The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 77

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

USA > New York > Jefferson County > The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894 > Part 77

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The latest improvements upon the Public Square have been more important and per- manent than anything that has preceded them. When completed, the Square will be one of the finest in America-perhaps the very finest. The writer has seen none in this country to be compared with it, and there are but few in Europe. When the Harris House interval shall have been filled up with a block equal to those which flank it upon either hand, the symmetry of the Square will be made almost perfect. It is a grand property, wisely donated nearly an hundred years ago by three well-remembered citizens, whose astute perceptions foresaw what it might possibly become.

The manner in which the highways of Watertown have been "improved," has demonstrated the folly of short-sighted and cheap methods of making roads. On Arsenal and Court streets may be seen almost any day men engaged gathering up and carting away great loads of mud and pulverized lime- stone. They, in turn, will in time be follow- ed by more men and teams, carting on more limestone, which will in turn be pulverized or forced out of sight into the soft clay which underlies the streets. If a suitable founda- tion were first prepared, it would be easy to build some sort of a superstructure that would stand the wear. In the New England States, nearly every large road district owns a steam-roller, by which whatever is put upon the road is rolled level, and made smooth, mechanically. But the roads here- abouts are expected to be made smooth by tbe attrition of passing vehicles, a result never attained, for many loose stones escape the crushing of the wheels and remain a nuisance to horse aud man. It is the same old way of trying to get "something for nothing," or the yet more foolish effort to get a permanent road by methods so cheap as to appear childish.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

CRITICISMS OF SOLDIERS.

THE author of this History is aware that the criticisms he has heard of being made upon some of the numbers as they have come from the press (that it was a "Soldier History "), may appear just and excusable, viewed in the light of those who do not fairly appreciate the great crisis which was upon the country during the whole Civil War, covering the years 1861 to 1865. The writer was very unfavorably impressed when he saw that a late Gazetteer (in no sense a history) of Jefferson county gave to the record of all the soldiers who had served in the Union army from this portion of the State, only six and a half pages; to the Bench and Bar 53 pages; and to the Jefferson County Medical Society 37 pages. Considering that there would have been very little Bench or Bar or Medical Society left, were it not for the valor of that great army which beat back the annihilating wave of secession, these records appear to me a painful travesty upon the name of history.

Even now it is not believed that the immi- nent responsibility of the struggle is appreci- ated. It involved all the good that had gone before, and the question was whether that good should be perpetuated or allowed to lapse into the endless category of disastrous experiments, and become one more of the numerous failures to establish a people's government, that has strewn all the shores of time, from Egypt to America-and has darkened the pages of history with so many attempts to lift man up to the level his man- hood demanded, and which he would die to maintain. The struggle was momentous, de- manding great sacrifices, perhaps death itself. Then there came to the front men of great hearts, many of them of lowly origin, who were willing to be sacrificed, if need be, to save the nation.

The occasion was grand-the struggle in- cisive and doubtful-foreign nations were observant, some were neutral; our great natural ally was hostile, because the issues in- volved were really democracy against aristoc- racy-the people against institutions which had their foundations in feudalism and king- craft. But, grand as was the occasion, the men who gave it virile strength and demon- strative power were equal to it. They came from workshops, from factories, from forges; some, too, from pulpits and school-houses, and banks and stores and lawyers' offices, and some from the seclusion of editorial sanctums. They asked only to be led-as Warren did at Bunker Hill. "To the redoubt ! to the redoubt !" said he, when questioned as to the place he preferred in the fight. So these men only demanded to be led where the fight was imminent, the danger greatest.

Many went-some are resting to-day where the perennial laurel shall ever wave its green branches over their brave breasts, as they lie entombed in Southern soil-some sleep in hospital cemeteries, perhaps with "Unknown" engraved upon their tombstones. These sleep

well, for their history is secure. But the great majority returned; some with wounds, some with stooped shoulders, all of them the worse for wear-a motley host of sober, sad- faced men-sobered by hard experience, half regretful that they had ever gone into the service-and this, especially, when they noted with surprise the indifference with which their sacrifices were considered by many. who, in peaceful bomes, enjoyed all the bene- fits of an established and cemented govern- ment, which their valor had helped to per- petuate. It may be said that these gallant first recruits went from principle, not from any desire or hope of gain. They rushed to arms with songs upon their lips-I say it boldly, they "sang" as they marched to death or to glory; and went " joyfully " to do their duty, even though their hearts were bursting under strain of severed ties and love for kindred.

To rescue some of these heroes from oblivion has been my dearest ambition. It is my tearful tribute to those who fell, some of them at my side, as we struggled forward in the path of duty.

It will not be long before the last of these broken, halting, grey-headed heroes have passed away, and then it will be too late to tell them how much their efforts won from absolute chaos and destruction. But while they are yet above the sod, it should be the duty of every honest heart to see to it that no fault-finding or detractive word shall ever reach their ears. What they should hear ought to be words of praise and honor.

Doubtless there are some who may think that these soldier records smack of egotism. Not so. None of these brave men care to see their deeds blazoned forth-the motive that prompts their relation is a higher one-it is to spread upon the record such facts and incidents as will enable the student of history in the years to come to discover the magnitude of the strife, its insidious dangers, its tremendous consequences, its triumphant ending. The writer was one of the very humblest, and certainly the least deserving of any of those who wore an epaulet for four and a half years, and he tells only of what he saw, and part of which he was. We give one more in- cident, and then dismiss the "Soldier" question from further attention, hoping that it may be handled by abler pens as the years pass by.

AN ARMY EPISODE.

IT is well to remember that war is in itself cruel and full of invasions of personal rights. In its best form it is scarcely a picnic, While the expedition under my command was obliged to inflict losses and privation upon many families that were not directly participants in the rebellion, it is yet well to remember that nearly all the grown-up male members of those families were serving as volunteer

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

soldiers in the Confederate army, little dream- ing that the time would soon come when the rash measures they were supporting for the dismemberment of the Union would bring trouble and loss to those they had left in peaceful homes.

The summer of 1862 was remarkable for two things upon the Rappahannock below Fredericksburgh, Virginia. One was the continual smuggling that was practiced across that river, mainly through King George county, whereby a weekly mail and large quantities of medicine and the finest groceries were regularly conveyed to the Rehel army around Richmond. The other was the con- stant traffic in slaves that was carried on in that remote neighborhood, the owners in Maryland and Northern Virginia having caught the prevailing fear that the invasion from the North was soon to imperil their property in "chattels" that walked on two legs, and henee they desired to hurry this class of property away into the "further South" where slaves yet commanded a high price. The slim strip of country, not over seven miles wide, lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, was especially adapted for these smuggling and slave ex- peditions, and when once the property had crossed the Rappahannock it was almost entirely safe from pursuit or capture, for the 40 miles to Richmond had not yet felt the tread of a single Northern soldier. Into this region the assassin Booth penetrated when he tried to reach what was left of the Confed- eracy. It was at Port Royal, on the Rappa- hannock, that he crossed, and there was for two years the well-known runway for the smuggling and slave traffic.

To break up this business in July, 1862, I was ordered by General King to take 30 of my best men, put them on board a small steamer that had been provided, proceed down the river, and destroy every boat I could find and capture any contraband goods I could lay my hands upon, which I had rea- son to believe were awaiting transfer to the Confederate army. I had full diseretion as to the time to be consumed on the trip as well as the means to be used in carrying out my orders. It took me nearly a day to get to- gether rations and such "impedimenta " as appeared necessary for such an expedition, which was to take us, if not straight into the enemy's country, at least through what was certainly debatable ground, where we would have but slight hope of escape if attacked hy a superior force, and where the roads and general contour of the land were wholly unknown to us. General King him- self felt that the duty assigned me was dangerous, and he had his signal officer pro- vide me with colored rockets for use in case I got cornered and called for help. These rockets we never used.

Under such circumstances I felt the need of a guide who knew the country below and around Port Royal, and bethought me that my old friend, Capt. George Parker, a com- missary in Sedgwick's Sixth corp, might be

able to find me a man among the numerous people he usually employed around head- quarters. I rode over to his post, and the Captain said he had the very man I needed. He sent for a very intelligent negro man, named Lewis, who had lived in King George county all his life and claimed to know every road and four-corners in that country where I was about to operate as "boat smasher " and general detective. He had been a slave, and only a short time before had escaped from the plantation where he was raised, leaving his wife and children with a promise to soon return for them. He seemed so intelligent and so anxious to go with me that I con- cluded to take him along. His only condition was that on our return from the expedition we should land at a certain plantation wharf and give him an hour in which to hurry up to his cabin and bring away his family, who were to be carried on our boat to Fredericks- burgh to join that great crowd of escaped slaves who were daily seeking employment within the Union lines.

Down the river then we steamed, visiting many plantations where a Federal soldier had never before been seen, and finding many boats which we somewhat reluctantly de- stroyed, for some of them were evidently family pleasure boats used upon the river in summer; yet some were large concerns, ca- pable of holding 30 people, and had evidently been used for carrying slaves across the water as well as for purposes of traffic. These larger boats we destroyed without compunc- tion, but a few we spared where it was evident they had not lately been in the water, but were housed up away from the river. The second day we had proceeded perhaps 60 miles below Fredericksburgh, as the river turns and twists, and the evening overtook us in a broad part of the river, which was here half a mile wide. This day I visited Port Royal, a small hamlet, the most prominent building being a large tavern located upon a high hill. When myself and two of my men had made a brief inspection of the place, meeting with many sullen looks and sarcastic remarks from the men whom we found, and who promised that we would not soon again see Fredericksburgh, we turned our faces towards the boat, and had got about half way down the hill when we were fired upon; as none of us was wounded, we kept straight on to the steamer, not caring then to bring on a possible skirmish that would divert me from carrying out my specific orders. This episode, however, taught us that we were in an enemy's country and were likely to fare badly if at any time outnumbered.

We anchored in the middle of the river, not caring to proceed at night. Having set the watch and extinguished the lights, so as to hide our presence, and with strict injunctions as to silence, I laid down for rest. But I felt too anxious for sleep. It must have been near 12 o'clock, and a warm mist had fallen upon the water, when my quick ear caught the sound of oars. At first I thought it might be an attacking party, but soon concluded it

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OITY OF WATERTOWN.

was a smuggling boat en route with goods for Richmond. Picking out four of my best men, we silently got into our yawl and rowed stealthily towards the boat, whose sturdy oarsmen made so much noise that they did not hear us. When I judged that we were some 10 rods away I hailed the boat. No answer, but the rowing suddenly stopped. Again I hailed: "Bring here that boat, or I will fire into you." No reply, but splashes in the water told us the crew had plunged over- board, and were swimming for the shore. We fired a volley and heard the balls as they struck "thud " into the bank. Pushing on now we soon ran into the boat, and found it loaded down with fine tea, coffee, boots and shoes and medicine. This prize we took in tow, and were soon on board our steamer, well satisfied with our first good luck, and glad to find we had so quickly struck the very route of the smugglers. In the morn- ing. I resolved to devote that day to finding the spot whence these goods had come. Tak- ing five of my most active and trusty men, I landed upon the north bank of the river, and was soon on the road to King George Court House. Luckily for us, Louis, our guide, knew a bright colored man in that neighbor- hood, who was able to give me valuable in- formation. There is a wide creek running out of the Potomac towards the south-west, navigable for steamers for two miles from that river, and once a week a vessel load of contraband goods was landed on the bank of that creek, and, under cover of darkness, hauled away to a depot of supplies at a little hamlet, the name of which has escaped me. From that point the goods were delivered at different points on the Rappahannock, and so reached the Confederate army and the people of Richmond. To capture these stores and destroy what we could not bring away, was my immediate duty, and I resolved to go about it that very night. To march boldly for the place in open day would invite attack and a fight, and I was ordered to avoid a con- flict. So we returned to the boat to prepare for the trip. The distance to be travelled was about 7 miles, and Louis' friend knew a circuitous route which would be much more secret than by the regular highway. My men did not hesitate to declare their lack of faith in both these colored men, but I had confi- dence in them, as they had something to gain by our success. After reaching the steamer, however, I took both of them into the cabin, and told them plainly that if there was any doubt whatever as to their knowledge of the country, then was the time to make it known ;; but that if they led us wrongfully or gave us any reason to doubt their entire faithfulness, their lives would not be safe a moment. They both declared their great anxiety for my suc- cess. From that hour I trusted them entirely and had no reason to regret it.

I thought 20 men could defend the boat if attacked, and that 10 of the most resolute would be all I would need to fight our way back if we got into trouble. So these 10 were selected, and with 20 rounds of ammu-

nition, in light marching order, at 3 o'clock in the morning we started. The night was hot and sultry; I was sick with an attack of fever, but my men were bright and ever on the alert. Through the thick fog we silently marched, until we reached a short cut through the swamp and woods. Here the gray morning light helped us to see our way, and as we got farther from the river the fog grew thinner. At near sunrise we were in possession of the hamlet where the store- house stood, and found it well stocked with goods-whisky, sugar, coffee, tea, boots and shoes by the wagon load. As the morning wore on, the colored people began to gather around, and then we learned that the men who had charge of the goods had suddenly disappeared the night before, having doubt- less heard of our seizure of their boat on the river, and were either scared away or had gone to get troops to defend their goods. However, we heard no word from them, and our only trouble now was to get the goods to the boat. By paying liberally from the cap- tured stores, I soon induced the colored men to procure such conveyances as were access- ible-carts and wagons, drawn by mules and horses-and in a short time, by the help of the lookers on, we loaded six teams and began our return to the steamer. Our march was slow at the best, for the roads were heavy, the sand deep, the sun hot, and my men be- gan to show fatigue. We were fortunate in securing a poor breakfast at a sort of restau- rant, for we had brought no rations. By further good luck I had been able to hire a mule to ride, for my fever was very weaken- ing, and at a snail's pace we moved along. When about half way back, and on the main road, we suddenly met two men driving a fine team to a Dearborn open wagon. As they passed me I turned partly around to look at them, and noticed two unusually large travelling satchels in the rear end of the wagon. I called back to my sergeant to halt the team. This was done, and I at once de- manded an inspection of the satchels, for I felt there was mischief in them of some kind. One of the men was a fine looking gentleman, the other appeared more like a private soldier in disguise. The gentleman who was driving declared himself the owner of the team; he said he was only giving his companion a lift on his journey, and advised his passenger to open the satchels, but to this he strenuously demurred. Under threatening demands he at last opened them. One was full of letters, several hundred in number, addressed to peo- ple in the Confederate army, and to citizens of Richmond and other places in the South; the other satchel was crammed with the finest medicines, mostly quinine and morphia, and several pounds of crude opium in large balls. Here indeed was a "find," both important and valuable. I demanded from the owner of the satchels his arms, and he readily hand- ed over his pistol and a large knife. I told him he must go with me to General King, in whose lines (for we were upon the north side of the river) he had been doing the work of a

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

spy. I warned both of the men that if they made any attempt to escape they would be fired upon. They both promised to be obedient, and, their team was added to our cavalcade.

This took place about three miles from the boat, and we had been promised an attack by a superior force in passing through a strip of woods about a mile from the river. We were not molested, and at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon were very glad to join our party on the boat. Willing hands soon had the stores on board, and the fine team and the Dearhorn wagon followed, the two prisoners becoming objects of great curiosity to my men. Having paid Louis' friend liberally for his assistance, we turned our boat towards Fredericksburgh, comforting ourselves with the thought that we had done the Union cause some slight service. We afterwards learned that smuggling was thenceforth un- known in that "neck of woods," and that the slaves thereafter, on their way to the South, found other routes of travel.

As we had now abandoned boat-smashing, having more pressing work on hand, we put on all steam, and just at dusk reached the wharf where my promise to bring away Louis' family, was redeemed. He sprang on shore and we made fast, expecting to wait at least an hour for his return. That time had not half elapsed when out of the near-by woods swarmed not less than 50 negroes, of both sexes and of all ages and sizes. They formed the most grotesquely pitiful sight I had ever witnessed. Each one, big or little, bore some household utensil; some had feather beds upon their heads, all in a hurry as if life depended upon getting on board that boat right away. I hastily stepped on shore and was met by Louis. "Capting," he said, " fore de Lord I'se not sponsible for all dese yere niggers following we uns down here; but fact am dat my wife dun tole some of de neybors dat she gwine to be free when dis yere boat come in, and here de hull of dem niggers is troopin' 'long arter us." I felt myself in a dilemma. I had no right to turn the steamer into a negro transport, and told Louis I could not take that whole crowd on board. But, as he had been so faithful, and had helped us do so well, he might select four of his best friends, and these, besides his own family, I would transport to Fredericks- burgh and to freedom. Upon that under- standing he selected his four friends, all rela- tives, and these, with his wife and three chil- dren, came on board and we quickly cast off the line, leaving a sorrowing and tearful crowd upon the wharf. But when we tied up at Fredericksburglı the next morning, not less than 15 " colored persons " walked down the gang-plank to freedom and future lives of toil and hardship.

I took my prisoners, with the team, to General King. The owner of the team, after a long interview, was permitted to go to his home on giving his parole, but his splendid horses and the wagon were turned over to the division quartermaster, and the medicine to

the surgeons. The letters were opened and found to be very compromising. The spy did not escape so easily. "Do you know,' said the general, "what will be the penalty for a man caught within our lines with letters and supplies for our enemies?" "Yes," said the undaunted prisoner, "I suppose it will be death." That afternoon he was sent for- ward to Washington to he incarcerated in the Old Capitol Prison, but his fate I never learned. He may even now be publishing a Democratic newspaper in some Southern State, full of abuse of "Abe Lincoln's hirelings," or, better yet for him, be a member of Congress and serving on the Committee on Pensions. J. A. H.

THE writer has come in personal relation with two unusual incidents relating to the great Civil War, which tend to alleviate some of the harsher and more cruel characteristics which inevitably follow an army, for war is in itself brutal and full of sacrifices. The late General Wadsworth was at one time military governor of the City of Washington. A property owner there had had some trouble about one of his buildings, he being known as disloyal. But General Wadsworth, before whom all matters of that kind were brought for approval, rendered a decision favorable to this property owner, who soon left Washing- ton and joined the Confederate army. When General Wadsworth was killed in one of those dreadful Wilderness fights under Grant and Meade, the first that was known of his deatlı officially was when a flag of truce notified the commandant of that part of the Union line that Wadsworth's body was ready for transfer home, and only lacked a pass through the Union lines. The man whom Wadsworth had befriended in Washington had recognized the General's body, and that was his reason for interfering to have the remains sent home.

ANOTHER incident of the same nature is re- lated of Stonewall Jackson, a General more extensively mourned throughout the Con- federacy than any other soldier who fell. Major Andrew J. Barney, a notice of whom will be found in connection with Ellisburgh, was killed at the Second Bull Run engage- ment, August 30, 1862. Some of his com- mand (as we learn from Miss Elva Barney, of Henderson), who were hearing Major Bar- ney's body from the field, were captured by the Confederates. General Jackson, on learn- ing that the dead officer was Major Barney, caused the body to be cared for and embalın- ed, and Dr. Buell, of Ellisburg (now deceased), was sent South to procure the body, going into the rebel lines under a flag of truce, and brought away home the precious remains, as well as his sword and equipments

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 77

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