17

JOHN P. SHARPE / HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF LEWISTON SHARPE / HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION JOHN P. BY LEE SIMONSON n December 19, 2013, thousands of people gathered in Lewiston, , to dedicate Citizens of Lewiston a new bronze monument that commemorates a “forgotten moment in a forgotten war.” are forever grateful OThe bronze monument of thanksgiving stands in tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the local Tuscarora Nation for saving to Tuscarora heroes. the lives of dozens of Lewistonians during the British attack that had occurred exactly 200 years earlier. Created by sculptor Susan Geissler, the larger-than- life Tuscarora Heroes Monument shows a Lewiston woman and her baby being led to safety by two Tuscarora men.

www.nysarchivestrust.org 18

being gifted a tract of land by the Senecas, the Holland Land Company, and the US. Meanwhile, the Tuscaroras who settled in Lewiston developed cordial relations with their white neighbors, conducting business and forming valued friendships.

Watching Over It was during the pre-dawn hours when Tuscarora scouts first saw faint lights cross NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY the river—lanterns from the British boats transporting the soldiers and native allies. The scouts reported that a massive British invasion was underway, including hundreds of British allied Indians, In late 1813, the small frontier In December of 1813, western New York scorched, composed mostly of Wyandot village of Fort Niagara on the suspecting the British would residents killed, and families and other natives from Ohio, Niagara River at the border make a move against the torn apart. Michigan, and Western between the US and British United States, local Tuscarora Ontario. The Tuscaroras Canada suddenly found itself on men remained vigilant atop Seeking Revenge scrambled to get the warning the front line in the War of 1812. the Niagara Escarpment, a The British, along with their out to the Lewistonians, rock promontory that afford- native allies, ran down River while mustering the men in ed a good view of the town Road toward Lewiston, their own village above the of Lewiston. And in the early armed with torches, guns escarpment to quickly evacu- morning hours of December and tomahawks. They sought ate their women and children 19, their suspicions proved revenge for the Americans and take up arms to fend off true. The small frontier village burning Niagara on the Lake the attack. on the Niagara River, at the (then Newark), Ontario, nine But some families did not border between the United days earlier. get the word in time. The States and British Canada, Their history with the approaching enemy force was suddenly found itself on the British was a primary reason a juggernaut—close to 1,000 front line in the War of 1812. the Tuscaroras sided with strong. Poorly defended, Hours earlier, in the middle of the Americans in both the Lewiston citizens were on the night, British-Canadian Revolution and the War of their own. They could only troops and their native allies 1812. The Tuscaroras had run for their lives through the had launched an invasion and migrated north to New York snow and mud in hopes of successfully captured the State in the 1700s after being escaping. American Fort Niagara without driven out of the Carolinas. It would not be surprising firing a shot. And now they The admitted the if the British wanted to burn were about to unleash an Tuscaroras as the sixth nation Lewiston to the ground—it assault on Lewiston. It would of the Confederacy in 1722, would be retaliation for the be the first wave of destruc- and the tribe eventually set- burning of Niagara on the tion that would eventually see tled in Lewiston decades later, Lake. But what happened

­NEW YORK archives • FALL 2018 19

In December of 1813, suspecting the British would make a move against the United States, local Tuscarora CREDIT TO COME men remained vigilant The Tuscarora Reservation was situated on a rock promontory atop the Escarpment, a overlooking the town of Lewiston. rock promontory that turned into much more. the exodus. During the While the citizens of Niagara desperate escape, minutes afforded a good view of were forced from their seemed like hours. With the town of Lewiston. homes, the citizens of whatever clothes they had on Lewiston, including women their backs, the local settlers and children, were brutally ran for their lives, some in murdered in the rampage and bare feet.

www.nysarchivestrust.org 20

BUFFALO HISTORY MUSEUM Just as the situation had another group of Tuscarora men become dire, the local Tuscarora “rushed down the mountain men swung into action. The with their war whoops as if Tuscaroras knew they were a legion were coming down.” outnumbered 30 to 1. They The sight and sound of the were not thinking about a Tuscarora advances spooked counterattack. Their rescue the British allies who were still mission was purely a defensive chasing the column of Lewiston operation and the objective citizens trying to escape. was to mitigate the catastro- phe and facilitate the rapid Fleeing Citizens evacuation of the town. That Unsure of what they were meant a series of diversionary facing, and not wanting to tactics would have to be run into a trap, the British employed. The object would allies stopped in their tracks be to bluff the enemy and and retreated about a mile create an illusion of strength and a half back to Lewiston without getting anyone killed where the main British force in the process. No one knew was stationed. When the last the escarpment and geography British ally was seen running of the area better than the back to Lewiston, enough Tuscaroras and they used that time was gained to enable knowledge to leverage their the safe eastward passage of plan to save as many lives as the fleeing citizens on Ridge they could. Road who were lucky enough The Tuscaroras executed to escape the onslaught. The The British and their native allies Outnumbered and a courageous and brilliant swift strategy and courage of left a wake of destruction in Outgunned strategy within minutes. The the Tuscaroras bought precious Lewiston. This letter from Ezra Lewiston’s defense was Tuscarora plan was based minutes by creating a wedge, St. John, written a few months composed of a small militia primarily on bluster and was or buffer zone, between the after the burning of the town, outpost. Reports indicated tremendously risky. Facing attackers and the citizens and requests funds from the Committee of Canandaigua in relief of his that seven or eight men were the enemy was proof of the saved dozens of American lives. family’s suffering in the attack. killed defending Lewiston, fearlessness and tenacity of But the British allied including the sons of Captain the Tuscaroras at that critical natives were furious with the Horatio Jones, the famous moment. Tuscaroras for helping the native interpreter. But the Tuscarora Chief Solomon Lewiston residents, and there soldiers knew they were out- Longboard directed the oper- would be payback. Knowing numbered and outgunned ation and sent some men to there would be consequences and the small outfit saw the top of the escarpment, for their actions, and willing many desert and run as soon just above the British allied to make the sacrifice, the as they “heard the yells of Indians below. The men started Tuscaroras had quickly vacated the Indians.” There was little blowing horns from several their village. With most of resistance. The British general locations along the edge of the the Tuscaroras defending the admonished his native allies escarpment cliff, giving the rear of the train of escapees before the attack to “refrain impression that there was a on Ridge Road, the Tuscarora from their usual savage prac- large unseen force of American village was defenseless and tices.” However, despite the allied natives ready to launch the British allies began general’s plea, the destruction a counterattack from the indiscriminately burning the escalated quickly. heights. At the same time, Tuscaroras’ homes and winter

­NEW YORK archives • FALL 2018 21

food supplies. the attack range from “some” THE ARCHIVES C O N N E C T I O N Realizing they had destroyed to forty-six, with most in the both Lewiston and the dozen range. True figures will he Historical Association of Lewiston holds a copy of a Tuscarora villages, the British never be known because Thandwritten letter from Isaac Cooke, one of the survivors allies gained a second wind records were destroyed, some who chronicled the events of the day. His nephew, Joshua and wanted to chase down families didn’t move back to Cooke, also wrote about his family’s plight in Souvenir the fleeing residents. Ridge the area, and an undetermin- History of Niagara County, Reminiscences of Lewiston Road was the main road into able number of people perished (1902). The New York State Archives holds military pension and out of Lewiston. It was a within the burning homes and records of Tuscaroras who served in the War of 1812. dirt road and conditions were buildings. But what is certain is The Historical Association of Lewiston also maintains a terrible. Lewiston citizens did that the casualties would collection of hard-to-find books and newspaper articles their best to navigate the ruts, have been more severe had it related to the War of 1812 in Western New York. Important the mud, and the snow, as they not been for the courage and material involving the Tuscarora includes Pioneer History of traveled east as fast as they friendship of the Tuscaroras. the Holland Land Purchase of Western New York by Orasmus could. No one could predict Lewiston’s history of friendship Turner (1850); Drummond’s Winter Campaign, 1813 by Lt. when or if the invading force with its Tuscarora neighbors Col. E. Cruikshank; The War of 1812 on the Niagara Frontier would strike again. When they manifested itself in an impres- by Louis Babcock (1927); the Buffalo Historical Society’s had gone about nine miles, sive display of bravery and Recalling Pioneer Days (1922); The History of the Tuscarora some of the Lewiston men in sacrifice on that winter morn- by Elias Johnson (1881); Dark Days on the Frontier of Western the procession had arrived at ing in 1813. New York by Chipman P. Turner (1879); William Pool’s edited a large log house which was In 2010, Lewiston residents History of Lewiston, New York (1897); and Pictorial Field used as an armory. As they and local organizations worked Book of the War of 1812 by Benson Lossing (1869). were breaking open the powder together to create what The Historical Association of Lewiston has compiled a list kegs to set the house on fire eventually became the largest of the Tuscaroras who served, along with a list of Lewiston in an effort to prevent the War of 1812 Bicentennial citizens who were killed in the attack. British from capturing any of monument project in the In 2010, the Historical Association of Lewiston published the supplies, Tuscarora leader United States. Thousands Tuscarora Heroes, which contains relevant and unedited Solomon Longboard arrived turned out on December 19, excerpts from primary sources. on the scene. With the help of 2013, the 200th anniversary an interpreter, Chief Longboard of the Tuscarora Heroes, to persuaded the Lewiston men let the world know that our to save the building and the small community will forever powder and to keep advancing honor the courage and sacri- east, out of harm’s way. The fice of the Tuscarora Nation. Tuscaroras remained at the Tuscarora Chief Leo Henry and Lewiston’s long friendship armory. By the time the Tuscarora Council member exhausted British allies arrived Neil Patterson Sr. spoke on with its Tuscarora at the scene they were simply behalf of the Nation, thanking neighbors manifested too tired to engage the Lewiston for the honor. Tuscaroras and turned back, Highlighting the event was a itself in an impressive still not sure about the actual reenactment of “Flames size of the Tuscarora force. Through Lewiston,” which display of bravery and The residents of Lewiston portrayed dozens of Lewiston sacrifice on that winter continued to migrate out of residents reenacting the Niagara County, in many burning of Lewiston and morning in 1813. instances on foot, to rebuild flight out of town. Large fires their shattered lives. were placed down the middle Estimates of the number of the main street, recreating of Lewiston civilians killed in a vivid scene. n

www.nysarchivestrust.org