USA > New York > Saratoga County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York > Part 7
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At this time Miss McCrea was about twenty three years of age and possessed of more than ordinary beauty of character and person. She is said to have been engaged to marry young Lieutenant David Jones, who now was an officer in the army which soon was to cause her death. She had been repeatedly admonished by her brother, Colonel John McCrea, to go down the river, as most white settlers had done, but she still remained near Fort Edward, The day before her death she went
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up the river, crossed over the ferry at Jones's place and went to the residence of Peter Freel, near the fort, where she remained that night. The next morning she went to the home of Mrs. McNiel, a quarter of a mile north of the fort. Mrs. McNeil was a cousin of General Frazer, of the advancing British army, and was doubtless about to seek his protection.
The next morning (Sunday), July 27, the Americans at the fort had sent out fifty men under Lieutenant Palmer to watch the move- ments of the enemy. This party fell into an ambuscade prepared by the Indians, and in the fight that followed eighteen men, including young Lieutenant Palmer, were killed and scalped. The pursuing Indians halted at the foot of the hill and then rushed forward to the house of Mrs. McNiel. They seized the latter and Miss McCrea and started to join the main body of the savages. Soon the report of a gun was heard, and the beautiful girl fell from her horse. An Indian chief instantly sprang toward her and scalped her. Her body was then stripped and dragged into the woods, and the Indians, retaining Mrs. McNiel as a captive, proceeded to the ranks of the main British army.
None of the Americans dared leave the fort that day, but the next morning they evacuated Fort Edward and proceeded down the river. Before leaving they sent a detachment of men to the woods near by and found the body of the murdered girl near that of Lieutenant Palmer. Both were taken about three miles below Fort Edward and there buried. This tragedy served to arouse the patriots to an enthusiastic defense of their homes and families, and bound them in a common cause of resist- ance and revenge. Burgoyne deprecated the act but was powerless to punish the savages.'
THE BENNINGTON EXPEDITION.
Burgoyne's next movement was upon Bennington, by which he in- tended to co-operate with the expedition of St. Leger upon Fort Stanwix, according to the original plan of his campaign. He had also been informed by Colonel Skene, in whose counsels he placed great confi- dence, that the Americans had collected at Bennington many horses and stores of all kinds for the use of the army of the north. Therefore, while his main army rested, he dispatched Colonel Baum with a body
1 In the inquiry into the failure of the campaign before the committee of the House of Com- mons, in 1779, General Burgoyne stated that after Jeannie McCrea had been taken by one band of Indians, another band came up and claimed her. To settle the dispute she was killed on the spot. This was the belief of the members of the McCrea family.
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THE BENNINGTON EXPEDITION.
of German grenadiers, English marksmen, Canadians and Indians, five hundred in all, to make an attack upon Bennington and secure the needed horses and stores. Baum set out August 13, and so eager was Burgoyne to insure the success of the expedition that he rode after Baum to repeat his orders to him verbally.
Burgoyne's entire force aggregated ten thousand men when he entered the territory of the colony of New York. Of these, seven thousand were British and Hessian veterans, the balance being Cana- dians and Indians. Several hundred of the latter had deserted by the time the Bennington expedition started, and a considerable force had been sent to the assistance of St. Leger at Fort Stanwix.
The plan of the campaign embraced a descent upon Albany by way of Lake Champlain and the upper Hudson. From Albany it was Bur- goyne's intention to descend the river to New York and unite his forces with the main division of the British army.
When the patriots of Bennington and vicinity learned of the intended raid of the enemy, General John Stark rallied the New Hampshire militia and prepared to defend the provincial stores from capture. He also dispatched a message to General Lincoln at Manchester, to for- ward reinforcements.
On the morning of August 14 he proceeded from Bennington to a point about six miles on the road westward, where he met and at once engaged the enemy. A heavy rain fell the following day, but on the 16th occurred the memorable battle of Bennington.1 During the en- gagement, which was a fierce one, the patriot forces displaying remark- able valor, Colonel Breyman arrived with Hessian reinforcements. General Stark's command began to show signs of exhaustion when Colonel Warren arrived from Bennington with his regiment, fresh and full of fight. The action was then renewed, late in the afternoon, and the enemy was forced to retreat, Breyman leaving his baggage and artillery in the hands of the victorious patriots. Had not night covered the retreat, the patriot forces probably would have captured the entire expedition.
The victory was as disheartening to the British as it was encouraging to the Americans, as the enemy not only failed to add to its depleted stock of stores, but also lost one thousand stand of arms and a number of fine field pieces. Nearly six hundred privates and thirty-two officers were also made prisoners of war.
1 So known in history, though practically the entire engagement occurred in what is now the town of Hoosick, Rensselaer county, N. Y.
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In the meantime, on August 3, St. Leger appeared before Fort Stanwix, but became alarmed by the stories of a large army en route to the relief of Gansevoort's garrison, and fled, leaving his arms and stores, which were secured by Coi. Gansevoort. General Herkimer, marching to the rescue of Gansevoort, encountered Johnson's Royal Greens in the battle of Oriskany. In this desperate hand to hand con- flict the enemy was finally driven back.
General Arnold, who, with the force dispatched by General Schuyler for the relief of Fort Stanwix, was but forty miles from that point when the news of the precipitate flight of the enemy was received, re- turned at once to the assistance of Schuyler. Reinforcements for the latter were also arriving from other directions. The long looked for regiments from the Highlands had arrived; the New York militia had rallied, and the New England forces, enthusiastic over the victory at Bennington, were on their way to join the camp at Stillwater.
SCHUYLER SUPERSEDED BY GATES.
At this juncture, when Schuyler was for the first time in a position strong enough to warant him in beginning offensive operations, when his spirits were high, when success was almost in his grasp, there came the blow which would have wrecked the lives of most aspiring men. It was the act of an ungrateful Congress by which he was superseded by General Gates as commander of the army of the north.1
The first official act of General Gates after assuming command was to dispatch Kosciusko, the Polish engineer and patriot, to select a po- sition for the proposed advance camp of the Revolutionary forces. He decided upon Bemis Heights, four miles from Stillwater, as the most
1 "Schuyler was at last in a position to begin offensive operations; he would soon be able to point exultingly to the result of his toil, his patience. to the unappreciated difficulties now con- quered. Such we may imagine General Schuyler's thoughts, as he sprang on his horse one bright morning in August, at the door of his stately mansion in Albany, when about to meet his officers for a consultation in regard to an advance movement of his army. - As his charger moved rest- lessly under the rein, an officer approached with an official document. Schuyler, ever on the alert, checked his horse to examine the dispatch. It contained the resolutions of Congress that deprived him of his command. This, in the face of the enemy, and at the turning point of his fortunes! A momentary movement of the lip, and a lifting of the eyebrows-then a deepening of the firm lines about the mouth, were the only signs of suppressed emotion. With a graceful bow to the waiting officer, the deeply injured commander rode quietly on to his headquarters. When surrounded by his officers he explained the dispatch, and simply said: "Until the country is in safety, I shall stifle iny resentment." He kept his word, and with unremitting energy continued to perform the arduous duties of his command, until his successor, General Gates, appeared at headquarters, where he was received and entertained by General Schuyler with generous magnanimity and dignity." -- Battles of Saratoga, E. H. W.
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BATTLE OF SEPTEMBER 19.
advantageous point, and the army soon afterward went into camp in that position and threw up earthworks for its defense.
In the face of ever increasing dangers, Burgoyne pushed on south- ward, still undismayed. Sending a messenger to New York to beg for a movement from the south, he left Fort Edward with a month's pro. visions, crossed the Hudson on the 13th and 14th of September, and was soon encamped on the north side of Fish Creek, the outlet of Sara- toga Lake.
The American camp was on a spur of hills that approached the river. Across the narrow meadow between the hill and the river earthworks were thrown up, covering the old colonial road and a bridge of boats across the river. Breastworks and redoubts were established at con- venient intervals. A natural defense along the front of the camp oc- curred in a densely wooded ravine, and a little further north Mill Creek ran through a still deeper ravine. The right wing, under Gates, occu- pied the river hills and the defile between these and the river; the left wing, under Morgan, was located on the heights nearly a mile from the river; the center, under Larned, occupied the elevated plain. Arnold constantly harassed the enemy, with fifteen hundred men.
THE BATTLE OF SEPTEMBER 19,
September 19th, at eleven o'clock in the morning, with his army di- vided in three columns, General Burgoyne advanced toward the Amer- ican camp. Riedesel, in command of the Hessian regiments, and Phillips with his artillery, comprising the left wing, marched down the river road. Burgoyne, commanding the British regiments, comprising the center, proceeded towards the heights on the right. Frazer, with his own and Breyman's corps, comprising the right wing, moved to attack the American position from the west.
About noon the attack began. Gates did not immediately order an attack on the Indians hovering near the fort; but finally, in response to the repeated and urgent solicitations of Arnold and other officers, he consented to allow the savages to be driven off.
The British army continued its approach. As soon as the word was given, Morgan and his riflemen led the way, driving the advancing enemy back with such rapidity that the commander was obliged to re- call them to quieter work. Frazer in his march to the west attempted to reach the rear of the American position, and Arnold, with Larned's brigade, made a dash to cut the right wing from the main army. Near
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Mill Creek the two forces met unexpectedly and a furious fight ensued. Arnold's and Morgan's men fought with unexampled energy, even ferocity. Heavy reinforcements came to the relief of Frazer's division, Gates neglected to send assistance and the valiant commands facing Frazer were retired.
Arnold and Morgan now made a rapid counter march against Frazer's left, and in this movement encountered the whole English line under Burgoyne.
They were now reinforced with four regiments, and made so vigor- ous and resolute an attack that they were on the point of severing the wings of the British army, when Phillips came forward with his artil- lery, and the Americans were forced back within their lines. It was now three o'clock, and a lull occurred in the contest. The two armies lay each upon a hillside, that sloped toward a ravine, which separated them. With the reinforcements conceded to Arnold, his force did not exceed three thousand men; yet, with this number, for four hours, he sustained an unequal conflict with the choicest English regiments, in- spired by every sentiment that ambition or desperation could awaken, and commanded by many of the most accomplished and brave officers of the English army.
Steadily the patriots received charge after charge of the dreaded English bayonets; then, emboldened by their own endurance, they pushed upon the enemy in a fierce attack, to be driven again toward their own lines. While victory seemed thus to sway back and forth over the little stream, and while the Americans held the ascendancy, Riedesel came over the field at double quick with his heavy Germans, and pressed the exhausted Americans back once more. It was now dark; they gathered up their wounded and prisoners, and retired to their camp.
The American loss in killed and wounded was about three hundred, and the British nearly double that number. The latter held the field, and claimed a victory; it was worse than barren to them. Foiled in their main object they were now burdened with many wounded; they had tested the strength of the Americans, and were convinced that their own advantages of discipline and bayonets were perfectly counterpoised by the enthusiam and courage of the patriots. The British, who bivou- acked on the field, were harassed until midnight by large skirmishing parties of the Americans, and were under arms in expectation of an attack in force.
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BATTLE OF OCTOBER 7.
Arnold urged the importance of this attack with such vehemence that Gates took serious offense, although he failed to tell Arnold that he was short of ammunition-the reason afterwards given for his refusal to follow up the advantage of the previous day. In his report of the battle to Congress he refrained from mentioning Arnold's name. This led to a further quarrel, and Arnold was deprived of his command. Gates continued to strengthen the defenses of his camp, while his army daily increased in numbers.
BATTLE OF OCTOBER 7.
Burgoyne encamped his whole army on the ground he had gained on the 19th, and protected it with strong entrenchments. Strongly and skillfully posted, the two armies lay face to face from the 20th of September until the 7th of October.
Our army was exultant, hopeful. The other camp seemed oppressed by the overhanging cloud of its impending fate. Difficulties enclosed them on all sides, leaving but one narrow pathway to the north; and that was soon closed by an active detachment of Americans from Lincoln's command. They had surprised the British garrisons at Lake George and Ticonderoga, and regained all the outer defenses of the latter place; had captured gunboats and bateaux, and taken three hundred prisoners.
News of this calamity soon reached Burgoyne, yet he had some compensation in a gleam of hope that reached him from the south at the same time. A letter from Sir Henry Clinton was received, informing him that on the 20th he would attack the forts below the Highlands, and attempt a further ascent of the river. Two officers in disguise were immediately dispatched in return to inform Clinton of the critical position of Burgoyne's army, and urge him to hasten to its assistance. Clinton was also assured that Burgoyne would en- deavor to hold his present position until the 12th of October.
Lincoln, who, with a large body of militia, now joined the army at Bemis Heights, was placed in command of the right wing. Gates took command of the left, of which Arnold had been dispossessed. The lat- ter had remained in camp, waiting patiently for a collision between the hostile armies.
As Burgoyne's situation became day by day more critical, and he re- ceived no news from Clinton, on the 4th of October he called Generals Riedesel, Phillips and Frazer together in council. On the 6th he had
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five days' rations distributed, and arranged for a reconnoissance in force on the following day. As he could not leave his camp unprotected, he took only fifteen hundred men. They were selected from the corps of Riedesel, Frazer and Phillips. Led by these officers in person, and , Burgoyne as commander-in-chief, they marched out of camp at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 7th, and entered a field within three- quarters of a mile of the American left. Here, in double ranks, they formed in line of battle.
On the left Williams's artillery and Ackland's grenadiers were posted, on a gentle hill in the edge of a wood that fronted on Mill Creek. Bal - carras's light infantry and other English regiments formed the right; the Hessians formed the center. Frazer, with five hundred picked men, was posted to the right and front, where a hill skirted the mead- ow; he was ready to fall upon the rear of the American left at the first attack in front.
Foragers were at work in a wheat field, while the English officers reconnoitred the American left with their glasses from the top of a cabin near the field. An aide-de-camp conveyed this information to Gates, who said: "Order out Morgan to begin the game."
Morgan had already discovered Frazer's position, had divined his design, and formed his own plan. Ordering an attack to be made on Balcarras in front, he made a circuit in the woods to fall upon Frazer from the heights above. It was also arranged that General Poor should assail the grenadiers on the British left simultaneously with Morgan's attack. Larned was to check the Germans in the center.
From their restraining earthworks the impetuous Americans poured furiously upon their adversaries in front, while Morgan swept down the height upon Frazer's heroic band. So terrible was the onslaught that in less than twenty minutes the British were thrown into con- fusion. Frazer, in his brilliant uniform, rode from side to side of the right wing, encouraging and rallying the bewildered troops, and pro- tecting every point with his flexible five hundred.
Burgoyne, seeing the right wing in danger of being surrounded, now ordered Frazer to form a second line to cover a retreat. In at- tempting this manoeuvre, Frazer fell mortally wounded, and was car- ried from the field.
The division under Poor, with the same impulsive vigor, dashed up the hill upon the artillery and grenadiers of the British left, and drove them from their guns. Ackland brought them back, and recaptured
₺
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the guns, which again fell into the hands of the Americans, who rapidly turned them upon the enemy, and drove them flying from the field. Ackland was wounded in both legs. He was a large, heavy man, but an officer took him on his back, and ran some distance with him. The pursuit was close, and the officer, fearing he would be captured, dropped his friend, and hurried on. Ackland now called out to the flying men that he would give fifty guineas to any man who would carry him into camp. A tall grenadier took him on his shoulders, but had not proceeded many steps when he and his helpless burden were taken prisoners.
The Hessians still held their ground in the centre. At this moment Arnold, maddened by his injuries, and excited into frenzy by the clash and roar of the battle, dashed on the field, followed in the distance by Armstrong, Gates's aid-de-camp, carrying unsuccessful orders to com- pel his return.
With two brigades Arnold rushed upon the Hessian center, who stood the shock bravely for a time, but as he dashed upon them again and again with a fury they had never before witnessed, they turned and fled in dismay.
Burgoyne now took command in person, and the conflict became general along the whole line. Arnold and Morgan, uniting to break a strong point in the British ranks, would again separate to move from one place to another, where orders or encouragement were necessary. Burgoyne succeeded Frazer as the conspicuous figure on the opposing side, and was seen in the thickest of the mêlée, under the heaviest fire. Several shots tore his clothing and his aids implored him not to expose himself, but resolute and daring, he endeavored skillfully, but vainly, to rally his army, and hold his ground. His whole force was driven into their entrenched camp. Here they made a determined stand. Arnold now took Patterson's brigade, and assailed Frazer's camp, where Balcarras and his light infantry had taken refuge.
Charging with renewed vigor again and again up the embankment, he led the way over a strong abattis; driven back from this, he attacked the entrenchments connecting this redoubt with Breyman's flank de- fense. Here he succeeded, and leaving the Massachusetts regiments to follow up the advantage at that point, he encountered a part of Larned's brigade, and dashed upon the strong works of the Hessian camp. Here, too, he drove everything before him. Capturing the cannon, the artillerists fled in consternation, and Breyman was killed
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on the spot. Arnold's horse was shot under him; it fell on him, and his leg was severely wounded. He was carried from the field.
The whole British camp now lay exposed to the pursuing Americans. Night and silence fell upon the scene. The groans of the wounded, the muffled words of command given for the burial of the dead, and the dirge-like wailing of the autumn wind in the tall pines, were the only sounds that followed the roar of artillery and the shouts of the victors.
While the battle raged on the heights, confusion and sorrow reigned in and around the British camp near the river. After midnight General Lincoln from the American camp marched on the battlefield with a large body of fresh troops, to replace the exhausted victors of the pre- vious day. Burgoyne, aware of his danger, if attacked in his exposed position, now moved his whole army hurriedly, but in good order, to the river bank. Here, in gloomy desperation, they were crowded to- gether under the redoubts, on the morning of the 8th.
Burgoyne now gave orders for a full retreat of his army, to begin at nine o'clock that same night, the wounded and all heavy baggage to be left behind. General Riedesel was ordered to lead the vanguard, and push on until he crossed the Hudson at the Saratoga ford, and there take a position behind the hills at the Batten Kill. A drenching rain poured upon the weary, plodding army the whole night. At Dogovat a halt was made.
Starting from Dogovat at daybreak, the British moved again, but only to encamp during the day on the heights north of Fish Kill. The handsome residence of General Schuyler was burned on the way. During this time Colonel Fellows, with the American artillery, had planted his guns on the hills on the east side of the Hudson, opposite the British camp. General Stark had also taken possession of Fort Edward above. On the 10th, General Gates, having waited for fine weather, followed Burgoyne to Saratoga and encamped on the south side of the Fish Kill. His delay greatly endangered the detachment of Colonel Fellows, who could easily have been surrounded and captured; in fact, some of Burgoyne's officers were anxious to make the attempt, but failed to obtain permission. On the morning of the 11th, while the autumn mist hung heavily over Fish Kill and the adjacent grounds, Gates, believing that Burgoyne had continued his retreat, ordered his whole army to advance across the stream in pursuit. Without a recon- noissance or vanguard, the army was set in motion. The vigilant Bur-
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goyne, having now staked his chances on delay, was waiting eagerly for any mistake on the part of his adversary. Aware of the proximity of Gates, and of his intention, he drew up his army, under cover of the dense fog, in battle array, on the north side of the stream to receive him. The American regiments under Nixon passed over and were in- stantly attacked; a severe contest followed, and Nixon soon discovered the British in force; using his own judgment, and disobeying orders, he retreated, and checked the further progress of the army until com- munication could be had with Gates.
Morgan had crossed the creek towards Saratoga Lake and, screened by the woods, posted his riflemen on the heights in the rear and flank of the British camp. This was strongly intrenched on the hill near the river, but was now entirely surrounded by the patriots, and all com- munication destroyed either with the north or south; and it was soon found by the British that their camp was exposed in every part to the fire of cannon or riflemen.
Sir Henry Clinton, having obtained reinforcements from England, at last came storming up the Hudson as though he would annihilate all obstacles between himself and Burgoyne. He obtained possession of Fort Montgomery and Clinton, although they were most courageously defended by Gov. George Clinton and his brother James, who very skillfully saved their garrisons. The British easily destroyed the ob- structing boom across the river, and Putnam, deceived and confused by their manoeuvres, left the enemy to sail unmolested to Albany. Sat- isfied with the destruction of the American vessels, and having burned Kingston, the seat of the government, and ravaged the stately manor houses of Livingston and other aristocratic republicans, the Englishman returned to New York, and left Burgoyne unassisted in his perilous position.
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