USA > New York > Fulton County > The border warfare of New York, during the revolution; or, The annals of Tryon county > Part 7
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
In a letter accompanying the resolution, the Con- gress say : "Every mark of distinction shown to the memory of such illustrious men as offer up their lives for the liberty and happiness of this country, reflects real honor on those who pay the grateful tribute; and by holding up to others the prospect of fame and im-
104
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
mortality, will animate them to tread in the same path.
Governor George Clinton, who forwarded the letter and resolution to the Tryon County committee added :
" Enclosed you have a copy of a letter and resolves of Congress for erecting a monument to the memory of your late gallant General. While with you I lament the causes, I am impressed with a due sense of the great and justly merited honor the continent has, in this in- stance, paid to the memory of that brave man." We regret to state that no monument has ever been erected to his memory in pursuance of that or any other resolve .*
* The scenes with which this sturdy old patriot was connected, were of thrilling and romantic interest. His interview with Brant, at Una- dilla ; his conduct on the bloody field of Oriskany, and his subsequent death, were all characteristic, and would form a fine subject for the poet or the painter. Henry R. Schoolcraft, Esq., to whom the country is so much indebted for his researches in Indian history, thus describes the closing scenes :
" The wounded General himself was thus carried by his affectionate soldiery to his own house, below the Little Falls, with his leg badly shattered and bandaged. Ten days after the battle, amputation became necessary. The operation was unskillfully performed by a French surgeon in Arnold's detachment, who could not succeed in effec- tually staunching the blood, and he thus fell a victim to professional ignorance. But he preserved, on his dying bed, the same calmness and composure which had marked his conduct on the field. As he saw that his dissolution must shortly ensue from the continued bleeding and the bad state of his wound, he called for his family Bible, and having gathered his domestic circle around him, he read aloud, in a clear voice, the thirty-ninth psalm-'O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure; for thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.' The entire psalm is one of singular appropriateness ; and the acquaintance with the sacred volume
105
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
Tryon County suffered dreadfully in this battle ; Col. Cox, Majors Eisinlord, Klepsattle, and Van Slyck were killed, as was also Thomas Spencer, the Indian interpreter.
John Frey, major of brigade, with Col. Bellenger, were taken prisoners. Most of the inferior officers were either killed or taken. The county was filled with mourning. The enemy sustained a severe loss likewise. The Indians, according to their own state- ments, lost in killed nearly 100 warriors. More than 30 of the Seneca tribe alone were killed. The loss of the regulars and Tories is not known, but in the con- test with Herkimer and Willet must have been nearly or quite a hundred.
The following extracts are from a statement made
which its selection evinces, proves that if, in the field, he was an un- daunted soldier, he was not less, on the threshold of another world, a trustful Christian. Other generals have fallen in the arms of victory, but Nicholas Herkimer may be said to have fallen in the arms of his MAKER. Congress passed a resolution, and appropriated money to erect a monument to his memory-an act of justice yet unperformed ; but his name has long been inscribed in the hearts of his countrymen as one of the noble patriots to whom we owe our national indepen- dence."-Proceedings of the N. Y. Historical Society."
Two or three years ago, upon the memorial of the New York His- torical Society, a bill was reported by the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, in the House of Representatives of the United States, making a liberal appropriation for the erection of a monument to Herkimer. But it was swallowed up in the great gulf of "unfinished business ;" the bill was never reached on the calendar. The remains of General Herkimer lie buried in the hillside, near his former residence, at a point overloking, to a great extent, the valley of the Mohawk. But there is no monument to attract the attention of the teeming millions who throng that great travelled thoroughfare. A small rough and un-
106
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
by the State Council of Safety, on the 15th of August, to the delegates of the province in General Congress:
" If it is not inconsistent with the general interest, we would most earnestly wish for one or two regiments of riflemen, who would be very useful in our woody country, and whose very name would serve to intimi- date the savages. Would the circumstances admit of our drawing our whole force to a point, and were the passes to the southward secured by a sufficient number of troops, exclusive of our militia, we should not have thought it necessary to call in any aid from the neigh- boring States ; but at present, attacked on every side, we stand in need of more assistance than we have, from present appearances, reason to hope for."
The same report thus alludes to the late transaction in Tryon County :
hewn head-stone, without figure or letter of any description, alone marks the place of his sepulture.
It is a matter of some historical interest, that the siege of Fort Schuy- ler and battle of Oriskany, was the first subject of congratulation in the first message of the first Governor of the State of New York.
" At present, by the kind interposition of Providence, the cloud which hung over us seems in a great measure dispelled, and we have reason to expect a happy issue to this campaign. The good conduct and bravery of the garrison of Fort Schuyler, seconded by the intrepidity of the late gallant General Herkimer and the militia of Tryon County, have entirely frustrated the designs of the enemy upon that part of the State."-Extract from Message of Gov. George Clinton, Sept. 10, 1777.
And, singular as it may seem, the subject of a monument to General Herkimer, formed the last recommendation in the last message of De Witt Clinton, the illustrious nephew of the first Governor :
" At the last meeting of the Legislature, I recommended a monu- mental erection in honor of General Herkimer, and to which I beg leave to refer you."-Gov. Clinton's Message, Jan. 1st, 1828.
107
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
" By the papers enclosed you will find that our troops and militia have behaved with becoming spirit in Tryon County ; but as it is out of our power to sup- port them, we fear that that county must fall into the hands of the enemy; in which case, by means of the Indians, who will then be wholly in their power, they may ravage all that part of this State which lies to the westward of Hudson's River, as well as the frontiers of New Jersey and Pennsylvania."
After reviewing the general state of the province, and remarking that in many places the disaffected had gained the ascendency, and compelled the Whigs to side with them, they added, with true Spartan spirit : " We are resolved, if we do fall, to fall as becomes brave men."
But to return to Fort Schuyler: St. Leger, availing himself of this disastrous battle, endeavored by strong representations of Indian cruelty to obtain immediate possession of the fort. Major Frey, who was wounded, and Col. Bellenger, both prisoners, threatened proba- bly with the treatment which some others received, on the evening of the battle wrote to Col. Gansevoort the following letter :
"9 o'clock, P. M .- Camp before Fort Stanwix, 6th August, 1777.
" SIR,
" It is with concern we are to acquaint you that this was the fatal day in which the succors, which were intended for your relief, have been attacked and de- feated with great loss of numbers of killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. Our regard for your safety and
108
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
lives, and our sincere advice to you is, if you will avoid inevitable ruin and destruction, to surrender the fort you pretend to defend against a formidable body of troops and a good train of artillery, which we are witnesses of ; when at the same time you have no farther support or relief to expect. We are sorry to inform you that most of the principal officers are kill- ed, to wit, Gen. Herkimer, Colonels Cox, Seeber, Isaac Paris, Captain Graves, and many others, too tedious to mention. The British army from Canada being now perhaps before Albany, the possession of which place of course includes the conquest of the Mohawk River and this fort."
The following endorsement is on the back of this letter : "Gen. St. Leger, on the day of the date of this letter ; made a verbal summons of the fort by his adjutant general and Colonel Butler, and who then handed this letter ; when Colonel Gansevoort refused any answer to a verbal summons, unless made by Gen. St. Leger himself, but at the mouth of his can- non"-a written summons was the result. This de- mand was repeated on the 8th, when the adjutant general and Col. Butler were led blindfolded into the presence of the gallant commanders, Gansevoort and Willet. To the promises and threats of Butler they replied, that it would only be another Fort Wil- liam Henry scene, and that they would not surrender it, and especially upon a verbal summons.
On the 9th, St. Leger wrote Col. Gansevoort the following letter :
1
109
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
" SIR,
" Agreeably to your wishes, I have the honor to give you, on paper, the message of yesterday ; though I cannot conceive, explicit and humane as it was, how it could admit of more than one construction. After the defeat of the reinforcement, and the fate of all your principal leaders, on which naturally you built your hopes, and having the strongest reason, from verbal intelligence, and the matter contained in the letters that fell into my hands, and knowing thoroughly the situation of Gen. Burgoyne's army, to be confident that you are without resource ; in my fears and ten- derness for your personal safety from the hands of the Indians, enraged for the loss of some of their principal and most favorite leaders, I called to council the chiefs of all the nations, and after having used every method that humanity could suggest, to soften their minds, and lead them patiently to bear their own losses, by reflecting on the irretrievable misfortune of their ene- my, I at last labored the point my humanity wished for; which the chiefs assured me of the next morning, after a consultation with each nation that evening, at their fire-places. Their answer, in its fullest extent, they insisted should be carried by Col. Butler ; which he has given you in the most categorical manner. You are well acquainted that Indians never send mes- sages without accompanying them with menaces on non-compliance, that a civilized enemy would never think of doing. You may rest assured, therefore, that no insult was meant to be offered to your situa- tion by the king's servants in the message they per- emptorily demanded to be carried by Col. Butler ; I
110
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
am now to repeat what has been told you by my ad- jutant general. That provided you deliver up your garrison, with everything as it stood at the moment the first message was sent, your people shall be treated with every attention that a humane and generous enemy can give.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obedient and humble servant,
BARRY ST. LEGER,
Brigadier General of his Majesty's Forces. Camp before Fort Stanwix, Aug. 9th, 1777.
"P. S. I expect an immediate answer, as the In .. dians are extremely impatient ; and if this proposal is rejected, I am afraid it will be attended with very fatal consequences, not only to you and your garrison, but the whole country down the Mohawk River ; such consequences as would be very repugnant to my senti- ments of humanity, but after this entirely out of my power to prevent."
Colonel Gansevoort returned the following laconic answer :
" SIR,
" In answer to your letter of this day's date, I have only to say that it is my determined resolution, with the forces under my command, to defend this fort, at every hazard, to the last extremity, in behalf of the United American States, who have placed me here to defend it against all their enemies.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obt. and humble ser't,
PETER GANSEVOORT, Col. commanding Fort Stanwix.
111
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
St. Leger threw up several redoubts, but his artil- lery was not sufficient to make any impression upon the fort. "The siege continued until the 22d of Au- gust, 1777, when St. Leger had advanced to within one hundred and fifty yards of the fort. Ignorant of the fate of Colonel Willet, his second in command, who, with Lieutenant Stockwell, had undertaken a hazardous enterprise to procure relief for the garrison ; his provisions daily exhausting ; some of his officers, anxious to accept the proffered protection of St. Le- ger from the fury of the savages by making a timely surrender ; all communication with the fort cut off by the besiegers, and having no certain prospect of re- lief; Gansevoort, who knew not how to yield when he was guarding his country's honor and safety, had adopted the desperate resolution, in case no reinforce- ment should arrive before his provisions were reduced to a few days' supply (after distributing them among his men) to head the brave remnant of his garrison, and fight his way at night through the enemy, or perish in the attempt. Those who knew him best, knew how well he dared to execute his resolves."*
Col. Willet and Lieut. Stockwell left the fort by night, and, having eluded the enemy, passed down the Mohawk country for the purpose of again assem- bling the militia for its relief. It is one among the many instances of personal courage which were ex- hibited upon this frontier, by that intrepid soldier, Col. Willet. So successful was he in all his move- ments, that the Indians, believing him to be possessed
* American Biographical Dictionary.
112
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
of supernatural powers, gave to him the name of " the Devil."
Gen. Schuyler, who from the beginning had felt a great anxiety as to the event of this siege, knowing how disastrous it would be, should the fort be taken, on the news of the defeat of Gen. Herkimer dis- patched Gens. Learned and Arnold, with a brigade of men, to its relief. Under date of August 10th, Al- bany, he wrote Col. Gansevoort the following letter :
" Dear Colonel-A body of troops left this yester- day, and others are following, to raise the siege of Fort Schuyler. Everybody here believes you will defend it to the last; and I strictly enjoin you so to do.
" Gen. Burgoyne is at Fort Edward-our army at Stillwater-great reinforcements coming from the eastward, and we trust all will be well, and that the enemy will be repulsed."
Gen. Arnold, with about 900 light troops, leaving behind all the heavy baggage, advanced some dis- tance before Gen. Learned, and on the 22d of Au- gust addressed the following letter to Col. Ganse- voort, dated at German Flats :
" Dear Colonel-I wrote you the 19th, that I should be with you in a few days ; since which your express is arrived, and informs me you are in high spirits, and no apprehensions at present. I have been retarded by the badness of the roads, waiting for some baggage and ammunition wagons, and for the militia, who did not at first turn out with that spirit I expect- ed; they are now joining me in great numbers ; a
113
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
few days will relieve you ; be under no I ind of appre- hension ; I know the strength of the enemy, and how to deal with them. Enclosed are several letters and papers, which will announce to you a signal victory gained by Gen. Stark over the enemy ; you will ac- cept my congratulatory compliments on the occasion. Howe, with the shattered remnant of his army, are now on shipboard. The last date was the 4th Au- gust; he was in the Gulf Stream, becalmed. Bur- goyne, I hear this minute, is retreating to Ty. I make no doubt our army, which is near fifteen thou- sand, will cut off his retreat.
" Adieu, and believe me to be, dear colonel, yours sincerely,
B. ARNOLD."
From this place, a few days before, Gen. Arnold sent forward Hanyost Schuyler, a refugee, to the camp of St. Leger. He had given him his liberty, on condition that he would announce his approach, and make an exaggerated statement of his forces. Here- tained his brother as an hostage.
In the camp of St. Leger all was confusion. The Indians, disappointed in obtaining plunder, and en- raged on account of their losses, could scarcely be re- strained. They supposed that in the action they had fired across and killed each other. The confusion was greatly increased by the arrival of Schuyler. On being questioned as to the number of troops approach- ing, he answered-he knew not, but they were as numerous as the leaves upon the forest trees. The Indians refused to remain any longer. All the arts of
6
114
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
their leaders were unavailing. On the 22d of August, St. Leger retired in great confusion, leaving his camp with a great part of his baggage. The Indians plun- dered from their friends in the retreat, and, it is said, raised a shout that the Americans were coming, and then amused themselves in witnessing the terror it occasioned. St. Leger has been accused by his subal- tern officers of a want of energy. He is said to have been in a state of intoxication during most of the time his forces lay before the fort.
Thus ended the siege of Fort Schuyler, and a cam- paign which, at the commencement, threatened the valley of the Mohawk with conquest and devastation.
On the 24th of August, Gen. Arnold arrived, to the great joy of the garrison.
The fury and cruelty of the Indians and Tories may be learned from the following affidavit, the original of which is now in the office of the Secretary of State. The high standing of Dr. Younglove, who died a few years since in the city of Hudson, is a sufficient vou- cher for its truth. The compiler has seen several persons to whom the same facts were communicated by him in his lifetime.
" Moses Younglove,* surgeon of General Herki- mer's brigade of militia, deposeth and saith, that being in the battle of said militia, above Oriskany, on the 6th of August last, toward the close of said battle he surrendered himself a prisoner to a savage, wbo im- mediately gave him up to a sergeant of Sir John Johnson's regiment ; soon after which, a lieutenant in
* See Appendix-Note E.
115
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
the Indian department came up, in company with several other Tories, when said Mr. Grinnis by name, drew his tomahawk at this deponent, and with deal of persuasion was hardly prevailed on to spare his life. He then plundered him of his watch, buckles, spurs, &c., and other Tories following his example, stripped him almost naked, with a great many threats, while they were stripping and massacreing prisoners on every side. That this deponent, on being brought before Mr. Butler, senior, who demanded of him what he was fighting for ; to which this deponent answered, 'he fought for the liberty that God and nature gave him, and to defend himself and dearest connections from the massacre of savages.' To which Butler re- plied, ' you are a damned impudent rebel ;' and so saying, immediately turned to the savages, encourag- ing them to kill him, and if they did not, the depo- nent and the other prisoners should be hanged on a gallows then preparing. That several prisoners were then taken forward towards the enemy's head-quar- ters, with frequent scenes of horror and massacre, in which Tories were active as well as savages; and in particular, one Davis, formerly known in Tryon County, on the Mohawk River. That Lieut. Single- ton, of Sir John Johnson's regiment, being wounded, entreated the savages to kill the prisoners ; which they accordingly did, as nigh as this deponent can judge, about six or seven.
" That Isaac Paris, Esq., was also taken the same road without receiving from them any remarkable insult except stripping, until some Tories came up, who kicked and abused him, after which the savages, thinking him a notable offender, murdered him bar-
116
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
barously. That those of the prisoners who were de- livered up to the provost guards, were kept without victuals for many days, and had neither clothes, blan- kets, shelter nor fire, while the guards were ordered not to use any violence in protecting the prisoners from the savages, who came every day in large com- panies with knives, feeling of the prisoners, to know who were fattest. That they dragged one of the pris- oners out of the guard with the most lamentable cries ; tortured him for a long time, and this deponent was informed by both Tories and Indians, that they ate him, as appears they did another on an island in Lake Ontario, by bones found there nearly picked, just after they had crossed the lake with the prison- ers. That the prisoners who were not delivered up, were murdered in considerable numbers from day to day round the camp, some of them so nigh that their shrieks were heard. That Capt. Martin, of the bat- teaux-men, was delivered to the Indians at Oswego, on pretense of his having kept back some useful in- telligence. That this deponent during his imprison- ment, and his fellows, were kept almost starved for provisions, and what they drew were of the worst kind, such as spoiled flour, biscuit full of maggots and mouldy, and no soap allowed, or other method of keep- ing clean, and were insulted, struck, &c., without mercy by the guards, without any provocation given. That this deponent was informed by several sergeants orderly on Gen. St. Leger, that twenty dollars were offered in general orders for every American scalp.
MOSES YOUNGLOVE.
JOHN BARCLAY, Chairman of Albany Committee."
117
ANNALS OF TRYON COUNTY.
Col. Gansevoort, in a letter under date of July 29th, confirms the statement, that St. Leger had offered twenty dollars for every American scalp. Small par- ties of Indians were then lurking around. A few days before, he adds, a firing was heard in the woods about five hundred yards from the fort. On sallying out, it was found that the Indians had fired upon three young girls who were engaged picking ber- ries. Two of them were killed and scalped, and the third made her escape, wounded by two balls shot through her shoulder. The foregoing statements need no comment. The men who employed such instruments, and who stimulated them by promises and rewards, have received the just execration of an indignant people. I shall leave it to the reader to compare their conduct with their professions.
The retreat of St. Leger, with the success of the American arms at Bennington, restored hope and ani- mation. Tryon County, smiling through her tears, obeyed with alacrity the call to reinforce Gen. Gates in the month of September following .. Her militia mounted on horseback, some without saddles, others without bridles, sallied forth. If as uncouth in ap- pearance, they were equally as zealous as the Knight of La Mancha. Large reinforcements of eastern militia having come on, the Tryon County militia were directed to return home before the surrender. The splendid victory over Burgoyne at Saratoga, with the surrender of his whole army, produced feelings of joy in the bosomn of the Americans as deep and per- vading as had been those of their despondency. Counting upon that success, many a hope was enter-
118
BORDER WARFARE OF NEW YORK; OR,
tained, and many a prayer put up, that a speedy ter- mination would be put to the unhappy war in which they were engaged.
It is not our province to inquire into the policy or propriety of the change of commanders of the north- ern army. Gen. Schuyler* was always a favorite with the inhabitants of New York. Those few sur- vivors, who have come down to us, the relics of his day, still cherish his name in grateful remembrance. Tryon County owed much to his vigilance and atten- tion. He rejoiced with her when she rejoiced, and wept with her when she wept. Alive to her exposed situation, he was always ready to afford relief, so far as it could be done consistently. The following is the conclusion of one of his letters to the committee on this subject, under date of July the 4th, 1777.
"I entreat you to keep up the spirits of the people ; encourage them to step forth with alacrity whenever they may be called upon, and our enemies will be baffled in their attempts ; and do not suppose that the United States of America will not afford you protec- tion. I am sure I have always been ready and willing to afford every protection in my power, and hitherto it has been effectual, for no mischief worth mentioning has as yet been perpetrated in any part of your county, and you may depend upon it that upon no necessary occasion will you be left without proper support. May God keep you in his protection, is the sincere wish of, gentlemen,
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.