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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
* Almost a century before the settlement of Western New York had advanced be- yond the Genesee river.
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the terms of peace had in effect, confirmed it. The English as- sumed that all of what is now Western New York, was within their dominions, by virtue of but a partial alliance of its native owners and occupants ; and the French claimed by a similar tenure ; for, in fact, it was a divided alliance, fluctuating with the policy of the Senecas, who seemed well to understand the importance of their position, and were resolved to make the most of it. Soon af- ter 1700, we find a marked and progressive change in the disposi- tion of the Senecas towards the French. This we may well at- tribute to the influence of the Jesuit missionaries, who had suc- ceeded in getting permanent missionary stations among them, in a greater degree, perhaps, to the advent of an extraordinary person- age, who, for a long period, exercised an almost unbounded influ- ence throughout this region. This was Joncaire, a Frenchman, who, from a captive among the Senecas, merged himself with them, was adopted, and became the faithful and indefatigable promoter of the French interests. We first hear of him from Charlevoix, who, in 1721, found him the occupant of a cabin at Lewiston, where he had gathered around him a small Indian settlement, and where a fortress was contemplated - the right to build which, he had nego- tiated with the Senecas. He then bore a commission in the French army. He was familiar with all the localities of this region, and gave to Charlevoix a description of the "river of the Tsontonouans," (Genesee river,) the Sulphur Springs at Avon, and the Oil Spring at Cuba. In 1750, Kalm, the German traveller, found a half-blood Seneca, a son of his, at Lewiston ; and in 1753, Washington made the acquaintance of another son of his, while on a mission to the French at the West, and mentions that he was then preferring the French claim to the Ohio, by virtue of the discoveries of La Salle. In 1759, these two half-blood sons bore commissions in the French army, and were among the French forces of the West, that were defeated on the Niagara River, on their way to re-inforce the be- sieged garrison. In 1736, M. de Joncaire, the elder, had made a report to the French Superintendent at Montreal, of all the Indians whom he regarded as "connected with the government of Canada." He embraces the whole of the Iroquois nations, and locates them principally through this State, from Schenectady to the Niagara River ; and in Canada, along near the lower end of Lake Ontario, all of the nations of Canada, and all inhabiting the valleys of the
3
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western lakes, the Ohio and the Mississippi. In this official docu- ment, he mentions that he is "engaged at the history of the Sioux." " He spoke," says Charlevoix, " with all the good sense of a French- man, whereof he enjoys a large share, and with all the sublime eloquence of our Iroquois."
The peace of Utrecht, in 1713, had but illy defined the respective dominions of the English and French, in this quarter ; but the Gov- ernor of New York assumed that it gave the English the jurisdic- tion they had claimed. In 1726, the English Governor, Burnett, built a fort at Oswego, and a "public store-house" at the Bay of "Ironde- quoit." The year previous, the French, upon the ruins of the tem- porary works of De Nonville, had built Fort Niagara against the protests and remonstrances of the English.
The occurrences of a long succession of years, of Indian out- breaks, of French descents upon New England settlements, of re- taliatory expeditions, of French and Indian wars, have in the main but little reference to this local region, though dominion here was one prominent cause of contention. Peace between the mother countries had but little influence with the colonists ; they would make war upon their own account as often as difficulties arose out of mixed occupancy, and conflicting claims to jurisdiction. The
NOTE. - Were it not that NAMES descend through the maternal line, the descendants of Joncaire would be found among the Senceas of the present day, in all probability ; for French blood has no where run out among the natives when once merged with them. Inquiry would hardly fail to find among them traditions of Joncaire, and those who are his living descendants.
* The site of Fort Niagara commanded the key to the western lakes. The French were aware that its occupancy and fortification was necessary to the maintenance of the dominion they claimed against English encroachments. Previous to 1721, Jon- caire had secured a mixed trading, missionary and military station at Lewiston. Even this met with the strong opposition of the English authoritiesof New York, and all of the Six Nations, except the Senecas, who had the right of controlling the matter. The Senecas persisting in allowing their favorite to build his "cabin" where he chose, the English asked for joint occupancy. To which the Senecas replied :- "Our country is in peace, the French and you will never be able to live together without raising disturbances. Moreover, it is of no consequence that Joncaire should remain here ; he is a child of the nation ; he enjoys this right, which we are not at liberty to take from him." Soon after this, the successful negotiator extended his views farther down the river, and paved the way for the erection of a strong fortress at Niagara. This was accomplished by a RUSE on the part of Joncaire and other French officers. The Senecas had no idea of admitting either French or English fortifications upon their territory. A body of French troops arrived and encamped at the mouth of the Niagara river, to commence the work, but were by no means strong enough to under- take it in the presence of the Senceas, who were watching their movements. They at first got permission to build a "wigwam with one door ;""and then to divert the Sene- cas from being witnesses of the formidable work they were contemplating, joined them iu a general hunt, which kept them away until the work was far enough advanced to enable the French to protect themselves against attack.
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French continued to extend their posts to the West and South West, and the English to strengthen the frontiers of New England, and their advance post at Oswego.
In 1741, Great Britain declared war against France and Spain. The first blow struck upon this continent, was the capture of Louis- burg, which success emboldened Governor Shirley, of Massachu- setts, to ask the co-operation of the other colonies in an attempt to drive the French from all their American possessions ; some de- monstrations with that view were made; but the principal events of the campaign were at sea, and upon the frontiers of New Eng- land. The short war was closed by the peace of Aix la Chapelle, of 1748. Its chief result had been the loss to the French of all the Northern frontier coast, to repair which, they immediately projected schemes for extending their dominion to the valley of the Ohio, and upon the Mississippi, to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1750, commission- ers met in Paris to adjust American boundaries, but after a long session, accomplished nothing. Difficulties arose in a new quarter. The crown of England granted to an association of its subjects at home, and in Virginia, called the Ohio Company, 600,000 acres of land upon the Ohio river, all of which was upon territory claimed by France. The attempts of this Company to survey and settle these lands, and the building of French posts upon them, simulta- neously, brought the English and French colonists into direct con- flict. The campaign was opened by the Governor of Virginia, who sent an armed force to the disputed ground. Other colonies soon co-operated ; and after the contest had been attended with alternate successes and reverses, in 1755, General Braddock came with a force from England, to aid the colonies. All the events of the war upon the Allegany and the Ohio, form prominent pages of American history ; ultimately connected with the history of our western States ; but deriving its chief general interest from the circumstance that it was the school of experience and discipline, where the sword of the youthful WASHINGTON Was first unsheathed.
Braddock's defeat followed ; then General Shirley's abortive ex- pedition in the direction of Niagara ; Sir William Johnson's par- tially successful expedition to Lake George; the advent of Lord Loudon, as Commander-in-chief of the British army in America ; which principal events closed the campaign of 1755; and in the ag- gregate, had darkened British prospects on this side of the Atlantic.
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The campaign of 1756, opened with the successful attack of the Marquis de Vaudreuil, upon an English fort, in what is now the county of Oneida ; which, after an engagement of Bradstreet with a French force on the Oswego river, was followed by the capture of the British fort at Oswego, by the Marquis de Montcalm.
These principal events, with the dark filling up of French and Indian depredations at the west ; amounting almost to the exter- mination of the border settlers of Pennsylvania ; gave to British in- terests, at the close of the campaign of 1756, an aspect even less encouraging than the one with which it was commenced.
Montcalm opened the campaign of 1757, early in the spring, by a harrassing investment of Fort William Henry, by a force under the command of Vaudreuil and Longrieul ; a reinforcing and strengthen- ing of Crown Point, Ticonderoga and Niagara. During the summer, Lord Loudon collected the main force of the regular army, all the dis- posable forces of the colonies, and with a powerful naval armament added, undertook the capture of Louisburg, on the Island of Cape Bre- ton, but abandoned the design when a victory seemed easily attaina- ble; for reasons which remain a mystery in the history of English war- fare. Taking advantage of this diversion of the English forces, Mont- calm in person completed the conquest of Fort William Henry. It was a year of disasters with the English ; formidable armies and navies were embarked and disembarked, expensive expeditions were abor- tive ; one of their strong fortresses had gone into the hands of the French. In no modern era, save that of the American Revolution, has English pride of foreign conquest been more humbled.
In 1758 a new era with England commenced :- It was that of Mr. Pitt's administration of its affairs. So untoward was the aspect of its affairs when he assumed the hehn of government, that it was with difficulty, that confidence could be restored. " Whoever is in, or whoever is out," said Lord Chesterfield, in one his letters, "I am sure we are undone both at home and abroad : at home by an inereas- ing debt and expenses ; abroad by our ill luck and incapacity. The French are masters to do what they please in America. We are no longer a nation. I never yet saw so dreadful a prospect."
The first brilliant achievment under the new order of things, was the capture of Louisburg. Procuring the removal of the naval and military officers, who had proved so inefficient in America, Mr. Pitt recalled Lord Amherst from the army in Germany, and made him
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commander in chief of the expedition, and made the Hon. Edward Boscawen the Admiral of the fleet. An expedition consisting of 22 ships of the line, 15 frigates, 120 smaller vessels, on board of which were nearly 12,000 British regulars, sailed from Portsmouth and arri- ving at Halifax on the 28th of May, soon commenced the siege of Louisburg, which endel in a capitulation of the strong fortress, after a gallant and protracted resistance, on the 25th of July. The fruits of the conquest were 5,600 French prisoners ; 11 ships of war taken or destroyed ; 250 pieces of ordnance ; 15,000 stand of arms, and a great amount of provisions and military stores. A scene of plunder and devastation followed in all that region, which dimmed the lustre of British arms.
Far less of success attended British arms in this campaign in other quarters :- Mr. Pitt had infused among the despairing colonies, a new impulse ; they had sent into the field an efficient force of 9,000 men, which were added to 6,000 regulars-all under the command of Aber- crombie. In July, he had his strong force afloat on Lake George, proceeding to the attack upon Ticonderoga and Crown Point. A protracted siege of Ticonderoga followed, badly conducted in almost every particular ; the sequel, a retreat, with the loss of nearly 2,000 men. The intrepid Bradstreet soon made partial amends for this un- fortunate enterprise, by the capture of Fort Frontenac, then the strong hold of French Indian alliance. General Stanwix advanced up the Mohawk and built the Fort that took his name. In the mean time General Forbes had left Philadelphia with an efficient army of over 6,000 regulars and provincials, and after a defeat of his advance force, had captured Fort du Quesne, changing the name to Fort Pitt in honor of the great master spirit who was controlling England's des-
NOTE. - How often are triumphs of arms, the result of chance! It is but a few years since an American General confessed that a splendid victory was owing to the fact that some undisciplined troops did not know when they were fairly conquered, persevered in the fight and turned the tide of battle. An English historian, candid upon every subject he touches, admits that the capture of Louisburg was accidental :- The first successful landing was made by Wolf, then a Brigadier General. Gen. Amherst doubted its practicability. "The chivalrous Wolf himself, as he neared the awful surf, staggered in his resolution, and proposing to defor the enterprise, waved his hat for the boats to retire. Three young subaltern officers, however, commanding the leading craft, pushed on shore, having mistaken the signal for what their stout hearts desired, as an order to advance ; some of their men, as they sprung upon the beach, were dragged back by the receding surge and drowned, but the remainder climbed up the rugged rocks, and formed upon the summit. The Brigadier then cheered on the rest of the division to the support of the gallant few, and thus the almost desperate landing was accomplished."
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tinies, At the close of the campaign of the year, Abercrombie had been recalled, and General Amherst, who had returned to England after the capture of Louisburg, had arrived in America invested with the office of commander in chief.
CHAPTER II.
SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF FORT NIAGARA. - CONQUEST OF WESTERN NEW YORK.
TOWARD the close of 1758, the policy of the British Minister, Mr. Pitt, began to be clearly developed. It looked to no farther ineffi- cient measures but to a vigorous and decisive campaign, which should terminate in the anihilation of French power and dominion up- on this continent. The British people, stimulated by a spirit of con- quest, and a hatred of the French, both of which had been assidu- ously promoted by the public press, and public men of England, seconded the ambitious views of the Minister. Parliament, in ad- dressing the Throne, applauded him, and upon the recommendation of the King, were prompt and liberal in the voting of supplies.
And care had been taken upon this side of the Atlantic, to secure cordial and vigorous co-operation ; the colonists, wearied with war and its harrassing effects, were cheered by the expressions of the commiseration of the King, and his assurances of protection and final indemnification ; and more than all, perhaps, by an overt act of Parliament, in voting them the sum of £200,000, as a compensation for losses and expenses consequent upon the war. The strong, im- pelling motive of interest had been preparing the way for a cordial co-operation of the colonists in the magnificent scheme of conquest that Mr. Pitt had projected. In its success was involved the high prizes, a monopoly of the Indian trade, the commerce of the Lakes, and the consequent vastly extended field of enterprise which would be opened. The board of trade had brought every appliance within their
-
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control to bear upon the King and Parliament, and of course, had not failed to magnify the hindrances to British interest which continued French dominion imposed ; nor to present in glowing language, the fruits of conquest and the extension of British power in America. Sir William Johnson, always faithful to his liberal patron the King, was more than usually active in wielding the immense influence he had acquired with the Indians to secure their aid; he drew them together in different localities, urged upon them his professions of re- gard for their interests, inflamed their resentments by recounting the wrongs they had endured at the hands of the French ; listened to their complaints of English encroachments upon their lands, and was lavish in promises of ample reparation ; not omitting the more than usually liberal distribution of presents, of which he was the accustomed almoner. By much the larger portion of the Five Na- tions of the Iroquois were won over to the British interests, a portion of the Senecas being almost alone in standing aloof from the contest, or continuing in French alliance.
General Amherst having succeeded to the office of Commander in Chief of the British forces in North America, had his head quar- ters in New York, in the winter of 1758, '9, actively calling to his aid the provincial troops, appointing Albany as the place of rendez- vous, at which place he established his head quarters as early as the month of April.
The force at the disposal of General Amherst, was larger by far than any that had been before mustered upon this continent. In addition to a large force of British regulars, the colony of Massachu- setts had furnished seven thousand men, Connecticut five thousand, and New Hampshire one thousand. The provincial regiments, as fast as they arrived at Albany went into camp, and were subjected to rigid discipline ; the regulars, who were destined for operations at. the north, were pushed on and encamped at a point some fifty miles on the road to Fort Edward.
The general plan of the campaign contemplated the conquest of the three important strong holds, and seats of power, of the French ; Quebec, Montreal, and Niagara. The main army, under General Amherst, were to move from the shores of Lake George, reduce the French posts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, descend by the river Richlieu and occupy Montreal; then, on down the St. Lawrence to join the besiegers of Quebec.
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Leaving the northern expeditition to the province of general his- tory, with the exception perhaps of a brief allusion to it in another place, we will take up that portion of the general campaign, which is more immediately blended with the history of our local region : -
The force destined for Niagara rendezvoused at Schenectady early in May. It consisted of two British regiments ; a detachment of Royal Artillery ; a battalion of Royal Americans ; two battalions of New York Provincials ; and a large force of Indian Allies under the command of Sir William Johnson; the most of whom were Mohawks, Oneidas and Onondagas, the remainder, Cayugas and Senecas, with a few from such western nations as had been partly won over to the British interests. Brigadier General Prideaux was the Commander in Chief; next in rank, was Sir William Johnson, who previous to this had been regularly commissioned in the British army. The force moved from Schenectady on the 20th of May, came up the Mohawk, and via the usual water route to Oswego, where it remained, completing the preparation of batteaux for ascend- ing Lake Ontario, for over five weeks. On the first of July, the whole force were embarked, and coasting along the shore of the Lake toward their destination ; a strong fortress, the seat of French domin- ion, over a widely extended region ; the key or gate-way to the pri- mitive commerce of the western lakes ; its battlements in solitary grandeur frowning defiance to any force that would be likely to reach it through difficult avenues, in its far off location in the wilderness. Never in all more modern periods, have the waters of Ontario borne upon their bosom a more formidable armament. In addition to a large force, to their stores and camp equipage, was the heavy artillery, and all the requisites that British military skill and foresight had deemed necessary for the reduction of a strong fortress by regular approaches; such as the plan of attack contemplated. And how mixed and made up of different races, and men of different habits and characters, was this expedition !- There was the proud com- missioned and titled Briton, who had seen more of the refinements and luxuries of courts, than of the hardships of camps in the wilder- ness ; veteran officers and soldiers, who had fought in European wars, inured to the camp and the field ; the sons of the wealthy and influential colonists in New York, along the Hudson river counties, who had sought commissions in the army, and were going out in their first campaign. Provincials, men and boys, transferred from
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the stores counting-houses, and mechanic shops of New York, and the rural districts of Westchester, Richmond, Kings, Queens, Suffolk, Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Albany, and the lower valley of the Mo- hawk, to the camp, the drill, and the march that seemed then as far extended, and beset with more difficulies than would one over the mountains to Oregon now ; and lastly there was the warriors of the Iroquois, fully imbued with their ancient war spirit, decked out with feathers, claws, and hoops, the spoils of the forest chase - and with new paint, broad-cloths, blankets and silver ornaments, the gifts of the King.
The armament coasted along up the south shore of the Lake, en- camping on shore ; the first night at Sodus, invited there by the beautiful bay, in which their water craft could be made secure from winds and waves, as their frail structure demanded. Their other halting places for the night, were at Irondequoit, Braddock's Bay, and Johnson's Creek ; (which latter place was named in honor of Sir William Johnson ;) arrived at the mouth of the Eighteen Mile Creek, (what is now the village of Olcott.) within eighteen miles of Fort Niagara, a halt was made to enable reconnoitering parties to go out and determine whether the French had made a sortie from the Fort in anticipation of their arrival.
As they coasted along up the lake, they had occasionally dis- charged their heavy artillery, well knowing that a noiseless approach would give them no advantage, as the Indian scouts from the garri- son, glimpses of whom had been caught upon several occasions, had kept the French well informed of their movements ; and there were Iroquois enough in the French interest, belonging to the lower na- tions, to give the French missionaries and traders, in all their local- ities in Western New York, timely notice of all that was going on. But they wished to inspire the Senecas in their interests with cour- age and the neutrals with terror ; and well, perhaps, did their device subserve those purposes.
Leaving the British army almost within sight of the field of con- flict, let us pass over the lake, and down the river St. Lawrence, to see what preparation had been made for their reception : -
Well informed at home of the policy of Mr. Pitt; of the prepara- tory acts of Parliament ; of the shipping of reinforcements to the British army in America; of all the minutiæ, in fact, of the cam- paign ; the French had not been idle. Despatches were sent to M.
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De Vaudrieuil, the Governor of Canada, and his hands were strength- ened by reinforcements from France. He lost no time in putting Quebec, Montreal, Crown Point, and Ticonderoga, in the best pos- sible state of defence. Proclamations were made to the Canadian militia, commending them in the highest terms for their former services ; reminding them of their former triumphs ; and appealing to them to join in the final struggle for the dominion of their King and country, over the fairest and best portions of the New World. The gallant Montcalm had succeeded Dieskau, as commander in chief of the French forces in Canada, and was active in the work of preparation. Captain Pouchot, a skillful and experienced engi- neer, was sent to put Fort Niagara in a condition for defence, and to assume the command of it.
On the 7th of July, the British force under Prideux, broke up their brief encampment at the Eighteen Mile Creek, and by land and water, moved up to the Four Mile Creek, making a stand upon the western shore of the Bay, where they then began an entrench- ment, and commenced the work of opening an avenue through the forest. A small scouting party of French and Indians, came upon the advance workmen, as they were about to emerge from the forest into the open ground, a few shots were exchanged, and the party re- tired into the fort. A fire was opened upon the besiegers from the fort, which was kept up during the greater portion of the night. On the 8th, the English prosecuted the work upon their entrench- ments, the French continuing their fire upon them at intervals from the fort, and Monsieur La Force * coasting up and down the Lake in the armed schooner Iroquois, occasionally reaching them with a shot. General Prideux sent an officer with a flag into the fort, de- manding a surrender, which was very courteously refused by the French commander. On the 9th, but little transpired beyond the exchange of a few shots, and a slight advance of the besiegers. On the 10th, the English advanced into the open ground, protecting themselves by entrenchments, under an occasional fire from the fort,
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