USA > New York > Ulster County > Kingston > The history of Kingston, New York : from its early settlement to the year 1820 > Part 16
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 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
On the 22d of November, 1757, the trustees passed an ordinance, providing "that if any negro or mulatto slave or slaves shall be found in the streets of Kingston after 9 O'clock at night, without a lighted lantern, or an order from his or her master, that such slave or slaves shall be whipt, unless such master or mistress pay three shillings to save his or her back."
Fortunately for British success in America, the year 1758 wit- nessed a change in the English ministry. Pitt's star was in the ascendant, and that was the signal for more activity and talent, and less bluster in command of his Majesty's forces in the prov- inces. Lord Loudoun was at once superseded, and the provincial governments were assured that Great Britain would send naval and land forces sufficient for offensive measures against the French, and the conquest of Canada, together with necessary ammunition and supplies.
On the 24th day of March, 1758, the legislature of the province of New York passed a law entitled " an act for raising, paying, and clothing two thousand six hundred and eighty effective men, officers included, toward forming an army of twenty thousand men, with the forces of the neighboring colonies, to invade the French possessions in Canada in conjunction with a body of his Majesty's regular troops, and other purposes therein mentioned." The act designated the quota of Ulster to be two hundred and twenty-eight effective men.
Lord Loudoun's departure unfortunately left General Aber-
141
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
crombie as the senior or ranking officer in command in America. The British fleet, under Admiral Boscawen, arrived at Halifax early in the season with twelve thousand British troops under General Amherst, with General Wolfe second in command, but junior in rank to Abercrombie.
The campaign of 1758 opened with an army of fifty thousand men prepared for the invasion of Canada, of which twenty-two thousand were regular disciplined troops of Great Britain.
Generals Amherst and Wolfe, with their twelve thousand men, laid siege to Louisburg, and reduced it in the month of July.
The commanding general, Abercrombie, with seven thousand English regular troops and ten thousand provincials, undertook the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They passed through Lake George in boats, and then marched toward Fort Ticonderoga. The commander-in-chief undertook to take the place by assault and without cannon, but his forces were repulsed with great loss, and a retreat ordered, which was followed by a precipitate and dis- astrous flight. The loss of the English, in killed, wounded, and missing, was nearly two thousand.
Colonel Bradstreet, a provincial officer, procured from General Abercrombie his consent to attack Fort Frontenac on Lake On- tario. He was allowed three thousand troops for that purpose, including one hundred and thirty-five regulars and thirty royal artillery. The rest were all provincial troops, including one thou- sand one hundred and twelve from New York. The first detach- ment of New York troops was under Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Clinton, of Ulster County. The second was commanded by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Isaac Corse, of Queens County, which included the company commanded by Captain Ebenezer Sealy, of Ulster County.
Colonel Bradstreet proceeded, without any unnecessary delay, by the way of the Mohawk River, Wood Creek, the Oneida Lake, and Onondaga River to Oswego. He embarked on Lake Ontario in open boats, and landed within a mile of the fort on the 25th of August. On the 27th he opened his batteries, and the place was surrendered, containing a large number of cannon and mortars, and a great quantity of military stores, provisions, and merchan- dise. He then returned, leaving a garrison at the carrying-place, now Rome.
In November Fort Du Quesne surrendered to General Forbes, and its name was changed to Fort Pitt, in honor of the English premier. So that the campaign of 1758 closed with the triumph of the British and colonial arms in all the expeditions save that of the commander-in-chief against Ticonderoga.
On the 2d day of October, 1758, the trustees of Kingston made
142
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
arrangements and appointed a committee to build a block-house, 24 × 15 feet in size inside, on the frontier.
In the year 1758 Lieutenant Patrick Sutherland and his com- pany were, under orders of the lieutenant-governor, posted in block-houses numbers one and two on the Ulster and Orange County frontier.
Sergeant Richard Johnson was detached with his command, guarding the provisions, to block-house number three.
The following-named officers, with their commands, were detailed scouring the western frontier of Ulster County in 1758, as follows : In March, Lieutenants Hendricus, Van Keuren, and James Kain.
In March and April, Captains Thomas Ellis, Joseph Draton, Ebenezer Gedney, Gilbert Draton, John N. Smith, Johannis New- kirk, James Fullon, Robert Livingston, Jr., and Frederick Kirke, Ensign John Brouk.
In May, Captains Andries Truax and Daniel Campbell, Lieu- . tenants Johannis S. Freeman and Hendrick Hansen. Captain Peter Wagonen and his command were out on several expeditions during the year, but dates are unknown.
On the 16th of December, 1758, Governor De Lancey dissolved the Assembly for the reason that the time was so near when it must expire by the limitation of the septennial act, and as the orders in regard to the next campaign had not yet been received from England, the despatch of public business would be promoted by an immediate dissolution. The new Assembly convened on the 31st of January, 1759, and Abraham Hasbrouck and Jacobus Bruyn were returned as members from Ulster County.
General Amherst, for the campaign of 1759, succeeded the un- fortunate Abercrombie as commander-in-chief, and to him, with twelve thousand troops, was assigned the capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. After their capture he was directed to proceed and join General Wolfe, who, with the fleet and eight thousand soldiers, was to ascend the St. Lawrence and attack Quebec. Gen- eral Prideaux was assigned to proceed against Fort Niagara, and after its capture join the generals below. General Stanwix was assigned to protect the northern frontier.
On the 7th of March, 1759, the New York Legislature passed " an act for raising a supply of one hundred thousand pounds for levying, paying and clothing two thousand six hundred and eighty effective men, officers included, for forming with the forces of the neighboring colonies an army of twenty thousand men to invade, with a body of his Majesty's regular troops, the French posses- sions in Canada, and for emitting bills of credit for the like sum and for sinking and cancelling the said bills in short periods."
The several expeditions as planned were all successful, leaving at the end of the campaign Montreal alone of all the important
143
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
places in the hands of the French. Wolfe, without the assistance of any of the other generals, accomplished the capture of Quebec, but with the sacrifice of his life. After he received his fatal wound, he lived long enough to hear the victorious shouts-" They fly," " they fly." He asked, " Who fly ?"' On being answered, " The French," he said : "I die content," and almost instantly expired.
Montcalm, the French commander, was also mortally wounded. When he heard the British shouts of victory, and was told he could only survive a few hours, he replied in French : " So much the bet- ter ; I shall not then live to see the surrender of Quebec."
The following-named officers, with the commands under them, detached principally from the companies under command, re- spectively, of Captains Smedes, Hasbrouck, Newkirk, Harden- bergh, Hays, Jonathan Sweet and Johannis . Bevier, served on scouring expeditions at different times during the war, and most of them more or less every year, but particulars cannot be given. Johannis Roosa, Barent Roosa, Abraham Smedes, Hendrick Van Demark ; Lieutenants Samuel Denton, Lewis Du Bois, Johannis Kraus, Jacob W. Vrooman, James Kain ; Sergeants Abraham Terwilliger, Peter Mullendee, Isaac Fowler, Jelula Clark, Ben- jamin Constable, Benjamin Comfort, Benjamin Klaarwater, Cor- nelius Kool, George Burn, John Burn, John Barnes, James Gal- laspy, Sampson Sammons ; Corporals Joseph Decker, Isaac Ter- williger, John McLean ; Ensigns Cornelius Schoonmaker, James Clinton, Samuel Sands, Matthew Rae, David Craig, Nathan Hill.
Thus terminated the campaign of 1759, leaving Montreal the only post of importance in the hands of the French.
In the month of June, 1759, the governor was informed by the general commanding, that the service was in great distress for the want of money, and the incapacity of the contractor's agents to supply the same. He thereupon convened the Assembly to meet on the 26th of June. The Assembly met on that day, and in re- sponse to the recommendation of the governor, and the request of the commanding general, at once passed a bill entitled " An act for emitting bills of Credit of this Colony to the amount of £150.000 on loan, to enable his Majesty's General to discharge the debts con- tracted for the public service, in preparing to invade the French possessions in North America." These bills were made redeem- able within twelve months after date, and emitted upon the credit of bills of exchange drawn by the deputy paymaster-general of his Majesty's forces in North America, upon the paymaster-general for the like sum. The law was perfected and signed by the gor- ernor on July 3d, 1759, and the house adjourned.
The Assembly was again called together on the 17th of October, 1759, when the governor informed them that he had called them together at that time as provision had only been made for the pay
144
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
of the provincial troops until the 1st of November, and the exigen- cies of the service demanded their continuance at least one month longer, and requesting the necessary provision for pay and sup- plies to that end. The house made the necessary provision aud adjourned.
.
They were again convened on the 12th of March, 1760, and in obedience to the demands of the English ministry, passed a bill for " levying, paying, and clothing 2680 effective men, officers in- cluded, toward forming an army of 20,000 men with forces of the neighboring Colonies, to reduce in conjunction with his Majesty's regular forces, Montreal and other posts belonging to the French in Canada, and for emitting bills of credit for £60,000." This re- . quired a yearly assessment upon Ulster County of five hundred and seventy-five pounds for eight years.
On the 30th day of July, 1760, Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey expired very suddenly in his study at New York, seated in his chair. He was undoubtedly a man of talents and many virtues. He justly escaped all suspicion of enriching himself by misappro- priating and embezzling the public funds, so freely charged, and in most cases truly, against nearly every English governor that pre- ceded him. The English Government sought to prohibit the col- onies from issuing bills of credit, without which the colony of New York never could have maintained the enormous war expenditures with which it had been burdened ; he skilfully managed to evade the prohibition, as well as relieve them from the order against annual supplies.
Governor De Lancey was succeeded by Dr. Cadwallader Colden, a resident of Ulster County, who was the oldest member of the council.
The campaign of 1760 was under the command of General Am- herst, as commander-in-chief. Marquis de Levis, the French com- mander, made an unsuccessful attempt to retake Quebec, and upon its failure retreated to Montreal. Monsieur Vandruiel, the French Governor-General of Canada, collected around him the entire French forces at that post to make his final stand against the Eng- lish. The English general, Amherst, so arranged the expedition against Montreal, that his entire forces in three columns from dif- ferent directions appeared before that city at the same time.
The French governor, thus surrounded by overwhelming forces, capitulated, and the English acquired the vast country of Canada. This, of course, relieved the colonists from their offensive and. dangerous French neighbors, and the reign of peace followed to the colonists in this vicinity, although the Indians, fearing the ultimate triumph of the white man, sounded the warwhoop for several years in other portions of the frontier settlements.
--------
145
CHAPTER X.
FROM THE DEATH OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR DE LANCEY, IN 1760, TO THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE CONTINENTAL CONVENTION, IN 1775.
C ADWALLADER COLDEN, as senior member of the council, upon the death of Governor De Lancey, assumed the govern- ment of the province, and removed from his farm and residence in Ulster County, to the Government house in Fort George, in the city of New York.
The Assembly was convened by him on the 22d day of October, 1760. In his message to that body he referred in fitting terms to the death of the late Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey, and paid an appropriate tribute to his memory. Then, after congratulating the Assembly upon the result of the war, and the acquisition of Canada, he called its attention to some matters of necessary legis- Jation.
The Assembly in its reply, after noticing the subjects referred to in the message, gave this palpable hit at the former action of the British Government in the surrender of Nova Scotia, after its conquest mainly by the colonists and at the expense of their blood and treasure.
" We cannot, on this memorable occasion, refrain from express- ing the pleasure we feel in reflecting that, with the unanimous approbation of our constituents, we have neglected nothing, in our power, towards accomplishing this glorious event ; so neither shall any consideration induce us to regret the blood and treasure ex- pended in facilitating this inestimable acquisition, save only, to which we are confident, the wisdom and honor of the Nation will never deign to submit, the surrender of this most important con- quest, which, in the possession of the Crown, must prove to Britain the source of immense riches."
The House, after passing some few necessary laws, adjourned on the Sth of November, 1760. On account of the death of the king writs for the election of a new Assembly were issued, return- able the 3d day of March, 1761. Jacobus Bruyn and Abraham Hasbrouck were returned as members from Ulster County.
The Assembly was convened on the 11th of March, 1761. On
10
¢
146
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
the 19th of October, of the same year, a commission arrived ap- pointing General Monckton Governor of the province, and he assumed the office on the 26th of the same month. He remained only until the 15th of November, when he embarked with the British army for the island of Martinique, and left Lieutenant- Governor Colden in command.
As soon as the English Government was relieved from its war with France, and had, through the military and financial assistance of the colonies, added Canada to her colonial possessions, her min- istry initiated a series of measures in regard to the colonies tend- ing to create unnecessary and disturbing issues.
The New York Assembly was convened on the 3d of March, 1762. Lieutenant-Governor Colden, in his message at the opening of the Assembly, recommended to them to raise the same number of men as they had done the previous year, to be formed into regi- ments and employed in North America. He then proceeded as follows :
"I am, in obedience to his Majesty's command, likewise to recommend that you will provide for the raising of 479 men, . . which number is the quota of this Province, . . . towards com- pleting the regular regiments which have been sent to America for the defence and protection of his Majesty's subjects there."
To this request the Assembly, on the 13th of March, replied : " That the house of the General Assembly cannot, consistent with the trust reposed in them, provide for the levying of any regular forces ; it being a custom interwoven in the constitution of this colony, for the inhabitants thereof to provide for defending them- selves only by their Militia, and to serve his Majesty, in all attacks on the enemy, by Provincial forces raised for a limited time."
Thus was that demand met with a proper and firm refusal.
The English officers of the navy apparently came to these shores with an exalted idea of their superiority over the provincials, and took frequent occasions to provoke and irritate. Notwithstand- ing the existence of an express prohibitory statute against the im- pressment of English subjects upon the English war vessels, the naval officers without hesitation, and at times to suit their conveni- ence, impressed whom they chose, and compelled them to serve on board their vessels.
One officer, at least, in New York, was appropriately treated. He impressed four seamen, took and imprisoned them on board his ship, and refused to surrender them. The first time he came ashore with his boat, he was seized by a party of men who had watched their opportunity, and his boat was carried off upon their shoulders. He was compelled to sign an order for the release of the men he had imprisoned, which he did. That was soon carried
147
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
by some of the party to the vessel, the men were released, and brought in triumph to the land. The man-of-war boat served, with a number of tar-barrels, for a large bonfire on the plain where the City Hall now stands.
They also required boats, when passing any man of-war lying in the harbor, to salute, by lowering a flag or by some other mode. If that was neglected, their attention was called to it by a blank car- tridge ; if it was not then done, they were saluted by a shotted gun. A woman in New York harbor was killed by one of those balls, which was fired directly at the boat in which she was sitting. Upon complaint to the governor, all the satisfaction received was the information that he had no jurisdiction, as it was not on land, but in the harbor that the offence was committed, and the con- plaint must be made in England.
The English Government imposed heavy and almost prohibitory duties upon importations. This naturally gave rise to smuggling as the mode of evading their payment. The English officer placed to collect the duties, complained to the home government. This was followed by armed cruisers swarming along the coast. In- formers were, of course, promised a valuable share in the profits of the seizure and forfeiture. There were few who dared enter the rôle of an informer, as they were very sure of enduring the penalty of one or more coats of tar and feathers, with the unconcealed con- tempt of their neighbors. The tendency of all this was to nurture, encourage, and increase estrangement and dislike on the part of the colonists toward his Majesty's government.
The requirement that all duties should be paid in specie had a most depressing and injurious effect upon the colonial finances and bills of credit. It at once depreciated the value of its bills of credit, and hampered the colony by drawing specie from the coun- try in procuring the necessary means to make their redemptions as the bills of credit became due. Those bills had been issued to procure means to conduct the war against the Indians and the French for the peculiar benefit and advantage of the English Gov- ernment.
The policy of the British Government had also a damaging effect upon the resources of the colonial mercantile interest in crippling its ability to make remittances to England, by cutting off its trade with the French and Spanish provinces. This was done in 1764 by the imposition of prohibitory duties upon articles imported from the West Indies. This trade had been the source of great profit to the colonial merchants for a long time, and had furnished them with a very large proportion of the specie transmitted to England.
About this time, March, 1764, William Smith, who was not long
-
148
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
after appointed chief-justice for New York under the king, wrote a letter touching upon political affairs to Horatio Gates, who was then in England, and referred to the condition of this country. In that letter occurs this remarkable prophetical passage : " We are a great garden ; constant cultivation will keep down the weeds, but remember, they were planted by Liberty and Religion, near one hundred years ago, these are strong roots, they will soon despise the gardener's utmost strength." And so in time they did.
A gentleman residing in Ulster County, in the immediate neigh- borhood of Kingston, and a very prominent public man in his day, Charles De Witt, of Greenkill, referred to the great financial distress at that time in a private letter written by him to a friend, Jeremiah Day, under date of April 5th, 1765. He says : "Nothing but darkness, I cannot say Egyptian darkness, for the great source of light continues its wonted course, and nature once more, in all probability, will adorn this earth. I mean the times, which are so bad, that I am often in doubt whether or no things will not return to their primitive frame ; trade being so discourag- ing that I see nothing but destruction for many, who in all likeli- hood would do well in case those unheard of prohibitions to trade had never existed. Will not America tumble into confusion, I hope not, but it seems to me if it don't, some remarkable turn for the better will soon take place, either the one or the other, I am confident will inevitably happen. The wise dispensations of Prov- idence are best, and therefore I trust that all things in the end will turn out for the best, although seemingly inconsistent with our present good. Melancholy times, when darkness is on every side, religion seems to have become a plaything to promote contention and discord."
The English Government, not content with the acquisition of the Canadas as a remuneration for the treasure spent by it in that behalf, and likewise regardless of the money and lives which had been sacrificed by the colonies to add that valuable jewel to the English crown, was determined to initiate a policy by which it ex- pected to draw from its American colonies full indemnification for the expenses incurred by them in the French and Indian wars in America, including the conquest of Canada, in addition to an annual revenue for the support of royalty.
In order to accomplish this object, it made the great mistake to join issue with the colonies upon the question of "no taxation without representation." That, as has been shown in this history from time to time, was a principle which had been not only as- serted and maintained by the fathers in the early history of the province, but at all subsequent intervals whenever it was assailed. If there was any principle of government in which the American
-
149
HISTORY OF KINGSTON.
provincials were fully indoctrinated, and which lay as near, if not nearer to the heart than any other, it was that of "no taxation without representation." The English Government must have been well aware of this fact. But with all the pride of power, and a feeling of contempt for provincials, it determined to carry out-its financial schemes regardless of all opposition. Its first direct at- tempt to raise the issue was the passage of the act of Parliament, in March, 1765, familiarly known as the Stamp Act, by which every legal proceeding, every deed, every bill of sale, every will, every receipt, every license, contract, or agreement of any and every description, required a stamp for its validity, and if not stamped it was declared absolutely void, and of no legal force or effect. As might have been anticipated, that met with universal condemnation and resistance throughout the entire provinces. It had no advocate except the king's officers, those whose duty it was to receive and sell the stamps. Such was the indignation and opposition of the people that the officials did not dare to receive the stamps, and much less offer them for sale.
This was the culminating point of taxation without representa- tion. Imposition of duties they could avoid by non-use of the im- ported article. This could not be avoided, and submission to it was an abandonment of the whole question.
The law was to go into effect on the 1st of November, 1765. A congress of deputies from nine of the colonies met in New York, in October, 1765. The members from New York were Robert R. Livingston, John Cruger, Philip Livingston, William Bayard, and Leonard Lispenard. At this meeting an address to the king was adopted and signed on the 22d of October, which set forth in strong terms its opposition to the Stamp Act; that no taxes could be imposed upon them as English subjects without their consent ; no taxation could be enforced against them without representa- tion, and the attempt to do that by Parliament, through the Stamp Act, was a subversion of their rights and liberties.
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.