USA > New York > Wayne County > Military history of Wayne County, N.Y. : the County in the Civil War > Part 21
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William Pitcher lived at Oak's Corners at the time of the outbreak of the war. Was at Sodus Point the night of the skirmish as related by his widow who is still living, (1882.) He died January 13, 1883, and is buried in Brick ยท Church Cemetery, aged seventy-seven years.
Henry Francisco died near Whitehall, N. Y., September 16, 1820, at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and six months. The year before his death Prof. Silliman, of Yale College, visited him and became satisfied that this statement of age was correct, and a small pamphlet was printed with the Professor's account. The Editor of the Salem Gazette speaking of Francisco's visit to that village said : " He excited universal interest. His health is good ; his hair is firm on his head; he walked to the court-house and came about thirty-one miles to attend Court, and yet he is according to his own oath and sufficient testimony besides to induce implicit belief, one hundred and thirty-four years of age. He was a soldier in the English service and beat the drum at the corona- tion of Queen Anne. He served many years under the great Duke of Marlborough ; he was at the battles of Blenheim and Ramillies,-battles whose very names excite the liveliest emotions of the human heart. What a world this man hath seen. He has survived the three long reigns of the house of Brunswick and bids fair to outlive the fourth. The Duke of Marlborough under whom he so long served, died in old age and Francisco has survived him a whole century." His son, Joseph Francisco, served about three years in the War of 1812, then residing in Washington County. He afterwards removed to Wayne County and died about the year 1845. A son of Joseph, John Francisco, also served about two years in the War of 1812.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Samuel Philo was a soldier of 1812, and his son George Philo, of Wallington, is in possession of an interesting certifi- cate, of which the following is a copy :
HONOR TO THE BRAVE.
" This certifies that Sergeant Samuel Philo, Captain Jenks " Pullen's company, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hopkins' regi- " ment of detached militia, being one of those who gener- "ously and bravely volunteered their services and crossed " the Lake to Fort Erie in September last, for the relief of " the American garrison, then closely invested by a superior " force, and having faithfully performed his term of service, " is most honorably discharged.
ARINOE BEEBE, Lieutenant Commanding. " Batavia, November 8, 1814."
Samuel Philo then resided on the Robinson Hill farm, east of South Sodus. His wife, a woman of great energy and character, actually cleared a field in his absence, planted corn and was harvesting the crop when he returned after his dis- charge.
From the records of Dwight Post, G. A. R., made for the purpose of decoration, we have the following additional names of soldiers of 1812 :
Leonard Smith, Abner Wood, died June 24, 1869; David Sprong, died December 19, 1872 ;. John Mc Carty, died May 12, 1831 ; Thomas Marten, Flavel Kingsley, buried in Sodus Rural Cemetery ; Samuel Morse, David Foster, Andries Onderdonk, William N. Lummis, Benjamin D. Gardner, Craig Gordon, buried in old Cemetery, Mill Street; Amos Case, buried in the Episcopal Church Yard ; Rudolphus Field, Jacob Garlock, Ezekiel Tiffany, buried in Bushnell's burial place; Frederick Wickham, buried at Sodus Point ; James Stevenson, Seth Wallace, buried in Wallace family lot ; Ellery Potter, buried in South Sodus Cemetery ; Simeon Pitcher, Samuel Blair, William Walling, Ezra Knapp, William Taylor, John Knapp, John W. Mes- senger, Solomon Walker, Richard Messenger, Elijah Lem- mon, Peter Bryant, Adam Flint, buried in the Brick Church Cemetery.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
WALWORTH.
George Hoyt lived in Marion, at the time of the war ; enlisted and served through. Afterwards settled in Walworth where he died November 15, 1846, and was buried in the North Walworth Cemetery.
James Andrew, born August 25, 1795, served three months in the war of 1812, and died July 4, 1877, aged eighty- two and buried at Walworth Cemetery.
WILLIAMSON.
Daniel Grandin, served on picket duty ; died November 25, 1862 ; buried in Pultneyville Cemetery.
Andrew Cornwall, served on picket duty ; died November 25, 1862 ; buried in Pultneyville Cemetery.
Samuel Ledyard, was in the action at Pultneyville, and before that was clerk to the officers who went out in boats to negotiate with the enemy.
Joseph Church, served twenty-eight days; died June 8, 1881, aged eighty-seven ; buried in Pultneyville Cemetery.
Hubbard Clark, then residing on the Widow Pallestes farm, was at Pultneyville, in the skirmish.
It is not exactly a Wayne county item, but it is of interest to mention that the father of Andrew Erasmusson, of Pult- neyville, was a soldier of 1812, and stationed at Nine Mile Creek. His mother is said to have been the only woman in Sackett's Harbor, at the time the British attack was repulsed, July 19, 1812. His grandfather, an old Danish Sea Captain, lost his life in the same war, on Lake Ontario, while acting as a pilot for a United States government vessel.
William Rogers, who resided where his son William Rogers,
Jr., now resides, was a prominent citizen and took an active part in the militia organizations of 1800 to 1815. He was commissioned Sergeant Major, by Lieutenant- Colonel John Swift, May 8, 1802 ; Junior Adjutant of Lieutenant-Colonel Peasly Phillips' Regiment, April 9, 1806; Captain in the same regiment May 23, 1811 ; and Major Commandant of a Battalion, March 17, 18II. These commissions are now in possession of his son, residing at the old homestead ; the Adjutant's command is signed by Governor Morgan Lewis; the subsequent ones by Governor Daniel D. Tompkins.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
A. White .- A memorandum by Major Rogers says :
" A White, was Sergeant in Captain Poppino's company, attached to my battalion of New York militia during the War of 1812. He was called into service at Sodus, and served five days ; in December, 1813, at Pultneyville, and where he served six days, and was engaged in the battle we had with the British fleet at that time and place."
Lucas A. Tuttle, was in the engagement at Pultneyville. Joseph Seeley, served as a soldier of 1812.
Ethel Maynard, was a soldier of 1812, then of Washington county, N. Y. He settled in Williamson, about 1815 to 1818; his heirs in after years drew a land warrant for 160 acres, in consequence of his service ; he died in 1837 or '38, and is buried in the Cemetery at Williamson.
WOLCOTT.
William Welch, volunteer in the War of 1812. Died in Wol- cott June, 1848. Buried in Huron Cemetery. Wife- still living (September 1882) and receives a pension.
Ransom Loveless served in the War of 1812. He was ap- pointed Lieutenant in the One Hundred and Twenty- sixth Infantry by Governor Tompkins. Died August 1, 1867. Buried in Leavenworth Cemetery. Murray Watterman, a soldier of 1812, is buried in Leaven- worth Cemetery. He died February 22, 1875.
Oliver Ladue, a soldier of 1812. Died September 6, 1878, and is buried in Leavenworth Cemetery.
S. G. Cole, a soldier of 1812. Buried in Leavenworth Ceme- tery.
Benjamin Grandy, a soldier of 1812. Died October 1874. Buried in Leavenworth Cemetery.
Roger Olmstead, a soldier of 1812. Died November 9, 1840. Buried in Wolcott Old Cemetery.
Elisha Plank, a soldier of 1812. Died September 25, 1852. Buried in Wolcott Old Cemetery.
John Blanchard enlisted for three or six months, and after his discharge went as a substitute for three or six months more. He was at Lewiston when Fort Erie was blown up. He died May 22, 1875, and was a little over seventy-eight years old. He was buried at North Wol- cott. He was in Captain Knapp's company.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Lemuel Soule and William Waters are also mentioned as sol-
diers on the records of Keeslar Post, for decoration, and buried in Wolcott Old Cemetery. We have no other facts about them.
Miss Marion McArthur sends the following names : Rob- ert McArthur, Mr. Stanley, Marshall Lee, and Michael Logan as soldiers of 1812.
Henry Shaft, a soldier of 1812, buried in North Wolcott Cemetery.
Jesse Devoe a soldier of 1812, buried in North Wolcott Ceme- tery.
OFFICIAL ACTION IN SODUS.
At a special town meeting held at the house of Daniel Arms in Sodus, on the Ist day of September 1814, the fol- lowing persons were chosen, viz .: Ephraim Coon, Esq., to preside ; John Fellows and William N. Lummis, Clerks.
The following resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, That they deem it inexpedient to send delegates to the General Convention to be held at Canandaigua the 15th of September ; this town being much exposed to the enemy it is deemed best to provide ourselves for the defense of the frontier.
" Resolved, That we make immediate preparation for defense.
" Resolved, That William N. Lummis, William Wickham, John Fellows, Thomas Wafer and Asher Doolittle be a Committee of safety for the town of Sodus.
" Resolved, That a notice signed by a majority of the com- mittee giving notice of the approach of the enemy be deemed sufficient to justify said office .*
" Resolved, That the Committee of Safety offer a subscrip- tion paper to the good people of the town of Sodus for the purpose of obtaining funds for the defense of said town, and that such subscription shall be demanded only in case of the enemy's obtaining command of Lake Ontario."
From one of the letters of T. T. R., entitled " Lyons in the Olden Time,"+ we have the following :
A PAGE IN THE MILITARY HISTORY OF LYONS.
"Commencing in the year 1808, (as far back as we have
* The last word in doubt, but supposed to mean "official act" or "exercise of official duty."
+ A valuable series which appeared through several years of the Lyons Republican.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
anv data,) there was a militia company in Lyons, the officers which were as follows: William Patten, Captain; Peter Per- rine, Lieutenant; James Bound, Ensign; William Duncan, Sergeant. It was one of the companies composing the Sev- enty-First Regiment of New York Infantry, commanded by Colonel Philetus Swift of Phelps, and they had company training the first Monday in June and September, and gen- eral training later in the fall at such time and place as the commanding officer of the Brigade directed. At the break- ing out of the war a company of uniformed infantry was raised and went into service on the Niagara frontier. It was commanded by Elias Hull, as Captain ; David Perrine, Lieutenant ; William C. Guest, Ensign; and your venerable townsman John Gilbert, and two of his brothers, were in the ranks. Deacon Gilbert, is I believe, the only survivor left among you. Another, Lewis Woodward, is still living and resides in the village of Clinton. This was not all. The old men of that day revived their military spirit, formed them- selves into a company known as the 'Silver Greys,' and met at stated times for military duty. The officers were Daniel Dorsey, Captain; E. Price, Lieutenant ; Henry Towar, En- sign. The military spirit that had diffused itself through the community extended to the boys, and a juvenile company was formed, whereof Edward Jones, was Captain; William Price, Lieutenant : David Barclay, Ensign. Your correspond- ent was one of the privates. This company met on Saturday afternoons, once in two weeks, for exercise. T. T. R."
Extracts from an affidavit of John Failing made in pension cases February, 1868 :
" Deponent is now seventy-six years old, and resides in Jordan, N. Y. Before the war and long thereafter resided in Lyons, Wayne County. * During the war deponent belonged to the militia, and was a member first of Captain Van Anker's company, and then of Captain John Peacock's company. John Peacock lived in Lyons and was a member, with his company, of Colonel Swift's Regiment. * *
"On or about the 15th day of September, 1813, orders were issued to the members of the company by Colonel Swift to go into service on the western frontier at Buffalo; the companies to assemble at Irondequoit, at the mouth of the Genesee river. * Said company assembled on the Pre-emption about two miles south of Lyons, marched to Canandaigua, where there was an arsenal and where we drew our arms; thence to Irondequoit, where we were mustered into the service of the United States. * *
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Remained there two days and were discharged, having served in all five or six days. * *
" In December, 1814, about the 12th or 14th, deponent was drafted out in Captain Peacock's company, with many others, to go to Buffalo. Deponent hired James Corwin to go as his substitute, and he served as such with Sergeant Thomas E. Dorsey under Captains Perrine and Burnell. In a very few days, about December 20th, the whole regiment of Colonel Swift entered service again and marched to Canandaigua, thence to the Genesee River as far as where Rochester now stands. X and then served one or two days again, and we were discharged and marched home because word was brought that the British had crossed back into Canada after the burning of Buffalo. All of the said companies were in the service both of these times. *
* The way I fix the time of our service the last time in December, 1813, is this : I have always recollected that we got back home the night before Christmas, and from another fact that I went on Christmas day to the wedding of Peter Van Etten, who married a sister of Simon Pitcher." *
We make the following extracts from various affidavits laid before Congress in support of the claim of William Wickham * to compensation for the destruction of his house, store, goods and furniture ; a claim which being presented first in 1816, had successive hearings for more than thirty years, but was never allowed :
" Henry Lum, of Geneva, describes Mr. Wickham's house as follows : It was a two-story house, and well finished, and about fifty-two feet by thirty-six, with an entry through, and a large convenient kitchen back of and adjoining the same ; the whole well finished, and the windows in general well hung, with Venetian blinds. Deponent further saith that he has had much experience in building, and from his knowl- edge of the art of building, and of the style and manner of building, and finishing the house of the said Wickham, he
* Mr. Wickham based his claims principally upon the ground that his house was a public building, having the postoffice in it; that it was occupied by United States troops, and that it was destroyed for this reason, and that private houses were burned because the public property of the government was stored at the Point, and the British offered to refrain from all destruction of private prop- erty if the public property was given up. The hearing upon Mr. Wickhams claim is a good specimen of Dickens " Circumlocution office," the first papers having been presented to Congress in 1816, and the last in 1846-'47. Mr. Wickhams losses were very heavy ; dwelling house, new and well furnished, store and goods, and a warehouse at the waters edge were all totally destroyed.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
verily believes the house, kitchen and wood house aforesaid were at the time they were destroyed by the enemy, reason- ably and fairly worth six thousand dollars.
" Dated November 20, 1816."
" William Burnet, Brigadier-General of the twenty-fourth Brigade of New York militia, deposes that on or about the 16th day of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, intelligence was received that the British had landed at Genesee river, and were coming to Sodus, where was deposited large quantities of provisions, and stores destined for the American army, then in service against Canada ; that thereupon he ordered into the service of the United States, the regiment of militia, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Philitus Swift and part of a battalion of riflemen, and directed them to repair to Sodus for the protection of the public property, and the militia so ordered out did assemble under the command of the deponent at Sodus, and by their exertions removed a very considerable part of the said provisions to a place of safety. * * *
* Deponent further says that on the morning of the 19th of June, in the same year, the enemy not then appearing, the greater part of the militia so ordered out were dismissed, and only a guard retained for the property so removed ; that on the night of the day aforesaid, the British fleet put into Sodus Bay, landed a party of men, took and carried away or destroyed the provisions, remaining in the storehouse of Nathaniel Merrill and in several other buildings.
" Dated November 18, 1816."
" Asahel Bannister, deposed that in the attack made by the British in the late war, on the village of Sodus, he acted as Quartermaster in Colonel Swift's regiment of militia, and was bearer of a flag of truce to the enemy, and was met by a flag from them ; that the officers who bore the British flag proposed to deponent to spare the village and not to burn or destroy private property upon condition that the public stores and provisions which had been removed were given up to them ; that deponent replied he was not authorized to make any such stipulation, but would report the same to his officers, and in three or four hours would return them an answer ; hoping and believing that by that time sufficient militia would assemble to defend the property aforesaid ; that he did thereupon return to his officers and made report of what had passed, and at the expiration of the appointed time again bore a flag to the enemy and informed them that the property would not be given up. And deponent further saith that in the course of the conversation held with the
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
British officers, he distinctly stated to this deponent that their intention was only to obtain the public provisions ; and if they were given up to them peaceably, they would engage not to come to Sodus again during this war unless it should again be made a place of deposit for public stores or become a military post.
" And deponent further saith that for want of camp equip- age and barracks the soldiers were compelled to and did actually make use of the said Wickham's kitchen and furni- ture for that purpose.
" And deponent further saith that on the first landing of the enemy a smart conflict ensued between the British and a party of militia a short distance from the house of the said William Wickham in which several of the enemy were killed and wounded.
" Dated November 16, 1816."
These affidavits enlarge upon the deposit of public stores being the reason for the destruction of the place, because it was desirable to prove that Mr. Wickham's house and the houses of others were burned in an attempt to save the pub- lic property of the United States and therefore the owners had a just claim for compensation.
But we quote from these documents simply to throw light upon the events which occurred in connection with the battle.
" Daniel Dorsey deposed that during the late war he com- manded a company of exempt militia attached to Colonel Philetus Swift's regiment; and that on or about the 16th of June 1813, an alarm was spread that the enemy had landed at Genesee River and was coming to Sodus. * * * * That General Wm. Burnet ordered out a part of his Brigade into the service of the United States for the defense of the village of Sodus and of the public property, and that in consequence of said order, deponent marched with his company to. Sodus, and this deponent further saith that there were no tents or other camp equipage for the accommodation of the troops and that for want thereof the troops were quartered in the houses and barns of the citi- zens, and that he expressly ordered a part of his company to take possession of the barn of William Wickham and to occupy the same for barracks and that they did use the same ; and for want of camp kettles and proper articles for cooking and baking, the kitchens and kettles of the citizens were used for that purpose, and he well remembers that the soldiers of his company did cook in the kitchen of William
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Wickham. * * * That on the night of the 19th of June in the same year, the British landed at Sodus, captured some of the provisions which had not been removed and burned the store-house in which they were stored and several private dwellings.
" Dated November 10, 1816."
" George Chapin further describes the Wickham house in his affidavit as a two-story house fifty-two feet long and thirty- six feet wide, with four rooms on the lower floor and an entry of ten feet wide ; and in all respects neatly and expen- sively finished ; with cherry doors and twenty-nine windows of which twenty-five had Venetian blinds, painted, well hung, with fastenings, etc., etc .; and that there was a kitchen back of and adjoining said house thirty-two feet long and thirty wide, in all respects well finished, with chambers overhead and a woodhouse back of the kitchen fifty-two feet long and sixteen feet wide, with a convenient wash-room at one end.
" Dated November 13, 1816."
Jesse Brown, in a long affidavit, detailing principally the occupying of Mr. Wickham's house and other private houses by the soldiers, adds the following statement not mentioned by others :
" That a black man by the name of Gilbert, an inhabitant of Sodus, was taken prisoner by the enemy, and the said Gilbert afterwards informed him that the enemy did, by threatening him with instant death, compel him to point out to them the houses in which soldiers had been quartered and where arms or ammunition had been deposited.
" Dated October 31, 1816."
"Dorothy Hodgman, a member of the Wickham family, makes affidavit to the furniture in the house, from which it appears that the young merchant had established himself and family in decidedly comfortable quarters. The. list includes one mahogany bedstead, forty dollars; two common bedsteads, twenty dollars; one mahogany dining table, thirty dollars ; three small cherry tables, seventeen dollars ; one looking-glass thirty dollars; one tea set (India China) twenty-six dollars; one book-case, glass doors, fifty dollars ; and a large inventory besides of articles 'too numerous to mention.'
" Dated November 13, 1816."
James Edwards, of Sodus, in a long affidavit stating events bearing particularly on the Wickham claim testifies to the following general matters :
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
" That he was at Sodus Point on the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th days of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen as a guard to protect public property and that he was on guard on the 19th of June, 1813, at the time the enemy landed a force on Sodus Point. * That he was present in the battle that took place, which, as deponent believes, was at about 12 o'clock on the night of the 19th of June, 1813, and that he left the Point about three o'clock that night and went about a mile west to join the main body where the wounded had been removed.
" Deponent further says that at the time he left the Point on the morning of the 20th of June, 1813, the enemy had done no other damage than to destroy the remaining part of the public property left in the storehouse ; the residue having been removed the day before to a place about sev- enty-five rods west of said Wickham's house. Deponent returned to the Point in the morning a short time after they had set fire to the buildings.
" Dated July 17, 1846."
" Asel Latimer in a similar affidavit says: That he was on guard on the 19th of June, 1813, the day the enemy landed a force on Sodus Point ; that at that time William Wickham was absent and had been gone about two weeks to New York on business and did not return until about July Ist: that in the afternoon of the 19th, by direction of Captain Nathaniel Merrill in command of the guard left by General Burnett, Mrs. Wickham left the house and some of the guard were quartered therein. Deponent fur- ther says that on the night of the 19th of June or morning of the 20th, the enemy landed at Sodus Point and that he saw them set fire to and burn the storehouse and public property that had not been removed, and that they then came up into the village and burned the said William Wick- ham's dwelling-house together with the Post Office and other buildings attached thereto. *
* Deponent further states that on the 18th and 19th a part of the public property was removed from the storehouse about seventy-five rods west of the said Wickham's house to the upper end of the village in the woods. * That on the afternoon of the same day that the buildings were burned in the morning that the enemy sent a flag of truce on shore saying if the militia would give up the remainder of the public stores they would not destroy any more private stores. General Burnett, commander of the American forces, replied that they must take it by the point of the sword or the strength of powder ; that the British then retreated to their vessels.
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