Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 6

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 6
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 6

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In 1759 General Amherst was promoted to the command of the American forces, and parliament voted twelve million pounds to carry on the war. The colonies exerted themselves to the utmost, and by the beginning of summer the British and colonial forces numbered nearly 50,000 men. The entire French army scarcely exceeded 7,000. Again three campaigns were planned. General Prideaux was to conduct an expedition against Niagara, capture the fort and descend the river to Montreal. Amherst was to lead the main division against Crown Point. General Wolfe was to complete the work by the capture of Quebec. General Prideaux's expedition was successful, though he was nearly killed by the bursting of a mortar, Sir William Johnson succeeding to the command, and on the 25th of July Niagara capitulated and received an English garrison, cutting off communication between Canada and Louisiana.

General Amherst with 11,000 men attacked Ticonderoga on the 22d of July, and within the next six days Ticonderoga, Fort Carleton and Crown Point were given up without a battle, the French entrenching themselves on Isle-aux-Noix. The whole country about Lake Cham- plain was thus secured by the British. Meanwhile General Wolfe, with nearly 8,000 men and a fleet of forty-four vessels, ascended the St. Lawrence, and on the 27th of June reached a point four miles below Quebec. After maneuvering more than two months, Wolfe's forces gained the Plains of Abraham, where a battle was fought on the 13th of September, the French retreating to their fortress. Five days later the French surrendered to General Townshend, Wolfe having been killed, and the English took possession of the citadel. Thus the year 1759 closed with complete triumph for the English arms.

ENGLISH SUPREMACY.

The campaign of 1760 opened early and was of a character which had a bearing upon the immediate locality of which this work treats. The sagacious and humane commander, General Amherst, planned the ter- mination of the war in Canada by a bloodless conquest. For this pur- pose three armies were destined to co-operate by different routes against Montreal, the only remaining place of strength held by the French in that country. The corps under General Murray, formerly commanded by Wolfe, was ordered to ascend the St. Lawrence from Quebec; an - other, under Colonel Haviland, to descend Lake Champlain and reduce Isle-aux- Noix, on its way to join Murray's forces. With the third corps, consisting of about 10,000, assisted by Colonel Putnam and Gen- eral Gage, the commander, Sir Jeffrey Amherst, embarked at New York on the 3d day of May, proceeded to Schenectady, whence he left June 2 Ist, passed up the Mohawk River, Wood Creek, Oneida Lake and Oswego River, and arrived at Oswego on the Ist of July. On the 14th Captain Loring hove in sight with two war vessels fitted out at Niagara, where he had received orders to look out for and attack two French boats which were crusading on the lake. On the 20th the French ves- sels, which had escaped Loring's vigilance, passed down into the St. Lawrence, pursued by Loring. Captain Willyamoz was dispatched with one hundred and thirty men and twelve boats to the Isle aux- Iroquois to supply Captain Loring's immediate wants. On the 22d General Gage arrived at Oswego with the rear of the army, as did also Sir William Johnson on the 23d with a party of Indians. On the 5th of August General Amherst ordered the army to be in readiness to em- bark. The Indians under Sir William Johnson numbered 706. On the 10th the general himself, with the royal artillery, the regulars, Sir William Johnson and a party of his Indians, embarked in canoes and whale boats; but owing to the high winds they made slow progress and one of the artillery boats was lost on a bar. On the 12th in a bay where the enemy had lately encamped, they were joined by General Gage with the provincials. On the 13th the whole army embarked and and the same day encamped with Colonel Haldiman at the post which he had taken at the head of the St. Lawrence, having passed Captain Loring with his two vessels grounded on a bar. On the 13th the army gained Point de Baril (now Blue Church) just above La Galette. Here

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

the French had a very good dock and ship-yard where they had built their vessels, having their timbers sawed at the saw-mill at La Galette. The grenadiers and infantry with the row-galleys took position that day, without previously halting, at the mouth of Oswegatchie River.

(3)

PRESENT LINES

O.& L C RAILROAD, OGDENSBURG TO

XE LISBON CENTER ETC

(4)

BETWEEN LISBON &

OSWEGATCHIE

BATTLE OF ISLE ROYAL.

I. Chimney Island, or Fort Levis.

2. Battery on American Shore.

3. Battery on Canadian Shore.

4. Saw Mill.

5. Fort la Presentation.

6. Island in Mouth of Oswegatchie, now a Sand Bar.

7. Clearings made by Piquet.

The vessels are all English war vessels in position for battle. The short dashes in the river represent row galleys.

All this time one of the French war boats hovered about the row galleys, while the other one had taken shelter near the French Fort la Presentation, and as Captain Loring had not yet got into the right channel, it became necessary for the safety of the army either to com-

ENGLISH SUPREMACY.

pel this vessel to retire, or to take her. Colonel Williamson was ac- cordingly ordered to take her with the row galleys, and on the 17th the advance was made under the fire of the enemy, which was returned from the galleys with such resolution and bravery that, after a contest of four hours, the French struck their colors. The French vessel car- ried ten twelve-pounders and one hundred men. On the same day General Amherst's forces reached Oswegatchie, when it was necessary to reconnoitre Isle Royal ; this delayed the forward movement until noon the next day. Isle Royal was not of great importance, but was of too much consequence to leave in rear of an army, and its captured garrison would, moreover, furnish pilots acquainted with the river rapids ; hence it was determined to make the attack, which was done the same evening. The French opened a sharp cannonade, destroyed one of the row galleys, a few boats, and killed two or three men. Not- withstanding the continuance of this fire, the placing of batteries on the Canadian shore and on Indian Point, and the masterly disposition of the British troops, the fort was so thoroughly invested that by the 20th the escape of the garrison was impossible. The vessels dropped down the stream (Captain Loring having arrived on the previous day), and posted themselves as close to the fort as possible, with decks and rigging well manned, in order to fall upon the enemy and prevent them from using their guns ; while the grenadiers were prepared to row in with broadswords and scaling ladders, their boats surrounded with mus- ket-proof fascines, and under cover of three hundred light infantry, who were to fire into the embrasures. On the 23d the assault was made by the batteries opening on the fort. Captain Loring's vessel ran aground, and he was wounded and sent ashore, his boat being abandoned about midnight. This accident delayed the assault for a time, but the delay was a fortunate one, as it saved much bloodshed ; for on the 25th of August M. Pouchet, the French commander, asked for terms of capit- ulation. The answer was that the fort must be given up immediately, and the garrison surrendered prisoners of war. Only ten minutes were granted for a reply, The terms were accepted within the time and Lieutenant-Colonel Massey, with the grenadiers, took possession of the place. The loss of the English was twenty-one killed and nineteen wounded.

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

After the surrender of Fort Levis, the French garrison at Fort la Presentation saw that it would be useless to hold out or to attempt to escape with the gun boat moored in a cove near by, and they scuttled her and fled to the woods, escaping into Canada. The English took possession of the place.

After preparations had been made, the general with a part of his army embarked about noon on the 31st of August, descended to Isle- aux Chats (opposite Louisville Landing), and on the Ist of September encamped about ten miles farther down. On the 2d General Gage, with the other division, joined Amherst, having lost three Highlanders în going over the falls. The whole force, proceeding together, entered Lake St. Francis, and that evening reached Point-aux-Boudets. On the 3d a prisoner was brought in and gave intelligence that Colonel Haviland had taken possession of Isle-aux-Noix, the enemy having abandoned it. On the 4th the army was put in motion, and about noon the vanguard entered Cedar Falls. This is by far the most dangerous part of the river, and had the boats crowded close upon each other, most of them must have foundered. As it was, twenty-nine small boats, seventeen whale boats, seventeen artillery boats, and one row galley were dashed to pieces, with a loss of eighty-eight men. On the morning of the 5th the remainder, who had encamped on Isle Perrot, passed the rapids in safety. While stopping to repair the boats many inhabitants flocked in to take the oath of allegiance to his Britannic Ma- jesty.

After nine days of further perilous voyaging over the rapids of the St. Lawrence, the general and his army came in sight of Montreal. The other two armies came up the river from below, and on the 8th of September, 1760, the garrison of Montreal, the last important post of the enemy in the valley of the St. Lawrence, surrendered to General Amherst, which virtually ended French rule in Canada. The Marquis of Vaudreuil, in surrendering Montreal, stipulated that all western forts under control of the French, should be given up to England. Major Robert Rogers, with a company of two hundred provincial rangers, was sent on to receive the surrender of the outposts in the west. But for three years longer the war between France and England continued on the ocean.

ENGLISH SUPREMACY.

On the 10th of February, 1763, a treaty of peace was made at Paris, when all the French possessions in North America east of the Missis- sippi, from its source to the River Iberville, and thence through Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico, were surrendered to Great Britain. At the same time Spain ceded East and West Florida to the English crown, while the French were forced to cede to Spain all of the vast territory west of the Mississippi, then known as the Prov- ince of Louisiana.

The historical engagement between the English and the French on the St. Lawrence, and the surrender of the French garrison at Isle Royal, was perhaps more important in its consequences than any battle of which we have record. The first blood was shed in the Southwest under Washington's command, and at this point the last gun was fired and the last blood spilled in the memorable French, Indian and English war of 1754-60 in North America, which not only ended French rule but dominated Catholicism, which they endeavored to establish with the feudal system throughout this now free and happy land, so rendered under the powerful institutions, language, laws and liberties of the English speaking race. In consideration of these facts, Ogdensburg will ever be known as one of the most important historic places in this country.

There was a time when hope beamed on the fruits of French explo- ration and settlement in the New World. The daring ambition and enterprise of the young French noblesse laid the foundation of that trade which led to the partial opening of the Great West. The mis- sions the Jesuits had come to plant among the heathen natives were consecrated with tears and watered with their life blood. Through years of unparalleled toil and with great agony of soul the hopes of the fathers were alternately raised and crushed. Despite the amazing forti- tude and unquenchable zeal, through the triumph of the English the hopes of the mission were doomed to destruction and the heart of faith was humbled in the dust.

This chapter may be properly closed with brief reference to Father Piquet,1 whose influence was so marked in early times upon the territory

1 Following is a brief sketch of Father Piquet's life. Father Piquet was born at Bourg in Bresse on the 6th of December, 1708. His early education was under the care of an estimable

HISTORY OF ST LAWRENCE.

with which we are concerned in these pages. In the account given by M. De Vaudreuil, in 1765, of French affairs in Canada, he said that as the circumstances became more embarrassing, the zeal of Father Piquet became more precious to the cause and prompted him to greater activity; but when Montcalm was killed, September 13, 1759, at the taking of Quebec, bringing ruin upon that place, Father Piquet decided to termi - nate his long and laborious career as missionary of La Galette. He could not endure the thought of swearing allegiance to any other power, and made preparations to leave, Father Garde having been selected to take charge of the mission. He accordingly left La Galette May 8, 1760, with a few of his braves to escort and guard him up the country, taking the route between Lakes Huron and Michigan, and thence down through Louisiana to New Orleans. Louisiana and the west were then still under the French rule. Father Piquet remained in New Orleans nearly two years, and until he heard of the final triumph of the Eng- lish, when he sailed to France. In 1777 he made a journey to Rome, and was heartily received by the Holy Father. Returning to France he repaired with his sister to Verjun in 1781, and died on the 18th of July that year.

Father and his greatest desire was to be a missionary. At the age of seventeen he began mission- ary work in the parish where he lived. His success soon attracted the attention of the bishop, who gave him permission to preach in all parishes of his diocese. This new position rendered him desirous to go to Rome to complete his education, but the archbishop advised him to go to Paris instead. Following this advice he entered the congregation of St. Sulpice, where he remained about five years. His activity and zeal led him to seek a larger field of labor. He sailed therefore to the wilds of America in 1733. He located in Montreal, where he passed about seven years in missionary work. During this time he acquainted himself with the customs and language of the Indians, in whose tongue he spoke fluently. About 1740 he established himself at the Lake of Two Mountains, where he built with some aid from the king, a stone fort and a palisade of cedar posts around the village, flanked by good redoubts. He became a great favorite with the Indians and drew many to the support of the king, as well as to the embrace of Christianity. For his military knowledge, courage and zeal he was called in 1748 to establish a fort and a missionary post at La Galette. Of the thirty years of his active life spent in the northern wilderness to convert the sav- ages to the Catholic faith, eleven were passed in founding and conducting the mission of La Galette. Besides carrying on a warfare with the English he built a saw mill, a stone chapel, and several stone houses, also an extensive fortification. He also cleared several hundred arpents of land, and put it under cultivation for the benefit of his flock, which consisted of more than four hundred families, or some 3,000 souls, most of whom were converted Indians from the several tribes in his vicinity. He had established a burying ground on the brow of the hill just back of the barracks, on the northwest corner of what is now New York avenue and King street, where the bones of some of their dead now repose. The English also used the same place for burial pur- poses during the thirty-six years of their occupancy of the place.

Leo-2. Erwin

ENGLISHI POSSESSION.

CHAPTER VII.

ENGLISH POSSESSION.

La Galette Improved by the English-Name Changed to Oswegatchie-The Indian Village of La Galette -- The Revolutionary Period -- English Possession of Oswegatchie after the Declaration of Peace-Its Unimportance During the War -- The Expedition of Lieutenants McClelland and Hardenburgh-The Boy Soldier and the Indian -- Isaac Wells's Description of Oswegatchie in 1796 -- Land Leases from the Indians and the English -- Mohawks' Surrender of Lands-The Ten Townships Surveyed and Mapped on the South Side of the St. Lawrence -- Transfer of Lands -- Samuel Ogden and his Pur- chase --- Nathan Ford -- His Arrival at Oswegatchie.

FTER the surrender of Isle Royal, the fort was dismantled and abandoned, while the fortification " La Galette " was put in good repair and a squad of soldiers stationed there to guard British in-

FORT AND BARRACKS AT LA GALETTE

terest in this locality. The name of the fort and place was changed to Oswegatchie, the Indian name of the river. During the progress of the war the greater portion of the Indians had become completely subor- dinated to French influence, and the English were hated with all the ferocity of the savage nature. The tribes could not be made to com- prehend that the French authority had been broken up, and they con- 10

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

fidently expected the day would soon come when the king of France would send new armies and expel the obnoxious English. Infatuated with this belief, instigated by the French themselves, and stung by many insults, real and imaginary, the warriors began their usual atroci- ties on the western frontiers in the following summer.

In this section of the country a peace policy was enacted, both with the French and the Indians, and great care was taken not to molest either race in their religious observances or customs.

The Indian village at La Galette was composed of upwards of four hundred families that Father Piquet had gathered around him, who commenced to disperse as soon as the English had taken possession of the place; some went back to the Lake of Two Mountains, some to St. Regis or to other places, and a remnant of the Oswegatchies remained in the mission houses. The English soon discovered their mistake in allowing the Oswegatchies to occupy the deserted village and remain so near their barracks. The intimacy which soon sprang up between the Indians and soldiers had a demoralizing effect on the latter, and besides the number of vacant houses in the mission village afforded an oppor- tunity for roving Indians to congregate under the cover of friendship, and through treachery it was feared they might undertake to surprise and capture the garrison. Therefore an order was issued from headquarters either to disperse the Indians or to remove them, at the expense of the government, to a safe distance from the barracks, and demolish the mission houses. There were forty-six Indian families, including eighty warriors, who declared their loyalty to the English government and desired to be located at Indian Point.

A village was laid out at the place designated, consisting of a street running parallel with the river, with the houses ranged in a regular manner on each side of it, all uniformly built, with their ends to the street, sharp roofed, shingled with pointed shingles, and with glass win- dows. Every house was built for two families, had two doors in front, and a double fire place, and single chimney in the center, with a parti- tion equally dividing the interior. The villagers at first numbered something over two hundred and fifty souls. They did not increase in numbers, but gradually diminished to nearly one-half their former num- ber, when the Americans came into possession of the place in 1796.

ENGLISH POSSESSION.

While located at this point they were under the direction of one Joseph Reoam, a Frenchman, who spoke the dialect of the Iroquois language, and is said to have been a chief and to have married an Indian woman. They planted corn on Galloup Island, and elsewhere in the vicinity, and fished and hunted near by their village. A portion of the Indians, however, were accustomed to spend most of their summers and falls on Black Lake, trapping, fishing and hunting deer, returning to their cabins for the winters. They used bark canoes, which they carried around rapids and across portages with perfect ease.

European settlements in the New World had hitherto mainly been made for trade; now the settlers partook of the character of and felt the desire to be a nation. The days of great companies, with huge land grants and restricting monopolies had passed, and the ties, com- mercial and political, between the mother country and the colonies were already being sundered. The public debt of England had in- creased largely on account of her colonies, and it seemed reasonable to them at least, that a return in some measure should be made to the mother country for what they had cost. The laying of heavy taxes on the colonies English statesmen never anticipated would lead to revolt. What took place at the port of Boston and what came of it is too well known to deserve description here. In the various conflicts that took place between the French and English troops from 1754 to 1761, the Americans had learned valuable lessons in modern warfare, and had seen for themselves that British generals were not infallible nor British troops invincible, and thereby had gained a very decided confidence in their own prowess.

The colonists, or a portion of the New World, resenting interference in matters of trade from administrations in London, and feeling that liberty was imperiled by the aggressions of the crown, threw off allegiance to Britain, proclaimed to the world their independence, and founded the government of the United States. The struggle was long and fierce, and for a time British arms met with their wonted success, and the hopes of the young nation were far from being elated. But while the weary years of the unnatural conflict passed, fickle fortune began to change and the fates to smile on the armies of the young re- public. The royalists met with reverse after reverse until the end

HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

came with the surrender at Saratoga of General Burgoyne, and at York- town of Lord Cornwallis Victory finally rested upon the continental armies. America achieved her independence, and was formally admitted into the category of nations. In the spring of iss the news came from England of the signing of the preliminary treaty of peace, and was officially communicated to the people in the proclamation by Con- gress on the roth of April of that year. A general exchange of pris- opers tollowat, and a large number of tories left the country, fearing to remain after the British forces were withdrawn, which was accomplished during the following summer and fall

There were several places on the northern frontiers that were held by the British for several years after peace was declared. Oswegatchie was one of the number. It being located so far away from the American settlements, the English felt at liberty to continue, through a company or corporation, that lucrative business, the far and lumber trade, amail the boundary lines should be definitely settled.

The marshy territory along the Oswegatchie River, Black Lake and their tributaries, formed large and admirable parks for the otter, beaver, and other fur-bearing animals, which greatly flourished in these carly days The beaver dams, built by these industrious animals, across the low grounds, to hold back the water in times of drouth, may be distinctly traced at this late date.

The forest, for miles above and below this point, as well as in the reur, was filled with a beautiful growth of white oak, rock elm, pinte. rock maple, beech, birch, basswood, spruce, hemlock, cedar and several Varieties of less valuable woods."

A lange business was carried on here, when the English occupied the Oswegatchie post by Canadian umber companies ? The forest, for miles around, was denuded of its most valuable timber, which was nowved in

ENGLISH POSSESSION.

cribs down the smaller rivers. or hauled to the St. Lawrence, where it was rafted and floated down to Quebec for the English market.

The military post at Oswegatchie was so far from the seat of war during the Revolutionary struggle that it was of very little benefit to the English, further than to serve as a stopping place for their soldiers when passing up the St. Lawrence river to operate against the American forces in the vicinity of Oswego. So far as the knowledge of the writer extends, nothing of very great importance happened to break the monotonous life of the soldiers in camp at Fort Oswegatchie, save the following : April 1, 1779, Lieutenants McClelland and Hardenburgh, of the Colonial army, were dispatched from Fort Schuyler (the site of Utica) at the head of a body of soldiers and Indians, on an expedition against the British garrison at Oswegatchie, their plan being to steal upon it and take the place by surprise. But falling in with some straggling Indians, several shots were imprudently exchanged, which warned the garrison of their approach. The attacking party then attempted to draw the enemy from the fort by stratagem and partly succeeded, but could not entice them to come out a sufficient distance to enable the be- siegers to cut off their retreat. Besides, on approaching the fort themselves, the assailants were so warmly received that they were compelled to retreat without unnecessary delay. The only valuable serv- ice performed was the sending of an Indian into Canada, with a letter written in French by a French general, probably the Marquis de La- fayette, and addressed to the Canadians.

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 6

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