USA > New York > Wayne County > Military history of Wayne County, N.Y. : the County in the Civil War > Part 16
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"Lt .- Col. Philetus Swift will take command of the detach- ment from the seventh Division."
April 21, 1812, in conformity with orders from the Presi- dent of the United States 13,500 of the militia of this State were detached from the several Brigades and directed to hold themselves in readiness for the field.
April 28, 1812, orders were issued directing the detach- ments provided by the order of April 2d, to march immedi- ately to the defence of Oswego and Niagara.
June 23, 1812, separate orders were issued to all the Brigades of militia in the State officially announcing the declaration of war made on the 19th.
The following order of the same date indicates the move- ments of militia in this section of the State:
" STATE OF NEW YORK-GENERAL ORDERS. HEADQUARTERS, ALBANY, June 23, 1812. 5 " To Major-General Amos Hall :
" You will please to order out immediately and send on in small detachments as can be accommodated on the road the troops detached from Ontario, Genesee and Niagara as part of the 13,500 men.
* Every officer and every citizen who values the safety of his fellow citizens on the frontier and the dignity and honor of his country, will exert himself to the utmost to inspire mutual confidence to obviate as much as possible the difficulties incident to the assemblage of mili- tary detachments and by every possible act of kindness to assist and expedite the movements of the brave men who turn out in behalf of their country. General Wadsworth is ordered into service and will take the command for the pres- ent of the detachment already out and the troops which may be ordered into service on the Niagara frontier."
Under date of July 2, 1812, there is another communica- tion to General Amos Hall, in which the Commander-in-Chief informs him that a supply of arms, ammunition and equip- ments had already been forwarded to Canandaigua. He adds :
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" I hope you will exert yourself for the protection of the " frontier, and amongst other things supply some arms and " ammunition to the people south of Buffalo in Chautauqua " and Cattaraugus. We shall have our hands full, but I calcu- "late on the energy and bravery of the officers and soldiers "of the western counties for efficient protection of the fron- " tier until regular troops can approach the lines."
The following acceptance of a volunteer force organized in the town of Williamson, is an interesting item of history : " STATE OF NEW YORK-GENERAL ORDERS.
HEADQUARTERS, ALBANY, September 7, 1812.
" Whereas a number of persons inhabitants of the town of Williamson and County of Ontario, being exempted from militia duty, have associated together and formed a company pursuant to the 35th section of the act of the Legislature o the State of New York organizing the militia thereof, and have subscribed a roll pledging themselves to bear arms and take the field to defend the frontier of the County of Ontario ; Now, therefore, the Commander-in-Chief in pursuance of the authority vested in him by the said act does hereby organize the said association as a company of infantry, and commis- sions and brevets Abraham Gallup to be the Captain, James Calhoun to be the Lieutenant, and Nell Alexander to be the Ensign of said company.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief, Signed, WM. S. WILKIN, Aide-de-Camp."
In the year 1813, one order appears calling out a detach- ment of militia from this section.
The detachment was to be divided into two regiments and two Lieutenant-Colonels assigned to each. To the sec- ond of these regiments there were appointed Lieutenant- Colonel Philetus Swift and Lieutenant-Colonel Caleb Hopkins.
At the conclusion of peace the following official announce- ment was made :
" STATE OF NEW YORK-GENERAL ORDERS.
HEADQUARTERS, ALBANY, February 22, 1815. 5
" The Commander-in-chief announces with the most heart- felt satisfaction to the militia of the State of New York, the ratification of a treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain. In congratulating them on this auspicious event he cannot withhold an expression of his praise and gratitude for the promptitude and fidelity with which they have on all occasions obeyed those various calls
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
of service in defense of the State which its safety compelled him to make. While he applauds their soldier-like deport- ment in arms and the fortitude which they have evinced under the sufferings and privations of war, he cannot but hope that the accomplishment of an honorable peace, the smiles of an approving conscience and the gratitude of a virtuous and patriotic people will be regarded by them as an ample reward for their many sacrifices. The Com- mander-in-chief is especially charged by the President of the United States to convey to the militia of this state his thanks for the patriotism, zeal and perseverance so emi- nently displayed by them in defence of the rights of their country.
By order of the Commander-in-chief,
SOLOMON VAN RENSSELAER, Adj .- General."
The design of this volume limits us without further dis- cussion of general matters to a narration of the events which occurred in Wayne County and to an enumeration of the men who served in that war.
We have first, a brief general statement from the news- papers already quoted, under date of June 29, 1813 :
" The naval force of the enemy on Lake Ontario are cruis- " ing from Niagara down the American side of the lake for " the purpose it would seem of sweeping the coast in which " they have been but too successful.
" On Saturday, the 12th instant, near Eighteen Mile Creek, " they captured two schooners and several boats with valua- " ble cargoes bound from Oswego to Niagara.
"On Tuesday, the 15th instant, they landed some men at " the village of Charlotte, entered the store houses and took " off between 400 and 500 barrels of flour, pork, etc., together " with a large boat laden with 1200 bushels of corn destined " for our troops at Fort Niagara.
" From there they proceeded to Sodus ; not finding any " plunder, they set fire to several buildings near the water " and retired.'
From the Ontario Messenger of June 29, 1813. SODUS BURNED.
" On Saturday afternoon, 19th inst., five sail of the enemy's naval force on Lake Ontario appeared off Sodus Bay. In the morning of the same day the enemy not appearing, Col. Swift's regiment of militia which had formerly assembled for the protection of the place, was dismissed and left Sodus after having removed all the public property to a place of security.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
On the alarm being given about forty men, under Capt. E. Hull, collected with a determination to make all the resist- ance in their power should the enemy attempt to land.
" Under cover of the ensuing night one hundred men from the enemy's shipping effected a landing undiscovered and proceeded towards the village where they were met by the force under Captain Hull and fired upon. The fire was immediately returned by the enemy and our men re- treated, but were not pursued far before the enemy returned to their boats and re-embarked. In this affair we had one killed and three wounded. The enemy's loss was three killed and seven wounded. Early the ensuing morning a number of British soldiers again landed, and without oppo- sition took and destroyed about 230 barrels of flour, a few barrels of pork and whiskey, all private property-then pro- ceeded to plunder the village of everything valuable and set fire to the houses, which were soon consumed.
" Having thus wantonly done all the mischief in their power, they evacuated the place.
" The principal sufferers are Messrs. Edus, Merrill, Wick- ham and Nicholas."
The above news is said to be furnished by a gentleman who arrived at Sodus Point soon after the enemy left the place.
To the men of the present day who have known of Gettys- burgh, Cold Harbor, Pittsburgh Landing, and the other bat- tles of the late civil war, especially to the soldiers who served in those engagements, the events of 1813 at Sodus Point, and 1814 at Pultneyville, may seem trivial and scarcely worthy of notice ; yet the bravery and fidelity of men must be judged by the circumstances of the case. When the citizens of Sodus and neighboring towns, with no military training, with none of the confidence that inspires disci- plined forces, hurried to Sodus Point on the afternoon of June 19, 1813, and in the thick darkness of the rainy night, marched against an unknown force landing from a well equipped fleet, perhaps it required as much firmness, as much stern fidelity to duty as may have nerved veteran soldiers in the battles of far greater magnitude.
From the outbreak of the war, the frontier villages had suffered a sense of insecurity. Especially after a British fleet had been equipped upon the lake, the danger was im-
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
minent. Government stores were kept to some extent at Sodus Point and Pultneyville, as well as at Charlotte, Brad- docks Bay, and other places along the lake. It was the policy of the British officers to hover along the coast, and if they found a place undefended, secure the stores, either by negotiation or force.
A state of war also gave military excuse for the pillage and destruction of such villages, if the invading forces chose to avail themselves of the opportunity.
Sodus Point had been guarded by a few of the neighbor- ing militia companies, for several days at a time during the months preceding the battle. In June, or July, 1812, accord- ing to the affidavit of Asel Latimer and Isaac Featherly, in possession of the writer, a British vessel was seen upon the lake, apparently having designs upon the village. Captain Holcomb's Company was called out, and remained at the Point under command of Lieutenant Nathaniel Merrill, for two or three days.
Subsequently, during the summer and fall of that year, the same company was ordered out, and staid there one or two days at each alarm.
In the spring of 1813, a considerable force was stationed from time to time, at the Point, in anticipation of an attack.
On the 15th of June, it was reported that the British had landed at Genesee river, and would undoubtedly attack Sodus. Portions of Colonel Philetus Swift's regiment, and of Major William Roger's battalion, were immediately ordered there for defence, and remained until Saturday morning, when no enemy appearing, the companies were dismissed. A guard was retained under command of Lieu- tenant Merrill, to watch the military stores, which had been removed to the woods west of the village.
That same day the British vessels came in sight, and in the afternoon it became evident that an attack upon the village was about to occur. One or two men on horseback were sent out to call back, if possible, the companies which were going home, and rally the citizens generally. One of them rode to Sodus village, and west along the Ridge, shouting : " Turn out ! ". " Turn out !"
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
West of Sodus village, Paddock, Dunning, Danforth and others were just getting home from a "raising " on Morse hill, but tired as they were, they hastened to Sodus Point with such guns as they could hastily seize.
The other messenger rode southward, following the retir- ing soldiers.
In the vicinity of South Sodus, the settlers were at a "log- ging bee," and some of them are said to have gone direct to the Point, without going home for supper. Of this horse- man, John P. Terry, now of Portsmouth, Ohio, in a letter given below, says:
" I recollect perfectly well seeing him pass our house riding fast, blowing a horn, and shouting ' The British are landing !'
The men that gathered at Sodus Point, in answer to this call, were some of them members of Captain Holcomb's company, others of Captain Hull's, and others still belonged to no organization whatever.
The alarm called back some of the militia who were on their way home after their discharge in the morning, but many of the men were simply citizens, with no pretensions to military training. At the Point they had no organization. At first Rev. Seba Norton, who had seen service in the war of the Revolution, was looked to as leader and Captain.
A little later Captain Elias Hull reached the Point, and the command was yielded to him.
The area of cleared land at the Point was not then very large. A thick, dense growth of trees and brush extended up to and covered most of the public square; its eastern edge running somewhat diagonally from the present site of the Methodist church to the northwest. This was almost impassable save by the single road, north to the lighthouse of the present day, thence west along the Lake bank, bear- ing south and reaching the line of the present road near the farm residence of B. B. Seaman. There was also a footpath which led off southwest from the place now occupied by the Methodist church. The night was very dark. It had been cloudy during the day and was raining a little in the even- ing. It was impossible to see a yard in advance.
The line was formed as regularly as it was possible to do near the woods. It was agreed to march over the rise of
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
ground towards the water, and if the enemy were met in superior force to deliver their fire and then retreat ; nor was it expected that the company would maintain its line in that event. It was to be "each for himself." The movement thus decided upon was executed at or near midnight. Marching up the street past the Mansion House they reached the high ground along by Wickham's store and the Johnson House of the present time. They found that the British had landed and were advancing. This was known by the noise and by a few lanterns the enemy were carrying. The dim light showed a force supposed to be 300 or more, march- ing in order up the slope from the waters' edge. Amasa Johnson from the American line shot down one of the lights. Instantly was heard the command of the British officer, FIRE ! And a volley immediately followed. In many of the tradi- tionary accounts the shots are said to have passed over the heads of the American line. This may be true, but from the nature of the case the shot probably struck the ground in front and below them principally. Asher Warner and Charles Terry were mortally wounded and an affidavit of the late James Edwards, who was a very competent witness, states that several others were also struck. Among these were Captain Nathaniel Merrill, Mr. Eldridge, a hired man in the employ of Ammi Ellsworth, and also Mr. Knight. The flash of the British guns had revealed their position with considerable distinctness and the Americans with well directed aim poured a deadly fire into the enemy's ranks. It has been generally stated that two or more were killed in the British line and several wounded.
The information upon this point is not very certain yet it is entirely probable and consistent with the known facts. The " battle" was over. In the confusion that followed, the two forces were very near each other or mingled as the British carried off three prisoners, Christopher Britton, father of the late John Britton, of Alton, and Harry Skin- ner and also a colored man by the name of Gilbert Saulter. Both parties retreated and both for very good reasons. The British could have no idea of the force in their front, and in the darkness of midnight it would have been the
14
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
height of folly to advance. They hastily took to their boats. The Americans knew their own weakness and had very good proof that a force much superior to them in numbers and discipline had landed. The Americans scattered, some to the woods, others to their homes. George Palmer says that he with others came up to the Pollock place on the old Geneva road and staid there till morning .*
There were some amusing incidents. Charles Eldridge from the bushes shouted, "I am killed!" "I am killed!" An examination showed that a bullet had cut a piece of skin and flesh from his throat and the blood began to flow freely after a lively run. George Palmer says that while he was making good time for the rear he passed the gruff old revolutionary Baptist minister, Seba Norton. The latter says, " Go on. Don't wait for me. I won't run." Major Farr and Lieutenant Merrill each thought the other an enemy and played an extraordinary series of dodges. The former got entangled and lost in the woods and did not find his way out till morning.
The next morning the British opened a slight cannonade and then landed a small force. They seized the stores in the warehouses and then set all the buildings on fire except one. The tavern of Nathaniel Merrill, the store of Captain Wickham and its contents; his dwelling-house ; the Fitzhugh house ; the house of Wm. Edus ; two warehouses and several other buildings were totally destroyed.
The house saved was one that had been recently erected by Barakins and Hoylarts. It was the Mansion House of later years and was destroyed by fire in 1881. The tall solid chimneys of 1811 are still standing, marking the site of the
* Mrs. Uriah Seymour still living was then seven years of age. With her mother Mrs. Johnson, (who afterwards became Mrs. Thomas Boyd) she went that afternoon to Mrs. Pollocks. In the evening there were no men there ; she slept on the floor and heard nothing of the sounds of war. In the morning, however, she distinctly remembers the house and yard were filled with men and with beds, bedding and other household goods hastily brought away from the Point. They had one prisoner who was handcuffed. She remembers that the women of the Wickham family were at Mrs. Pollocks, and thinks those of the Merrill family were at the house of Abner Arms. She remembers soldiers from the South passing there Sunday and Monday on the way to the Point. Some put their horses into the pasture there and went on afoot. Many stopped for water or for something to eat.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
old historic building. Asher Warner was picked up by the British mortally wounded and carried into this house and there he died. It is said that the British placed a pitcher of water near him and that the officers twice extinguished a fire kindled by the men to destroy the building.
With reference to Charles Terry, who was also wounded and died a few weeks later, we give the following extract of a letter from John P. Terry, a son of the deceased, then a boy of seven years.
The letter is under date of Sept. 7, 1882, and is excellent authority for the circumstances related, as all the particu- lars were sure to be talked over for years in a family where the husband and father had thus lost his life. He says :
" Soon after the war of 1812 had been declared the British " fitted out separate some four or more brigs and armed and " manned them fully.
" They coasted near the southern shore of Lake Ontario. " Their object was, when an opportunity presented itself, to " slip into any port and burn the town and destroy property. " The able bodied men near where my father lived (seven " miles south of the Point) formed themselves into a com- " pany called minute men and they were to go at a minute's " warning to the assistance of the people of the Point. As " near as I can recollect this company was formed in 1812. " In the spring of 1813 the British hove in sight of the Point. " A courier was dispatched on a fast horse south to Lyons "to give the alarm. I recollect perfectly well seeing him "pass our house, riding fast, blowing a horn and shouting " that the British were landing.
" My father told Horace to harness up the horse, took his " gun jumped into the wagon and drove towards the Point. " He said he must help Capt. Merrill save his produce which " he had stored up in his warehouse, as I have heard he did. " By that time the British had landed in their small boats. " My father in the meantime had taken his gun and joined " his company. The British fired a few volleys and retreated "to their boats.
" A man by the name of Warner was killed and my father " was shot. The ball entered his vest pocket and came out "at the edge of his vest lining. He was carried into a " tavern and soon after was put into his wagon and brought " home. I remember distinctly that it was raining very hard " and that my mother as soon as she heard that he was on " the way started on foot through the rain and mud to meet
.
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" him. I also recollect that the bed was saturated with " blood. Several doctors attended him and all were led to " think he would get well. But at the expiration of two " weeks he got out of bed and walked to the door. He " caught cold and two weeks thereafter he died. His name " was Charles. His age I do not know but think it was " about 48. I forgot to mention that the Americans returned " the fire and several British were killed."
A letter from Jonathan Warner of Mineral Ridge, Ohio, furnishes many items of interest in relation to the affair at Sodus Point :
" MINERAL RIDGE, OHIO, January 1, 1883. "L. H. CLARK, ESQ. :
" Dear Sir-I was five years old at the death of my father. He was killed at the battle of Sodus Point. The particulars I have were from Isaac Davidson and others who were in the battle. A large draft had been made upon the able bodied men in Sodus to go to Lewiston, so that there was scarcely more than forty heads of families left in the town. When the news came which flew through the country like wild fire almost every man seized his gun, left home and went down to Sodus Point. The British fleet was then in full view. The first work was to remove all provisions and movable goods to a ravine or gulley west of the Point. After the battle nearly all of our men retreated to the edge of this gulley where they remained as a picket line guarding this property. The British burning the town were in full view of this little guard and fearing there might be a large body of troops in the woods they left much earlier no doubt than they otherwise would. At the outset of the affair after removing the property the Americans chose as Captain Elias Hull of Lyons. Knowing the British would land that night they prepared to meet them on the road about half way between where the pier now is and Thomas Wickham's store, where at that time there was a little gulley and two small hills on both sides where our men stationed themselves. When the British had marched nearly down the first. hill and quite near to our men who were ready and waiting, the word fire was given. The Americans all fired into the British ranks and then retreated up the little hill in the rear of them. Many have told me they distinctly heard groanings in the British line after their fire.
" To drown this the British band commenced to play, with drum and fife. The fire of the British, 300 to 500 strong, im- mediately followed, but being deceived in the ground nearly all shot under. A man by the name of Terry was wounded,
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and Nathaniel Merrill, who lived at the Point, was shot through the hand. My father was shot through the body. The British tramped over him and afterwards picked him up and put him in the large house once occupied by Mr. Wood as a hotel. The British burned every house on the Point but this one. Father lived from twenty to twenty-four hours. They set fire to the building two or three times, but the commanding officer had the fire put out, not willing to burn a man alive, and thus the building was saved.
" The British fleet left late that afternoon. Father died with a pitcher of water in his hand given him by the British. The floor of this room was literally covered with blood, and being soft wood it soaked in so deep that it could not be planed out. My father wallowed as it were in his own gore. The blood from his hands and fingers was to be seen on the sides of the room where he had tried to get up and steady himself but had fallen back in his weakness.
" At this time my mother had been dead three years. My two sisters were brought up in other families, one by Immer Crittenden of Old Castle, Geneva, and the other by John Taylor of Phelps. My father was living with his second wife, and myself and brother Daniel were at home. We lived on the Geneva road, about a half mile north of Elder Norton's brick meeting house.
" My brother Daniel, was twelve years old. Hearing that my father was killed and that the fleet was gone, he har- nessed a horse to a lumber wagon, reaching the Point between sundown and dark. Isaac Davidson and another man whose name I do not remember, helped him take my father's body from the room and place it in the wagon on some straw. That mere boy took the body home alone, in the darkness and through the woods. My step-mother taking me with her had gone to the house of relatives two or three miles away. The old log house was shut up and deserted. Daniel had to go nearly a mile for help. He got John Peeler, then a boy about his own age, and those two boys alone at midnight carried the body from the wagon into the house. At 9 or 10 o'clock the next day neighbors came in and the body was properly prepared for burial. My father's clothes were very bloody, and when taken off were put into a kettle of water at the door to soak. It is one of the distinct recollections of my childhood that my brother Daniel lifted the pantaloons out of the water and showed me the bullet hole which was through the waistband ; the bal having passed through the middle of his body. The partic- ulars I have given were related to me by Judge Green and his aged father; by Elder Norton and his son Daniel H.
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