Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 3

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

sent to promise them a reinforcement of 400 horse and 400 foot if we attacked them. The treaty was concluded in the evening on the conditions annexed, and I promised to decamp the next day and withdraw my troops from their vicinity; which I was indeed obliged to do by the number of sick which had augmented to such a degree that it was with difficulty I found enough persons in health to remove the sick to the canoes, besides the scarcity of provisions, having no more than the trifle of bread which I brought there. I allowed the Onontagnes to light the council fire at this post without extinguishing that at Montreal, in order to be enabled to take posses- sion of it by their consent when the king should desire it, and thereby exclude the English and Col. Dongan from their pretensions.

Thus closes the narrative of De la Barre's visit to the country of the Onondagas in September, 1684. Although the exact location of La Famine has been questioned, the present writer has no doubt that the famous council fire was lighted and the treaty held at the mouth of the two Sandy creeks, in the present town of Ellisburgh. Although De la Barre's report may show discrepancies, and although various authori- ties have located the scene of the council at points between Black River Bay and the mouth of Salmon River, certain and unmistakable indications and descriptions point to the spot mentioned as the site of the conference. The location was originally described by Champlain as possessing the fine fishing and hunting grounds, the sandy plains and the ponds and marshes, peculiarities not found elsewhere along the lake in this or Oswego county. The name La Famine was applied by De la Barre because of the scarcity of provisions and the fever which prevailed among his followers. On Col. Guy Johnson's map of the Iroquois country made in 1721 "Famine Bay " is indicated about in the vicinity of the Sandy creeks; and the information upon which the map was made was obtained from the Indians then inhabiting the re- gion. On Sauthier's chorographical map of the province of New York made by order of Governor Tryon and published in London in 1199, the Famine River (R. a la Famine) is indicated where the Sandy creeks discharge into Lake Ontario. On the same map Stony Point is called Pt. de la Traverse, and also Portland Point. Black River is noted as " R a Mr. de Comte," while Black River Bay is mentioned as "Niaou . eure " bay, and also as " Nivernois " bay. On a map of the Macomb purchase made in 1791, by the surveyo . general, Black River Bay is called "Hungary Bay."

Thirty-seven years after De la Barre's visit, Father Charlevoix, who in 1220 and 1:21 visited the North American French colonies by order of the king, addressed a letter to the Duchess de Lesdiguieres, the

CHARLEVOIX'S LETTER.

translated portion of which, relating to scenes in what is now this county, was as follows:

Bay of Famine, 16th May, 1721.

Madame: Ilcre I am, detained by a contrary wind which may continue a long time and keep me more than a day in one of the worst places in the world. I there- fore attempt to keep off ennui by writing to you. There are passing here constantly great armies of pigeons, which we name turtles; if one of them would take charge of my letters you might know, perhaps, the news before I can get away; but the savages have no aversion to dressing these birds for food, as do the Arabs and many other people.

1 embarked on the 14th, at precisely the same hour that I had arrived at the town of Catarocoui (Kingston). I had but six leagues to go to gain the Isle aux Chevreuils (Carlton Island), where there is a fine port, which can receive large barques; but my Canadians had not visited their canoe, of (from) which the sun had melted the pitch in many places, so that it let in water at all points, and we were compelled to lose nearly two hours for repairs, in one of the islands at the outlet of Lake Ontario. We sailed hence at 10 o'clock in the morning, without being able to reach Isle aux Cheverenils, and were forced to spend the night very unpleasantly. I noticed here, for the first time, the vines in the woods. There were also small lizards that climb to the tops of the trees. I have not made this remark because they are only observed in these places for I am told they occur as far as Mexico.

I left yesterday at an early hour, and at eleven in the morning stopped at the Galloo (Galloup) islands, three leagues from Deer (Carleton) island, at 43} of lati- tude. I re-embarked a little after noon, and accomplished a voyage of a league and a half, to reach Point de la Traverse (Stony Point). If I had coasted along the main land to this place from that where I passed the night, I should have had more than forty leagues to make, and should have been obliged to take this course had not the lake been calm: for when it is agitated the waves are as great as on the open sea. It is not even possible to coast along when the wind is blowing off shore. From the point of Galloo islands we can see to the west the river Chonguen (Oswego), other- wise called the river of the Onontague, which is distant fourteen leagues. As the lake was tranquil, with no appearance of foul weather, and a gentle breeze from the east was blowing, that barely filled our sail, I resolved to steer direct for this river with the view of saving fifteen or twenty leagues of circuit. My attendants, more experienced than 1, deemed the attempt hazardous, but from complaisance yielded to my advice. The beauty of the country, which was passing on my left, did not tempt me any more than the salmon and quantities of other excellent fish, which they take in six fine rivers, which are two or three leagues from one another. We steered off then large, and in four hours found ourselves in a place we repented; for the wind arose suddenly, and we hastily wished ourselves near shore. We turned towards the nearest, from which we were still three leagues distant, and had much diffi- culty in reaching it. At length, at seven o'clock in the evening, we landed in the Bay of Famine. thus named from the Marquis de la Barre, the governor-general of New France, losing nearly all his army by hunger and sickness in going to war with the Iroquois.

It was high time that we landed, for the wind was very strong, and the waves so

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

great that we should not have dared to pass the Seine in Paris, opposite the Louvre, at such a time. In short, this place is very proper to destroy an army, who could only depend upon the chase and upon fishing for subsistence; besides the air ap- pears very nnwholesome. But nothing is finer than the forests, which cover all the shores of the lake. The white and red oaks tower almost to the clouds. There is also a tree of the largest class, of which the wood is hard but brittle, much resemb- ling that of the plane tree, and of which the leaves have five angles, of the ordinary size, a fine green above and whitish beneath. They give it the name of cotonnier (button-wood) because in a little case not larger than an India chestnut there is con- tained a kind of cotton, but this is good for nothing.

In walking upon the shore of the lake I noticed that it has sensibly receded here. It is noticed that in the space of half a league in breadth, the land is much more low and sandy than beyond. I have also noticed in this lake, and they assure me the same occurs in all the others, almost continually a kind of ebb and flow; the rocks which are near the bank are covered and exposed several times within a quarter of an hour, although the surface of the lake is very calm, and there is no wind. After some reflection I imagine that this must come from springs that exist in the bottom of the lakes, and from the shock of currents of rivers which enter from all sides and which cause the intermittent movements.

But can you believe, madame, that at this season, and at the 43 of latitude, there are still no leaves on the trees, although we sometimes have as much heat as you have in July? This doubtless is because the earth has been covered with snow for many months, and has not yet been sufficiently warmed to open the pores of the roots and cause the sap to rise. As for the rest, the Great and Little Famine (North and South Sandy Creeks) scarcely deserve the name of rivers; these are mere brooks, especially the latter, yet they abound in fish. There are here eagles of pro- digious size; my people destroyed the nest of one that made a cart load of sticks, and two young unfledged eagles which were as large as the largest turkey-hens. They ate them and found them very good.

This descriptive letter of Charlevoix is only cumulative evidence of the true location of La Famine, and leads the writer to the conclusion that it could not have been elsewhere than at the forks of the two Sandy Creeks, in the present town of Ellisburgh. Other early writers describe the vicinity with the same accuracy, varying only in minor details. All, however, agree upon the sandy and gradually sloping banks of the streams and shore of the lake. Then, as now, the stream from its mouth to the forks was navigable, and in 1814 the heavily laden American boats sailed up the river two miles to the point where the memorable battle was fought, and where the British pursued and were seriously defeated. This comparatively level region, so conced- ed by all authorities, was in marked contrast with the banks of Sal- mon River, which are bluffs, sometimes of as great height as fifty feet or more. This remark is suggested from the fact that at least one

LA FAMINE AND HUNGRY BAY.

writer has located La Famine on Salmon Creek, in Oswego county. That stream is not, nor has it ever been, navigable more than a mile from the lake.

The confusion of the names La Famine and Hungry Bay has given rise to much discussion and still more doubt among local authorities. The names apparently and evidently indicate the same meaning - famine and hunger, hence the assumption that the places indicated by each were one and the same. This theory, for it is nothing else, the present writer seriously doubts, yet acknowledges the difficulty of furnishing convincing proof to demonstrate his position. Nearly all authorities on the subject have admitted a doubt, and have not as- sumed a definite position regarding it. Colden, in his excellent his- tory of the Five Nations, says: "La Famine, by the Indians called Kaihohage, falls into the south side of the Cadarackui lake, about 30 miles from Onondaga. Hungry bay, which may be a translation of the word, is on some old maps represented as Chaumont bay, on others Henderson bay, and on others, all within Point Peninsula and Stony island. De Meueles, the commissary of the expedition, in a letter to the minister (Paris Doc., 11) says that the camp at La Famine was made 'in places never inhabited, entirely surrounded by swamps.'" Dr. Ilough, upon whose statements and opinions all subsequent writers have drawn with greater or less diligence, says the " precise locality of Famine admits of a little doubt," but, after quoting from Colden, adds that it is "probable that the locality was in Henderson or Ellisburgh, more probably the latter town, which has extensive marshes near the lake, on both branches of Big Sandy creek." But it is not believed that Dr. Hough was of the opinion that the localities La Famine and Hun- gry Bay were identical.

If there should still remain a doubt whether La Famine was at the mouth of Salmon River, or Black River Bay or on Sandy Creek, it may be readily removed by reference to the Colonial History of New York (Vol. V., page 8 ?? ), wherein is published the letter sent to Governor Burnet, of New York, by Marquis de Beauharnois, protesting against alleged encroachments of the English colonists on the territory of the French in building a fort at Oswego in 1227. In the remonstrance of the Frenchman, the latter mentions the several fortifications built by his people in their claimed territory, one of which was at La Famine. No such fort was ever built either at Salmon River or Black River Bay, but just above the point where the two branches of Sandy Creek

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

unite there stood a large fortress, which was built by the French be- tween the time of De la Barre's visit in 1684, and 1727. This old structure is referred to at some length in the history of Ellisburgh.

In the fall of 1793 a party of surveyors coasted along the south shore of Lake Ontario and noted several localities and points of interest in- dicated on maps in their possession. The mission of the party was to survey the historic Castorland, the afterward known Chassanis tract. They sailed past the "Great Sandy creek," and further down ob- served Stony Creek, as called by the English, but indicated on the French maps as " La Riviere de l'Assumption." Says the journal of the party: "We soon landed in a cove formed by the shore, half a mile within Point Traverse (Stony Point). Point Traverse being the beginning of the great bay called by the English 'Hungry bay'; by the French 'Baie de Nivernois,' and by the Indians ' Naioure.'"

Any further discussion of the question seems unnecessary in this place, and the preceding quotations and comments are made only to clear away the doubts and uncertainties regarding the identity of La Famine and Hungry Bay ; and from all that has been said we are firmly of the opinion that the names mentioned referred to localities at least fifteen miles apart.

But, to return to our general narrative. The advent of European nations was the forerunner of the downfall of the Iroquois confederacy, and doubtless will lead to the ultimate extinction of the race. The French invasion of 1693, together with that of three years later, cost the confederacy half its warriors. Their allegiance to the British (with the exception of the Oneidas) in the Revolutionary war proved to be a dependence on a falling power, and this in connection with the relentless vengeance of the American colonists broke up the once powerful league and scattered its members upon the friendly soil of Canada, or left them at the mercy of the State and general govern- ment which consigned them to reservations with very imperfect pro- vision for their support.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

CHAPTER 11I.

Beginning of the French and Indian Wars-Causesleading to Them -- Jesuits Driven out of New York-De Courcelle's Expedition against the Iroquois-De Nonville's Peace Negotiations-French Treachery Costs Montreal - Invasions and Counter- invasions-English Colonists become Involved-Attempt the Subjugation of Canada -Frontenac's Expedition-Treaty of Ryswick.

From the death of Champlain until the end of the French dominion in America, the friendship established by that great explorer between his own people and the northern Indians was unbroken, while at the same time it led to the unyielding hostility of the Iroquois. If truces and formal treaties were made they were brief in duration and of little general effect. The Jesuit fathers labored zealously but they made no permanent progress in winning the affections of any of the Five Nations. Accepting the English view of their influence, they unsettled the sav- age mind and led to such complications as to require from the provin- cial authorities of New York, in 1700, an unjustifiable law inflicting the death penalty on every Romish priest who should come voluntarily into the province; but even this severe measure did not entirely terini- nate their work. After the accession of the English, the peaceful relations held with the Iroquois by the Dutch were continued, but strife and jealousy incessantly embroiled the English and ultimately led to a terrible war, which continued until 1463 (with brief intervals of peace) and delayed for many years the permanent settlement of the State.

The period of these wars covered almost an entire century, and dur- ing the latter portion of that time the St. Lawrence region, especially that part thereof which lay south of the north line of this county, and thence extending all along the river to and beyond Lake Ontario, was a thoroughfare of constant travel between the French possessions in Canada and the territory claimed and in part occupied by the English. History furnishes no authentic account of battles fought in this special locality previous to the closing years of that period, yet preparations were made for such an emergency as was evident in the discovery by the pioneers of decayed fortifications, the use of which are not satis- factorily explained.

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

The causes which led to the protracted contentions between the French and the Iroquois were clear and distinct; they began with the unwar- ranted invasion of the Mohawk region by Champlain and his allied savages, which engendered an hostility that eventually cost hundreds of lives in battle, together with the ruthless slaughter of an equal or greater number who were innocent of warlike intent. The real strug- gle of the period began soon after the conquest of the New Netherlands by the English, and ended only with the overthrow of the French power in America. To avenge past injuries and put an end to the Iroquois incursions into the French possessions, it was resolved, in 1665, to send against the confederacy a force that should completely subjugate them, and to this end, in January, 1666, Lord de Courcelles set out with less than six hundred troops and Indians to destroy the Mohawk country; but the severity of winter was so great that his men were reduced to distress and he was compelled to return. The Oneidas and Mohawks became aware of the invasion and determined upon vengeance, but were dissuaded from their purpose through the influence of Arent Cor- lear, who thus saved the defenceless Frenchmen from certain destruc- tion.

De Courcelle's expedition resulted in failure, yet its magnitude prompted the Iroquois to sue for peace, and a treaty with the French power was concluded in May, June and July, 1666, by the Mohawks, Oneidas and Senecas. During the treaty negotiations, however, an outrage was committed by the Mohawks, which led the governor of Canada (M. de Tracy) to chastise the offenders by invading their coun- try in the fall of that year. The peace of Breda, July, 1662, between Holland, England and France, for a time terminated hostilities, but in 1669 the French and Iroquois were again at war. In 16:3 another peace was agreed upon, and was maintained about eleven years, but in 1684 a rupture took place.

At this time M. de la Barre was governor of Canada and New France, and Col. Dongan governor of New York. The former led an ineffect- ual expedition against the Senecas, but was soon superseded by Mar- quis de Nonville, who was instructed by his sovereign to preserve peace with the Indians. This he found impossible, and he therefore planned a powerful campaign against the Iroquois in 1682, destroying villages and crops, while the natives fled for protection to the governor of New York. This was granted, with the advice that no peace be again con- cluded with the French. De Nonville, however, called a council of the

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

Iroquois chiefs and sachems with a view of peace, but treachery on the part of the French commander so enraged the whole confederacy that in July, 1689, they made a descent on Montreal and destroyed that im- portant post.

The French colony was now in a pitiable condition, but a welcome change was at hand. The divided counsels of the English colonists, growing out of the revolution in the mother country, by which William of Orange was placed on the throne, gave a new aspect to affairs. Count de Frontenac was again appointed governor of New France (May 21, 1689) and arrived in October. He made an earnest effort to negotiate peace with the Iroquois, but failing, determined to terrify them into neutrality ; for which purpose he fitted out three expeditions, one against New York, one against Connecticut, and the third against other parts of New England. As the result of the expedition against New York Schenectady was burned on the night of February 8 and 9, 1690, and but two houses, fifty or sixty men, women and children, and about twenty Mohawks were spared. This was done to show the Iroquois that it was the English and not they against whom the grudge was en- tertained, for now the Frenchmen were satisfied that all the depreda- tions by the Indians were the result of English instigation.

The repeated invasions by the French and Indians at last awakened the English colonies to the conviction that they must more thoroughly unite in their efforts against the enemies, therefore a convention was held in New York in 1690, at which time it was resolved to combine all the strength of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York for the subjugation of Canada, but through lack of efficient organization the expedition was abandoned. However, John Schuyler, grandfather of Philip Schuyler of Revolutionary fame, assembled his band of about one hundred and twenty "Christians and Indians," and made an incursion into the French possessions in Canada, destroyed much property and burned several villages. In the summer of 1691 Major Peter Schuy- ler led a force of colonists and Indians into the same region with like results.

The Iroquois, too, continued their incursions against the French, and were, perhaps, more dreaded by the latter than were the English. The inhabitants of New France were prevented from tilling their lands, and all crops were generally destroyed by the invaders. The fur trade was also nearly ruined by the Iroquois, who took possession of the passes between the French and their western allies and cut off the

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

traders. These forays so angered Count de Frontenac that he deter- mined to bring them to a close: and to this end he collected a force of nearly :00 French and Indians, and in the winter of 1693 invaded the Mohawk valley, captured three castles and returned with about 300 prisoners. In 1695 another strong force of French and Indians came into the Onondaga country by way of the St. Lawrence, crossing be- tween Frontenac and the American side within the limits of this county. and thence down to Oswego ("Choueguen," or "Ochoueguen," as known to the savages), from whence they entered the valley and dev. astated the villages and growing crops.

In September. 1697, was concluded the treaty of Ryswick, establish . ing peace between the French and English, but left unsettled the status of the Iroquois. The French insisted on the protection of their own allies but were unwilling to include the Iroquois, and even made prep- arations to attack them with their whole force. The English, on the other hand. strenuously claimed the same terms for their allies, and Earl Bellomont informed Count de Frontenac that he would resist any attack on the Iroquois with the entire force of his government. This ended the threats of the French.

Peace being thus established, the English left nothing undone to strengthen the friendship between themselves and the Iroquois, while Count de Frontenac in the same manner more firmly ingratiated him- self into the affections of the Canadian Indians. He was the same en- ergetic old peer who had long before encouraged La Salle in his brilliant discoveries, and whose name was for a time borne by Lake Ontario. Fort Frontenac, on the site of Kingston, was so named in his honor. His policy was both vigorous and cruel, but he partially re- trieved the desperate condition of the French colony.

The English, in their endeavors to promote a friendly relation with the Iroquois, distributed presents among the chiefs, and five of them were taken by Peter Schuyler to London, that they might become im- pressed with the greatness of the government to which they were allied; but even this display of generosity did not prevent the Iroquois from making peace with the French in August, 1701,1 and notwith- standing the additional fact that they had, less than a month previously, ceded to Great Britain their hunting grounds in the western part of the province of New York.

1 The Five Nations made a treaty of neutrality with the French August 4, 1701, and thus be- ame an impassable barrier against the savages from the St. Lawrence .- Lossing.

FRENCH AND ENGLISHI RIVALRY.

However, on the accession of Anne to the British throne as successor to King William, in March, 1702, what is known in history as Queen Anne's war was soon begun, and continued until the treaty of Utrecht, April 11, 1213; but though felt in the colonies, this province fortun- ately escaped its bloody consequences.

CHAPTER IV.

Conflicting Claims to Territory in the St. Lawrence Region-Treaty of Ryswick- War Positions along the St. Lawrence-Importance of a Post at Oswego-War De- clared between Great Britain and France-Beginning of Hostilities-Forts Built on the Frontier-Attempts at Alliance with the Six Nations-Plans for Colonial Union Rejected-Campaign for 1755-Nothing Gained in 1756-French become Aggressors in 1757-De Villiers Establishes a Strong Post at Henderson Harbor-Attacks Fort Ontario and is Defeated-Vaudrenil Reinforces the French Garrison at the Harbor -Arrival of the Main Army Under Montcalm-Here He Organizes a Successful Ex- pedition against Oswego-Returns to Camp at Henderson, but Soon Departs for Canada-English Victories in 1758 and 1159-End of the French Dominion.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 3

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368