USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 37
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The committee of grievances passed several resolutions, from which we shall make the following extracts :-
" Resolved, that the imposing, and levying of any moneys upce the people of this colony, under any pretence or color, not posi- tively established, and regulated by consent in general assembly, is a grievance and violation of the people's property."
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" Resolved, that for any officer to exact from the people ex- travagant and unlimited fees, or any money without consent in . general assembly, is unlawful, and a great grievance, and tending to the utter destruction of all property in this plantation."
" Resolved, that the compelling any man upon his trial, by a jury, or otherwise, to pay the fees for his prosecution, or any fees what- ever, unless the fees of the officers whom he employs for his de- fence, is a great grievance, and contrary to justice."
The latter resolution had a special relation to the unjust, and arbitrary exactions imposed on the Rev. Mr. McKimie, after he had been acquitted by a jury. ₹
Lord Cornbury was no less obnoxious to the people of New Jersey, whose governor he was at the same time, than to those of New-York. The assembly of that province, impatient of his tyranny and exactions, drew up a complaint against him, and sent it to England, and had him removed.
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CHAPTER XVII.
Arrival of Lord Lovelace. in December, 1708 .- His administra. tion, and death .- Richard Ingolsby, the lieutenant-governor, succeeds Lord Lovelace .- Second invasion of Canada revived. -New-York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, required to ruise and subsist one thousand five hundred men .- Troops assembled at Wood creek .- Invasion of Canada abandoned .- Mortality among the troops .- Col. Schuyler sent to England with several Indian chiefs .- Their audience with the Queen .- General Hun- ter arrives in June, 1710, and takes upon himself the gorern- ment of the Province .- General meeting of the Colonial Gorer- nors, in 1711, at New London in Connecticut, in order to con- cert measures for the invasion of Canada .- The Provinces of New-York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, levied four thousand men, who assembled at Wood creek .- The Eng lisk fleet with seven thousand troops on board, sailed for Que- bec .- Disaster in the gulf of St. Lawrence, &c.
John lord Lovelace was appointed to the government of the pro- vince, in the spring of 1708; but did not arrive till the 18th of December, following.
He dissolved the assembly on his arrival, and convened a new one, on the 5th of April, 1709.
William Nicoll was elected speaker. The people were greatly pleased at the change. His lordship informed the legislature, that he had brought with him large supplies of soldiers, and stores of war, as well as presents for the Indians.
The principal matter which engaged the attention of the house, was the affair of the revenue.
Lord Cornbury's conduct had rendered them utterly averse to a permanent support for the future : and yet they were unwilling to
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quarrel with the new governor. They, however, agreed to raise two thousand five' hundred pounds, to defray the charges of the government, to the ensuing May; in 1710. Sixteen hundred pounds of this, were given to his excellency.
Lord Lovelace died, and the government devolred upon Richard Ingolsby the lieutenant-governor, the same who Jad exercised the command several years before. 1
We have already adverted to the unhappy situation of the New England borders, in consequence of the war between England and France.
` Hitherto, it had been the lot of the province of New-York to be exempt from the horrors attendant on savage warfare ; for this re- pose, the people were indebted to a neutrality between the Ago- neaseah, and French of Canada. But this repose was disturbed by one man ; under the pretext of putting an end to the horrid scenes, which were yearly going on in New England ; but in reality to spread them more widely.
Colonel Vetch, a man of a restless disposition, projected a second expedition against Carada. New-York`was to be the high- way for the march of the troops to be employed. In pursuance of his project, he had gone to England, in 170S, and laid it before the ministry, who approved of it.
Early in the spring of 1709, he came to Boston with letters from the secretary of state, to the governors of New England, to engage their assistance. Having prevailed upon them to join in the scheme, he next repaired to New-York, where he concerted the plan of operation with Francis Nicholson, who had formerly been lieutenant- governor of the province.
Canada was to be invaded by sea and land. Two expeditions were to be put on foot at the same time. The one was to proceed up the river St. Lawrence, and attack Quebec, and the other was . to proceed by the way of Wood creek, lake Champlain, and the Sorel, and assault Montreal. The same routs were to be followed, that had been followed by Sir William Phips, and general Win- throp, in their invasion of the province.
The letters which Vetch had from the ministry, announced that a squadron consisting of ships of war and transports, would arrive
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at Boston from England, by the middle of May, with five regi- ments of trocos.
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The colonies of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode - Island, were required to raise, equip, subsist, and pay twelve hun- dred men for three months. These were designed to reinforce the troops from England, and to proceed with them up the St. Law- rence.
The provinces of New-York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, were required to raise and subsist fifteen hundred men, who were to be assembled at Albany, and to be marched from thence to Canada. Nicholson was appointed general over these forces, and Vetch one of the colonels.
The uota furnished by New-York, was four hundred and eighty- seven men.
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The plan seems to have met the public approbation ; the recom- mendations of the ministry were universally adopted : and such was the promptness of the colonies in furnishing the men, that general Nicholson marched early in the summer to Wood creek, in the county of Washington, which is a small stream, that falls into the head of lake Champlain ; where he encamped his men, in order to wait the arrival of the squadron from England.
The reader will remember, that there is a Wood creek in the county of Oneida, which falls into Fish creek, very near where the latter falls into Oneida lake. Both streams are boatable, and were used more or less, in the wars with Canada.
The troops constructed three forts, and several block-houses, and store-houses. Besides the quotas of troops, some independent companies were formed and sent on. New-York furnished one hundred batteaux, and as many birch canoes. Most of the ex- , pense of this ¿army was borne by the colony. . And in addition to this, the province supported six hundred Indian warriors, with their wives and children, amounting to one thousand; these lay at Al- bany.
The colonial troops designed for Quebec, assembled at Boston, and were ready to embark by the twentieth of May; and only awaited the arrival of the squadron.
In America, every thing was prepared for the invasion, and all
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eyes were turned towards the conquest of Canada. The promised succors from England, however, did not arrive : nor did any intelli- gence concerning them, reach the colonists.
A great mortality began to prevail among the troops at Wood creek. . The delay of the succors, and the mortality, caused de- jection and discontent through the country : and all the expectations fell to the ground.
The province of New-York alone, incurred an expense of up- wards of twenty thousand pounds, a very large sum at that time, considering the great value of money, and the infant state of the country.
Early in the fall, the legislature requested the lieutenant-gover- nor, to recall all the forces of New-York.
Nicholson and Vetch, soon after put an end to the campaign, and retired to New Port in Rhode Island, where there was a congress of governors convened, to consult what further measures should be adopted against the enemy. The assembly of Massachusetts disbanded their forces late in the autumn.
In 1709, a road was opened by the colonial troops frum fort Ann, to White Hall, near the head of lake Champlain.
We have heretofore mentioned, that the forces under general Winthrop, in 1690, made a road from the upper part of Saratoga, to the place where fort Anne was built. 1
Thus ended the second attempt to reduce Canada. . While Nicholson lay at Wood creek, the French, were not idle. The governor of Canada sent out fifteen hundred troops, including In- dians, to oppose him. These advanced about forty leagues southerly from Montreal, and after observing the course pursued by Nicholson and Vetch, returned.
According to Charlevoix, the historian of New France, the Ago- - neaseah were in doubt whether it would be to their interest to have the English prevail.
Upon the authority of father Mareuil, who had been a prisoner at Albany, he relates that a grand council of the Agoneaseah was held at Onondaga, to deliberate on their affairs, and the line of con- duct to be pursued. That at this council, one of their old men made a speech, and asked them, whether they were not sensible
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that they were situated between two powerful nations, either of whom, were able to extirpate them : and would not fail to do it, when either of them had fully subdued the other. He then ad- vised them not to adopt any measures that would tend to destroy their own importance, and independence ; but to pursue their former policy, and be at peace or war with either nation, as should best tend to keep up the contest with them.
This speech, it is said, made a great impression on the council ; and according to Mareuil, the Agoneaseah were not active in assist- ing Nicholson ; but rather wished to impede his progress.
The attempt upon Canada, having miscarried the frontiers of New England, as well as those of New-York, were involved in blood.
The congress at Rhode Island, came to the conclusion that it would be necessary to adopt vigorous measures against the enemy.
An address was sent by the governors to queen Anne. They in- formed her, that the greatest harmony prevailed among the colo- nies ; that the exertions in the public service were unremitting, and that it was indispensably necessary, that Canada should be subdued.
They concluded by humbly praying that her most gracious majesty, would be pleased to grant them an armament and assistance to that effect. Although the lieutenant-governor did not attend : yet he and his council, and the legislature of New-York, embarked in the furtherance of the plan.
Colonel Schuyler was dispatched with five of the Agoneasean chiefs to England, with an address. No man at this time was better calculated for this design, than colonel Schuyler. He had been born and brought up at Albany, then the seat of the Indian trade, and influence. He was perfectly acquainted with the manners, customs, and character of the Indians. His influence with the Agoneaseah was greater than that of any other man. Whenever their chiefs came to Albany, he invited them to entertainments at his house. It was in this way, that he had acquired an ascendancy over them.
Colonel Schuyler's arrival in England with the Agoneasean chiefs, excited considerable notice. Wherever he went the people collect- ed in crowds.
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" The peers, lords, and commons, desired to see them. The queen and her court were no less solicitous.
The court 'of St. James was then in mourning. The chiefs were therefore dressed in mourning, and had an audience with her majesty. Sir Charles Cotterel, master of the ceremonies, con- ducted them from their quarters to the court, where they were in- troduced by the lord Chamberlain, into the royal presence. Their - speech on the 19th of April, 1710, is preserved by Oldmixon.
The following is a translation ; but it does not prove, after all, as some have asserted, that unlettered savages exceed civilized man in eloquence, pathos, and sentiment.
" GREAT QUEEN,
. We have undertaken a long voyage, which none of our prede- cessors could be prevailed upon to undertake, to see our great queen, and relate to her those things which we thought absolutely necessary for the good of her, and us, her allies on the other side of the water."
" We doubt not, but our great queen has been acquainted with - our long and tedious war, in conjunction with her children, against her enemies the Frenchi ; and we have been a strong wall for their security, even to the loss of our best men. We were mightily re- joiced, when we heard our great queen had resolved to send an army to reduce Canada, and immediately in token of friendship, we hung up the kettle, and took up the batchet, and with one con- sent, assisted general Nicholson in making preparations on this side of the lake ; but at length we were told, our great queen, by some important affairs, was prevented in her design at present, which made us sorrowful, lest the French, who had hitherto dreaded us, should now think us unable to make war against them."
'" The reduction of Canada is of great weight to our free hunt- ing : so that if our great queen should not be mindful of us, we must with our families forsake the country, and seek other habita- tions, or stand neuter, either of which will be much against our in- clination."
" In token of the sincerity of these nations, we do in their names, present our great queen with these belts of wampum, and in hopes VOL. 14.
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of our great queen's favor, leave it to her most gracious consi- deration."
This speech was not badly calculated to flatter the vanity of her · majesty, and the whole court; and colonel Schuyler had the grati- fication to see his plan succeed.
Applications were now before the British court, from the pro- vince of New-York, and the colonies of New England, seconded by general Nicholson, and colonel Vetch, soliciting another expe- dition against Canada. The ministry favoured it, and gave en- · couragement. General Nicholson came over in July, accompanied by five or six frigates, with orders to raise recruits in the colonies. Instead, however, of employing them in the reduction of Canada, the ministry employed them in the reduction of Port Royal in Nova Scotia.
While colonel Schuyler was at the British court, captain Ingolsby was displaced, and Gerardus Beekman administered the govern- ment, from the tenth of April, 1710, till the arrival of general Hunter, on the 14th of June, following. Hunter had the province of New-Jersey, as well as that of New-York.
The late abortive attempt upon Canada exposed the colonies to the inroads of the French. These, however, were principally made on the northern frontiers of New England. New-York had indeed hitherto escaped : being covered by the Agoneaseah ; but the inhabitants were under continual apprehensions of attacks.
Governor Hunter soon after his arrival, made a voyage to Al- bany, where he had an interview with the Agoneasean chiefs, and renewed the old covenant. While there, he was strongly solicited by the New-England governments, to engage the Agoneaseah in a war with those Indians who were ravaging their borders; but he very prudently declined a measure which might have transferred the seat of the war to New-York. A treaty of neutrality subsisted at that time, between the confederates, and the French of Canada, which was highly advantageous to the province.
Governor Hunter was a man of prudence, talents, and moder ?- tion ; he did not attach himself to the Leislerian and Anti-Lcisler- ian factions, which had agitated the province for twenty years ; but took another course ; he called the men of talents of both these
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parties around him ; he neither abetted or depressed either party. This was striking at the root of the evil. A different order of things ensued, and the province began to rise in consequence of it.
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In November, 1710, the assembly directed that the fortifications of the city of .Albany, and those of the town of Schenectady, should be repaired.
In the fall of this year, general Nicholson made another voyage to England, to urge again the Canada expedition. The expecta- tion of the country had been so much disappointed by the measures of the ministry, that it was not expected that any assistance would be afforded. The business, however, was resumed, and the minis- try fell in with the proposals.
On the eighth of June, 1711, Nicholson returned to Boston, with intelligence that a fleet might soon be expected from Eng- land ; and with orders that the colonies of New England, New- York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, should have their contingents in readiness to join the expedition.
A general meeting of the governors of the colonies was imme- diately appointed at New London in Connecticut. The governors met, and while they were in council upon the subject of the orders, the fleet with five thousand troops arrived at Boston, on the twenty- fourth day of June. The fleet was not furnished either with pilots or provisions ; and in addition to the troops, and stores required of the colonies, they were called upon to furnish provisions for the fleet.
So general and spirited had been the exertions of the colonies, that in little more than a month from the arrival of the fleet, the levies and provisions for the colonial army and fleet, were comple- ted ; and on the thirtieth of July, the whole armament sailed from Boston. The Fleet consisted of fifteen ships of war, with forty transports, and six store ships : under the command of Sir Hoveden Walker. The army on board, contained- seven regi- ments of British troops, one battalion of marines, and two regiments of colonial troops, from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island ; the whole amounting to near seven thousand men, with a
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fine train of artillery, and amply provided with warlike stores, under the command of general Hill.
On the same day on which the fleet sailed from Boston, general Nicholson set out for Albany : and about a month afterwards found himself at the head of four thousand men. This army. was raised by the provinces of Connecticut, New-York, and New-Jersey. The contingent of Connecticut was commanded by colonel Whi- ting; that of New-York by colonel Schuyler ; and that of New Jersey by colonel Ingolsby. The Agoneasean auxiliaries amounted to six hundred, and were procured by colonel Schuyler.
The French in Canada were not unapprised of these prepara- tions. M. de Vaudreuil, the governor-general, sent his orders from Montreal to the Sieur Beaucourt, to hasten and strengthen the works he was about at Quebec ; and commanded that all the regu- lars and militia, should hold themselves in readiness to march on the first warning. Four or five hundred Indians, of the more distant nations, arrived at the same time at Montreal with Messrs. St. Pierre, and Tonti, who, together with the Caughnewagas, took up the hatchet.
M. Vaudreuil dispatched several Indians and two missionaries to the Agoneaseah, to detach them from the English interest. Que- bec was fortified, and put into the best situation that the time would allow, to sustain a siege ; and all the principal posts below the city, on both sides of the river, were prepared to receive the British and colonial tooops, in case of their landing.
On the fourteenth of August, Sir Hoveden Walker arrived with the fleet in the mouth of the St. Lawrence. Fearful of losing the company of his transports, he put into Gaspe bay, and continued there till the twentieth. Two days after, he sailed from thence ; the fleet was in the utmost danger, for they had no soundings, were without sight of land, the wind high, at east-south-east, and the sky obscured with a thick fog. In these circumstances, the fleet was brought to by the advice of the pilots, who were of opinion, that if the ships lay with their heads to the southward, they might be driven by the stream into the midst of the channel : but instead of this, about two hours after it being about midnight, they found themselves on the north shore among the rocks and islands, and upon the point
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of being lost. The men of war escaped; but eight transports were wrecked on Egg island, near the north shore. Eight hun- dred, or one thousand men perished, and six or seven hundred were saved by the other ships. But one of the colonial transports was lost, and the men of that were saved.
Two or three days being spent in recovering what they could from the shore, it was determined to make some bay or harbor, till a further resolution could be taken.
On the fourteenth of September, they arrived at Spanish river bay, in the island of Cape Breton, where a council of war, consist- ing of land and sea officers, was held. After some fruitless consulta- tions, it was unanimously resolved not to make any further attempt to go up the St. Lawrence, but to return to England.
The colonial troops returned home. The army designed to in- vade Canada, by way of lake Champlain, advanced as far as fort . Anne on Wood creek, where they received intelligence of the dis- aster which had attended the fleet in the St. Lawrence. Nothing now remained for Nicholson, but to disband his army and return.
Both Nicholson and Vetch appear to have been unqualified for the stations they held.
The Marquis M. de Vaudreuil, who had been at Quebec waiting for the arrival of the English fleet, upon receiving information from the fishermen, and others, of its disasters, justly concluded that these were such, that they could not make any attempt upon Que- bec ; and thereupon, he ordered the whole force of Canada towards Montreal and lake Champlain ; and formed a camp at Chambly of three thousand men to oppose Nicholson, should he endeavour to penetrate Canada in that quarter.
Soon after, he obtained information that this 'general had dis- banded his army, and gone home.
The people of Albany, and those of the northern frontiers, were in the utmost consternation, and momentarily expected an inva- sion.
Such was the issue of the third attempt to effect the reduction of Canada. These attempts involved the colonies in heavy debts, destroyed numbers of their young men, and impaired public confi- dence.
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Loud complaints were raised against the ministry. The ill suc- cess attending this expedition, gave the Agoneaseah a very unfavor- able opinion of the power of the English, and their colonies. The emissaries sent among them by the governor of Canada, were sedulously employed in alienating them from the English interest. Very serious apprehensions were entertained by the government, that they were inclined to the French interest.
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These apprehensions were afterwards realized ; for some small parties fell upon the borders of the province, and murdered a few families, and carried others into captivity. ;
The Eastern Indians were also encouraged by the miscarrying of the expedition, to extend the tocsin of war upon the frontiers of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and the district of Maine; and much damage was done the next summer in those parts.
Upon the return of the fleet, and the disbanding the army, the governors of New England formed the design of engaging the Agoneaseah in a war with the French, and wrote on that head to Mr. Hunter the governor of New-York; but he did nothing more than lay their letters before the legislature, who disapproved the plan.
In July of this year, the house made provision for levying forces for another expedition against Canada, and also for paying and sub- sisting them. Bills of credit were issued to a large amount, which involved the province in new debts. Measures were likewise adopted for the defence of the province, apart from its quota and expenses in the expedition, and sums to a considerable extent voted.
The English interest, in 1712, among the Agoneaseah, had de- clined so much, that that of the French gained the preponder- ance.
Early in the summer, the Mohickanders residing in Ulster county, sent a belt of wampum to the Mohiccons living in Dutchess, to prepare for war. '
The Senecas, who lived in the vincinity of the French forts at Teoronto, and Niagara : and the Shawanese who inhabited between Susquehanna and Alleghany rivers, were so greatly dissatisfied, that apprehensions were entertained, that they would fall upon the fron-
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tier inhabitants on the west side of the Hudson, and the east side of the Susquehanna.
Among the acts of the assembly this year, was the levying eight thousand and twenty-five ounces of plate, for the use of the governor of the province, which was already greatly impoverished by taxes, and military requisitions.
In 1710, the Germans who settled Schoharie, set out from the banks of river Rhine, and descended that river to Holland, where they embarked on board of ships, and sailed over to England. From thence they crossed the Atlantic ocean, and arrived at New- York in June, 1712. They proceeded from the latter place up the Hudson, and landed in Dutchess, where they built log-huts, and encamped in them during the winter of 1712, and 1713. In the spring of 1713, some crossed the river into Ulster, and settled at West Camp, now Saugerties. The station in Dutchess was called the East Camp, now Germantown.
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