Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 25

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

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Pomeroy went out to the Seneca village and a little later closed his hotel for the winter. His announcement in the Gazette read that he would close his house "in consequence of transactions too well known to need mentioning." Aside from this announcement this event re-

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ceived no notice whatever in the Gazette, which shows that the pro- prietors appreciated their own situation in relation to the matter.

While these local events were taking place the inefficient navy of the United States was somewhat strengthened, and on June 23 the first hostile gun of the war fired on the water sent a ball crashing through the stem of the British frigate Belvidera, from a forecastle piece in the American flag ship President, pointed by the hand of Commodore Rodgers. A long series of brilliant naval operations began, in which the Americans were almost without exception successful, among which were the capture of the Frolic by the Wasp in October; of the Mace- donian by the United States in the same month; of the Guerriere by the Constitution in December, and of the Java by the Constitution in the same month,

In the Congressional election held about the middle of December the Federalists were successful in this district. In Buffalo their candidate received 61 votes, against 34 for the opposing candidate; in Hamburg the vote was respectively 36 and 81; in Clarence 41 and 92; in Eden, 37 and 14. This result shows that Buffalo and Eden were strongly Federal, while Hamburg and Clarence were Republican. Tompkins was elected governor by the Republicans, but the Federal party had gained so much strength through the effects of the summer's disasters, that nineteen out of twenty-seven congressmen from this State and a ma- jority of the assemblymen were elected by that party. Madison was re- elected president, over De Witt Clinton. Had the presidential result been different, the energetic governor of New York, it may be assumed, would have carried on the war by vastly more vigorous methods and peace would have been restored long before the date of the battle of New Orleans.

In the closing months of the year an epidemic of disease, the character of which was then unknown, prevailed along the frontier and many died. A meeting of physicians was held in Buffalo to consider measures for arresting of the spread of the sickness. Major Phineas Stephens, commanding the Willink "Silver Greys," was one of the prominent victims; he died at Black Rock and was buried with military honors in Willink.

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CHAPTER XV.

CAMPAIGN OF 1818.

Preparations for Building a Fleet for Lake Erie-Arrival of Commodore Perry- Troops in Buffalo-Capture of Toronto-American Victory at Fort George-Fort Erie Abandoned-The Niagara River in Possession of Americans-Building of Stockades in Erie County-Chapin's Riflemen-Battle at Beaver Dams-Chapin's Bold Escape -Dearborn Superseded -- Enlistment of Senecas-Battle of Black Rock-Flight of the Militia-General Porter s Efficient Action-Defeat of the British-Death of Bishopp-Porter and Chapin at Burlington Heights-Toronto again Attacked- Perry's Operations-The Battle of Lake Erie-Effects of the Victory-American Mismanagement-Forts George and Niagara Left Defenseless.

The campaign of 1813 was destined to be one of supreme importance to the inhabitants of Erie county. Measures were adopted for strength- ening both the army and the navy and for a vigorous prosecution of the war. News from Europe was discouraging to the war party, through fears of a coalition of the great powers against France, which would leave England in far better circumstances for an active campaign on this side of the ocean.

The campaign of 1813 opened almost simultaneously on the shores of Lake Ontario, in the Maumee Valley and on the Virginia coast. In the west General Harrison's operations were successful and he was able to afford general protection to the inhabitants on the borders of Lake Erie. To secure permanent control of this important body of water, a number of merchant vessels had been purchased during the winter of 1812-13, to be converted into war craft, and the building of several new ones begun. The control of Lakes Erie and Ontario in this con- flict was no less important than it was in the earlier wars which have been described in preceding chapters. Situated upon the immediate boundaries of the territory of both nations, it was inevitable that their waters should be the scene of stirring events. Naval headquarters were established at Erie where there was a good harbor. Early in the year a young naval officer who was soon to gain distinction, and who had been in command of gunboats at the Newport station, was called

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North, served a short time under Commodore Chauncey, and on March 24 arrived in Buffalo. This was Oliver Hazard Perry.' Besides the vessels above mentioned five others had been fitted out at the mouth of Scajaquada Creek, and for a while Perry passed his time at that point and at Erie alternately. After supervising the launching of his fleet during the succeeding two months, Perry left Erie on May 24 to join Chauncey in an attack on Fort George, at the mouth of the Niag- ara River.

The spring was far advanced before there was much activity on the frontier within the limits of Erie county. Early in April Lieutenant Dudley, of the navy, three seamen, Dr. Trowbridge and Frederick Merrill were hunting on Strawberry Island, when they were discovered from the Canada shore. A squad of men was sent across who captured the party. The two civilians were soon released.

In that month soldiers and officers began to arrive in Buffalo. On the 17th Major .. Gen. Morgan Lewis and Brigadier-General Boyd ar- rived to assume their respective commands.' General Dearborn was in command of the whole northern frontier. On the 25th of April Dearborn sailed from Sackett's Harbor in Chauncey's fleet, with 1,700 troops under immediate command of Gen. Zebulon Pike. The plans of Chauncey and Dearborn contemplated an attack on Toronto (York), an assault upon Fort George, while at the same time troops were to cross the Niagara River, capture Fort Erie and Chippewa, join the victors at Fort George, and all then proceed to the capture of Kingston. The fleet appeared before Toronto on the 27th and a vigorous attack was made, during which the wooden magazine of a British battery ex- ploded under a hot fire, killing some of the garrison. A little later and just when the victorious Americans were expecting to see the white flag hoisted over the blockhouse, the British in despair blew up their powder magazine on the lake shore, killing fifty-two Americans and wounding 180; among the mortally wounded were General Pike and ten of his aids. Forty of the British were also slain. The place was soon after surrendered, but was abandoned by the Americans as of little permanent military value.

1 " You are the very person that I want for a particular service, in which you may gain reputa- tion for yourself and honor for your country."-Letter from Commodore Chauncey to Perry.

" On Saturday last, arrived in this village, Major Gen. Lewis, accompanied by Brigadier Gen. Boyd; Capt. Gibson is one of Gen. Lewis's aids. On their arrival, they were handsomely saluted by the troops stationed in this village-the flying artillery, under Capt. Leonard, the infantry under Colonel Milton .- Buffalo Gazette, April 20, 1813.

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The victorious fleet soon prepared for the voyage to the mouth of the Niagara, but were delayed a week by stormy weather. Chauncey, Dearborn and other officers left Toronto in advance of the main body and selected a landing place four miles east of Fort Niagara. The British force then in and near Fort George numbered about 1,800 under command of General Vincent.

The American troops made their landing May 8 and Chauncey sailed for Sackett's Harbor for supplies and reinforcements. He returned to the camp on the 22d and Perry arrived the same evening. On the 27th the troops were conveyed to a point a little west of the mouth of the river, where they landed under cover of the fleet guns. The advance · was led by Col. Winfield Scott, accompanied by Perry, who had charge of the boats. In the face of a galling fire the Americans ascended the bank and after a vigorous engagement the British fell back. General Vincent then ordered the garrison to spike the guns, destroy the ammunition and abandon the fort. The works were occupied by a force of Americans under Gen. Morgan Lewis, General Porter then acting as his aid. The Buffalo Gazette stated that "Dr. C. Chapin, was in the vanguard "-which is just where we should expect he would have been found. The British retreated to a point known as the Beaver Dams, where they had a store of supplies.

On the same day a fierce cannonade was opened on Black Rock from Fort Erie, which continued until the following morning, when the British bursted their guns, exploded the magazine, destroyed the stores, and dismissed the garrison. Lieutenant-Colonel Preston, com- manding at Black Rock, crossed the river and took possession of the abandoned works. All other barracks, magazines and stores from Chippewa to Point Abino were also destroyed by the British, and the Canadian shore of Niagara River was left in full possession of the Americans. It was at this period, or particularly a little later, after full control of Lakes Erie and Ontario was secured by the Americans, that the deplorable lack of well-disciplined troops, inefficiency on the part of many officers, absence of thorough military organization, and a vacillating president, apparently prevented the Americans from hold- ing what they had gained and undoubtedly prolonged the conflict.

Thus far during the war, though at just what time is not known, some of the settlers within the limits of the present town of Holland, on the upper part of Cazenove Creek, built a stockade of considerable strength, . in which they hoped to find shelter in case their neighborhood should

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be overrun by the enemy. It was made of logs fifteen feet long, hewn on two sides and set firmly in the ground and close together, with loop holes cut for small arms. About an acre of ground was thus enclosed and from the fact that it was situated on the farm of Arthur Humphrey, it was locally called Fort Humphrey. That farm was known as the fort farm many years after peace was restored. Capt. Jotham Bemis's barn in Hamburg was also enclosed with a stockade about twelve feet high, and a blockhouse was built in that town. Joseph Palmer's barn in Boston, also, was surrounded with a similar stockade, and possibly there were others. These preparations, insignificant as they now appear, supply a clear indication of the anxious fears that pervaded the com - munities, even at a distance from the actual frontier.

In June, or earlier, Col. Cyrenius Chapin (probably at that time hold- ing the rank of major), who seems to have been constantly active, though perhaps in a somewhat capricious and desultory manner, organ- ized a company of mounted riflemen. It will be remembered that the British took a position at the Beaver Dams, a little east of St. Catha- rines, after the capture of Fort George by General Dearborn. At that point was a large stone house which had been made into a sort of cita- del by the British, where supplies were gathered for the troops. Dear- born determined to capture it. After the situation had been recon- noitered by a scout of Chapin's riflemen, Dearborn detached 570 men, including Chapin's company, some artillerymen and two pieces of artillery, under Lieut .- Col. Charles G. Boerstler, and on the evening of June 23 they marched up the river to Queenston and halted for the night. On the following morning they advanced, Chapin's' riflemen taking the lead, and discovered scattering soldiers and Indians, who . fled and gave the alarm. A party of 450 Mohawks and Caughnawagas, who were lying in ambush, fell upon Boerstler's rear, but were driven off; they rallied, however, and hanging on the flank and rear of the Americans they kept up a galling fire at every exposed situation. This continued until the Americans had crossed Beaver Dam Creek, during a period of about three hours, when Boerstler determined to abandon the expedition While moving off he was falsely informed by the lieutenant in command at the stone house and who appeared with a flag, that the British forces trebled the Americans in numbers and that the large body of Indians with the former probably could not be prevented from a massacre of the Americans. Thereupon Boerstler surrendered his whole command, and they were taken to the head of the lake

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(Hamilton). Chapin's two other officers (one of whom was Captain Sackrider), and twenty-six of his men were sent in two boats to Kings- ton, in charge of Captain Showers and a guard of fifteen men. One boat contained the British officer, the three American officers and thir- teen of the guard; the other held twenty-six prisoners, a British ser- geant and one private. What followed is best told upon authority of Chapin himself in his review of Armstrong's Notices of the War, as supplied in a foot note by Lossing (Field Book of the War, p. 622) which reads as follows:

Major Chapin says that he was placed in one boat with a principal part of the guard, and Captain Sackrider and a greater portion of the prisoners in the other boat. Orders had been given for the boats to keep some rods apart, one ahead of the other. After they had passed out of Burlington bay upon the open lake, Chapin made a signal to Sackrider in the hinder boat, which the Americans were rowing. to come up closer. He gave the word in whispers to the men, and while the major was amusing the British captain with a story, the hinder boat came up under the stern of the forward one. It was ordered back, when Chapin, with a loud voice, ordered his men not to fall back an inch. Captain Showers attempted to draw his sword, and some of his men thrust at Chapin with bayonets. The latter prostrated the captain with a blow. He fell in the bottom of the boat, and two of his men who were thrusting at Chapin fell upon him. The latter immediately stepped upon him. The guard in both boats were speedily overcome and secured. "I succeeded to the command of our fleet of two bateaux," says Chapin, "with no little alacrity. We shifted our course, crossed Lake Ontario, and with the boats and prisoners arrived the next morning safe at Fort Niagara."

The capture of Boerstler's command caused considerable alarm and anxiety on our frontier, which later events fully justified. General Dearborn's operations had thus far met with so little success that on · July 6 he was superseded by Major-General Wilkinson; but during a short period before Wilkinson's arrival Gen. John Parker Boyd had the immediate command. Meanwhile preparations were in progress for the maritime struggle which was to give the Americans control of Lake Erie. On the 15th of June the five vessels which had been fitted out at the mouth of Scajaquada Creek, silently sailed away and joined Perry's fleet at Erie. While one of these vessels lay at anchor in the river and just before its departure, a small boat in which were Gamaliel St. John, of Buffalo, his eldest son, and three soldiers, ran foul of the ship's cable, was upset and all were drowned.

It has been seen that thus far the Indians, who were friendly to the the British cause, were employed as allies of the army without scruple or hindrance. None had thus far been accepted in the service of the

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United States. When in the early part of July a skirmish took place near Fort George in which an American lieutenant and ten men were captured and never afterward heard from, it was believed they had been massacred by the Indians. Thereupon General Boyd accepted the services of such of the Indian warriors of Western New York as were disposed to favor the American cause. About 400 were soon en- rolled, which number was subsequently somewhat increased. They were led at different times before the close of the war by Farmer's Brother, Henry O'Bail (young Cornplanter), Young King and Captain Pollard. Which of these war chiefs, if either, ranked first or highest, is an unsettled question.

General Boyd found his position on the frontier bristling with diffi- culties. The success of the British at Beaver Dams emboldened them for aggressive operations and they began closing in upon Fort George and Newark. Frequent skirmishes and several raids into American territory took place. For example, on the night of July 4 a party of Canadian militia and Indians, led by a lieutenant, crossed the Niagara from Chippewa to Schlosser, captured the guard and returned to Canada with a quantity of stores, arms, and one brass six-pounder.

Previous to this time Dearborn had withdrawn all the regular soldiers from Buffalo and Black Rock, leaving a large quantity of stores almost unprotected. It seems, however, that later he felt some slight antici- pation of what did subsequently take place, and stationed ten artillery - men in the blockhouse at Black Rock, and called for 500 militia from neighboring counties. Early in July nearly 300 of these arrived and were posted in the warehouses at Black Rock, under command of Major Parmenio Adams, of Genesee county. There were three pieces of field artillery and near by a battery of four heavier guns. About 100 re- cruits for the regulars, on their way to army headquarters, were halted at Buffalo and Judge Granger was ordered to enlist the services of as many Senecas as would join him, while General Porter, who was then at his well known residence, was requested to take command of the whole force. The British saw their opportunity and organized an ex . pedition against Buffalo and Black Rock, under command of Lieut. - Col. Cecil Bishopp, to whom Boerstler had surrendered at Beaver Dams. He was accompanied by Colonel Warren. The entire force of the ex- pedition numbered nearly 400. By the 10th of July Judge Granger received information of the contemplated early attack by the British, and that threats were made against his person. He, therefore, asked

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some of the Indians to come to his home, north of the Scajaquada Creek. A little before midnight of that day thirty-seven Senecas arrived at the house with Farmer's Brother. As they were not fully armed, the judge sent to the village the same night and obtained a full supply of arms and ammunition.

In the afternoon of this same day (the 10th) Bishopp's force left their headquarters at Lundy's Lane, entered boats at Chippewa after night- fall, rowed up the stream and just after daylight landed a mile below the mouth of the Scajaquada. Bishopp formed his troops and marched up the river bank. The single sentinel at the Scajaquada bridge pre- cipitately fled at sight of the British, who marched silently past the blockhouse in which a few soldiers were sleeping, and approached the encampment of Major Adams. His men had probably been awakened, for they were in time to flee and all escaped without making the slight- est resistance. A detachment of the British then hurried on to Gen- eral Porter's residence, and he also fled in such haste as to leave his arms and part of his garments. He attempted to reach Major Adams's camp, failing in which he turned towards Buffalo.

The victorious invaders now believed the object of their expedition was fully accomplished. The Americans had retreated, as usual, and nothing remained, apparently, but for the victors to enjoy their triumph. They began firing the barracks, spiking the battery guns, dragged away the field pieces, while a part of the force went on through the village, and captured and took across the river a few prominent citizens. So sure were the British officers that they had achieved a permanent victory, that they ordered a breakfast served at General Porter's. About the same time a considerable number of Canadian militia crossed the river to share in the rejoicing.

But a change was imminent. On his way towards the village General Porter met Captain Cummings with one hundred regulars proceeding towards Black Rock, after having received information of the invasion. Porter ordered Cummings to station his men in an open space near the site of the reservoir and await reinforcements. Hurriedly arming himself from one of the regulars and mounting a horse, Porter gal- loped down to the village, where he encountered a scene of tumult and distraction. Women and children were terror-stricken, while the men were anxiously awaiting developments. When Porter assured them that the tables might be turned upon the unsuspecting British, about fifty citizens placed themselves under Captain Bull, commander of the

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Buffalo Volunteer Company, and marched in quick time to join Cum- mings. In the mean time about one hundred of the retreating militia had been kept together by Lieut. Phineas Staunton, adjutant of the battalion, who was permitted by Major Adams to assume chief com- mand. This action by Major Adams has been attributed to his sudden sickness. Staunton's men, who had retreated up the beach, now left it and took position near the Buffalo road.

Major King, of the regular army, was at this time at Black Rock, and when he saw the fleeing militia he hastened through the woods to Judge Granger's house, and the alarm was soon spread to the dwellers on the Buffalo Plains. Farmer's Brother gathered his band of warriors, made a speech reminding them that it was their duty to go and fight the invaders and then led them to join his friend, General Porter.' Volunteers now came on to the village from Cold Spring and the Plains, and soon about thirty were placed under Capt. William Hull, of the militia. Porter assembled his forces at the open ground before mentioned and found he had about 300 men. The British were calmly occupying their strong position on the site of Major Adams's encamp- ment. Porter made his plans to attack the position on three sides at once, to avoid the destructiveness of an artillery fire on a single massed column. The regulars and Captain Bull's volunteers formed the cen- ter; Staunton's militia were placed on the left nearest the river, and Captain Hull's men were ordered to co operate with the Indians. Farmer's Brother prepared for battle and his warriors followed his example. Stripping themselves almost nude, they grasped their rifles and ranged in line on the right front, with their chiefs a little in advance. At 8 o'clock the signal for attack was given and the three detachments moved forward. A slight delay was caused to the cen- tral detachment by Major King, who just then arrived, and claimed command of the regulars over Cummings. But in the mean time Staunton's militia effaced the stigma of their recent flight by dashing bravely forward against the enemy. The fight was sharp and short. During about fifteen minutes the militia kept a steady front against the British regulars and lost three killed and five wounded. Then the right flank of the Americans came up and the Indians gave the war whoop and opened fire. Colonel Bishopp was severely wounded and fell from his horse, his men became demoralized, and when the regu-

1 Porter was called by the Indians, "Conashustah,"

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lars pressed forward the whole British force fled to the water's edge before Major King's belated command had taken part in the engage- ment. The whole American force, white men and Indians, closely followed, the forest resounding with the savage yells of the Senecas. Young King and another warrior were wounded. The British rallied at Black Rock, but as the Americans appeared the enemy entered boats found lying there and pushed out on the river, leaving fifteen prison- ers, seven wounded and eight killed. The Americans reached the river bank and opened a destructive fire upon the boats, under which the last one suffered most severely. In that were about sixty men in- cluding the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Bishopp,' who was pierced with several bullets, wounding him so severely that he died five days later. Captain Saunders was also wounded and taken prisoner. The men in the last boat soon dropped their oars and signaled their surrender. The firing ceased and the boats dropped down the stream, followed on the bank by some of the Americans who ordered the British in the boats to come ashore; the reply was made that they were too much disabled to make it possible. In the mean time the Indians began stripping the enemy's dead and the prisoners. The men in the last boat now refused to come ashore, claiming that the Indians were kill- ing and scalping Captain Saunders; the boat drifted down to near the head of Squaw Island, and there its occupants suddenly grasped the oars and succeeded in rowing it under shelter. Captain Saunders was not in any manner maltreated and was taken to General Porter's resi- dence, where he was nursed to recovery.

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Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 25

Author: Truman C. White Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017