through dense woods, and over morasses covered with thick and tangled underbrush. The advance-guard lost their way, and fell in with a body of the enemy; in the skirmish which ensued Lord Howe fell. His loss threw a damper over the entire army. Abercrombie was irresolute, and uncertain which way to steer. His guides were bewildered; and he finally drew back his men to the shore of the lake.
Meanwhile Bradstreet, with Rogers and four hundred rangers, pushed ahead, built bridges, and took possession of some saw-mills which the French had erected at the lower rapids, two miles from Ticonderoga. These rapids are where the waters of Lake George fall about one hundred and fifty-seven feet in their descent through the outlet into Lake Cham- plain. The energy of the provincial colonel reassured Abercrombie, who proceeded with the army to the saw-mills, and sent his chief engineer with a few rangers to reconnoiter the enemy's works.
They returned just at dusk. The engineer reported that the defenses of the French would offer but a feeble resistance to the charge of the
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British bayonet. Stark, who had accompanied him, in command of the rangers, was of a different opinion. But Abercrombie gave orders to advance without artillery on the morning of the 8th, and carry the fortress at the point of the bayonet. As the troops were leaving the encampment they were overtaken by Sir William Johnson with three hundred Indians. The English advanced gallantly, but at the first onset were thrown into confusion by the branches of trees which Montcalm had placed for a hundred yards in front of the log breastwork. At a signal from Montcalm, who stood with his coat off in one of the trenches, a terrific fire was opened upon them from swivels and small-arms. In vain they rallied and attempted to penetrate through the tree-tops. The more they struggled the more they became entangled. Rank after rank was mowed down by the well-directed fire of the enemy. Driven from the left, they attempted the center, then the right, and at last re- treated in the utmost disorder, having lost in killed and wounded nine- teen hundred and sixty-seven men.1
Abercrombie had remained at the saw-mills, and upon the first news of the defeat started for Lake George. Montcalm spent the night in piling up more trees and otherwise strengthening his defenses, supposing that the main body of the English army would appear with their artillery in the morning. Instead, twelve thousand or more men were rushing in wild affright after their valorous commander. Reaching the landing about daybreak, they made for the bateaux, and would have sunk the greater portion of them, had not Colonel Bradstreet by his coolness con- vinced them that there was no immediate danger, and prevailed upon them to embark quietly and in good order. As for Abercrombie himself, he did not breathe freely until the waters of Lake George separated him from the enemy, and his artillery and ammunition were fairly on their way to Albany.
This mortifying repulse created the utmost consternation throughout the colonies. Absurd rumors were quickly spread and religiously be- lieved. With the news of Lord Howe's death it was reported that five thousand English troops had been blown up with a mine at Ticonderoga, three thousand of whom were from New York and New Jersey. The inhabitants along the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys were seized with a panic. They supposed the French army was on its march to Albany.
1 Among those killed in the attack upon Ticonderoga was Major John Rutherford, a mem- ber of the governor's council of New York since 1744. Pennsylvania Archives, III. 475 .. In the same fatal expedition Oliver De Lancey served under Abercrombie as colonel-in-chief of the New York forces, and for his valuable services, and "the singular care of the troops under his command," afterwards received the thanks of the Assembly.
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VICTORY ON THE OHIO.
Some said it had already reached Fort Edward. The guards were doubled at Albany and Schenectady, and for additional protection, large numbers of men, stationed in the block houses, kept strict watch day and night.
Bradstreet felt the disgrace keenly, and importuned with such spirit to be allowed to lead an expedition to Fort Frontenac, that permission was finally granted. With a force of twenty-seven hundred provincials, eleven hundred of whom were New-Yorkers, and forty-two Iroquois war- riors, he embarked in open boats upon Lake Ontario. On the 26th of August he made a successful attack upon the French fortress, which sur- rendered ; Bradstreet not losing a man, and having only two wounded. It was a victory which more than compensated for the defeat of Aber- crombie, as by it Lake Ontario was wrested from the enemy (not one French vessel was left upon the lake), and all communication effectually obstructed between Canada and her posts in the Ohio Valley.
Pitt understood the topography of America, and perceived at once the value of Bradstreet's exploit. The next step was to obtain possession of Fort Du Quesne. General Forbes, who had the expedition in charge, did not move with his forces until autumn; and even then his progress was attended with blunders and delays. He proposed to send fifteen hundred men in advance to open a new road, which he claimed would save sixty miles of tedious travel. Washington vigorously objected ; he was familiar with the country, and said such a course would be attended with danger and probable destruction. Forbes was taken ill on the way, and the con- tractors were remiss in furnishing the required number of wagons for transportation of stores. It was the middle of September when the army reached Raystown. Forbes sent forward an advance party of two thousand men, a portion of whom fell into an ambush and were completely routed, losing three hundred in killed or wounded. Nineteen officers were car- ried prisoners into Canada. Forbes was on the 5th of November within forty miles of his destination, but the weather was getting so cold that it was decided to go into winter quarters. Washington was annoyed beyond measure at such a turn in events. He learned from prisoners that the garrison at Fort Du Quesne was in no condition to resist an attack, and finally obtained permission to push on with his Virginians, while the main army should follow in the rear. He infused life and energy into the faltering soldiery, and was soon within sight of the fort, or of what had been the fort, for the French garrison, numbering scarcely five hundred, and meagerly supplied with provisions, had set the fort on fire at the approach of the English, and fled in terror down the Ohio. In honor of the statesman across the water through whose agency the fort had fallen, the post was called Pittsburg.
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In scenes such as these were America's future heroes being educated. Washington made good use of his opportunities, and carefully noted the failures and their causes, which attended the movements of the British generals. Warfare among the wilds of this continent differed materially from warfare in the Old World, and military tactics must be revised when the foe carried a tomahawk and was likely to spring into view in the most unexpected places. The arrogance of those who held royal commissions was painfully offensive. They refused counsel from the men who were familiar with the Indian paths and the savage character. They snubbed their equals in rank when the latter happened to be of the provincial service, and refused to obey their superiors. Washington, at the head of the Virginia forces, experienced so much embarrassment from repeated acts of this character, that the year before he had promptly determined to resign his commission, unless the difficulties were removed. It was for this purpose that he made his famous journey of five hundred miles to Boston on horseback, to confer with Lord Loudoun, then commander- in-chief. It was in winter-time, and he was absent from his post seven weeks. He spent ten days in Boston, and was treated with distinguished courtesy. He attended the meetings of the General Court, and listened to the discussions of military affairs. In the main object of his trip he was eminently successful. He stopped in New York both on his way to and from Boston, and was cordially entertained by Colonel Beverly Rob- inson, who had been his schoolmate and boyhood's friend in Virginia. This was when he was reputed to have fallen in love with Miss Mary Philipse.
1759. There was an election of a new Assembly in the beginning Jan. of the year 1759, De Lancey having dissolved (December 16, 1758) the one elected in 1752. Fifteen new members were chosen, the Livingston party being in the ascendant. Philip Livingston, who was one of the most popular of the aldermen, was elected by the city, also Oliver De Lancey, John Cruger, and Leonard Lispenard; William Liv- ingston was sent to represent his brother's manor; Robert R. Livingston and Henry Livingston were sent from Duchess County ; Philip Verplanck and Colonel Van Rensselaer were re-elected, and several others whose names have already become familiar to the reader. William Nicoll was chosen speaker. John Watts and William Walton had recently been elected to the Council.
Party spirit, however, wellnigh exhausted itself at the polls. When the Assembly was convened the wheels of government rolled smoothly. Both branches of the Legislature saw that their very existence was at stake, and that it would be folly to waste time and energy in party
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GENERAL AMHERST.
wrangles. Abercrombie had been recalled, which was exceedingly grati- fying. Sir Jeffrey Amherst had been appointed commander-in-chief of the king's forces in America, and he was believed to be specially fitted for the command. He was not a brilliant man, but America was tired of brilliant men, those who were continually devising fine plans and accom- plishing nothing. He possessed sound judgment and marvelous energy. He was slow, but reliable whenever necessity arose for decisive action. He had a squarely rounded head, firmly set on a rather large neck, cov- ered with short, crisp hair; his face was broad and bold; his eyes keen and always on the alert; his nose Grecian, prominent, and almost on a line with his slightly retreating and not very high forehead; his mouth firm, but pleasant ; and his chin of the fighting mold. He inspired more confidence than any officer who had hitherto been sent into the country.
He heard of the disgraceful disaster attending Abercrombie while at Cape Breton in the summer, and without orders sailed at once for Boston, from which point he marched with four regiments to Lake George, to reinforce his superior. He was in New York when he received official news of his promotion. Secretary Pitt required an addition to the Brit- ish army from the colonies, of twenty thousand men. The Assembly at once resolved to raise two thousand six hundred and eighty, as the quota of New York, offering to each a bounty of £ 15, with an additional sum of twenty shillings to the recruiting officer. The expenses were to be defrayed by the emission of £ 100,000 in bills of credit, to be sunk in nine years by a tax, beginning with £12,000, for the present year. Shortly afterward the Assembly, at the request of General Amherst, and upon his promise that it should be repaid in the course of a year, loaned the crown £ 150,000, in addition to the sums already voted for the expenses of the campaign.
In May, Amherst removed his headquarters to Albany, where twelve thousand provincials had already assembled. Sir William Johnson was soon on the war-path with seven hundred braves. The fall of Niagara swiftly followed, and the star of France in the western hemisphere was unquestionably on the wane. The praise of Sir William was upon all lips in both New York and England. The last remaining link in that chain of fortresses which united Canada with Louisiana was now broken.
Amherst, meanwhile, with over eleven thousand men, was approaching Ticonderoga. The French saw that resistance was hopeless, and, July 22. blowing up their works, withdrew to Crown Point. On the 4th Aug. 4. of August, Amherst embarked on the lake, and presently held possession of Crown Point, which the enemy abandoned at his approach.
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Amherst expected, on the reduction of Crown Point, to co-operate with General Wolfe by advancing upon Montreal. But he must first remove the French, who were strongly intrenched at the foot of the lake, and pos- sessed four large vessels heavily armed.
Wolfe, at Point Levi opposite Quebec, watched daily for the arrival of Amherst in vain. Red-hot shot from his cannon set the lower town in a blaze, but the citadel above was likely to remain unharmed. One or two rash attempts had been made to storm the works, and numbers of brave men had fallen. It was nearly the middle of September when it was determined to scale the heights back of Quebec, and thus draw the French into an engagement. Wolfe, who was something of a poet, sang a pensive song of his own composition at his mess the evening after the bold scheme had been decided upon, which ran thus : -
" Why, soldiers, why Should we be melancholy, boys ? Why, soldiers, why ? Whose business 't is to die."
To mislead the enemy, Admiral Holmes was to ascend the river in the ships. The ruse was a success. Montcalm, supposing that the English were on the point of raising the siege, sent off three thousand men for the protection of Montreal. That same clear, calm evening Wolfe was quietly embarking his troops in transports preparatory to the assault. Two hours before daylight, thirty flat-boats, containing sixteen hundred soldiers, left the vessels and dropped silently down with the current, followed at a short distance by the rest of the troops.
The elements favored the weird enterprise. Heavy black clouds drifted over the sky, even the stars were hidden, and the darkness so dark as to be almost felt. The oars were muffled, and the roar of the river was the only sound which stirred the air. Wolfe was seated in the bow of one of the boats, with his arms folded and his head leaning upon his breast; all at once he repeated in whispered tones the lines from Gray's Elegy which end with :
" The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
" Gentlemen," he added, softly, "I would rather have written those lines than take Quebec to-morrow."
The story is familiar to every American, how, in the early dawn of a brilliant morning, five thousand English troops stood drawn up in order of battle upon the Plains of Abraham, and of the astonishment of Mont- calm, when swift messengers waked him from his slumbers with the
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GENERAL WOLFE.
startling news. "Surely," he said, " it can be but a small party come to burn a few houses and retire !"
He was speedily aware of the magnitude of the danger. At ten o'clock
the two armies confront - ed each other up- on the plain. They fought with great fury. In the bayo- net charge Wolfe received a slight wound in the wrist. A moment after he was struck with a bullet. He con- tinued cheering on The Assault upon Quebec. his men, until a third ball stretched him upon the ground. He was tenderly carried to the rear, and asked if he would have a surgeon, to which he replied in the negative. One of the officers who was supporting him exclaimed, at the same instant, "See how they run !" " Who run ?" demanded Wolfe with energy. "The enemy, sir; they give way everywhere." "Then tell Colonel Burton to march Webb's regiment down to Charles River, to cut 43
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off their retreat from the bridge. Now, God be praised, I will die in peace." And, turning upon his side, the spirit of the brave commander took its final departure.
Montcalm received his death-wound almost simultaneously with that of Wolfe. He was borne to the hospital, and gently told that he must die. "I am glad of it," he replied. When he learned that his life could not last over ten or twelve hours, he exclaimed, "So much the better; I am happy that I shall not see the surrender of Quebec." And he did not. When, at the earnest solicitation of the citizens, the white flag was hoisted, Montcalm was no more. .
The news of the capture of Quebec was hailed with rapture in New York. There was no longer any question concerning the subjugation of the French in every part of Canada. The war was drawing to a close. The bells of the city rang in one grand, riotous tumult of joy, and bonfires and illuminations turned the night into a scene long to be remembered. But the gladness was saddened by the loss of the gallant Wolfe. And there were mourning hearts in many a household, for numbers of New York's noble sons had shared the glory, and were now sleeping in the soldier's grave. In England a day was set apart for public thanksgiving; and Parliament commemorated the services of Wolfe, in overcoming almost insurmountable natural obstacles to overthrow Montcalm, by a monument in Westminster Abbey. An obelisk was also erected to his memory in New York, just east of the country-seat of Oliver De Lancey on the Hudson.
Following shortly came the news of the rout of the French army at Minden, and the defeat of the French fleet off the coast of Algava. There was abundant cause for gratitude. And yet there was much more to be done ere the frontiers were safe; the army must be supported, and the public needs supplied.
In the early spring Boston suffered from a terrible fire, by which more 1760. than two hundred families were deprived of shelter, and left in a March 20. destitute condition. An appeal was made to New York for aid. With generous impulse, notwithstanding the low condition of the treas- ury, and the indebtedness to a long list of creditors through the extraor- dinary demands of the war, £2,500 were at once voted by the Assembly for the relief of the distressed city.
When the British army returned to New York from Canada, it met with a triumphal reception. No American province had suffered as much from the incursions of the French, and consequently in no other capital were the demonstrations of joy at being relieved from the horrible terrors of savage warfare more solid and sincere. Sumptuous entertainments were given to the officers, which they regarded with amazement. New York seemed to have grown rich during the war, notwithstanding her outlays.
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COSTLY ENTERTAINMENTS.
That privateering had proved a paying business, is shown by the list of vessels published from time to time in the newspapers of the period. The number of prizes brought into port during the first few months of the war were reported as including "thirty ships, four brigantines, eight scows, one barque, and several schooners and sloops"; and during the same period, the New York privateersmen took twenty-six other prizes into British West India ports. Enticing advertisements were constantly appearing, such as, " All gentlemen, sailors, and others, who have a mind to make their fortunes, are desired to repair on board - ship, which, mounting twenty-six guns, and carrying two hundred men, will be ready to sail in three weeks," - to intercept certain French fleets. The whole American coast from Maine to Georgia swarmed with daring, adventu- rous, and probably unscrupulous privateers, who preyed upon the com- merce of more than one of the European nations. French ships, filled with the spices and coffee of their Indian provinces, and cargoes of West India sugars and rum, were sought with the more zeal; but rich Spanish galleons, laden with the wealth of Mexico and Peru, were not passed by in respectful silence. Private cruises were the fashion. Long experience in trading upon the coast of Africa made the merchants fearless and self- reliant. The age was agog with the spirit of financial adventure, and it is no matter of wonder that opportunities such as these, which were sus- . tained by the highest authority, as well as precedent, were promptly seized and turned to account.
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