The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 126

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098

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SACKETS HARBOR CHAPTER No. 68, R. A. M., was formed February 7, 1820, upon the application of Commodore Melanchthon T. Woolsey, U. S. N., John Clitz, captain, U. S. A., and William King. Its first meeting was held on March 3, 1820, with the follow- ing officers, viz: High Priest, Commodore Melanchthon T. Woolsey, U. S. N .; King, William King; Scribe, John ('litz, captain, U. S. A .; Treasurer, Leonard Denison ; Secretary, Henry Smith; C. of H., Asahel

Smith ; P. S., George W. Jenks; R. A. C., Alvah Kinney ; M. 3d V., Captain William Vaughn, U. S. N .; M. 2d V., Zeno Allen; M. 1st V., Hunter Crane.

The Chapter was allowed to run down, hut after an interval of many years, it was re- vived in December, 1849, with Thomas S. Hall, H. P .; Jason Phelps, K .; and Samuel Whittlesey, S.

SACKETS HARBOR LODGE No. 135, F. & A. M., held its first meeting May 12, 1828, with the following officers : Samuel Lyon, W. M .; John S. Hall, S. W .; Chester C. Symonds, J. W .; Elijah Field, Treasurer; Isaac Van Vleck, Secretary. Owing to some difficulty the charter was surrendered in the fall of 1858, and nothing further was done until March, 1860. From the 2d of that month until the following June, the lodge was worked under a dispensation from the Grand Master, and during the latter month received a charter under the name of "Houndsfield Lodge, No. 495," and was known as such until June, 1861, when, through a petition, the old name of "Sackets Harbor Lodge No. 135," was again granted them, and that name it has since retained. At the organization in 1860, there were 20 charter members. The membership is about 100, and the lodge occupies its old rooms in the old stone hotel built by F. White.

FROM the breaking out of the War of 1812 the citizens of Houndsfield have been imbued with an intensely patriotic spirit, which ad- hered to them as a result of the experiences during that war in their very door yards, as it were,-and which was undoubtedly much strengthened by the blood which flowed in their veins as descendants of a race of heroic men,-veterans of the War for Independence. When the echoes of the guns fired at the doomed Fort Sumter in April, 1861, rolled north ward and reverberated among the hills and valleys of the "Empire State," Jefferson county sprang at once to arms, and Hounds- field was one of the foremost towns to send volunteers to the front. No extra induce- ment in the way of bounty was needed as an incentive to enlistment. Men came pouring in from all directions, and offered themselves eagerly as defenders of the country which called them her sons.

So ready were the citizens to volunteer that but one drafted man went out from the village of Sackets Harbor, and he may pos- sibly have been the only one from the entire township. This one was a colored man by the name of Hadley. He died in the service.

Of those who enlisted from the village not one was killed, nor were any very seriously wounded, although several received slight wounds. Of those who went from the town- ship, however, a number never returned, and their bones lie bleaching in Southern fields, made red by the blood of patriot thousands, -hallowed spots, where the lives of many nohle men were offered up as willing sacri- fices upon the altar of their country.

595

HOUNDSFIELD.

MADISON BARRACKS.

AFTER the War of 1812, the government, recognizing the importance of Sackets Har- hor as a military post, in 1816-19 erected Madison Barracks, at a cost of about $150,000. Regarding the history of this interesting military reservation, no better authority is desired than the "Medical History of the Post," a finely executed document, which we quote :

Excepting a short distance in front of the parade ground the land overlooks the water by a per- pendicular bluff of limestone. Originally a deep val- ley, filled with cedars, occupied a portion of the parade. This was filled, and the rough place in front sloped off and the boundary of the parade toward the water was secured hy a stone wall. brought up as high as the plains of the parade, the surface of which was allowed to slope gently from the officers' quarters towards the water. The reservation contains 3914 acres, purchased in parcels at different dates as re- quired, from July 1, 1813, to March 28, 1817. The reser- vation is in the form of an irregular, four-cornered figure. with gates for footmen and vehicles on the southern and southwestern sides. About a third of the water front was once occupied by Fort Pike (at southwest end of Soldiers' quarters); an ordinary breastwork and water-battery were erected in 1812.

The principal buildings on the reservation were the officers' and men's quarters, guard- house, hospital, the quartermaster's and com- missary's storehouse, which are constructed of stone, and the administration building, ice house, etc., which were of wood. The officers' quarters consist of two rows of buildings, each 217 by 33 feet. The men's quarter are two rows of buildings, one on each side of the parade, at right angles to the officers' quarters. Each row is 452 feet long, 23 feet wide and two stories high. The hospital is at the northwestern limit of the reservation, about 50 feet from the water. This building, which is nearly square, with wings on the north and south, has recently been subjected to a thorough renovation and extensive re- pairs.

The plan of the buildings was drawn by William Smith. Great irregularity seems to have been practiced in the expenditure of public funds during the construction of this place, hy the issue of due bills for labor, which for a long time had but little value, and in consequence great fraud was put upon some of the contractors, which was in some measure remedied by an act of Congress, passed in 1836, "For the relief of Jesse Smith and others."

In the fall of 1816 the men's quarters were so far completed that five companies of in- fantry moved into them from Navy Point, though as yet some of the floors and parti- tions were unfinished. Near the top of the side of the officers' quarters, facing the sally- port on each side, are tablets of stone, in- serihed on the western side with " Commenced August 1, 1816 ; completed October, 1819;" on the western side, "Erected by the 2d In- fantry."

The 2d U. S. Infantry, whose history for 23 years after the war with Great Britain is inseparable from that of Madison Barracks, was reorganized and filled up in 1815 at this

MAP OF Madison Barracks, A.y.

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PART OF THE PARADE GROUND, SHOWING THE OLD OFFICERS' QUARTERS, LOOKING TOWARD THE WATER TOWER.

THE SOLDIERS' BARRACKS, SOUTHWEST SIDE OF PARADE GROUND.

HOUNDSFIELD.

597

place from volunteers, citizens, quarter- master's employes, etc., that were mustered out of service at the cessation of hostilities.

The first commanding officer of Madison Barracks was Colonel Hugh Brady, 2d U. S. Infantry, who moved in with five companies of his regiment, in the fall of 1816.

The 9th U. S. Infantry, commanded by Col. Chas. P. Bartlett, is now (1895) stationed at Madison Barracks. We are under obliga- tion to the adjutant of that fine regiment for courtesies extended while taking the views which are presented in this number.

MADISON BARRACKS IMPROVED.

Upon another page we present a skeleton

teries of artillery, and it will be a place to which visitors will go in much larger num- bers than now, and from a far greater dis- tance, besides being a source of unending profit to the merchants and producers of this section.

The buildings so far completed, and which are proposed to be built, are outlined on either side of the old works. While there were 52 acres formerly, there are 63 in the new purchase, making 115 in all. On the present parade ground there is not room enough to manœuvre a full regiment ; on the new one, represented in the circular plot at the right, there will be an abundance of room, and a perfect view will be afforded

THE NEW MESS HALL

plan of Madison Barracks, where extensive improvements have been going on for the past two years. These improvements are up- on a very large scale, as is manifested when the reader notes the comparatively small space in the picture (see the center) devoted to the old barracks and parade ground, flanked on three sides by the old barracks and the officers' quarters. When the plans of the United States engineer are fully carried out. it is expected we will have within our county one of the largest and most complete military establishments in the country. If Congress can be induced to furnish sufficient means, the barracks will be occupied by one or two regiments of infantry and two or more bat-

from the officers' quarters, which it fronts. The plans of the new buildings include a mess hall, costing $38,000, in which 400 men can be fed at once (see view on another page); four double infantry barracks, which are out- lined on either side of the mess hall at the top of the map; four double sets of captains' quarters, and four single sets for field and staff ; a water tower (see cut) and general water works plant, costing $24,000 ; a heating plant for the officers' quarters, costing $8.000, and a central steam plant, costing $16,000; a sewerage system, costing $4,250, and roads and walks, costing $8,000, . About half a million dollars have been expended here in building and repairs during the past 11 years.

598

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

This water tower is a fine structure, 127 feet high, built of cut stone, 26 feet in dia- meter, enclosing a steel tank 65 feet high and 12 feet in diameter, containing 55,000 gallons of pure water. (For illustration see p. 595 )

A Macadam road, twenty-five feet wide, with cobble gutters on its sides, will be laid, as shown on the map-it will be 8,300 feet long-and with the care bestowed by the post authorities, will be a noble driveway one and one-half miles long.

Of these improvements the water tower, the mess hall, two of the double infantry barrack buildings, and some of the officers' quarters have been completed and are in use. The road improvements are continually in

late Civil War, when they let loose upon our defenseless merchantmen those armed cruisers, built at their docks and manned largely by English sailors. But the chief of these pi- rates was sent to the bottom by our intrepid Winslow, and England had to pay for her evasion of the well-known laws of neutrality. She had to pay or fight, and she well knows how to cringe to an independent power.

These monuments were erected a few years ago at the suggetsion of Gen. O. B. Wilcox, who was then in command at Madison Bar- racks. The Pike monument is composed of a single block of granite placed on a stone foundation and surmounted by a brass mortar in position, with the following inscription :

"TO THE UNKNOWN DEAD,"

progress, and the general features of the original design are being executed in an ap- propriate manner, as is but just to a post so near the frontier, and which has a history almost co-equal with the settlement of North- ern New York.

Undoubtedly the most interesting feature at Madison Barracks is the cemetery. We give a view of Pike monument, as well as the monument to the unknown dead. They are very creditable mementoes of brave men, who fell in the War of 1812, a war forced upon us by an insolvent and overbearing aristocracy. who were trying to win our love by acts of hatred and oppression, and had not learned to treat our government fairly even in the

Brig. Gen. Z. M. Pike, U. S. A., and his officers, Killed in Battle of York, Upper ('anada, April 17, 1813.

Another striking monument of grey gran- ite, of noble proportions, bears this sugges- tive inscription :

Erected to the memory of Unknown United States Soldiers and Sailors killed in action or dying of wounds in this vicinity during the War of 1812

Another is to the memory of a young daughter of General Hugh Brady, the first commandant of the post, a child whose in- telligence was soremarkable, and whose char- acter so sweet that a memorial of considerable length was written of her by a literary lady

VIEW FROM THE OLD BATTLE-FIELD, LOOKING NORTHEAST, BARRACKS IN THE DISTANCE.

VIEW SHOWING. ONE-HALF OF THE CEMETERY, MADISON BARRACKS.

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HO UNDSFIELD.

acquainted with the family. The stone, which is of white marble, has this inscrip- tion :

Beneath this marble rests the remains of Elizabeth Hale Brady, who departed this life at half past eight in the evening of the 4th of February, 1815, aged 10 years, 3 months and 4 days, daughter of General Hugh and Sara Brady. Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord.

In dedicating the monument so significantly bearing the inscription "To the Unknown Dead," the following names were recalled as resting beneath the stone :

Brig. Gen. S. Covington, 1st Dragoons, Md., killed at Chrysler's Field.

Lt. Col. E. Backus, 1st Dragoons, Md., killed at Sackets Harbor, May 29, 1813.

Gen. Zebulon M. Pike, 1st Regiment In- fantry, N. J.

Capt. Benj. Nicholson, Aide to Pike, both killed at York, April 29, 1813.

Lt. Col. Timothy Dix, 14th Regiment In- fantry, Md., father of Gen. Jon. A. Dix, and grandfather of Morgan Dix, D. D.

Col. Gursham Tuttle, Mass.

Col. Jno. Mills, Albany, N. Y.

Maj. Jno. Johnson, Tenn.

Lieut. and Asst. Qr. Master, General Van Derventer, Vt.

Capt. A. Spencer, 29th N. Y. Infantry.

Col. Mills' remains were removed to Al- bany, 1839, being escorted to the steamer for Oswego by the 8th Regiment, Col. Worth in command. Albany received her son and hero with demonstrations of military and civic honors of an imposing character.

For copies of these inscriptions, as well as for many other historical articles relating to the early days in Jefferson county, we are indebted to Mr. Andrew J. Fairbanks, of Watertown, a veritable historian, with a memory that is seldom at fault.

DEDICATING THE PIKE MONUMENT.

Early in November, 1885, a very interest- ing ceremony was performed at Madison Bar- racks, Sackets Harbor. It was the unveiling of the monument to Gen. Z. M. Pike, erected by the government, within the enclosure of the government reservation at that place. Invitation was extended, by the commanding officer of the 12th U. S. Infantry to Jas. K. Barnes Post, G. A. R., to perform the dedi- catory service of their order, and in compli- ance with the invitation, the post paraded at 4 o'clock P. M. The battalion was drawn up in hollow square, forming three sides, and the post took position in front of the monu- ment, occupying the uncovered position and completing the square. Gen. Wilcox in a few remarks, turned over the monument to the G. A. R., and the impressive service was rendered by that body.

At the close of the services the battalion went into column and escorted the Post to the parade entrance, going into line and tender- ing them a salute as they marched from the grounds. The day was cloudy, threatening rain, but there was a large number present.

The monument is a solid block of marble, set upon a granite pedestal, the whole sur- mounted with a brass mortar, It now stands in the barracks' cemetery close beside the fine monument to the "Unknown Dead." The Pike monument is unique, and is a veri- table gem. Our artist, when taking the view, permitted this fine young German, a member of the 9th Infantry, to stand by the side of the monument, giving the picture a fine military effect.

The military achievments of Zebulon Mont- gomery Pike are worthy of a larger notice than we can give in the circumscribed limits of a local history. He came from military stock. His father, Zebulon Pike, was a cap- tain in the Revolutionary Army. The subject of our sketch was born in Lamberton, New Jersey. As early as 1805, he was sent to ex-

THE PIKE MO UMENT.

plore the Territory of Missouri and the re- gion beyond. He was a predecessor of Fre- mont, and more than his equal, for Pike was exploring a country where no white man's foot had ever trod; Fremont had the advan- tage of the experience of all who had pre- ceded him. For a full account of this re- markable man and courageous officer, we re- fer the reader to Greeley's "Men of Achieve- ment," a very ably-written book, and ought to be read by every young man in America.

It is of General Pike's services upon this northern frontier that we would particularly speak. In the re-organization of the old army, in 1812, he was made a full Colonel, and in the following year was made Brigadier General a few days before his death at the capture of York (now Toronto). Owing to

600

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

the sickness of General Dearborn, Pike took command of the land forces in the assault upon York, and they bad carried the outer battery when an explosion occurred, fatally wounding the General and several private soldiers ; but his martial spirit impelled him to encourage his troops to the last. The flag of the captured fort was brought him ; he smiled and placed it under his head, and died serenely, a soldier to the last. It did not need such a tragic ending to render his name illustrious. In youth he had few opportuni- ties for education, but his industry and per- severence led him to seek knowledge as other men seek wealth, and when he died be was one of the best beloved and most distin- guished soldiers of the old army. Like his simple monument, he was modest, but unique.

THE NEW ORLEANS.

In February, 1884, when the old war-ship New Orleans, which had been on the stocks in Sackets Harbor since 1815, was undergo- ing demolition, it parted directly in the cen- ter and fell to the ground. instantly killing a workman named James Oates, and seriously injuring Ralph Godfrey, M. Jeffrey and a man named Hemens. Eight other workmen narrowly eseaped. Oates was terribly muti- lated, a spike being forced entirely through his head and a bolt through his back. The New Orleans was begun hy Henry Eckford, of New York, about the 1st of January, 1815, under contract with the government. Her name was fixed by the authorities after Gen- eral Jackson's victory at New Orleans on Jannary 8th, the same year. She was to be 3.200 tons burden. 187 feet length of keel, 56 feet beam, and 40 feet depth of hold; pierced for 110 guns, but could carry 120.

When Eckford was awarded the contraet a large force of men was secured and timber was gathered from the surrounding forests. Nails, spikes and bolts were forged on the ground. the bolts being entirely of copper. The timbers were mostly cedar and oak, the beams in the keel being of an extraordinary size. The gun carriages were carried across the country from the Mohawk valley, and were composed of mahogany and lignum- vitae. and are yet in the storehouse at Sack- ets Harbor. The police commissioners from England and the United States met at Ghent, Belgium, and declared peace on December 24, 1814. The news did not reach Washing- ton till the February following, and it was not until two weeks later that Eckford re- ceived orders to cease work, which he did about March 1. During 60 days the immense ship had been nearly finished, the main deck was laid and supports for the bulwarks were raised. The New Orleaus was intended to be used as a sort of floating battery, to be stationed at the head of St Lawrence river to prevent the British fleet from entering tbe lake. As she was constructed entirely of green wood it was an open question whether she could ever have been navigated.

The government caused a house to be

erected over the New Orleans early in the thirties, but that was finally destroyed, al- though the place was visited by hundreds of tourists and curiosity seekers each season. In 1882 Congress ordered the sale of the New Orleans at auction .. Alfred Wilkinson, of Syracuse, bid her in for $400. While being demolished under his orders the accident oc- curred. Wilkinson, it is said. cleared about $4,000 from his investment.

THE G. A. R. HONOR AN OLD FRIEND.

The Watertown Standard of March 30, 1894, devotes a colums to details of a recep- tion to Col. W. B. Camp, by James K. Barnes Post, G. A. R., of Saekets Harbor. Commander Butterfield's remarks will per- haps best explain the wishes of the soldier boys, and we print them for that purpose. He spoke as follows :

COL. CAMP .- In tendering you this reception it is intended to convey to you an expression of the high esteem entertained for you by the comrades of this post, as a citizen having a loyal and patriotic desire, always, to sustain the government and flag, for your consistent and warm regard for the soldiers who, for their great love of country. periled their lives to pre- serve its unity. For these and the many expressions of kindly feeling and acts toward the Grand Army of the Republic, as a body. but more especially mani- fested to the comrades of Joseph K. Barnes Post No. 360. one of ita integral parts, are we here to-night, and the comrades of this Post desire to express their high sense of regard for you as a truly loyal citizen, and their appreciation of you asa man who believes in the motto of our order, Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty, hy the adoption of the following resolu- tions :

Resolved, That in tendering the hospitality of Joseph K. Barnes Post, in open assembly, and offer- ing this reception to Col. Walter B. Camp, it is not the outcome of simply courteous action, but the hearty expression of fraternal feeling of its com- rades.

Resolved, that as comrades we believe in a manly and honestly warm heart, so many times manifested by Col. Camp, by the friendly greeting, in the tokens of friendship, evident by the many beautiful objects which adorn our quarters; his invariable response where material aid was required to assist in relieving an unfortunate comrade or his family, and above all this, his manv acta and his constant desire to pro- mote the interests of his native village. We pray the Supreme Commander to bless him abundantly. and make the future of his life one of pleasant and joyful hours.

Colonel Camp was evidently deeply moved by the hearty welcome he received when he arose to reply. He referred in happy terms to the great pleasure it gave him to be present, and said that their warm words of appreciation were all too generous. He had taken great pride in the old boys in blue, and any little attentions had been only incident to a des re by him to show how he regarded the heroes of the great atruggle. He referred to the dedication of the old battle field in 1886, and spoke of the words of John Seymour on that notable occasion. Col. Camp related several deeply interesting reminiscences of the war days, notably his connection with presenting the flag to the 94th N. Y. Volunteers at Alexandria, Va. The feeling response of Col. Camp was highly entertaining and characteristic. Evidently he was moved with feelings of gratitude for the reception he had received at the hands of his fellow-citizens.

Colonel A. D. Shaw was called upon by the com- mander and was very cordially received.

He spoke in highly eulogistic terms of the charac- ter and public services of Colonel Camp, and said that it gave him great gratification to be present when his old friend was made the recipient of such rare and felicitious resolutious of respect and good will, from his neighbors and life-long friends. Such evidences of esteem and confidence were deserved. It was a noble thing to have such tokens of regard presented while living. The rule was to pass and

601

HOUNDSFIELD.

print resolutions of condolence after one was dead : but in Col. Camp's case, the more impressive and fit- ting way of filling the heart of the living with joy by references to work well done and acts well perform- ed, had been adopted. Col. Camp had won the high esteem of his many admirers by a genial and happy individuality, and now, in the sunset of life, one of the greatest honors of his career had been extended him. He congratulated him on his good fortune, and trusted that many happy years would he meted out to him in which to enjoy the felicity of friends and have a part in every good work of life. Captain Macgowan was called upon and made a neat speech. He caused much mirth by referring to Col. Camp's references to some of his early reminiscences, and expressed himself as greatly pleased with the oppor- tunity of being present on the very interesting occas- ion. Excellent music was rendered.

After the speaking was over, the commander in- vited all present to remain and partake of a bountiful supper, which the Woman's Auxiliary had prepared.

patriotic spirit displayed in carrying out the wishes of Mrs. Hay in the many details necessarily connected with such a gift. The G. A. R. Post and the Masonic fraternity took part in the procession, in which also the firemen, different societies and citizens generally joined. Colonel Camp opened the exercises, the church and chapel being filled to their uttermost. Rev. M. E. Reynolds, of the M. E. Church, said :

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 126

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823- Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company Number of Pages: 1098

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098