USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 2 > Part 48
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The Fort was called Fort Ranger, and was the Head Quarters of the State troops until 1781, when the presence of a large British army on Lake Champlain caused the removal of the Head Quarters to Castleton. Fort Ranger, situated but a few rods from the territorial center of Rutland, in the im- mediate vicinity of Mead's saw-mill and grist mill, the meeting-house and, the tavern of John Hopson Jolinson (built of plank on the site of Ripley & Bailey's store') naturally became the rendezvous of the town, the fav- orite resort of idlers, loungers, and loafers, as well as the most convenient resort of those anxious for the public weal and the chances of barter speculation-here on the Sabbath noon did the goodly lovers of gossip con- gregate in the interval between Parson Root's forenoon and afternoon discourses and exchange their precious wares of local chit- chat, until this one's rise and that one's fall, this new thing and that old thing were all duly pondered and discussed-here did the Revolutionary patriots assemble to learn the latest orders of the government and the fresh news from the American Army-here was the much valued weekly newspaper from Hartford, Ct. received by post, read and
circulated -here did the idle soldiery and congenial lazaroni exercise their skill and strength in the exciting games of long ball, &c .- and here (in the block house) did the freemen assemble in town meeting, wherein rustic Solons uttered their oracular dicta .- Though Rutland was terribly alarmed by threatened inroads of Indians, several times during the Revolutionary War, and the towns immediately North of it actually invaded,- Fort Ranger was never attacked by the en- emy, and the only danger its inmates incur- red arose from the assassin shots of tories and Indians in the night, aiming at the heads of the men in the sentry boxes or incautious stragglers.
On the 27th March, 1781, the town meet- ing was opened in the meetinghouse accor- ding to notice, thence it adjourned to the tavern of John Hopson Johnson, and thence as the town record 'reads "for necessary rea- sons" it adjourned to the "Store House in Fort Ranger."
"Proceedings of a Court Martial against Melkiah Grout, Feb. 18, 1779.
NOTE,-The within officers belong to Col. Warner's Regiment.
Fort Ranger February 18, 1779. Garrison Orders.
A Court of Inquiry to set at 12 o'clock, this day to examine and hear the ev- idence for and against such prisoners as shall be brought before them-whereof,
Capt. Thomas Lee is President.
Lt. Marvin, Lt. Wiott, Ensign Beach, En- sign Brush-Members.
By order of Gideon Brownson, Com'r the Court being met and duly sworn, proceeded to try Melkiah Grout-the prisoner being brought before the Court, pleads not guilty. The Court after hearing the evidence for and against the prisoner-it is the opinion of the Court that the crime is not supported,
Per THOMAS LEE, president,
The above judgment is approved of by the Commanding officer, and order the prisoner to be set at liberty.
Per GIDEON BROWNSON, Capt. Com'r.
Copy of "Orders for Capt. Thomas Sawyer commanding at Fort Ranger, dated Arling- ton, May 14, 1779
The design and object of a garrisons' being kept at your post is to prevent the incursion of the enemy on the northern frontiers and to annoy them should they come within your reach ; as there are two other Forts, one at Castleton, and the other at Pittsford de- pendent on yours, you are to take care that they are properly manned and provided
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proportionable to your strength at Fort Ran- ger. You will keep out constant scouts to- wards the Lake, so as to get the earliest intel- ligence of the motion and designs of the enemy. You will keep the command of Fort Ranger and other Forts depending until other- wise ordered by me or until some Continent- al Officers shall take the command. You will post the earliest intelligence of the mo- tion of the enemy to ine and guard against surprise. Given under my hand
THOS. CHITTENDEN, Capt. Gen." THE BATTLE OF SHELBURNE.
BY WHITFIELD WALKER, ESQ., OF WHITING, ADDISON, CO.
The scene is in the neighborhood of the Green Mountains, the land of Allen, Stark and Warner, names that will ever live on the pages of American History, as distinguished for their boldness and fearless intrepidity . The battle of Shelburne occurred on the 12th of March, 1778, but before I proceed to de- tail the circumstances, and incidents of the battle, I will introduce to the reader's notice, the hardy and war-worn veteran who com- manded on that occasion. His name was Thomas Sawyer, who was born in Worcester Co. Mass. When the war first broke out he was ready at his country's call, and for 2 years .was at Prospect Hill as master of fortifica- tions and redoubts, the next 2 years at Ticon- deroga. He then returned to Templeton, Mass., to remove his family to Clarendon, Vt., but before their arrival at Clarendon, and while at Springfield, news Was received of the sur- render of Ticonderoga. He left his wife and children and hastened to the scene of sup- posed danger, to ascertain if it would be safe to proceed further with his family. He soon returned, and they resumed their journey to Clarendon, erected a grist mill, and built a block house, for the security of his own and the few other families in the vicinity : the windows were barricaded with thick oak plank shutters, hung with thick iron hinges. This was the place of common resort, in all times of alarm, which were then not unfre- quent. For his untiring perservance on all occasions, the new settlers duly appreciated, and were ready unitedly to honor him with their confidence. He was made a military Captain, which appointment he accepted and the sequel will show with what devotion he served his country.
A man by the name of Parsons, emigrated from the state of New Jersey, to Shelburne, Vt, and built, for the security of his family, a block house, which was in an unfinished
condition. That section of the State bring ig- fested by Tories and Indians and umars- tected by any military force, he was made acquainted with an expected incursion of Tories and Indians from Canada. A messen- ger was sent to_ Clarendon for assistance. Col. Sawyer heard the call and his action was prompt, he called his company together and beat up for followers. L. Barnum aa.i fifteen others caught their commander's spirit and turned out at the tap of the drum. CoL. Sawyer had a wife and six children, the ol i. est of which was a son of twelve years, whose business was to chop and draw the wood and assist his mother in tending the grist mill. These he left and took up the line of march with 17 volunteers Jan. 1775. Their pathway was a trackless forest, except by the Indian, wolf and panther : the season was inclement. and snow deep, the march tedious and their suffering and privations intense, and in the last ten miles of their march the party came near perishing.
On their arrival at Mr. Parsons' bloc'z house, the place of destination, a distance of 66 miles, late in the evening, and nearly fro- zen, they found Parsons and family in a state of anxious solicitude for their safety, and that of a few other hardy pioneers. They were hospitably received and shared with them 3 frugal meal of hominy, ground in the steel hand-mill which he bro't from New Jersey : glad were they to share his shelter, and camp about his ample fire: never did human beings, while resting their weary limbs upon the hard floor, more deeply realize
"Tired Nature's sweet restorer balmy Sleep."
When morning came the volunteers set about repairing the defence by putting the block house in better repair, the doors and windows being insecure and requiring to be barricaded. Operations were at once com- menced, and they had nearly completed the defence, all except securing one window. when they found the block house surrounded by Tories and Indians, the first notice of which was the discharge of a volley of mus- kets, through the insecure window, by which three persons were killed, named Barnum, Woodard and Daniels, the two latter of whom were not of the party, but only came in for protection during the night.
The battle then commenced in good cars- est, the guns of the assailed were pointed with deadly aim at the enemy, numbers
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fell reaping a rich reward for their temerity, till at. length they became desperate, and set fire to the fort in several places; What was to be done. There was no water at hand, and the flames were rapidly spreading. Capt. Sawyer ordered the contents of a beer barrel to be used, one of the number sallied out un- der a shower of bullets and fortunately ex- tinguished the fire. A second attempt was made to fire it, but our little band became in turn the assailants, the enemy were driv- en from the field carrying off the wounded ; and as was supposed a portion of the dead, leaving seven on the field, together with four prisoners taken.
At morning's early dawn, they surveyed the battle field, pursuing the track of the en- emy to Lake Champlain. About half a mile distant from the scene of action, tracing it by the bloody snow which was deeply tinged, as they passed down the banks of Blood Brook, so called from the battle, they found holes cut through the ice in the Lake the edges of which were bloody.
Among the killed was an Indian Chief, with ear and nose jewels, also a powder horn, belt and bullet pouch. These troph- ies the Colonel kept as long as he lived, as the memento of an illustrious deed achieved by him and his followers, on the memorable 12th of March, 1778.
Three days previous to the battle a tory by the name of Philo, left the vicinity on skates for St. Johns, to give the British notice that a patroling party were at Shelburne, and they projected the plan of their capture, and the extirpation of those devoted friends of liberty. The assailants came on skates, that the surprise might be complete, but the cow- ardly miscreant Philo, did not return but stayed behind. They doubtless congratulated themselves with certan prospects of a blood- less triumph so far as they were concerned, and that the scalps of this band of heroes would entitle them to a liberal bounty from the British Government, but they learnt to their sorrow that the sons of liberty were awake, and ready to pour out their blood like water, in defence of their homes, and fireside altars. From the preceding facts, it was believed by the victors that the number of their killed far exceeded what were found on the field, but nothing certain was ever known. Captain Sawyer, as a reward for the heroism of the soldier who extinguished | times detained for several hours by a track
the flames of the burning Fort with the con- tents of the beer barrel, presented him with his watch. His noble daring was gratefully remembered by his commander, as such acts should be, and rewarded.
In consideration of his services Captain Sawyer, the ensuing suminer, was given the command of the Fort at Rutland, which he held two years, rendering important service to his country.
Immediately after the war, he removed to Salisbury and built the first mills in this part of Addison County. What is now the vil- lage of Middlebury, was then a wilderness, and the roar of its waterfalls which now turn its hundreds of spindles, ran to waste, only making music for the wild deer and howling panther.
May 15, 1847.
PART II. FROM THE VERMONT COURIER.
One of the actors, Daniel Smith, Esq., of Clarendon, in this State, still lives. He is my maternal uncle, and to him I was indebted some years since for the detail.
In the winter of 1776-7 the settlers in towns on Lake Champlain suffered repeat- edly from the predatory and murdeous incur- sions of the Canadians, Indians and Tories. It was the winter previous to the descent of Burgoyne, and the attention of all was turn- ed towards the Northern Frontier. The in- habitants left their dwellings and removed their prope ty when practicable, and by the middle of winter, no 'settlements were left far- ther north than the town of Shelburne. A few families remained in that town, and especially the Parsonses, who had done more towards re- moving the primitive forests and accumulating around them the comforts of life, than almost any of the frontier settlers of Vermont. It was to protect these pioneers in the march of civilization that a 'scouting party,' consisting of 16 men, worthy, young, and vigorous, under the command of a military captain by the name of Sawyer, was dis- patched in January, 1777 from Rutland. The depth of the snow was from 3 to 4 feet, but the party, mounted on snow shoes, were not obliged to measure its depth, except in places where from being unusually sheltered from the sun, it had not acquired sufficient consis- teney to buoy them up. Hence they encoun- tered the greatest difficulty and were some-
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of unsettled snow, of very limited extent. Ilere and there at distant intervals a few familes were scattered about, but no inter- course was kept up between them sufficient to preserve even the semblance of a road among the snows. Owing to the dense un- broken character of the primitive forest, the snow exhibited an appearance widely differ- ent from that which makes a modern winter. The woods interposed an effectual barrier to the action of the wind and snow was distrib- uted over the surface with the most perfect uniformity.
Where the flourishing villages of Brandon and Middlebury, with their city-like hum of mercantile and manufacturing industry now stand, all was silent except the roar of the cataracts over their rocky beds, and the sigh- ing of the winds through the tops of the lofty pines. The banks of Otter Creek remote from the Fall, were blessed with an exuberant fer- tility, and, in general, were covered with a lighter growth of forest than the uplands. From these causes, and from some facilities for transportation afforded by the stream, most of its population was located near its banks. Our party for the most part followed the course of the river till they arrived at Vergennes, where there were a few families mostly French. From Vergennes to Parsons' there were no settlers on the route pursued by the party. Parsons had possessed himself of a highly fertile tract of land, and had erected some tolerably commodious buildings near the shore of Lake Champlain, in the near vicinity of the present pleasant and beautiful residence of Hon. Ezra Meech. The house was constructed of large hewn logs, with but three or four windows, and those at a considerable distance from the ground, so that it formed a post that might be consid- ered tenable against the attacks of an enemy provided only with musketry.
The party remained at Parsons' a week, daily and nightly expecting a visit from a body of Canadians that they had learned were preparing at Missisquois (now Phillips- burg) to ravage the northern frontier. In- deed it was this intelligence that had the principal agency in leading the rangers to leave their homes to traverse the woods at this inclement season. A sentinel was con- stantly posted on an eminence near the house that commanded an extensive view of the lake in a northern direction, as it was ex-
pected the invading party would make their approach on the ice. No enemy having made his appearance during the week, and the time at which they were expected having elapsed, the party put their knapsacks in or- der at night, with a view of starting for their homes on the following morning.
In the morning a lighit snow was falling and my uncle said he was induced by sheer indolence to propose to the party to post- pone their departure to another day. This was agreed to, and the day passed in the same manner as those that preceded it. An hour before daylight the following day, their sentinel at the door fired and rushed into the house, and before the door could be closed was followed by a dozen savages. The par- ty, who were sleeping on the floor, succeeded in beating their invaders from the house, and barricading the door. This and extinguish - ing the fire in the house, was all the work of a moment; and the little party soon found that they were surrounded by more than a hundred Canadians, Tories, and Indians. They had evidently expected to take the fron- tier settlers by surprise, and were not a little disappointed at finding the inhabitants and property of every description removed from the little settlements on Onion River.
Parsons' house was the first from which the inhabitants had not fled, and removed their goods and provision ; and this the sav- ages found in the possession of a very effi- cient garrison. The savages demanded a parley ; a considerable number collected near a window, and one, who took upon himself to be the organ of the invading party, in broken English propounded to those within the house the alternative of surrendering themselves unconditionally to the savages, to be scalped or otherwise dealt with as should be most agreeable to the Indians; or in case of a refusal, to have the house burnt about their ears.
Neither of these views according with the views of the Yankee garrison, the fight com- menced. The windows were shattered by the balls of the savages, while the garrison by stationing themselves in the corners of the house, and placing the family in the cellar, were exposed comparatively to little danger. The snow without enabled the besieged to see their enemies, and generally to take de- liberate aim, so that their fire seldom failed of taking effect. My uncle says just as he
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had finished loading his rifle, near the commencement of the engagement, a tall sav- age mounted a pile of wood near the house and fired into the window : he immediately took deliberate aim and shot him dead. He was found in the morning on the spot where he fell. The house was soon set on fire ac- cording to the savage threat. Some dry ma- terials were collected and inflamed against the corners of the house.
This was the mode of attack from which most was to be feared, and against which there was the least means of defence. Capt. Sawyer offered his watch to any one who would extinguish the flames. One of the party named Williams, and who afterwards lived to a good old age in Rutland, went to the cellar where there happened to be a bar- rel of beer, carried it out in pails and extin- guished the fire, discharged his rifle among the invaders, and entered the house un. harmed. The firing of the house was repeat- ed, and again Williams preserved the party by putting it out.
As the day began to dawn the fire of the besieged became more effectual, and before it was fully light, word was given in the house that the enemy were retreating in the direc- tion of the lake. One of the party who had commenced loading his piece, threw down the ball, rested across the window sill, and brought down the hindermost of the retreat- ing foe.
Sixteen were found dead about the house and from the well-known practices of the sav- ages to carry off their wounded and as many of the dead as possible, it was inferred that their loss was severe. It was afterwards as- certained that more than 30 were killed or died of their wounds. Of those left dead on the spot, several were Tories painted to re- semble Indians.
My uncle said he had not a drop of fight- ing blood in his composition ; that he always chose to be at the first end of a feast and the last end of a fray ; but he avers that on this occasion he did yeoman's service with a rifle. He says he had an assistant to load two rifles for him, and he fired when, and only when, he had an opportunity to rest his piece and take deliberate aim and that during the fight he burnt exactly a pound of powder. But the rifle and its owner are growing old to- gether, and if this hasty narrative should meet the old man's eye, and serve in a de-
gree to assure him that we are not all forget- ful of the labors of him and his hardy com- patriots, the object of the writer will be an- swered .* 1
[ Vermont Courier.]
CREDULITY.
The victims of too much belief, have ever been the subjects of pity and ridicule. Too much belief in frequent interpositions of su- pernatural agencies in the moral and physi- cal world, has drawn down upon the memo- ries of the Pilgrims and their descendants, much long studied irony. However much this disapprobation may be deserved, what propriety is there in the wise spirits of the present age being so forward in casting the first stone. How many months is it since men of families and some property from this county, ceased to dig for silver ore among the rocks and sands of Brandon ? How is it, that two itinerant and perhaps imbecile va- grants have for the last year or two up to the present time, drawn a rich revenue from the pockets of independent and respectable citi- zens of this immediate neighborhood, return- ing naught but the sleepy insane mutterings of a modern Pythoness, ycleped "Sleeping Lucy "-our neighboring Spa even deriving additional patronage from their cunningly devised juxta-position ? Whence the popular- ity of Davis' impious revelations ? Whence the recent long continued and expensive ef- forts to raise a vessel of Kidd's in Hudson River ?- When the present age ceases to be pre-eminent for gullibility in all matters per- taining to medical cures, pseudo-religious revelations and mesmeric chicanery, let us become hyper-critical upon the follies of the past. The following instances of credulity among the early inhabitants of this vicinity, are communicated rather as fit subjects of mirth, than as specimens of the general char- acter of the people.
DIGGING FOR CAPT. KIDD'S MONEY.
Some years subsequent to the close of the Revolutionary War, in the dearth of money, one Abraham Homistone who then roamed over the south part of this town, calling to mind the many stories he had heard, and de- voutly believed in his native place, New Haven, Ct., about Capt. Kidd's having buried
*See account of the same in biographical sketches of Col. Sawyer-history of Shelburne, and of Shelburne "Battle " in history of Shelburne vol. I. [ Ed.]
..
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his treasures on the shores of Long Island Sound, resolved to try his fortune in recover- ing a share of the buried wealth, if he could obtain a sufficient number of associates. He soon found three men ready to join in the hopeful expedition, viz. Ebenezer Andrews (who lived where William Green does, ) Sam- uel Hobbs, (whose father Jacob Hobbs, car- ried on the business of a vulcan, alias black - smith, a few rods south of Ruel Parker's Tav- ern) and Eleazer Flagg, who lived west of the house now occupied by O. H. Rounds. These worthy compeers-all but Hobbs had families-provided themselves with a two horse wagon, and it is supposed with suitable utensils for digging and testing metals, ac- - tually left their homes, went to New Haven, and were absent a considerable portion of the summer season in the Quixotic but often tried attempt, to raise the wind by disinter- ring the infinitely-magnified and never found wealth of the noted freebooter, whose deeds of ruthless daring in the reign of good Queen Anne, have gained him a time lasting noto- riety, to the shivering dread of all the chil- dren in Christendom who listen to nursery songs: It is needless to add, that these mon- ey diggers shared the fate of the renowned 'Grecian Argonauts, who accompanied Jason A CONJURER. to Colchis in pursuit of the far-famned Golden Fleece of mythology, and returned " bootless and weather beaten home." While they were gone one Moses Goddard a waggish spec- imen of a class of nomadic, mischievous loaf- ers, now happily less numerous than then, contrived a plan for playing a slight joke on the elder Mr. Hobbs, Sam's worthy sire. Having assembled a suitable number of lov- ers of fun in the tavern of Mr. Henry Gould, (where Mrs. Brown now lives on Clarendon North Flats.) Goddard proceeded to relate his story as follows, viz. he had just met a traveller from New Haven, Ct., who had re- lated to him the particulars of the wonderful success of certain Vermonters in digging up money-the traveller had described the per- sonal appearance of each of the company consisting of four-they had labored long and ardently amid the scoffs and sneers of good citizens till complete success had been attained, though their ultimate success was fortuitous, for had it not been for the ex- traordinary strength of one of the four, whose description had been given so as to correspond exactly to Samuel Hobbs, the I the occasion and again positively declared
devil would have carried off the treasure in spite of all their efforts and charms, but this young man, of such great strength, was too much for his Majesty, and the lucky Ver- monters were now scattering the ancient coin among the amazed denizens of New Haven as if from an exhaustless source. This story as intended, soon reached the smithy, and Sam's venerable ancestor, (or Governor as Sammy Veller would call him) hearing the news ab- ruptly quit the horse he was shoeing, threw the hammer wildly across the shop, and de- clared he would never shoe another horse for a living, that he always thought he was born to a better destiny, &c., went to the tavern and ordered a treat for the company, and last went home and told his daughter Abby of the golden days that were dawning upon them-the superstitious spinster received the startling intelligence with a very quiet joy, cooly declaring that she had expected it, and indeed she know'd it for she read it in the cards last night. For fear of Sam's identity not being perfectly established, it may be men- tioned, that he was the hero of George Gale's celebrated Judgment Dream. Flagg was sherif of Rutland County 1810-11-12.
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