USA > New York > Washington County > Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 18
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Nor were the difficulties thus enumerated all which the officers had to encounter. The spirit of disaffection in this county, as well as in other counties of New York, was far more extensive than those who are left to contemplate the scenes through which their grandfathers passed and the discouragements against which they were compelled to struggle, have been wont to suppose. The burden of many of General Schuyler's letters written from Fort Edward and Skenesborough, and :also the letters of other officers under his command, during the whole of this season, was the frequency of desertions to the ranks of the enemy.
1 Notably those of Judge Jones of New York City. See, also, on this point Sabin's Loyalists
General Sir Guy Carlton was not only at that time, but subsequently, the ablest British general in America, but the most humane. Three hundred prisoners left in Quebec by Major Meigs the middle of May, when afterwards exchanged, were furnished by Carleton with articles of clothing in which they were deficient. It is also said, that when some of his officers spoke to him of this act as an unusual degree of lenity toward prisoners of war, he replied, "Since we have tried in vain to make them acknowledge us as brothers, let us at least send them away dis- posed to regard us as first cousins." Having, moreover, been informed that many persons, suffering from wounds and various disorders, were concealed in the woods and obscure places, fearing that if they appeared openly they would be seized as prisoners and severely treated, he issued a proclamation commmanding the militia officers to search for such persons, bring them to the general hospital, and procure for them all necessary relief at the public charge. He also invited all such persons to come forward voluntarily and receive the assistance they needed -- assuring them "that as soon as their health should be restored, they should have free liberty to return to their respective provinces."-Sparks.
149
ACTIVITY OF GENERAL CARLETON.
But, while General Carleton was most chivalric in the treatment of his prisoners, he did not suffer his plans for the defeat of the Ameri- cans to lag. In addition to the succession of disasters to the Ameri- can arms, he appeared in the fall of this year (1776) upon Lake Cham- plain with a flotilla, superior to that of the Americans under Arnold, and which seems to have been called into existence as if by enehant- ment. Two naval engagements followed, on the 11th and 13th of October, contested with undaunted bravery on both sides, 1 but re- sulting in the defeat of Arnold, the annihilation of his little navy and the possession of the Lake and Crown Point by the foe. To add, moreover, to the gloom which had already begun to fall upon the patriots, the forces of the Commander-in-chief of the Continental army, at this time, numbered only from two to three thousand men, and scarcely a new recruit had come forward to supply the places of those whose terms of service were expiring. And even those recruits that were furnished were so badly supplied with officers, as almost to extinguish the hope of forming an army from which any efficient ser- vices were to be expected. "
These are but a few of the discouragements under which Washing- ton was laboring. To borrow his own expressive language in the pri- vate letter to his brother in the preceding note, "You can form no idea of the perplexity of my situation. No man, I believe, ever had a greater choice of difficulties and less means to extricate himself from them." Nevertheless, the last sun of that year did not sink behind so deep a cloud of gloom as had been anticipated. In the north General Carleton, who had occupied Crown Point after the defeat of Arnold's fleet, did not (as might have been supposed, he would not fail to do) pursue his victory, but returned to Canada without attempting any-
1 "The engagement began on the urth," wrote General Gates to Colonel Ten Eyck from Ticonderoga on the 13th of October, "and continues to this day. The enemy's fleet is much superior to ours and we maintain a running fight. All our officers and men behave with the greatest spirit."-MIS. letter in the author's possession.
2 " The different states without regard to the qualification of an officer, quarreling about the appointments and nomination of such as are not fit to be shoe-blacks, form the local attachments of this or that member of the Assembly."-Letter from Washington to his brother, roth November, 1776 -Sparks.
It will thus be seen-from the experiences of the late Spanish War that the selection of officers was made on about the same lines in that day as in this. Indeed, as Seneca wrote nearly two thousand years ago, Quae fuerant vitia mores sunt-" What once were vices are now the man- ners of the day !"
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
thing further,1 and before the close of the year the Commander-in-chief had the satisfaction to announce to Congress that instead of imitating the bad example of others, the Continental regiments from the Eastern States had agreed to remain six weeks beyond the time of their en- listment. In addition to which were the crossing of the Delaware and the bold return of Washington upon Trenton and his brilliant victory over the Hessian forces at that place, under Colonel Rall, on the morning of the 26th of December. This well-judged and successful enterprise greatly revived the depressed spirits of the Colonists and produced an immediate and happy effect in recruiting the American army.
It should not be supposed, however, that nothing had been done for the protection of the northern frontier of Washington county during the summer of 1776. On the contrary, under General Schuyler's supervision and by his express direction, Skenesborough and Fort Anne had been heavily garrisoned and every precaution taken to pre- vent the advance of the foe, so that, perhaps, General Carleton did well to hesitate after his naval victory over Arnold, before advancing further than Crown Point. As illustrative of this, it may be men- tioned, that, within the last year, the "Orderly Book" of Captain Ichabod Norton of Colonel Mott's Connecticut regiment has been un- earthed, published and edited by that accomplished writer and delver in Revolutionary history, Mr. Robert O. Bascom of Fort Edward, N. Y., from which work, as substantiating the above statement I cull a few extracts : 2
"Skeensborough, Augt. the 20th, A. D. 1776.
Regimental orders, that the Revd. Soloman Morgin is Chaplin of the Regt. and to be obeyed as such. Charles Mical is appointed agitant of the Regt. and obayed
1 " I expected by this time to have given you an account of some important battle fought at Ticonderoga. But General Carleton has disappainted us. He began his Retreat from Crown Point on Saturday, and drew in all his advanced Posts. 1000 men marched to attack those at Putnam's Creek, but the Enemy had gone the evening before. We learn that they evacuated Crown Point yesterday. . . Their number is uncertain, but computed at 8000 of 9000, besides Savages. The sick of our four Battalions turned out to the Lines, and seemed happy at seeing the Enemy. In short, Officers and Men seemed in the greatest Spirits. The Enemy were convinced they had to attack formidable works and men firmly determined to defend them. I hope General Carlton and the rest of his Army are convinced that our Misfortunes in Canada, and Retreat, was not owing to a want of Courage in the Americans. . . . I hope the Year will be crowned with Success to the American Arms. We have had a most fatiguing Campaign, but shall be happy if this Army can maintain the Keys of this Country, etc."-Thomas Hartley (Col. in the Revolutionary War and a member of the Continental Congress) to Col. Wilson, dated "Ticonderoga, Nov. 5th, 1776."
" The spelling, etc., is strictly followed.
151
CAPTAIN NORTON'S ORDERLY BOOK.
as such. Asa Tracy is appointed quartermaster and to be obayed as such. Doct. apelton Woolcutt Rosseter is surgeon and Physition to the Regt. and to be obayed as such. Jonathan Damans is armorer to the Regt. and to be employed and obayed as such. * * The Regt. is to attend in the front of the Regt. Every morning and Evinin the front of Col. Swift's Regt. till further orders. Eight men to attend on Peleg Heart this day, who is to see that sutible holds be made this day in sutible Places in the Rear of the Regt. after they are Erected no man is to be found doing his occasion in any other place than them aloted, on Penalty of being confined for breach of orders. ! * * The officers of duty in Each Company are to take it by turn day by day and see that the men's cooking is well takin care of so far as can be for so small a number of cittles as can be contained; the Revilee to beat in front of the Regt.
Skenesborough, Aug. 21, a. d. 1776.
* T'was observed Last Evenin, while prayers were attending, that noise and Singing was made by people who remained in camp, which attended to disturb Public worship. Tis ordered for futer that no noise or singing shall be made in Camp nither Shall the Sutler offer to sell anything during the time of Divine Ser- vice, unless in case of pure necessity, judged so by the officers of the Regt. The officers and men of the Regt. are well noing, for the present necessity has obliged the Col. to ask leave of the general to be absent for a week or two. Col. Mott as- sures the Regt. that having the highest Hopes and Expectation from the good con- duct and harmony of the Regt. and Vigilence and alartness in the Servace, nothing less than the alarming, Broken and distressing situation of his family and affairs could Have tended him to left business. But as soon as he has paid a little atten- tion to his Molandy affairs att home to return without Delay. In the mean time hoped and expected that the commanding officers in the Col's. absents will intake all possible care of the Regt. to keep them in good order and Disipline and see justice done them on every ocation. The officers and men will pay all due obe- dience to him as their commanding officer. Tis expected that the officers will take litigence care to cultivate in the men a spirit of good Agreement and Indevour to teach and form them to that fortitude, Resilution and obedience which is the only means of divine protection and victory in case of an attack from the enemy. Serj. Young, of Capt. Roboson Comp., attend the office of regimental Clark. ? If the whole of the Regt. should arrive in the Col. Absents, Lieut. Col. Worthington will order the Regt. a monthly return to be made out Specifying Each Comp. fit for duty on command, where at, sick, dead, deserted, absent on furlough and so forth, having made out, properly sined by himself and transmitted to the poast by him- self to Governer Trumbull.
Skenesborough, Ang. 26, A, D. 1776.
Field officer of the day tomorrow Lieut. Col. Cortland; the guard as usual. The party for fatigue duty the same as this day. Itts ordered that fuer men be set apart to attend the buchass [butchers ?] to bury the guts and nastiness with Blood of the
! The sanitary arrangments of the camp seem to have been well looked after.
2 Our friend, Colonel Mott, had some excuse for this spelling, as in England, just as Derby is pronounced Darby, Clerk is pronounced Clark.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
cattle that is cild [killed ! ] and likewise ordered that Buchards take care that no nastiness is hov in the crick [Wood Creek]. If they Heeve any in they must suffer the consequence. Likewise I would have the buchards take care and order better for the futer, or else I shall take care of them. For guard Ensin James Hecox and 5 privates and ten for guard.
Skenesborough, Aug. 30, A. D., 1776.
It is ordered that each ordayly serj. of each comp. mak a morning report of the sick to the doctors of each Regt. with names the Doctors, who is to inspect into the circumstances of Such Sick Soldiers and the doctors is to report to the capt. how many he finds sick in his Comp, and the Doctors who is to make a return to the company for such hospital stores as the solgiers stand in need of. The com- manding officers of each Regt, who is to sign the order that shall be given on the comp, and its ordered that sick solgiers that draw hospital stores is not to draw their Rasions [rations] out of the stores, only such as the Doctors should think they stand in need of. It [is] Likewise ordered that the company will provide all ingre- diences for the use of the sick, and that to be delt in proper order. 11 men for guard.
Camp att fortann, Sept. the 17. A. D. 1776.
The orders for tomorrow is that A Corp. guard be mounted as usial and 2 men go to help down with sheep to Skeensborough and 2 men to work at the sawmill and 2 men to keep sheep here, and i corp, and 6 privates to turn out as the working part, I corp. and 3 privates for guard and 2 for fatigue.
Camp att Fortann, Sept. the 21st, A. D. 1776.
The orders for tomorrer are that a corp. guard be mounted as usial and I corp. and 9 privates turn out on the working party at 8 o'clock, and the orderly serjs. see that them men Parade Exactly by the time. for the futer all firing is strictly forbid, and any person who shall fire his gun in the camp without leave from Capt. or his Commanding officer, may expect to suffer for it as breach of orders.
WORTHY WARTERS, Major. Camp att Fortann, Sept. ye 22, A. D. 1776.
The orders for tomorrow is that a corps, guard be mounted as usial and 3 men to go on fatigue and all who are A mind to draw molasses may draw tomorrow one week alowance for man. [for each man].
WORTHY WARTERS, Major.
For guard, 3 men: f for fatigue.
Camp att fortann, Sept. ye 28th, A. D. 1776.
The orders for tomorrow are that a corp. guard be mounted as usial and four men turn out on the fatigue party.
For guard, 3 men ; for fatigue, 2 men.
WORTHY WARTERS, Major. "
153
MILITARY ORGANIZATION REQUIRED.
Enough, however, of these extracts from this invaluable Orderly Book has been given to show the reader how alert, nay, how anxious, the garrisons at Skenesborough and Fort Anne, under their respective . officers, were to ward off the enemy from the northern frontier of Washington County, and, although we may smile at the bad grammar and loose spelling of Captain Norton and Major Warters, yet these comparatively venial errors are more than counterbalanced by the evidence here shown in their awkward sentences, of their unflinching, unswerving patriotism, and their conscientious and high ideals of duty.
During the remainder of the year little of moment seems to have occurred within the boundaries of Washington County. The complete defeat of our forces in Canada, to which detailed reference has been made, and those experienced by Washington around New York at the Battle of Harleem and his subsequent retreat through New Jersey had filled, as before mentioned, the hearts of the patriots both of this and other counties in New York with sad forebodings; and although the late victory at Trenton had seemed to show that the heavy clouds, which had darkened the future, were beginning to break away and give entrance to the bright rays of success, yet it had become evident to all that the task of freeing the county could not be accomplished by the fitful enthusiasm and taking up arms by the " Minute Men." It was apparent that if permanent victory was finally to perch upon our banners, a definite and systematic organization of those capable of bearing arms must be effected-that soldiering must be begun in earnest and with an unfaltering determination to submit for an in- definite time to danger, hardship and irksome discipline. But the poverty of the Government was extreme, the Continental money had so greatly depreciated that sometimes as much as $200 was paid for a single breakfast, and therefore, there appeared to be but little en- couragement for the "hardy farmers of Washington (Charlotte) County to enlist in the ranks of the ill-paid, ill-fed battalions" which now garrisoned Fort Edward, Fort Anne, Ticonderoga, Crown Point and other forts on its frontier.
[19]
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
CHAPTER XIII.
I 777.
THE CAMPAIGN OF GENERAL BURGOYNE.
THE SETTLERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY BEGIN TO REALIZE THE SERIOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS-REPORTS OF THE INVASION OF THE BRITISH ARMY FULLY CONFIRMED- ADVANCE OF BURGOYNE AND THE CAPTURE OF FORT TICONDEROGA AND RETREAT OF ST. CLAIR-FERMOY'S TREACHERY-BATTLE OF HUBBARDTOWN-BURGOYNE PURSUES THE AMERICANS THROUGH WOOD CREEK 1 AND DESTROYS THEIR FLOTILLA-BATTLE OF FORT ANN-ANECDOTES CONNECTED WITH THAT ENGAGEMENT.
The opening of the year 1777, brought to the settlers of Washington County a distinct and realizing conviction that the war was soon to be brought home, not only to her northern boundaries, but to their own very hearths and fire-sides. Rumors, also, were in circulation that their farms, which through much labor and toil they had now brought up to a high state of cultivation, might soon-if, indeed, it were not a certainty-be the prey of the British army, accompanied by the marauding savages. thus rendering nugatory all the results of their thrift and industry. Neither were these various rumors, as they were destined soon after to find to their cost, mere chimeras of the imagin- ation. Early in the spring of this year a well substantiated report spread through the country that an immense British army, together with a large contingent of German mercenaries had already arrived at Quebec and was soon to come up Lake Champlain under the far- famed General Burgoyne, and thence to Albany, whence, in all prob- ability they would penetrate even to the gates of New York City. A large body of Indians, moreover, it was added, was in the train of the invading army, whose barbarous atrocities during the French war upon a defenceless, though then a sparsely settled, population along the northern frontier were but too vividly recalled. The settlers, therefore, with good reason shuddered at the direful prospect of these bloody scenes being again repeated in their midst. Still they hoped much from the army of General Schuyler and, especially, from the fortifications of Fort Ticonderoga which, twenty years before (as it
1 By Wood Creek is here meant the entire creek beginning at Ticonderoga up to Whitehall and thence through the county-Lake Champlain really terminating at that fort.
155
THE CAMPAIGN OF GENERAL BURGOYNE.
will be recalled by the reader who has attentively followed this his- tory) when defended by only three thousand French, had repelled, with immense slaughter, the flower of the British army, consisting of more than twenty thousand disciplined troops under General Aber- cromby-all of them regulars and who had served under the famous Marlborough. Nor, as I have said, were these reports, as is so often the case, without foundation. In fact, they were only too true. Dis- satisfied with the slow progress that had been made in the subjugation of her rebellious American Colonies, the Mother Country, through her ministry, summoned General John Burgoyne into their councils- to which conference, Burgoyne, chafing under his subordinate posi- tion under General Carleton-was only too glad to be admitted.
At this council, held in December, 1776, Burgoyne concerted with the British Ministry a plan for the campaign of 1777. A large force under himself was to proceed to Albany by way of Lakes Champlain and George, while another large body, under Sir Henry Clinton, ad- vanced up the Hudson in order to cut off communication between the northern and southern colonies, in the expectation that each section being left to itself would be subdued without difficulty. At the same time Colonel Barry St. Leger was to make a diversion on the Mo- hawk river.
For the accomplishment of the first part of this plan, a powerful force was organized in Canada, the command of which was transferred from Sir Guy Carleton-the ablest British general, by the way, at that time or subsequently in America-1 and conferred upon General Burgoyne-an army, which, for thoroughness of discipline and com- pleteness of appointment had never been excelled in America. 2 The generals, also, who were to second him in the expedition were trust-
1 See a preceding note.
2 Burgoyne arrived in Quebec on the 6th of May, 1777, and received the command of the forces from Carleton on the roth. General Riedesel, however, with his Brunswick contingent, had been in Canada for fully a year-during which time, he, with the practical strategy and acuteness of observation which always distinguished him, had employed that time in drilling his troops to meet the customs of the Americans. "Thus," he says in one of his letters to be found in my life of him, "I perceived that the American riflemen always shot further than our forces, conse- quently, I made my men practice at long range and behind trees that they might at least be enough for them." Speaking, also, of the removal of Carleton at this juncture, Riedesel further says : " A great mistake was undoubtedly made by the British ministry. Carleton had, hitherto, worked with energy and success. He knew the army thoroughly and enjoyed the confidence of the officers and men. It was a great risk to remove a man who was so peculiarly fitted for so important a position without a better cause." It was also said at the time that one cause of the displacement of Carleton was his strong objection to the employment of Indians in the proposed expedition.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
worthy and able officers. Major-General Phillips was not only dis- tinguished as an artillery officer, but had given proof of exceptional strategical skill; Major-General Riedesel had been specially selected for his military experience, acquired during a long service, and par- ticularly during the "Seven Years War," where he had enjoyed the entire confidence of Prince Ferdinand. The English Brigadiers, Fraser and Hamilton, and the German ones, Specht and Gall and Lieutenant-Colonel Breymann, had been appointed to their respective commands solely on the ground of their professional merits. The former had attained a high reputation for judgment and cool daring and was considered one of the most promising officers in the army. Colonel Kingston, the adjutant-general, had served with distinction in Burgoyne's horse in Portugal; and Majors Lord Balcarras and Acland, commanding respectively the light infantry and grenadiers, were each, in his own way, considered officers of high professional attainments and brilliant courage.
All things being in readiness, in the early summer of 1777 Bur- goyne left Cumberland Head, off the present town of Plattsburg, sailed up Lake Champlain and, on the 17th of June, encamped on the western shore of that lake at the falls of the little river Bouquet, now Willsborough. At this place he was joined by about four hundred Indians under the Chevalier St. Luc and Charles De Langlade, 1 whom, in a council and war-feast, called and given especially for the purpose, he addressed in a speech designedly couched in their own figurative language and intended to excite their ardor in the ap- proaching campaign and "to inculcate those humane principles of civilized warfare which to them must have been incomprehensible." On the 30th of June the main army made a still further advance and occupied Crown Point (Fort St. Frederick 2) without meeting with the
1 Burgoyne, in a letter to Lord George Germanie, dated Skenesborough, July the 11th, 1777, says: " I am informed that the Ottawas and other Indian tribes, who are two days' march from us, are brave and faithful, and that they practice war and not pillage. They are under the orders of M. St. Luc, a Canadian of merit and one of the best partizans of the French cause dur- ing the last war, and of a M. de Langlade, the very man who, with these tribes projected and executed [the ambush which caused] Braddock's defeat." For more of this regarding Langlade, the reader is referred to my " Burgoyne's Expedition," Albany, 1877.
2 The glories of Fort St. Frederick had long since passed away, and after Carleton captured it on the 14th of October, 1776, the Americans seemed to consider that its maintenance was of no importance; in fact, that it depended entirely on the naval mastery of the Lake. Possession of it they could not keep, for if the brave and undaunted Arnold was not able to make up for inferior force by fiery valor and unsurpassed ability, how pray, could men of meaner capacities? In the engagement off Valcour Island, the 13th of October, 1776, Arnold fought so well and desperately
157
THE ADVANCE OF GENERAL BURGOYNE.
slightest resistance; while General Fraser, following partly the shore of Bulwagga Bay, pushed ahead on the land as far as Putnam's Creek, three miles north of Ticonderoga. In the evening the following orders were given from the commanding general : "The army embarks to- morrow to approach the enemy. The services required on this expe- dition are critical and conspicuous. During our progress occasions may occur in which no difficulty, nor labor, nor life are to be regarded. This army must not retreat." Then, having issued a grandiloquent proclamation designed to terrify the inhabitants of Washington County into submission, Burgoyne prepared to invest Ticonderoga. Leaving a detachment of one staff-officer and two hundred men at Crown Point for the defence of the magazines, the royal army started again at five o'clock on the morning of July ist in two divisions. The corps of General Phillips was on the west and that of General Riedesel on the east shore of the lake-the Dragoons forming the van of the whole army. The fleet advanced as far as Putnam's Creek almost within cannon-shot of the Americans. The right wing of the army en- camped on the spot recently occupied by the brigade of Fraser (that officer having again gone ahead) and the left wing under Riedesel occupied the eastern shore opposite the right wing. The corps of General Breymann advanced on the same shore as far as the left wing of the fleet, from the flagship of which, the Royal George, the Amer- ican position could easily be seen.
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