Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 8

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410

USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 8

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).

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY

William Henry. For his part in this expedition he was given an English baronetcy.

Shirley acted with characteristic energy. He immediately sent to Oswego two Albany independent companies and two companies from Sir William Pepperell's regiment to strengthen the works at that place and build a schooner. The latter purpose was accomplished and on the 28th of June the vessel was launched; it was forty feet keel, pro- pelled with sweeps and sails, and armed with twelve swivel guns.1 Meanwhile Shirley had sent on 300 ship carpenters, to build the vessels necessary to move his army up the lake and to hold it against the enemy. Sometime in July Colonel Schuyler's New Jersey regiment went for- ward, and in August Shirley embarked at Schenectady with his own and Sir William Pepperell's regiments, some independent companies and artillery, and a few Indians-about 1,500 in all. It was August 21 when he reached his destination.2

Meanwhile the French were not idle, and undoubtedly were appre- hensive.3 While they were desirous of holding their western posts, they were watching, with their customary eagerness, the vastly more important point at the mouth of Oswego River. In the same letter from which the accompanying foot note is taken, M. Vaudreuil wrote as follows :

They [the English] have actually two and perhaps three flat-bottomed sloops with sweeps, armed for war, cruising on Lake Ontario ; from one day to another they are to launch other vessels for like purpose.

I am informed by letters of the 20th of this month, that these two sloops have been,

1 According to the historian Mante, the first English schooner on Lake Ontario was launched in this summer. The vessel was about forty feet keel, mounted fourteen swivels, and was rigged for rowing as well as sailing. The fleet fitted out at Oswego during the year comprised a decked sloop of eight four-pounders and thirty swivels, a decked schooner of eight four-pounders and twenty-eight swivels, an undecked schooner of fourteen swivels and fourteen oars, aad another of twelve swivels and ourteen oars. All these were unrigged and laid up early in the fall.

2 The regiments of Shirley and Pepperell, with the militia of New York and New Jersey, ac- cording to the plan we have spoken of, arrived at the end of June at Oswego, from whence they could equally menace both Frontenac and Niagara. Bad weather and a sickness that pre- vailed among them, prevented the execution of their designs They employed themselves dur- ing this campaign, in forming an intrenched camp around Oswego, and in building Fort Ontario on the other side of the river. They also undertook to build vessels to form a fleet upon the lake .- [Pouchot Mem., vol. I, p. 45.

3 I dread with reason, my Lord, the first intelligence from that fort [Duquesne] and shall be agreeably surprised if the English have been forced to abandon their expedition .- [M. de Vau- dreuil to M. de Machault July 24, 1755, Doc. Col. Hist., vol. X, p. 307.

ACTIVITY OF GOVERNOR SHIRLEY.

with several batteux, beyond Quinte, where the English have landed, and that it is cer- tain they are to go to Niagara.

Chouaguen is no longer a trading house ; 'tis regularly fortified and suitably provided with cannon.

There is a second fort equally provided with artillery.

The woods that surrounded Chouaguen, and militated against its defense, no longer exist ; the approaches to it have been rendered difficult.

Nevertheless, my lord, I act with confidence, and dare flatter myself that I shall pull down Chouaguen.

As still further showing the important estimate placed upon Oswego by the French, and their intention to make it a point of early attack in the approaching campaign, we quote from another letter from Vaudreuil of September 25, 1755, as follows :

I shall give myself less trouble about the defense of Niagara than about Chouaguen. I will do my best to cut off the communication of the forces that might be sent thither from Orange [Albany] and on the intelligence I shall receive of the enemy's situation, will dispatch an army of regulars, Canadians and Upper country Indians to reduce it. I shall then arm one or even two large sloops to chase those of the English that will make their appearance on Lake Ontario. If no obstacles should interpose to my pro- ject, the Chouaguen campaign will be concluded before the end of May. . .

I shall always have parties of Indians throughout the winter at Chouaguen to harass the enemy, and will even try to burn their sloops and bateaux.1

These extracts and notes give a clear indication of the feeling of the French authorities at the period in question.

Governor Shirley was doing his utmost to give the enemy cause for apprehension, in spite of the news that reached him from Duquesne. Under his energetic direction the port of Oswego now presented a busy scene. The season was advancing and already untoward weather had set in. Shirley pushed along the building of his fleet, keeping the authorities at Albany informed of his operations, and receiving their hearty approbation. After the construction of the first sloop and a schooner of sixty tons each, with two row galleys and eight whale boats, he was directed to build the forts noticed a little further on; to build one or more larger vessels, two more row galleys, and one hun-

1 The English have had constantly at Chouaguen, an army of 3,000 men under the command of Governor Shirley, well provided with artillery, for the expedition against Niagara and Fort Frontenac, but the camps of observation that I have maintained at each of the forts have kept them in check and obliged them to be on their guard through fear, lest, while they would be on their way to attack one of these forts, the Regulars, Canadians and Indians on the other side, would immediately pounce on Chouaguen .- [Vaudreuil to Machault, Doc. Col. Hist., vol. X, p. 377.

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

dred whale boats. When his preparations were thus completed for the expedition to Niagara, six hundred regulars were drafted from his forces, the artillery and ordnance stores were placed on board the sloop Ontario, a part of the provisions on the sloop Oswego, and the re- mainder made ready for the galleys and whale boats. Shirley was destined to disappointment. The weather became exceedingly stormy, and when, on the 26th of September, the troops went on board for de- parture, adverse winds and severe storms kept them in port thirteen days, many of them being taken sick. The Indians, too, left the place, declaring that it was too late to make the expedition that season. On the 8th of September Shirley had sent a small party to reconnoiter Fort Frontenac and the French forces. Their reports indicated that a con- siderable body of troops was encamped at that fort, and other rumors led him to the belief that the French contemplated an attack on Oswego.1 Under these circumstances a council was called, at which the general advice was against the expedition, and the commander reluctantly abandoned the movement until another season. Fully realizing the importance of Oswego, he placed Colonel Mercer in command, with orders to build two new fortifications, and returned to Albany October 24, where he was made commander in-chief of the British forces in America, a position he was destined to hold only a short time. His orders to Colonel Mercer were to construct, with all possible dispatch, a strong wooden fort, prepared for mounting cannon, with pickets, and an outer ditch, in such a situation on the high ground on the east side of the River as to command the harbor and the old fort on the opposite side of the stream. Mercer carried out his instructions with energy. The fort was about 800 feet in circumference, with outer wall fourteen feet high, and a surrounding ditch fourteen feet broad and ten feet deep. Inside was a square log structure, with barracks for 300 men.2

The second fort, which was known as Oswego New Fort, and also as Fort George, was situated on the high ground west of Fort Oswego,

1 The regiment of Bearne and Guienne had arrived at Frontenac August 3 .- [Pouchot's Memoirs, vol. I, p. 39.

2 A writer in the Oswego Times of April 22, 1871, states that " Ontario fort is supposed to have been located southerly of the present Fort Ontario, and on the eminence near the southwest cor- ner of the fortification grounds. The writer has seen it thus laid down on an old map. It also corresponds with Smollett's account of its location, and besides remains of earthworks were visible there until 1830."

The SOUTH VIEW of OSWEGO on LAKE ONTARIO

General Shirley en 175 Strengthend & inlarged, this Fort and erected two others, one Westward vyo Square with a Rampart of earth & Stone. Another on the Oppo- site side of the Bason, 470 yards distant from the Old , Fort. This which is called the. Ealt Fort, is built of Logs and

the Wall is surrounded by a Ditch. The Projec- tion of the Rocks, renders the Channel at the Entr- ance into the Onondaga River very Narrow, and our Veldels are generally warp'd from the Lake. into the Bason~

Explanation . 21. The River Onondaga 2. The Lake Ontario .

then Vain from Smiths Hist NY Qto Load 1767

French Plan of PORTS

Rapides

ONTARIO & PEPPERELL OR Chouaguen 17 56.

ROM MEM SUR LE' CANALA UBLISHED BY QUEBEC HJST. SOC: 1838.

Camp

Batterie. '

Chquaquen

FORT PEPPERELL

FORT ONTARIO

partie du Lac Ontario

English Plan of the Forts ONTARIO & OSWEGO with part of the River Onondago and Matke Ontario 1756 From Gentleman's Magazine 1757

REFERENCE TO THE PLAN

A Lake Ontario. B Fort Ontario.

C A small. harbour for whale boats

D Harbour for Ships.

E Ship carpenters houses.

1.' Port Oswego. G Oswego Town

H .A new guard room.

I Oswego rift K Alarge hill

J. An Island .

. M A small Island _ Here Col. Broadstreet beat off 40 French with six men only This was the first skirmish July 3rd1756

N Alarge swamp here they had the second skirmish where Broad street first with JOmen beut off 200 and after with 400 routed 660

An Istana.

The great ('swego Falls

S Önendage River

Places Distance from Oswego

Ontario Fort

2 English Miles

Oswego Rift

Whale brat harbour 1 ditto

Hill K

dillo

ditto

Island M .9

ditto

Swamp N.

10% ditto

Ts land ()

ditto

Os wego Falls

detto.

Carrying place

12 %

ditto.

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

on the west side of the river, about on the site of the residence of Edwin Allen, Esq., and commanded the old fort from the rear. It was a square of 170 feet on each side, with a rampart of masonry and earth twenty feet thick and twelve feet high, surrounded by a ditch and surmounted by a parapet. This work was never finished.

The old Fort Oswego was designated by the French " Fort Pepperell," as seen on the accompanying diagram. The plates inserted here give the reader a very clear knowledge of the situation at the mouth of the river in those early years.

Shirley's departure from Oswego gave the French the highest grati- fication, and they looked upon the abandonment of the campaign against Niagara with almost as great complacency as they would upon the winning of a great battle. To them it was a victory.1

General Shirley summoned the provincial governors to another council in Albany in December, where he ardently advocated the rais- ing of a body of 5,000 soldiers, who should rendezvous at Oswego in the spring, to aid in the capture of Niagara and the conquest of the northern frontier. Although he was soon relieved from military duty, his plan was substantially followed the next year. Previous to his removal he took steps to still further strengthen this post ; ordered the building of three new war vessels, carrying respectively twelve, sixteen and eighteen guns; organized companies of bateau- men, fifty in each, to transport supplies to Lake Ontario ; and placed them under command of an efficient young officer, Col. John Bradstreet. Even after his relief he did not cease to counsel further measures for strengthening and holding Oswego, which he deemed of more importance to the English cause than any other post.

The soldiers and mechanics left at Oswego for the winter were not very happily situated. Their task was a hard one; the weather was, of course, inclement, and there was always present the probability of attack by the French. The war vessels were lying in the harbor without crews ; the, garrison was short of provisions, and many of the men fell sick.

The year 1756 is memorable in the history of Oswego. It opened ominously for the English cause. Three expeditions were planned by

1 I just learn that their army was retiring, and that they were leaving only a strong garrison at that place (Oswego). We could not hope for anything more fortunate, my Lord; I have stopped the enemy, etc .- [Doc. Col. Hist., vol. X, p. 377-De Vaudreuil to De Machault,

FRENCH SUCCESSES.

Gen. James Abercrombie, who had been given the chief command, similar in their general character to those of the preceding year-one against Fort Duquesne and the other Ohio posts; one against Crown Point and Ticonderoga ; and the third against Niagara. Neither was successful. The French commander (succeeding Baron Dieskau) was the Marquis de Montcalm, one of the ablest and bravest generals that the eighteenth century produced.

Oswego itself was not molested in the early spring. On the 27th of March, 1756, Fort Bull, a small work guarding the carrying place from the Mohawk to Wood creek, was captured by a party of 400 French, Canadians and Indians. It was garrisoned by sixty to eighty men, and contained a large quantity of stores destined for Oswego. The brave commander refused to surrender, whereupon the doors were forced and nearly every one of the little band was butchered. The supplies were thrown into the water. "The men next set about throwing into an adjoining creek whatever was in this store, where, 'tis stated, there were, among other things, thirty thousand weight of powder, considerable grenadoes, balls, and other stores destined to be forwarded, on the opening of navigation, to Chouguin."1

The French were also actively at work in many other directions, most of their operations having a bearing upon their ultimate intended cap- ture of Oswego. The forts at Niagara and Frontenac had been much strengthened and their garrisons enlarged, Vaudreuil holding that every precaution which tended to strengthen the defense of these posts would contribute to their success in attacking Oswego. Following close upon the capture of Fort Bull, Sieur de Villiers, a French captain who had shown good qualities in the vicinity of Fort Duquesne, was dispatched with a party of 900 French soldiers, Canadians and Indians, "towards Choueguen. This officer has orders to post himself wherever he shall consider most advantageous, so as to be in a position to attack the English either at that carrying place [Mohawk to Wood Creek], or on the river by which they pass on their way to Choueguen. He is authorized to make such maneuvres and expeditions as circumstances and the enemy's situation will permit, provided they tend to weaken Choueguen and to destroy the enemy's preparations against Niagara and

I Quebec letter to Paris, April 14; 1756, Doc. Col. Hist., vol. X, p. 397.

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

Frontenac."1 By this time, too, the French had four vessels on Lake Ontario, all armed and afloat. "They will be able to face those the English have built at Choueguen, which have not as yet made their appearance."2

De Villiers made his headquarters at what is now Henderson Bay,3 from which he sent out detachments to harass the Mohawk settlements, or moved his whole force under his personal command on more impor- tant undertakings. One detachment started from Niagara on May 7, and approaching Fort Oswego on the 10th, attacked a party of ship carpenters within three hundred yards of the fort, killing nine and captur- ing three, and escaped with such celerity that the attempted pursuit was fruitless. Pouchot says (vol. I, p. 60), that this party was com- posed of Indians, and returned with twelve scalps.

At a little later date a large quantity of stores was on its way down the river in four hundred boats, manned by about one thousand men and probably under command of Colonel Bradstreet. Most of the boats passed the Falls and reached Oswego, but a part were detained at the reefs two miles above. Lieutenant Blair with twenty-five men was sent up to guard the stores. They were met and attacked by one of De Villiers's parties ; Blair was wounded, but continued to encourage his men, when he was shot a second time and killed. The little party was soon relieved by reinforcements from the fort.

Formal declaration of war was made by England on the 18th of May, 1756, which was responded to by France on the 9th of June, and war- like operations went steadily forward. Near the last of May Commo- dore Bradley, who was the naval commander at Oswego, made a short voyage of exploration with a few small vessels towards Niagara. Unfav- orable weather soon drove him back. About June 23 the Commodore made another cruise with a fleet consisting of his flag ship, the Oswego,

1 Abstract of dispatches from Canada, Doc. Col. Hist., vol. X, p. 426.

2 Ibid.

3 The French gave the name of Niaoure to this bay. The Bay of Niaoure is mentioned by Pouchot (vol. I, p. 63), as the place where Montcalm camped, and in a foot note the editor of the Memoirs, Franklin B. Hough, says this was "Point Peninsula, Jefferson county." He also alludes to the Niaoure Bay as Chaumont Bay. (Pouchot, vol. II, p. 127). This must be an error, as Point Peninsula is to the northward of Sackett's Harbor, as also is Chaumont Bay, while Henderson Bay (or harbor, as it is best known) is to the southward, a few miles from Sackett's Harbor. It is clear from Pouchot's map, and from the Guy Johnson map of 1771, that what the French called Niaoure Bay was what we know as Henderson Bay,

COLONEL BRADSTREET'S ADVENTURE.

carrying four four-pounders, one three-pounder and forty-five men ; the Ontario, Captain Lafory, with the same number of guns; and a small schooner carrying six little swivels and thirteen men. They were out four days, and on their return were chased by four French vessels, and the little schooner was captured. The two large vessels reached the port in safety.

Meanwhile De Villiers, whose vigilance was unceasing, determined to make a demonstration against Fort Ontario, provoke a sortie by the garrison, and destroy them in ambuscade. He arrived before the fort on the 15th of June. His men, particularly ordered not to fire until a sortie was made, moved forward on the morning of the 16th, and dis- covered a party of eight workmen outside the fort. The temptation was too great for the Indians. They sprang forward with a yell that startled every man in the fort, rushed forward, fired on the little squad and killed five on the spot, the bodies being immediately scalped. The garrison sprang to arms and opened fire on the enemy as they appeared on the edge of the forest, which was returned, but with little effect on either side. After an hour and a half spent in ineffectual efforts to pro- voke a sortie, De Villiers withdrew. A few English were killed besides those before mentioned.

It was now midsummer, and at Oswego more important operations were at hand.1 The large vessels before mentioned were hardly finished by July I, on which date Colonel Bradstreet reached Oswego with an immense fleet, consisting of six hundred bateaux laden with sixteen large guns and an equal number of swivels for the new vessels, with large quantities of stores and provisions. He was accompanied by about two hundred men to strengthen the garrison. Colonel Mercer, in command of the fort, was constantly at work placing it in as good defensive condition as possible.

Colonel Bradstreet was destined to meet with perilous adventure on his return to Albany. De Villiers, with his motley followers, aware of the English colonel's movements, hastened to the eastern shore of the river above the fort, and there lay in ambush, awaiting the approach of the flotilla. Bradstreet started on the 3d of July, his party in three

1 There is evidence in the records that the French had intended to assault Oswego earlier in the season, and before the place could be reinforced and filled with supplies. €

LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.

divisions and instructed to keep as close to each other as possible ; but the uncertainty of progress against the swift current of the stream sep- arated them considerably. Bradstreet was near the head of the com- mand, and when he had reached a point about two miles above the site of Minetto, the Indian war whoop rang out on the eastern bank of the river, followed by a volley of musketry. Several of his men fell dead or wounded around him. He rose to the emergency ; ordered the main body of his command to land on the western shore as quickly as possi- ble ; while he took six men1 and rowed to the small island a little above the point of attack and landed. Meanwhile, when De Villiers realized that his intended concealment until the main body of the boats was on his front was now impossible, he ordered his Canadians to also open fire on the distracted boatmen. No sooner had Bradstreet and his men landed on the island than he was attacked by a party of Indians, who had rushed through the water towards the island. They were beaten back three successive times by the heroic band, which had been increased by a few of the boatmen. Finally De Villiers placed him- self at the head of about fifty Canadians, and they waded out to the support of his allies. Bradstreet and his men had the advantage of the trees on the island for concealment, and returned upon the enemy so steady and rapid a fire that he retreated. De Villiers captured a few prisoners. The engagement continued about an hour, during which time the boatmen had tied their boats to the shore and opened such fire as they could across the river at the enemy.2 Leaving a part of his force, De Villiers marched the main body of his command a mile farther up the river, where he hoped to cross and fall upon Bradstreet's rear. This movement was promptly met by Bradstreet, who transferred his

1 One of the six men was Capt Philip Schuyler, who in later years won glory on the fields of the Revolution.

2 One of the wounded early in the strife was a French Canadian, who was about to be slain by a boatman. Captain Schuyler interposed and saved his life. When Bradstreet's men started up the stream to meet the movement of De Villiers, the wounded prisoner begged to be taken along and not left to die of hunger. Schuyler refused at first, but when the prisoner asked for the alternative of being thrown into the river, the young captain relented, gave his weapons and coat to a comrade, and supported the wounded man with one arm while he swam to the mainland with the other. Under the surgeon's care the wounded man recovered and twenty years later, when Schuyler had risen to be a major-general and commanded the northern department of the Revolutionary Army, a part of which had invaded Canada, the grateful Canadian joined the Continentals, that he might once more meet his preserver of Battle Island .- [Johnson's History of Oswego County, p. 28.

IMPORTANCE OF THE POST AT OSWEGO.

men from the island to the mainland and started with 250 followers to meet the Frenchman. A few men under Capt. John Butler (afterwards the celebrated tory leader in the Revolution) were left to guard the bateaux. Reaching the fording place, Bradstreet found that De Vil- liers and his party had already crossed and were posted in and around a pine swamp at the outlet of Lake Neahtawanta. The engagement that followed was a sharp and sanguinary one, and lasted, according to different authorities, from one to two hours. After fighting for a time from behind trees, Bradstreet led his followers directly to the swamp, drove out the enemy, who fled to the river, where many were killed in attempting to cross. The French and Indians had taken twenty-six scalps and a few prisoners, but their defeat was overwhelm- ing, and they fled in disorder, abandoning their arms and blankets. The number of the killed was somewhere from fifty to seventy- five, and about as many were taken prisoners. With the consummation of the victory, drums were heard to the southward, and a company of gren- adiers from Shirley's regiment marched down on their way to Oswego. When the facts were communicated to Colonel Mercer, he sent up 200 men, with which force, his own and the grenadiers, Bradstreet purposed pursuing the enemy ; but a rainstorm came on and the movement was abandoned. The soldiers returned to Oswego, and Bradstreet resumed his journey to Albany. From the prisoners taken he learned of Mont- calm's contemplated assault upon Oswego. He reached Albany on the Ioth of July.1

The English now began to appreciate, perhaps better than they ever had before, both the importance of Oswego to their cause and some of the difficulties they would probably meet in holding it. Bradstreet en- deavored to prevail upon General Abercrombie to send reinforcements thither, while Sir William Johnson, who had obtained consent from the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 8

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1410

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410