USA > New York > Fulton County > The border warfare of New York, during the revolution; or, The annals of Tryon county > Part 13
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On the following morning, when Gen. Van Rens- selaer advanced with his troops, the enemy had entire- ly disappeared. They had left their ground, and retreated up the river a short distance, and then crossed to the south. The river was deep and rapid where it formed the bend, which would have ensured Gen. Van Rensselaer a complete victory had he prose- cuted his attack with more vigor. A detachment was sent in pursuit, who discovered in the trail of the enemy evidence of the extreme state to which they
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
were reduced by hunger and fatigue. The whole country on the north side of the river, from Caugh- nawaga to Stone Arabia and Palatine, had been de- vastated, which, with the ravages of Brant on the south side of the river, in the previous August, almost completed the destruction of the Mohawk settlements.
If here and there a little settlement escaped their ravages, each were like an oasis in the desert, affording temporary shelter and protection, and, like them, liable to be destroyed or buried up by the next whirl- wind which should sweep over the land.
But these incursions of the enemy were not made " without loss on their part. The militia hastily collect- ed, hung upon their rear, and often attacked them, and checked and diverted their course; and there were instances of individual resistance-of men standing between the enemy and their wives and children, upon whose scalps the Indians might well have paint- ed the little red foot,* indicating that they fell fighting bravely in their defense.
* See Appendix-Notes I, K.
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CHAPTER X.
" Still in your prostrate land there shall be some Proud hearts, the shrines of Freedom's vestal flame ; Long trains of ill may pass unheeded, dumb, But vengeance is behind, and justice is to come."
THE following letter was written by Major Nicholas Fish to Gen. Clinton, under date of
Schenectady, March 6th, 1781. " DEAR GENERAL,
" The enclosed letters from Col. Cortland announce the disagreeable tale of the capture of fifteen men of our regiment and murder of one, by which the inhab- itants of this town, and doubtless of the upper settle- ments, have their fears very considerably alarmed.
"In consequence of your intention, communicated to me when last in Albany, I wrote to the justices at Canajoharie for a warrant to impress twenty sleighs, for the purpose of transporting another supply of pro- vision to Fort Schuyler, and ordered the officer com- manding at Fort Rensselaer to furnish men to execute the warrant on Tuesday morning, and forward the sleighs to this place to-morrow evening. Perhaps this disaster may put it out of his power to procure the number ordered ; but should the sleighs arrive, I wish to have particular instructions whether to prosecute
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
the first plan of sending on the provision or not; and if you should judge it expedient to send on the pro- vision, notwithstanding the misfortune, I would be happy to know what number the escort must consist of, and from what posts it must be furnished. The company with me amounts to about forty men fit for duty ; the companies above average about the same number ; to lessen either, you will readily believe, sir, would increase the uneasiness of the inhabitants.
" P. S. If the present moment for sending an ad- ditional supply to the fort is to be embraced, would it not be advisable to call in some aid from the militia?"
To this letter Gen. Clinton returned, on the same day, the following answer, dated
" Albany.
" Yours of this day's date has been received. The intelligence from Fort Schuyler is too disagreeable to dwell upon; I hope it may put us so much on our guard as to prevent similar accidents. I sincerely wish sleighs could be procured nearer hand than those at Canajoharie. The provision, I should think, ought at least to be sent as far as that settlement by sleighs from the vicinity of Schenectady. However, if a sufficient number are not furnished from that quarter, Mr. Glenn must procure them nearer home. I do not imagine the present escort will run so great a risk as the last; yet I would not wish to subject such an important transport to the least uncertainty. You will therefore detach the company under your immediate command to Johnstown ; and as they have been up lately, and consequently fatigued, you will direct them to remain there, and send on the company
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now stationed there, with twenty men from each of the other companies, and officers proportionate, which will complete the escort to eighty men ; the inhabit- ants in their absence must turn out and defend their posts."
This expedition was undertaken by Major Fish, and the provision safely conveyed to Fort Schuyler; but the labor of transporting it was extremely severe. The snow was so deep that the road was almost im- passable, and in many places above Canajoharie no path had been made. Some days they advanced only two or three miles. This labor of transporting and guarding provision and ammunition for Forts Plain, Dayton,* and Schuyler, was very oppressive upon the inhabitants of the frontier.
* Fort Dayton was built 1776, at German Flats, and named in honor of Col. Dayton. The old fort at German Flats was called Fort Her- kimer ; and in 1758 was commanded by Col. Charles Clinton, father of Gen. James and Governor George Clinton, and grandfather of De Witt Clinton, who was a son of General James Clinton. This officer march- ed from this fort in the summer of 1758, under Gen. Bradstreet, to Oswego, and went thence to the siege of Fort Frontenac. This expe- dition was completely successful; the French were not apprised of their approach until they saw them before the walls of their fortress. Among the persons who were afterward distinguished, who accompa- nied Gen. Bradstreet, were Horatio Gates, then a captain, and Nathan- iel Woodhull, then a major, afterward first president of the New York Provincial Congress, and who in the Revolution was a general, and sealed his attachment to the cause of his country with his blood. Col. Charles Clinton wrote a very interesting account of this expedition against Fort Fontenac, which has been preserved, and is in possession of his great grandson, Charles Clinton, Esq., of New York. Though not belonging to the period of which I am writing, yet I will insert the account which he gives of the capture of this fort.
" The fort of Frontenac was a regular square, built on the entrance in the Lake Ontario, on the northwest side of the river. It was built of
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
During the early part of the summer of 1781, a con- stant warfare was carried on in the vicinity of the forts ; small parties of Indians hovered about Fort Plain, and cut off every soldier or inhabitant who was so careless or unfortunate as to stray beyond its walls.
Col. Willet, who now commanded at this fort, in July sent Lieut. Gros, with thirty-six men, as a secret scout, into Durlagh, now the town of Sharon, in Schoharie County. They discovered, near the bor- ders of that settlement, an Indian trail, and followed it in the direction the Indians had gone. The scout
stone and lime, about fifteen feet high ; had all round a platform of timber, boarded with thick plank, on which their cannon were mounted ; the embrasures were too narrow to admit of the cannon to be brought to bear on one point. The situation was bad, for it stood in a low place, and rising ground northwest of it; and little hollows, by which we made our approaches with so little loss. The first day we made no intrenchments, but from behind one of these little heights fired with our cannon upon them. It was well supplied with all sorts of warlike stores ; had above sixty pieces of cannon, and a vast number of beauti- ful small-arms, and powder and ball of all sorts. We brought off from it a large quantity of powder, but the garrison, not expecting the En- glish would ever venture to pay them a visit there, had sent their men to other places of more danger. I cannot tell how many was in it; we saw but about a hundred; but when they found that the place would be taken, the Indians (and no doubt many of the French) went away, as did the men on board the brig and schooner. I believe the garrison might consist of 200. The destruction of this place, and of the ship- ping, artillery, and stores, is one of the greatest blows the French have met with in America, considering the consequence of it; as it was the store out of which all the forts to the southward were supplied, and the shipping destroyed those they employed in that service.
" It was concerted and agreed upon in an instant, (though looked upon by some as a chimerical, wild, im probable undertaking,) carried on so secretly that the French never heard of our coming till they saw us where we came to at an island, the evening before we landed. The
-
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fell in file alongside of the path made by the Indians, and by this means ascertained that the force of the enemy was very considerable. Three men were sent on to make further discoveries. After pursuing the trail a short distance, they arrived upon the border of a thick cedar swamp, five or six miles to the north- . east of Cherry Valley ; here they found the camp of the enemy, in which a few sentinels only were sta- tioned. The main body of the enemy were out on " some expedition. One of the men stole up and took a blanket from beneath a tent, without being dis-
siege was carried on so vigorously that we invested the place the 26th of August, and took it the 27th, about the same time. Here I must ob- serve, that the governor of Fort Frontenac was let go home in exchange for Col, Schuyler; and for the other prisoners, they are to send us as many of ours from Canada, in exchange .- 28th. Having the evening before put our plunder on board our shipping and batteaux, we set sail, and left that neat, handsome garrison and good buildings (where the French lived well) in a heap of rubbish. By this we paid them for the demolition of Oswego, which they served the same way, with this dif- ference, that we neither insulted nor injured any one of the prisoners, but rather treated them with more humanity than that nation deserved whose ambition has embroiled all Europe in war for many years.
" I will conclude my narrative of the taking of Frontenac, by relating a piece of papist superstition, told us by a young man, one of Captain Oglevie's men, who was taken by the Indians, and sold to the gover- nor of Fort Frontenac, and was in his service when he took the place : He says, that when we invested the place, the priests, or some of their people, set the Lady Mary's image on a table, standing, and a num- ber of the people were praying earnestly to her to deliver and save them and the garrison from us heretics ; but in the height of their de- votion a bomb fell near the place, burst, and broke into the windows, and, without any regard to the image, drove it in pieces off the table. This struck them with such terror, they all looked up, and cried, Mon Dieu ! mon Dieu! all was lost, the Virgin Mary was gone, the here- tics would, take the place."
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
covered. Having made the necessary observations, they followed the remainder of the scout back to Fort Plain. It was almost night when the scout arrived, but Col. Willet added seventy men, and ordered an immediate march. They were joined by Major Rob- ert M'Kean, with about thirty men, making their force one hundred and fifty. M'Kean informed Col. Willet that the enemy were about three hundred strong, principally Indians, under the command of a Tory, by the name of John Doxtader; and that the day previous they had destroyed Currytown, a small settlement near the Mohawk, a short distance above Schenectady. The night was very dark, and there was no road, nothing but a path through the woods. Their progress was very slow. About daylight they came in sight of the camp. A scout sent forward reported that the enemy had just returned. Col. Wil- let drew up his men in two parallel lines, and then ordered them to fall back and conceal themselves behind the trees. His plan was favored by the thick cedar swamp in the neighborhood of the enemy's camp. Major M'Kean with fifty men occupied the right, and Col. Willet commanded the left body, com- posed of his one hundred men. Two men were then sent forward to pass over a piece of open ground in sight of the enemy. When discovered, they were directed to lead in between the two lines. The ex- pectations of Col. Willet were realized ; the Indians, as soon as they saw these men, raised their war-cry and commenced an immediate pursuit. As they fol- lowed in, the troops of Major M'Kean opened a gall- ing and destructive fire upon them, which was warmly
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BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
seconded by Col. Willet's men on the left. The In- dians were beaten at their own game; they sought shelter behind the trees, but were driven back and routed at the point of the bayonet. Col. Willet led ยท the van, and waving his hat cheered on his men. The camp of the enemy and all their plunder was taken. They retreated down toward the Susque- . hanna, and were pursued with considerable loss. Shortly after the first fire, Major M'Kean received two severe wounds, but he continued his command until the rout of the enemy was complete. His faithful soldiers carried him back to Fort Plain, where he survived but a day or two. The victory was dearly won by the loss of this brave and hardy chieftain.
In August following, Major Ross and Walter But- ler came from Canada by the way of Sacondaga to Johnstown, with 607 men-477 British and Tories, and 130 Indians. They encamped on the elevated ground a little to the north of Johnson Hall. This edifice, erected by Sir William Johnson, and in which he re- sided at the time of his death, is situated about one mile distant from the court-house, in the centre of the village, and upon ground descending gradually from the northwest to the south and southeast. The vil- lage plot descends to the north, thus forming a small valley between the Hall and village. To a person in the village, Johnson Hall appears to be situated on a lawn, beyond which no prospect opens to the sight. When arrived at the Hall, he perceives in an easterly direction, about nine miles distant, the range of Mayfield hills or mountains, while to the south are seen Anthony's Nose, on the Mohawk ; beyond that
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
Charleton, and, still further on, the hills between Ca- najoharie and Cherry Valley ; and, at a distance of between thirty and forty miles, the blue, cloud-like mountains leading to the Catskill and Delaware.
Col. Willet moved from Fort Plain with about 300 levies. On the 22d of August he determined to at- tack the enemy in their camp. He detached 100 men under Colonel Harper to make a circuit through the woods and fall upon the enemy's rear, while he should attack them in front. A short distance above the Hall, Col. Willet was met by Ross with all his force, and his men on the first fire gave way and retreated. Willet endeavored to rally them at the Hall, but failed. At the village he succeeded in stopping them ; here he was joined by 200 militia just arrived. The de- tachment under Harper had gained the rear, and had now opened a fire upon the enemy. The attack was now renewed by Colonel Willet, and the enemy were finally driven from their ground with loss. Thirteen Americans, and seventeen British and Indians were killed.
Major Ross retreated up the north side of the Mo- hawk, marching all night, after the battle. In the morning he was pursued by. Col. Willet, but was not overtaken. The region of country over which Ross retreated after he had passed the settlements, lies twenty or thirty miles north of Fort Schuyler, and at that time was uncultivated and desolate ; his army suffered much from hunger.
It was on this retreat that Walter Butler was killed ; he was pursued by a small party of Oneida Indians ; when he arrived at West Canada Creek, about fifteen
10
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BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
miles above Herkimer, he swam his horse across the stream, and then turning round, defied his pursuers, who were on the opposite side. An Oneida immedi- ately discharged his rifle, and wounded him, and he fell. Throwing down his rifle and his blanket, the In- dian plunged into the creek and swam across ; as soon as he had gained the opposite bank, he raised his tom- ahawk, and with a yell, sprang, like a tiger, upon his fallen foe; Butler supplicated, though in vain, for mercy ; the Oneida, with his uplifted axe, shouted in his broken English: "Sherry Valley ! remember Sherry Valley !" and then buried it in his brains. He tore the scalp from the head of his victim, still quiver- ing in the agonies of death, and ere the remainder of the Oneidas had joined him, the spirit of Walter But- ler had gone to give up his account. The place where he crossed is called Butler's Ford to this day.
Col. John Butler had some good traits of character, and in his calmer moments would regret the ravages committed by the Indians and Tories ; but Walter Butler was distinguished from youth for his severe, acrimonious disposition. After the massacre at Cherry Valley he went to Quebec ; but Gen. Haldiman, gov- ernor of Canada, gave out that he did not wish to see him .*.
* Col. Stone, in his Life of Brant, has in one or two instances attempted a justification or rather palliation of the conduct of Walter Butler, and says that the history of the events was written too soon to be entirely impartial. One of the letters of Butler, which he gives as proof, and which will be found in Vol. I, pages 377, 378, closes with this threat : " But be assured that if you persevere in detaining my father's family
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
It may be remarked here, that many of the British officers did not approve of the conduct of the Indians and Tories. In that war, though we had many a bit- ter, we had also many a generous and warm-hearted foe. They said it was a disgrace to the English army, thus to carry on this predatory warfare, and to make prisoners of women and children.
In the winter of 1781-2, Col. Willet* undertook a
with you, that we shall no longer take the same pains to restrain the Indians from prisoners, women and children, that we have heretofore done. I am your humble servant,
WALTER N. BUTLER,
GENERAL SCHUYLER."
Capt. Com. of the Rangers.
The language of that letter needs no comment. It was written the day after the massacre at Cherry Valley, and it was answered by Gen. James Clinton. Gen. Clinton in his reply says :
" Do not flatter yourself, sir, that your father's family have been de- tained on account of any consequence they were supposed to be of, or that it is determined they should be exchanged in consideration of the threat contained in your letter. I should hope for the sake of human nature, and the honor of civilized nations, that the British officers had exerted themselves in restraining the barbarity of the savages."
The wife of Col. John Butler was, with some of her children, de- tained as a hostage by the committee of safety, and they were after- ward exchanged for the wife and children of Col. Samuel Campbell, who were taken prisoners at Cherry Valley.
* Col. Marinus Willet died at New York, August 22, 1830-the anniversary of his battle with Major Ross and Walter Butler-aged 90 years. The following notice appeared in one of the city papers :
" The coffin of Col. Willet, who died recently in the city of New York, was made of pieces of wood collected by himself, many years ago, from different revolutionary battle-grounds. The corpse, in com- pliance with a written request of the deceased, was habited in a com- plete suit of ancient citizen's apparel, including an old-fashioned three- cornered hat, which had been preserved for that purpose. It is estima- ted that several thousand persons passed through the house for the purpose of viewing the remains."
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hazardous expedition-an expedition suited to his bold, persevering genius. He marched a body of his men, in the dead of winter, from Fort Plain to Oswe- go, passing up the Mohawk on the ice, and using snow-shoes the remainder of the way; his object was the capture of Fort Oswego ; but on his arrival near the fort, he learned that the preliminary treaty of peace had been signed ; he therefore immediately abandoned the enterprise.
The incursion of Ross and Butler was the last made into the county of Tryon. Indeed, there was no longer anything to destroy. The inhabitants lost all but the soil which they cultivated ; their beautiful county, except in the vicinity of the forts, was turned into a wilderness. During the war, famine some- times appeared inevitable, and it was with difficulty that they preserved from the ravages of the enemy sufficient grain to support their families during the winter. The resistance of the inhabitants of the fron- tier settlements, however unimportant it may seem, because no great battles were fought, or important victories won, was of very considerable moment in the cause for which they struggled ; they kept back the enemy from the towns on the Hudson, and thus frustrated the plan of the British for establishing a line of posts along that river. And while we admire the he- roism and patriotism of those worthies of the Revolution whose names have come down to us surrounded with a halo of glory, we should not withhold our praise from those obscure individuals in the frontier settlements, who, amid the most appalling dangers, surrounded on all sides by enemies and traitors, still refused to submit
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
to oppression and arbitrary exactions, though allured by assurances of safety and promises of reward. Many left their homes; many fell in battle in the regular army, and in skirmishes and battles with the enemy at home; and many fell silently, by the rifle, the tomahawk, and the scalping-knife of the Indian.
" Their ashes flew, no marble tells us whither."
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BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
CHAPTER XI.
" "Tis faith thus wrought, whose fearful mysteries Yield e'en weak women strength for deeds like these."
IT has been stated in a preceding chapter, that. Mrs. Campbell and her children were carried captives into the Indian country. Soon after her arrival at Canadaseago, the capital of the Seneca nation, she was given to a family to fill the place left vacant by the death of one of its members. This family was composed of females, with the exception of one aged warrior, who no longer went forth either to the chase or to war; this circumstance enabled her to render herself useful to them. The Indians knew little of the most common arts of life; few of the Indian women could make even an ordinary calico garment. She made garments not only for the family to which she belonged, but also for the neighboring families, who in return sent corn and venison for their support. By reason of these services, she was under no restraint, but was free to come or go as she pleased.
The Indians paid no regard to the Sabbath, but pursued their usual avocations on that day ; on her informing them that she kept that day sacred, they did not ask her to do any work, and gave strict orders to the children to remain silent while in her presence.
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ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
An Indian one day came into the house where she was, and asked her why she wore caps, saying, " In- dians do not do so." She replied it was the custom of her countrywomen. " Well, come to my house, and I will give you a cap." Her adopted mother motioned to her to follow him. As soon as they had entered the house, he pulled from behind a beam a cap of a smoky color, and handed it to her, saying in English, " I got that cap in. Cherry Valley ; I took it from the head of a woman." On examination she recognized it as having belonged to the unfortunate Jane Wells ; and was no doubt the one she had on when she was so barbarously murdered, as it had a cut in the crown made by the tomahawk, and was spotted with blood. She could not but drop a tear to her memory, for she had known her from infancy- a pattern of virtue and loveliness. In the Indian who stood before her she perceived the murderer of her friend. She turned from him with horror. Re- turning to her cabin, she tore off the lace border, and washing it carefully, though she could not efface the stains of blood, laid it away with the intention of giving it to some of the friends of Miss Wells, if any had been fortunate enough to escape. She afterward gave it to Miss Ramsay, a cousin, whom she found at Fort Niagara, and who, together with her mother, melted into tears as they beheld this little relic, spot- ted with the blood of their kinswoman.
Early in the winter the nation assembled at Cana- daseago to hold a general council, and to celebrate their late successes. This village was laid out with some regularity, and in almost a circular form, en-
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