USA > New York > Wayne County > Military history of Wayne County, N.Y. : the County in the Civil War > Part 22
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" Dated July 17, 1846."
18
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
" Eliza C. Hoylarts testified, that Gilbert Saulter said to her that he was on board the enemy's ship at the time they sent the soldiers on shore and that he distinctly heard the commanding officer, Sir James Yeo, order the officer in charge of the expedition to be sure and burn the Post Office.
" Dated July 17, 1846."
" William P. Irwin made an affidavit in support of the Wickham claim, and stated among other things, that he was called out as a private in Captain John Holcomb's company, to defend Sodus Point, and the public property deposited in the storehouse at Sodus Point, on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th days of June, 1813.
* That the flag of truce sent in by the enemy was after the buildings were set on fire. * That on the night of the said 19th of June, 1813, a guard was set to guard the public property west of said Wickham's house, and also a guard stationed from said Wickham's house south-east to the warehouse.
" Dated July 17, 1846."
Asel Latimer, in a similar affidavit said :
"On the morning of the conflagration I saw the British gun boats in Sodus Bay, and at about 7 o'clock A. M. I saw a small boat leave one of the gun boats with five or six men on board; they landed and proceeded into the village and set fire to the houses, to wit: Captain William Wickham's house and store, Nathaniel Merrill's tavern house, Captain William Edus' dwelling house, and two storehouses on the margin of the Bay. While the houses were in flames, they fired a gun into each, gave three cheers and hurrahed for North America."
CHAPTER IX.
MISCELLANEOUS - CANADIAN REBELLION - WAYNE COUNTY MEN IN IT -MEXI- CAN WAR - SOLDIERS FROM WAYNE COUNTY, OR SETTLED HERE SINCE - . WAYNE COUNTY MEN IN REGULAR ARMY OR IN INDIAN WARS.
T HE close connection geographically, between the United States and Canada has always been the source of agita- tion along the border during a state of war. The strug- gles between the French and English for the possession of Canada, during nearly two centuries, exemplify this statement. In both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the conquest of Canada by the United States was an object of much debate and of several bloody and unsuccessful attempts. In the Canadian Rebellion, so-called of 1837-'38, there was much excitement in the State of New York, especially in the counties bordering upon the Lakes.
The Wayne county newspapers of those years were full of news from the frontier, and it is undeniable that there was a deep feeling of sympathy with the Canadian patriots, and quite an ardent disposition to actually volunteer in their service. It was the duty of the United States, under treaties to preserve the neutrality of the border, and this was faith- fully done. No parties of British were, however, permitted to follow the fleeing "patriots " upon American soil. Had they attempted it they would have been instantly repelled with all the force at the command of General Scott, as shown below. The Wayne Sentinel, of January 18, 1838, is particularly interesting, as that was the date when affairs at Navy Island came to a crisis. Copies of the Newark Standard, for that year are full of Canadian news, and it is no secret that the editor, Daniel M. Keeler, strongly sympa- thized with the "patriots."
The orders in the Adjutant-General's office bearing upon these troubles are as follows :
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. I.
January 12, 1838.
Brigadier-General Burt of the Forty-Seventh Brigade o Infantry will forthwith report to the Commander-in-Chief the number of the militia now under his command and in the service of the State, called out to protect its territory from invasion.
Signed, W. L. MARCY, Commander-in-Chief.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 2.
A. similar order to Brigadier-General Randall of the Eighth Brigade of Artillery.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 3.
A similar order of the same date to Brigadier-General Jackson, of the Fifth Brigade of Infantry.
STATE OF NEW YORK, HEADQUARTERS. BUFFALO, January 12, 1838, II o'clock P. M. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 4.
Brigadier-General Randall will immediately order out the whole force under his command and march to Black Rock, with the utmost expedition, with his ordnance, arms, ammunition, &c., prepared for service, and there wait for further orders from the Commander-in-Chief.
ALLEN MCDONALD, Adjutant-General.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 5.
A similar order of the same date to Brigadier-General Burt omitting the word ordnance.
STATE OF NEW YORK, HEADQUARTERS. BUFFALO, January 12, 1838, II O'clock P. M. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 6.
Understanding that the forces on Navy Island are moving from their station with a view to cross from the territory of the State of New York into Canada, you will if this be so, follow in their rear and render all the service in your power to prevent an expedition from our territory across the Niagara river into Canada. The troops at this place are ordered out to prevent the movement.
Signed, ALLEN MCDONALD, Adjutant-General.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Order No. 7, directed Brigadier-General Jackson not to attack or fire upon any persons landing from Navy Island on the soil of this State.
Similar orders, 8 and 9, were given to General Burt and General Randall.
STATE OF NEW YORK, HEADQUARTERS.
BUFFALO, January 15, 1838, 2 o'clock A. M. GENERAL ORDER,
NO. 10.
The Commander-in-Chief has received information which renders it necessary and he hereby directs that Brigadier- General Jackson rendezvous without delay at Fort Schlosser with all the force under his command at Niagara Falls and vicinity, except those on Grand Island, and that the said force be held in compact order for immediate service.
Should any persons flee to our soil for refuge and be pur- sued by a belligerent party, such pursuing party must not be permitted to come upon our territory, but must be requested by Brigadier-General Jackson or the officer in command of our forces, to halt and retire; and if this request or remonstrance be not instantly complied with, the officer in command of our forces, to prevent or correct any such violation of our soil, must apply all his strength to drive back the wrong doer as in the case of open war. * *
Order No. 1I called on General David Burt, Seventh Brigade, for 350 troops, to serve three months unless sooner discharged.
Orders 12 and 13 were similar addressed to General Nel- son Randall, Eighth Brigade for 450, and General John Jackson Fifth Brigade for 350.
HEADQUARTERS, BUFFALO, January 16, 1838. 6
GENERAL ORDERS, 1
No. 14.
The Commander-in-Chief, hereby directs Brigadier-Gene- ral David Burt to detail a sufficient force to search Grand Island and the vicinity on the main shore and elsewhere within the bounds of the command for cannons, muskets, etc., the property of the people of the State of New York.
General Burt is particularly instructed to seize upon all cannon and carriages and implements for the same in whose hands soever they may be found, etc., etc. * * *
ALLEN MCDONALD, Adjutant-General.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
STATE OF NEW YORK, HEADQUARTERS. ALBANY, February 28, 1838. S
GENERAL ORDERS :
In pursuance of the requisition of Brevet-Major General Scott, of the United States army, of the 19th day of Feb- ruary instant, under instructions from the President of the United States, to the Commander-in-Chief of the militia, of the State of New York, requesting him to call into service and place under the command of General Scott, such militia force as he may require for the defence of the Niagara frontier, of the said State, and the preservation of neutrality between the United States and Great Britain, Brigadier-General Burt, commanding the forty-seventh Brigade of Infantry, of the militia of the said State, is hereby directed to furnish and place under command of Major-General Scott, of the United States army from his said Brigade, such force as shall be designated by Lieuten- ant-Colonel Worth, of the United States army, to be mustered into the service of the United States for three months unless sooner discharged. * * *
ALLEN MCDONALD, Adjutant-General.
Several men from different parts of the County went to " Navy Island " in the " Patriot war." Three went from Pultneyville or that vicinity. Mr. Beebe was one of them. He had been at Pultneyville a few months residing with an Indian Doctor of the name of Fuller. Mr. Seeley was another volunteer and there was a third man whose name is not now recalled at Pultneyville. Washington Throop states that he remembers seeing them take the stage at noon on Wednesday. They reached the Island on Friday and within an hour Beebe was struck by a spent cannon ball, or a ball ricochetting. He was instantly killed. It is the recol- lection of Charles J. Allen that three men volunteered from the east part of Sodus: John Baird, Thomas Nelson, Nathan Berry. Baird was killed.
Dr. William Green, then of Sodus, afterwards of Marion, tendered his services in the following letter.
SODUS, January 14th, 1838.
To COLONEL FLETCHER or MAJOR MCLEOD, Messrs :
Having an opportunity to send you a line, I pen it in a hurry. I say I wish to come to you ; wherever you are, I am ready to serve you as a surgeon. I bring the certificates
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
you spoke of. If my services are not required as a surgeon, write me what encouragement you will give, if I bring on men. God bless you ! My heart is with you.
N. B .- I mentioned to you that there were men here to whom it was necessary to offer encouragement, but who would start with it. Be as particular as your time will allow. Yours, heart and hands,
WILLIAM GREEN, M. D.
The following was the answer received :
BUFFALO, January 18, 1838.
DEAR SIR-I am directed by the Commander-in-Chief, of the patriot service of the Republic of Upper Canada, to say that he has accepted of your proffer as surgeon. You are therefore hereby requested to repair to headquarters immediately, and report yourself to the Adjutant-General office.
Certified, D. MCLEOD, Adj't. Gen'l. R. W. ASHLEY, Jr., Col. and Aid G.
At Newark there was considerable excitement ; a large and enthusiastic meeting was held in the old Methodist church (now Washington Hall) in aid of the " Patriot " cause.
David M. Keeler was then publishing the Newark Stan- dard. The number for November 24, 1838, is full of news from the " seat of war.' It is the recollection of some at Newark that Mr. Keeler himself volunteered, and that several others went with him. The three now mentioned positively as having gone, were Horace Dennison, Dwight Dickinson and Peter T. Barney.
The " patriots" took with them a cannon belonging to the then artillery company of Newark. The "taking " is said to have been tacitly allowed by those in charge ; at least, they took no steps to stop it. The cannon was afterwards returned .*
Hon. E. W. Sentell, of Sodus, was at that time Captain of an artillery company. In the midst of the excitement, as shown in the orders given above, he was directed to order out his company. This was done at Sodus village. The
*Fletcher Williams, of Newark, writes : "David M. Keeler, editor of our village paper, raised a company and went to Navy Island. They took the cannon, a brass six-pounder, belonging to the company of State artillery at this place. The company safely returned, and the cannon was also recovered."
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
company paraded during the day. Teams were engaged to draw the cannon. It was supposed they would be called to march immediately for Niagara.
They were dismissed at night, with orders to hold them- selves in instant readiness to march, but they were not again assembled for that purpose.
Jesse H. Green, at that time in command of a company in the sixteenth regiment of riflemen, also called out his men pursuant to orders, drilled them and dismissed them with instructions to be prepared to march at any hour.
John Sherman, from Palmyra, was in the Canadian rebell- ion, aiding the patriots. He was visiting an uncle when enlisted. He died in Palmyra, in 1862.
Mr. Laroque, of French ancestry, was born in Canada East, and served in the brief struggle of the " Patriots" against England, in 1838-'39. He died in Rose, July, 1859. His family evidently inherited something of the martial qualities of the olden times of French History. Three sons, aged only 18, 16, and 15, went into the Union army, in 1861-'65, as shown in another place, and a fourth, William H. Laroque, being only seventeen years of age, joined Gen- eral Custer's command in 1870, and shared the fate of that lamented leader. Only the Indians know his place of burial.
An important acquisition to the patriot forces was the adherence of Mr. Robert W. Ashley, of Lyons. There are now in possession of his family a portion of the actual archives or records of the Patriot forces and Patriot govern- ment of the "State of Upper Canada." Mr. Ashley had intense enthusiasm upon the subject, and was not content to remain simply a sympathizing spectator. He enlisted and became Adjutant-General of the Patriot forces.
In January, 1838, it appears from the papers, that Mr. Ashley was then acting as aid to Donald McLeod, then Adjutant-General, having the rank of Colonel. Sometime in March he became Acting Adjutant-General, and later Adjutant-General ; the correspondence showing that he was connected with the service four months or more. We can only give a brief analysis of the contents of the papers and a few facts culled from them.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
In January, 1838, there are orders designating mess mates like the following :
" Henry A. Nard, Joseph Shangler, Wm. Van Valkenburgh and Wm. L. Pierce, are to be included in one mess.
R. W, ASHLEY, JR."
" A NOTICE .- Thomas Jefferson, Peter P. Pulver, Abraham Crannell, start Thursday evening for the frontier, January 4, 1837 [8]."
Election of officers at Conneaut, Ohio, January 29, 1838. H. C. Seward, Colonel; Samuel C. Bacon, Lieutenant- Colonel; Lester Hoadley, Major.
Memorandum of forces, January 24, 1838, then at North East, Pennsylvania, First Regiment "Patriot Forces." Present, nine Captains, eighteen Lieutenants, fifteen Ser- geants, and one-hundred and eighty-one rank and file.
Correspondence is dated variously at Conneaut, North East, Erie, Sandusky, Westfield, Fredonia, in those parts of Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, near to Lake Erie.
There is a series of orders, one to ten, making appoint- ments ordering movements, &c.
In February, 1838, there are numerous bills receipted, a few general orders continued, and some correspondence. The list of donations "for the purpose of aiding the Patriots of Canada," is somewhat amusing. In Peru, Huron county, Ohio, the list shows twenty or more donations headed by Rodney Sanford, one dollar, Mrs. Sally Ann Sanford, (two pairs of socks) one dollar. Other subscriptions ranging from two dollars down to twenty-five cents. Not very heavy sums for the exchequer of the Republic of Upper Canada.
There is a shipping bill for $150 worth of pork, flour, crackers, peas, coffee, tobacco, hams and shoulders shipped by E. S. Dodd & Company, of Toledo, Ohio, to " Brigadier- General Donald McLeod,commanding Patriot Forces on the Northern Frontier " at Monroe, Michigan.
In March there is a report from Brigadier McLeod to Adjutant-General Ashley of two engagements, one on Fighting Island and the other at Belle Island. McLeod says :
" I had a very narrow escape. My cap was raked in the fore part by a grape shot. * My love and respects
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
to my wife. Read this to her and say to her that I have not yet filled a coward's grave."
There is also the account of a public meeting at Buffalo in aid of " the cause," March 28, 1838.
In April, Mr. Ashley seems, from the correspondence, to have been somewhat secluded at Newark, in this county, avoiding difficulty with United States Marshals on account of his part in their operations against Canada.
The correspondence shows that he received letters from the Patriot officers at Rochester and elsewhere, and answered them from Newark. Under date of April 14, 1838, Mr. Ashley, in a letter to A. K. Mckenzie, says :
" By an arrangement made between General McLeod and myself at Rochester, I came to this place to await his return from the east. Since my arrival here, I have been compelled to keep myself hid from the eyes of the public on account of the marshals of the United States who, acting under the action of the District Attorney, are very watchful and eager to make an arrest, no matter how, or by what means. To show you that such is the case, I will refer you to one act of the high officials and those acting under them. Colonel Ambrose Salisbury, of Palmyra, Wayne County, who was twice a member of Assembly and now a Justice of the Peace and Supervisor, was arrested and held to bail merely for carry- ing a load of patriots to Navy Island, and defraying their expenses out of his own pockets."
In May his letters show that Mr. Ashley was again on the frontier at Lockport and elsewhere.
The design of this chapter and our limited space prevents the giving further items from this collection of official papers. The whole are of great interest, but they relate mostly to matters beyond the bounds of Wayne County.
The following paragraph from Appleton's Encyclopedia gives, though not very clearly, the general cause of the Cana- dian Rebellion and also shows how that rebellion led to the granting two years later of rights claimed, though the rebell- ion itself was sternly suppressed by force of arms. This is a very common result of such insurrections. They are pos- itively suppressed but the relief is soon after granted by the victorious government :
" Disputes regarding the interpretation of the constitu- tional act arose. One party contended that Canada was in
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
possession of a transcript of the British Constitution, and that the advisers of the governors in matters of State should be responsible to the Commons House of Assembly. The other party denied the necessity of any accord between the executive council and the legislative assembly.
" The attempt to make the local government responsible to the popular branch of the legislature was not successful till 1841, the year after an imperial act had been passed to unite the provinces under one administration and one legislature. The definite establishment of a responsible government in 1841 was effected by a series of resolutions passed by the legislative assembly, in which the other chamber was not invited to concur. In this simple manner was consummated a revolution which bears some analogy to that of 1688 in England. But in 1841 victory was already achieved for the principle of constitutional government before its formal decla- ration by the resolutions of the popular branch. The antecedent struggle between oligarchy and the constitutional principle had been long, fierce and sanguinary. It was marked by open insurrection in 1837 and 1838. The popular complaints which preceded that outbreak were numerous, but they are all referable to the single circumstance of an irresponsible administration. In the rebellion which had Louis Joseph Papineau for chief in Lower Canada and William Lyon Mackenzie in Upper Canada, a considerable number of lives were lost; after the failure of the enterprise, some execu- tions took place, many who had been implicated in the movement fled for protection to the United States and several were banished to the Island of Bermuda.
" There were some serious engagements between the troops or militia and the insurgents. For some weeks the Upper Canada insurgents had possession of Navy Island, situated in the Niagara river, just above the falls. In 1849 a general amnesty was passed.'
WAR WITH MEXICO.
The Mexican War of 1846, required no very large array of volunteers. It was not a popular war at the North. Its magnificent results in giving to the United States a vast acquisition of territory with all of its treasures of mineral wealth, with a development of commercial interests, vast and imperial along the Pacific coast, could not be forseen. At the North it was thought that the struggle was a misera- ble contest growing out of the acquisition of Texas to con- stitute another slave state.
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
The keenest prophetic eye could not penetrate the future and see that within twenty-five years from the declaration of war against Mexico, the words master and slave were to disappear from the laws of the United States themselves; and that instead of securing new territory to slavery, this Mexican War was to open up vast fields where the brain and muscle of free labor should achieve the mightiest results known to civilization.
The Mexican War despite its unpopularity in many quar- ters at its outbreak has nevertheless an important place in our national history. National pride will not forget the bravery then displayed; the old bravery of the Anglo- Saxon blood that has never failed on the battle fields of cen- turies. It shone conspiuous at Buena Vista, Contreras, Chapultepec and Cherubusco.
Only a few soldiers have been found in Wayne County, who served in the Mexican or Indian Wars. We give the following :
Hiram Corey, of Huron, was in the Seminole War in Florida, and in the Mexican War of 1846-8. He was wounded at Palo Alto, afterwards run over by a piece of artillery, breaking his leg and arm.
Alpheus P. Cornell was a soldier of the Mexican War-a member of Company 1., Captain C. S. Stevenson, 5th N. S. Infantry.
Stephen B. Hutchinson, of Wolcott, was a soldier in the Semi- nole War and in the Mexican War. He received a pen- sion.
Mr. Jeffers, of Rose, now living at the west, was in the Mexican War.
Wm. Jordan, from Clyde, served in the war with Mexico.
George F. Mussulman, afterwards of Marion, was in the Mexi- can War and in the War of the Rebellion.
Wm. W. Wylie, of Rose, served in the Mexican War, and also in the War of the Rebellion.
Josiah J. White, whose name appears hereafter in connection with Company B, of the thirty-third Infantry, in the Civil War, was in the Mexican War from the spring of 1846 to the fall of 1847. He was a private in the army, but was employed largely as an interpreter,
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Dr. G. P. Livingston, now of Clyde, served in the war with Mexico. He went out as Hospital Steward on the Bomb Brig Vesuvius. This was one of the four bomb brigs fitted out expressly for the bombardment of Vera Cruz. The other three being named the Aetna, Stromboli, and the Hecla. He was present at the Bombardment and surrender of Vera Cruz. The Vesuvius lay within two and a quarter miles of the castle, and the guns being capable of carrying shells four miles, very accurate and successful work was done. He was also at the capture of Alvarado, the city of Tuspan, nine miles up the Tuspanon river and the city of Tobasco, seven miles up the Tobasco river, both the last being strongly fortified and finally carried by assault. After the cap- ture of Tobasco, the Vesuvius was sent to Laguna, as a guard-ship. The yellow fever breaking out soon after arriving there, a hospital was established on shore. The surgeon, P. Benson Delaney, of Philadelphia, was the first victim of the desease. Dr. Livingston was then appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon, which post he held until the close of the war, when he was discharged from the service. He then received an appointment as Assist_ ant Surgeon on the steamer Legare, of the United States Coast Survey ; serving for one season. Dr. Liv- ingston had a personal combat at Tuspan, with a Mexi- can, who drew his revolver on him; fortunately it missed fire, the Doctor threw himself upon his oppon- ent, wrenched away the revolver and made him pris- oner. Dr. Livingston has the revolver as a memento of that struggle.
Valentine Way, of Rose, also served in the Mexican War and was killed.
The names of a few others appear in the general civil war lists given by towns.
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Newark Union, June 2, 1883.
DEATH OF JOHN RHEIN-A VETERAN OF THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO.
" Very few, certainly no more in our vicinity, of the partic- ipants in the memorable historical event of seventy years
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MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
ago, enacted on the field of Waterloo, which resulted in the complete overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor, have been privileged to continue their existence until the present day.
" The death of John Rhein, in this village, in the eighty- ninth year of his age, during the night of Saturday last, (May 27,) closes the life of a genial, pleasant old gentleman, whose delight it was, during the last years of his life, to recount to our citizens many incidents of his experience during his three and a half years' service as a drummer boy under Napoleon, and especially some of the scenes in the final act in the life-drama of that greatest of generals in modern times.
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