USA > New York > Monroe County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Allegany County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming > Part 48
USA > New York > Livingston County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Yates County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Ontario County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Wyoming County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Steuben County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Wayne County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
USA > New York > Orleans County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 48
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their waters entirely corrupted. Some of them became yellow, others red, and the great river of the St. Lawrence appeared entirely white, as far down as Tadoussac This extraordinary phenomena, must astonish those who knew the size of the river and the immense body of waters in various parts, which must have required such abundance of matter to whiten it. They write from Montreal, that during the earth- quake, they plainly saw the stakes of the picketing or palisades, jump up as if they had been dancing; and that of two doors in the same room, one opened and the other shut of their own accord ; that the chimneys and tops of the houses, bent like branches of the trees agitated with the wind; that when they went to walk, they felt the earth following them, and rising at every step they took, something sticking against the soles of their feet, and other things in a very forcible and surprising man- ner."
" From Three Rivers they write that the first shock was the most violent, and com- menced with a noise resembling thunder. The houses were agitated in the same man- ner as the tops of trees during a tempest, with a noise as if fire was cracking in the garrets. The shock lasted half an hour, or rather better, though its greatest force was properly not more than a quarter of an hour, and we believe there was not a single shock, which did not cause the earth to open more or less.
" As for the rest, we have remarked that, though this earthquake continued almost without intermission, yet it was not always of an equal violence. Sometimes it was like the pitching of a large vessel which dragged heavily at her anchors, and it was this motion which caused many to have giddiness in their heads, and a qualmishness in their stomachs. At other times the motion was hurried and irregular, creating sud- den jerks, some of which were extremely violent ; but the most common, was a slight, tremulous motion, which occurred frequently with little noise. Many of the French inhabitants, and Indians, who were eye-witnesses to the scene, state that a great way up the river of Trois Rivieres, about eighteen miles below Quebec, the hills which bor- dered the river on either side, and which were of a prodigious height, were torn from their foundations, and plunged into the river, causing it to change its course, and spread itself over a large tract of land recently cleared ; the broken earth mixed with the waters, and for several months changed the color of the great river St. Lawrence, into which that of Trois Riviers disemboques itself. In the course of this violent con- vulsion of nature, lakes appeared where none ever existed before; mountains were overthrown, swallowed up by the gaping, or precipitated into adjacent rivers, leaving in their places frightful chasms or level plains ; falls and rapids were changed into gentle streams, and gentle streams into falls and rapids. Rivers in many parts of the country sought other beds, or totally disappeared. The earth and mountains were entirely split and rent in innumerable places, creating chasms and precipices, whose depths have never yet been ascertained. Such devastation was also occasioned in the woods, that more than a thousand acres in one neighborhood were completely over- turned ; and where, but a short time before, nothing met the eye but an immense forest of trees, now were to be seen extensive cleared lands, apparently cut up by the plough.
At Tadoussac, (about 150 miles below Quebec, on the north side,) the effect of the earthquake was not less violent than in other places ; and such a heavy shower of vol- canic ashes fell in that neighborhood, particularly in the river St. Lawrence, that the water was as violently agitated as during a tempest. The Indians say that a vast volcano exists in Labrador. Near St. Paul's Bay (about fifty miles below Quebec on the north side,) a mountain, about a quarter of a league in circumference, situated on the shore of the St. Lawrence, was precipitated into the river, but as if it had only
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made a plunge, it rose from the bottom and became a small island, forming with the shore a convenient harbor, well sheltered from all winds. Lower down the river, toward Point Alouettes, an entire forest of considerable extent, was loosened from the main bank and slid into the river St. Lawrence, where the trees took fresh root. There are three circumstances, however, which have rendered this extraordinary earthquake particularly remarkable : - The first is its duration, it having continued from February to August, that is to say, more than six months almost without intermission. It is true, the shocks were not always equally violent. In several places, as toward the mountains behind Quebec, the thundering noise and trembling motion continued suc- cessively for a considerable time. In others, as toward Tadoussac, the shock contin- ued generally for two or three days at a time, with much violence.
The second circumstance relates to the extent of this earthquake, which we believe, was universal throughout the whole of New France, for we learn that it was felt from L'Isle Perce and Gaspe, which are situated at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, to be- yond Montreal; as also in New England, Arcadia, and other places more remote. As far as it has come to our knowledge, this earthquake extended more than 600 miles in length, and about 300 in breadth. Hence, 180,000 square miles of land were convul- sed in the same day, and at the same moment.
The third circumstance, which appears the most remarkable of all, regards the ex- traordinary protection of Divine Providence, which has been extended to us and our habitations ; for we have seen near us the large openings and chasms which the earth- quake occasioned, and the prodigious extent of country which has been either totally lost or hideously convulsed, without our loosing either man, woman, or child, or even having a hair of their head touched."
[NO. 2.]
DE NONVILLE'S INVASION OF THE. GENESEE COUNTRY.
Succeeding M. de la Barre, the Governor, De Nonville, had immediately commenced peace negotiations with the Senecas ; at times there seemed every prospect of a favora- ble issue ; but the English Governor, Dongan, was evidently throwing every obstacle in the way of peace. Had he been otherwise disposed, a powerful influence was brought to bear upon him : The English traders had approached the productive hunt- ing grounds of Western New York ; and were stimulated by the prospect of gain which they afforded ; and this region was their only practicable avenue of approach to the still more extensive field of Indian trade around the borders of the western Lakes. The mercenary views of the English traders predominated over any regard for the peace of their colony. The sale of poor English brandy to the Indians, and the ac- quisition of rich paeks of beaver were considerations with them paramount to those which involved questions of peace or war between France and England. They of course were not the peace counsellors of Gov. Dongan.
France and De Nonville had a faithful helper, in the person of the Jesuit Father Lamberville, who had been for sixteen years located as a missionary, at Onondaga, the central canton of the Iroquois. He had, not unworthily, acquired great influence, and he exercised it in favor of peace. He had perseveringly endeavored to prevent the introduction of spiritous liquors among the Indians ; had foretold its consequences, and in all things else had proved their friend. Pending the visit of M, de la Barre to
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the south shore of Lake Ontario, he had exerted himself to procure a conference be- tween the French and all the Iroquois nations ; and in order to remove every obstacle, had opened a friendly correspondence with Gov. Dongan, to induce him to be on the side of peace. "Let your zeal," he wrote, " for the public peace, and especially for the Christians of this America, induce you to put a finishing hand to this good work. Since peace, through your care, will apparently last, we shall continue to carry the Christian faith through this country, and to solicit the Indians, whom you honor with your friendship, to embrace it, as you yourselves embrace it, for this is the sole object that has caused us to come here ; that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for all men, may be useful to them, and that his glory may be great throughout the earth." The good missionary requests the Governor to send his answer by Garakontic, an Onondaga, whom he will meet at Albany ; and he exhorts him " to have a little care for Garakontie," to recommend him "not to get drunk any more, as he promised when he was baptised, and to perform the duties of a Christian."
On the advent of De Nonville, Father Lamberville seconded all his efforts for peace, though as duty to his country dictated, he at the same time kept the Governor informed of all the English were doing to prejudice the Iroquois against the French.
The winter of 1685, '6, wore away, the French shut up at Montreal, and at their advanced posts, and the English, not venturing mnuch beyond the Hudson. Little could be done in the winter in the way of peace negotiations, war, or trade, as the navigable waters, the only means of communication, were principally closed with ice.
In May, De Nonville informed his government, that there had been seen on Lake Erie, ten English canoes, laden with merchandise, in which were some French deserters ; and mentions that he had sent a small force to Niagara to intercept them on their return. He gives a minute topographical description of Niagara ; describes its command- ing position ; and recommends the erection of a fort there, as the most effectual means of preventing English encroachments at the west ; and he is of the opinion that if the Senecas should see a fort planted there, they would be more pliant." He informs the government that he has assumed the responsibility of sending an engineer and draughtsman to Niagara, to locate the Fort, and make the necessary drawings."* The expense attending the getting of military stores and provisions to Kingston, is men- tioned as a serious drawback to his operations, it costing not less than "110 livres from Ville Marie, on the Island of Montreal, to Catarokouy, per 1000 lbs."
Soon after this dispatch had been forwarded to France, De Nonville received a letter from the English Governor, abounding in professions of friendship, and a disposition to preserve peace between the two nations ; laments that the Indians had dealt harshly with two Jesuit Missionaries ; and thinks it " a thousand pitties that those who made such progress in the service of God, should be disturbed; and that by the fault of those who laid the foundation of Christianity amonst those barbarous people." In this letter, however, the English Governor distinctly asserts the right of English do- minion, all along the south shores of Lake Ontario, and up to the eastern banks of
* This is undoubtedly the incipient step to the occupation of the site of Fort Niag- ara. In his History of the Holland Purchase, the author has assumed that La Salle erected a trading post there ; but better information leads him to the conclusion that this was an error.
NOTE .- The reader will bear in mind, that up to this period of colonization in America, the question of right, as to jurisdiction and dominion, was but illy defined. Boundaries were but imaginary, no surveyor's compass having marked them ; no " stakes or stones" had been set up. The French claimed dominion and pre-emptive
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the Niagara River, complains of the gathering of stor es at "Cataraqui," (Kingston,) as it is evidence of intention to war upon the Iroquois, who, it is assumed are the king of England's subjeets, and protests against the intentions of the French to build a ffort at a place called Ohnigero, on this side of the Lake, within my master's ter- ritoryes."
Other correspondenee transpired between the Governors of the rival colonists, and both kept their governments informed of all that was going on in this portion of the new world. The diplomaey of the Governors, was marked throughout with insincer- ity ; they mutually concealed from each other their real intentions. Gov. Dongan occasionally falls into a vein of flattery : - On one occasion he expresses his "high satisfaction that the King of France has sent him so good a neighbor, of so excellent qualifications and temper, and of a humor altogether different from Monsieur La Barre, who was so furious and hasty, very much addicted to great words, as if it had bin to have bin frightened by him." De Nonville aware that Gov. Dongan was a Catholic, takes good eare to often impress him with the idea, that all that he is doing has refer- ence to " the glory of God, and the propagation of the Christian faith." Suddenly however, his tone changed, and he charged the English Governor with inciting the Indians to murder Frenehmen upon their own territory ; of being privy to the "mar- tyrdom of holy missionaries ; " of having sent an English expedition to Mishillima- quina." " Think you," says he, "that religion will progress, whilst your merchants supply as they do, Eau de vei in abundanee, which converts the savages into demons. and their wigwams into counterparts and theatres of hell." He charges in addition, that the English have "harbored and protected French runaways, bankrupts and thieves."
De Nonville informed his King of English encroachments upon French territory ; of their expeditions to the West; of their holding councils with the Iroquois, and es- peeially the Senecas ; of their arming and ineiting them to war upon the French ; and coneluds with the opinion, that there ean be no success for the French Mission- aries or Traders, until the Senecas are humbled ; and for this purpose he demands a large reinforcement from France. The King assured him that his deruands should be complied with, and recommends prompt offensive measures.
Mueh other correspondence passed between De Nonville and his government, and between the two Governors, which is not material to an understanding of events that followed.
right over all the lands of the Indians, among whom their missionaries and traders had gained a foothold. By this tenure they were, at the period upon which we are now dwell- ing, claiming the whole valley of the Western Lakes, and of the Mississippi ; over into Texas and New Mexico, by reason of the advent of La Salle ; and all of what is now New York, as low down as the eastern bounds of Oneida county. The taking possession by formal proclamation, in the name of their king, was first done by De Nonville, in what is now Ontario county ; and repeated at Niagara. The English elaimed upon similar tenure, beyond where they had obtained possession by treaty. When the issue was pending between De Nonville and the English Governor, the Eng- lish had not been occupants, in any form, of any portion of western New York. The French had missionary and trading stations as low down as the Oneida eastle. The English had, to be sure, performed the ceremony of sending agents to all the Iro- quois villages, to erect poles,upon which were flags bearing the arms of their nation ; but the aet was so ludicrous as to exeite the contempt of the natives, who generally tore them down, for the Iroquois acknowledged uo sovereignty of either France or England, over them .*
*We are free !" said Garrangula to de la Barre ; - " We were born freemen, and have no dependence on Yonnondio," (the French Governor,) " or Corlear," (the English Governor.)
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In June, 1687, the recruits having arrived from France, the French army moved up the St. Lawrence, and occupied the Fortat " Cataracouy." The premeditated invasion of the Seneca country, was preceded by an act of treachery and perfidy, which has few parallels in history. The French Governor persuaded the good missionary, Lam- berville, who was intent only upon peace, the service of his King, and the success of his mission, to take a large delegation of Indians to his head quarters, under the pre- tence of holding a peace council, and reconciling all difficulties. When they were shut up within the fort, and completely in his power, he ordered fifty of them to be put in irons, conveyed to Quebec, and from thence to the galleys in France ! His ob- ject, as will be inferred, was to hold them as hostages, to give him advantage in making overtures of peace ; but he sadly misjudged the effect. The news of the treachery reaching the Oneidas, a French Missionary was seized and led to the stake, and was only saved by the intervention of a squaw, who claimed the right to adopt him as her son. At Onondaga, the Missionary Lamberville, was summoned before a council of chiefs, and while anticipating that his life had been forfeited by the part he had taken in the affair, a chief arose and addressed him thus : - "Thou art now our ene- my - thou and thy race. But we have held counsel and cannot resolve to treat thee as an enemy. We know thy heart had no share in this treason, though thou wert its tool. We are not unjust; we will not punish thee, being innocent and hating the crime as much as ourselves. But depart from among us ; there are some who might seek thy blood ; and when our young men sing their war song, we may no longer be enabled to protect thee." Lamiberville was furnished with an escort, who conducted him to the French upon the St. Lawrence.
Previous to his arrival at Cataracouy, De Nonville had sent presents to the western nations at war with the Iroquois, their ancient enemies, who were in alliance with the French, and had given orders to the commandants of the western posts to collect them, and repair with them and their respective commands to Niagara, and from thence to "Ga-ni-en-tar-a-quet," (Irondequoit.) There were at this period, French posts at Mackinaw, upon Lakes Superior and Michigan ; Upon the Wisconsin, the Illinois and the Mississippi rivers ; and never had a King or a country more devoted or faith- ful subjects, than were the commandants of these far off posts, dotted down, hundreds of miles apart, in the wilderness. Chief among them was Tonti, whom De Nonville had named to the King, as "a lad of great enterprise and boldness, who undertakes considerable." Tonti, it will have been observed, had been the companion of La Salle in the primitive advent over the waters of Lake Erie. Left by his principal, with a handful of men at the "Fort of the Illinese," (Illinois,) he had successfully defended it against the assults of the Indians. He was with de la Barre, in his expe- dition to the sonth shore of Lake Ontario; and returning to Illinois, he had been in search of the adventurous La Salle, to the Gulf of Mexico. Under him the western forces were marshalled.
By a remarkable coincidence, the army under De Nonville, and the western French and Indians arrived at Irondequoit on the same day, -the 10th of July. Pushing directly across the Lake from Cataracony, to "La Famine Bay," the main army had coasted by slow stages, encamping on shore when night overtook them. Their last and most considerable halt being upon the present site of Pulteneyville, in Wayne co .*
* From this period this became a prominent stopping place for French battauxmen, and after them for the English Lake coasters. The species of apple tree which the French introduced in this region, was growing there, and there was the remains of an old log building, when white settlement commenced. The place was known as "Ap- pleboon," before its present name was conferred.
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The western division of the army came down from Niagara by land, pursuing the Indian trail upon the lake shore. Entering the Bay of Irondequoit with two hundred batteaux, and as many canoes. De Nonville erected a palisade fort upon an eleva- ted site, in which to station a small force for the protection of his water craft and military stores. "Never had Canada seen and never perhaps will it see, a similar spec- tacle. A camp composed of one fourth regular troops, with the General's suit; one fourth habitans,* in four battallions, with the gentry of the country ; one fourth chris- tian Indians ; and finally a crowd of all the barbarous nations, naked, tattooed, and painted over the body with all sorts of figures, wearing horns on their heads,t queues down their backs, and armed with arrows. We could hear during the night a multi- tude of languages, and songs and dances in every tongue. The "Tsonnontouans," (Senecas.) came to reconnoitre us, and then went to burn their villages and take to flight. The advanced guard was 300 Christian Indians ; the Pagan savages on the left with three companies, 100 Ottawas, 300 Poux, (Sioux,) 100 Illinois, 50 Hurons. Then came the main body of four battallions of regulars and four of militia; the one headed by De Nonville, and the other by M. Duque."
In the mean time the Senecas had not been idle. They were cognizant of the gathering of troops and provisions at Cataracouy -had seen the formidable armament push across the Lake ; squads of them concealed in the thick woods, had watched the progress of the French along the shores of the Lake; and their swift runners had kept all the villages advised of their movements. Preparations had been made for the crisis : - The old and infirm, and the extreme youth, had been sent to places of safety ; all else, without regard to sex, had been marshalled for the approaching com- bat. A party of an hundred, approached the French in canoes, before they had dis- embarked, and hailed them in a friendly manner; to which, as they reported, the French "replied in base language : - Enustogan horrio, squa; which is as much in their language, as the devil take you !" Another scouting party approached the French, and received quite as uncivil an answer; whereupon they went back and re- ported to the sachems, that to fight was the only alternative.
Various accounts of the battle that ensued, have been preserved :- There are De Nonville's official report ; La Hontan's account ; the English account derived from the Indians; and that of L'Abbe de Belmont, in a manuscript, " History of Canada," recently discovered in the Royal Library of Paris. The author would seem to have been an eye witness, and he has faithfully, as is evident, recorded the event :
"The march was a little hurried. The weary troops were dying with thirst. The day was hot. The two bodies found themselves at too great distance from each other. The scouts too were deceived ; for having come to the desserts, (barrens or plains,) they found five or six women who were going round in the fields. This was a lure of the Senecas to make them believe that they were all in the village.
" The territory of Ganesara is very billy ; the village is upon a high hill, which is surrounded by three little hills or terraces, at the foot of a valley, and opposite some other hills, between which passes a large brook, which in a little valley makes a little marsh, covered with alders. This is the place which they selected for their ambuscade. They
* French militia.
t This might be seen among the Seneca warriors as late as the war of 1812. It is common now among the Indians of the remote west. Directly upon the crown of the head a tuft of hair is bound, and trained to stand upright, terminating in a loose tuft or tassel.
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divided themselves, posted 300 men along the falling brook between two hills, in a great thicket of beech trees; and 500 at the bottom of these hills, in a marsh, among the alders ; with the idea that the first ambuscade of 300 men should let the army pass and then attack them in the rear, which would force it to fall into the second ambus- cade which was concealed at the bottom of the hills in the marsh. They deceived themselves nevertheless, for as the advaneed guard which M de Calliers commanded, was very distant from the body under the command of the Marquis, they believed it was the entire army. Accordingly as the advanced guard passed near the thicket of beeches, after making a terrible whoop, (sakaqua ! ) they fired a volley.
" The Ottawas and the heathen Indians all fled. The Christian Indians of the mountain and the Sault, and the Abenaquis held fast and gave two vollies.
" The Marquis De Nonville advanced with the main body, composed of the royal troops, to occupy the height of the hill, where there was a little fort of piquets; but the terror and disorder of the surprise were such, that there was only M. de Calzenne, who distinguished himself there, and M. Duque who bringing up the rear guard, rallied the battallion of Berthier, which was in flight, and being at the head of that of Mon- treal, fired two hundred shots. The Marquis, en chemise, sword in hand drew up the main body in battle order, and beat the drum at a time when scarcely any one was to be seen. This frightened the 300 Tsonnononans of the ambuscade, who fled from above towards the 500 that were ambushed below. The fear that all the world was upon them, made them fly with so much precipitation that they left their blankets in a heap and nothing more was seen of them.
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