Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 4

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

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While the French were in possession of New France their influence over all the Indians within its limits was paramount, and they even dis- puted with the English the alliance of the latter with the Iroquois : but whatever may have been the foundation of French claims to the territory of Canada, or to a portion of the present territory of New York, they could hardly be recognized as holding any considerable por- tion of what is now this county, although the carly French maps showed that explorations had been made on both sides of the St. Lawrence, and some imperfect surveys had also been made, undoubtedly for the purpose of granting seigniories with the ultimate intention of settle- ment. Indeed, the French possessions, as thus claimed, extended along Lake Champlain, on both sides, and up the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario; thence westward to and along Lake Erie. However, early records and documents give no reliable data to show who may have been the grantees named in any of the seigniories outlined in this part of the St. Lawrence country, or that any such were made in fact.

Returning again to the subject of French and English rivalry, it is evident that the claims to sovereignty and jurisdiction over the terri-

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

tory of New York asserted by the latter were based upon a much broader foundation of justice than those of France, but both should have been in some degree subject to the rights of the Iroquois as "original proprietors." Even admitting that four of the Iroquois na- tions, in 1663, concluded a treaty with M. de Tracy, by which they placed themselves under the protection of the French king, it is evi- dent that all the Five Nations were not a party to that treaty, and it is also evident that generally successful hostilities against the Iroquois by the French were continued for many years afterward. From this it would appear that the treaty stipulations were not sacredly regarded by either of the parties. On the other hand, although England in the cession of the Netherlands acquired only the territory held by the Dutch, she also secured the lasting allegiance of the Mohawks, and a firm friendship with the other Iroquois, a relation closely cemented through the influence of Sir William Johnson. In addition, the orig. inal charter of Virginia carried the English possessions to the forty- fifth parallel, and later grants extended her sovereignty to the St. Lawrence River.

The treaty of Ryswick (1692) declared that the belligerents should return to their possessions as each occupied them at the beginning of hostilities, and England put forth the claim that, at the period referred to in the treaty, her Iroquois allies were in occupation, by conquest, of Montreal and the shores of the St. Lawrence. The French government at the time seemed to have acknowledged that the Iroquois were embraced in the treaty. Thus the powers wrangled over the country of the Oneidas and Onondagas, which was but a short time before the undisputed do- main of the confederacy. When France disputed the claims of Eng- land and appealed to the council at Onondaga, a stern, savage warrior exclaimed : "We have ceded our lands to no one; we hold them of heaven alone." (Bancroft).

Whether so much importance should attach to the treaties in which these untutored savages were pitted against the Europeans, either French or English, is questionable; especially when we consider the methods often adopted to induce the Indians to sign away their domain. Be this as it may, it is now generally believed that the intrusion of the French upon the possessions of the Iroquois, "at the sacrifice of so much blood and treasure, justice and the restraints and faith of treaties were subordinate to the lust of power and expediency. " (Watson).

The encroachments by the French upon the territory of the English

FRENCH AND ENGLISHI WAR.

and their allies, the Iroquois, was one of the chief causes of the French and Indian war. As early as 1731 the surveyor-general of the Can- adas made a complete survey of the entire Champlain and St. Lawrence valleys and the territory thus surveyed was divided into vast tracts, called " seigniories," and was intended to be granted to various propric- tors, either as rewards for service to the French crown, or for other con- sideration. Acting under the assumed authority of ownership a number of the grantees attempted to occupy their lands in the Champlain valley, but the Canadian government, observing that war between England and France would soon take place, prepared for such an event by pos- sessing themselves of the strongest points both in that and the St. Lawrence valley, and erceting suitable fortifications. The acknowl- edged key to the country in the Champlain valley was Fort St. Fred- erick (Crown Point), while the corresponding vantage point in the St. Lawrence region was in the vicinity of the Thousand Islands, at Fron- tenac (Kingston), also at Henderson Harbor, Carlton Island and Oswego. All, however, were not fortified at that time.

The post at Chouaguen (Oswego) was of great importance to each of the contending powers, but the English appear to have first occupied it as a trading point as early as 1220, and carried on considerable trade to the great chagrin of the Frenchmen. The fort was built in 1:26, by order of Governor Burnet, learning which Marquis de Beauharnois, governor general of Canada, ordered it to be evacuated by the English garrison, and the fortress also to be destroyed, but neither demand had the desired effect. About the same time the French felt the need of fortifying the same place to protect their own trade, but being engaged with building forts in other localities this point was neglected until the opportunity was lost. The English maintained a garrison at Oswego from the time the fort was built until 1741 before any substantial re- pairs were made, and in that year £600 were appropriated to strengthen that then very important position. During the final series of wars be- tween England and France, Oswego and Frontenac were the highly important points in the St. Lawrence region.

In March, 1744, war was declared between Great Britain and France, and the former power at once prosecuted measures for the conquest of the French possessions, and in June, 1745, Louisburg was surrendered. Then followed the descent upon Hoosic, and soon afterward more than twenty other minor expeditions were planned by the French against frontier English settlements in New England and eastern and central

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

New York. With the first announcement of hostilities many of the traders at Oswego hastily departed and left the post to be defended by only a few men, and while an attack was feared and even threatened it was delayed by the unfortunate condition in which the French found themselves through scarcity of supplies. In 1744 Lieutenant John Lindsay was appointed commander of the fort and held it for the next five years. In 1:52 the fort was substantially rebuilt.

The contest from 1:44 to 1748 had an important object in the posses- sion of the Mississippi valley, which the English claimed as an ex- tension of their coast discoveries and settlements, and the French by right of occupancy, their forts already extending from Canada to Lou- isiana. At the last mentioned date the English colonies contained more than a million inhabitants while the French had only about sixty thousand. The Iroquois would not engage in this strife until 1:46, and they were disappointed at its sudden termination, having compro- mised themselves with their old enemies in Canada, who were now more numerous and dangerous than formerly.

Opposed and embarrassed by political factions, Governor Clinton re- signed his office in October, 1:53, and was succeeded by Sir Danvers Osborne. The same distractions, aggravated by the loss of his wife, threw the latter into a state of melancholia which ended in suicide. He was succeeded by James De Lancey, who, in 1754, in his message to the Assembly, called attention to recent French encroachments, whereupon the Assembly voted 1,000 pounds to bear its share of ex- pense in building forts along the frontier. The French, by reason of victories in Pennsylvania in 1754, were in undisputed possession of the whole region west of the Alleghanies, and the necessity for united action by the English colonies was now too apparent to be overlooked. The Iroquois were also to some extent being alienated from the Eng- lish, whose apathy and failures they did not relish.

A convention of delegates from all the colonial assemblies was held at Albany in June, 1754, the object of which was to secure a continued alliance with the Six Nations (the Five Nations having been increased by acquisition of the Tuscaroras in 1:12). Governor De Lancey pre- sided and made a speech to the Indians who were present, after which the treaty was renewed and the Indians left apparently satisfied. Colo- nel (afterward Sir William) Johnson was present and made many valu- able suggestions to the delegates. He had by this time become well acquainted with the Indian character, and had ingratiated himself in

CAMPAIGN OF 1955.

their affections, not only with the Mohawks among whom he lived, but as well among all the Iroquois. By the former he was made one of their sachems, was likewise made war-chief, and as such frequently assumed the costumes and habits of the Indians.

Meanwhile, at the suggestion of the delegates from Massachusetts, a plan for the union of the colonies was taken into consideration; and a committee of one from each colony was appointed to draw plans for this purpose, the fertile mind of Benjamin Franklin having already suggested that which was finally adopted. It was the forerunner of our federal constitution; but the assemblies rejected it on the ground that it encroached on their liberties, while the home government re- jected it, claiming that it granted too much power to the people.

While England and France were nominally at peace, the frontier was constantly harassed by hoards of Indians let loose by the French, and the colonists continned their appeals to the ministry. While the latter was hesitating, the Duke of Cumberland, then commanding the British armies, sent over early in 1755 General Edward Braddock with a detachment from the army in Ireland. Braddock soon met the col- onial governors at Alexandria and measures were adopted for the protection of the colonies. Four expeditions were planned: First, the reduction of Nova Scotia; second, to recover the Ohio valley; third, to expel the French from Fort Niagara, and then unite with the move- ment against Ohio; and fourth, the capture of Crown Point.

The first of these expeditions was entirely successful; the second, under command of Braddock himself, was disastrous in the extreme. He neglected to send out scouts, as repeatedly counseled by Washing- ton, and when within a few miles of Fort Du Quesne his army was sur- prised by the concealed enemy and only saved from destruction by Washington, who, upon the fall of Braddock, assumed command and conducted the retreat. The expedition against Niagara, commanded by Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, was also unsuccessful, and many of his foree left him after hearing of Braddock's defeat. The army gathered for the attack upon Crown Point was in command of Col. William Johnson, and comprised the militia and volunteers of New York and New England, together with a strong body of Mohawk warriors under chief King Hendrick. This expedition was only par- tially successful, the loss on both sides being serious, and the French finally retreated to their defenses at Crown Point. The French regu- lars fought with great heroism, but the Canadian Indians fled early in

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the battle, while the Senecas who had joined the French standard, seeing themselves opposed by their old brethren, the Mohawks, dis- charged their weapons in the air and abandoned the conflict. The ser- vices of General Johnson on this occasion, while at first severely cen- sured, were eventually rewarded with a baronetcy, his office of super- intendent of Indian affairs was confirmed, and he was granted the sum of five thousand pounds. From this event was acquired the title by which he was ever afterward known-" Sir William Johnson."

For the year 1:56 three campaigns were organized; one against Fort Niagara with 6,000 men; the second against Fort Du Quesne with 3,000 men, and the third, by far the largest army yet assembled in the country, a force of 10,000 troops designed for the reduction of Crown Point, the occupation of the Champlain and St. Lawrence valleys, and, if necessary, the invasion and subjugation of the Canadas. Gen. John Winslow was in command of the latter, but was soon joined by Gen- eral Abercrombie with reinforcements from Lord Loudon, governor of Virginia. Abercrombie at once removed the provincial officers and re- placed them with men from the regular army, who, though versed in tacties, knew nothing of the methods of military operations in a region such as this, or of contending against such foes as the allied French troops and Canadian Indians. However, during the year nothing was done in the way of taking the French strongholds, and the campaigns ended with greater advantage to the French than the English. The fort at Oswego had been protected by a strong garrison, and several sloops of war had been built and kept near there both for offensive and defensive operations; and when in this year General Shirley withdrew and left the fort protected only by a strong garrison, the French re- garded the movement as a virtual victory for their arms, for by this time Oswego had become one of the most important posts on the Amer- ican frontier.

In 1:57 the campaign was arranged on a scale equal to that of the preceding year, but at the same time the French under Montcalm were not inactive, and succeeded in gaining the friendship of the western Iroquois and brought them under their standard; they were no longer unwilling to war against their old brethren of the once famous con- federacy. Even the strong influence of Sir William Johnson could not enlist them in the British cause, Some of them, the Senecas and a few Cayugas and Onondagas, took up their residence in Canada, chiefly on account of French successes in the earlier years of the war.

FRENCH SUCCESSES.

In this year the French became the aggressors, while the English officers appeared to prefer a mere defense, for they were now bur- dened with Abercrombie and Webb, both of whom hindered the oper- ations proposed, while Webb, by his consummate cowardice, was directly responsible for the loss of Oswego. M. de Villiers, commander of the French forces, who had been sent against Oswego, established head- quarters at Niaoure Bay (now called Henderson Bay or HIarbor), where he built a strong fortification (see history of Henderson) and from which point he sent out frequent detachments of Canadians and Indians to devastate and harass the frontier settlements of the English in the Mohawk valley. This was perhaps the most important position of the French on this side of the St. Lawrence, and one which gave constant annoyance to the English, for they knew that the fort at Oswego was the post most coveted by the enemy; yet, when Webb was ordered to march to the relief of the garrison, two days before the surrender, his cowardly inactivity held him back. At the Oneida carrying place news of the fall of Oswego reached Webb, whereupon he immediately caused trees to be felled across Wood Creek, and fled with his troops to Ger- man Flats. However, when in June, 1256, De Villiers from his en- trenched position in what is now Jefferson county made a demonstration against Fort Ontario, and came into collision with Colonel Bradstreet's men, the intrepid Frenchman was unmercifully beaten. The French force stationed at Henderson Harbor comprised 900 troops, Canadians and Indians. When the plans for the attack on Oswego were complete, Marquis de Vaudreuil and a strong force of French soldiers were added to De Villiers' garrison at Henderson, and on August 6, the brave Mont- calm also reached the place with the first division of his army, and four cannon. Two days later, the second division, comprising Bearn's bat- talion, arrived, and with it also came eighty bateaux laden with ar- tillery and stores. This was perhaps the most formidable body of troops assembled within what is Jefferson county at any time previous to the battle of Sacket's Harbor. The daring French commander was active, and sent a strong detachment from the rendezvous to reconnoiter in the vicinity of Fort Oswego while he soon followed with the main army. On August 14, after a fierce battle which continued all day, the Eng- lish were forced to surrender, and by the capitulation their strongest frontier post passed into the control of the victors. Montcalm's men destroyed the defenses while he with his army returned again to Hen- derson Bay and went into camp. From here the several divisions soon proceeded to other points.

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Although the campaigns of the year were generally disastrous to the English, that very fact seemed to infuse a little spirit into the ministry, which showed itself chiefly through the expressions of William Pitt. The American colonies now contained half a million inhabitants, and an army of about 50,000 men was at the command of Abercrombie. Commercial intercourse with Great Britain was undisturbed, and there was no reason why the French power should not be extinguished by one grand movement. However, at this special period the French were stronger than ever, her population more concentrated, and, above all, her commanders were by far the most able and competent soldiers. As has been well said by another writer: " Britain had sent to her col- onies effete generals, bankrupt nobles and debauched parasites of the court. France selected her functionaries from the wisest, noblest and best of her people, and therefore her colonial interests were usually di- rected with sagacity."

In 1:58 the tide of victory turned in favor of the English. The cam- paigns of the year contemplated three general movements as in preceding years, and now Louisburg, Fort Du Quesne and Ticonderoga were the objective points sought to be overcome by the British. Louisburg was besieged and after several weeks of vigorous defense was surrendered. The army sent against Fort Du Quesne under command of General John Forbes came near disaster through the incapacity of that officer, and only the timely and decisive action of Washington brought victory to the English; and on November 24, the French set fire to their defenses and fled down the river.

The most important campaign of the year was the expedition against Ticonderoga and the descent upon Montreal and the Canadas, for which an army of 1, 000 regulars, 9,000 provincials and a heavy train of artillery was assembled at the head of Lake Champlain about the beginning of July. On the morning of the 8th, Sir William Johnson arrived, accom- panied with nearly 400 of his favorite Mohawk warriors, and a few others of the Six Nations who were friendly to the English. In the first engagement Johnson with his devoted Mohawks was so placed by the commanding officer that he could not take active part in the battle. Lord Howe was mortally wounded and the command devolved on Abercrombie, who, with his accustomed indecision and incapacity, allowed the French under Montcalm to gain a splendid victory, and one which cost more than 2,000 men. However, this terrible disaster was in part offset by the successful siege and final capture of Fort Frontenac by General Bradstreet during the month of August of that year.

CAMPAIGN OF 1759.

In 1759, chiefly through the zeal of William Pitt, the campaign opened with more gratifying prospects for the English arms. General Amherst superseded Abercrombie, and when the new commander appealed to the colonies for militia the men were readily furnished although heavily burdened with debt on account of expenditures already made. The campaign of this year was proposed to be confined princi- pally to driving the French from the territory of New York, and the only outside movement was that against Quebec. Fort Niagara and Ticonderoga were the strongholds most sought to be taken by the Eng- lish, and at the same time, on the march to Niagara, it was determined to repossess Oswego and control that important avenue leading to the St. Lawrence region. General Prideaux, who was to command the expedition against Niagara, was the warm friend of Sir William John- son, and the latter readily undertook to gather a force of Iroquois to aid in the campaign ; and he was so successful that at a council at Cana - joharie in April, not only the Mohawks, but as well a considerable number of Senecas joined his standard. When ready for the march Sir William had :00 warriors and a strong force of provincial troops in his command. After the fall of Niagara, Johnson returned and occu- pied a position at Oswego until October, when he departed for Mount Johnson.

In the Champlain regions the English armies were also successful. Montcalm had taken a position at Quebec to defend that stronghold against the assaults of General Wolfe; and there both these brave offi- cers found their graves. General Amherst laid siege to Ticonderoga which was defended by a garrison of 400 men. The fort was evacu- ated July 26, and this was soon followed by the withdrawal of the French from Crown Point. The domination of France was ended by the fall of Quebec, September 18, 1759, thus leaving the English mas- ters of all Canada, for the surrender of Vaudreuil soon afterward was an inevitable result.

Hostilities between the two nations ceased after these victories, although a formal peace was not established until 1763, when on Feb- ruary 10 the treaty of Paris was signed, by which France ceded to Great Britain all her former possessions in Canada. On July 30, 1760, Gov- ernor De Lancey suddenly died, and the government of the province passed into the hands of Cadwallader Colden. In October, 1761, Gen- eral Robert Moncton was appointed governor of the province. 5

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

CHAPTER V.

Return of Peace- Pontiac's League-Devil's Hole and Black Rock-Events Pre- ceding the Revolution-Taxing the Colonies-The Continental Congress-Situation in Tryon County-Sir William Johnson-His Death-Sir John Johnson with Tories and Mohawks Depart for Canada-Brief Recapitulation of Events of the Revolu- tion-British Form an Alliance with Iroquois-The Oneidas and Tuscaroras Friendly to Americans-Operations in the Mohawk Valley-Indian Outrages -- Sullivan's Campaign-Other Events-Close of the War-The Treaty of Paris-British Main- tain Armed Force on American Soil-The Boundary as Established.

After the close of the final French and English war the former In- dian occupants of the region returned to their accustomed haunts and pursuits. The Oneidas and the Onondagas were no longer in fear of their old Canadian enemies. The post at Oswego was again occupied by traders, and the beaver from the Castorland found ready exchange for such articles as the Indian required for his sustenance.

Notwithstanding the withdrawal of the French troops from the region, the western Indians remembered them with affection and showed a strong disposition to still make war against the English. When the latter sought to occupy the territory recently evacuated, the noted chief, Pontiac, united all these tribes in a league against the British, which action was said to have been the result of French insti- gation. In May, 1763, the league surprised nine of the twelve English posts, and massacred their garrisons. Niagara, Detroit and Pittsburg alone escaped surprise, and each successfully resisted a siege. Later on in the same year followed the awful butcheries at Devil's Hole and Black Rock, in both of which the Senecas were participants. In April, 1664, Sir William Johnson concluded a treaty with eight Seneca chiefs, who for their nation promised to live at peace with the English, and at the same time ceded to the latter a large tract of land around Niag. ara Falls.

This treaty terminated the troubles in the province, but in the west Pontiac remained unconquered. To subdue him, in the summer of 1764, General Bradstreet was sent with a strong force of men (also ac- companied by Sir William Johnson and his warriors) and fought and

CAUSES LEADING TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

punished the refractory savages until they were glad to sue for peace. These events of course had no direct relation to the history of this part of the province, yet the feeling of dread was so great that along the Canadian border there was little attempt at settlement until the trouble was finally terminated.

Scarcely had the echoes of this brief war died away than still an- other cloud began to form in the political horizon. The ultimate result of ensuing troubles and discussion was the war for American independ- ence, commonly known as the Revolution. The taxation to which the colonies were subjected by the mother country really began almost as far back as the time of the overthrow of the Dutch in the Netherlands, for it seems to have been the king's determination to make them self- supporting. The burden of debt was very heavy on Great Britain, but it was chiefly created by wars on her own side of the Atlantic. The ex- pense occasioned by the wars on this side she proposed to have paid by the colonies, notwithstanding the great increase of her domain as the result of those wars. The time, however, had arrived when longer submission to England's oppressive measures could not be tolerated, for the colonies themselves were seriously burdened with debt on ac- count of the wars, yet almost before the smoke of battle cleared away the ministry began devising plans to tax them without even the bare formality of asking consent. In 1764 a proposition was submitted to the House of Commons for creating a revenue in the colonies by the sale of stamps, and a bill to that effect was passed in March, 1765 The measure was denounced in the colonies, especially New York, and the "Sons of Liberty" were organized to oppose it. So widespread was public indignation that Parliament was forced to suspend the act, but this was done more to please English tradesmen than to relieve the distressed people; and in its stead were passed other oppressive laws, one of which required the colonies to pay for the maintenance of British troops in New York city. The Assembly, however, refused to comply with the demand, whereupon Parliament annulled its legis- lative powers.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 4

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