USA > Vermont > Early history of Vermont, Vol. III > Part 18
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Commanding General. Among this number was a small but a brave corps of cavalry of about twenty men, raised principally through the exer- tions of Captain A. Scovell of Orwell, and Cap- , tain [probably Barnard] Ketchum of Sudbury, in which many distinguished citizens were enrolled The corps selected for their commander Captain Scovell; and on their arrival at Plattsburgh, find- ing the enemy had decamped, they did not wait for general orders, or to be joined by other forces, but pursued the enemy, surprised his rear guard at Chazy, captured seven dragoons with their horses and equipments, took the contents of two bag- gage wagons, and returned with the loss of only one horse killed."
Although the plan of the British campaign of 1814, at least, so far as the invasion of Northeast- ern New York and Vermont was concerned, had utterly failed, still there was a large British army hovering on the frontier of those States which might be used for an invasion by land, consequently the militia and people of Vermont were warned by the situation and by the proclamation of Gov- ernor Chittenden to be in constant readiness for defence if an invasion was determined upon. The attitude of the Federal party in Vermont that was at the commencement of the war against its pros- ecution, had to a considerable extent changed, and there was a united feeling for its prosecution. And Governor Chittenden in his proclamation of Sept. 19, 1814, stated,-
"Whereas it appears that the war, in which our country is unfortunately engaged, has assumed an
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entirely different character since its first commence- ment, and has become almost exclusively defensive, and is prosecuted by the enemy with a spirit un- exampled during pending negotiations for peace, which leaves no prospect of safety but in a manly and united determination to meet invasion at every point, and to expel the invader :
"And whereas, notwithstanding the signal and glorious naval victory lately achieved by our gal- lant Commodore Macdonough and his brave sea- men, over a superior British naval force on Lake Champlain, and a like discomfiture of the enemy's whole land force, concentrated at Plattsburgh, by General Macomb's small butvaliant band of regu- lar troops, aided and powerfully supported by our patriotic, virtuous, and brave volunteers, who flew to meet the invader with an alertness and spirit unexampled in this or any other country- it is made known to me, that the British army is still on the frontier of our sister State, collecting and concentrating a powerful force indicating fur- ther operations of aggression :
"And whereas the conflict has become a com- mon, and not a party concern, the time has now arrived when all degrading party distinctions and animosities, however we may have differed re- specting the policy of declaring, or mode of prose- cuting the war, ought to be laid aside; that every heart may be stimulated, and every arm nerved, for the protection of our common country, our liberty, our altars, and our firesides-in the defence of which we may, with a humble confidence, look to Heaven for assistance and protection :"
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He therefore as Governor and Commander-in- Chief in and over the State of Vermont, exhorted all the good people of the State to unite in defence of our common interest and everything dear to freemen; and enjoined upon all the officers of the militia to exert themselves in placing those under their command in a complete state of readiness to march at a moment's warning to meet any inva- sion which might be attempted, and to chastise and expel the invader; and even called upon those who were exempt from military duty to organize, equip and stand in readiness to meet the then ap- proaching crisis; and recommended to the select- men and civil authorities of towns to be vigilant is providing ammunition and in affording such as- . sistance to the militia as their situation might require.
Early in the winter of 1814-15, great prepara- tions were made in Canada for a winter campaign, in sleighs with a view of destroying the American squadron, at Whitehall. All subjects of the United States, by order, were required to leave Canada forthwith, and communication by way of L'Acadie woods and Missisquoi Bay was cut off. The Brit- ish army at that time, on the border was repre- sented to be sixteen thousand men with an immense train of heavy artillery mounted on sleighs. In view of this situation Gen. Strong from Vergennes on Jan. 9, 1815, issued a general order, setting forth in substance that an invasion was probable, which rendered it highly important that the mili- tia be prepared for a short winter's campaign : and every one must be aware, that to ourselves
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alone we are to look for security and defence. After detailing the duties of the commanders of . companies and of the selectmen of towns in get- ting ready for active service, said in his order, "It is not to be expected that, if the enemy invades us again, they will by proclamation and slow marches forewarn us of their approach. Sad experience must have taught them wisdom. Let it not be said that they caught us slumbering." The several brigades in the State held themselves in readiness to march at the shortest possible notice; and numerous companies of volunteers through the State were formed. And on March 10, 1815, the Governor in commending them for their prompt- ness, said "You will, my Fellow Citizens, be pleased to accept my grateful thanks for the respect you have paid me in organizing, equipping, and offer- ing your services under my command. The evi- dence you have given of your readiness to place yourselves between our enemies and the safety of our country affords me perfect assurance that, had our services been demanded, I should have found your foremost in the field of danger. Nor have your expectations been in vain-your patriotic example is of public utility, and an honor to the several towns to which you belong." The ex- pected invasion was not made.
On Feb. 17, 1815, while the victory at New Or- leans was animating the feelings of the Americans, the welcome tidings of a treaty of peace, executed at Ghent on the 24th of December, 1814, was brought to America and ratified. Actual war con- tinued for some time after the treaty was signed
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at Ghent before that event was known in America as no rapid way of communication across the ocean was then known. The battle at New Or- leans under Gen. Jackson was fought after that treaty was signed at Ghent.
In 1817, the Legislature of New York voted that a sword be presented to Maj. General Samuel Strong in consideration of his services rendered by him at Plattsburgh in 1814. The sword was pre- sented to him at Vergennes on June 26, 1817, by a committee appointed by the Lieutenant Gover- nor of that State. The committee in presenting the sword said in part: "We are not unmindful that, uninfluenced by local considerations, with no motives but the love of country-no prospect of fame except at the sacrifice of your life-no interest but a sense of duty-and, notwithstanding every discouragement, you, Sir volunteered in defense of a sister State. The act will be remembered by that people with gratitude. Accept, Sir, this sword. It is the gift of a free people to a free man. It bears on its hilt the service of a Herculean Mountaineer, crushing in his arms the British Lion. It will be as a memento for your sons to imitate your example, and excite them to deeds of glory. It is given not as a reward but as a pledge. which the State of New York will redeem when ' occasion shall present itself." To this presentation and address Strong made a happy and appropri- ate response.
Governor Martin Chittenden in his speech to the Legislature in 1814, speaking of the war said. "By it the enemy have been taught a useful,
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although mortifying lesson, that the soil of Free- men will not bear the tread of hostile feet with impunity.
"At the same time it reflects the highest honor on the patriotism, spirit and valor, of our fellow citizens, who, without distinction of age, charac- ter or party, were ready to brave danger, in its most formidable appearance, for the defence of our country. And it would seem, that it ought to palsy the tongue of slander-every desirable object having been secured, and in a manner the least burthensome and offensive to the feelings of a free and enlightened people.
"Much is due to Gen. STRONG, and our brave volunteers; and I am requested by the Secretary of War to present them the thanks of the general government 'for their prompt succor and gallant conduct in the late critical state of this frontier.'
"I should do injustice to my own feelings, as well as violence to every correct principle, were I to refrain from testifying the high sense which I en- tertain of the brilliant achievement of Commodore MACDONOUGH, and his intrepid associates, on Lake Champlain, over a far superior naval force-an' achievement which renders all encomium feeble and inadequate.
"I should likewise do injustice, if I should neg- lect to notice the cool, perserving, and brave con- duct of Brig. Gen. MACOMB, and his alike brave associates in arms, in the discomfiture of a greatly superior force of veteran troops, commanded by experienced officers.
" These glorious achievements are not surpassed
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in the records of naval and military warfare. New lustre is added to the national character. But the effects are more immediately experienced by the northern sections of the States of Vermont and New York."
The Legislature expressed their thanks by vote, to Generals Macomb and Strong and to Commo- dore Macdonough and to other officers, seamen, and soldiers, and the high sense that body enter- tained of their valor and public spirit, and their meritorious services rendered in repelling the inva- · sion by the British troops and the British squad- ron in September 1814.
Macdonough was a religious as well as a brave man. He made a most appropriate prayer over those who fell in battle on September 11th, con- nected with the squadron under his command. At the moment the British were bearing down on him just before the firing commenced, an officer asked permission of the Commodore to issue an extra ration of grog to the men. He replied, "No, my men shall go cool into action, excited by no stim- ulus except their native valor."
The thanks of the general government were given to the brave and patriotic citizens of Ver- mont, for their prompt succor and gallant conduct in the war in the critical period on the frontier.
At the October session of the Legislature of 1814, an act was passed granting to Commodore Mac- donough a farm belonging to Vermont and lying upon Cumberland Head and in full view of the
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place of his naval victorious contest with the Brit- ish Squadron.
At theratification of the treaty signed at Ghent the tumults of war ceased, the gloom that over- hung our land disappeared and our soldiers were converted into citizens, and the implements of war into instruments of husbandry; and the people were glad to hear the peaceful hum of business instead of the tramp of soldiers, the roar of can- non and the trumpet of war.
While Henry Clay one of the American Com- missioners, was on a tour through the Netherlands, a British Commissioner forwarded to him at Brus- sels a London newspaper, containing the official account of the destruction of the public buildings at Washington City by the British, with an apol- ogy suitable to the occasion. Mr. Clay had just received a Paris Journal bearing the news of the victories at Plattsburgh, and he hastened to send it to his British friend with a like apology.
We cannot better bring this chapter to a close than to give to the reader the lines that were sug- gested by the successful manœuvre of the Saratoga at the turning point of the battle on the lake the 11th of September 1814. Just as the American Squadron was going into action, the Commodore displayed this signal: "Impress'd seaman call on every man to do his duty," which excited in every bosom an enthusiastic ardor that would not be defeated. The lines were from one who served on the vessel, to his father who had been in the victori- ous battle of 1777, on the field of Saratoga, and written Sept. 13, 1814, and were as follows : viz.
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"DEAR DAD-I oft have heard you tell How many fought, how many fell, And how the foe you drubbed well, On the plains of Saratoga. I'ts now my turn with pride to boast, We conquered Britain's warlike host ; On Champlain's lake we rule the roast, On board the Saratoga.
At 9 A. M. on Sunday morn The mighty foe approached in form,
: And viewed us with contempt and scorn On board the Saratoga.
How frequently I've heard you say, That those who fight ought oft to pray : Our Commodore did both that day On board the Saratoga.
Then with the Christian's hope we fought, Nor ought of fear or danger thought,
But death or victory we sought On board the Saratoga.
The battle rag'd for near three hours, When aided by the Almighty powers We claim'd the enemy as ours On board the Saratoga.
O had you seen the sore dismay Of poor Sir George, who ran away, And bitterly he curs'd the day He saw the Saratoga.
Then brave Macomb hung on his rear. For our firesides we've naught to fear Whilst heroes to their country dear Command our forts, our vessels steer ; Success will still crown their career, And Sailor's Rights, and Free Trade's cheer, Shall be extended far and near, Whilst Patriots yet unborn shall hear The fame of the Saratoga.
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And now let Saratoga's name Be niched in thy temple's fame; By land or water be it bless'd, By all admired, by all confess'd, And while for Gates the harp's unstrung, Macdonough's glory shall be sung, For he the British Lion stung On board the Saratoga."
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CHAPTER X.
CLAIM OF INDIANS TO LANDS IN VERMONT.
The Cognawaga Indians have pressed a claim against Vermont since 1798, from time to time till 1874, of about ninety thousand dollars for more than two million of acres of land. It will not be the purpose of the writer especially to investigate the title of the Indians to these lands or to report on the validity of their claim, but rather to give a history of their claim and the presentation of the same to the State for allowance and the result of the action of the State respecting those claims. The Cognawaga tribe was a branch of the Iro- quois. The Iroquois, were originally a single tribe residing in Montreal and vicinity, in subjection to the Adirondacks and subsequently entered upon the lands of New York, and became five tribes, to wit, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas. To these were added the Tuscaroras in the year 1712. From that time the Iroquois were called and recognized as the Six Nations. Accord- ing to their own tradition they resided on the St. Lawrence as far down as Gaspee, but were driven back South of Lake Ontario by the Algonquin tribes. From this. it may be inferred that those
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found by Cartier at Montreal in 1534, were really Iroquois. When the French recovered Canada in 1632, they found the Iroquois dominant. Hostil- ities were kept up much of the time between the Iroquois and the French till 1691. In the wars between England and France which deprived the latter of Canada, the Iroquois were generally neu- tral, but they were not peaceful. The western Iroquois took the part of England in her war with the United States, while the French Iroquois in Canada were inclined to the cause of the United States.
The claims of the Indians for compensation for their hunting grounds was not made by the Iro- quois of New York but by an off-shoot of that tribe, the Cognawagas who had abandoned all their rights with the Iroquois of New York about the year of 1789, and many of them had joined their enemies the French before that time. The claimants admitted at some of the hearings on their claim that some of their ancestors became allies of the French as early as 1660, and there was evidence that others of the Cognawagas be- came so in the years 1671, 1720, and 1749. It is certain that the Cognawagas as a tribe could not have acquired any distinct rights in Vermont lands after 1789, as Vermont had been almost wholly covered with grants to and actually occupied by the people of Vermont before that date. If any body of Indians were entitled to compensation for lands in Western Vermont, it would have been the original tribe of the Iroquois and not those who separated from the tribe; besides, those that sepa-
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rated from the main body were not deserving. For many years after the Cognawaga and other Indians who are the claimants against Vermont, abandoned the Iroquois League in New York and became allies of the French, the Iroquois League waged incessant war upon the French and all their allies. Western Vermont, and Lake Champlain es- pecially, was then the war path of the Iroquois in their raids upon Canada, and it was not possible that any Indians, in alliance with the French, could have used Western Vermont as a hunting ground, except to a very limited degree and on rare occasions; certainly not to such a degree as to give them an exclusive title.
The Iroquois proper did not live entirely by hunting; they were not without civilization. They had an original system of government, somewhat like that of the American Confederation of States; they dwelt in permanent villages; they had castles for defense; and they were an agricultural people to the extent of raising corn, squashes, and beans, but relying upon fish and the proceeds of the chase for meat. Honorable E. P. Walton stated in a note in the "Governor and Council" that, "The Iroquois in New York were allies of the King of England un- til the treaty of 1783; while the Cognawaga Iro- quois admit that they were allies of the King of France until 1763, and have been allies of the Crown of England ever since that date. And that seventeen of the Vermont towns, covered by the Cognawaga claim, were granted by the King of England, previous to the surrender of the French possession to England, Feb. 10, 1763, and while
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the Cognawagas were allies of France and en- gaged in fighting the English."
In 1798 five of the Indian Chiefs made applica- tion to Governor Isaac Tichenor to be heard on their claim to Vermont lands; they were intro- duced to the Governor by the High Sheriff at the city of Vergennes. On that introduction Unowee . Goodstream, the Chief of the Cognawaga tribe, delivered the following talk : viz.,
"Great Friends,-we had the luck to come so far from the great Council fire of our own nation, to tell you of the joy we have to talk with Hon- orable Governor of the Great Father of Vermont.
Great Friends,-We wish the great Chiefs of the Council happiness.
Great Friend, and Friends,- Since we have come so far to speak to the great Council of Ver- mont, in their big Wigwam in the city of Ver- gennes, we hope we shall be heard with attention.
Big Fathers,- I who now speak to you am Chief of the Cognawaga Indians. I hope you will hear me on behalf of my whole nation. May the Great Spirit brighten the chain of friendship be- tween our tribes; may the pathway between us be kept so plain as that a little child may find it when the Sun is asleep in his blanket under the western waters." They then presented a letter from Meld Woolsey bearing date at Cumberland Head, Oct.6, 1798, in which he stated that he was called on by a deputation of seven Chiefs of the Seven Nations of lower Canada to give them a letter of introduc- tion to the Governor, and he stated that these . Chiefs are of the first respectability among their
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own people, and are now proceeding to attend the Legislature of the State. They have some claims similar to those made on the State of New York that were extinguished at a treaty between them and New York.
The Governor sent a message to the House call- ing the attention of the Assembly to claims of those Indians. The Claim of the Seven Nations for hunting lands were quite extensive and were de- scribed as follows, "Begining on the East side of Ticonderoga, from thence to the great Falls on the Otter Creek, and continues the same course to the height of land, that divides the streams between Lake Champlain and the river Connecticut; from thence along the height of lands to opposite Mis- sisquoi and then down to the Bay." They claimed this land belonged to them and they asked Ver- mont to settle for the same. Certain questions were submitted by the Governor to them to answer. Thereupon on October 18, 1798, they appeared before the Governor with their Agent, Mr. Fraser, and read the following document,-
"Great Brother: You require how the lands which we claim became ours, to which we answer that it was given to our forefathers by the su- preme spirit for our inheritance, together with the wild beasts for their food, and the skins thereof for their clothing; from our forefathers it descend- ed to their children, and as they have not sold nor given it to any one it remains our proper inheri- tance.
"Brother: Our claim is equitable, we hope you will therefore consider it and do us justice. You
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inquire who were our neighbors, to which we answer, that on the south west were the Stock- bridges, and on the northeast by the Abenakees of St. Francois, of whom you may enquire as to the justice of our claims, and also of our brothers, the white people of Canada.
"Brother, Our desire is to make an amicable settlement, so that if any of your people should come amongst us we may feel toward them as brothers, who have used us well; and if any of us should happen amoungst your people we wish to be considered as brothers in friendship.
"Brother: As our demand is unexpected to you, should you wish to delay, for the purpose of in- forming (yourself, it will be very agreeable to us, for all we want is justice; but at all events we have to request that you will return us an answer in writing to this and the papers we have handed as soon as convenient, for the purpose of showing to the Grand Chiefs of the Seven Nations of Lower Canada, and we wish you to take copies of the pa- pers which we have heretofore handed, and return to us the originals. Should you wish for any fur- ther information of us, we will endeavar to give it to you. Mean time I remain with sincere wishes of welfare to yourself and family, great brother, Your most obedient humble servant. HONASIO'
Orator for the Seven Nations."
"The Governor inquired of the chiefs, whether their ancestors, the Cognowagahs, were not an- ciently of the Seven Nations of Indians ?"
Ans. That was an old affair, they however be- lieved it was so.
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Ques. Did they not separate from the Confeder- acy in the wars between the Kings of England and France? And did they not remove into Canada and join the King of France in all his wars against the King of England?
Ans. They acknowledged it was so, but were ignorant of its consequences, and were enticed from their lands by the French.
Ques. The Governor asked them if they had any evidence of a settlement with the state of New York, as stated in Mr. Woolsey's letter.
Ans. The chief replied they had papers which would show a settlement with New York, but supposed it unnecessary to bring them to a differ- ent state and had left them at home.
The Governor informed the Chiefs that he would lay their matters before his brethren, the Legisla- ture. The subject matter was refered by the Legis- lative to an able committee, who reported that while the committee were of the opinion that the Indians have had aclaim to the land, by a title arising from an agreement entered into with other nations, the aborigines of this country, they could not ascertain whether that title had been cxtin- guished, and that the committee were of the opin- ion that no settlement could be made with those Indians respecting those land claims by the Legis- lature without the permission of the United States, as the Act of Congress passed July 22, 1790, de- clared "that no sale of land made by Indians, or any nation or tribe of Indians within the United- States, shall be valid to any person or persons, or to any State, whether having the right of preemp-
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tion to such lands or not, unless the same shall be made and duly executed at some public treaty, held under the authority of the United States." But the Legislature by an act passed Nov. 5, 1798, au- thorized the Governor to make the Indians a pres- ent of one hundred dollars and also procure infor- mation of the nature of their settlement with New- York for their claim against that State, and inves- tigate their claim to lands in the State of Vermont. The Governor paid the Indians the one hundred dollars.
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