USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 17
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124
Upon approaching Prescott one of the schooners was made fast to the upper wharf and Von Schoultz ordered his men to land and, with un- loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, to march into the village and take possession of the fort at once. A hesitation on the part of some of the leaders, arising from a difference of opinion as to the mode of attack, caused a delay, and thus the opportunity to capture the place and fort was lost. The schooner Charlotte, after casting off from the upper wharf, dropped down and anchored opposite the windmill. and the other schooner grounded on the rush bed at the mouth of the Oswe- gatchie.
Early the next morning an old cast iron nine-pounder cannon be- longing to the village of Ogdensburg, and a brass four pounder belong- ing to the State of New York, and in charge of the artillery company under Captain A. B. James, were seized by the so-called patriots and conveyed across the river in a scow to the windmill. Meanwhile the streets of Ogdensburg were filled with armed men. It was thought from their movements that they intended to seize the steamer United States. The marshal of the district was absent. The collector, Smith
184
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Stilwell, made strenuous efforts to hold the boat, but without effect. The leaders of the patriots began the muster of a volunteer company to man the steamer, openly deriding the efforts of the civil authorities in trying to prevent them. A crew having been obtained and steam got up, they left the wharf, greeted by loud cheers of the crowd, and went to the assistance of the schooner that had run aground. But they did not succeed in floating her, and the steamer returned to the wharf.
Additional hands were now procured to navigate the steamer, which had also got aground on her first trip. The patriots had taken posses- sion of the windmill early Monday morning, November 12, 1838. The mill is situated about a mile below Prescott on the main road, running parallel to and near the St. Lawrence. Around it were several mas- sive stone houses and plats of cedar thickets. The mill was round in shape, and the walls heavy and massive. The interior was divided into several stories. It had formerly been used as a grist mill, but having been idle several years, the machinery had fallen into ruin.
The Experiment, a British steamer, which was lying at the time at the wharf of Prescott, fired upon the steamer United States as she passed around the bar in going to the windmill, but without effect. The United States made several trips to Windmill Point during the fore- noon, when she escorted the schooner up the Oswegatchie River, where. she anchored near the American shore and near the other schooner. The firing was repeated at every trip made by the United States with- out damage to the boat, excepting on the last trip, just as the steamer was turning into the Oswegatchie channel with two pilots, a tall and a short man standing at the wheel, a cannon shot from the Experiment struck the water and glanced upwards through the wheel house, passed over the short man and struck the other pilot, Solomon Foster, carry- ing away a portion of his skull. Upon arriving in port this time the United States steamer lay the remainder of the day near the wharf. During this time the steamer was under orders of Oliver W. Birge, the reputed commander of the invading forces. H. Denio, who was per- sonally acquainted with the former, was requested by the owners of the steamer to go on board and solicit its peaceable surrender without de- lay. After consultion this was cheerfully done.
185
THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.
Nathan Garrow, the United States marshal, arrived from Sackett's Harbor on Monday evening and made a formal seizure of the steamer United States, and had her machinery taken apart. The ferry boat Paul Pry on Monday afternoon went over to the stranded schooner in charge of the patriots, and hauled her off, when she passed down and took a position near the other vessel. In doing this the Paul Pry en- countered a brisk fire from the steamer Experiment, which was returned by the men on the schooner with small arms.
During Monday there were frequent crossings of the river in small boats, and no attempt was made to prevent it by the authorities of either side. On the following morning (November 13) the two schoon- ers were seized about 10 o'clock by the marshal. At this time they lay in American waters, about forty rods from the abutment of the old brewery now owned by Hanan Brothers. The vessel that was grounded had on her deck three cannons, one mounted on wheels and the other two on small plank trucks. There were also on board boxes and casks containing guns and munitions of war. The other vessel had on only a few barrels of apples, the munitions having been removed from her and landed at the windmill. The crew and boats were placed in charge of Col. W. J. Worth of the U. S. infantry, who arrived on the steamer Telegraph, and they were subsequently sent to Sackett's Harbor for safe keeping. The communication, which had been kept up between the patriots and the American shore, was suspended upon the arrival of Colonel Worth with two companies of U. S. troops.
The following is the substance of what occurred on the Canadian shore, as related by one of the participants, Stephen S. Wright. He gave a lengthy narrative of the events in 1843, after his return from Van Diemen's land :
On the afternoon of November 11, 1838, we left Sackett's Harbor about 400 strong on board the steamer United States, and proceeded down the river. A Mr. Pendergrass (one of the officious emissaries of Canada) told them that the upper province could be taken without the discharge of a gun, and that thousands of the people would join them as soon as the standard of liberty was raised on their soil. Up to this time they did not know where they were to land or to what particular point they were bound, and the leaders proved themselves utterly unequal to the task of directing the men under their control. This inability on their part caused confusion, and ultimately resulted in the ruin of those whose confidence had been won for the Canadians. The falsehoods
24
186
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
of emissaries from secret societies, etc., led us to volunteer our efforts to achieve the emancipation of an oppressed people, under the guidance of men who lacked both the energy and common sense necessary to success.
He says further in substance, that he, with his verdant comrades and friends, was looking at the bright side of the picture, until the open de- sertion of the cause by that trinity of cowards, Birge, King, and Estis, together with Bill Johnson and their followers; and during the bloody days of the 12th to the 16th of November, and in the hospital of Kings- ton and the dark prison of Fort Henry they were all brought to their senses. Continuing Mr. Wright said :
On Monday morning the schooners were cut loose from the steamboat, and when near Prescott they both ran aground. One, the Charlotte, soon got clear and landed at Windmill Point, where they made a stand at the mill and raised their flag above the buildings. The flag bore upon its face the device of an eagle and twin stars upon a ground of blue. The first evening was spent in making arrangements for the morrow ; the arms and munitions were landed, but the greater part of the balls and other neces- saries were left, amid the confusion which prevailed. All the general officers had de- ceived them, save Colonel Von Schoultz, Woodruff and Abbey, who at first held only minor positions. After deliberate consultation they elected Von Schoultz commander- in-chief of the patriot army, which had dwindled from 1,000 to 200 men, who then composed the "Spartan Band." About midnight Bill Johnson came over and informed them that 500 men would join them before daylight. The first night no eye closed, no hand was idle, no heart was faint.
At nine o'clock A. M. three British steamboats, the Coburg, Victoria and Experiment came down from Prescott, anchored opposite the mill and opened fire with balls and bombshells ; at the same time 1,500 of the Canadian militia and regulars made their ap- pearance, the Eighty-third Regiment occupying the center and the militia forming the right and left wings. They were formed in line of battle three deep. The patriots formed in line of battle one deep, spreading from two to three yards apart so as to cover the enemy's front. They were protected on their sides by stone walls and stone buildings, and the steep river banks prevented the shot and shell thrown by the boat from injuring them, the missiles passing over their heads and creating disaster among the British land forces. Before the engagement began a six-pounder was placed by the patriots between the mill and one of the stone buildings, so situated that in case of re- treat it would deliver a raking fire from four different points, and would also serve as a decoy in case of emergency. The patriots orders were not to fire a gun under any circumstances until assaulted by the enemy. The British advanced to within twenty rods, halted and opened fire by platoons, which was returned by the patriots. After some twenty minutes the Canadian militia fell back over the hill and left the regu- lars (the Eighty-third) alone. They fought bravely for about three hours, when they also retreated behind the hill and left the field in possession of the patriots. The latter were comparatively secure in their position, while the British were fully ex-
187
THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.
posed in the open field and suffered severely from the sharpshooters posted in the upper stories of the mill. The British officers on horseback were distinctly seen, even from Ogdensburg, to fall here and there on the field, and the soldiers' ranks were rapidly thinned out under the unequal contest. The retreat was followed by the patriots for a short time, who lost a few men, when they returned to the mill; but judge of their surprise and desperate situation when they found that there was not a solitary ball left with which to load their field pieces, rendering the guns useless, ex- cept as they could be loaded with broken pieces of mill irons and gravel stones. No sooner had the patriots retired to the mill than the British, encouraged by a vacant field, rallied and attempted to take the stronghold by storm, but they were repulsed with considerable loss.1
In the morning of the second day the firing was continued at longer range, which gave the patriots the advantage, as their rifles could do effective work, while the Brit- ish musket balls fell harmless inside of the lines. An incident occurred that morning which is worthy of notice. A woman who lived in one of the buildings near the mill, and whose husband had left her during the battle, started with her daughter of seven- teen and a babe of six months old, to join and claim protection of the loyalist army. When the little family started the patriot commander gave orders not to fire in that direction, which order was strictly obeyed. Yet, when she arrived within ten rods of the British lines, a shot was fired which broke the jaw of the daughter and another pierced the mother and her child to the heart, and both found an untimely grave on the field of battle-the dead child clasped in the arms of its dying mother, an example of that affection which is stronger than death. Comment is unnecessary ; humanity recoils from the recital of such a cold-blooded massacre of the innocent.
During the assault before mentioned, Lieutenant Johnson, of the Eighty-third Regi- ment, with about thirty men, made a dash and endeavored to capture the patriots' decoy cannon. When within a few paces of it Johnson was shot down by riflemen in the mill and the effort was then abandoned. That night, under a cover of darkness, one of the patriots, a Pole, stole the coat and cap from the dead lieutenant, passed him- self off as an officer and escaped through the British camp, reaching the American shore in safety. The same night also, according to Wright's statement, they received a visit from Ogdensburg by the cowards who came over to bring golden promises of men and ammunition ; but Von Schoultz did not relish their encouragements. He entreated that they would be men enough to send a boat to remove the wounded, which numbered twenty-eight, as they could not, through lack of necessaries, admin- ister to their wants. The visitors promised that before daylight all the wounded should be removed and directed to have them conveyed to the shore of the river. This was done, and the wounded men lay amid storm and snow for seven tedious hours, waiting for the promised succor, yet no aid came during the dark vigils of that night of agony.
The morning of the 14th dawned in snow and rain; the fields in the rear were stud- ded with the bodies of the dead ; now and then a shot was exchanged, and then
1 A party of patriots followed the retreating British, were out-flanked, and some fifteen of them captured.
188
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
all relapsed into silence. During the night of the 14th the Canadian militia, like so many harpies, tore from the dead bodies all the clothing, ravaging the field in the dark- ness in search of any kind of plunder.
On the night of the 16th, says Wright, they were surprised by a visit from Preston King and others. They came in the steamboat Paul Pry to within about twenty-five rods of the shore and landed in a small boat, accompanied by two or three of the "extinguished " officers from Ogdensburg. Von Schoultz now expected that help had come to remove the wounded to a place of safety. The river was clear of craft and it seemed that now was their chance if ever to escape. King then promised fairly that he would return to the boat and carry away the wounded. Von Schoultz then said that after the wounded were cared for, they would all try to save themselves by retreating down the river. King acted confusedly, staid about five minutes and then departed, went aboard the Paul Pry and fled back to the American shore, and then circulated a falsehood among his friends.
On the 17th a flag of truce was sent out for the collection of the dead and wounded, which lasted two hours. About sunset four steamboats, well armed, lay in front of the mill, and 2,500 men in the rear. ' The patriots, thus hemmed in, without am- munition, betrayed, deserted and disheartened, sent a flag of truce to the British host, as their bugle rang for a charge; the flag was fired upon wounding one man. Then the patriots returned and prepared for a desperate resistance. The British advanced to within thirty rods and halted, when Colonel Dundas sent a flag summoning them to surrender at his discretion. A council was held and they saw it was in vain to resist. Von Schoultz said that not for himself would he surrender, but for the sake of those brave young men who had become dupes of the designing, and in the faint hope of saving their lives. The patriots then disarmed and marched out, defiling be- tween ranks of the Eighty-third. Von Schoultz with two others attempted to es- cape at the back door of the mill, but they were taken by the militia and treated in a most inhuman and brutal manner. They were stripped of nearly every vestige of clothing and marched to Prescott amid jeers, scoffs, insults and reproaches almost be- yond description. One of the party, Mr. Wright says, for some slight resistance, was stabbed with a dozen bayonets and died without a cry for mercy. After having been buffeted, spit upon, and treated with all the indignities possible, they were branded as Yankee cut-throats, assassins, free-booters, pirates, brigands and buccaneers ; they were crowded with all their wounded in the forecastle of the steamer Brock- ville, where they were confined, with their hands tied behind them, in so small a space that they could neither sit nor lie down. They reached Kingston on Saturday, when all the able bodied men were sent to Fort Henry, and the wounded were placed in a damp, fireless room, called a hospital.
In closing Mr. Wright says :
Are the Canadian patriots less the martyrs of liberty because victory perched not upon their banner ? Are they to be thus branded and their names go down to pos- terity to please or justify the despotic aristocrats? No! The motives of those who fought at the battle of Prescott were pure and noble, and to save the memories of the
189
THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.
dead from cruel aspersions, this feeble effort is made to place in a true light many of the actors of the Canadian revolution.
Colonel Dundas, of the Eighty-third, reported 102 prisoners taken at the Windmill, sixteen of whom were wounded. There had also been several taken in boats and on the field, which swelled the number to 145. The records of the court martial show that two died, nineteen were released, fifty-nine pardoned, fifty-five transported to Van Diemen's land, and ten of the officers and leaders were hung.
During the conflict, which was closely watched from the American shore, it was evident that the brave but misguided men would shortly be overcome in this unequal contest. Therefore, on the morning of the 15th, Colonel Worth invited Judge Fine, Preston King, Judge Stil- well, and Socrates N. Sherman, influential citizens of Ogdensburg, on board the steamer Telegraph, to go with him to the British com- mander, Colonel P. Young, and ask of him the privilege of preventing further bloodshed by removing the patriots on their frontier. The party accordingly visited Prescott and were politely received by the British officer, who accompanied them back to the steamer, where a private interview was held between the two colonels. Colonel Young pointedly refused the favor asked, but from an intimation that was dropped it was learned that the machinery of the Experiment, the Coburg and the Victoria was damaged and they had gone up the river for repairs, which would prevent them being used until two o'clock the next morning. it was naturally inferred that no means of annoyance on the river opposite the Windmill would be in possession of the Brit- ish during the early part of the night. This opportunity Colonel Worth wished to have improved, and having consulted some of the citizens on the subject, it was understood that early in the evening the Paul Pry would be at the service of a party of volunteers who might safely approach the Windmill and rescue the inmates, if they would leave the place. This responsible service was entrusted to Preston King, then postmaster of the village. At that time the principal part of the business section of the village was situated on Water street be- tween the ferry dock and the bridge. The Tremont was the first hotel in the village, and stood in Marble Row, just opposite the Allen block. The American (now the Sterling) was also a good house. At these
190
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
hotels and along this street the business men and strangers congregated on important occasions, it being near the steamboat landing. On Thursday afternoon, the 15th, the village was filled with excited people, as the British forces were preparing to close in on the patriots and their escape seemed almost impossible. Preston King seemed to br more excitable than ever, and went up and down the street in front of the hotels and repeatedly called for volunteers to go with him at the risk of their lives and rescue the patriots from their perilous situation. A sufficient number of men was soon raised and about twelve o'clock that night the party started on the steamer Paul Pry (using oil for fuel) and moved slowly down the river to within a few rods of the shore op- posite the windmill and anchored. A man said to have been connected with the patriots and to know their pass-word, was sent ashore 'with others to make known the errand of the party. Mr. King soon followed and explained the folly of looking for reinforcements, even though prom- ised, and earnestly requested that they avail themselves of the only chance to escape that would be offered. It was reported that the men on the steamer became impatient at the delay, and insisted upon the return of the steamer to Ogdensburg. Mr. King said he was thus re- luctantly compelled to return without having accomplished his purpose, further than to bring six or seven men from the mill, one of whom had been wounded.
During the time that the steamer lay near the windmill, firing along the line by the British picket guards was kept up, and occasionally a cannon ball came whizzing over the boat and dropped into the river be- yond, rendering the men on board impatient at the inaction, and subse- quently making Mr. King very nervous and gloomy. The steamer Paul Pry had scarcely returned to port when the British armed steamer was seen going down the river, and all chance of passing between the Amer- ican shore and the windmill was thus cut off.
On Thursday evening the steamer United States, having been refitted and placed in charge of Captain Vaughan, sailing master of the navy, with a party of United States troops, under Captain Wright, started for Sackett's Harbor with the patriot schooners in tow. The schooners had on their decks the cannon which had formed part of their armament. Apprehending that they would meet a British force, which was expected
191
THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.
from Kingston to assist in capturing the party at the windmill, and be- lieving it prudent to provide against any emergency that might arise, the captain caused the cannon to be loaded and the military to be held in readiness. When they neared Oak Point they met the British steamer Brockville with two gunboats in tow. The United States was hailed and ordered to " lie to and send a boat aboard." The peremp- tory and insulting tone of this order forbade compliance by the officer in charge of the flotilla, and the reply was made that they " might come aboard." The demand was repeated and again answered with coolness and laconic brevity highly creditable to the courage and ability of Cap- tain Wright. The United States having passed the British steamer, the latter turned and followed some distance, but no further notice was taken of her by the United States, and she shortly resumed her original course.
On the morning of Friday the 16th, the British had been greatly re- inforced by regulars and by gunboats armed with heavy ordnance, and they made preparations systematically for the reduction of the windmill. A battery of heavy guns was posted back of the mill, a gunboat was stationed below the mill and a heavily armed steamer above it, so ar- ranged that the shots from the three points would not interfere with each other, and all beyond rifle shot, yet sufficiently near to do good execution. What followed has been given by Mr. Wright regarding the surrender, trials, pardons, transportations, executions, etc.
During the four or five days of strange and exciting proceedings Ogdensburg was filled with anxious people from the adjacent country. The high banks at Mile Point below the village (just back of the O .. & L. C. Railroad depot site, then partially covered with trees), were crowded from early morning until dark with excited people watching the struggle going on between the little band of patriots and the British forces.
The Board of Supervisors was in session at Canton at the time, and the cannonade of the battle was distinctly heard at that place. Some of the supervisors were warm sympathizers in the movement, and a reso- lution was drawn up expressing such sympathy for the patriots strug- gling against tyranny and oppression, but it was not adopted.
192
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Bill Johnson, the avowed leader of the gang who burned the Sir Robert Peel, had been seen on the streets of Ogdensburg for several days, but no one ventured to arrest him while the village was crowded with people of his kind. The day after the surrender of the band at the windmill he was seen to leave the harbor in a boat with his son. The deputy collector entered a boat belonging to the custom-house depart- ment, hoisted a revenue flag, and, in company with several others, pur- sued him. Johnson landed about three miles above the village, was pursued and finally captured ; he surrendered on condition that his arms should be turned over to his son. He was armed with a Cochran rifle, several pistols, and a bowie knife. The merit of arresting Johnson has been claimed by different persons, and the bounty offered for his ap- prehension is said to have been paid to C. T. Buswell and A. B. James, who pursued him on horseback as soon as he landed and were present when he surrendered. The steamer Oneida, in service of the govern- ment, being near by and having troops on board, was steered towards the point where the boats landed, to afford any assistance that might be found necessary. The prisoner was conveyed on board the steamer and taken to Sackett's Harbor.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.