Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 8

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820

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It is time that a paragraph should appear in these pages in reference to the Niagara ship canal project, which at various times received much attention in Western New York and especially in this county. A com- pany having in view the construction of a ship canal from the naviga- ble water above the falls to navigable water below, was incorporated as early as 1798. In 1808, in pursuance of a resolution of the Senate, the secretary of the treasury submitted to that body an able and elaborate report on the subject of roads and canals in general, and among those that might require public aid he mentioned a canal around the falls at Niagara. In 1823, while the Erie Canal was in process of construction, and a sort of canal fever prevailed throughout the State, there was a wide-spread belief that a canal should be built around the falls, which resulted in the organization of a company in April of that year. Among the provisions of the charter was one giving power to "open navigation from the Niagara River above the falls thereof to the heights near the village of Lewiston." The company was largely composed of prominent citizens of Lewiston and vicinity. Nathan Roberts, an experienced engineer who had been connected with the Erie Canal from its commencement, was engaged by the company to make a survey for the proposed work. He began at the mouth of Gill Creek, two miles above the falls, and ran a line nearly due north to a point on the moun- tain just above Lewiston. He made full and careful reports in which he demonstrated that the canal could be constructed on that route, with a single lock, for a little less than $1,000,000. As this sum could not be guarantied, the project was temporarily abandoned. Before the lapse of another decade this subject had assumed more extended im- portance. In 1836 Capt. W. G. Williams, topographical engineer of the United States army, was sent on by President Jackson to make surveys " preparatory to the construction of a ship canal around Niagara Falls," One of the routes surveyed was that followed by Mr. Roberts, and the estimated cost, including locks, was $3,000,000, the difference in the estimates of the two engineers being occasioned principally by the in- creased cost of labor and materials. The undertaking again failed, largely on account of the financial crisis of 1836-7. The whole project remained at rest until 1863, when it was brought before the president and Congress, and a new survey was ordered in 1868. The reports

made upon the several surveys ordered at this time were laid before Congress, but when the matter was brought to a vote it was lost by a small majority. Although this subject has never lost its interest and is still frequently discussed, nothing further has been done regarding it, except the submission of a report by a U. S. commission recently (1897) which favors the project in connection with other projects making a ship route from the Hudson to the lakes and Chicago.

During this first half of the present century commercial affairs on the lakes grew to considerable proportions. The first vessel built on the New York side of Lake Ontario after the Revolution was built by Eli Granger, at Hanford's Landing, on the Genesee River, in 1797, and named Jemima ; it was a craft of thirty tons. In 1798 Augustus and Peter B. Porter bought this vessel, and the bill of sale is still in posses- sion of the Porter family. In 1803 the sloop Niagara was built at Cayuga Creek. The Niagara Portage Company was early formed and owned or controlled many vessels engaged in transporting Onondaga salt, merchandise, etc., to pass over the portage. Among them was the schooner Niagara, another called the Ontario, and the Charles and Ann. Other vessels not owned by this company sailed in connection with it between Oswego and Lewiston. Among the firms and in- dividuals connected either directly or indirectly with the portage be- tween Lewiston and Lake Erie were the following, according to state- ments of the late Capt. James Van Cleve : Archibald Fairchild owned two vessels in Oswego; Matthew McNair, the founder of commerce on the lake at Oswego, owned several; Townsend, Bronson & Co., and Sharp & Vaughn, of the same place, owned one or more vessels ; Henry Eagle, of Oswego, owned two or three vessels, and John T. Trowbridge and Capt. Joseph Whitney owned the Mary Ann. Other vessels were owned at various lake ports, all contributing to the volume of transportation at the portage.

The first steamboat, the Ontario, which has already been mentioned, was the first on the great lakes; Captain Van Cleve was clerk on this boat in 1826-30. She was built at Sackett's Harbor in 1816, and made her first trip in April, 1817. She was greeted with enthusiasm at the different ports on the lake and St. Lawrence River, and demonstrated the fact that such vessels could be successfully navigated on the inland

waters. In 1817 President Monroe visited Niagara county, landing at Fort Niagara from Sackett's Harbor, whence he came on the United States brig Jefferson.

The first English steamer built on Lake Ontario was the Frontenac, which appeared in Niagara River in 1818, under command of Capt. James McKenzie. The steamer Canada, built at Toronto in 1826, by Capt. Hugh Richardson, ran as a packet between that city and the Niagara River. The steamer Queenston, built in 1824, sailed in the next year under command of Capt. Joseph Whitney. The Transit, owned by Captain Richardson, ran as a packet between Lewiston and Toronto from 1835 to 1842. The steamer Chief Justice Robinson, with the same owner, made the same run from 1842 to 1852 The steamer Great Britain, 500 tons, came out in 1831 under command of Capt. Joseph Whitney; she ran ten years between Lewiston and Prescott. Other prominent vessels that came to Lewiston were the Zimmerman, the Southern Belle, the United States, the St. Lawrence, the Oneida, the Lady of the Lake, the Rochester, the Vandalia, the Cataract, a second Ontario, the Bay State, the Northerner, the New York, and others of less note. Besides the captains thus far mentioned, others who were conspicuous on the lake were Capts. Thomas Dick, Andrew Estis, R. J. Van Dewater, William Williams, John Evans, J. J. Taylor, George S. Weeks, H. N. Throop, Rufus Hawkins, R. F. Child, R. B." Chapman and others.

Soon after the close of the war of 1812, the timber and lumber trade began to assume large proportions in Western New York along the lake and river. Lewiston and Youngstown were large markets for timber and staves, which were drawn thither from various places along the lake within Niagara county. Concerning this business Turner's Holland Purchase has the following :

In 1817 and 1818 it was extended along the lake to Niagara river; the mouths of Oak Orchard, the Eighteen [mile], the Twelve [mile], Youngstown, and Lewiston were the principal depots. The trade was at first in butt staves; ship timber fol- lowed and continued until the fine groves of oak between ridge and lake pretty much disappeared. As soon as the canal was completed as far west as Lockport the commerce in ship timber and staves commenced upon it. Daniel Washburn and Otis Hathaway first engaged in the business at Lockport, under a large con- tract with the eminent ship builder, Henry Eckford, of New York. The fine oak that grew in the immediate vicinity of Lockport was used to fill their contract.

This timber and stave business finally declined and gave way to an immense trade in sawed lumber that for many years constituted the most important part of the business of Tonawanda.

All these various public improvements and institutions, and enter- prising private industries served to place Niagara county in the pros- perous condition that existed at the time of the rising of the war cloud that appeared on the horizon in 1859-60.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE WAR PERIOD IN NIAGARA COUNTY.

It is a fact easily substantiated that when in April, 1861, the enemies of the government and the Union fired upon the American flag, no county in the Empire State exhibited more prompt and universal pa- triotism, size and number of inhabitants considered, than Niagara, and none more promptly and freely met the several calls of the president for volunteers, and of the various organizations for relief to soldiers and their families. With the fall of Fort Sumter and the president's call for 75,000 troops, the wildest enthusiasm prevailed. The Union flag leaped from hundreds of buildings, the sound of drum and fife were everywhere heard, and the ordinary pursuits of life were almost abandoned for military discussion and action. Measures for the relief of the families of the early volunteers were prompt and generous. The first public meeting was held in Lockport on the 18th of April, and the second on the 20th, at which more than $8,000 was subscribed and subsequently collected and paid to volunteers and their families. These were followed by similar gatherings in other villages of the county, in all of which en- thusiastic and generous action ruled. These efforts to relieve the terrors of war continued in this county throughout the struggle, and funds raised in those days which did not seem to be pressingly needed and were held over, have in recent years been devoted to the erection of a memorial to the military heroes of the county.

So prompt was the response to the first call of the president that on

the 18th of April, 1861, Capt. Elliott W. Cook had a recruiting office open in Lockport, and in two days 140 men had enlisted ; within the succeeding few days five companies of volunteers were organized in this county. They were commanded respectively by Captain Cook, and Captains W. W. Bush, William H. H. Mapes, H. H. Paige, and Theo- dore P. Gould. These companies were joined by two from Orleans county, under Captains Erwin A. Bowen and Hardie, and one company each from Genesee, Ontario and Sullivan counties, to form a regiment. The organization was number 28, and mustered in at Albany May 22. On the 25th of June it departed for Washington and was attached to General Patterson's command at Martinsburgh. On the IIth of July, while on a scouting expedition, Isaac Sly, of Lockport, was killed. The principal engagements in which the 28th participated were Winchester. Cedar Mountain (where the loss was 207, killed, wounded and prison- ers), Rappahannock Station, Antietam, and Chancellorsville. In all of these the organization earned an excellent record. The regiment re- turned to New York in May, 1863, and was mustered out.

In the 49th Infantry Company H, commanded by Capt. Charles H. Moss, of Lockport, was composed of Niagara county men and officered as follows :

Captain, Charles H. Moss, Lockport; first lieutenant, Andrew W. Brazee, Lock- port; second lieutenant, Henry D. Hall, Lockport; first sergeant, William D. Boughton, Lockport; second, Otis B. Hayes, Somerset; third, Charles A. Murphy, Lockport; fourth, William Tindall, Lockport: first corporal, Frank Baker, Lock- port; second, Isaac N. Porter, Lockport; third, Jay Silsby, Lockport; fourth, Henry E. Barlow, Lockport; fifth, Michael Hutchinson, Lockport; sixth, William Levan, Lockport; seventh, George W. Pixley, Somerset; musician, Schuyler S. Ballou, Lockport; wagoner, Ludolphus W. Fuller, Lockport.

The 49th was raised in response to the call for 300,000 volunteers in 1861, and was mustered in on August 22, of that year. It was com- manded at the first by Col. Daniel D. Bidwell, of Buffalo. It arrived at Washington in September and was soon attached to Gen. " Baldy " Smith's division. The regiment remained in camp most of the fall and winter of 1861-2, participating meanwhile in an engagement at Draines- ville. In the spring of 1862 the 49th shared in the peninsular campaign, taking part in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, and Malvern Hill. Later engage-

ments in which the 49th won renown were Crampton's Gap, Antietam, Mary's Heights, Salem Heights, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Fort Stevens, Ope- quan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. Company H, however, did but little fighting after the engagement at Malvern Hill, having been de- tailed at division headquarters as provost guard, Captain Brazee acting as judge advocate.

The regiment itself suffered terribly in the battle of the Wilderness, where every officer was either killed or wounded. Captain Moss re- { turned home sick with fever in 1862 and died on the 25th of March. The regiment was mustered out June 27, 1865.

A battery and a regiment of light artillery were largely composed of Niagara county men. These were the 23d Battery and the Ist Regi- ment, both recruited in the summer of 1861. The 23d Battery was raised by Capt. Alfred Ransom, of Newfane, associated with Samuel Kittenger of Cambria, and Lewis B. Manning, of Wheatfield. The battery was mustered into service October 16, 1861, and ordered to Albany, where about half of a Warren county company was assigned to it, raising it to the required strength. Proceeding to Washington the battery was armed and on April 28, 1862, reached Newbern, N. C., to reinforce Burnside. During that summer and the first half of the suc- ceeding winter the 23d was engaged in operations near Newbern and Morehead City. In December it shared in the engagements at Kins- ton, Whitehall and Goldsboro. In the spring of 1863 the battery aided in preventing the enemy from capturing Newbern and Washington, N. C. At the latter place the battery then remained until April, 1864, taking part in numerous raids and skirmishes. The battery was sta- tioned at Newbern most of the summer of 1864 and until the spring of 1865, and was mustered out July 3, 1865. Following is an official record :

Captain, Alfred Ransom; first lieutenant, Samuel Kittenger; first lieutenant, Thomas Low (promoted to captain); second lieutenant, Nelson Cornell ; first sergeant, Lewis B. Manning; quartermaster sergeant, Joseph Kittenger; sergeants, John K. Swick, Newfane, enlisted November 11, 1861, mustered out November 10, 1864; Ed- gar C. Balcom, Frederick F. Palmatier, Newfane, enlisted October 22, 1861, mus- tered out November 10, 1864; George W. Sprout, Newfane, enlisted October 16, 1862, died in 1865; Amos Parker, Orlin S. Hays; corporals, Charles T. Saxton, William

Sage, William M. Smith, Simeon H. Talbot, Newfane, enlisted November 11, 1861, mustered out November 10, 1864; Sylvester Perry, Edmond T. Ackerman, Edwin Saxton, James McDonald, Almon Bliss, William H. Merville, Philip Simmons, Stephen Flynn; buglers, Clark Anderson, William J. Porter; artificer, William L. Warden; blacksmith, Jedediah Biggins, Newfane, enlisted August 25, 1862, mus- tered out July 24, 1866; wagoner, Perry Mckenzie.

Of the Ist Regiment of Light Artillery only Company M was from this county ; it was officered as follows: Captain, George W. Cothran, Lockport ; first lieutenant, C. E. Winegar, Medina; second, James H. Peabody, Olcott; third, George B. Eggleston, Wilson; fourth, John D. Woodbury, Wilson. The regiment did service by batteries and was mustered out in the same manner. Battery M joined the regiment at Elmira and was mustered in from August 30, 1861, to November. Proceeding to Washington, the regiment joined General Banks at Fred- erick in January, 1862. In the succeeding campaign and up to Au- gust, 1863. the battery was actively engaged and participated in the battles of Antietam, Second Bull Run, Cedar Mountain, Winchester, and Gettysburg. In August, 1863, the battery marched to Chatta- nooga and fought at Lookout Mountain and Wahatchie Valley. In the following winter the regiment went to Bridgeport, Ala., and its term having expired the members re- enlisted and joined Sherman. Battery M was assigned to the late 12th Corps under General Thomas. After the capture of Atlanta by Sherman the battery was a part of the force of that commander until the close of the war, when it returned to Wash- ington and shared in the grand review. It was mustered out June 23, 1865.

The 8th Cavalry, commanded by Col. Samuel J. Crooks, of Roch- ester, mustered in from November 28, 1861, to October 4, 1862, con- tained one company (E) from Niagara county and chiefly from Hart- land and Royalton. It was raised by Capt. Benjamin F. Foote ; Alpha Whiton, of Royalton, first lieutenant. It is impracticable to follow with any pretense of detail the movements of a cavalry organization in the field, but it may be briefly stated that this regiment performed gal - lant and meritorious service in the battles of Winchester, Antietam, Upperville, Beverly Ford, Gettysburg, Locust Grove, White Oak Swamp, Opequan, Cedar Creek and Appomattox Court-house. At the battle of Beverly Ford, June 9, 1863, Captain Foote was killed.

The original members of the regiment were mustered out at the close of their term and the regiment, composed of veterans and recruits, was retained in service until June 27, 1865.

Company E of the 15th Cavalay was composed largely of Niagara county men mostly from Lockport. Officers in this company were the following: First sergeant, Orlando E. Dickerson ; commissary sergeant, George A. Bond ; sergeant, Edward Bragden; corporals, George Fra- zier, Walter W. Smith, Royalton, enlisted July 13, 1863, discharged August 9, 1865 ; Robert Hamilton; farrier, John G. McLean; black- smith, John Jacobus. The regiment was mustered in from August, 1863, to January 14, 1864. It was consolidated with the 6th N. Y. Cavalry June 17, 1865, the new organization becoming the 2d N. Y. Provisional Cavalry.

The 3d Cavalry, raised in 1861, contained thirteen men from Royal- ton ; three from Newfane, and seventeen who enlisted at Tonawanda.

In July, 1863, public announcement was made that Col. John Fisk, of Niagara, had been authorized to raise a regiment for three years' service to be known as the Governor's Guard. Capt. William P. War- ren was to act as adjutant with headquarters at Lockport. This regi- ment, it was announced, was to go as mounted rifles. Enlistments began, the first three being Henry F. Pierce, of Niagara Falls; Dr. Robert T. Paine, of Lockport; William P. Warren, Lockport. Dr. Paine was mustered as surgeon, and Warren as adjutant. The first company filled was Capt. Joseph V. Rushmore's, of Lockport ; this was quickly followed by the companies of Capts. William H. H. Mapes and Henry G. Stebbins, both of Lockport. In February, 1864, twelve companies were ready for muster. The regimental officers were as follows :

Colonel, John Fisk, Niagara Falls; lieutenant-colonel, Jasper N. Raymond, New York; lieutenant-colonel, Joseph H. Wood, 2d Regular Cavalry; major, William H. H. Mapes, Lockport; major, John D. Newman, Lockport; major, John H. Fralick, Little Falls; adjutant, William P. Warren, Lockport; adjutant, Franklin Rogers, Buffalo; quartermaster, Henry F. Pierce, Niagara Falls; commissary, Joseph A. Briggs, Buffalo; commissary, John M Hill, Lockport; surgeon, Robert T. Paine, Lockport; assistant surgeon, Hugh McGregor Wilson, Lockport; assistant surgeon, Eli Woodworth, Allegany; chaplain, Washington Stickney.

The regiment was stationed in Fort Porter, Buffalo, where it re-

mained until March, 1864, whence they proceeded to Washington. There instead of being armed and equipped for the service in which they had been enlisted, the men were assigned to a provisional brigade of dismounted cavalry and heavy artillery, in the 9th Corps under Burnside. The regiment participated in the battles of Spotsylvania and the North Anna, suffering slight loss. Its losses at Tolopotomoy were more severe, and the next day at Bethesda Church some fifty or sixty were killed and wounded. In the battle of Cold Harbor the loss was not heavy, among the wounded being Lieut. Charles Flagler. Proceeding across the James to the Petersburg front, the regiment soon became actively engaged. In the capture of the Weldon Rail- road, June 18, a heavy loss was sustained Lieut. James B. N. De- long was among the killed; he was from Lockport. In the further operations before Petersburg this regiment was constantly engaged, losing men almost every day, and taking part in the terrible assault following the explosion of the mine on July 30. At Pegram's Farm, Major Mapes, Captain Stebbins and about fifty others were taken prisoners and the killed and wounded numbered more than fifty. Lieu- tenant Casey, of Lockport, was among the killed. After the battle of Hatcher's Run, in which the regiment lost slightly, it proceeded to City Point and there received the long promised horses, with orders to re- port to Gen. Charles H. Smith, of the 2d Brigade, 2d Cavalry Division. A raid to Stony Creek followed ; the Weldon raid in December, 1864 ; the second Hatcher's Run engagement, and the final pursuit of Lee, came in their order, in all of which the regiment earned an excellent record. After service at Appomattox in the closing scenes, the brigade including the 22d was detailed to escort Grant from Appomattox to Burkeville Junction. Pending negotiations between Sherman and Johnston the regiment was ordered to North Carolina ; there it was learned that Johnston had surrendered, and the 22d went on provost duty until August, 1865 ; it was mustered out at Buffalo August 10.

In the infantry branch of the service the organization containing the largest proportion of Niagara county men was the 15 Ist Regiment. Of this, Companies B, F, and H, the larger part of K, and a part of G were from this county. It was recruited by Col. William Emerson, of Albion, in the summer of 1862, and was ready for inspection about the

middle of October. On the 22d of that month they left Camp Church at Lockport for Baltimore, being armed at Elmira on the way. The regimental officers were as follows: Colonel, William Emerson ; major, Thomas M. Fay; adjutant, James A. Jewell ; quartermaster, John K. McDonald ; surgeon, A. A. Leonard ; assistant surgeons, John R. Cotes and I). W. Onderdonk ; chaplain, E. M. Buck. The 15 Ist was assigned to a division under General Emory, then stationed at Baltimore and preparing for service in the Gulf Department. The regiment remained at Baltimore through the winter, and on the 22d of April, 1863, was ordered to West Virginia ; during the next sixty days they were almost constantly on the march, going to Clarksburg, Martinsburg, Berlin, Monocacy and to Maryland Heights. About the Ist of July the Heights were abandoned and the troops were ordered from there to Frederick City, and there held in reserve during the battle of Gettys- burg. At noon of July 4 dispatches from General Meade announced the repulse of the enemy and ordered the forces of which the 15Ist was part to march to South Mountain Pass, sixteen miles distant. On the 8th General Hooker arrived with the Army of the Potomac and all the troops marched through the pass. The 15Ist now constituted a part of the 3d Corps. The succeeding immediate operations of Lee were such that Meade was compelled to follow him into Virginia, and after a most arduous march in the heat of summer, the 15th of July found the army again in camp at the foot of Maryland Heights. The remainder of the campaign of 1863 was a series of maneuvres without much actual fighting. It has been described as follows :

Crossing the Potomac from the Middletown valley the route lay on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the latter part of July the 151st passed through Warrenton and went into camp at Bealton, where it remained about six weeks. Here nearly every man in the regiment was sick, and many died. Lee's movements compelled the army to fall back to Centreville. He was trying to get to Washing- ton, and the division to which the 151st belonged was trying to head him off. The two armies marched almost side by side for a time, when Lee finally abandoned the project and fell back to the Rapidan. The Union forces under Meade followed, never halting until Lee was driven to the south side of the river. On the 26th of November Meade took his forces across the Rapidan, with a view to attacking Lee, and, if successful, marching on to Richmond. On the night of the 26th the army bi- vouacked on the south side of the river. On the 27th the division to which the 151st belonged engaged with Johnston's division of Ewell's corps, and for two hours was in one of the sharpest musketry duels of the war at Mine Run. It was here that the

gallant officer Captain Wilcox, of Gasport, Niagara county, was killed. The infernal yell of the rebels as they rushed into the fight, the sharp thud of the bullet striking the flesh, lent fury to the struggle. This was the first severe engagement in which the 151st participated. The troops remained on the south side of the Rapidan about a week without any further engagement. They then recrossed the river, and went into winter quarters at Brandy Station. The 151st encamped on the farm of the somewhat famous John Miner Botts. During the winter the men cut down and burned twenty-five acres of timber for Botts. It does not appear, however, that they were ever paid for it.

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Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 8

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed Publication date: 1897 Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 820

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820