Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 18

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 18
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 18

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On Monday after the capture of the patriots, Hon. John Fine, with Charles G. Myers, visited Kingston, carried a contribution of several hundred dollars to supply the wants of the prisoners and offered them legal counsel. There being no railroads at that time and the steamboat season being closed, they applied to Colonel Worth to send them over to Kingston and furnish them with a letter to the commanding officer there ; both requests were refused. They then crossed to Prescott, ap- plied to Colonel Young, who furnished them with a note to Colonel Dundas at Kingston. A citizen of Prescott gave them the use of a small steamer without charge. At Kingston they found several Amer- icans from Oswego and other places on a similar errand. The sheriff refused an audience with the prisoners in accordance with his orders from the governor. They then applied to Colonel Dundas, stating that they were lawyers for the prisoners and had some right to serve them in that capacity, having been employed by friends of the prisoners for that purpose. They stated that it was the boast of the English law, which the Americans inherited from the mother country, that every

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THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.

one was presumed innocent of crime until proved guilty, and that the prisoners had a right to legal advice and the privilege of obtaining wit- nesses for their defence. Upon this the colonel took them to the prison, told the sheriff that he would take the responsibility, and several were admitted to the prison rooms. The Ogdensburg counselors remarked to the boys that there was hope in their cases ; that the power of Eng- land was not so feeble as to fear the loss of Canada by the hands of boys, and the glory of England would not be enhanced by their sacri- fice. They were advised to plead their youth and throw themselves on the mercy of the governor, and several were released, as has been stated.

The issue of this expedition did much to render the patriot cause un- popular, and a healthy reaction was soon felt along the frontier ; but a spirit of jealousy and hostility had been engendered that led to much difficulty. On the 21st of December the village trustees resolved to organize a company (home guards) to be held ready at a minute's warning to act in preserving order and to repel, if necessary, any ag- gression. Resolutions were passed to petition Congress for protec- tion of the frontier and asking its intervention in favor of the patriot prisoners ; also a becoming tribute was paid to the valor and courage of the misguided youths who had been seduced into aiding the move- ment.

On the 2d of January, 1839, another public meeting was called by a large number of prominent citizens of all parties and was addressed by Major-General Winfield Scott in a very able manner. A series of reso- lutions embodying the sentiment of the considerate of all parties and appealing to all good citizens to aid in putting an end to these proceed- ings, so destructive of the public peace and so perilous to our national welfare, were passed. A bitter feeling towards Americans was mani- fested by the Canadians in the following acts : The steamer United States, Captain Whitney, left Ogdensburg on the evening of April 14, 1839, with a large number of passengers, and as she was passing out into the channel, from six to ten rounds of musket shot were fired at her from the wharf at Prescott, where a crowd was assembled. On the same evening she was fired upon from the wharf at Brockville. These insulting attacks were greatly aggravated by a high-handed outrage

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

committed upon the schooner G. S. Weeks, Captain Turner, on Friday, May 17, 1839. She stopped at Brockville to discharge some merchan dise. The usual papers had been sent to the custom house and a per- mit to unload had been issued by the deputy collector. There was lying on the deck a six-pounder iron cannon belonging to the State of New York and consigned to Captain A. B. James, to replace the one seized by the patriots. Upon discovering this cannon an attempt was made to seize it, but this was resisted by the crew until the collector of the district came up and took possession of the vessel under some al- leged irregularity in her papers. The gun was then taken by the mob, who paraded the streets with it and fired it repeatedly. Word was im- mediately sent to Colonel Worth at Sackett's Harbor, who promptly re- paired to the place in the steamer Oneida and sent a respectful inquiry to learn on what grounds the schooner was detained. To this the deputy collector could give no direct answer ; but from what he could learn Colonel Worth inferred that the seizure was without justification, and he resolved to vindicate our national honor in the recovery of the can- non. On Saturday evening he went to Prescott and peremptorily de- manded of Colonel Frasier the release of the vessel and her cargo; to which answer was made at ten o'clock the next day that the vessel and cargo should be released, but doubt was expressed whether the gun could be secured from the mob. Colonel Worth had on board the steamer Oneida about one hundred regulars, who were supplied with double the number of muskets and ammunition sufficient for the oc- casion. The steamer took a position along side the schooner and a de- mand for the restoration of the gun was sent to those having it in charge. The wharves and block houses were densely crowded with an excited and furious mob, many of whom were armed, and all partaking of the excitement prevalent. The civil authorities endeavored to pro- cure the restoration of the piece, but were incapable of persuading or com- pelling the rabble to surrender it. Matters remained thus for several hours, during which a collision was momentarily expected. At 4 P. M. a steamer from Kingston, with British regulars aboard, arrived, which had been sent for by the magistrates of the village, and by their aid several leaders of the mob were arrested and lodged in the guard house. Having waited sufficiently long, Colonel Worth notified the authorities

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THE PATRIOT WAR OF 1837-40.

for the last time that the cannon must be instantly returned. It was done with the utmost haste, and the schooner proceeded on her way to Ogdensburg, and the gun which had caused so much trouble was deliv- ered to the right person.1

On Tuesday, June 25, 1839, a party from Prescott attempted to ab- duct an army deserter from Ogdensburg, but their plans were discov- ered and the leader was surrounded by a large crowd of people, covered with tar and feathers, and marched back to his boat under an armed guard. The officer of the gang thus treated was said to have committed suicide the next day.

As the American steam packet St. Lawrence was passing down the river on her regular trip August 4, 1839, she was fired upon by an armed British schooner lying in the stream opposite Brockville, for the alleged reason that she disregarded their call to halt and show her colors This being communicated to Colonel Worth, an explanation was demanded, and a feeble attempt made to justify the act on the ground that they were afraid the steamer contained patriots, and they wanted to know to what nation she belonged, etc.

The renewal of friendly intercourse began soon afterward. The Brit- ish steamers touching at Ogdensburg were well received, which had much influence in allaying the animosity that existed for a time between the border inhabitants of the two nations.

1 It is claimed by some that this cannon was the present " Long Tom," which is not the historic French gun that was used so long in the village and reported to have been taken to the windmill by the patriots. Others claim, with an appearance of truth, that the present gun is " Long Tom No. 2," which was captured from the British during the Revolution at Saratoga, and was purchased from a junk shop in Utica in the winter of 1838-9 and mounted here.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

CHAPTER XV.

WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861-65.

The First War Meeting -- Captain Nevin's Company-Other Companies-Various Organizations Containing St. Lawrence County Representatives-Drafts-Bounties- Confederate Raids from Canada-Major General Dix's Order-Ogdensburg Home Guards-The Fenian Movement-Ogdensburg a Center of Active Operations-Misun- derstanding Regarding the Strength of the Movement.

A FTER the excitement of the patriot war, which event necessitated the marshaling of troops in various parts of Northern New York, especially in the streets of Ogdensburg, peace and quietness reigned for a long period, until the slave oligarchy of the South openly rebelled against the Union and emphasized their actions by firing on Fort Sum- ter at 4 o'clock A. M., April 12, 1861. It will not be expected that a lengthy or concise history of the movements of a military character that occurred in St. Lawrence county during the war of the Rebellion will be given in a work of this character. There is sufficient data on this subject, if gathered and properly put together. to fill a volume, which may be done by some one in the near future. Therefore we shall en- deavor to give only a résumé of the leading local events during the great struggle. The act of firing on Fort Sumter thoroughly aroused the patriotic people of the North, and they assembled spontaneously at every available point, not only to show their loyalty, but to discuss the situation and devise methods for future action. The result of these de- liberations, irrespective of political parties, was a determination that the Union should be preserved.

Fort Sumter, having been kept under continuous fire from the early morning of the 12th, fell into the hands of the rebel forces on Sunday morning the 14th. The news of the surrender was received by tele- graph in Ogdensburg on Monday morning the 15th, which spread like wild-fire over the surrounding country. The Daily Journal issued an extra containing the news, and at a gathering of the people in the

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WAR OF THE REBELLION.

streets enrollment papers asking for volunteers for six months were pre- sented by Henry R. James, and numerously signed. On Monday there were in Ogdensburg a large number of people from the surrounding towns eager to learn the news, whom Mr. James consulted, and agreed to meet some of them at Depeyster Corners that evening. The meet- ing was held in the M. E. church, which was well filled with the sturdy men of the town, Benjamin Eastman presiding. Mr. James made a stirring speech, in which he urged them to send at least fourteen men to join the Ogdensburg company, which they were endeavoring to raise in the various towns of the county. The chairman called on several prominent citizens to express their views on the subject, but failed to draw them out, when he called N. M. Curtis, a young farmer and a law student, to give his views on the plan proposed. He stated his objec- tion to sending a company for six months only, and advised the prompt organization of a regiment in the county, to be tendered to the govern- ment to serve as long as the exigencies of the country might require.

He then gave notice that an effort would be made to organize a com- pany in Depeyster and adjoining towns, and invited all favoring it to assemble the next evening at Mason's tavern, where he would secure a room to meet in.

Similar proceedings were entered upon in Gouverneur, Potsdam, Stockholm and other towns.

On Wednesday evening the 17th a large meeting was held in Eagle Hall at Ogdensburg, Hon. John Fine presiding. The meeting was ad- dressed by many prominent men of the village and county. The move- ment started by Mr. James and others on the 15th, having been aban- doned, steps were taken to organize a company, command of which was tendered to David A. Nevin, who had that day returned from an army post in Texas, where he had occupied a civil position, in which he had improved the opportunity to acquire much information respecting mili- tary affairs. Mr. Neven accepted the offer, and made preparations to open a recruiting office. A second meeting was called at Lyceum Hall, for the purpose of stimulating the people to immediate action. Citizens, both old and young, paraded the streets with music and banners. Business was virtually suspended to give attention to the all-absorbing question of the day. The hall was filled to overflowing, R. W. Judson

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

presiding, and in a few words stated the object of the meeting, to be the raising of men and means for the war. The chairman led with a handsome subscription, and others followed rapidly, until about $3,000 were subscribed and forty-four men enlisted, Isaac T. Merry being the first one to sign the muster roll. Captain Nevin's company was promptly organized, and the first to leave for Albany, where they ar- rived on the 24th of April, and became A of the Sixteenth N. Y. Vol. Inf. Capt. James Pomeroy organized B in Potsdam and vicinity ; Capt. Frank Palmer, C in Plattsburg; Capt. George Parker, D in Gou- verneur, Fowler and Rossie; Capt. John L. Stetson, E of Plattsburg ; Capt. John C. Gilmour, F in Potsdam; Capt. N. M. Curtis, G in De- peyster, Dekalb, Macomb, Morristown, Hermon, Oswegatchie and Ros- sie ; Capt. Warren Gibson, H in Stockholm and vicinity ; Capt. Joel Seaver, I in Malone, and Capt. Wallace W. Wood, K of Chazy. The line officers selected Thos. A. Davies, of New York city, a native of St. Lawrence county, for colonel; Samuel Marsh of Potsdam, for lieuten- ant-colonel, and Buel Palmer, of Plattsburg, for major. The foregoing officers so selected were approved by the governor, and the regiment was mustered into the U. S. service for a term of two years by Cap- tains Lorenzo Sitgreave and Frank Wheaton of the U. S. Army, on the 15th day of May, 1861, and designated the Sixteenth N. Y. Vol. Inf. The following named persons succeeded them as colonels of this regiment : Joseph Howland and Joel J. Seever.

On May 30th the regiment was sent to "Camp Morgan " near Al- bany, and while there were partially supplied with arms and ammuni- tion, and common wall tents. Most of the companies, through the as- sistance of friends, received colors before their departure for Albany, at which place they received clothing and general outfit from the State. The regiment left Albany June 27, reached Washington on the 29th, and went into camp, where they remained nearly a fortnight under in- struction.

Capt. David L. Bartlett organized a company at Ogdensburg, and was mustered into the U. S. service as Company K of the Eighteenth N. Y. Vol. Inf., May 17, 1861, with Geo. B. Myres, of Ogdensburg, as major.

These regiments were on the 17th of July following sent forward, and a portion of them shortly after engaged with the Fifth Alabama Regi-

A.M. Fredone

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WAR OF THE REBELLION.

ment, in which engagement Sergeant John Allen, of Ogdensburg, was killed, this being the first casualty of the war from the numbers that left St. Lawrence county.

During the fore part of the summer of 1861 a number of men from St. Lawrence county enlisted in the Fifteenth Regiment, organized at Elmira.

The Sixtieth N. Y. Vol. Inf., raised chiefly in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, was organized at Ogdensburg, and mustered into the service October, 1861, with Wm. B. Hayward, of New York city, as colonel. The following named are those who succeeded as colonels of this regiment: Geo S. Greene, Wm. B. Goodrich and Abel Godard.

The Ninety-second N. Y. Vol. Inf. was organized and mustered into the U. S. service at Potsdam, January 1, 1862, with Jonah Sanford as colonel. The colonel that succeeded him was Lewis C. Hunt.

The 106th N. Y. Vol. Inf. was organized and mustered into the U. U. service at Ogdensburg, September 29, 1862, with Schuyer F, Judd, colonel. Those succeeding him are Edward E. James, Frederic E. Embie and Andrew N. McDonald.

The 142d N. Y. Vol. Inf. was organized and mustered into the U. S. service at Ogdensburg, September 29, 1862, with Roscius W. Judson colonel. Those succeeding him were N. Martin Curtis and Albert M. Barney.

In addition to the above organizations, St. Lawrence county fur- nished men to the 24th, 100th, 102d, 164th and 193d Infantry ; to the 6th, 7th, 20th and 24th N. Y. Cavalry volunteers ; to Batteries D and L, First N. Y. Artillery (nearly all of Battery D was raised in Gouver- neur and western part of St. Lawrence county), to the 2d, 13th, 14th and 16th Artillery, and the 50th N. Y. Engineers.

On the 25th of October, Hon. William A. Wheeler presented to the regiment a national flag. On Tuesday, October 29, Col. William B. Hayward (late of the One Hundred and Second,) reported at camp as commander of the Sixtieth, which number was given the regiment. Oc- tober 31, Hon. John Fine presented a State banner to the regiment, on behalf of the ladies of Ogdensburg. The regiment left camp for the seat of war November 1, 1861, and shortly after reaching Washington was assigned to duty in guarding the railroad between Baltimore and

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Washington. January 12, 1862, Colonel Hayward tendered his resig- nation to the war department, and on the 27th Col. George Sears Greene took command; he was promoted in May, and Lieutenant- Colonel William B. Goodrich succeeded to the command, and Edward C. James received a commission as major. In the battle of Antietam Colonel Goodrich was killed.

There were enlisted in the three arms of the service and drafted up- wards of 5,000 men in the county of St. Lawrence. Of this number a large portion perished on the field or in hospitals, and some in the prison-pens of the Confederacy.

In the second year of the war a draft was ordered, but the persons drafted were allowed to furnish a substitute or pay the government $300. It was also provided that any person liable to do military duty had the right to put in a substitute, which would be credited to him and he thereby be exempt from subsequent call. A great many thousand dol lars were paid in the county by the drafted men and for substitutes by those who were subject to be drawn.

The liability of being drafted, should the quota of the towns. or county be not filled, so agitated the people that the Board of Supervisors was assembled on the 19th of July, 1864, when the board took action and offered large bounties for volunteers to fill the calls that might there- after be made on the county. A general recruiting committee was ap- pointed, consisting of Calvin T. Hulburd, Hiram H. Peck, Charles Shep- hard, George Robinson, and John R. Brinckerhoff. A finance commit- tee was appointed as follows : Ela N. Merriam, T. S. Clarkson 2d, and Charles Anthony. County bonds were issued, consisting of $50, $100 and up to $500, at the legal rate of interest (seven per cent.)

This committee issued $1,098,350 in bonds, all of which were called in within a few years thereafter. The interest on the same amounted to $358,000. This generous action showed the determination of the people to carry the war to a successful termination, no matter what the cost might be.

A new phase was added to the general excitement of the war, which partook somewhat of terror, when the news was received that thirty or forty Confederates on Wednesday afternoon, October 19, 1864, had made a raid on the three banks at St. Albans, Vt., and after taking

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THE FENIAN AFFAIR.

about $175,000, had mounted their horses, shooting right and left, kill- ing and wounding, as they fled for Canada. Following this came the news that sixty thousand Southern refugees in Canada were organizing raiding parties all along the frontier to burn and pillage the American cities and villages near the line, their principal object being to draw the Union forces away from the front in the South, as the southern armies were at the time hard pressed.

The people in Ogdensburg, not feeling secure in their possessions, especially of the banks, called a meeting to organize a force to protect the place, and arrangements were made to form a company of home guards. A dispatch received from Cornwall, November 3, left little room to doubt that a hostile demonstration was intended by parties from the other side of the line, and a large number of citizens were un- der arms that night. On the following day three companies of home guards were organized, and some fifty or sixty men were detailed to patrol the streets all night, and picket guards were placed along the river and outskirts of the village. On the 12th of November the fol- lowing notice appeared in the Daily Journal :

Companies C and A of the Independent Home Guards (east of State street) will meet for drill at the town hall, at eight o'clock this evening.

Also the following :

Another of the St. Albans raiders was taken at Waterloo, C. E., on Monday, No- vember 7, who had $2,000 of Franklin county bank bills in his possession.

November 9, the course of Judge Coursol, of Montreal, in granting the application of Lieutenant Young, leader of the confederate raiders, to be permitted to send to Richmond for evidence of his official status, showed plainly that the prisoners were to be released. The case for the prosecution of the St. Albans raiders was closed on Monday the 14th. Lieutenant Young then handed in a statement that he was a commissioned officer in the confederate service, and the court decided that the expedition was not projected in Canada. December 10, Gen- eral Fry, the United States provost marshal, gave orders to arrest per- sons of a suspicious character who were lurking around without any particular business.

Early in December Major-General Dix issued the following general order No. 97.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

The guilty St. Albans marauders have been released by the Canadian authorities, therefore all military commanders on the frontier are hereby instructed, in case further acts of depredation and murder are attempted, whether by marauders or persons acting under orders from the rebel authorities at Richmond, to shoot down the perpetrators if possible while bearing arms against United States authority, or if it be necessary to ac- complish their capture, to cross the boundary between the United States and Canada. Said commanders are hereby directed to pursue them wherever they may take refuge, and if captured they are, under no circumstances, to be surrendered, but are to be sent to these headquarters for trial and punishment by martial law.

MAJOR GENERAL DIX.

The orders of Generals Dix and Fry gave a fresh impetus to the mili - tary spirit which had been manifested along the border, and the com- panies already formed in Ogdensburg were soon filled to overflowing. Our people were in the right spirit to strike back in case they were as- saulted, being now clothed with authority to do so.

The passport system was now established, which prevented any per- son crossing from Canada into the States without having a permit from the proper authority. A company of United States soldiers (from Mas- sachusetts) was stationed at Ogdensburg and quartered in the Parish stone store, to enforce this order. This measure was somewhat embar- rassing to our citizens; several were caught on the Canadian side, not fully understanding the requirements, and were obliged to procure a passport from the American consul at Prescott, at the expense of five dollars, before they could again set foot on the American soil.

The following quotation from the New York Times, of December 16, 1864, clearly explains the necessity for such a measure :

So far as this country is concerned the case is in a nut-shell. If Judge Coursol's ac- tion in this case defines the position and action of the Canadian government, the south- ern rebels are quite at liberty to organize raids on Canadian soil against the United States. That simply converts Canada, so far as this war is concerned, into rebel terri- tory, and our government, by General Dix's order, promptly declares its purpose to so regard and treat it in case of necessity. In this position it will be heartily sustained by the great body of the people.

The prompt action of our government and the display of such a mili- tary force along the frontier, brought the Canadian officials to their senses, as the following correspondence of December 24 indicates :

As soon as the first recapture of the St. Albans raiders had been made, the Canadian authorities at Quebec telegraphed to our government a statement of the facts, accom- panied by assurance that he (Young) had been dispatched in custody of a competent

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THE FENIAN AFFAIR.

force to be delivered over to our government. This settles the vexed question which has sprung up on account of the decision of Justice Coursol, and is an earnest assur- ance that the colonial government is determined to carry out all its obligations to our people without regard to the sympathy of a few of its subjects or the ruling of petty officials. Up to the latest, six of the marauders had been captured, including the lead- ers, Young and Burley.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 18

Author: Curtis, Gates Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328