1939 OSWEGO CITY LIBRARY

Third Publication

of the Oswego Historical Society

19 3 9

Palladium-Times, Inc. Printers CONTENTS

Page OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY, 1939 IV

STANDING COMMITTEES, 1939 V

WINTER PROGRAM 1940 VI

The French Regime in Northern New York (by H. F. Landon) 1-4

Col. Marinus Willett's Expedition Against Oswego in 1783 (by Edwin M. Waterbury) 5-25

How Local Militia Defended the Lake Ports (by Major Wheeler Chapin Case) 26-38

The Battle of Oswego in 1756 (by John M. Gill) 39-51

The Story of An Odd Shop (by Frederick W. Barnes) 52-66

National Figures Behind the Early Purchase of Oswego Lands (by Ralph M. Faust) 67-70

History of the Old French Fort at Liverpool and Its Relation to the Oswego River Valley (by William J. Gallipeau) 71-72

Early Jesuits in Central New York (by the Rev. Earle F. Anable).. .73-81

Necrology 82

77327

in LIST OF OFFICERS 1939 President Edwin M. Waterbury

Vice-Presidents Frederick W. Barnes Ralph M. Faust Grove A. Gilbert

Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Homan F. Hallock

Recording Secretary Fred P. Wright

Treasurer Harold A. Hubbard

Curator Elliott B. Mott

Mrs. James G. Riggs Members Mrs. Frederick Leighton of the Harold A. Hubbard Board of Managers John S. Parsons Daniel A. Williams

[All of the elective officers are ex-officio members of the Board of Managers which functions as the Executive Committee of the Society.]

IV OSWEGO COT LIBRARY

STANDING COMMITTEES 1939

Membership Mrs. John S. Parsons, Chairman Mrs. James G. Riggs Frederick W. Barnes Mrs. Prank Elliott Ralph M. Faust Mrs. James M. Carey Grove A. Gilbert

Donation and Collection of Articles of Historic Interest Daniel A. Williams, Chairman Gertrude A. Shepherd Mrs. May B. Miller Mrs. D. P. Morehouse, Sr. M. Winifred Turner Mrs. Charles R. Baldwin Frances J. Eggleston Fred P. Wright Anna W. Post Harold A. Hubbard Elliott B. Mott Frederick Leighton Col. Philip R. Ward Dr. Richard K. Piez Floyd S. Spangle John M. Gill Mrs. Samuel M. F. Peters Program Ralph M. Faust, Chairman Elizabeth Simpson Mrs. Frederick Leighton Juanita Kersey Mrs. Homan F. Hallock Adelaide C. Fitch Helen C. Quirk Dr. Joseph C. Park Frederick W. Barnes Rev. Henry S. Sizer Mrs. Harold J. Dann Dr. Lida S. Penfleld

Collection Arrangement and Care Mrs. James G. Riggs, Chairman Mrs. Daniel A. Williams Cynthia A. Beadle Mrs. Robert L. Allison H. J. Ackerman Mrs. Harold J. Dann Joseph T. McCaffrey John S. Parsons Benjamin J. Racusin

Expansion Grove A. Gilbert, Chairman Elizabeth Simpson Mrs. Samuel M. F. Peters Mrs. Charles R. Baldwin Mrs. Raymond C. Turner Harold A. Hubbard Mrs. Paul B. Enches James Gallagher Mrs. P. L. Beazley Frank R. Crandell Robert L. Allison Thomas A. Cloutier Ralph B. Watson Fred P. Wright Neil T. Hayes

Auditing John S. Parsons, Chairman Frank W. Barnum Clarence T. Leighton

V WINTER PROGRAM 1940

February—Old Churches of Oswego County Leon N. Brown

March—Famous Homes of Old Oswego Mrs. Karl Kellogg

April—Historic Development of Port of Oswego George H. Campbell

VI "HeSt »e Jforget"

DR. JAMES G. RIGGS

To the Memory of Dr. James G. Riggs Whose Efforts Were Largely Responsible for Keeping Alive for a Period of Almost a Quarter of a Century the Oswego Historical Society, this Volume is Appreciatively Dedicated. The French Regime In Northern New York

(Paper Read Before Oswego Historical Society, January 10, 1939, by Harry F. Landon of Watertown, N, Y.)

The French regime in Northern countryside, Cape Vincent named New York history! What a color­ for one son, Alexandria Bay for ful chapter that is. A great cha­ another, Theresa for a daughter, teau in the wilderness where Chaumont for the family home in courtly gentlemen of the France France and Plessis for the family of the Empire toast a famous name. dog. The village of LaFargeville A former king of Spain and Naples recalls old John LaFarge who built taking his ease in his woodland his limestone mansion of 32 rooms estate. A prince of a distinguished just outside the village and admin­ house waiting on the trade in a istered a harsh justice to his ten­ general store. One who had been ants. The village of Deferiet a lady-in-waiting in the glamorous brings to mind that lady-in-waiting court of Marie Antoinette, a lonely to Marie Antoinette already re­ exile far from her beloved Paris. ferred to, Madame de Feriet, who Soldiers of the emperor plotting owned in her graceful home, over­ away in a tiny north country vil­ looking the wide reaches of the lage—and over all the shadow of Black river, the only grand piano the Corsican, the Eagle on the in all Northern New York. Rock, he who waited in far off St. What strange trick of fate Helena. brought these Napoleonic refugees Subtracting everything that can­ to the half wilderness of Northern not be definitely substantiated as New York, there to build their fact, even that legend so beloved houses and there to make their by all Jefferson county historians, homes? What was the incentive that the rescue of Napoleon was that caused Joseph Bonaparte, one­ planned in the Cup and Saucer time king of Spain and Naples, to house at Cape Vincent, and it is purchase a huge tract of land in still a story shot through with the section? Why should a man drama. like Count Real, Napoleon's prefect True the LeRays, the Bonapartes, of police, choose this remote sec­ the de Feriets, the La Farges, the tion for his plotting? Reals and the Murats have long Perhaps it was because Gover- since left, but there still remain neur Morris, who was something of evidences of the day when the a real estate agent in his day, had polished French of the boulevards popularized the section to the panic was heard in rude Jefferson county stricken French aristocrats in the villages. In the church yard in the days of the Red Terror. Possibly sleepy little hamlet of Oxbow-sleeps it was because James D. LeRay the niece of Napoleon, Caroline, was already there on his broad daughter of Joseph Bonaparte. In acres. Perchance, it was, as we the Catholic cemetery at Cape Vin­ Jefferson county people like to be­ cent, crumbling tombstones bearing lieve, because the friends of Na­ Gallic inscriptions mark the last poleon saw in this remote section resting place of men who stood a safe refuge for the emperor when with the Old Guard at Waterloo. at last he should be rescued from Hemmed in by the woods just at St. Helena. the edge of LeRaysville still stands However, that may be, to this that majestic home of James D. pioneer land, almost devoid of LeRay de Chaumont, as fine an roads, came these men fresh from example of Georgian architecture the boulevards of Paris. Particu­ as there is in all the East. larly to Cape Vincent, they came, And French place names there Count Pierre Francois Real, Na­ are aplenty. The LeRay family poleon's prefect of police during names are scattered all through the the Hundred Days, General Jean

—1— Francois Rolland, and a notable LeRay with his engineers, his land company of others, some who had agents, his slaves, his doctor and followed the emperor on a dozen his cure, dispensing a lavish hospi­ battle fiields and wore the faded tality, generously giving of his ribbon of the Legion of Honor on lands and funds for churches and their breasts. Even the Marquis roads and occasionally sallying do Grouchy, his head bent under forth in coach and four, attended the tragedy of Waterloo, came and by liveried outriders, to visit his lingered for a while, while the mad­ villages and farms. cap Prince Lucien Murat, son of Not far away, as the crow flies, Napoleon's great cavalry leader, de­ stood the graceful hermitage of lighted the countryside with his Madame de Feriet, where LeRay pranks and astonished the natives was reported to be a frequent vis­ by opening a store full of French itor. There, too, were rare flower­ finery on the Indian river. ing plants, lemons and oranges, and LeRay's Career a stone bridge across the river There was always a cordial wel­ which the madame, an artist of come for all these strangers at the sorts, often painted. Here for 20 great house of James D. LeRay de years lived this mysterious lady, Chaumont near the little hamlet whose past for all the letters which which had come to bear his name. she wrote, is still obscure, until LeRay had known Benjamin Frank­ her neuritis proved too much for lin intimately in his youth when her and she returned to her be­ the great American had lived at his loved Paris to spend her last days. father's chateau on the Loire and Count Real built for himself and as early as 1790 the younger his companions a queer shaped LeRay visited America to attempt house at Cape Vincent which was an adjustment of some of his always known as the cup and father's claim against the new gov­ saucer house because of its unusual ernment. In 1802 he made his first appearance. Here, tradition has it, purchase of Northern New York was a great pier glass which swung lands and in 1808 he moved there on a pivot to disclose an under­ taking up his residence in the ground passage to the river, and house which his agent, Dr. Beau- certainly a room in the "cup" por­ dry, had constructed for him. tion of the house which was al­ At the time the Napoleonic ways called the Emperor's room refugees arrived, LeRay was a and where a number of Napoleon's widely known resident of the sect­ personal articles were kept. ion. At his great stone house at Whether the Emperor's room was LeRaysvi!le he had entertained actually provided as a refuge for President Monroe and Governor Napoleon or whether it was simply DeWitt Clinton. It was he who in to be a constant reminder of a 1817 had started the Jefferson great leader whom they had all county fair, the second in all New served, is a question that will prob­ York State. It was a Georgian ably never be answered, but the house which LeRay had built but Northern New York historians will one with a French accent. Four cite all sorts of word of mouth tes­ great white columns supported its timony in support of the former roof. In the rear was an artificial hypothesis. lake and close by was his spy house Bonaparte Arrives when he would watch activities In 1815 Joseph Bonaparte, meet­ of his villagers through a telescope. ing James D. LeRay in France, Gayly figured Brussels carpets cov­ purchased from him a considerable ered the floors and silk hangings tract of land, located in Jefferson shaded the broad windows. The and Lewis counties, and including chateau housed a treasure in gold the present village of Natural plate, monogramed china, rare Bridge and the body of water now books and furniture. Domesticated known as Lake Bonaparte. He deer bounded playfully in his park­ made a total investment with Le­ like grounds while rare tropical Ray of approximately $120,000. flowers bloomed in his conserva­ Three years later Joseph and his tory. suite made his appearance in Here like a feudal lord lived Sackets Harbor and the Sackets

—2— Harbor Gazette of July 28, 1818, dis­ of clerking in a Watertown store. missed what today would be a Later, after her husband's death major news event with the follow­ she moved to New Yok. At the ing paragraph: restoration of the empire, Caroline, "Joseph Bonaparte arrived here the daughter of Joseph, was recog­ in the evening of the 24th and nized, and she and her two chil­ left early the next morning. dren sailed for France. Her son Despite his short stay, many of was put in a French military acad­ our citizens satisfied their in­ emy and her daughter, Josephine, satiable curiosity for novelties became a lady-in-waiting to the which is a consequence of human empress. When the royal family frailty." went into exile, Caroline returned From then on Joseph often vis­ to this country, dying in Richfield ited Northern New York, always Springs in 1890 at the age of 70. guarded by four giant grenadiers, Her body is buried in the church­ because Napoleon's brother was no yard at Oxbow. bold spirit and lived in constant The French regime in Jefferson fear of the Spaniards and the Bour­ county covered at most a period of bons. Devoted to hunting and scarcely a score of years. Joseph fishing, Joseph loved to deck him­ took his final departure from this self out in a green velvet hunting country in 1832. Madame de suit with gilded trappings and lead Feriet returned in 1842. That was his retinue with great pomp two years after the death of her through the forests of his north patron, James D. LeRay de Chau- country estate. He laid out the mont, who left his estates in this village of Natural Bridge and there country for France in 1836. The built himself a house with bullet­ Napoleon refugees filtered away proof rooms. High on a bluff from Cape Vincent soon after the above the present Lake Bonaparte, death of Napoleon at St. Helena which Joseph called Lake Diana, ended their fantastic dreams and he built at a point near the outlet of in the 1850's, the cup and saucer the lake where the mining village house burned down. John LaFarge of Alpine later came into being, he offered his limestone mansion and had a clearing of 30 acres made his 5,000 bottles of French wine and erected himself quite a preten­ for sale and departed for New tious villa which he called the York, there to establish a line still White House. noted in American literary and art To this forest haven, the elderly circles. Joseph brought his Quaker girl mis­ French Left Imprint tress, Ann Savage of Philadelphia, It would be a mistake, however, his wife the time sojourning in Eu­ to think that this French regime, rope. He always spoke of Ann as transitory as it was, left no im­ the beautiful Quaker girl, and print on our Jefferson county civ­ north country tradition has it that ilization. The courtly French with she was known to his intimates as their love of beauty and well de­ Madame Bonaparte. However that veloped aesthetic sense tempered may be, two children were born to the rudeness of the north country the union, one dying in infancy, pioneers. The French women were the other, Caroline Charlotte, later expert at fine needlework. They becoming the wife of Dr. Zebulon taught their American neighbors H. Benton of Oxbow. Joseph took the niceties of sewing. The French Ann and her daughter to Europe farmers were industrious, yet they for a period but later he built for had an eye for beauty as well. her a massive stone house on In­ Their houses had galleries and dian river between the villages of were surrounded by picket fences Theresa and Philadelphia, with a after the French fashion and all large "N" carved over the door. had flower gardens. A contem­ There Ann lived for a time with porary writers tells of one of these her daughter and later married a French farmers, who was also a Joseph de la Foille, a young portrait painter and had been a Frenchman of good family. He pupil of David. In his house were squandered his wife's money and over a hundred portraits of the Em­ Ann was reduced to the necessity peror and his marshals.

—3— One can well imagine that this in­ the steeple reminds one of a flux of cultured and intelligent church in provincial France. When people could not fail to have its the corner stone of this church effect upon the crude pioneers of was laid in 1832, the French parish­ the North. James D. LeRay de ioners, most of whom had been Chaumont participated in the af­ soldiers under Napoleon, decided fairs of the community. He enter­ that for once a bishop should be tained his neighbors at his great welcomed as he should be, so they house. He gave his lands gener­ donned their old uniforms, drew ously for public purposes. He con­ themselves up in line and when the tributed substantially to the estab­ bishop approached on the arm of lishment of half a dozen churches M. LeRay, who was the donor of of various denominations and the church and the grounds, arms creeds. Madame de Feriet had were presented and later a volley many friends in Watertown and fired to carry the glad tidings to visited them often. There was no the country around. disposition on the part of the Finally the French left their French refugees to consider them­ blood here, some of the best blood selves a people apart. In fact some in France which still flows in our of them ag the LeRays, considered Northern New York people's veins. themselves actually as Americans Some of the names in their present and contributed in no small meas­ forms will not be readily recognized ure to the settlement of the sec­ as French, yet the Coopers, the tion. Cases, the Boyers and many other The New England pioneers who of our Jefferson county families flocked into Northern New York had their origin in the refugees who when the section was opened for flocked to this country at the fall settlement had been accustomed to of the Empire. farming on a large and wasteful It is a far cry back to the day scale. The French, on the other of the French regime in Jefferson hand, believed in farming smaller county yet in our mind's eye we plots more intensively and on a can see it all again, the great more scientific scale. James D. chateau at LeRaysville, gleaming LeRay was always the advocate of white among the trees, soldiers of the small farm. He tried to de­ the Emperor trudging on a Sunday velop vineyards and silk worm to their little stone church, a for­ culture in the section without mer king of Spain floating down much success but he imported cat­ Black River in a huge gondola and tle and sheep from Europe and im­ a companion of a martyred queen proved the stock of the entire sec­ playing sadly on her piano. All tion. As had been stated, he in­ around where the great forests but augurated the first Jefferson here was safety and security, an County Fair in 1817 and he was opportunity to start again and to the first president of the New York dream again and perchance, when State Agricultural Society. the wine flowed freely, to hail once The French were a devout people. more him who had led them to They established the first Catholic glorious victory, and who, every churches in Jefferson county, and man was sure, would come to lead the Church of St. Vincent de Paul them once moire—the Emperor, at Cape Vincent with its cock on l'Homme, Napoleon. Col. Marinus Willett's Expedition Against Oswego In 1783

(Paper Read Before Oswego Historical Society, February 14, 1939, by Edwin M. Waterbury of Oswego)

One hundred and fifty six years of the survivors were suffering ago tonight there limped south­ from frost bite, and many had ward along the ice-covered Oswe­ frozen feet and were otherwise go river, through below-zero tem­ rendered lame by the rigors of peratures, snows often more than the march before the soldiers waist deep, and howling winds regained at Ft. Brewerton the 12* which drove the yet-falling snows sleighs which had been left at against faces until they became that point on the march- north­ all but encased in ice, 500 Revolu­ ward. Instead of the baggage and tionary patriots, led by Col. Mar­ supplies which the sleighs had inus Willett. They were sore of borne out of Fort Herkimer as heart as well as sore of body; for the march began, they now car­ despite a forced march of more ried more than one third of the than 180 miles—made in record entire force so severely stricken time under unfavorable weather as the result of the exposures on conditions from the start—which the march that they were unable had brought seemingly within to walk. their grasp, should they but stretch But before striking out with forth their hands to take it, the them upon the march against objective of their harrowing ordeal Oswego, or endeavoring to sympa­ —Fort Ontario at Oswego—at the thize with them in their suffer­ end they had been forced to stand ings and disappointments, let us by, powerlessly, and see it slip turn back for a few minutes to from their grasp due to a fortui­ a date nearly eight years before tous circumstance and the orders Col. Willett led his patriots of General Washington, the com­ towards Oswego to view the situa­ mander-in-chief, that if the garri­ tion which existed at Oswego at son could not be surprised, the the time of the outbreak of the fort was not to be attacked at all. War of the Revolution. As Willett's men drove them­ selves southward through the Some time after Sir William swirling, blinding snows there Johnson as British superintendent terminated the last major hostile of Indian Affairs in the colonies movement of the Revolutionary had in 1766 called into conference armies in the north to be directed at Oswego, Pontiac, chief of the against the British and the hopes Otlawas, and his subordinate of the New York State troops and chiefs to effect the treaty of peace the Rhode Island regiment which under the terms of which Pontiac, had marched on the expedition— who had supported the French plans for which had been person­ cause in the long struggle between ally worked out by General Wash­ the French and the English for ington and supervised with the the domination of the northern greatest of care and in the ut­ part of the continent, agreed to most secrecy—that a glorious out­ recognize the British power as come was to crown their hercu­ supreme, the fort at Oswego had lean effort. In vain, so far as the been allowed to fall into a state plodders could see, were they of disrepair. If garrisoned at all, leaving behind in the snows, frozen it was meagerly. to death, three of their number Upon the death of Sir. William whose strength had not proven Johnson July 11, 1774, his nephew equal to the task; while about 130 and son-in-law, Sir Guy Johnson, succeeded as superintendent of Indian affairs while Sir William's of the English King was as "abun­ son, Sir John Johnson, inherited dant as the dirt under the Indians' most of his father's large land feet" and, best of all, that "the interest centering chiefly in the king's rum was as plentiful as Mohawk Valley. Following his the waters of Lake Ontario." receipt of the news of the Battle of Lexington fought in Johnson Wins Indians For British April 1775, Sir Guy Johnson left Under such forms of persua­ his home in the lower Mohawk siveness the Indians, still some­ Valley and arrived in Oswego what reluctantly, entered into an June 17. He was accompanied by agreement to assist in defending most of the Mohawk Indians who Lake Ontario and the St. Law­ were abandoning their ancestral rence against the Americans, al­ hunting grounds, by Col. John though they did not at that time Butler, a veteran fighter of the agree to make offensive war upon French and Indian wars, by Joseph the Americans. Johnson, in recog­ Brant, full blooded Mohawk whose nition of their action, delivered to chief he was, and a brother of the Indians new arms and Molly Brant who for 25 years presents which included a num­ had lived as an inmate of Sir Wil­ ber of brass kettles which visi­ liam Johnson's Hall (Brant was tors to the Seneca Indian villages now secretary of Sir Guy John­ along the Genesee found in use son) and by some white sympa­ there more than half a century thizers of Sir Guy's from the later. The Council closed on July Mohawk Valley. Dispatching a re­ 8, and Col. Butler moved to Fort quest to Fort Niagara that pro­ Niagara to the command of which visions be sent him at Fort On­ he was soon appointed while Col. tario, as he moved towards Os­ Johnson set sail on July 11th with wego, Sir Guy also sent an invi­ 220 Indians and whites for Mont­ tation to the chiefs of the Onon- real, leaving Fort Ontario unoc­ dagas, the Cayugas and the Sen- cupied except for a few men. ecas to meet him in conference at Fort Ontario in July. (The Oneidas In 1776 until the British suc­ and Tuscuroras had already de­ ceeded in driving out of Canada clared themselves neutral, while the Americans who had met with the Mohawks were with Sir Guy considerable earlier military suc­ at Oswego.) cess about Montreal, there was little activity at Fort Ontario. Then A sloop came from Niagara preparations were begun here by bringing 90 barrels of provisions a force of men under Sir. John —a small supply for so large a Johnson, the son or Sir William, group as soon assembled here in who had fled from Johnstown to answer to Sir Guy's call. It was Canada through the heart of the reported in official British records Adirondack wilderness in May of that there were 1648 Indians that year to avoid arrest, and his (probably including women and brother-in-law, Col. Claus who was children) and 100 whites in the also Guy Johnson's deputy, who assemblage while Col. Johnson came in June, for the reception himself wrote Philip Livingston, of an army under General Barry perhaps with the idea of frighten St. Leger who had been assigned ing the Americans, that there to a command in the Burgoyne were 1340 warriors in ..he party. campaign which was to be based Soon after the arrival of the late out of Oswego. comers Johnson and Brant began In July Col. John Butler from appealing to the avarice of the Fort Niagara and Joseph Brant, Indians in speeches with the pur­ the Mohawk chief, and a large pose of winning the Indians to the number of Indians, especially support of the British in the fight­ Senecas, the largest and fiercest ing which both expected soon nation of the Six Nations, arrived to follow. Among other tales it is as Oswego. Again, the Indians at related that they told were those first reluctant, were persuaded by that whereas the colonists were cupidity and thirst for blood, to weak and without money the gold join in the impending undertak-

_6— ing of St. Leger, who arrived in there were 2000 regulars, Canad­ Oswego shortly after the council ians and Indians in the attacking with the Indians closed. party. The garrison valiantly de­ fended the fort until the attack­ St. Leger Mobilizes at Oswego ing party, alarmed by the ap­ St. Leger brought with hi.n proach of a relief force moving British regulars who included the up the Mohawk Valley, fled leav­ 8th or "King's Regiment", Canad­ ing their cannon behind them in ians and Indians who were the earthworks and fell back upon ordered to cross Lake Ontario, Fort Oswego. Thence St. Leger land at Oswego, move through the made his way by way of Mont­ Oswego and Mohawk valleys, lay­ real to join Burgoyne's ill fated ing them waste as they moved, army slowly advancing upon Al and to join Burgoyne's army, mov­ bany. Butler's Rangers returned ing down from Canada through to Fort Niagara, and Sir John the Champlain Valley, at Albany. Johnson's "Royal Greens" moved Command of the Canadians and to Oswegatchie as the vicinity Indians under St. Leger was then known. given at Oswego to Sir John Americans Destroy Oswego Fort Johnson. While preparations for With the surrender of Burgoyne St. Leger's march were in the in October, Fort Ontario was making Fort Ontario bustled with probably entirely abandoned as martial activity as Sir John John­ far as military occupancy was son's "Royal Greens", and the concerned for the greater part of more somber "Butler's Rangers" the remaining period of the Rev­ under their fighting colonel moved olution. In July 1778 Col. Ganse­ about among the red-coated regu­ voort sent Lieutenant McClellan lars and naked, paint smeared to Fort Ontario to destroy it. The Indians under the sinister Brant. lieutenant found no one here Alarmed by a half-breed Oneida except a woman and her children who had been at the Indian Coun­ and a 14-year old boy. Placing cil which immediately preceeded the woman in a detached building St. Leger's arrival at Oswego, and supplying her family with citizenry and military in the provisions, and taking the boy Mohawk Valley prepared to resist away with him as he marched the invasion. General Herkimer away, McClellan burned the build­ called the militia to arms, but it ings at the fort and destroyed the responded slowly with the result fortifications as best he could. that the vanguard of St. Leger's These events were taking place army which left Oswego July 27, at Oswego at the same time under Lieut. Bird of the 8th regi­ that the "Wyoming Massacre" was ment, after encamping en-route being carried out by the Indians near Three Rivers and at Nine and Tories to the south. Mile Point in Oneida Lake within The Indians, realizing the im­ the limits of the present Oswe portance of the fort at Oswego, go County town of Constantia, perhaps better than their British and at Wood Creek, reached Fort officers, sent a delegation of Schulyer (old Fort Stanwix, near chiefs in 1779 to Montreal to Rome) in time to invest the fort petition General Haldimand for and to ambush General Herki­ the re-establishment of the fort mer's militia moving to the relief at Oswego, but the request was of the fort at Oriskany where a not granted and Fort Ontario bloody battle was fought in which continued unoccupied after 1778, Herkimer received a wound which except as occasional raiding par­ was later to prove mortal. ties passed up and down the Os­ In command at Fort Schuyler wego valley, or troops moved to were Col. Peter Gansevoort and or from Fort Niagara, until some Col. Marinus Willett, as Lieut. time between 1780 and 1782 when Bird with his British regulars some work was done to restore and Joseph Brant with his In­ the fort and make it habitable dians surrounded the fort. When and a small British garrison was St. Leger arrived at the fort assigned to the fort. This at the

—7— time Col. Willett marched against Willett ever lived there, but he the fort in the winter of 1783 had deeded the property to his son, the been increased to 500 men, approx­ Rev. William M. Willett, a Meth­ imately the size of Willett's ex­ odist minister at Belgium, in 1826 peditionary force. and the son continued to live Marinus Willett, who rose to there until 1833. command the New York State At the time of the expedition troops or militia as distinguished against Oswego Col. Willett vms from the Continental Army of 42 years old. He was in command "regulars" commanded by General of Fort Rennselaer at Canajo- Washington and maintained by harie. There had been some dem­ the Continental Congress, was onstrations of conciliation made distinguished both as a patriot by a new British ministry some and soldier. He was born in of the members of which had been Jamaica, Long Island, July 30, conspicuously friendly to the cause 1740. As a young patriot in New of America. These had had their York city at the time the British effect upon a large number of evacuated the city in June 1775, Tories in America and doubtless, Willett led a demonstration which too, upon Washington and his gen­ resulted in the prevention of the erals but no one was sanguine removal by the Eighth Royal enough to believe hostilities were Irish Regiment of 600 muskets ended. from the City Hall as the regi­ In view of the uncertainties, ment left town, these muskets Washington kept his army under being turned over to General discipline and the country in a Washington's men rushed to the state of defense. Nevertheless the protection of the city, by whom inhabitants along the frontiers they were sorely needed. Through­ were beginning to feel themselves out a long period of the war Col. a little more secure. Not to be Willett commanded a regiment in caught unprepared, however, Col. the Mohawk Valley where he ren­ Willett had continued during the dered a distinguished service in year 1782 the recruiting of state warding off attacks against this troops, and, in consequence of the war-torn region. After his part in fact that the legislature had re­ repelling St. Leger in 1777, he placed a bounty of land with a was a commander under Van bounty of money for enlistment, Shaick in the raid against the he had been successful. At the Onondaga Indians which resulted close of the year 1782 Col. Willett in the burning of their villages had a regiment of state troops and the killing of some 50 war­ exceeding more than 400 men riors as a part of the punitive which he placed in winter quar­ expedition against the Indians ters at Fort Rennselaer after planned by General Washington causing to be innoculated those of which "Sullivan's Raid" was but of his men who had not had small another part. He served until the pox. After erecting a comfortable close of the Revolution and then log hut for his own occupancy, returned to New York City of at the end of November he went which he became the mayor in to Albany and thence to Fishkill 1807 and where he died August to meet his wife whom he intended 22, 1830. to take back to his headquarters for the winter. As the headquart Willett Owned LySander Farm ers at the time of General WasVi ington were at Newburgh, directly While he never owned property across the Hudson from Fishkill in Oswego County, Col. Willett Landing, Col. Willett crossed the did buy 600 acres of land in Ly- river to pay his respects to Gen­ sander, just over the Onondaga eral Washington and remained County line from Oswego County, in 1795. He built a house thereon for dinner at the General's urgent south of the Belgium bridge on the request. west side of the Seneca river. This As soon as dinner was over Col. house is now the home Lafayette Willett arose to leave, but Gen Evans. It is not known that Col. eral Washington arose also and

-8 followed him out asking Willett ing thought to the suggested sur­ to go with him to his office. There prise expedition against Fort On­ the general enquired as to Wil- tario and that he was inclined lett's success in recruiting his reg­ to favor it as entirely feasible. He iment, and as to the strength discussed the need for the utmost and condition of the regiment. secrecy as to the plan, the needs He mentioned that the clothier of his men in the way of clothing general of the army should have to protect them against the severe particular orders respecting the winter weather which they would clothing for Col. Willett's regi­ be likely to encounter upon the ment. march. He also discussed methods General Washington then re­ tof impressing sleighs in the hands, marked to Col. Willett that it of Mohawk Valley farmers that would be proper to put no reliance would be needed to transport upon a speedy peace but to be as food, supplies and men for the ex­ well prepared as possible for an­ pedition, the particular supplies other campaign. In this sugges­ which shuold be taken along and tion General Washington was suggested as a rendezvous for the speaking prudently in a military expedition German Flats. sense. The plan that he soon began There followed a correspondence to discuss with Col. Willett was between General Washington and equally one of prudence in that Col. Willett which correspondence it was Washington's apparent on General Washington's part was plan that should hostilities be carried on in his own handwriting actively resumed that Fort Os­ because of his desire for secrecy. wego should not remain in Brit­ Washington's orders were strictly ish hands as a base for launching obeyed by Col. Willett with the further expeditions and hostile object of covering up the design raids against unprotected folk in of the expedition. New York State. In replying from Newburgh to Washington Unfolds His Plan Col. Willett's letter of November Washington inquired from Wil­ 29, under date of December 18th lett if the latter was acquainted 1782 General Washington says: with the British situation at Os­ "Your letter of the 29th ult. wego, the condition of the fort, from Albany came safe to my the size and strength of its gar­ hand. I am glad to find that you rison, its protecting works, guns enter so readily into a measure and other pertinent matters. He which appears very practicable then inquired from Willett if the in my eyes, provided the troops latter thought that Fort Ontario for the enterprise can be properly could be surprised and taken by accommodated. an expedition undertaken in the "I have written the Secretary winter. The conversation closed at War respecting clothing for with General Washington express­ the York State troops and de­ ing the desire that Col. Willett sired Col. Tilhman who left this should think over the suggestion (place) on Sunday last for Phil­ that Washington had put forth as adelphia, to enforce it, not only to the possibility of a winter ex­ on him but on the clothier gen­ pedition being undertaken against eral also; that if it can be had, Oswego, and that Willett should it may be sent without delay. write him his opinion after having From the deputy clothier's store time to think over the matter. at this place. I could furnish vests Willett was counseled in the mean end woollen hose enough for the time to keep the subject matter Btate troops, and woollen caps, of the conversation a matter of pocks and mittens sufficient for the strictest secrecy. the whole party. Agreeably to General Washing­ "Indian shoes or moccasons T ton's request Col. Willett under must depend upon you to procure, date of Nov. 29, 1782 wrote from and also snow shoes, of which I Fort Rennselaer to General Wash­ do not forsee the necessity for ington at Newburgh informing each man's having a pair, though the latter that he had been giv­ some may be indispensably neces-

-9— sary. I well remember to have sault or miscarriage therein, it directed (two years ago) a number is all that is necessary. More than of snow shoes be made, and if that would render your move­ I mistake not, it was done; but I ments unwieldy and slow, conse­ do not suppose any dependance quently more liable to discovery is to be had on them at this time. in your preparation and on the It may not be amiss, however, to march. inquire of General Schuyler (to "I should be glad to hear from whom I think I wrote upon the you again on this head by some subject) the quartermaster or any safe conveyance, and if matters other who may be likely to give in­ can properly prepared for the formation, whether they are yet enterprise, and nothing more than in being. I know of at this time to hinder it, I will be at Albany when Much Depended on Speed you march, that I may be at "To provide and carry scaling hand to remove difficulties, if ladders from the settlement would any should occur. at once announce your design, and "With great esteem and regard, more than probably defeat your I am dear sir, enterprise. At any rate they would Your most obedient servant, be troublesome to transport, and G. WASHINGTON i ust impede the rapidity of your Col. Willett movements, on which everything "P. S. It will be essentially depends. It appears to me, there­ necessary to fix your eyes upon fore, that the attempt would be one or more persons (deserter or improper, and that the difficulty otherwise,) who have been in may be surmounted by carrying a and are acquainted with the en­ few tools, (to wit axes, saws, emy's works, and seize them at augers and a gouge) with which the moment that they are wanted at a convenient time and place, that you may have them as a sufficient number of ladders guides." might easily be made. "The mode you propose for ob­ Gives Description of Fort taining the sleighs and assembling In replying to General Wash­ the troops, I approve of prefer­ ington's letter later in the same ably to the quartermaster's having month Col. Willett, writing from an agency in the business, and do Fort Rennselaer, says: of the time named for the execu­ "From Albany I wrote to your tion, if clothing can be got to you excellency on the prosecution of in season; but having doubts on the plan proposed by you when this head, I shall be glad to know I was last at Head Quarters, I how late a period the expedition then promised to endeavour to can be delayed on account of the make a further Inquiry after my ice on Oneida lake and goodness arrival at this place, and altho of sleighing. I have not yet been able to com- "If there be a necessity for a pleat my Inquiry so pointedly party to precede the sleighs a (without affording room for sur­ day or two to mark the route, mise) as to determine On the it ought to consist of picked exact route which it would be men, of tried fidelity, and even best to take, I am pretty clear then the chance of discovery is that the march may be accom­ greater than it would otherwise plished in the way mentioned by be. your Excellency It is true I have "The strength of your party found out some obstacles with should be proportionate to that which I was not before acquainted. of the garrison you attempt, for Such as the uncertainty of suf­ which reason every possible pains ficient Ice in some rivers lying should be used to obtain the in the most direct and easy route most accurate account of it. If This is a matter, however, which you have men to set the enemy I shall be able fully to ascertain at defiance, in case of their dis­ in time, and should the Ice prove covering you previous to the as­ insufficient to enable us to take

—10— those routs, other routs may be snow, which may in some meas­ taken tho attended with some ure facilitate the business. But difficulties—Difficulties which are be this matter as it may it ap­ by no means I humbly conceive pears to me the most famaliu such as ought to supersede the (accessible) way to ascend the attempt which I confess I am wall would be to lay boards from very desirous of making. the parapet of the glacis (slope) "I have thought it might not to the top of the pickets which be amiss to give your Excellency stand in the fosse, on the top some description of the Fort of which boards I humbly con­ which according to the accounts I ceive the feet of the ladders might have received is a regular built stand secure. In this way ladders Fortification on the North side of about fourteen feet long I think ot the river, consisting of five would answer. I should suppose angles, with a Bastion to each six of these ladders would not angle. The angles are all nearly be too many, and they might eas­ of a length supposed about one ily be carried in the Slays (sic) hundred yards each. The fosse together with a few boards for (moat or ditch) is about twenty the purpose before mentioned. feet wide and nine feet deep. "The season in this quarter at From the bottom of the fosse to present is remarkable open—I the top of the Parapet is about have been thinking that about thirty feet, except the angle the 12 or 13th of February would where the Sally-port is placed at be sufficiently early to put the af­ which part it is represented to fair in execution, and I would be not more than twenty feet, and pitch on one of these days on the fosse not so wide as in other account of benefiting by the moon parts. It is said the Fort is sur­ which will then sett (sic) between rounded with a glacis (a slope three and five o'clock in the morn­ towards the open country from ing, so that we may profit by its the exterior wall of the fosse or light in our march, and execute ditch) but which does not ap­ the business just after it has with­ pear to be protected with any drawn its light, at which time it kind of Frieze work. There is a is generally darkest and will be row of Picketts perpendicularly likely to serve us In giving us fixed in the center of the fosse and our opportunity of approaching another row of horizontal ones nearer undiscovered. placed along the wall about seven or eight feet above the berm. "All these things, however, and (Berm is ledge at top of wall every thing else I have said on on fort side of ditch) this subject I do most humbly beg leave to submit to the con­ "The gate-way is secured by a sideration ot your Excellency ana Draw Bridge. At the entrance of only beg leave to assure you that the gate on one side is the guaru whatever directions your Excel­ house and on the other side a lency and may think proper to house for the Commandant. With give in this or any other matter in one of the Bastions is placed no person will more chearfully the magazine. The other four strive to accomplish than, Sir, your Bastions and Curtains are filled most obedient and very humble with Barracks. (The name 'cur­ servant." tain' is applied to a wall con­ Under date of December 29, necting two neighboring bastions) 1782 we find Willett writing Gen­ All of the buildings are made of eral Washington from Fort Renn- logs and are said to be Bum-proof. selaer discussing further the time (Sic). Three of the angles of the to be chosen for the start of the Fort front the Lake or the river, expedition which must, of course, and in some portions lay very be made after the ice on Oneida near to those waters. Lake has become so firmly frozen as to permit the passage Plan For Scaling Walls of an army over its surface, with "It is not Improbable but the many teams of horses and Ditch may be nearly filled with sleds, but not so late in the winter

—11— that there would be danger of diff.culty in getting at them, than the ice breaking up before the I—I have only to request you to army could retrace its steps. He act from your best judgement, also comments on his lack of in­ under a firm persuasion that if formation and the difficulties he the enterprise in contemplation has been experiencing in obtain­ was better known than it is, no ing provisions, snow shoes, ladders imputation could fall upon you and clothing which are needed to for having laid it aside, if the equip the expeditionary force. On difficulties in the way should be January 18, 1783 army records re­ greater than appeared at first veal that there were ordered from view. Let me hear from you, and David Brooks of New Windsor, if possible, by the 3d or 4th of Conn, by David Humphreys o, lext month. Newburgh a quantity of caps, I am, dear sir, socks, and mittens to be forward­ Your most obedient servant, ed to Captain Abraham Ten G. WASHINGTON Eyck at Albany for Col. Willett's Col. Willett. regiment. Then General Wash­ Col. Willett was at this time ington addresses Col. Willett again proceeding with all possible ex­ upon details related to the expedi­ pedition in completing the final tion as follows: preliminaries to marching with his Date Set For Start detachment. Under date of Jan­ uary 28, he wrote to General Newburgh, January 22d 1783 Washington to say that news of Dear Sir,— the arrival at Albany of clothing On the 20th by your paymaster, needed by his men for the ex­ I informed you, that besides tne pedition had removed his appre­ usual proportion of clothing, I hensions on that score. He re­ had sent to your order woollen ports that he has "near 300 pairs caps, socks and mitts, for the in­ of moccasins prepared" and that tended enterprise, to be made use he expects to have a sufficient of or not, according to the circum­ number ready to supply the entire stances—I have also written Mr. party by the time the expedition Duer who is now at Albany, to moves. His men have also con­ lay in a month's provisions for one structed 50 to 60 pairs of snow hundred men at each of the posts shoes. "The expence of the snow of Forts Rennselaer and Herki­ shoes," he writes, "is not worth mer, and until further orders mentioning—the whole cost will have placed the Rhode Island be about one dozen small beef regiment under your direction. hides." As to the cost of the For the reasons you assign, I moccasins, however, Col. Willett is approve the time you propose for a little more perplexed as he in­ the attack and suppose that it forms General Washington that will be necessary for you to begin from his present calculations these your march from Fort Herkimer are going "to cost a little more than at the time you mention, viz on half a dollar a pair." Col. Willett the 8th or 9th of next month. continues: "For these I must re­ If the sleighing should be quest your Excellency when the good, and business does not pre­ accounts are properly made out vent it, I will endeavor to be at that directions may be given for that place or Fort Rennsalaer the payment. They can be charged by that time, but of this you will to the troops who receive them in take no notice to anybody, nor lieu of as many pairs of common suffer it to have any influence on shoes as the sum they may cost your preparations or conduct would purchase, unless in the fin­ fore or at the time, as many things ish of the business it may be may intervene to detain me. thought eligible to make a present All that remains to be done is of 'em to the troops." now with you to do. And as the matter is between ourselves, and Covering His Trail you have better information of Col. Willett advises General the situation of the enemy, and Washington that he expects "to

—12— set out for Albany tomorrow" at any time furnish rum as part where he will spend one day, and of the ration in these interior then on the first day of February forts. I could wish, however, that to be at Saratoga to make such on particular occasions such as preparations there as may be the present there might be some necessary. From there he advises rum provided. I have thought Washington that in an effort to proper to just mention this mat­ mislead any persons who may ter to your Excellency. If any have gotten wind that something thing could be done in it, perhaps special was afoot as the result of it would be of use." all the activity that might have Col. Willett also draws attention been observable on his part "I to the fact that there is no sur­ shall ride something further up geon attached to his troops at this the Hudson river in order that if time, and that there is also a lack from any measure proper to be of instruments, medicines and taken any early surmises should bandages which, if he can not pro­ be formed they may be decoyed cure them from Col. Olney's Rhode that way." Islanders, he purposes to get from On his way back to Fort Renn- the Hospital at Albany. He also selaer from Albany which the complains that he has made sev­ letter says he will leave on eral unsuccessful applications to February 4, Col. Willett ad­ the quartermaster at Albany for vises Washington: "I shall pre­ axes without receiving them and pare rolls of the names of such as a result that his men are "dif- persons from whom I purpose to ficultied in furnishing themselves procure sleighs, and shall endeav­ with fyre wood". He expresses our to fix matters so as that the fear that because of the scarcity troops may be suddenly embarked of axes he will experience difficul­ in sleighs. Those of Col. Olney's ty in getting a sufficient number regt. in different places contiguous to meet the needs of the expedition to such parts of the Mohawk "I mention these things not as river as lay within the County of obstacles that may prevent the ex­ Albany on the fifth or sixth of ecution of the design, but as in­ the month and the York State conveniences which I could wish troops in different places along might be removed", continued the river in this county the sixth Col. Willett. "And perhaps a light or seventh, so as to have the whole sleigh load of good axes with detachment at Fort Herkimer the some bandages, Instruments etc. seventh or eighth ready to com­ might be forwarded from below. mence their march from that place Should we succeed in the attack, it the day folowing." will not be amiss to have a few ar­ tillerymen with us. Unless, there­ Col. Willett pleads that recent fore, I receive directions to the changes in the system of issuing contrary I shall take five or six rations for the army, which, ap­ artillerymen with me. parently had functioned to pre­ vent whiskey being issued as a part "I think of nothing more neces­ of the army ration should not pre­ sary to mention to your Excel­ vent his men from being supplied lency. If the design is not carried with it against the rigors of the completely into execution, it will long cold march especially as be on account of difficulties truly the soldiers can not in the Mohawk Insurmountable, none of which Valley purchase rum as a substi­ appear at present. Should your tute for the purpose on the al­ Excellency according to your In­ lowance of 2% cents per gill which timation be able to pay this place the contractors supplying the army a visit at the time Intended for are authorized to allow for it in the troops to begin their march it lieu of the rum. This price says will afford peculiar satisfaction Col. Willett is "much lower than and without doubt become the rum can be possibly afforded at means of Increasing the ardor after it becomes transported into or every person concerned in the this country, hence it can not be business.—But whether this will supposed that the contractors will or will not take place, I shall be

—13— glad to receive in time particular of this parcel, that the whole may orders respecting the design of the be as comfortable as it is within expedition and the means to be my power to make them. taken in case of success.—Yet "I do not send medicines, band­ unless some countermanding or ages and instruments, because it altering directions arrive I shall would take some time to pro­ proceed as quick as possible agree­ cure them, and not a moment is able to the System unfolded in to be lost in dispatching the this letter. Nor shall anything sleighs with the blankets that thats in the power of an army of­ they may arrive on time, and be­ ficer to acocmplish in order to cause (though I wish you not to fully and finally terminate the be unprovided) it is to be remem­ business as far as my health, bered, and I wish to impress it strength and the powers of my upon you, that if you do not suc­ mind can perform, be wanting to ceed by surprise, the attempt will finish the enterprise with advan­ be unwarrantable. The wounds tage and glory." received in the former, more than Washington, confronted by short­ probable, will be trifling. ages of provisions, clothing and "Every plausable deception supplies of many sorts, apparently, should be used to mask the object was doing all in his power to meet of your expedition to the latest Willett's deficiencies as they were moment. Your movements after­ reported to him. Under date of ward should be quick, and pains February 2, he dispatched to Wil- must be taken to discover, by lett a warrant authorizing the lat­ tracks or otherwise, whether in­ ter to impress teams for the ex­ telligence has outgone you.—If pedition. While the warrant was you should be fully convinced of signed with Washington's name, this the further prosecution of the the handwriting was that of Ben­ enterprise would not only be fruit­ jamin Walker, historians tell us. less, but might prove injurious. On February 7, the day before "To an officer of your care, at­ the expedition was scheduled to tention and foresight, I shall not move, Timothy Pickering reported dwell upon circumspection and to Washington at Newburgh the caution. The consequence of a delivery to Willett at Fort Herki­ surprise (not only to the party you mer of blankets and money. command, but to your own reputa­ Washington's Final Advice tion) is too serious and self evi­ dent to stand in need of illustra­ General Washington's final word tion. A vast deal depends on hav­ of counsel and advice to Col. ing good guides to Oswego; and Willett before the expedition got everything, in a manner, upon underway is contained in his letter persons that can carry you with written from Newburgh under out hesitation and difficulty to date of February 2, 1873 as fol­ the points of attack when you ar­ lows: rive there. "Your letters of the 28th ultimo "How far a few Indians would from Fort Rennselaer and the 30th be useful to you for the first pur­ from Albany, both came to my pose and how far they are to be hand last night. confided in, you, from a better "One hundred fifty blankets (all knowledge of them than I pos­ that are in the clothier's store sess, must judge, and act accord­ at this place) and twenty five axes, ingly. are now packing to be sent to you "Guides who are pressed in and the Quartermaster General service must be well secured lest will endeavor, if possible, to have they desert from you in a criti­ them at Albany on the 4th, from cal moment. whence you must take measures "From having recourse to the to get them to Fort Herkimer in almanack, I am led to wish that time. If any of Olney's men (on the night for the attack may not the enterprise you are going) be delayed beyond the 12th inst.; should be in greater need than as I find the setting of the moon yours, they must be supplied out (even at that time) approaches

—14— so near daylight that the inter­ I begin to doubt the practicabil­ vening space is short, and conse­ ity of my being up: my sentiments, quently must be very critical; as however, you are possessed of, as accidents unforseen, and conse­ well as I can give. Your own quently unprovided for, may em- judgement must govern where my barass your movements towards instructions are deficient. I heart­ the works, and retard the attack ily wish you honor and success. of them, beyond the hour designed, to the entire disappointment of Farmers Yield Horses Reluctantly the plan. Let me caution you, Col. Willett's plans for "em­ therefore, against being too exact barking" the Rhode Islanders and in your (choice) of time for your his own York State troops as set last movement—reflect that you forth in his letter to General can always waste time, but never Washington in such a manner as recover it. Halts, or slow march­ to draw as little attention to the ing will accomplish the first; but movement as possible and to give nothing can effect the latter—con­ as little intimation as possible of sequently in such an enterprise as the destination and purposes of the yours, want of time will be a cer­ expedition, were successfully car­ tain defeat. ried through. By the night of "Let your disposition be such, February 7th, 1783, the troops and that in any circumstances your sleighs had moved up through the retreat to your sleighs, and after­ Mohawk Valley to Fort Herkimer, wards with them, may be secure. and were ready for the march of the morrow. Apparently, how­ "If success should crown your ever, all the experiences of Col. endeavors, let your first object Willett and those to whom he del­ be to secure your prisoners, whom egated the task of assisting him you will treat with lenity and in impressing the necessary kindness; suffering no insult or horses and sleighs to carry out the abuse to be offered them with purposes of the expedition were impunity; your next object must not of the most pleasant nature; be to destroy the works; the ves­ for between the lines of the letter sels (if any should be found there) which Willett penned to Wash­ and every thing else which can ington in the early morning of not be brought away. Such works the 8th we can read instances in as can not be consumed by fire, which irate farmers, viewing with nor easily erased by the soldiers, displeasure the suggestion that must be if practicable, blown up. they give up their teams in a In a word they are to be effect­ patriotic cause of the true nature ually demolished if it is within the of which nothing could be told compass of your power to do it. them and doubtless fearing that "Whatever is found in or about if they did so, that, they would the works, belonging to the enemy, quite possibly never see their an­ and is agreeable to the rules and imals again, began threatening customs of war, humanity and gen­ to "have the law" on Willett and erosity, shall be given to the party his agents. Col. Willett took the as the reward of their gallantry threats of the disgruntled far­ and fatigue—to be distributed in mers of the Mohawk Valley ser­ proportion to their pay. The drivers iously enough to delay on the day of the sleighs, if countrymen, his men moved long enough to should receive a part as an extra dispatch the following appeal to encouragement for their services. General Washington: "Make the earliest report (if successful from the scene of action Fort Herkimer Sth Feby 1783 —at any rate on your return,) of Sir: your progress, and the issue of After a variety of difficulties the expedition. The enclosed let­ we are furnished with every thing ter will show you what I have necessary to proceed on our done respecting spirits and sub- march.—I expect we shall en­ sistance for your officers. Seal it camp this night ten or twelve before delivery, and make your miles above this (place). If too arrangements with the contractor. many horses dont give out, nor

—15— any other Insurmountable ob­ ly 36 miles per day! And this stacle occur, I hope to be able in the midst of deep snows and to execute the business at the time freezing temperatures through a mentioned in your Excellencies region largely devoid of broken (sic) letter of the 2d of this roads. The troops moved past instant. old Fort Stanwix (at Rome) and The mode that has been taken encamped three nights in such to procure sleighs has laid us open shelter as the terrain afforded to cival (sic) prosecutions. This before they reached the shore of is a matter I did not advert to Oneida Lake on the evening of untill after I had sent of my last February 12th. For fear that they letter to your Excellency from would be discovered if another Albany. And then it was too late course were to be pursued and or I should have applyed to the object of the expedition sur your Excellency for a warrant mised and thwarted, Col. Willett of impress, which by the laws o* determined that the crossing our state would have prevented should be made at once. All dur­ the possibility of Danger of any ing the night the men pushed such kind of prosecutions. If how­ forward across the 30 miles of ever it may not be conceived ice to the north shore of the lake, improper I could wish your Ex­ followed by the long string of cellency still to provide such a horses and sleighs. warrant Dated previous to the At the site of modern Brewer- sixth of this Instant, the time ton, and near the old fort of the when they were begun below. name which stood within the con­ I have the honor to be with the fines of Oswego County, a brief most profound respect, your Ex­ stop for rest and refreshment cellency's most obedient servt. was made while the sleighs and MARINUS WILLETT horses which were to be left be­ His Excellency hind at this point, were being Gen'l Washington. properly disposed of and placed under proper protection of the Expedition Moves For Oswego force that was to be assigned to On the morning of February their charge. There was little op­ 8th 1783 from Fort Herkimer, five portunity for rest, however, on hundred strong Col. Willett's men the part of the marchers who had marched at dawn with the provi­ already been underway for more sions, blankets and supplies being than 24 hours without sleep, when borne by 120 sleighs and teams of the march was resumed once horses which had been assembled, more along the ice covered sur­ many of them as the result of face of the Oneida River. By forced drafts, for the use of the 2 o'clock that. afternoon, in spite expedition. As the men moved of their weariness, the army forward, they were still in ignor­ marching on the frozen surface ance of the destination or pur­ of the Oswego River had reached pose of the expedition. Few of the falls of the Oswego at what them probably had any idea that is now Fulton. it was a point as distant as Os­ wego was from Fort Herkimer— Built Ladders at Oswego Falls 180 miles through a wilderness At this point the army halted by the water route which was to while detachments were sent into be followed along its frozen the woods to fell trees and cut courses. Such a march in the cross pieces for the purpose of depth of a northern winter was building scaling ladders which almost without paralell in this were intended for use that night most unusual war. in climbing over the walls of To cover the distance to Os­ Fort Ontario. By Washington's wego so as to be prepared to suggestion tools had been brought launch the projected attack on along for the purpose of con­ the night of February 13, meant structing these ladders near to that the average daily march of the intended scene of action that the army had to be approximate­ the cumbersome ladders need not

—16— be transported on the long jour­ general did while they moved on ney from Fort Herkimer. Accord­ briskly through a deep snow and ing to some reports eight of the over several hills and marshes, ladders were constructed, and ac­ making the ladders which on any cording to others there were 17 of other occasion would have been them built in the woods that an intolerable incumbrance move afternoon, but fate was to decree on with great ease until 2 o'clock that none of them would finally (which was to have been the hour be used for the purpose which the of the attack) when from the ir­ builders had in mind. regular movements of the pilot it appeared clear that we were With the completion of the lad­ ders all the necessary preparations going wrong. for entering the works at Fort "I was some distance in front Ontario supposedly had been com­ when I got these suspicions veri­ pleted. The prospects for the ex­ fied and on collecting the whole pedition were considered as prom­ of my guides together I found ising as any one could wish. Every that not one of them knew where officer had been made acquainted we were. In this mortifying sit­ by Col. Willett with the partic­ uation every attempt to endeavor ular duty that he was to perform. to find our way to Oswego in time At 8 o'clock in the evening the proved abortive. In the place of soldiers resumed their march having got nearer, it became evi­ towards Oswego. About three miles dent that from the time we left below the falls they took to the the ice we had gotten further ice along the river, where the away from Oswego. Thus was our footing was firmer and the march­ time wasted and the day broke ing easier. "We proceeded with­ in upon us before we could pos­ out being discovered to a point sibly discover the horrid blunder within about four miles of Oswego which we had been led into by where the ice failing, we were the wretched mismanagement of obliged to take to the shore," Col. our guide. And our prospects Willett subsequently advised Gov­ which at 11 o'clock had risen to ernor Clinton of New York in a a degree of the greatest of a cer­ communication reporting the out­ tainty were entirely destroyed; for come of the expedition which was we had no expectation of being written from Fort Rennselaer able to do anything unless we under date of February 20. could do it by surprise. And we could have no hope of concealing "Amon/j the guides", Col. Wil­ ourselves in the situation we were lett continued in his report to the then in; our hope gave way to governor, "I had taken Captain despondency and the spirits of John and two other Indians of the troops which had been hither­ the Oneida tribe. Captain John to supported by the pleasing pros­ is a very much experienced In­ pect of success, now sunk under dian and has ever acted the part the severity of their fatigue. of a steady friend to our cause. The guides in general all along "One sentence in my instructions submitted to the supervision of was this: 'It is to be remembered Captain John and hitherto he had and I wish to impress it upon not failed us in need. you that if you do not succeed by surprise that the attempt will Willett Tells Cause of Failure be unwarrantable'. In this mor­ "It was 11 o'clock when we left tified and cruelly buffeted situa­ the ice and entered into the woods tion, we had nothing further to and Captain John told me he do but return which considering would take us to a wood road the amazingly fatigued state of not above two miles from the fort the troops and that a number of by midnight. Since it appeared them were badly frosted was clear that we had plenty of time performed in as good order as on hand and notwithstanding could be expected. which I hastened on the troops "One of the Rhode Island reg­ and never men (displayed) more iment and one of our state sol­ cheerfulness than the troops in diers by leaving their ranks and

-17- laying down was killed by the but was frequently obliged to cold. The rest of the troops have take the land for fear of being all returned safe, but a number discovered by the enemies, In­ of them are lame. dians that were out in hunting "I have thought proper to give parties. your Excellency this account of our "We found but one track during disappointed expedition notwith­ the march, which was of ont In­ standing the painfulness from the dian that had killed a deer a effects of being deprived of the little in front of us. He left the fine prospects we had of render­ skin on the snow which was warm ing service to our country and v hen we came to the spot. attaining something for ourselves "When we got within nine miles by such a deplorable and most of the encampment, halted unfortunate blunder. This expedi­ and made our ladders to execute tion has been an awful tryal of our business. We carried them our soldiers and I have found that with us and when within three in every respect they are a match miles of the garrison our guide for the most veteran troops. All took a circuit in the woods with have with respect to their forti­ an intention, he said of advanc­ tude on the march and the regu­ ing on the work (the fort) on the larity of their whole military de­ lake side. We were led over hill portment, your excellency may and through swamp to a consider­ rely on it that its regiment were able distance from our object, not outdone by the troops of other until the day began to break regiments." which advanced so fast as to make it impossible to arrive at Soldier Describes Hardships the works before daylight. Our guide confessed he was lost. And From a letter written by Alexan­ here the glorious pursuit was der Thompson, one of the sol­ given out and the orders we had diers who accompanied the ex­ from the commander in which pedition, to his brother, a man­ were postive, that if we did not uscript which, by the way has attack before day to return, Col. only comparatively recently come Willett was under the necessity to light at Newburgh, we learn of ordering us to the right about. a number of additional details of the expedition not touched "You may be assured we are upon by the commanding officer sensibly mortified at the disap­ in his report to the governor. Mr. pointment, to be within three Thompson's letter written under miles of the important object, en­ date of February 24, 1783 from tirely undiscovered, and then to Fort Rennselaer where he was be led a most tedious way by an recuperating from frost bite after Indian. On our return we im­ the return of the expedition to mediately took the ice because its base says: "On the morning of marching was better. I am fully the 8th instant just before the persuaded the enemy was not ap­ roller curtain was drawn I left prised of our approach. this fort with a detachment of "When we got within ten miles 400 troops in 120 sleighs, on an of Oswego Falls on our return expedition against Oswego, a Brit­ we discovered a party of Indians ish garrison about 180 miles on the other shore. Three of them northwest of this place which we came immediately to us suppos­ intended to surprise. We passed ing we were their own troops by old Fort Stanwix and arrived passing down the country to com at the Oneida Lake the evening mit expeditions. When they found of the twelvth and for fear of they were among other troops, being discovered, we crossed the they appeared a good deal same night on the ice which alarmed. We told them we in­ is about 30 miles over, and left tended to surprise the garrison, our sleighs «t the lake and but losing our way were on the marched along the Oneida river return—that we did not want to for Oswego. After we got below hurt them, that they were at Oswego Falls we took to the ice liberty which last expression al-

—18— tered their countenance much. sistance in answering this prob­ They left us with a seeming sat­ lem tends only to befog rather isfaction and I believe this treat­ than to clear up the matter. ment has prevented them har­ Willett's men were forced from assing our rear which we mom­ the ice when they came upon entarily expected. open water in the river due to "The garrison consisted of 300 the presence of some rifts. The regular troops and 200 Indians. English map referred to shows The snow was very deep, and rifts in the river at two points we found much difficulty in between Oswego and Oswego Falls breaking the roads. We had two and the French map shows rapids days of most severe storms and at one point, but that point seems the whole time exceedingly bad to be quite different upon the weather. We had three men per­ map than either of the points ish before we could return to where the English map locates the the lake (Oneida) and we dared rifts. not make fire for fear of being The legend which acompanies discovered when advancing. We the English map locates the "Os­ had 130 bit with frost, some very wego rift" three miles up the dangerously. I am myself one of river from Fort Ontario, but the the unfortunate number, but by weight of evidence seems to be frequent applications I have made against the identification of this to my feet, my feet are very rift as "Bradstreet's rift." The much better and I flatter myself latter rift was probably much will soon be well." closer to the river island which we know today as "Battle Island", Left River Near Minetto as it was from this island that The point at which Willetfs Col. Bradstreet and Captain Philip force, because of the failure of Schuyler (the future major-gen­ the ice, was finally forced to eral of the Revolution, then 23 abandon the frozen surface of years old) "beat off 40 French­ the Oswego river (then known as men with six men only" on the the Onondaga) over which it July 3, 1756. "Bradstreet's rift" had been traveling from Three was probably located about a mile Rivers on its northward march further up the river from Battle probably can not at this date Island as it was probably at that be located with exactness. John­ rift that the French, reinforced son's History of Oswego County after their repulse at Battle locates it at "Bradstreet's rift", Island crossed from the east to but as all of the rifts in the the west side of the river, to meet river at Oswego have long since Col. Bradstreet's advancing force, been submerged as the result of now also reenforced with troops the construction of dams in the from Fort Ontario, near the river and their former locations junction point with the river of largely, if not altogether, forgot­ the outlet from Lake Neahta- ten, efforts on the part of the wanta, where after an hour's speaker to get more definite in­ heavy fighting Bradstreet dis­ formation upon this subject have lodged the French and Indians largely proven futile. from a nearby pine swamp and drove them once more across the There exist maps of the river river with heavy loss. prepared in 1756 at about the time of Moncalm's attack upon If the name "Bradstreet's rift" the forts at Oswego, one from a was given to the rift near Battle French and one from an English Island as seems probable in view source, which might ordinarily of the battle which took place be expected to be helpful in this there, and Col. Willett's men were connection. The two maps differ forced from the ice on the final in important respects, however, night of their northward march at and as neither is drawn to scale this same point, Willett's men and landmarks which are set forth were not as close to Oswego at in one are omitted in the other, that time as Willett himself evi­ the study of them jointly for as­ dently believed as he officially

—19— reported that he was within four that there were in earlier days miles from Fort Ontario when rifts in the river near the lo­ the party departed from the ice. cation of the first "high dam" If, on the other hand, the ice which was constructed further was abandoned at the rift fur­ south in the river than the dam ther down stream designated on which today bears the name of the English map as "Oswego rift", the "high dam". These rifts were Willett's men were considerably probably identical with those de­ nearer to the fort at the time than scribed on the English map as four miles, the "Oswego rift". The English There is reason for believing map gives their location as three that this lower rift was located miles up the river from Oswego, about in the rear of the present but as this same map places at Oswego County jail. The French "2 English miles" the distance map, however, would seem to lo­ which separated Fort Ontario in cate rifts somewhat closer to 1756 when it stood on virtually the the present hamlet of Minetto same site as that on which the than the rifts shown on the Eng­ old fort stands today, from Fort lish map, and it may be that the Oswego which stood quite near rifts which forced the departure the site now occupied by the state from the ice were located at Min­ grain elevator at Oswego, Its etto, or slightly above it. Frank statements as to distances can not Putney in a letter to the Oswego be regarded as beyond suspicion Palladium-Times under date of at least. January 30, 1939 describes rifts Guide Loses Way which as a riverman he recalls As the east river bank near the as having been located in the supposed location of the "Oswego river "right back of Riverside rift" was precipitous, and the dis­ Park and opposite Bundyville tance from that rift to Fort On­ Church." These rifts, he describes, tario only slightly less than Wil­ as having been "10 or 12 rods lett's estimate of four miles as long" and as "requiring a good that which separated him from oarsman knowing where the the fort when the river ice was channel was located" for succes- abandoned, it may be that it was ful navigation. The rifts de­ the lower or "Oswego rift", and scribed by Mr. Putney may well not the upper or "Bradstreet rift" have marked the point of de­ which marked the place of Wil­ parture of Willett's men from the lett's departure from the river. river surface on their march Hovever, the entire evening might towards Oswego. be spent upon the discussion of On the other hand, the terrain this subject without a satisfactory in the vicinity of the "Oswego conclusion being evolved, so that rift" as described by Col. Willett it seems best that we should drop in his notes, seems today to tally its consideration at this point and a little more closely with the hasten onward with Col. Willett's Willett description than does the men contenting ourselves merely terrain in the vicinity of the with the statement, that Willett's Bundyville church. Col. Willett men left the ice that night some­ refers to the necessity of his men where near the vicinity of mod­ having to "ascend an eminence ern Minetto. As they were clam­ which caused some difficulty in bering up, the steep bank on the getting up the ladders" at the east side of the river, we learn point where the river was left from Col. Willett's notes that his behind. The river banks on the attention "was constantly engaged east side are today more precip­ in encouraging the men whose itous at Minetto and below than business it was to carry the lad­ they are near Bundyville. ders—a labor which from the in­ clemency of the season, the depth One of the older residents of of the snow and difficulties of Oswego who requests that his the woods, was ~a very ardous name should not be publicly used one. His attention being thus oc­ as the source of the information, cupied, and not having the least recalls having heard in his youth

—20— apprehension that his guides evidently sent out to provide fire would lose their way. hours pas­ wood for the garrison. The Amer­ sed without discovering any open­ icans endeavored to capture them ing through the woods, which he without a noise, but though two had been for some time expecting. were taken, three escaped and fled This circumstance led him to with all speed to .he fort. Soon the hasten to the front of the line drums were heard beating to of march where he was informed arms, the garrison swarmed upon that the Indian pilot had not the ramparts, and parties were been seen for some time, though seen shoveling snow from the they (the men) were pursuing embrasures and preparing the his tracks as fast as they could. guns for action. All hopes of sur­ Col. Willett immediately set out prise were at an end, and Willett to follow his track himself with reluctantly gave the order to re­ as quick a step as possible, and in turn." about half an hour, overtook him. Johnson relates that the men He found him standing still and threw their scaling ladders into apparently lost and frightened. the hollow southeast of Oak Hill "They (the soldiers) had by this where the remnants of them time gotten into a swamp, and wvre found by the early settlers. some of the men had their feet Some of them were said to have frozen fast in sunken holes. In been found upon the McWhorter this deplorable situation, ignorant place when George jH. McWhor­ where they were, the hope of ter came to take up his residence taking the fort by surprise van­ in Oswego about 1819. ished." The swamp in which the sol­ Historian Johnson's Details diers floundered about through While Col. Willett does not men­ several hours of the night after tion the matter in his report they had lost their way while at­ to Governor Clinton, nor for that tempting to follow the guide. matter does Alexander Thomp­ Captain John, is thought quite son's letter refer to the circum­ likely to have been one that lay stance either, Johnson's History out along the present Hall road of Oswego County published in about two miles from Oswego and 1877 has it that as dawn broke to the south of that road. A large on Willett's disheartened men on swamp originally existed there, the morning of February 14th: running back in a southerly di­ "They found themselves at the side rection almost to the present site of the wood. Looking forward of Seneca Hill. To have reached they saw at the distance of three this swamp after having left the quarters of a mile the very prize frozen river channel near Min- that they had been seeking— etto one would have had to ascend Fort Ontario, lying in unconcerned a steep river bank and later a hill, repose on the icy borders of the or a succession of hills, depend­ lake. They were on Oak Hill, near ing upon the route followed, and the present corner of Utica and then to have come down into East Seventh Streets, Oswego. Col. the swamp by a gradual descent. Willett's orders from Washington The present muckland holdings were imperative not to attack the of Edward L. Saisselin of Os­ fort unless he could surprise the wego consist in part of lands garrison. It was accordingly out which were formerly embraced in of the question to push across this extensive swamp. The meager three fourths of a mile of open information available from ac­ space. If they could retire to some counts of participants in the ex­ place where they could build a pedition gives ground for the be­ fire and remain in the vicinity lief that it was into this swamp another night, the surprise might that Col. Willett's men were mis­ yet succeed. While the officers led. were discussing what was to be Had Col. Willett's force been done, five British soldiers in without a guide and only have fatigue dress, with axes on their taken the precaution after leav­ shoulders were seen approaching, ing the ice near Minetto to keep

—21— the river in view as they marched uation into which he had led along the east bank, they would them. It appeared, afterwards, have had more than sufficient that the mistake of the Indian, time between 10 o'clock, when their originated in his having fallen commander reports them to have in with two Indian snow shoe been on the frozen river witn- tracks which he had followed all in four miles of Oswego, and day; and as they led in a direct the "moonset" at 2 o'clock in course to Oswego, it was natural the morning, the hour approved to suppose that the travelers by General Washington for the were going to that place. The attack on the fort to open, to Indian fell in again with these have reached their destination soon after leaving the river (at and rested while waiting for the Minetto on the night that was to command to approach the fort. have been that of the attack), While, primarily, the failure of and, following them, was led as­ the expedition is attributable to tray; it was afterwards found the fact that the guide, Captain that they led to an Indian en­ John, lost his way, secondarily, campment some distance down the it seems that it may not unjustly lake." be attributed to the fact tha;t Col. Willett seems not to have Washington Eases Willett's Chagrin kept, while otherwise engaged in Upon the arrival of his com­ encouraging the men with the lad­ mand back at Fort Rennselaer, ders, properly in contact with the Col. Willett wrote General Wash­ time element, although he had ington to advise him of the dis­ been specifically warned by Gen­ appointing outcome of the ex­ eral Washington that the element pedition which General Washing­ of time was likely to prove high­ ton had personally conceived and ly important in connection with in the plans for the execution of the success or the failure of the which, as we have seen, he took campaign. By the time he had such a deep personal interest and recollected himself and discov­ exhibited such military sagacity. ered that much time had been lost Washington must have been sore­ through his men wandering in ly disappointed at the outcome, the woods, Col. Willett found it too and the fact that the expedition late to correct the guide's error failed of its purpose by so nar­ and still gain with his men the row a margin and as the result ramparts of the fort under the of trivial cause which seemingly cover of darkness. could have been effectually guard­ ed against had the situation been "Col. Willett had been partic­ sensed in time, and swift action ularly careful to secure the hearty taken, probably did not help to co-operation of the Indian soften the blow to him any more (guide)", comments Col. Willett's than it did to Col. Willett and son, William M. Willett in a book the suffering men he led back published in 1831 almost immed­ from Oswego. Nevertheless in the iately after his father's death reply which he sent to Col. Wil­ which the author announces was lett under date of March 5th based chiefly upon Col. Willett's 1783 Washington exhibits noth­ own manuscripts, in the chapter ing of rancor, nothing of disap­ devoted to the Expedition to Os­ pointment, and he speaks in high­ wego, "by assuring him (the ly commendatory terms of Willett, guide) that he should not be ex­ his effort, and that of Willett'a posed to any danger, that all that men: was required of him was to con­ Reads the letter: duct them in sight of the fort; "I have been favoured with and that after it was taken he your letter of the 19 th of Febru­ should have a full share of the ary, announcing the failure of plunder. It was not, however, your attempt against Oswego. Col. Willett's opinion that the In­ "Unfortunate as the circum­ dian led them astray by design, stance is, I am happy in the per­ though he put him under guard suasion that no imputation or re­ when he first perceived the sit- flection can justly reach your

—22

/ character; and that you are en­ Willet's expedition, in after years abled to derive much consolation settled on the West side of the from the annimated zeal, fortitude Oswego River "above the falls." and activity of the officers and He speaks of them as having been soldiers who accompanied you. badly frozen on the march. Some The failure, it seems, must be at­ accounts state that these two tributed to some of those unac­ men settled in Fulton—that is countable events which are not "above the falls of the Oswego within the control of human river at 'Oswego Falls'", as Fu. means; and which, though they ton used to be known. I have been often occur in military life, yet unable to locate any descendants require not only the fortitude of of either of these men as now the soldier, but the calm reflec­ living within the limits of Oswego tion of the philosopher to bear. County. "I can not omit expressing to From the files of the Oswego you the high sense I entertain of Palladium-Times of February 12, your perservering exertions and 1933 we learn: "With the troops zeal on this expedition; and beg of Col. V. lllett was Captain Ed­ you to accept my warm thanks ward O'Connor who later returned on the occasion; and that you to Oswego to become one of the will be pleased to communicate first settlers. His daughter, Mary, my gratitude to the officers and married Alvin Bronson who lived men who acted under your com­ in a frame house at 60 West Cay­ mand, for the share they had in uga Street and who later built the that service." stone residence which stands there' In reporting to the President now. (The present residence of of Congress under date of Feb­ Hon. Francis D. Culkin.) Another ruary 26, 1873 of the fate of the daughter of Captain O'Connor Expedition against Oswego Gen­ married John Haines Lord who eral Washington said: "I am sorry became the publisher of the Os­ to acquaint your excellency for wego Palladium. John H. Lord the information of Congress, that lived on the site of the present a project, which I had formed Paladium-Times Building, his for attacking the enemy's post house facing west on the alley, as Oswego, so soon as the sleigh­ and later he resided at 22 West ing should be good and the ice on Fifth street. Oneida Lake should have acquired sufficient thickness to admit the "A lieutenant with the Willett passage of the detachment has expedition was Simon J. Vrooman miscarried. The report of Col. Wil- who later returned and operated lett, to whom I entrusted the com­ a farm now known as The City mand of the party consisting of a Farm. He married Sarah Clark, part of the Rhode Island Regi­ a relative of Abram Clark, one ment, and the state troops of New of the early settlers of Oswego York, in all about 500 men, will Town. He was a member of the assign reasons for the disappoint­ Vrooman familly which was so ment. prominent in the Revolutionary period in the vicinity of Schen­ "Although the expedition has ectady and who was a brother of not been attended with success, Captain Timothy Vrooman who the officers and soldiers employed settled in Parish." Col. Peter on it are entitled to great credit Vrooman, of this same family, who for the spirit, activity and pa­ fought during the French wars, tience exhibited by them in the with his troops worked on the course of the attempt; and I am reconstruction of the fort at Os­ certain that nothing that depend­ wego following its destruction by ed upon Col. Willett to give effi­ Montcalm in 1756. Nathan Petrie, cacy to it was wanting." who lived for many years at Par­ Survivors Settled In County ish, Oswego County, was a des­ Johnson mentions in his His­ cendant of the Vrooman family; tory of Oswego County that Henry Mr. Petrie was the man through Blackmer and Joseph Perigo, two whom were received many munif of the men who accompanied icent gifts that have done so

—23— much to upbuild the Parish com­ provisions were nearly exhausted. munity in the past fifteen years, Stumbling and falling in the snow his gifts including the public li­ drifts, too weak from hunger to brary of the village. Mrs. George rise, many perished miserably. W. Bush of Fruit Valley, wife "The last five days before we of a retired Oswego business reached Fort Stanwix, we had no man, is also descended from the provisions except a little horse Vrooman family, although not meat and a great number of our from Lieut. Simon Vrooman who comrades were left in the snow acompanied Col. Willett to Oswe­ where they fell." go. There appeared in the Oswego Expedition Moved During Armis­ Palladium under date of June 19, tice 1824 under the caption "A Com­ To the possession by the world plete American Chronological at the time of the Revolutionary Table from the 'Minerva'" the War of only crude means of com­ following: " '1783—February—Un­ munication as compared with successful expedition against Fort those enjoyed today by even the Oswego, N. Y. by Col. Willett with remotest points where men abide, 1500 men, when they retired with­ ; ay be attributed that feature of out making an attempt to storm the expedition against Oswego in the garrison, and 50 men are that it was planned by Washington frozen to death.'" The Minerva's and executed by Col. Willett after account as to the number of men a provisional treaty of peace had who lost their lives in the Willett been signed on November 30, 1782 expedition was to say the least with the British government by a bit exaggerated when it is Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and checked against official reports John Adams, the American com­ which there is little reason to missioners. News of this event had doubt. Also the number of men not reached America as Willett's who participated in the expedition expedition moved. Some weeks is also far overstated. after his return from Fort Os­ Something further as to the wego Col Willett went to Al­ sufferings of Willett's men on bany where he heard peace their way back to Forts Herki­ proclaimed by the Town Clerk at mer and Rennselaer may be gained the Albany City Hall. from a statement filed some years While word reached Congress of later by Immanuel Drake as a the signing of the provisional part of his application for a pen­ treaty of peace while Willett was sion as a Soldier of the Revolu­ absent on th Oswego expedition, tion in which Drake, who was a it was not until September 3, 1783 member of one of the five com­ after France, too, had composed her panies of the Rhode Island Regi­ differences with Britain that the ment which accompanied Willett, d- nitive treaty of peace was on the Oswego expedition, after signed in Paris by the same Amer­ stating that he could not rec­ ican commissioners who had ollect just how many Rhode signed the earlier provisional Islanders there were in the ex­ treaty. The American Congress, pedition says: however, did not formally ratify "After breaking our way through the treaty until May 1784 when the snow for several days, as ratifications were exchanged. we supposed towards Oswego, we It was on At il 18 1783, that were abandoned by our guides in Col. Willett wrote from Albany to a dense swamp, as we afterwards General Washington at Newburgh found nine miles from Oswego. to report the arrival in Albany of Col. Willett finding that many of British dispatch bearers enroute his men were frozen determined to Canada with news of peace. to return to Fort Stanwix. Now Willett had obtained from the Brit­ began one of the most determined ish officer a peace proclamation, marches on record. Many died he advised Washington, and he from exposure when we were ex­ had forwarded it by an Indian hausted on our return, and our runner to Oswego. Again under

—24— date of May 9, 1783 Willett wrote for development here on the shores General Washington to advise of Lake Ontario at "the outpour­ him that the flag of truce with ing of the waters" a fairer, more news of peace had reached Os­ attractive and enduring Oswego wego "in time to prevent an en- in which might does not longer cursion of Indians which had been make right and over whose peace­ projected from Oswego." ful fort the stars and stripes of Peace had come at last and with "liberty and justice for all" daily it that unhampered opportunity ever wave.

—25— How Local Militia Defended the Lake Ports By iMajor Wheeler Chapin Case (Paper Read Before Oswego Historical Society, March 2S, 1939)

This paper is intended to point families that later organized the out difficulties met with by th-3 Iroquois Confederacy known as militant farmers of Lake Ontario's The Five Nations whose homes south shore who defended their sprawled across the present State home ports against British raiding of New York, but were completely parties from Canada duiing the surrounded by such jealous nat­ War of 1812. ions as the Hurons, the Mohicans, To bring properly to mind local the Andastes and the Eries. How­ conditions at the time of which we ever, the Iroquois, though fewer in speak it is well to take a brief numbers than most of the nations glance backward and refresh our surrounding them, seemed better recollections on Lake Ontaiio his­ organized, and quite successfully tory. Herman L. Fairchild, profes managed to keep their war trails open as well as their home fires sor emeritus of geology, Univer­ f sity of Rochester, maintains that burning. Also he northern gate­ Lake Ontario is not old, geologic­ ways to the Iroquois lands, such as ally speaking. The lake, he says, Irondequoit Bay and the Genesee has existed hardly more than 10,- River in the Seneca country, Great 000 years in its present form which Sodus Bay in the country of the is a mere driblet of a fresh water Cayugas, and the Oswego River, sea known as Lake Iroquois that into which led converging water once covered not only the present trails from the lands of the Cayu­ Lake Ontario but a good part of its gas, the Onondagas and Oneidas, shore land. That was after the were tieasured and fought over by glacial ice that covered this region the Iroquois in the early days with 30,000 years ago had melted and the same determination that receded northward. The south brought our own forefathers to shore of old Lake Iroquois lay well their defense during the War of south of the famous gravel rift 1812. known today as The Ridge, that stretches eastward from Niagara When Jacques Car tier sailed up to the Oswego River on a line of the St. Lawrence River to Quebec old bars, formed ages ago by sand in 1535 he was told of a fresh and gi avel washed from the tips of water sea that fed his new river, Lake Iroquois headlands and but Cartier never got to see Lake strewn across the mouths of ad­ Ontario. The first recorded whirs joining bays. Later lifts and low- men to gaze upon its waters were erings of the present New Yurk Etienne Brule and Samuel de terrain shifted the outlet of this Champlain, in the older named, Lake Iroquois so that its water, who, in September, 1615, went up instead of diaining off toward the the Ottawa River with some Mohawk and Hudson Valleys, took French soldiers to gather Huron a dive through a new channel that allies and then descended upon had opened toward the Gulf of St. Lake Ontario from the northward Lawrence and in the course of to cross over into the Onondaga years brought our Lake Ontario countiy. Champlain's plan was to down to its present level. over-awe the Iroquois and teach them respect for France, but in Long befoie the coming of the this he was disappointed. Cartier, white men to our Lake Ontario Champlain, and most of the region it had become the chosen French leaders who succeeded land of several outstanding tribes them in America never lacked in of red men which had arrived in bravely. They made friends with successive waves of immigration most of the Indians they met with. from the south and west. One of But they never made friends with these waves brought some allied the Iroquois. The French too read-

—26— ily accepted military aid offered ers sought quiet coves for camp them by the Huron and Ottawa sites in preference to the lee shores enemies of the Iroquois. Con.se on the outer beaches made doubly quently the latter never placed dangerous as landing places by age complete trust in French plans, old accumulations of jagged drift­ nor permitted many French settle­ wood and splintered tree trunks ments in Iroquois teiritory. That, piled high there by prevailing is why Western New York, once winds off the lake. Those were considered a part of Quebec even lawless days, too, on the lake, with by the British, never became a lots of shenannigans going on th3t French speaking community as are never got into print. If those parts of lower Canada today. south shoie sands could be made to Fiench traders did enter Iroquois talk they could furnish radio territory during the next half cen­ gossip that might endanger the tury, also Dutch and English trad­ popularity of many present per­ ers. Disputes naturally arose formers. Known from earliest among these men over fur trade times as the northern gate of the rights. The European market for Onondaga nation, Oswego Rivei beaver hats was especially brisk, mouth gained publicity in 1690 so these fur trade debates aided when the Count de Frontenac materially in promoting the border made it his base of opeiations clash called "The French and In­ against the Iroquois. Irondequoit dian War" which resulted in the ex­ Bay boasted both French and Eng­ pulsion of the French from Canada. lish blockhouses as early as 1721. French Army Here In 1687 Pioneer families settling in Pult­ In 1669, LaSalle, a pioneer fur neyville after the Phelps and Gor- tiade promoter, brought Irondc- ham purchase of Indian lands in quoit Bay into prominence by his 1788, found traces of much earlier repeated use of that northern Sen­ occupation in the form of ancient eca gateway. Primarily seeking apple tiees of French planting, the beaver pelts, he always managed remains of a log warehouse, rusted to keep one eye open for his fabled French axes, and even a Spanish ship canal to a western sea and the coin dated 1726. The little harbor China trade. The Marquis de Den- at the mouth of Salmon Creek was onville, governor of New France, known to skippers of early coast­ brought a great army up the St. ing vessels as "Appleboom." It was Lawrence River and by way of Os­ Captain Chailes Williamson, agent wego, Sodus and Pultneyville to for the Pulteney Estate which was the Genesee country in the sum­ developing large tracts purchased mer of 1687. His aim, like Cham- from Messrs. Phelps and Gorham, plain, LaBarre &nd others, was ro who built a new wharf and ware­ teach the Iroquois to be good to house and named the place Pult­ the Fiench, but he only succeeded neyville. in getting into and out of a hornet's nest and was followed All these lake ports, even those back to Quebec by an infuriated on the smallest inlets, were of ut­ swarm of Iroquois that left no most importance to eaily settlers French or Huron homes standing in Western New York. The Phelps in their wake. and Gorham tract settlements newly hewn from virgin forest, The sheltered waters at Oswego, found that lake barges were their Fair Haven, Great Sodus, Pultney­ main connection with civilization ville, Irondequoit and the Genesee eastward. Wagon trails to the Mo­ became favorite camping places hawk settlements long remained for roving soldiers, adventurers practically impassable. The easiest and traders of many nations as haul for the settlers' produce was years went by. Missionaries of all to Lake Ontario's shore where flat- denominations, Sulpitians, Fran­ boatmen and a few schooner skip­ ciscans, Jesuits, journeyed through pers made occasional calls for there. The Niagara bound army freight for Canada. led by General John Prideaux and At the time of the Revolutionary Sir William Johnson made night War England was practically in camps there in 1759. All lake travel­ control of the Great Lakes. There

—27— was little opposition to British Midshipman Cooper At Oswego troop movements on Lake Ontario. Another border war scare came Oswego was an important way sta­ along in 1808, at which time Lieut tion against which the Americans M. T. Woolsey, U. S. Navy, with found oportunity to launch but one Midshipmen Gamble and Cooper, attack, as related in the finished the latter developing into the paper recently presented by your novelist James Fenimore Cooper of president, E. M. Waterbury. Leatherstocking fame, were sent to Oswego to superintend the con­ Britain Yields Reluctantly struction and equipment of a six- teen-gun brig, the "Oneida," which In 1794 Britain made gestures vessel was completed in June, 1809. that all but prpcipiated another The contractors were Christian war, and actually did cause militia Berg and Henry Eckford who latei mobilization in the Genesee coun became eminent naval construc­ try. The British in Canada, long tors. To rest themselves after their after the close of our War of In­ labors, Lieutenant Woolsey and dependence, remained reluctant *o Midshipman Cooper provisioned release their claims on Western the Oneida's whaleboat and, ac­ New York lands. Captain Charles companied by four seamen, set out Williamson, an Americanized Scot, to visit Niagara Falls. The party and an agent for the large Puit- met with contrary winds on the rp eney Land Company as before trip and were beaten back twice mentioned, was erecting wharves before they could weather Devil's and warehouses at Sand Point jn Nose, a prominent headland at the Great Sodus Bay when he was northwestern corner of Monroe presented a threatening letter County. They weie also obliged to from Lieutenant Governor Simcoe spend two nights in their boat, and of Upper Canada. This letter, de­ one on the beach at lrondequoit livered by an armed party that Bay and another at the mouth of came ashore from a British vessel the Genesee River. July 4, 1809, anchored off Sodus, informed however, found their boat entering Williamson that he had better lay the mouth of the Niagara River, off his port improvements, or the first government vessel to fly words to that effect. the flag of the United States in Williamson, formerly a British those waters. The Ameiicans were army officer, returned a defiant royally entertained by the British answer to Simcoe and reported the officers stationed at Newark, on incident to both the Governor of the Canadian shore, and after an New York State and to the Fed­ extended visit to the Falls and eral authorities in session in vicinity found fair winds that took Philadelphia, whereupon William­ them back to Oswego in two days son was made a lieutenant colonel without incident. Woolsey remain­ and authorized to raise a regiment ed on the Lake Ontario station un­ of Ontario County militia, while til after the War of 1812. Cooper committees were named to receive was returned to the Atlantic fleet. bids for squared logs for the erec­ It was during his trip to Niagara, tion of a line of blockhouses along his stay in Oswego, and a summer New York's northern frontier. The spent on Charles Point at Great blockhouse plan dragged, but Sodus, that he gathered the mater­ Colonel Williamson raised his ial used in his tale, "The Path­ militia regiment. This unit was not finder." destined to go to war for another Naval Base Shifted From Oswego two decades, but the colonel's "day Three years after the lake voy­ book," preserved in the archives of age above mentioned a war ac­ the Rochester Historical Society, tually did come between Britain notes the purchase of muskets for and America, but the issue more his men. The same historical so­ concerned Britain's interference ciety has also on file a faded "in­ with American shipping than spection return" for a militia mus­ building lots in the back woods. At ter of three companies of William­ the outbreak of the War of 1812 son's new regiment. Britain had some vessels on the

—28— Canadian side of the lake that without their piize. In the fall of were available as war ships. The that same year Commodore Earle Americans had few armed vessels paid a visit to the little village of anywhere. Immediate efforts were Charlotte, at the mouth of tha made on both sides of the lake to Genesee River. Of this visit, Don­ buy, arm and equip trading ald MacKenzie of Caledonia, in a schooners for wai service while paper before the Mumford, N. Y larger ships were building. Lieu­ Lyceum, in 1843, said, "I was visit­ tenant Woolsey remained in full ing at the home of my wife's par­ command of the American war ents in Charlotte about the time craft on the lake until the arrival, of the close of lake navigation in in October, 1812, of Captain Isaac 1812, when we heard the boom of Chauncey, U. S. Navy, to succeed cannon and weie told that a him. Meanwhile U. S. Navy head­ British fleet was at the river quarters had been shifted from mouth. We walked down to the Oswego to Sackets Harbor where bay shore and discovered one ship, there was a deeper launching one brig, and two schooners hover­ basin, as the Americans contem­ ing just off shore. As our party plated the building of what were appeared on the beach a round then considered large ships, as for shot tore through the trees close instance the 24-gun frigate "Madi­ by but harmed no one. The vessels son" whose keel was all of 112 feet then hauled sail and moved out of long and her beam 33 feet and .six the picture. So ended that attack." inches. This change in the loca­ British Repulse At Sackets Harbor tion of the Ameiican naval base proved awkward in the end. Trans­ May 28, 1813, Sir George Prevost portation conditions of the time loaded some Canadian soldiers into made it necessary to boat all can­ Sir James Yeo's ships at the non, ammunition, rope and rig­ British naval base at Kingston, ging for the new ships from Al­ and sailed for Sackets Harbor bany to Oswego by way of the which they deemed was at that Mohawk, Oneida Lake and the Os­ time ripe for capture. But the wego River, to be shipped thence Canadians had forgotten to reckon from the river mouth a distance on the resourcefulness of the along the lake shore to the ship American commander, Jacob yards at Sackets Harbor. For Brown, who assembled a large many months this coastwise link force of doubtful militia, stationed in the supply chain escaped the at these men where they would be tention of the enemy but in the subjected to the ridicule of his end it brought Britain's navy down small force of regulars if they ran, on the American shore on an and forced them to hold their fire errand that proved no good to Os­ until it would prove most effective. wego. By the time the militia did break, their fire had so reduced the ad­ vancing British that they were Before the arrival from tide­ easily driven by a rush from the water St. Lawrence, in May, 1813. regulars in Brown's reserve line. of Sir James Yeo, Royal Navy, to­ So Sir George and Sir James were gether with four captains, eight forced to return to Kingston and lieutenants, twenty-four midship­ leave the American flag still fly­ men and 450 British seamen, to ing. take ovei the British naval flotilla in Lake Ontario, the government Some of the other Ameiican vessels there had been in com­ commanders were not so resource­ mand of a Canadian, one Commo­ ful as was Jacob Brown, and win­ dore Earle, who set out for ter came that year to find the Sackets Harbor in May, 1812, to small American regular army capture or destroy Lieutenant striving mightily at either end of Woolsey's American brig, the Lake Ontario to offset the terrible "Oneida." But the "Oneida's" crew, mistakes made in military pro­ aided and abetted by the Sackets cedure by these muddled but well Harbor garrison, put up such a de­ meaning masses of home-made termined fight that the Canadians soldiers whose efforts a fond but were forced to return to Kingston penny saving Congress was d»-

—29— pending or! for the defense of cent to Rochester falls gathered America. at Hanfords Landing on the Gene­ At the close of the American see River, to march to the relief Revolution the new American re­ of Charlotte, at the river mouth, public, fearful of what a large where it was reported that a Brit­ .standing army might do if it got ish force had landed. The assem­ the wrong idea, enacted, through bly point of this militia body was Congress, May 8, 1792, the famous on the present site of the main Militia Law that required each factory of the Eastman Kodak state in the Union to muster an­ Company, Lake Ave. and Ridge nually all its able-bodied men, uni­ Road, Rochester. The leader of formed and equipped for duty, the the local militia was Colonel Caleb intention being that this force Hopkins of Pittsford, also inspec­ would thus feel itself in form to tor and collector for the Port of spring to the defense of the nation the Genesee. Confidentially, these if needful. The standing army, militiamen were none too eager to meanwhile, was reduced to a force their company on the British mere police guard. At that time visitors at Charlotte. On board a large percentage of America's Captain James Yeo's British fleet able-bodied men were recently dis­ was reported to be a detachment of charged soldiers. With compet­ the 1st Royal Scots whose regiment ent leaders they might go far in a had recently been sent to garrison fight. But competent leaders do Fort Niagara. The 1st Royal Scots not grow on every bush. Neither were not kilted Highlanders, but do a people busied in recovering they had something of a reputa­ from recent wars respond whole­ tion as you will discover if you heartedly to demands that they read up on the histories of famous mobilize annually in lieu of regular fighting regiments. It appears troops. In 1812, thirty years after that this regiment has a history the Revolution had come to a dating back even before the Thirty close, the people responded even Years War (1618-1648), but in that less whole-heartedly. It then de­ war it won immortal glory as veloped that most of the men of "Hepburn's Scots," and was later military age knew less about the chosen as the nucleus for the new business end of a gun then does the standing army of Charles II of average duck hunter today. England.

Nevertheless the 1812 militia was : mobilized for the new war. More­ Therefore, Colonel Hopkin s mili­ over, it having become evident tia, after tip-toeing down the pres­ that this war was going to cost ent Lake Avenue in more or less money an order was published that open order formation, were really the militia sent to defend the right glad to be told, upon reaching Niagara and St. Lawrence fron­ the village limits, that the British tiers must be drawn from interior had already re-embarked and their counties in New York State in sails were becoming dim against order that the militia living near the northern horizon. The villag­ the lake ports might remain at ers reported that the soldiers had home, subsisting themselves at no landed suddenly, the night before, expense to the government, but had taken possession of a grain- ready to rise in defense of the laden sloop in the river and a said lake ports in case of attack. quantity of flour, pork and pota­ This ruling actually went into ef­ toes stored in Frederick Bushell's fect for a time, but before the war warehouse, had posted a guard was over the lake port militia about the village to prevent the found themselves footing it for the spread of news of their visit, and Niagara frontier along with the in the morning had sailed away rest of them. without molesting private property, with the exception, perhaps, of an Yeo Lands at Charlotte out-door oven or two which might So, on Monday, June 14, 1813, it have been robbed of its pastries. was with mingled fear and elation The visiting British fleet had in­ that the men of military age resid­ cluded the ships, Wolfe and Royal ing in the scattered cabins adja­ George, the brigs Moira and Mel-

—30— ville, the schooners Sidney Smith such military service sufficed to and Beresford, and two sloop- bring out a vote that the war at rigged gunboats. Captain Yeo's Sodus was a fizzle and that the report of the incident says that he militia might as well go home. Im­ left Kingston June 3 to sail to the mediately after breakfast on the upper end of the lake to interrupt morning of June 19 the militia American supply transportation went home. A few men in charge with the aim of tempting Chaun- of Nathaniel Merrill remained to cey's fleet to leave its anchorage watch the government stores in in Sackets Harbor. Before reach the ravine until these could be ing Charlotte Yeo had captured loaded onto a west-bound boat. two supply-laden schooners, and a quantity of provisions that he Yeo Raids Sodus had taken from an American sup­ That very afternoon mounted ply dump at "Forty Mile Creek." messengers came tearing into town That creek is not mentioned on with the news that suspicious look­ present maps, but the mouth of the ing sails had been sighted from present, "Oak Orchard Creek," is neighboring heights. Soon, these forty miles west from the Niagara ships could be seen by the watch­ River. ers at Sodus. At first they were a mere blotch of drab against the News of Yeo's visit to Charlotte horizon. The blotch developed was not long in reaching Great rapidly into the topsails of four Sodus, where the warehouses on square-riggers and two schooners. Sand Point were fairly bursting Calls were sent instantly to neigh­ with government stores. By Wed­ boring farmers to rally to the as­ nesday, June 16, in expectation of sistance of the Sodus guard. Most a similar attack, several compan­ of the militiamen who had left ies of militia from the section for their homes that morning had south of Sodus were assembled traveled so fast and far that the there, bringing with them, along warnings did not reach them until with their guns of varied caliber too late. The women and children and design, a universally expressed of Sodus Point were all removed to desire to fill with buckshot, bird- the protection of inland farms. shot, or even nails, the hide of the Night closed down on Sand Point first invader to set foot on Big with a disagreeable rain. Midnight Sodus Beach. found but forty men crouching Life, however, has its disappoint­ under what shelter they could find ments. A measure first insisted in the woods at the western edge on by the wiser heads at Sodus of the village. Pending the ar­ was that before the British arrived rival of Captain Elias Hull of the the government stores mut be car­ militia, who had almost reached ried from the warehouses and hid­ his home in Lyons before he was den in a wooded ravine adjoining overtaken by a Sodus messenger, the village. This ravine is pointed the command of the Sodus volun out today as the low ground lying teers had been assumed by Rev. south of Bay Street and between Seba Norton, a veteran of the Christ Church and Rose Chapel. American Revolution. Out. in the The completion of this job, which darkness of the lake, and close to left only some damaged flour in the line of the present channel the warehouses, and the village piers, lay the British fleet at an­ store stock of provisions, to satisfy chor. Sir James Yeo was taking the British soldiers should they no chances on being bottled up in manage to get ashore, caused the Sodus Bay should Chauncey's more bloodthirsty of the militia to American ships appear suddenly on observe that they had come to the scene. Sodus to fight, and not to move Not long after midnight sounds barrels. A few fistic encounters, from the lake indicated to the however, crowing out of some even­ shore watchmen that boats from ing sessions at the village Pub., the fleet were approaching the served, in a measure, to appease beach. The place where the British the fighting spirit of these dis­ boats landed is well inland, now. criminating ones. Three days of The 1813 shore line ran approxi-

—81— mately along the foot of the bluffs chets took effect and some Amer­ that now stretch inland from the icans were seen rolling on the old lighthouse north of the village ground when the firing ceased. to Sand Point, inside the harbor One of these, Asa Warner, was mouth. On the night of June 19, picked up for dead by the British 1813, the British landing party when they collected their own cas­ rowed straight over the present vil­ ualties preparatory to taking again lage lots on the made land be­ to their boats. The British left tween the bluffs and the present Warner lying on a cot in a build­ lighthouse pier. The forty farm­ ing that stood a few doors west of ers waiting back of the village the present village hotel. There knew they would be no match for he died the following day. His the British force indicated by the twelve-year old son later discover­ boats Yeo was sending ashore. As ed the body and carted it home for quietly as possible the Americans burial. moved forward in the darkness and formed a line across the crest Set Fire to Sodus of the Bay Street slope, just east Charles Terry, another wounded of Lummis Street. Needless to American, was assisted by friends say they were nervous. It had to his farm home, only to die there been agreed that if the landing after a lingering illness. Four party proved a large one the other Americans received slight Americans would fire one volley wounds. They were Lieutenant and then retreat to the woods to Merrill, Privates Eldredge and fight from cover. As they reached Knight, and an unknown farm­ the little hill crest they sighted hand. The untrained Americans below them a mass of men moving naturally bunched as they moved toward its foot. A few lanterns forward at the beginning of the outlined this force in the form of fight. Their narrowed front, out­ a square, fronted by a broad line lined in the darkness by the flash of bayonets. High-pitched scraps of their guns, encouraged the of conversation indicated that a British to charge. But the Amer­ colored dock-hand was proclaim icans were not there when the ing to the world that he did not British reached the hilltop. Some know the hiding place of any gov­ of them, retreating to the woods as ernment stores. The farmers on agreed, managed to get in a second the hill crest freshened the prim­ fire at the charging British, that ings of their muskets. No com­ halted them. Some of the other mands were given. One Amasa Americans, retiring to the woods Johnson steadied his gun against with more speed than caution, even a hitching post and pulled the continued their movement to the trigger.—"Smash,"—went one of village of Lyons, fifteen miles the lanterns amid the blur of the south. There, while halting for advancing British, and a voice pro­ rest, they regaled the villagers as­ claimed profanely that a bullet had sembling for Sunday service, with got some one in the leg. Close amazing accounts of the Big Sodus upon the bang of Johnson's gun battle. The British, wisely, did not came a splitting crash from the attempt to pursue the enraged remaining American muskets. Americans into the woods. As­ There was momentary confusion sembling their companies and cas­ in the British ranks. What could ualties they retreated to their boats these mad Americans mean by op­ with due speed and did not come posing the advance of the 1st Royal back from their ships until day­ Scots. British fifes squealed and light, Sunday, when, reenforced, drums sent up a heartening roll to and with great caution, they car­ drown the cries of the wounded. ried off what supplies they could A line of British muskets let go at, lay hands on, set fire to the village, the flame-splitting darkness on the and turned their ships guns upon hill. Fortunately for the Amer­ it, creating considerable damage icans the uphill fire of the British and commotion along the water was inaccurate. Most of the bullets front before they sailed away. went into the bank. A few rico­ One of the many little incidents

—32— connected with this fight must not simulate a large encampment of remain untold. Timothy Axwell. troops, he set up all the army a farm laborer who had dropped tents on hand on the west bank at his hoe and set out for Sodus in the river mouth. The British did response to the June 19 alarm, not know these tents were empty, stopped at a farmhouse to borrow as their ships drew up off the har­ a gun for the fight. The woman of bor, so another day was gained the house told him her husband before the enemy discovered this had gone to mill and taken his gun trick, landed their troops, and cap with him. Timothy, however, had tured the fort after a combined spied a gun hanging on a wall be­ attack by land and sea. hind the woman, and stepping past When finally compelled to aban­ her he took the weapon and dis­ don their fort the American garri­ appeared in the direction of Sodus. son fought a clever rear-guard ac­ After the fight the woman brought tion southward up the river road, suit against Timothy, before a Can- in the direction of the present Ful­ andaigua justice of the peace, and ton, where the boats with the bulk recovered damages in the amount of Captain Chauncey's big guns of 6 1-2 cents. Doubtless, in addi­ and cordage had been halted by the tion, she told Timothy plenty what news that the British were at Os­ ?he thought of him and all his re­ wego. Either the British did not lations. know about the supplies at Fulton, Yeo Takes Ft. Ontario or they did not dare venture so far inland, at any i-ate after doing as During the winter of 1813-14 much damage as possible to Fort Yeo's ships remained frozen in at Ontario they returned to their Kingston and Chauncey's at ships and sailed away for Kings­ Sackets Harbor. In the spring, ton, taking Mr. Bronson with them while Chauncey, at Sackets, wan as t prisoner. Happily he was able awaiting the arrival from Albany, to secure his release a short time by the long inland route, of guns later. and rigging for his new ship, the "Superior" Captain Yeo decided it Now the American boatmen at a convenient time to cut across the Fulton happened to be in command lake and interrupt that naval sup­ of our old friend, Lieutenant Mel- ply transport line he had been ancthon Woolsey, who lost no time hearing about. This was practical­ in getting his supply boats down ly the first time he had left King­ the river and past Oswego as soon ston since he had been chased in as he had learned the British had there by Chauncey in mid-Septem left that place. That night he made ber, 1813, following a running baste to push his loaded boats along fight from the mouth of the Gene­ the shore toward Sackets Harbor, see River in which Yeo's ships taking with him the cargoes of the were well hammered by Chaun boats Mr. Bronson had sunk in the cey's guns and the British lost river mouth. Woolsey's flotilla was three men killed and seven wound­ escorted by 150 riflemen command­ ed. ed by an efficient young major named Appling. Woolsey's supplies On the morning of May 6, 1814 eventually reached Chauncey at the small American garrison at Sackets Harbor, but his boats did Fort Ontario, Oswego, discovered not. The British, suspecting some­ the approach of eight large British thing was up, sent some ships back ships from the northward. While to watch the movements of Amer­ Oswego formed an important link icans, and sighting the supply flo­ in the supply route to Sackets tilla, chased it into Big Sandy Harbor, its garrison had received Creek and then sent an armed but little support of late. Now, force ashore to capture or destroy while Fort Ontario prepared for the boats' cargoes. use its few and obsolete guns, Al- vin Bronson, Oswego's keeper of Battle of Big Sandy military stores, loaded what naval Sandy Creek is a sluggish stream supplies he had on hand into a that empties westward into Lake couple of barges and sunk these Ontario in the form of a wide bay. in the river mouth. Next, to Shifting sandbars at its mouth —33— 77327 make the channel difficult to enter connoitering parties from the fleet after a period of strong winds. with the notion that the Americans The Americans secured a good de­ had a large defending force, Cap­ fensive position at Big Sandy be­ tain Stone directed his militia of­ fore the British got ashore and, ficers to double-time their com­ with the aid of reinforcements ar­ panies back and forth among the riving from Sackets Harbor in the openings in the woods along the bay nick of time, inflicted severe pun­ shore. Behind a hurriedly erected ishment on the attacking British breastwork on what is now called and drove them back to their ships "Lighthouse Point," Stone had in disorder after taking 170 Brit­ mounted an old 18-pounder gun that ish prisoners. The American loss some ox-teams had hauled down was two men wounded. from Rochester. He now sent his Chauncey's ship supplies were two dragoon lieutenants, Elisha then loaded into ox-carts and haul­ Ely and Francis Brown, in a row- ed overland to Sackets Harbor, all boat, out into the lake to learn but a great hempen cable intended what the British ships, still fog hid­ for the U.S.S. "Superior." To trans­ den, were up to. Just as this boat port this immense piece of rope, was approaching the harbor mouth seven inches in diameter and i' was discovered by a British sen­ weighing 9,600 pounds, one hundred try, posted on the tip of a sandbar. militiamen formed in column, hoist­ As the sentry fired his musket in ed the rope to their shoulders, and alarm the fog lifted, disclosing the marched away, more than fifteen position of the American rowboat miles, to the shipyards. The route to the entire British fleet. Ely and they followed is today a fine high­ Brown put hurriedly about to get way, known as The Cable Trail, and back to the bay but found them­ so marked by tablets erected by selves headed off by a twelve-oared the Daughters of 1812. British barge that had appeared from nowhere. The Americans cir­ Chauncey's ships being still un­ cled over toward the Summerville ready to make battle, Captain Yeo shore to get out of line with Cap­ next set out westward from Kings­ tain Stone's gun should he deter­ ton for another of his scouts along mine to fire on the British barge, the south shore of the lake in but the barge, possibly suspecting search of pork, potatoes and a trap, gave up the pursuit and whisky. This time he took with him permitted Ely and Brown to pull four ships, four brigs, several gun­ back to the harbor. They managed boats, and 2,000 men. Naturally this to reach Captain Stone again just news was passed along the lake's as a messenger came up from the south shore by grapevine telegraph beach with the usual word from much faster than Yeo could sail. Cuptain Yeo, that he would prom­ When he finally headed for Char­ ise to leave port without disturb­ lotte, May 14, 1814, militiamen from ing personal property if the Amer­ most of the villages about the low­ icans would permit him to carry off er Genessee had begun to assemble the government stores on hand. at the river mouth. By daybreak, This proposition Captain Stone May 15, fully 800 men had reported flatly refused to listen to. there for duty. Captain Isaac Stone of the Rochesterville Dragoons, be­ ing senior officer present, assumed Yeo's South Shore Objectives command. It was raining. A fog Eventually Yeo sent a shallow hung over the lake. It was not a draft gunboat toward the harbor cheerful day for a battle. The Brit­ mouth in tow of some rowboats. ish ships, hidden by the fog, lay at Seized with the idea that he might anchor just outside the river bar. capture that gunboat, Captain Their anchorage was approximate­ Stone dispatched twelve riflemen ly where the flash beacon now upstream, with orders to cross the stands, on the tip of the present river there, unobserved, and after wc-t pier of the river channel. To moving down the east bank to se­ drive the night's chill from the cret themselves behind a gravel blood of his none too enthusiastic heap in the east sandbar. From militia, as well as to furnish re- that position he hoped they might

—34— pick off the gunboat's crew as it homes they disposed of their rum passed the bar, and then take pos­ rations in the nature of a general session of it. The Americans in jubilee which doubtless ended in charge of the big cannon on shore quite a satisfactory binge. were cautioned not to give away the gun's position by firing it, un­ Fight at Pultneyville less the gunboat succeeded in get­ Pultneyville, a busy little port of ting past Stone's riflemen. The trade, twenty-one miles down the gunboat approaching the harbor shore from Charlotte, was Captain bar moved slowly. The Americans Yeo's next scheduled stop. Leaving on the sandbar crouched low and Charlotte on the afternoon of May sighted their rifles across the wa­ 15 Yeo led his ships lakeward to ter The Americans behind the weather Nine Mile Point, and then breastwork on Lighthouse Point headed straight down wind for his glued their eyes on the approach­ destination. Six miles west of Pult­ ing British. The situation was neyville he sent the Royal George tense, too tense, in fact, for the inshore to pick up a pilot that was militiamen intrusted with the torch l familiar with the anchorage off that was to ouch off Captain their port. The boat from the Roy­ Stone's cannon. As the gunboat en­ al George happened to pick up tered the harbor opening this gun­ Noah Fuller and Willard Church, ner leaned forward to see if she two veteran militia officers who \ 3 getting into line with his gun- were home on leave from the sights. A spark from his port-fire Pultneyville mobilization, where they came in contact with the 18-pound- had, that day, assisted in taking er's priming. BANG! The 18-pound­ all the government stores in the er ball shrieked out over the bay shore warehouse, amounting to and hit the wa*er with a mighty more than 300 bales and barrels of splash,—but nowhere near its ob­ goods, and hiding them safely in­ jective. The British boat, having land, leaving in the warehouse only thus unmasked the American gun, a quantity of damaged flour to fired one wild shot, and rowed bait the British. General John briskly back to the fleet. The great­ Swift of Palmyra, in charge of the est damage done by the American militia assembled at Pultneyville, gun was to practically deafen the had already iaid his plans for the adjacent militia, whose entire inter­ reception of the British in case they est had theretofore been centered did come ashore. Realizing that his on the British shipping. Now they puny force of 150 farmers could gave their attention wholly to the not pretend to cope with the train­ embarrassed gunner. Captain Stone, ed men from Yeo's fleet, he set realizing that his chance for cap­ about selecting some good de­ turing the gunboat was done for, fensive points for his men to re­ was forcibly restrained from de­ tire to while the British ransacked capitating his gunner with his the empty warehouses. He was half sword. What he told the man was determined, in case the visitors reported unfit for publication. took any liberties in the village, to do some retalliation. After their gunboat had pulled out of their line of fire the British Tired out from lugging the ware­ ships turned several guns loose on house stock to places of safety, the Charlotte shore but created no Swift's men sought their blankets damage greater than to rip up some early on the :~ht of Saturday^ May sod and put a hole in the roof of 15. Early Sunday morning, with a Mr. Bushnell's warehouse. After re­ heavy fog making visibility ex- ceiving a second negative reply to '•emely poor, they reassembled on their request for the surrender of the village green for some brief in­ the desired government stores, the structions in the rudiments of the British opened a general bombard­ military art before being dismissed ment on Charlotte, with little or to attend morning service at the no effect, and about sundown hoist­ village church. Their attention was ed anchor and sailed away to the no sooner centered on the "squad northeast. Before the American right" formula of the day, how­ militiamen left Charlotte for their ever, before the fog lifted to dis-

—35— close eight British warships at an­ and wander up the village streets chor off the town. The surprise was in search of amusement. The bar at mutual. The British dropped out Whitney's Tavern soon filled with of sight on the ships' decks. The thirsty Britons. Redcoats rambled militia disappeared over the hill. aimlessly across Salmon Creek While the ships' drums were beat­ Bridge and south along Williamson ing to quarters, Swift succeeded in Road. One party discovered an open halting most of his men near the dooi to the cellai of Andrew Corn­ southern village limits. There, he wall's house, just west of the pres­ stationed one detachment in charge ent Gates Hall, and walked in to of Major William Rogers, along the take liberties with some large pans edge of the ravine where Salmon of milk that had recently been "set" Creek crosses Williamson Road for the cream .o -ise. The sight ot near the old Cragg Mill, now re­ these redccat.s, breaking their modeled as a road house. A second agreement and prowling about group, under his own supervision, among the village homes, caused was posted among some trees where rage to fill the breasts of the Amer­ a shallow east and west dip crosses icans that lurke.J amorig the trees Jay street. This line was located at the forest's edge. Despite the near the present John Ross home, fa.i-' that their officers douot'.ess then the residence of a family cautioned them to, "Set down n' named Owen, which stands barely keep yer shirt on," they fingered 150 yards up the hill from a point ti^eir guns nervously. on the lake road where the Brit­ ish were already landing in small Private James Seely, from be­ boats. With the foremost boat came hind a stump near the Owen home the militia officers, Fuller and on Jay street, noticed a redcoat Church, who had piloted the ships tampering with the windlass of the up to the anchorage and had then well in the Whitney Tavern yard. been set ashore, free men, on con­ Taking a second look at the invad­ dition they would describe to the er, this time across the sights of Americans the terrible things the his rifle as well as the intervening British could do if once let loose to swale, Seely forgot instructions and ravage the countryside. They were let his finger re"' too heavily also to tell the American command­ against his trigger. His shot hit er, Yeo's oft told tale, "that no the soldier in the arm. The bang harm would come to the village if of Seely's gun and the loud yell the British were permitted to and subsequent uncouth language empty the warehouses unmolested." of the injured Briton, raised in­ stant commotion. The warehouse To the warehouse proposal Gen­ guard scurried to cover. The ships eral Swift, of course, readily agreed, ran out their guns and trained insisting, however, on the proviso them on the village. Bullets flew that the British sent ashore to get promiscuously. In their rush back the goods be instructed to keep off to their boats the British soldiers the village streets, in fact, not per­ seized and carried with them the mitted to move outside the fence tavern bartender, the clerk at Led- surrounding the warehouses. All yard's store, and a blacksmith stipulations having been agreed named Russell Cole. Cole broke upon, the work of loading the bar away from his captors as they rels of moldy flour into the ships' neared the boats, and dodging be­ boats was begun. A guard of Brit­ tween some buildings, swam Sal­ ish soldiers was posted along the mon Creek and disappeared in landward side of the warehouse safety amid some brush to the west­ to keep the British in and the ward, despite the shots that fol­ Americans outside of the line fence. lowed him. Shots seemed to be The work of packing the ships' following everyone. Prom a notch boats with barrels proceeded with he liad scooped in the rim of the care and method, but as the sol­ Jay street ravine the rifle of an diers and sailors completed the American named Brockway so special tasks assigned then they annoyed some sailors who were en­ managed, by two and threes, to deavoring to operate a swivel-gun ease their way past their guards from a boat on the beach, that the

—36— gun, prematurely discharged, Rev. Eleazer Fairbanks of Pal­ wounded two British soldiers stand­ myra. ing nearby. Another shot, alleged In the last two engagements the to have come from a boat pulling Genesee militia totaled 800 men, and to the fleet, struck and killed a at Pultneyville there were less than soldier who had lingered to loot a 150. Opposed to this handful of mil chest in an upper room of Whit­ itia were close to 2,000 trained men, ney's Tavern. The chest contained accounted for on the British ihips Masonic insignia. The dead soldier as follows: The frigates, Prince Re was unceremoniously dragged by gent, 485 men; the Princess Char­ his comrades down the tavern stairs lotte, 315; Montreal, 220; Royal and along the street to the shore George, 200; brigs, Charwell, 110, where the British boats were fill­ Star, 110, Netly, 110, and Magnet, ing with men all endeavoring to get 80, a total of 1,600 seamen, plus a back to the safety of their ships. large detachment from the infan­ With all crews finally aboard, the try regiment known as the 1st ships set about raking the village Royal Scots . with round shot. The Fiske home, facing the lake at the foot of Jay Treaty Excluded Navy From Lake street, and in 1814 known as the Peace between Britain and Amer­ Shelby homestead, was several ica was once more established by times pierced with cannon balls. At the Treaty of Ghent, 24 December, the present time the lake beach, 1814, but the "south shore" militia opposite the Fiske home, is border­ was not bothered by the British for ed with lawns and flower beds. In several months preceding the peace 1814 a part of this beach held a declaration. Captain Chauncey's wharf and some warehouses, built American ships, finally fully rig­ in 1808. Shots ripped the roofs from ged, armed and ammunitioned, aft­ these. Most of the older families er their long wait at Sackets Har- in Pultneyville can display, today, boar, appeared in force on Lake On­ samples of British cannon shot re­ tario in July and kept Captain covered from neighboring fields or Yeo busy defending his own ports embedded in their house timbers. until the close of navigation in the fall. Since the peace treaty of 1814 it has not been necessary for eith­ Carry Army Prisoners er Britain or America to maintain Captain Yeo, none too anxious to warships on the Great Lakes. send men ashore to be shot down So, peace be to the lake shore mil­ by concealed riflemen, suddenly dis­ itia, and peace be to the National covered that he had a yearning to Guard. But take warning and do get offshore and out into the lake not confound the two. There were again where there was plenty of and are brave men among the mil­ sea room in case news of his ex­ itia, but lack of unity of action ploits brought Chauncey's squad­ makes them, unfortunately, not al­ ron up from Sackets Harbor look­ ways to be relied upon. It has taken ing for a fight. So, in the after­ this nation 140 years and the sad noon, a western breeze freshening, experience of six wars to learn that. the British ships ceased firing, Early in the history of our state, their spars blossomed with billow­ organized militia drill corps adopt­ ing canvas, and they stood straight ed the name, National Guard. The out to sea in the direction of the term was more properly applied in Canadian shore. With them went 1903, when Congress mad, provis­ two prisoners, carried from the ion to supply the National Guard village in the retreat of the Brit­ with federal equipment and fur­ ish to their boats. These men were nish federal instructors for field Richard White, the Whitney Tav­ training. As late as the World war, ern bartender, and Prescott Fair­ in 1918, it was necessary, under the banks, clerk in Ledyard's store. old law, to resort to the draft in Both returned to Pultneyville after cases of trained National Guard the war, but young Fairbanks, troops, that had already volunteer­ whose health Wad suffered during ed their services, that these troops his imprisonment, died soon after might be brought under proper na­ he reached the home of his father, tional control.

—37— Now, by the National Guard Stat­ troops, prepared for all emergen­ us Bill, enacted in Washington, D. cies. The National Guard is a dis­ C, June 15, 1933, in the form of a tinct from the militia as is the reg­ supplementary amendment to the ular army and navy. National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, the National Guard enters the References: national army automatically when Dr. H h. Fairchild's notes on the needed, its members not being com­ geology of the Rochester region. pelled to suffer the indignities of Dr. F H. Severance's, An Old Frontier of France. the draft. DeBaugy's Journal of the DeNon- The militia was and is a body of ville Expedition. untrained civilians, liable to draft Harper's, Encyclopedia of U. S. and conscription for whatever pur­ History. Laws of the State of New York. pose the state or nation may desire. Admiral Hanford's, Visit of Naval The National Guard is an organized, Vessels to the Genesee River. equipped and trained body of Lewis H. Clark's Military History of Wayne Co., N. Y.

—38— The Battle of Oswego In 1756 (Paper Read Before Oswego Historical Society by John M. Gill April 20, 1939)

Wide and swiftly the river flow­ events that soon were to follow. ed into the lake, between coves In his journal, on August 19, formed on either side by action of he wrote: "We proceed on our waves and current through the cen­ journey on the same river, which turies after recession of glacial ice. is of fine width and deep through­ On the right hand, a towering out, except some shoals where we bluff; to the left, level lands slop­ must get into the water and draw ing upward inshore, and bluffs and the canoe lest the rocks break it." lowlands alternating to the west. On August 20, he noted: "We ar­ To the north, expanse of tumbling rive at the Great Lake, Ontario, waters. Everywhere, growing down called the Lake of the Iroquois." to high water mark, the primeval So Father Le Moine passed on forest. his way, out into Lake Ontario, This was Oswego, "Rapid water," and eastward to the sea, but his in Iroquois and guardianship of the visit, brief as it was in the two mouth of this river and of the lands days during which he was storm­ about it was the sacred trust of bound at Oswego, nevertheless was the Seneca Nation, "Keepers of the to be basis for claim to the river western door," of the Five Na­ and the lands he traversed, by the tions. The lake was Ontario "Pret­ country that had sent him forth ty lake," in Iroquois, theirs to con­ to America. trol from the time the Long House This early claim by France to came into being in the Council Oswego was further substantiated fires of the clans at Onondaga, and by Comte de Frontenac, as the cen­ the might of whose Confederation tury drew to a close, and, as in had spread from Virginia to the July, 1696, he left his heavy bag­ lakes of the north, and westward gage at the mouth of the river and to the plains beyond the Ohio. proceeded with his forces inland, Soon, with the 17th century on upstream, to teach the Five Na­ its way. this primitive scene was tions not lessons of Peace and Joy, to be changed. European powers, but of War and Bloodshed. Comte warring as they had been since de Frontenac returned from the civilization's dawn for commerce hinterland by the same route to and lands, were looking to new Oswego, but he left behind him continents as arenas for renewed hatred for things French among conflict. Great Britain and France the Five Nations, henceforth to be looked to America for more lands allies of Great Britain, and to and increasing trade. hasten the time when Oswego was, for many years to come, to be a Jesuits Preceded Military battleground of nations. Vanguard of French advance­ Great Britain and France were ment in the new world was not in at peace, ostensibly, under provis­ its military heroes, but in the even ions of the Treaty of Utrecht, more militant French Jesuit Mis­ which was vague as most treaties sionaries, seeking souls to be sav­ must be, when those who draft ed. So it was, perhaps, the first them are supremely ignorant of the white man to enter the waters of scope they pretend to cover. this river, and to be paddled down Both nations were exploiting the to its mouth by his Indian guides, Indians in the fur trade, only com­ was Father Simon Le Moine who, merce in new lands that had value in August, 1654, at Onondaga, had in Europe. The Treaty of Utrecht told his Five Nations hearers: failed to define boundaries for "Peace walks along with me; I North American colonies, but drive war afar off among the dis­ home governments in Europe, land- tant nations, and Joy accompanies covetous and trade-hungry, in­ me." structed their colonial governments The promise of peace was not to assert and make good all pos­ long to endure, and the pledge of sible claims. When the fur trade Joy to come was but fleeting, in was actively started in Oswego is

—39— indefinite. Dutch traders from the enac. With the party of 300 trad­ Hudson were at the mouth of the ers and workmen to Oswego came river in 1720, and in 1721 Governor a company of provincial troops Burnet wrote to the Crown from numbering 60 men and three offi­ New York. "This, my Lords, is cers, its first garrison. Four six- the beginning of a great trade that pounder guns were later in the year may be maintained with all the brought from New York. Indians upon the Lakes, and the So trumpets and drums came to cheapness of all our goods, except Oswego, never to cease their powder, above the French, by de­ sounding, except for brief inter­ grees will draw all that trade to ludes, for more than two centuries us." to follow. First Building In 1722 In the years that passed, Oswe­ go became the greatest fur trade In 1722, a trader from the Hud­ post upon the continent. To that son built a trading house at Oswe­ post, where of all in control of the go, subject of a report by French British it was the only one where authorities to Paris in that year, rum could be sold to Indians, came and December 8, 1724, Marquis de Indians from the upper lakes, Vaudrueil, Governor General of spending the entire summer in Canada, advised that the English their long canoe voyages from Su­ and Dutch had a settlement at the perior and Huron forests, bearing mouth of the river Chouaguen, and with them furs from points as far in his opinion "should the English west as the unknown Rocky Moun­ fcrtify Chouaguen, there is diffi­ tains and the great western plains. culty in preserving Niagara, and, More than 100 traders' houses were in losing Niagara, the colony is built at Oswego on both sides of lost and, at the same time, all of the river, and it was a common the trade of the Upper Country sight to see 150 or more canoes Indians, who go more willingly to drawn up on the shores, while In­ the English, since they obtain dians from far and near traded goods there much cheaper and get and bartered furs for trinkets and as much brandy as they like." blankets and bracelets and powder Sieur de Longucuil, aide to the and ball, but more for rum. Governor of Canada, complained For a quarter-century, only ru­ in 1725, while in a mission to the mors of impending strife disturb­ Five Nations, at Onondaga, to gain ed the garrison at Oswego, which consent for erection of a French meanwhile had been permitted to fort at Niagara, that he was de­ drop in strength to one officer and tained on the Oswego River, twelve 30 men, in spite of pleas of Sir miles from its mouth, by a party William Johnson and others, that of 300 English traders who were the post be strengthened. From bound for Oswego and compelled 1750 on there were border incur­ to show his passports. The French, sions and raids on both sides, and under the Indian consent, fortified in 1754 the fur traders, except a Niagara that year and built two few of the more brave or less sailing ships there. timid, left Oswego when it appear­ ed war was imminent. War act­ Fort Oswego Built In 1727 ually was not declared until May Fort Oswego, on the west bank 17, 1756, but the two previous years of the Oswego River at its mouth, had witnessed an undeclared war­ was not built until 1727, its com­ fare on the northern frontier. pletion reported to the Board of In 1754 the garrison at Oswego Trade August 24, by Governor Bur­ was increased to 100 men, with net who, describing the rapids of Captain Edward King in command. the St. Lawrence River in his re­ He was an alert and vigilant offi­ port, gave his opinion no seige guns cer and his reports indicated he could be brought westward by the kept constantly in touch, as cir­ French, and that the fort at Os­ cumstances permitted, with the wego was sufficiently strong movements of the French at Niag­ against small arms or even the ara and Frontenac. patereros, guns which one man If Great Britain was preparing may carry in his arms, with which for war, the same was true of the the French had armed Fort Front- French and of the two forces tn America, in the northern sphere where the French guard laid dead of activity to come, the French in piles and, forming the celebrat­ were far more enterprising and ed hollow square, blazed death on far more alive to the objectives all sides against French efforts to most desired and the means of dislodge them. The court prepared their attainment. to flee. Marshal Saxe mounted a horse and, after the French artil­ Fontenoy Prelude lery, the French cavalry and every Prior to the Seven Years' War, effort by French troops had failed, or the French and Indian War as rode to a side of the battlefield, its engagements in America were where two brigades, ordered not to termed, the accolade of experience engage, had stood under arms since In battle was given to those troops daybreak. that had met on May 11, 1745, at They too were British, but exiles Fontenoy in Belgium, in the war from Scotland and Ireland, sympa­ of the Austrian succession. thizers from the rebellion in the Because that particular battle north and haters of the German had connection with the war in succession to the throne of Eng­ America, as well as for its strategic land. Two regiments were Scot­ and tactical repute from the view­ tish; two were Irish. Marshal Saxe point of a study of military science, gave the command and the Irish its main features may be recalled. and Scottish brigades moved to the British troops and Hanoverians attack. In eight minutes the Brit­ were allied against the French, ish square was broken, and Font­ then beseiging Tournai, with relief enoy was won for France but not of that city the British objective. by French arms. The Duke of Cumberland com­ manded the allies, and Marshal A war serves the purpose, if the Saxe, the French Fontenoy was interval be not too long, for the thP high-light of King Louis experience of leadership in the XV's military career. He and the next war to come. The profession Dauphin and the dukes and nobil­ of arms can only be made expert ity of Versailles were present, with by its practice. Fontenoy was the ladies of the court, to witness the cradle for the Seven Years' War spectacle. His Majesty was there and its lessons were not forgot­ also to lend authority to Marshal ten. Saxe, who, ill with dropsy, directed Traditional enemies who had met French troops from a sort of at Fontenoy were again to resort phaeton or light carriage in which to arms to settle long-standing dif­ he was driven about the battle­ ferences on the American frontier. field. In the approved continental method of engaging the enemy, the Bounties Of War armies deployed, face to face. There was no misunderstanding on the part of American colonists Lord Charles Hay, a British of­ as to what war with the French ficer, stepped out of the British ranks and, waving a flask, shout­ would mean. The French held ed across the intervening space Crown Point and Ticonderoga and to where the French troops stood; raids to the Mohawk and the Hud­ he hoped the French would stay son not only were possible but, and drink with him and not run as based on experience, extremely at Dittigen. A French officer, po probable. More than 4000 residents lite but not understanding English of exposed frontiers in New York too well, stepped from his command and New England left their homes and, doffing his hat in salute, re­ for safer havens, when the unde­ plied that the French could never clared warfare started. There was fire first and implored the British reluctance on the part of colonials to have that honor. The British to enlist in sufficient numbers in did, and the carnage was the great­ the British and provincial troops est in history, as indeed was the being raised. As in England, it be­ toll of dead and maimed on both came necessary to proclaim boun­ sides for the numbers engaged. ties, but in America the bounties From seven o'clock until mid-after­ were in land grants, not in money, noon the battle raged. The British and the bounties in effect later advanced to the height of land were to be basis for the land grants of the Revolutionary War. early in 1755, was instructed to A colonel would receive 1,000 strengthen the fortifications at Os­ acres of land in New York, New wego; to increase its garrison, and Hampshire or Nova Scotia; a lieu­ to insure command of Lake On­ tenant-colonel or major, 750 acres, tario by construction and mainten­ a captain, 500; a lieutenant or en­ ance of ships upon that lake. sign, 400, and a private soldier, 20J acres, and these grants would pass Plans For Oswego to widows or children of any kill­ A Council of Colonial Governors ed during the war. was held April 14, 1755, in Alexan­ There were other bounties not so dria, Va. The Council and General openly cited. They were paid on Braddock waited three weeks for both sides in the war that was to Governor Shirley to appear. The come in America, and were to be campaign was mapped, with Brad responsible for massacres and for dock to subdue Fort Duquesne, on cruelties that previously had never the Monongahela; Major General been brought into warfare be­ William Johnson to take Crown tween civilized nations. Point and Ticonderoga; and Major The colonial governments agreed General William Shirley to take to pay: "For the person of a male Fort Niagara. To General Shirley prisoner, Indian, above twelve fell the duty of carrying out the Os­ years og age, the sum of $150; for wego program as incidental to his a scalp of a male Indian more than mission at Niagara. The conference twelve years of age, $130; for the was attended by Commodore Au­ scalp of a female Indian more than gustus Keppel, Royal Navy, com­ twelve years of age, $50; for the manding the British Fleet in North rescue of each English prisoner American waters. He agreed to taken by the Indians, unharmed, furnish the plans for the ships to $350; for the scalp of an Indian be built at Oswego and the officers Chief, $350." A notation on the to sail them. posting of this proclamation was General Braddock had been in piously worded: "It is thus neces­ command of a battalion of the sity obliges Christians to descend Coldstream Guards at Fontenoy to cruel measures." and an aid to the Duke of Cumber­ Fear of death at the hands of In­ land. He informed the Council the dians ,or capture and worse than capture of Fort Duquesne would death to follow, not alone held back be a matter of "two or three days, American recruiting. It was to at most, and thence 1 shall march handicap effoctiveness of British on to Niagara." Benjamin Franklin, troops for three years; to delay who was his quartermaster general campaigns; to cause men brave by in a civilian capacity, doubted the European war standards to hes- latter part of the statement. Brad­ tate trusting themselves into the dock had the 35th and the 42d Regi­ dark forests and mountains, fearful ments in his force, arrived in lest the abzoriginal war-whoop April from Ireland. Captain Hora­ would be their first warning of tio Gates commanded the New death from ambush. York troops. He was training for Fort Oswego was the look-out Saratoga to come, 22 years later, post for England on Lake Ontario. Braddock was ambushed July 9 Its importance was recognized in 1755, Lieut. Col. Thomas Gage, later June, 1754, when the Council of commandant at Fort Ontario, of Colonial Commissioners met in Al­ Lexington and Concord and Bun­ bany and adopted a resolution, of­ ker Hill, commanding the advance fered by Thomas Pownall, Deputy guard, waylaid by the French and Governor of New Jersey, that Os­ Indians. The tactics of Fontenoy wego be made a naval base, and were not those of Duquesne. Brad the reaction was sent fortwith to dock was shot by one of his own England and approved by the min­ men, died July 15, and was buried istry. Plans for suitable ships were at night, Col. George Washington prepared by the Admiralty and be­ reading the burial service, and his fore he departed for America, grave unmarked that it might not Major General Edward Braddock, be the lot of a French Indian to claim a British General's scalp. Niagara. The river batteaux were Duquesne had proven more than a unsuited for lake passages, for two-day task. which the French batteaux were MeanwhUe, General Shirley un­ well adapted. dertook his mission. But delays Col. Peter Schuyler's advance de­ were many in its accomplishment, tachment of New Jersey provin­ delays that were later to bring his cials reached Oswego July 20, and recall to England and invited se­ he with the remainder and the ar­ vere criticism in America. tillery some days later. General A force of 320 shipwrights, ship- Shirley arrived August 17, with the smiths and artificers were recruit­ two regular regiments, except for ed in Philadelphia. Boston and New the artillery which Col. Mercer York to build the ships at Oswego. brought up August 31. At a Council The first workman reached Oswe­ of War, Sept. 18, decision was go on May 27; the shipwrights from reached to move against Niagara Boston ten days later. When the and provisions and supplies were men had been assembled and had loaded on the vessels. Sept. 26, the started felling trees for timber, ii troops were ordered to embark, bui was found only one bellows had a heavy gale brought necessity for been included in the equipment and disembarking. only one forge could be worked. At a Council of War the day fol­ Difficulties may be comprehended lowing, decision was reached to from the fact every tool, every bit cancel the Niagara expedition be­ of iron-work; every block and piece cause of lateness of the season, and of rigging and equipment had to be to leave workmen and the garrison transported to Oswego and much to the task of building two other of the gear brought from England. forts, winter quarters, barracks and more ships and barges. Gen­ The First Ship eral Shirley returned to Albany On June 28, the first English and disbanded his three companies man-of-war built on the Great of New York provincials, and ac­ Lakes was launched from ways on tivities against the enemy ceased what was later known as the Upper for the winter months. Island, close under the walls of In Shirley's forces was Captain Fort Ontario, but then the spit en­ James Barrett, who organized and closing the west cove. This ship led the Minutemen "t Lexington was His Majesty's Ship "Oswego," and Concord, and in whose house 40 feet on the keel, schooner-rig­ were stored the munitions which ged, with 12 swivel guns as arma­ the British troops from Boston ment. She was small, by modern sought to capture at the outset of standards, but the Royal George, the War of the Revolution. Wil­ launched February 18, in England liam Alexander, afterward Lord that year and Britain's largest line Stirling of the Revolutionary Army, of battleship, was but 144 ft. on the was Shirley's military secretary. keel and had been building ten Shirley, on his return to New years. Small as she was, Commo­ York, complained to the English dore William Bradley, R. N., dis­ Ministry Sir William Johnson, had played his broad pennant and, tak­ refused to give him Five Nations ing command, the "Oswego" hoist­ Indians to aid his expedition. Sir ed her topsails and sailed from the William, replying to an inquiry, river into the lake while a four- wrote he was certain Shirley would pounder gun boomed a salute from find all the Indians he wanted at the fort and drums sounded. Oswego. He did not explain they Other ships followed, larger in would be French Indians. The size and of heavier armament. truth of it was that the Five Na­ They were the "Ontario," the tions were reluctant to fight at "Victory" and the "George," one a Oswego, holding it treaty ground; snow, one a brigantine and another and a place for peaceful trading. schooner, and two hundred batteaux There was also the fact that hun­ and whaleboats were assembled, dreds of Indians who had been won either built at Oswego or brought over by Abbe Francois Picquet, at from Schenectady to convey to La Presentation, were Iroquois and

—43— fought with the French at Oswego. which it dominated from its posi­ There were no Indians in the Oswe­ tion on the high ground which go garrison in 1756. sloped from its lakeward side to The winter was a severe one, of Fort Oswego. Within musket shot extreme frost. French Indians hai to the south and west was forest, assed workers; rations were short; and it was not until the first day salt meat brought on black scurvy; of the Battle of Oswego that brush fear of Indians kept hunting par­ and trees were cleared from its ties close to the fort. immediate vicinity. As spring of 1756 came, the situa­ The Garrison consisted of the tion at Oswego had been changed. 50th and 51st Regiment of Foot, There were three forts; Fort Os­ which had been at Fontenoy and wego, enlarged and strengthened had been ordered to America in by outworks, Fort Ontario built on 1754, to become known as Shirley's, the east bluff, and Fort George or the 1st American Regiment, and Pepperel's or the 2nd Ameri­ on the rise of ground southwest of can Regiment, and Col. Schuyler's Fort Oswego. New Jersey Provincial Regiment, Forts At Oswego In 1756 with an artillery train plus th« Fort Oswego was built of loose seamen and workmen and bat- fy ly cemented stone, about 100 feet teaux-men, all of whom were arm­ square, two stories high, with gal­ ed, the batteaux-men with hatch­ leries for riflemen and loopholes ets especially provided. above and below, embrasures for Colonel Mercer of Pepperel's twelve cannon. Around it, 18 feet Regiment was in command. He from the walls, was a stone wall had gone on half-pay after Fonte­ 10 feet high, loopholed, with towers noy and was gazetted to the 2d on the landward corners. Further, American Regiment October 7, on the landward side were trench­ 1754, the same date on which Ma­ es built in 1755 and early in 1756, jor (later Lieut. Col.) John Little- inside of which were wooden bar­ hales, also a Fontenuy veteran, racks, storehouses, a hospital was gazetted to Shirley's Regi­ building and other structures. ment, which he commanded at Fort Ontario was a square, 180 Oswego. feet on a side, the landward sides Colonel John Bradstreet, for­ broken by angled extensions to mer Lieut. Governor of St. John's, make the shape not unlike an ir­ Newfoundland in 1746, in 1755 had regular star. Smoothed logs, 18 been placed in charge of forward­ inches in diameter and joined ing stores to Oswego from the tightly, rose eight or nine feet Hudson. In 1756 he was appoint­ above the level. Around the inside ed Commissary General for British of the walls were platforms for forces in America and continued riflemen and loopholes and em­ his direction of supplying the Os­ brasures lower down for cannon. wego garrison, a task he accom­ Around the structures was a plished with distinction, as he did ditch 18 feet wide and eight or other more aggressively military ten feet in depth, the excavated duties later in the war, for which earth being used to add to the he was promoted to Major-General strength of the ramparts and to and made Deputy Quartermaster slope steeply the ditch approaches General of the British Army. With Its guns commanded the land­ spring, Bradstreet resumed the ward side and it was built in the assemblage of munitions and middle of the bluff so that guns stores at Oswego. could not bear effectively on either the lake or river side. Batteau Transport Fort George was merely a pali­ Difficulties of transport in sade of wood 10 feet high, embank­ America were recognized in Eng­ ed with a surrounding trench land, where the following descrip­ never completed. It had no guns tion of troops movements to Os­ and was at best a mere expedient wego was published: as a fortification. It stood 1800 "The fort at Oswego is reckoned feet southwest of Fort Oswego, near 300 miles almost due west

•44- from Albany, in New York, but the about 30 miles and is passed in way to it is more convenient as the calm weather with great pleasure far greater part of it admits of as well as facility. From the est- water carriage, by what they call ern end issues the river Onondaga batteaux, which is a light flat- which, after a course of between bottomed boat, wide in the mid­ 20 and 30 miles, unites with the dle, and at each end sharp-point­ Cayuga or Seneca River, and their ed, of about 1500 lbs. burden, and united stream runs into Ontario is managed by two batteaux-men, Lake where the Fort Oswego is with paddles and setting poles, as situated. From Oneyda Lake the rivers are in many places too therefore the batteaux have the narrow to admit of oars. From current in their favor, and it is Albany the travelers set out first pretty rapid, but this renders the by land, for the village of Schenec­ passage the more difficult and tady, which is a land carriage of hazardous, as the river through 16 miles, in a good wagon road. the >vhole of its courte abounds From thence to the Little Falls, in in rifts and rocks and, about 12 the Mohock River, at 65 miles dis­ miles on this side of Oswego, there tance, the passage is by water car­ is a fall of 11 feet perpendicular. riage up that river, consequently Here, therefore, there is another against the stream which in many portage which does not exceed 40 places is a little rapid, and iR yards, when the batteaux launch some so shallow that the men are, for the last time and proceed with when the water is low, obliged to an easy course to Oswc o." turn out and draw their batteaux over the rifto with hard labor. De Vaudreuil, reporting to the At the Little Falls there is a Ministry in Paris in 1755, had em­ portage, or land carriage, for about phasized the threat of Oswego to a mile, where the ground being French claims for possession of marshy will admit of no wheel the south shore of Lake Ontario, carriages, and therefore a colony stating: "From the hour of its of Germans, settled there, keep foundation, Chouaguen is the sledges on which they draw the rendezvous of the different Indian loaded batteaux, to the next place tribes. It is from Chouaguen pro­ of embarkation on the same river. ceed all the belts and messages From thence they proceed by the English scatter among the water up that river for 60 miles to Far Nations. It was always at the carrying place near the head Chouaguen that the English held of it, where there is another port­ Councils with the Indians, and by age, which is longer or shorter, ac­ means of presents, principally of cording to the dryness or wetness intoxicating liquors, persuaded of the season, being usually in the them to assassinate the French. summer months, six or eight miles In fine, Chouaguen is, consequent­ over. Here the batteaux are con­ ly, the direct cause of all the veyed in the same manner as at troubles that have supervened in the Little Falls, and at the fuf1 the Colony and of the infinitude ther end of this portage they of expenses these have entailed on launch into a narrow river called the King." Wood Creek, which runs into the The reduction of Chouaguen, or Oneyda Lake. Down this river Oswego, naturally followed as the they proceed with a gentle stream first essay of Montcalm when he to the lake, distant about 40 miles, took French command in the but thougl. the current be in their North American theatre of war". favour, the passage is troublesome as the river is shallow and its Influence Of Sea Power banks covered by thick woods of No more striking example of large trees which, by falling into the influence of sea power on it, often obstruct the passage of history exists than in events lead­ the batteaux until they are remov­ ing up to the capture of Oswego. ed or their branches lopped off The service of information and by the batteau-men. The Oneyda security was never more ably de­ Lake stretches from east to west monstrated, and while forces en­ gaged on Lake Ontario might be considered insignificant compared Koyal Engineers was ordered to with those otherwise active afloat reconnoitre Oswego and plan its in the other theatres of the Seven siege. Bigot, Intendant of Canada, Years' War, yet if the loss of Os­ was entrusted with the same du­ wego was of major importance to ties Colonel Bradstreet performed the English, so too must sea pow­ for the English, the service of er of the French be given full transport and supply. weight in enabling French objec­ DeVillier accomplished his mis­ tives to be attained in the cam­ sion well. No working party out­ paign. side of the Oswego fortifications The capture of Oswego other­ was safe after early April; no bat- wise demonstrated effectively the teaux along the river could move desirability of singleness of com­ without the constant fear by their mand. The strategy of Montcalm, crews of attack. French and In­ his skillful movement and disposi­ dian scalping parties, hidden in the tion of troops at his command, forests, cut off stragglers; bat- the measures taken to conceal teaux-men demanded and had to those movements; and the celerity be paid higher wages for the risks of accomplishment in disregard of incurred. On April 12, twelve car the very handicaps of which the penters working 300 yards from English leadership complained, Fort Oswego were killed, scalp­ was in decided contrast to the ed or taken prisoners; on May 17, forces and the delays and long- two miles up the Oswego River an clumsy movement of the English officer, soldier and Indian were drawn-out preparations for any killed in an onset; on June 16, the movements that could not but be forts were harassed by musketry, communicated to the enemy long after batteaux-men had been at­ before possibility of accomplish­ tacked, and six killed, with the ment. New Jersey regiment losing 26 men killed, the regular troops 6, Louis Joseph de St. Veran, Mar­ and many others wounded. Trans­ quis de Montcalm, Field Marechal port along the river became more of the armies of France, was a perilous. Bradstreet ordered soldier by profession rather than by chance or necessity. He too movements concentrated and as had been at Fontenoy and had dis­ many as 400 whaleboats and bat- tinguished himself at Placenza.? teaux moved in convoy at one time When he took command in Ameri­ for protection. On July 3, 1756, ca, he energized the entire estab­ Bradstreet was attacked at Battle lishment, sparing himself little I. and, where a four-hour forest and his troops not at all. battle followed, with his losses 40 killed and 24 wounded. Brad­ Flans Of The Campaign street had with him Captain Since 1755 the French had main­ Phillip Schuyler, Captain Marinus tained an out-post at Six Town Willett and Captain John Butler Point at the mouth of the Black at the time, all of whom were to River, which they called Naioure serve in a later war with distinc­ Bay, whence were dispatched the tion. scouting parties that maintained Colonel Bradstreet, after the en­ contact with English activities at gagement at Battle Island, learned Oswego. This outpost was com­ from French prisoners he had tak­ manded by Sieur de Villier, who en that Montcalm planned to at­ had led the French and Indians in tack Oswego, and hastening to the defeat of Braddock at Fort Schenectady, arriving July 11, left Duquesne. De Villier was ordered his men and boats there, and the to take his forces and harass Eng­ day following reported to Major lish com lunications along the Os­ General James Abercrombie at Al­ wego River. Sieur de Rigaud de bany, urging reinforcements be Vaudrueil relieved him at Naioure sent at once. Abercrombie order­ Bay with Canadian and Indian re­ ed Major General Webb with the inforcements which were to b the 44th Regiment to leave for Os­ vanguard for the Oswego expedi­ wego, but while the regiment was tion. Major Descombles of the preparing to depart, the Earl of

—46— Loudoun, ordered from England westward in Lake Ontario in sight to command the troops in Ameri­ of the garrison, to indicate the ca, arrived and in the argument French might be contemplating a with Albany and other interests, campaign to the Belle Riviere, fearful of attack from Crown which they called the Ohio. These Point and Ticonderoga, it was were the batteaux reported, fur­ August 12, before Webb and the ther to confuse the English high 44th left. When they reached command as to ultimate French Wood's Creek, they met escaped objectives. members of the Oswego garrison Montcalm himself on June 27. and Webb halted and had his men departed for Lake George. He re­ cut trees to block the creek and mained there only long enough to returned to Albany. Had the 44th make certain that the English been dispatched in mid-July, re­ command believed he was plan­ sults at Oswego might have been ning a campaign from Crown different. Point against the English settle­ First Naval Engagement ments on the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, a report he took care was The English fleet then of three widely circulated and which was ships had been since early June credited by Sir William Johnson, cruising in Lake Ontario in an by General Abercrombie and by effort by the officers to learn the Earl of Loudoun and which something of the waters. There was to prevent dispatch of forces were no charts, no sailing direc­ to augment the Oswego garrison. tions, no lighthouses or aids to Montcalm returned to Montreal navigation. But there were July 19, and ten days later was at French men-of-war and on one of Fort Frontenac, rendezvous and these exploratory cruises on June base for the Oswego campaign. 26 occurred the first engagement, Again sea power demonstrated the a running fight with H. M. S. lesson of history. While French "Oswego," Commodore Bradley, men-of-war maintained the serv­ 45 men; H. M. S. "Ontario," Cap­ ice of information and security tain J. Lafory, 45 men, and a smal­ off Oswego, Beam's Regiment ler schooner, the "Alert," Lieut. was transported in other vessels Farmer with 14 men, the English from Niagara to Frontenac with ships endeavoring to reach Os­ artillery and siege equipment; and wego, and the French vessels, the from Montreal to Lake Ontario "Marquis de Vandreuil" and the fame de la Sarre's regiment and "Victoire," both bark-rigged, with the Regiment of Guyenne, sup crews of 60 men each to cut them plemented by Canadians and In­ off. The larger English ships dians, in all 3000 men, of whom made the safety of the forts, but 1300 were in the French regiments. the French captured Farmer and These were no haphazard troops; his ship and crew. English cruis­ ihey had been at Fontenoy and ing was halted effectively and the elsewhere, shock troops, the equal French remained alert to keep of any troops anywhere, judged their enemies afloat close to Os­ by any standard. wego, stalemating any effort through the fleet to secure infor­ On August 4, Montcalm left mation of movements by French Frontenac with the first division, forces on the lake. Two other comprising the Montreal regi­ ships snow and brigantine rigged, ments, with four pieces of artil- respectively, were later launched. ler, and two days later reached Their cost was 22,000 pounds Ster­ Naioure Bay. The second division ling, an account long disputed be­ arrived August 8, and on the same tween the colonies and England. day de Rigaud left for Wigwam Cove, now Sandy Creek Bay. Montcalm did not neglect use French Moved By Night of his sea-power. He directed that the French men-of-war cruise On August 10, de Rigaud, with on and off Oswego, guarding the the advance guard, following a movements of batteaux loaded line of march outlined by Descom- with soldiers who were to move bles, arrived at Baldwin's Bay. The

—47— first division followed and arriv­ Fort Ontario Abandoned ed at midnight, coming by bat- teaux, and at once a battery of Captain John Barford, of Pep- four guns masked by bushes was perel's Regiment, was in com­ erected to command the lake ap­ mand of Fort Ontario and had a proaches to the camp. The ex­ garrison of 370 men, and at noon pedition had moved so far only on the 13th he advised Colonel by night; the batteaux entering Mercer the French batteries were rivers in daylight hours. Descom in position. He was ordered to bles reconnoitering Fort Ontario, spike his guns, destroy ammuni­ in the early hours of August 11th tion and provisions not transport­ was killed by a Nipising Indian able and to withdraw across the who mistook him for an English­ river. He accomplished the move­ man. Desandronious, another ment without loss and went to French engineer, started a road Fort George to join Colonel Schuy­ from the bay to Fort Ontario for ler who had 100 men of Shirley's the artillery, and this road was Regiment and 126 of his own en­ completed in 24 hours. gaged since morning, under Cap­ tain Patrick Mackeller of the The first intimation of French Royal Engineers, in endeavoring investing Oswego came from shots to prepare what had been three fired by Indians at soldiers out­ days previously in use for a cattle side the battlements of Fort On­ pen, for defense. As Barford mov­ tario. The English ships, ordered ed up the hill from Fort Ontario, to cruise eastward, fired a broad­ there came a roll of drums and & side at the camp which fell short, burst of field music and cheers, and fire from the masked battery as the flag of France rose to the hulled both of the ships and on top of the staff of the fort so easily their return, to the surprise of won. The garrison of Fort On­ Commodore Bradley and his offi­ tario was piling barrels of pork cers, the 12 lb. shot cut out of the and beef in bastions to protect timbers, bore their own King's the camp against fire from the broad arrow. The English effort east and bringing guns to bear in to obtain information or to pre­ that direction. vent French troop movements from the lake side was futile. On The French during the night of August 12, the second division of the 13th extended the parallel to the French army, Beam's Regi­ the river bank, men throughout the ment, arrived with more artillery night carrying the cannon by hand and the batteaux were unloaded at tremendous labor in the broken while the English ships cruised at ground covered with tree stumps. a distance. They had been cau­ By daybreak a battery of nine tiously handled at best. Captain guns was bearing on Fort Oswego Pouchot, of Beam's Regiment, be­ and opened fire. Montcalm ordered came the seige engineer and de Rigaud to invest Fort George, trenches were started that night and the Canadians and Indians under his direction, with six pick­ waded and swam the river in view ets of 50 men each working with of the English garrison and took two companies of grenadiers to station in the woods. Guns of Fort guard against sorties. Pouchot, Oswego had been replying to the after the war, wrote his Memoirs, French fire from daybreak, and at a valuable source record for de­ 8 o'clock Colonel Mercer was killed tails of the Frontier war. by a cannon ball, while engaged in directing emplacement of guns to The trench or parallel was 300 bear more directly against the feet long, more than six feet in French. He was killed by an Eng depth and was advanced to with lish shot from an English cannon, in 90 feet of Fort Ontario by five for the heavy artillery used by o'clock on the morning of August Montcalm in reducing Oswego was 13. The garrison of Fort Ontario that captured from Braddock at he had been firing throughout the Battle of the Monongahela and ex­ day without causing casualties or plained the British proof-mark on in any way halting the seige the shot that hulled the English ships the day previous. works.

—48— The English ships did not fire a as Lieutenant Montcrief of Shir­ shot. Commodore Bradley had tak­ ley's and Lieutenant Drake of Pep- en 80 grenadiers on board the brig- perel's, and a drummer, entered a antine and other soldiers on the whaleboat, crossed the river and other three ships, but was unable met Marquis de Montcalm to win to put to sea because of a north­ what favorable terms they could west wind and sea, but there were for the surrender of Oswego. also the French ships not far in the During the parley the French offing, waiting. troops crossed the river and com­ At 9:30 o'clock. Colonel Little- pletely invested the Fort. Taking hales ordered the Fort George gar­ advantage of the cessation of fight­ rison to go to Fort Oswego and ing, 50 men of the garrison, includ­ join his forces, and at the same ing a score who had been once in hour Montcalm ordered an advance French service and the remainder from Fort Ontario across the river. sailors from the fleet, took to Inside Fort Oswego, and the add­ the woods with hope of making ed make-shift battlements, were their way to safety. The scalp yell assembled all the English—regulars, of French Indians told that all did provincials, workmen, batteau- not win through; those who did men, sailors, women—centering brought the first news of English their attention across the river. disaster to the Mohawk and Eng­ Colonel Littlehales stood where the lish high command. artillery train and 50 of Shirley's Montcalm sent the following pro­ Regiment were serving a battery of posals : four guns. The French fire ceased. "The Marquis de Montcalm, army From in the rear of the French bat­ and field marshal, commander in tery, from the gate of Fort Ontario, chief of his Most Christian Ma­ marched a body of troops. The jesty's troops, is ready to receive morning sun shone on the glitter­ a capitulation upon honorable con­ ing bayonets, so clearly was the ditions, surrendering to him all the movement in view that the sparkle forts; he requires them to be pris­ of sunlight on buckles on officers' oners of war; they shall be shown shoes was recorded by an English all the regard the politest of na­ officer in his notes. The morning tions can show; I send an aide de sun shone too on red tunics, faced camp on my part, Mons. de Bou- with emerald greer. and Littlehale, gainaville, captain of dragons; they turning to an aide, said: "God, need only to send the capitulation the Irish Brigade." The troops to be signed; I require an answer that had participated in breaking by noon. I have kept Mr. Drake as the British square at Fontenoy a hostage. were marching down the bluff to whaleboats in the east cove, to MONTCALM." gtorm Fort Oswego. The English reply was as fol­ lows: Parley Precedes Surrender Terms of Surrender But before the first boat could brave the fire from the defensive "The demand made by the Com­ works, drums sounded again at mandant of Oswego from the Mar­ Fort Oswego, but not the long roll quis de Montcalm, army and field of defiant attention or pulse-stirring marshal to the King, commander in rapid beat of the charge, but the chief of his Most Christian Ma­ "chamade," the notes for a parley, jesty's troops in North America: as a white flag rose on the staff, Article I. The garrison shall sur­ and firing on both sides ceased. render prisoners of war and shall Only was there to be heard cheers be conducted from thence to Mon­ of the French, echoing across the treal, where they shall be treated river; a distant Indian shout in the with humanity, and every one shall forest; wailing of women in the have treatment agreeable to their fort; and the muttering of men respective ranks, according to the who had fought and lost, and for custom of war. whom the Battle of Oswego was Article II. Officers, soldiers and over. individuals shall have their bag­ The drums beat again and again, gage and clothes and they shall be

-49— allowed to carry them along with bullets, tons of other shells, bombs them. and grenades; 1,386 barrels of pork Article III. They shall remain and beef; 700 barrels of biscuits; prisoners of war until they are ex­ 700 odd of flour; 32 live oxen; the changed. military chest containing 18,000 To which Montcalm made an­ Pounds Sterling, and much more in swer as follows: provisions and value. The report "I accept of the above articles to the French minister of war list­ in the name of his Most Christian ed the loss of Oswego as 20,000,- Majesty under the condition of de­ 000 livres. livering up faithfully the stand­ There were four men of war cap­ ards and drums, fortifications, am­ tured, and three armed barges; 200 munition, magazines, barks and batteaux; 100 whale boats and stores batteaux, with their appurtenances. of marine equipment and fittings. "I give full power to Mons. de la Twelve British naval officers were Pauze, major-general, to ratify this among the prisoners and the French present capitulation and to agree listed a total of 80 officers of all upon the manner of become master grades and ranks as subject to ex­ of the said fort, of which our change. troops shall take possession and to insure the garrison from receiv­ Montcalm dispersed his Indians ing any insult. on August 15 and forwarded of­ ficer-prisoners to Montreal, and on "Given at the camp before Os­ August 21 departed from Oswego, wego the 14th day (at 11 o'clock in smoke rising from burning forts the morning) of the month of Au­ and buildings and materials and gust, 1756. boats not considered moveable, MONTCALM." while on the shore at the mouth of So Oswego fell and as Sieur de the river there stood a cross, erect­ Bourlamague, with the French reg­ ed by the ubiquitous Abbe Francois ulars, took command of the forts, Picquet, Prefect Apostolic to Con- and as the Canadians and Indians ada, bearing the words, "In hoc pillaged the camp and the English signo vincunt," but did he, per­ prepared themselves to be prisoners chance, recall the words of Fa­ of war, there were after a brief ther Le Moine: "Peace walks along period drums sounding and guns with me; I drive war afar off firing. It was Marquis de Montcalm among the distant nations; and Joy paying a finla tribute to Colonel accompanies me?" Mercer; to Descombles, his engi­ The Oswego campaign was ac­ neer; to Lieut, de la Court of the complished in one day less than English artillery, the latter of one month, an undertaking that for whom, wounded in his tent, had speed and attainment must stand been slain and scalped by a French out as a striking example of strat­ Indian. They were laid to rest egy and careful planning by Mont­ with other dead on the west bank calm and of skillful moving of of the Oswego River, south of the troops under conditions that make Fort, far from their homes across the achievement remarkable. the sea. Mercer's only monument is a street that bears his name in Aftermath Effect the Oswego of today. In 20 batteaux the captured of­ French losses were 80 men kill­ ficer personnel from Oswego were ed and wounded; the English 150, conveyed under guard to Montreal, including those killed by Indians in where they arrived August 19, a reprisals. British officer reporting as fol­ The English prisoners numbered lows; in all 1,600, including soldiers, sail­ About five in the morning we ar­ ors, batteau-men, artificers and 120 rived at Montreal, where we saw women, wives of the officers and the shore lined ,_'ith a great num­ soldiers of the garrison. The stores ber of Indians; Lieut—Col. Little- captured were tremendous, consid­ hales being commanding officer, ering the difficulty of transport to stepped first on shore and was im­ Oswego from the Hudson, and in­ mediately seized by a number of cluded 120 cannon of all kinds, 23,- these savages, who buffeted him, 000 lbs. of powder, four tons of lead kicked him down and would have

—50— killed him but were prevented by become more outspoken and indig­ some regulars, sent by the Gover­ nant in the succession of disasters nor's orders to guard us up; we that had come to British arms in were drove about and used ex­ the year 1756. General Shirley was tremely ill, till we got to the pal­ recalled and went to be governor ace; the Indians like so many hell­ of the Bahamas, not a victor's re­ hounds were as they said eager for ward. The King prorogued Par­ revenge, but in a little while were liament but did not stifle the crit­ sent under a guard to different icism of his ministry, charged with quarters in the town, and in a day Oswego's loss by neglect properly or two came abroad and were to safeguard the place. Admiral never used ill after by the Indians. Byng was tried by court-martial It is custom among them to buffet and sentenced to death, was shot by prisoners on their arrival, and our a firing squad of marines on the Mohawks use their prisoners in the quarterdeck of H. M. S. Monarque same manner." in Portsmouth, not for cowardice but for failure of accomplishment There were drums resounding in the rising tide of public anger. through the narrow streets of Que­ Fearing French invasion, Par­ bec, Montreal and Three Rivers; liament authorized employment of marching troops; cheering crowds. 8,000 troops of Hesse-Cassel to gar­ The four Royal standards of Shir­ rison strong points in England. ley's Regiment, of Pepperel's Regi­ These were the Hessians of the ment of the New Jersey Regiment American Revolution, disliked in were deposited with solemn cere­ England as they later were in mony in the churches of the French America. Their cost to Britain was cities. The 50th and the 51st Regi­ 163,367 Pounds a year against 79,915 ment of Foot ceased to exist, for Pounds appropriated for the four when the standards of a British English regiments in America. regiment are lost, the regiment is no more. Some of the prisoners from Os­ In the Monthly Chronologer, Lon­ wego were sent to France, to be don, appeared these items: Friday, held for exchange; many remained October 29: His Majesty, in Coun­ in Montreal, among them Col. Peter cil, was pleased to order that the Schuyler, there for more than two Parliament which was to meet years until exchanged for the November 18, should be prorogued French commandant of Frontenac, to Thursday, Dec. 2, next. after the latter's capture. Lieut. Saturday, October 30: Arrived, at Montcrief, who parleyed the sur­ Plymouth, the Mermaid man of render of Oswego, lived to be aid war from Boston, in New England, to General Predieux and to negoti­ having on board his excellency, Ma­ ate for the English, terms of the jor General Shirley. surrender by the French of Fort • Saturday, Nov. 6, Arrived at Niagara. Captain Mackellar was Plymouth, the Renomee, from gazetted to the Corps of Engineers Quebeck, having 384 officers and in the first regiment of engineers soldiers of the garrison of Oswego, to be organized in the British army on board, to exchange for French May 20, 1757. prisoners. From the ruins of Fort Ontario The fall of Oswego was respon­ other fortifications were to come, sible for those three items. It was in the future of Oswego, of which responsible too for the fall of the the French and Indian campaign English ministry and indirectly for was to be but one incident of its other events in England, where the history. War Office, alarmed by the public May not the experience of the opposition and -excitement raised Americans in their contact with by the Black Hole of Calcutta in­ English leadership and soldiery in cident; the fall of St. Phillips the French and Indian war have Castle in Minorca, the failure of Ad­ been source of belief that when miral John Byng successfully to en­ there came a time for separation, gage the French fleet off Minorca, the same leadership and soldiery feared to publish officially the loss would not prove to be too difficult of Oswego, as a catastrophe that obstacles to overcome to win free­ would cause the British public to dom and national independence?

—51— 100 Years In Business or The Story of An Old Shop

(Paper presented before the Oswego Historical Society May 28, 1939, by Frederick W. Barnes.)

Sometime in the early part of cern and still later he acquired the 19th century, there came to i he sole ownership which he was Oswego from Patchogue Long not to relinquish until his death Island, a man by the name of in 1888, before which time I had Abram Buckhout. As the name become a part of the same organi­ would indicate, Buckhout was of zation. Dutch descent and we do not The foregoing explains why 1839 know what trade or profession he is given as the natal year of our may have previously followed, but business; if we had ro wished we we do know that some time be could have gone back to the time tween 1830 and 1835 he established when Abram Buckhout started at Oswego a sort of combination and thus antedated 1839 by a s-hop and trading post. This was number of years, but as father located on the East side of West was not connected with the con­ First street between what was cern until 1839 and as I take pride then known as Gemini and Taurus in being my father's successor streets, afterwards changed to (never having taken his name Cayuga and Seneca. At this place from our sign) I decided long ago he collected raw skins for which that the century would not be he sometimes paid in cash, but complete until the present year more often it was a matter of bar­ 1939. One hundred years ago the ter in which the trapper secured busiest part of Oswego was its manufactured goods in exchange harbor and the boats which en­ for his peltry. In order to handle tered its port were mostly sailing these barter transactions Buck­ vessels but already there was a hout carried a stock of hats, sprinkling of paddle-wheel steam­ caps, gloves, mittens, trunks, bags ers. The Buckhout shop was lo­ and some other goods which were cated in the heart of the harbor used not only as a medium of ex­ district and extended from street change but which were also on to street having entrances on both sale for cash to the general pub First and Water streets. This was lie. I am unable to state the ex­ convenient for the sailors and the act location of this trading-post shop depended upon the sailors but believe that it was on a site for much of its patronage. In now occupied by Neal & O'Brien, those days it was essential that a corresponding to what is now store should be able to make at known as 119 West First street. least part of the goods which it My father, Chauncey Mix Barnes, sold. The Buckhout store manu­ came to Oswego from Wolcott factured among other things a Conn., in the spring of 1839 and particular kind of hat designed almort at once went to work for exclusively for the sailors. My Abram Buckhout at this same father described this hat as fur trading post. Father was then having a low flat crown with a but 16 years of age and although stiff flat brim. The foundation he did not dream of such a thing was of buckram upon which was at the time, the job which he painted several coats of thick tackled in that far off year, was black varnish resulting in a very to be his life's work. A few years heavy, very stiff, head-piece. later he bought from Mr. Buck­ When the sailors engaged in one hout a half interest in the con­ of their fights they sometimes

—52— used to employ hats of this kind terwards the skin was put in a as weapons of offense or defense. large barrell or hogshead with a It has been said that if you hit number of other hides which had a man hard enough and in the been similarly scraped. The next right place, you could almost de process was to pour on top of the capitate him with a single blow. skins some mahogany sawdust, In addition to hats, the shop made after which a barefooted man all of the trunks which it sold. got into the large barrell and Those first trunks were made of trampled the skins. In this way wood covered with cowhide with much of the superfluous grease the hair on. If the buyer of one was absorbed by the sawdust. The of these trunks wished to have final process was to pickle the it marked with his name or skins (as the saying was) by initials, thie would be done with soaking them in a liquid which brass headed tacks driven into contained alum, salt, and other the box, but the principal busi­ ingredients. The skins were then ness was as it has always been ready to make up into the goods dealing in furs'. In those early of the period which were sleigh- days no skins were imported, at robes also men's caps, mittens and least not into Oswego, and all raw for the ladies capes or victorines material was secured from the as they were called also huge hunters and trappers. muffs and small tippets. There were a great many My Father Enters The Firm men of that period who earned I do not know what year it their living by hunting and trap­ was that father bought a half in­ ping. Even as late as 1839 some terest in the business but I think of these hunters were full-blooded it must have been in the late Indians, but most of them were 1840's and from that time on the either white or half-breeds. In firm was known as Buckhout & thore days fur bearing animals Barnes. Neither do I know when were very plentiful in the woods it was that the business moved to and swamps which surrounded its second location at the north­ Oswego on all sides except the eastern corner of West First and north. Among these animals were Bridge streets, where the Rudolph mink, skunk, muskrat, raccoon, jewelry store is now located, but beaver otter, wild-cat, fox wolf, I have an old picture of this store weasel, deer and bear. The Buck- at it's second location with the hout store took some of these names "Buckhout & Barnes" on skins and after tanning them the sign indicating that the part­ made them into something which nership was then in effect. As the public of that day could use. already stated it was cuotomary Only a comparatively small num­ in those early days for a mer­ ber of these skins however could chant to be also a manufacturer. be disposed of locally and the Buckhout & Barnes made up at bulk of the peltry (still in its raw different times furs, hats, caps state) was sent to New York to and trunks, also during the civil be reshipped to London. I have war period, 1861 to 1865, they did spoken of tanning some of the some military outfitting, manu­ skins, I should have said dressed facturing caps and capes for the or cured. Ordinary leather is tan­ soldiers. At a much later period ned, but a hide with the fur on we made some uniform caps for is said to be dresred. In those the R. W. & O. R. R. Co. Regard­ days the method employed in the ing the people who were em­ dressing of skins was crude but it ployed first by Abram Buckhout, answered the needs of the per­ afterwards by Buckhout & Barnes, iod. In order to get rid of the fat I can only record my recollec­ which stuck to the skin the hide tions of what my father told me was first scraped with a two many years ago. There was a handled knife shaped very much young man named Warner Bar­ like a carpenters draw-shave. The rett who came to Oswego about hide was placed on a slanting 1840 and who hired out (as the beam in order to do this and af­ expression was in those days) to

—53 Mr. Buckhout. One of Barrett's York city was, as it is now, the duties was to sleep in the Buck­ center of everything pertaining to hout store as a watchman and at our business, but it seemed far­ first he liked the idea because it ther off and was certainly not so saved him (Barrett) the expense accessible as it is now. In 1839 of a lodging place. There was no and for some years later there place to sleep however except on were no railroads connecting Os­ the floor underneath a counter wego with New York and when and one night while thus repos Mr. Buckhout or father had to ing a rat ran over his face. Bar­ go to New York, they traveled rett could not tolerate this so he either by canal boat or stage­ threw up the job and went West coach, sometimes by a combina­ when he became very wealthy in tion of stage and canal. Banking a different kind of business. facilities were very meager, bank There was also a John Munsell checks had not come into general and a John Weeks who worked use as yet, bank notes and other alongside of father. Later there forms of paper money were was Nathan Buckhout son of looked upon with suspicion and Abram Buckhout. Nathan fought gold was at a premium. There in the Civil war on the Union were no credit bureau?, nothing aide and died of fever contracted to correspond with Dun & Brad- while in the servce. At a still street. Father used to tell how in later date Humphrey Chamber­ one of his early trips to New lain, Albert Swettenham, Frank York he carried with him a con­ Greeley, Edward Otis, Robert siderable sum of money in gold Stevens, Beecher Stevens and coin. He had this in his pocket James Jackson, are some of the but it was so heavy and the edge? names which appeared on the of the coins were so sharp that pay roll. before he knew it a hole was worn in the pocket lining and the First Use of Machines gold started to fall out. In the beginning both furs and the fabrics used to line furs were We Move For The Last Time sewn by hand. This was true up I have already stated that I do to about 1850 at which time not know when the business was machines were introduced for the moved from its original site north sewing of fabric linings. Not un­ of Gemini street, to the corner of til many years later were West First and Bridge, There machines used for the sewing of fore I cannot say how many years furs. Hand sewing has always been were s-pent in each of the two one of the many things in which locations but I do know that women excel. The old shop em­ Buckhout & Barnes moved again ployed needlewomen from its very and this time to the present site, beginning. Some of the names of 207 West First or rather to No. those early workers are known to 5 Jefferson Block as it used to me but I shall not give them here; be called. Prior to 1857 prac­ suffice it to say that if it had not tically all of Oswego's mercantile been for the skill and the loyalty houses were located north of of some of these needlewomen we Bridge street and this applied to could never have survived. This both sides of the river. When sort of employment reached its Buckhout & Barnes and a few peak in the Civil War period others proposed to erect the Jef­ when 12 needlewomen were on the ferson Block on the East side of payroll at one time. Hours were West First street between Bridge long in those days and even and Oneida streets, they provoked women workers were expected to much criticism. The land upon put in from 60 to 72 hours a week, which they proposed to build was which meant that even a compar­ a cow pasture and many people atively small force could turn out thought it would never be good a large quantity of goods. for anything else. Buckhout & Early Business Experiences Barnes and their associates, went In those far off days New ahead with their plans in spite of the general disapproval. Tha roll Bruin out on the sidewalk work was begun in 1856 and they in the morning, and bring him moved in in 1857. back into the store at night. The old bear was perhaps the most My Earliest Recollections widely known sign that any Os­ Almost the first thing that I wego merchant has ever used. can personally recollect about our store was the fire which occurred I go to Work in 1876. The fire started in the In the summer of 1884 father's top story of the building now oc­ health began to fail and at about cupied by Browne Davis, and be­ the same time his head man fore it was brought under con­ left him, without much notice. trol the roofs of that building and It seemed necessary that I should of ours were consumed and the leave school and go to work at stock of goods belonging to the store. I was then 15 years Buckhout & Barnes was seriously old and for two years previous'y damaged by water. This fire was I had been in the habit of going memorable in Oswego because it to the store to help out on Sat­ was on this occasion that the old urday evenings. My full time bus­ Volunteer Fire Department offi­ iness career did not begin very ciated for the last time The auspiciously for on the first day next day steps were taken to in­ I carelessly broke a glass show­ stall our present paid fire depart­ case. That was 55 years ago, but ment. Two years after the fire I remember it very distinctly. (1878) Mr. Buckhout, who had Our store dealt principally in not been active in the business furs, hats and luggage, only in those days everybody in America for some years previously, re­ raid "baggage" instead of luggage. tired from the firm. Father The word luggage was borrowed bought out the Buckhout inter­ from our English cousins many est and continued the business years later. The bulk of the fur at the old location under his own business was in sleigh robes and name, "C. M. Barnes." men's fur caps. The caps were At The Sign of The Black Bear made principally of sealskin, or of other furs which resembled I do not know when a stuffed sealskin. During one of the first black bear was first used to iden­ winters that I was in the store tify our business perhaps as far we sold nearly 40 dozen men's back as 1868. It began during the fur caps. I mention this because Buckhout & Barnes regime, but nowadays all the shops in New it continued long afterwards. York state combine'd would per­ After the dissolution of the old haps not sell as many fur caps to firm, father still kept the bear in men in the same space of time. commission in the same place Not that we did anything remark­ where it had been for so many able, merely that very few men years. The bear which I as a boy buy fur caps nowadays. The and as a young man knew best, sleigh robes were either of real did not wear his original coat but buffalo hide or of coyote, or it had the original frame and Japanese goat. The farmers of base, after the first hide had be­ that day however always spoke of come worn and shabby it was i fur robe as a "buffalo" robe, no replaced with a fresh skin. As matter what kind of fur it was one of father's employes was a made of. We sold also a few seal­ taxidermist, the work was done skin coats but not much else in on the premises. In time the sec­ the line of furs was wanted In ond coat in its turn became so the 1880's the fur business began worn looking as to be unpresent­ each year about October 1st and able and I finally gave the old ended on April 1st. Fur stock on bear away to one of Oswego's hand April 1st was packed away secret societies which wished to in camphor gum and not shown use it in its initiation ceremonies. again until the following autumn. The bear stood on a moveable No attempt was made to sell furs base or platform and we used to

—55— at retail in the summer and prac­ 1887 however, there developed a tically no repairing or remodel­ demand for separate muffs which ing of furs was undertaken ex­ did not have to match anything cept in the fall and winter else. The muffs sold in Oswego months. In those first years of were made principally of sealskin, my business career our store like dyed muskrat, skunk, beaver and all other stores opened at 7 a. m. Russian hare. The Russian hare and on each of 5 days in the muffs were about the trashiest week, we remained open until 9 kind of merchandise that I have p. m. On Saturdays the closing ever seen or heard of. Some of hour was 11 p. m. or later. We them were made up so cheaply worked until noon on Christmas, that they could be sold at a New Years, Decoration Day, 4th profit for 50 cents each. We of July and Thanksgiving. There never even tried to make such was no such thing as "Labor goods, they were exclusively the Day" until some years later. Sat­ product of the New York sweat urday evening was usually a busy shop. The craze for separate time and it was customary to em­ muffs was followed by one for ploy extra salesmen to handle the separate scarfs or neckpieces. Saturday night rush. The even­ There were made up in a greater ing of the 3d of July no matter variety of furs than the separate muffs had been and there was what day of the week it might also a greater variety as to style. fall on had the reputation of The neckpieces might be the size being the busiest night of the of one mink skin which would year except Christmas Eve. Of barely reach round the neck, or recent years, Easter, and the June it might be much larger and made commencement at our High and up from a number of skins. Dur­ Normal schools, have to some ex­ ing the separate neckwear craze tent a stimulating effect upon we sold them in every kind of fur business, but in the olden time, from rabbit to Russian Sable. about which I write, such days Some of the most prosperous years came and went without any ap­ the local fur trade has known preciable effect upon our sales. were during that period when In 1884 our store like most other separate neckpieces were in stores, was lighted by kerosene vogue. The girls bought them for lamps suspended from the ceiling. themselves, or better still they The show windows made up of sent their "boy friends" after shall sized sheets of common glass them. These young men would (not plate) were lighted by gas. call upon us in the fall of the A few years later when gas light­ year and select these fur pieces in ing was installed throughout the order to give them (usually at store, we felt very progressive. Christmas) to their "best girls.' Fine Furs Not in Demand When the selection was made it Some years before my time the was almost invariably accompan ladies who could afford it bought ied by a cash deposit which was matched sets of sable, mink, followed by weekly payments. The ermine etc., and others who article remained in our possession wanted less expensive furs se­ until paid for and everybody was lected Fitch, or Opossum but dur­ happy particularly the fair re­ ing the years 1884 to 1886 inclu­ cipient. One of the points which sive everybody seemed to be hard you must not overlook is that a up, at least there was no demand neckpiece or scarf fitted practi­ for anything of really good qual­ cally everybody. It did not have ity unless it was an occasional to be some particular size as sealskin sacque and muff. There would have been the case with a fur coat. was another article somewhat in demand and that was a muffler, meaning a rectangular piece of I Visit New York fur lined with silk which some el­ In those early days there was derly men wore to protect their in New York a fur merchant by throats and ears. Beginning about the name of John Ruszits who

—56— was located at 73 to 77 Mercer course he was in a playful mood, street, where he had been for but not entirely so; back of it all many years. Father took me there was the fact that throughout the for the first time when I wae not world millions of dollars of dam­ more than eight years old and age is done to furs by moths in after that every time I was taken the course of an average, year. to New York I considered a visit This means a very serious loss to to the Ruszits store one of the the owners, but on the other hand, events of the trip. John Ruszits it gives work to an army of trap­ was known wherever furs were pers and fur workers. In other sold, either in this country or in words "It's an ill wind that blows Europe and he had built up a very nobody good." large business. I shall always be grateful to I Lose My Father him and to members of his staff We have now come to the year for courtesies shown at various 1887 which was memorable inas­ times to father and to myself. much as it marked the end of my Among those who composed the father's business career. He grew Ruszits staff was Charles Warne, weaker and weaker during the one of the best friends we ever spring and summer of that year had. Mr. Warne was an English­ and although we did our best to man; he was already middle- induce him to stay at home it aged when I, a small boy, first was hard for him to give up, but met him and he was then in finally in the early part of Octo­ charge of the dressed skin depart­ ber, after he had fallen in the ment at Ruszits. Although neither street and had to be assisted father nor I were ever in a posi­ home, he did not again leave the tion to buy skins in such large house and gradually yielded to quantities as were some of the the lingering disease which had other Ruszits customers, it made stricken him, dying on the 11th of no apparent difference to Mr. May, 1888. I shall never forget Warne. He was never too busj that fall and winter season of to answer my questions and in 1887-1888. I was barely 19 years fact he taught me some of the of age and for the first time the ABC's of the fur business. Years entire responsibility of our little afterwards, after Mr. Ruszits business rested upon me. Father death, (the eftate continued the had served the people of Oswego business) I was privileged to and vicinity for nearly 50 years spend two weeks in this great es­ and had earned their confidence, tablishment as an observer; going but I was an unknown quantity. without restraint from one depart I could sell the smaller items as ment to another looking on, while well as anybody or at least my skins were passing through one boyish conceit told me so, but procerss after another until they could I take my father's place were finally incorporated into when it came to the more im­ the finished garments. portant business? That remained to be seen. There was but one big "Our Best Friend" item in the local fur trade of that day, namely the real sealskin coat During this observation period, or sacque as it was then called I was one day watching a veteran and I resolved that our store fur cutter fashioning a bundle of would continue to supply the Russian Sable skins. He was an ladies of our neighborhood with expert or he would not have been their sealskin sacquea In order selected to work on such costly to do this I decided that we would skins. As I watched, a moth flew have to be satisfied with a very out of the skins and I instinc­ small profit. On most merchan­ tively made a movement to kill dise sold at retail a gross profit the little pest. The old furrier of at least 25 per cent is custom­ halted my gesture with a move­ ary but in this instance I decided ment of his own saying at the that a 10 per cent margin would same time, "don't do that the be all that we would ask for, out little bug is our best friend." Of

—57— of which various expenses includ­ their floors. So far nothing has ing overhead would have to be been said about children's furs but deducted making the net profit the fur industry ha? always very small indeed. This resulted catered more or less to this however in our underselling Syra­ branch of our trade. I refer to cuse, the nearest competitive small sets for infants and little point, and we sold more sealskin girls also small fur robes for baby coats that season than ever be­ cabs or sleighs. Wo have made a fore. In fact we have not been good many of these robes in our able to surpass that season's rec­ own shop. There was a fair sized ord since, in that particular kind demand for children's furs in 'he of fur. 1880's and the gay 90's, also dur ing the first years of the pres­ Changing Fashions ent century, but this branch of No kind of business stands the industry has shrunk to almost still; the public is fickle and the nothing. demand for merchandise and serv­ ice is constantly changing. This Fur Bugs Come and Go has always been true of the fur No one knows when it was that business at an any rate. The next man first made use of skins as few years we were called upon to a covering for floors and walls do a good deal of remodeling and but we do know that the Egyp­ repairing to fur coats, robes, tian?, Chinese and Norsemen so muffs and neckpieces. The de­ used them thousands of years mand for fur scarfs slackened and ago. The practice survived unto a new style of neckpiece entered our day in the form of an occa­ the field. I refer to the collarette sional skin used as part of the which was the name given to a furnishing of a room. Even today very short cape which had an at­ if a hunter of big game brings tached storm collar that could be back a rare skin such as a tiger turned up or down at will. We or bear as evidence of his prow­ converted quantities of old furs ess, he is apt to have the skin belonging to customers into col­ mounted and displayed in his larettes, and also sold new collar­ home. There is not much of a ettes. After collarettes, came market for such skin? today, capes, which were somewhat sim- although last month I saw in iar to the collarettes, except that Abercrombie Fitch's beautiful they were longer. The first few New York shop, a number of capes that I knew anything about mounted bearskins displayed for were made with humps on the rale. Things were different 45 shoulders. j ears ago; furrier? like ourselves always carried various kinds of After a year or two humps went fur rugs in stock and sold a good out of style and the more severe many of them. The kind which military style of cape replaced was most generally used was the them. Muffs continued to be in rectangular shaped rug. This was good demand but as time went on about 5 feet long by 214 feet wide, their style changed greatly. I have and was made from Japanese goat known muffs to be as large as a skins. We sold them in various keg of nails but sometimes they colors and combinations of color?. were so tiny that the average Such rugs were used not only as sized woman needed two of them, carpet rugs are used today, but one for each hand. Muffs were also for special occasions such as sometimes cylindrical in shape, at weddings and funerals. The photo­ other time? they were modeled graph gallery of 40 years ago was after melons or footballs; some not completely equipped unless it years they were fashioned into had at least one of there rugs, pillows or saddle-bags, while yet because so many couples of that another style was the rug muff. period wished to stand on fur As the name indicate?, the rug rugs when their pictures were muff was a flat affair, much the taken. In addition to the rectang­ shape of the animal rugs or mats ular rug just described there were which the people used to put on

—58— the fancy rugs such as fox, wolf, rugs etc. They wanted us to store wild-cat and leopard. These lart these things for them which we named ruga were always finished were at first loath to do. We hes up to look as life-like as possible; itated because although we had the heads were mounted and the plenty of space, we had no partic­ contour of the animal preserved. ular equipment and little exper­ In the big cities where residences ience. This, you must remember, were larger and people were was at a time when mechanical wealthier, the skins of the Ben cold storage for furs was unheard gal Tiger and the white Polar of even in New York city. The Bear were considered the ideal best metropolitan furriers wera rugs but as a general proposition still beating their furs by hand such skins were too large and too after which they hung them in costly for our market. The closets lined with tar paper; the demand for fur rugs was at its odor of which was supposed to be peak in about 1895 and gradually a protection against moths. tapered off until it ceased alto­ In our case we finally decided gether about 1910 to be replaced to accept the business thus offered by the Oriental rug. us and handled the situation in accordance with the best prac­ Fur Industry Becomes Mechanized tise of that day. The problem of I have already referred to the what to do with furs and similar use of machines in our industry materials during the summer and as previously stated the first months was however not to be machines were no different from solved until the introduction of the ordinary sewing machines of mechanical cold storage, which the period and were used by fur­ we installed in 1909, but as that riers merely to stitch linings; was a good many years later 1 much later however, machines will first try to record other were invented which would sew events which occurred in the furs and such machines were in­ interim. stalled by us about the turn of the century. The first of these We Resume The Manufacture of machines were driven by hand or Trunks rather by foot power but later It must have been sometime be­ electric motors were attached tween 1892 and 1897 that Patrick which increased production very Clark rejoined our staff. "Patsy" materially. as everybody called him had worked for Buckhout & Barnes We Enter The Storage Field many years before, but had left During the closing years of the them to go into business for him­ 19th century we embarked upon self. Patsy was a trunk-maker and something which seemed of little after coming back he served us importance at the time but which faithfully until his death in 1908. later assumed large proportions, In addition to his being a master I refer to what is known as fur of his trade, Patsy was a natural storage. My father, like many fur­ musician and played the fiddle in riers of his day, was occasionally the old fashioned way. In his called upon to take care of some­ youth he had been in great de­ thing during the summer months mand for dances at which he which some customer wished to be played and "called off" in his relieved of. Father never thought own inimitable manner. He was it much trouble to do this and a natural wit and an original when he made any charge at all character. He owned a violin it was so small as to be negli­ which he said was a "genuine gible as a source of revenue Stradivarius made by Mr. Strad- About 1890 there came to Oswego ivarius himself". He did not read two young men of wealth and lux­ music but when asked about that urious tastes. They had traveled would usually reply "I can play extensively and had collected a classical music at sight by ear". good deal in the way of furs, also Patsy went to work again in our house furnishings such as Oriental basement where he had learned

—59— his trade many years before. It upon me that if we were ever was not a very profitable connec­ going to regain possession of what tion either for Patsy or for us, had once been our property it but he nept fairly busy repairing would be necessary to go after it. our customers old trunks and There were no automobiles in when there were no jobs, he filled those days. Ira was 25 miles from in his time by making some new Oswego and the railroad was the trunks. In those days hats and only practical means of communi­ other goods were shipped to us in cation between the two places. I wooden packing cases. Much of started out one warm summer the lumber in these cases was of morning and traveled via R. W. good quality and Patsy used to & O. R. R. to the village of Ster­ take this selected wood and make ling (about half way to Ira) trunk boxes out of it, after which where it was necessary not merely he would cover the boxes with to 'hange cars but to change galvanized tin or canvas, line railroads. There was a long wait them with paper, attach lock, at Fair Haven before the Lehigh hinges and handles, finally finish­ Valley R, R. train came along but ing the job by nailing slats to the when it did, it carried me to Ira outside. One of these hand made station; even then I had not ar­ trunks would give better service rived because Ira village was a than any factory made product of full mile farther along. I walked the same price. this distance over a dusty road, called at the Shaw store, recov­ About this time, let us say about ered the goods and packed them 1900, I was involved in a transac in two large pasteboard boxes tion which although far from which had been brought from Os­ profitable was at least interesting. wego for that purpose. When this There was in those days in the was accomplished there was village of Ira N. Y. a general nothing more to do except to walk store operated by a man named back to the railroad station carry­ George Washington Shaw. He ing the goods which fortunately sold the goods usually carried in were not very heavy. There was a country store including shoes, another long wait at the Ira sta­ but had never stocked any hats or tion, and also at the Sterling sta­ caps. This man, Shaw, called tion. It was long after dark when upon us one day accompanied by I reached home tired and dusty one of Oswego's prominent busi­ but with the satisaction of know­ ness men whom we will call Mr. ing that the George Washington "Blank". "Blank" was in the Shaw account had been closed wholesale shoe business and he with something less than a total sold Shaw his shoes. Shaw wantea loss. to put in a small line of cloth caps but he could not pay for them just then and wanted credit We go to The Fair At the request of Mr. "Blank" (who was a good customer of As far as Oswego county is curs) we let Shaw have about 3 concerned what is known as the dozen caps which he carried away Agricultural Fair is not so much with him. We did not hear from in evidence as it used to be. It Shaw again for a long time but is true that it it still flourishes at finally received a letter from him Sandy Creek but in former days stating that he did not know how it was an important annual event to sell caps and should not have at Fulton, Mexico, Oswego Town gone into the business. He fur­ and for a short time at Oswego ther stated that he had made no City. I remember this because sales and that all of our goods there was a time between 35 and were still on hand but he prom­ 60 years ago when our store took ised to return them at the first part in these exhibitions, particu­ opportunity. More than a year larly at the Fulton Fair. Each went by and although we wrote year when September came several times no answers were around it was our practice to ship forthcoming. Finally it dawned to Fulton by railroad a number of packing cases filled principally

—60— wth furs. A booth was thert the city man of the same period assigned to us in the main exhibi­ wanted a cloth coat lined and tion building in which we trimmed with fur. Muskrat was made a display. The fair lasted used to line these coats in the four days and we felt that the majority of instances. During the advertising which we got out of it first few years of activity in compensated us for the incidental men's coats, both fur on the out- trouble and expense. In fact our fide and fur lined, the women exhibit was so much appreciated were indifferent. It is true that by the managers of the fair that women of wealth continued to buy they awarded us, during the latter seal or Persian lamb garments years of our participation, a cash and there was a limited demand premium which practically cov­ for long capes or circulars lined ered all expenses. The year 1904 with squirrel but the average saw the realization of one of our woman was not fur coat conscious. dreams for it was in that year we took out our old show windows and Popular priced fur coats made installed a modern front. It was their appearance about 1902. I the biggest undertaking of its think it was the great fur manu­ kind that Oswego had seen up to facturers of New York who put that time. It entailed shoring up on the market the first successful the entire four story brick front imitations of real seal garments. with huge timbers, in order that Long before this, coats had been the iron posts, which had pre­ made of silk plush or "seal cloth" viously supported the upper stor­ as it was then called. A few of ies, could be removed and replaced these seal-cloth coats had been with a modern steel framework. made in our own shop but after all they were not fur and had no proper place in the fur industry. I Look Back The imitation seal coats of 1902 It is now time to look back and or thereabouts, were real fur and consider some of the changes felt and looked something like the which had taken place in the dec­ genuine sealskin. They were made ade ending with the year 1904. from French rabbit skins usually The public demanded different called Franch "coney." These rab­ goods in 1904 from what they had bits were not only native to wanted 10 years earlier. Fur France but they had to be sleigh robes which in 1894 had sheared and dyed in France be­ been a very important sales item, fore they took on the desired ap­ were rarely called for in 1904 and pearance. They were sold under a in a few more years the demand variety of trade names such as for them was to cease completely. Electric Seal, Near Seal, Coast Women still wore furs but the col Seal, etc. larettes and cape of fur were not The old sealskin sacque of 1884 as popular as they had been. The was generally to the knee item which was to sweep every­ although later it was more fash­ thing before (1 refer to the popu­ ionable and less costly to stop at lar priced fur coat) was already the hip. The first of the imita­ on the market. When one con­ tion seal coats were rarely more siders how few fur coats are worn than hip length and this fact com­ by men today it is interesting to bined with the comparatively low look bac': and note that the first cost of the French coney skins fur coats to be sold in quantities resulted in a popular priced gar­ were not for women but for men. ment one that was in the reach of Sometime between 1897 and 1900 most people. I remember selling men began to ask for coats made seven of them in one day four of from dogskin and Galloway cow­ which were in one family. hide. This demand gradually killed the sale of sleigh robes. If a man owned a fur coat he did Styles Changed Too Rapidly not need a sleigh robe. Dogskin Prior to the introduction of and cowhide coats were sold al­ these imitation seal coats, if a most exclusively to farmers, but woman possessed any kind of a fur coat it was pretty sure to be

—61— real seal and the problem of come more exacting. It was with keeping abreast of the style was this thought in mind that in­ sometimes a serious one. The first duced me to enter into correspon sealskin sacques that I can re­ dence with a prominent school ot member to have seen had very design in New York city and they little shape to them, but about advised me to employ one of their 1887 fur coat wearers began to b«. recent graduates. I went to New style conscious and for the next York to meet the man they rec­ few years the styles changed rap­ ommended and was so impressed idly and often radically. Some­ by him that I engaged him on the times coats were short and then spot. George Koester's (for that again they would be long. Some­ was his name) had been born in times the style called for a loose Germany and had learned his box like effect and maybe the trade as a furrier in his native very next season there would be country. He next went to Paris a form fitting silhouette. Some­ afterwards to London and later to times the change in style from New York. In all of these places one year to the next would be so he had worked in first class great as to cause much unhappi- shops. I was apprehensive that ness to the woman who owned after having lived in the world's one of the last season's seal coats. largest cities he would not be con­ Inasmuch as the sleeve of a coat tent to stay in Oswego, but my was usually the most conspicuous fears on that score proved to be detail, the following plan was in groundless. George, as I always troduced as a partial solution of called him, stayed in Oswego in the difficulty—If Milady owned a our employ for nearly 17 years. seal coat with small sleeves and He was master of every branch of the style called for large ones, in his trade and was a great asset stead of going to her furrier and to our business. He re-organized investing a substantial sum for our shop and introduced the most the enlargement of her small approved modern methods. We sleeves, she would instead employ began to look for business outside her dressmaker to insert large of Oswego county; the introduc­ sleeves of slik or some other fabric. tion of the automobile and the If it were the other way and her improved roads made it easy for coat had large sleeves at a time new customers to come to us from when everybody else was wearing Syracuse, Watertown, Auburn small sleeves, she would substi­ and points much farther away. tute fabric for fur and care­ We not only repaired and re­ fully put away the large sealskin modeled furs but we made special sleeves, hoping against hope that coats and fur sets to order and they would come back into style made up some goods for stock. some day. All this was not good for the fur trade and about the time the imitation seal coat ar We Install Cold Storage rived the styles of fur coats had 1909 was another eventful year become more standardized. because it was then that we in­ stalled mechanical cold storage for the care of furs during the We Expand Our Interests warm weather. Earlier in this Soon after the turn of the cen­ paper I referred to our entrance tury we noticed an improvement into the field of storage, but. since in business. People not on!y then the demand for this kind of wanted more goods but what was service had grown with each year. more gratifying, they wanted After visiting cold storage plants better goods. Referring to the fur in bther cities and after bring­ trade in particular, I wish to say ing to Oswego a consulting en that in the beginning it was an gineer, we awarded a contract industry but it had now become to the Frick Co., of Waynesboro more complex and was gradually Pa. This company installed an developing into what it latei ammonia compressing machine became, one of the fine arts. Our with connecting expansion sys­ customers for instance had be­ tem. Before the machinery was

—62— installed we had built a fire-proof able annoyace. She wanted me vau't constructed of brick, con­ to send up a man right away to crete and steel and insulated with remove the objectionable creature cork. Our cold storage plant for and she further stated that she furs was the first one installed expected to receive our check for in this part of the state; for the market value of the skin. To years Rochester and Utica were fully appreciate this you must un­ our nearest competitors. Even the derstand that "Mrs. A" was not large city of Syracuse had noth­ joking, but was very much in ing of the kind until long after­ earnest. Although possessed of a wards. Nowadays at Christmas large income, she was naturally time some people drive their cars close and could drive a hard bar­ for 100 miles or more in order to gain. I realized that if I laughed do their Christmas shopping and at her, she would never forgive the less snow there is the better me so I replied as tactfully as I they like it. This was not could, that we rarely bought any always so, before the advent of skins one at a time, that in fact the automobile the merchants of we never bought any animals "on Oswego, ourselves included, found the hoof" (as the western cattle­ it essential to good holiday trade, men say) and finally, that there that there should be good sleigh­ was nobody in our employ who ing just before Christmas. If the would be competent to undertake sleighing was good, farmers would such a hazardous operation as come in on runners anywhere the removal of a live skunk from from 5 to 15 miles but if the under her porch. sleighing was poor the farmers stayed at home and our holiday Oswego Builds a Hotel trade suffered in consequence. In fact good sleighing was a thing to I shall always remember 1910 as be desired at any time in the fall the year in which the Chamber of and winter season. Some years Commerce asked me to head we had 100 consecutive days of a committee which had for its seighing and, if my memory object, the erection of a new hotel serves me, the record for all time for Oswego. I do not know why was 120 days. they selected me unless it was be­ cause I had been more outspoken than anyone else in my criticism A Humorous Interlude of conditions as they then existed. Earning one's living is a pretty Our city was at that time sorely serious business, but once in a in need of a modern fireproof while something happens which hotel. My job at first was to in­ tends to relieve the monotony terest other men in the undertak­ In this connnection I remember ing, men abler than myself and one day (It must have happsne 1 of greater experience. This re­ 30 years ago) when I was called sulted in securing the co-operation to the telephone by a lady of my of a group of representative citi- acquaintance. This woman was ens headed by John D. Higgins one of Oswego's society leaders and these men during the next and her husband was one of ouv few years spared neither time nor foremost manufacturers. When 1 money in order that the new hotel answered the phone "Mrs. A" (as could be built and put in oper- I will call her) wanted to know aton. My own active partic­ if our firm bought skunk skins ipation in this enterprise ex­ and if so what did we pay for tended through a period of more them? I replied that we did buy than ten years, during which time them sometimes and that the I was called upon to serve in price depended upon the quality many capacities—promoter, stock and the size of the skin; I also and bond salesman, managing asked her why she wished to director, treasurer and vice presi­ know? She replied that there was dent. Perhaps this reference to at that time a live skunk under the Pontiac may seem irrelevant her front porch which was caus to the subject of my paper and ing herself and family consider­ my excuse for mentioning it is

—63— that the idea of a new hotel first which caused the boats between took definite shape at an informal Seattle and Alaska to stop run­ gathering held at our store, and ning some time in October. If that after that, the affairs of the a package arrived in Seattle after hotel and of C. M. Barnes the last north-bound sailing, it Co. were for a considerable per­ it could not be delivered in Alaska iod so closely entwined through until the following spring. One of my activities, that it would be dif­ our orders was from Fairbanks ficult to separate them. At one Alaska, which, due to its being so time all bills for the hotel sup­ far inland, war an even more in­ plies were audited at our office, accessible place than Nome. Our and all checks were countersigned Fairbanks customer sent us raw there. skins to dress and make up but she did not send enough and we We do business with Alaska had to supp'y what was lacking. The World War started in 1914 The cost of the additional skins and that same year marked the plus the expense of the making beginning for us of some inter­ etc. came to a considerable esting contacts with far off amount and as our customer was Alaska. To start with we received a perferct stranger, and had a letter from a Mrs. Elizabeth supplied no references, we were Goss of Nome, Alaska. She never naturally loath to ship the told us how she happened to hear package without first knowing about us but in her first letter where our compensation was com­ she explained that she had bought ing from. The season was so far some raw skins from the Eskimos advanced that an exchange of let­ of her neighborhood and wished ters would have been inpractic- to send these skins to us able so we consulted the Western to be dressed made up and re­ Union Telegraph Co., as to how turned to her. The correspon­ Fairbanks might be reached by dence resulted in her sending to wire. Western Union advised that us at different times during the they could transmit a message to years 1914 and 1915 several Seattle by wire, and from Seattle bundles of skins. Out of these to Nome by cable, but from Nome skins we made for her a natural to Fairbanks the message would unplucked sealskin coat and four have to be relayed by dog sledge sets of furs, one each in Hudson a part of the way. I am sure that Bay Sable, Ermine, Mink and conditions are very different to­ White Pox. She could hardly day, but in 1915 that is the way wear all of these herself and let­ we had to do it. The message was ters indicated that she sold some sent and in due time we received of them to her friends. In nearly a response this time from a every instance she supplied all Nome bank, which guaranteed the needed raw material and we payment of all charges. The pack­ merely did the work but in one age was shipped, we received our instance Mrs. Goss did not send money and the incident was enough skin to make what she closed. wanted and we supplied the bal­ ance. We evidently pleased her Conies From Coney Island because we received one or two similar orders from other resi­ It was about this time that I dents of Nome. It naturally took was called upon one day by a real a good deal of time to complete nice old lady who looked as one of these Alaskan transac­ though she might hail from the tions; everything had to go by rural districts. She asked if we way of Seattle and although I do kept Coney skins for sale and if not know how it is now, it was so she would like to see some essential that packages intended Coney, as all furriers know, is a for Alaska should reach Seattle name given to imported rabbit not later than October 1st. Alas­ skins, particularly those from kan harbors were usually ice- France and Belgium but the word locked before November 1st coney is also to be found in the Bible. The little lady confided in

—64— me that a new minister had re­ had got inside, she was able to cently been called to the country change the location of a number church which she attended. She of valuable fur coats which other­ described her minister as a young wise might have been seriously man, a recent graduate of one of injured; finally she made her exit our smaller freshwater colleges. the same way that she got in. She also informed me that this The fire was soon put out without minister of hers preached won­ serious damage either to build­ derful sermons, and that he knew ing or stock. practically everything. It seems that on the Sunday previous We sell our Brown Derbies to her call upon me, that he had In the fall of 1928 Ex-Governor preached a sermon taking for his Alfred E. Smith was a candidate text that portion of Holy Writ for the presidency. "Al" Smith as which refers to conies and accord­ his many admirers liked to call ing to the old lady he had told him, was partial to brown derbies his congregation that there were and this fact became very well two kinds of conies the "coney of known through the country. It the rocks" as mentioned in the happened that we had in stock at Bible and the coney of Coney the same time a large unmber of Island. She wanted me to show brown derbies which we believed her samples, of both species. I were unsalable. In the first place had no inclination to laugh, they were out of style being the although some one else might accumulation of a good many have found the situation amusing. years, and in the second place the On the contrary I was embar­ fact they were not black (the rassed, because although I did not standard color for a stiff hat) wish to further mislead her I made the matter worse; but when was, on the other hand, most un­ th papers began to have so much willing to say anything which to say about Governor Smith's would hurt her feelings or make brown derby we saw a possible her lose faith in the omniscience chance to unload. We emptied a of her pastor. What I did do was show window and refilled it with to show her a coney skin, explain­ brown derbies nearly 25 dozen in ing that it came from an animal all, and in a few days they were somewhat similar to the one re­ all sold. If there had been three ferred to in the Bible. But as re­ times as many we could have sold gards the coney of Coney Island, them. The majority of these hats all that I could say was that I cost us at wholesale $3.25 each was not acquainted with any such and none of them cost less than species. $2. All we got for them was 50 cents apiece but we were glad to We Have Another Fire see them go. One of the amusing sidelights was the action of a In the month of September 1924, prominent Republican politician we were involved in another fire. who called us up to see if there Thia originated on the top floor was not some way by which our of our building and was due to sale could be stopped. His idea the carelessness of a tenant. It was that the spectacle of so many was Sunday afternoon and broad brown derbies on the streets might daylight but naturally the store adversely effect the chances of was closed. The fire department the Republican candidate. Our was unable to locate any of the reply was that the only way to men connected with the establish­ stop the sale would be for some­ ment but one of our young lady one to buy all of the yet unsold fur workers was found and she hats and burn them. climbed a ladder from the street to one of the second story Water Matthew W. Donahue entered street windows. The firemen had our employ in 1906 as a very young first knocked out all the glass in boy. He was still with us in 1918 this particular window so that the when called to France as a mem­ plucky girl could get through ber of the A. E. F. He was without cutting herself. After she wounded in action and returned

—65— as a non-commissioned officer to forget it. I do not know of any­ resume his duties at our store. He thing to boast of. Ours has always was admitted to our firm in 1929 been a small business; we never and will I hope continue to carry attempted to do anything in a big on at the old stand long after I way and if there is anything in am gone. There is no else who our history that is remarkable it would be so competent or so is simply that two generations of deserving. During the century of one and the same family have the old shops existence there has been intimately associated with been associated with it a goodly the same business on the same number of faithful, honest, hard­ side of the same street in the working men and women and I same town for a full century wish to pay to those who are liv­ and that during that time there ing and to the memory of those has been but three locations who are no more, a high tribute of (moved but twice) with 82 years respect and gratitude and there at the present address. Some of is one whose record stands forth the great-great-grandchildren of in my memory more prominently the original customers of our house than any other. I will not mention still live in Oswego, others are her name It would mean nothing pretty well scattered through this to you and she would not have state and other states. Once in a wished it. She came to us in 1885 while we hear from one of these, while father was still actively at sometimes it is someone who is work and she never left us until a long ways off. When this hap­ 34 years later when failing health pens it is usually because the cor­ compelled her retirement. I do respondent has found us useful not believe than any business has either to herself or to some mem­ ever received more faithful, more ber of her family who knew us unselfish service from any em­ perhaps many years ago. They say ployee than that which was ren­ that "the first 100 years are the dered to us by this little woman. hardest". If that is so we who are No business is a bed of roses, already embarked upon our second unpleasant incidents seem bound century should find it smoother to occur and we have not es­ sailing from now on. However, caped. In addition to the two fires that may be, when the Oswego already mentioned we have ex­ County Historical Society has its perienced one burglary, one ser­ spring meeting in the year 2039 ious robbery and have cashed at to hear perphaps the story of least one bad check; once a ^dy C. M. Barnes Co's second cen­ fell upon our sidewalk, that was tury. It will be up to some­ hard on us but not as hard as one else to address the meeting. it was on the lady. It is now about I shall have a previous engage­ time for me to stop. If there is ment that will prevent my attend­ anything in the foregoing that ance. seems boastful, please forgive and FREDERICK W. BARNES.

• • • National Figures Behind the Early Purchase of Oswego Lands (Paper presented before joint meeting of Oswego Historical Society and Central New York Association of Local Historians at Mexico, N. Y., June 3, 1939, by Ralph M. Faust) "If our country had an aristo­ trade. It was at his home on lower cracy in the days immediately fol­ Broadway, a little below old Trin­ lowing the American Revolution, ity church, that President George it intended to resemble somewhat Washington resided when New the aristocracy of pre-Revolution- York City was the capitol of the ary days when socially, economi­ nation. Soon after the treaty with cally and politically the landhold­ the Indians by which New York ers, lawyers and merchants form­ State acquired its lands (1791), Ma­ ed a single, privileged, important comb purchased 4,000,000 acres at ruling class as against the lowly the very low price of 16 cents an dependent and largely unenfran­ acre. The tract, which embraced chised body of tenant farmers, lands in several present day coun­ shopkeepers and artisans. The aris­ ties, extended from along the St. tocracy of New York was even Lawrence River down through St. then an aristocracy of wealth rath­ Lawrence County, Jefferson er than of lineage, the latter being County, Lewis County, and includ­ somewhat difficult to establish in ed present day towns in the upper barely a century; and in the city part of Oswego County; namely wealth centered in the hands of Sandy Creek, part of Richland, Or­ the merchant prince making him well, Boylston and Redfield. The the inevitable leader in fashion, in line running southwest marking intellectual and philanthropic pro­ the lower limits of these towns is jects, in polities'. Those from this the exact southern boundary of group who backed the Revolution, Macomb's great purchase. when it came, founded and sup­ ported the Federalists party and "The sale of such a great tract for all their adherence to the Rev­ at such a low price caused a storm olutionary cause, believed in the of criticism from enemies of the "rule of the rich, the well born and administration. The Land Commis­ the able." Among them could be sioners, who had charge of the sale marshalled much of the wealth of of lands, were accused of dishon­ the infant republic. Among them esty and of aiding in a plot to were friends of George Washing­ quietly transfer the area to Can­ ton, John Jay and Alexander Ham­ ada. In this connection it is inter­ ilton. There were the men who esting to note that legislative in­ plunged into the great speculation vestigations were in fashion even frenzy which characterized the put­ in those days for one was imme­ ting up for sale of New York's diately ordered to investigate the "wild lands" at the close of the purchase. While everyone concern­ Revolution and after the Indian ed was 'indicated, still it is reas­ title had been extinguished. The onable to suppose that inside in­ land in Oswego County was includ­ fluence played its part at Albany. ed in those "wild lands" as they "Speculation was, without doubt, were referred to at the time. the object of this vast purchase. But an effort was made by Gover­ "The story of one of the first nor Clinton to place some respon­ land speculators in Oswego lands sibility for settlement upon the begins with Alexander Macomb, a purchasers. Letters Patent issued colorful member of this merchant- to Macomb carried the requirement prince class of New York City. He that settlement must be made on is reputed to have made a fortune each of 640 acres of the patent with John Jacob Astor in the fur within a period of seven years,

—67— otherwise the state could retake directly to the south and west, ex­ title to the land. It Is apparent tending to the Oswego River ana from the sources that the mean­ embracing the area between Onei­ ing of the word "settlement" in da Lake and Lake Ontario, were the patent must have been inter­ applied for by John and Nicholas preted in various ways, for it is Roosevelt. This family was another found that Clinton insisted that prominent family of the day and settlement mean one family and are among the ancestors of our this change was added to the bot­ President. Nicholas was a mer­ tom of Macomb's Patent. This was chant and manufacturer of New a straight condition and must have York. His father, Isaac, had been caused the speculators much con­ a member of the New York Pro­ cern. vincial Congress and for many Constable Succeeds Macomb years was president of the Bank or New York. John Roosevelt was a •'For some reason, perhaps the law partner of John Jay. The tract settlement condition but more like­ of land comprised roughly about a ly because he became financially half million acres and covered the embarassed, Macomb's title to the greater part of what is today Os­ lower part of the tract, including wego County. the area in Oswego County, passed to William Constable, another great "Within the limits of this gen­ land baron of the period, who came eral area, however, some twelve to own a large part of Northern minor g;rants had been made by the New York. Constable's name is state mostly along the fringes of closely identified with prominent the great tract such as at Three figures of that day. In the Revolu­ Rivers, and Phoenix, etc. Only two tion he had been an aide-de-camp of these shall be noted to show to LaFayette. His wife was a close again the men interested in these friend of Martha Washington. lands. The so-called Lush location Their home was on Wall Street and along the banks of the Oneida their children married into the fa­ River was purchased by Stephen mous Livingston and Pierrepont Lush who at the time of the pur­ families. Their son, William Con­ chase was secretary of his excel­ stable, Jr., came to the North Coun­ lency Governor Clinton. Other par­ try with his bride in the early cels to the amount of 7,000 acres 1800's and built the Manor house around Phoenix and elsewhere 'Constable Hall' which still is oc­ were granted to JEzra L'Homme- cupied by Constables, a great high dieu. He was a lawyer from Long columned mansion of gray stone, Island and earlier had been ap­ looking down from an eminence pointed as one of the State Com­ upon the broad reaches of the missioners to aid in getting titles Black River valley with the blue from the Indians to the so-called peaks of the Adirondacks in the Military lands. His portrait which distance. The Constables were hangs today in the office of the largely responsible for the settle­ President of the University of the ment and development of northern State of New York at Albany leads New York, and it is interesting to me to believe that he also served note in passing that the contract on the Board of Regents, although executed in selling off some of his I have not verified this observa­ land holdings was written by Alex­ tion. ander Hamilton. Scriba's Development Effort "from Constable the Oswego "But it is necessary to return to lands were soon acquired by the Roosevelts. For some reason Thomas Boylston, another specula­ they soon gave up their intention tor from Boston. It was Boylston of developing "wild lands" and im­ who had the area surveyed and mediately (1792) a patent for this named. Today the tract is still same area was granted to another known in the records as 'the Boyls­ New York merchant by the name ton tract' even though ownership of George Frederick William Au­ passed from him subsequently. gustus Scriba. "No sooner had Macomb applied "To George Scriba must go the for his patent (1791) than the lands ? credit for making the first real

_—fi8— effort to develop lands in Oswego to his son James, Hamilton early county. He was a German mer­ became interested in the possibili­ chant from Holland, who had come ties of land speculation up-state. to America during the Revolution, Some authorities say boldly that he sought to purchase "Western purchased 75,000 acres in the pres­ lands" of Congress in 1790, but was ent town of Richland, Oswego unsuccessful. He did some cor­ county, from Scriba in 1795. The respondence on the matter with records in our County Clerk's of­ Alexander Hamilton, then Secre­ fice, however, show that John tary of the Treasury. A year later Mark, one of Scriba's associates, he seems to have been involved persuaded ex-United States Senator with the New York syndicate head­ John Laurence to purchase his ed by the Roosevelts for the pur­ share. Laurence then borrowed chase referred to above. With the money from Hamilton and John withdrawal of the Roosevelts, Church and lated deeded them the Scriba pushed through the gigan­ land in payment. The fact re­ tic purchase. He paid forty cents mains, however, that Hamilton an acre for the 500,000 acres. From owned many thousand acres in Os­ the beginning Scriba's interest wego County some of which were in developing the State's "wild located within the limits of Oswe­ lands" was more than speculation go city, and known to this day as as such. It seems reasonable to as­ 'Hamilton s Gore.' The County rec­ sume that through it he saw the ords also contain a document opportunity to expand his business which is a sad commentory on the as a merchant by importing from affairs of the man who was Secre­ Europe the products of their labor. tary of the Treasury of the United Scriba came up to his patent to es­ States. It forms a little story of tablish his home and to follow the its own. development of the tract. When he plunged into Oswego lands he is "The sad and dramatic death of reported to have been a wealthy Hamilton in 1804, the day follow­ man. Events leading up to the war ing his duel with Aron Burr on of 1812, which greatly disturbed Weehawken Heights, left Hamil­ business conditions in the mercan­ ton's family in an unfortunate sit­ tile trade, with embargoes placed uation. He owed more money on on goods, and the actual hostilities personal notes and bonds than an that followed, seriously handi­ immediate sale of the properties capped settlement of the Scriba he possessed would have realized. tracts. Settlers came slowly into Although the political movement the area which was to receive at­ which he led had secured for many tacks from English forces in 1814. others the considerable economic Scriba was not alone in his ven­ fruits of the Revolutionary era, ture but headed a syndicate of Hamilton died heavily in debt. The five other New York City mer­ Grange, the New York Mansion he chants who immediately took title built himself; an interest in the to certain sections of the patent. Ohio Company; and the tracts in Their interest, however, was en­ Oswego County; these were the tirely speculative. Living now in various properties left by Hamilton Constantia on a section of the in 1804. If the estate had been for­ lands once held by his ancestor is cibly liquidated, the family would George Fred Scriba, descendant of have been left very badly off. It the purchaser of the tract. was this eventuality Hamilton Hamilton's Holdings feared, although to the last he con­ "The incredible optimism of the sidered his lands in Oswego as po­ 1790's ensnared still another great tentially productive of the greatest public figure of his day. This was profits. Goveneur Morris summon­ Alexander Hamilton. The "wild ed the matter up thus: 'Our friend l^nd" speculations of Hamilton Hamilton has been suddenly cut consisted of at least five shares in off in the midst of embarrassment the unfortunate Ohio Company of which would have required years Manasseh Cutler, and a large in­ of professional industry to set terest in Oswego lands. According straight; a debt of between fifty thousand and sixty thousand dol-

—69— lars hanging over him, a property York City, however, that anything which in time may sell for seventy substantial was done for the imme­ or eighty thousand, but which, iE diate aid of the family. A consid­ brought to the hammer, would not erable amount was raised by the in all probability, fetch forty; a subscription which took the form family of seven young children.' 01 a trust fund, each of the 400 "Now the old Federalists of New shares having a value of $200. Thus, York City were a tightly knit social if all the certificates were even­ group; the situation of Hamilton's tually paid for, a sum of $80,000 family was immediately recognized was realized for the benefit of Ham­ as a challenge to their honor. Four ilton's widow, the daughter of days after the funeral, one of them Philip Schuyler of Albany, and her was writing alfroad, 'A number of seven children. gentlemen here have resolved to "In the County records here is raise a fund among the friends of recorded the names of the indi­ the dead (sic). The design is that viduals, prominent in national af­ a select number of gentlemen of fairs at the time, who formed the easy fortunes shall, without much association. Eighteen years after eclat and publicity, subscribe what Hamilton's death, his son, James, may be sufficient.' The writer of drew from the reluctant lips of one this letter thought that all 'Men of the trustees the fact that his fa­ of Property' would respond in the ther's holdings in Scriba's Patent right way when they considered had been received in return for the how greatly they were indebted to shares subscribed, 'at prices which the labors of General Hamilton. were perhaps more than they were "Men in Boston and Philadelphia worth at the time.' The secret of were appealed to as well as those in the settlement subscription and of New York to thus prevent Hamil­ the disposal of the property was ton's properties from going to well kept by these gentlemen of forced sale. It was only in New the old Federalist school."

•TO- History of the Old French Fort at Liverpool and Its Relation to the Oswego River Valley

(Paper Presented Before Oswego Historical Society, October 26, 1939, at Fulton, N. Y., by William J. Gallipeau of Syracuse, N. Y.)

"According to history, the able to get as far as the second American Indian originated from water falls in the river. the Asiatic race, migrating from "This group of men came with­ East to West via the Aleutian Is­ out any women or children. They lands and first settling around the constructed the French Fort at Rocky Mountain district and later Liverpool. There were three migrating East to New York state. names for this fort, the French An early settlement of the Iroquois had a name for it, the Indians had stood near what is now known as a name for it and the English had Manlius. Father Lemoyne, a ia name for it. The English name Jesuit, came to this Indian settle­ Ste. Marie De Gannetaka is the ment working his way down the One given the fort today. The Iro- Oswego river, going back to Can­ juois were shrewd politicians and ada and reporting as an ambassa­ planned to use them as hostages in dor that the Indians were favora­ Case of trouble with the French. bly disposed to the establishment Another reason for the friendliness of a French settlement among Of the Iroquois to the French them. No conversions were re­ Jesuits was that the Jesuits had ported by Father Lemoyne on this Converted some of the Algonquins trip, although he baptized one In­ Who were captured by the Iroquois. dian child who was near death. The Iroquois women observed that "Father Lemoyne was followed the standard of morals of the by two French Jesuits, who trav­ Christianized Algonquins had been eled by canoe and foot and finally lifted by the marriage ceremonies reached Manlius. After staying introduced to the Indian by the there for some time they realized Jesuits, and hence they came to that they needed more assistance favor the welcoming of the Jesuits. to carry on their work and Fr. "About the time that the French Claude DaBlon, one of the Jesuits, came to the conclusion that the accompanied only by an Indian Indians were plotting against their guide, worked his way back to safety and the seizure of the fort, Canada and formed an expedi­ an Indian boy adopted by the tion to return with support. Mem­ French and who lived at the Fort bers of this expedition suffered .vith the French, had a dream of many hardships, hunger and sick­ i large feast. It was a tradition ness enroute. As they neared Os­ ,vith the Indian that if one of them wego they ran out of provisions had a dream it must be re-enacted and sent a canoe on to the Indian by them, so it came about that the village at Manlius, asking that French took advantage of the In­ supplies be sent them but none dian boy's dream to further their awaited their arrival at Oswego. own plans for escape. When the members of the expe­ "The French invited the Indians dition were about ready to give to the Fort and throughout that up, a canoe loaded with provisions day games and dancing were held. reached them, paddled by an In­ After the games a large feast was dian who had been sent by Fr. brought on by the French. The Joseph Chaumonot. There was re­ Indians believed that they must joicing, and the expedition pro­ eat everything that was put in ceeded up the Oswego River Val­ front of them, so the French ley. The first day they were only heaped the food in front of the

—71— Indians. Whenever an Indian fin­ Dut to work, first digging a swim- ished what was in front of him, ning pool and this work continued more food was placed before him. ind was expanded with the result After the feast the Indians went that the present Onondaga Park­ home, figuring that they had the way came into being quite by ac- French fooled and that they would rident. Several historic locations be easy prey for them anytime. were uncovered as the excavations While the Indians were sleeping continued. As a matter of fact off the effects of their over­ the old salt well of the Jesuits was indulgence the French abandoned (discovered when a horse fell into the fort under the cover of dark­ it. ness, making use of boats they had "Then it was found that the secretly constructed in the cellar Onondaga Historical Association under the chapel, which was one held the deed to a tract of land in of the buildings enclosed in the this area. History delved into fort. showed that this was the location "It was necessary for the French of the Jesuit well where Father to chop a path for their canoes Lemoyne discovered salt in 1653. through the ice which covered the Also contained in the boundaries Oswego river that March. His­ of the plot was a part of the lo­ tory records that the water would cation of the Frontenac fort of freeze in back of the canoes al­ 1696. The site of the restored most as soon as they had moved fort is not that of the Frontenac on. fort, but it is several hundred "The French suffered many yards further north along the lake hardships on this voyage, fearing shore from the Frontenac site. that the Indians might rush out; When the work of reproducing a upon them at any minute from the replica of the old fort was com­ shores of the river. The river at pleted the parkway was turned that time was not as wide as it is over to the County of Onondaga now nor as deep. Many portages at an expense to the county of were necessary through narrow $600,000, although the work in­ defiles. cluded an outlay of $1,500,000, "History records that the only the state furnishing the bulk of loss on this voyage back to safety the funds. was one canoe which tipped over "There have been some import­ with the result that three French­ ant historic finds at Brewerton, men were drowned. This did not Iwith probably the best of them happen until the voyage was near­ being in the part of Brewerton ly completed. which is in Oswego County. Hardly "The French fort has been re­ is there an excavation made in constructed near Liverpool after constructing a new building that considerable research work among Indian bones or relics are not existing French records in Canada. found. This leads to the belief There were no plans of the old that Brewerton was a secondary fort extant, but much information burial place for the Indians whose was developed concerning it and practice it was after a time to re­ the reproduction is believed to be move the remains of their buried quite correct historically. The site dead to a new location. Many is as near that of the ancient fort such burying grounds have been as it has been possible to locate it. located near Brewerton. The fort was constructed through "In ten years that they were at the foresight of men who also were work in Central New York, the historically inclined. When the re­ Jesuits only recorded 2169 bap­ cession came in 1932, men were tisms, according to history."

-72— Early Jesuits In Central New York

(Paper Presented Before Oswego Historical Society, November 30, 1939, By Rev. Earle P. Anable)

In order properly to understand or Tartary. This theory has been tha works, wonders and wander­ contradicted, but we know of one ings of the early Jesuits among instance where a Jesuit Missioner, the Iroquois nation, we must first who had worked with the Hurons clearly understand just what our around the Georgian Bay, later was modern age would call the "set­ in Asia and there met a Huron up" of the Indian "ountry of New from his old mission, who remem­ York State. Proceeding westward bered him well. So it seems that from Albany, one would cross the there was some route of travel tribal territory of the Five Na­ between America and Asia, known tions in this order: First the Mo­ and used by the Indians. hawks, then the Oneidaj. then the The Mohawks had three villages, Onondagas, next the Cayugas, and Ossernenon (Auriesville) Anda- finally the Senecas. Seieca terri­ garon (near Canajoharie) and tory ended beyond Rochester. Tinnontoguen (now Sprakers). The Thus, practically spanning thai tribe of the Oneidas centered prin­ width of New York State, dwelled cipally around Oneida Castle and a quintuplet nation noted from the south shore of Oneida Lake. Connecticut to the Mississippi for The Onondaga tribe, comprising its warlike spirit and cruel cun the central nation, was the capital ning. of the Indian League, centered on Indian Hill at Pompey. The Cayu­ Roughly we can situate the flvo gas had three villages: Cayuga, tribes of the Iroquois at the fol* near Union Springs; Tiehero, at lowing locations: the Mohawks ir the north end of Seneca Lake; and the Mohawk Valley, the Oneidas Onontare, near Savannah. The around Oneida Lake, the Onon-* Seneca tribe had four towns: dagas at Lake Onondaga, the Ca­ Gandagaro, at Boughton Hill; yugas at Lake Cayuga, and the Totiakton, 10 miles south of Ro­ Senecas in the valley of the Gen­ chester; Chinoshahgen or Gandou- esee. (Some historians have at-< garae, near Victor; and Deodon- tempted to locate the Seneca In­ set, near Avon Springs. dian around the present Seneca In speaking of any Indian towns park in Rochester. In a recent ar­ or villages we must remember ticle the Rev. Alexander M. Stew­ that while the Indians gave them art states that they might better? one name, very often the French place the tribe in the Seneca Ho gave them another, and the Eng­ tel, where it would be more com­ lish have substituted still anoth­ fortable.) er. Again, the Indians were of nomadic mature, moving their Iroquois Originally Slave Group towns often, either to get nearer At the time of the first missions, fire wood, or packing up when the Iroquois Nation comprised! filth and smell rendered the town from 25,000 to 30,000 members. no longer liveable. Our present Their own tradition tells us that maps still boast a trail of Indian they came from the region of the names all through the state, while Algonquins, near Montreal. There many others have been lost in the they had been captives and slaves mist of time. But all the country finally rebelling and fleeing to from Albany to Lewiston is steep­ New York State. A probable opin­ ed in Indian history. So much so, ion is that all the American In­ that study of any one locality dians originally came from Asia would be a life's work.

—73— The Great Middle Trail were four villages of the Kah- quahs, or the Neuter Nation.) A great Middle Trail was the main artery of communication The Iroquois were a nation through the state, though many with whom cruelty towards ene­ side trails connected the more mies was as great a virtue as love important water routes. Not at all is to a Christian. They lived com­ an easy route to traverse, with its munity life more from a desire of treacherous waterfalls and rap­ mutual protection than from any ids, long portages over steep moun­ live of fellow man. Each village tains and hills, and through deso­ was composed of members of at late swamps. Wild animals and least three of the four different poisonous snakes made land trav­ clans: the wolf, the bear, the tur­ el hazardous, while ever present tle, or the beaver, each clan hav­ was the constant fear of an enemy ing its own chief. Life among these ambush to trap the careless and savages was indeed primitive and unwary. harsh. They did practice can­ nibalism on occasions, sometimes The great Middle Trail crossing eating the flesh from still living the state from east to west was victims. They had no ideas of mor­ the main line of travel for the sav­ al relations, nor of religious duty, age hordes that traversed the end­ except such as self interest or self less expanse of woods with unbe­ preservation dictated. Torture of lievable speed. The Great Trail enemies was always inflicted and left the Hudson at Albany and fol­ always expected in return. lowed the ravine now used by the New York Central, as far as Champlain Comes in 1615 Schenectady. Here it divided, one The first meeting of the Iro­ trail going up the south side of quois and the French was a bloody the Mohawk, the other up the encounter, started by the French, north bank. The principal trail was and the beginning of many years that on the south, for the principal of bloodshed and suffering. It was villages of the Mohawks were on in 1609 that the Montagnais of that side of the river. Mohawk Canada induced Champlain to ex­ territory ceased at Utica, where plore north of Lake Ontario, and Oneida land began. The trail pass­ give battle to their old enemies, ed through Utica, to Oriskany and the Iroquois. In July of that year Rome. Here, at Rome, north and he attacked two hundred Mohawks south trails became one. From near Ticonderoga, Champlain per­ Rome, one trail went west into the sonally killing two chiefs. The central land of the Oneida tribe. soldiers also fired and the Indians Another trail went along the fled. This was their initial encoun­ Black River to Oswegatchie and ter with the French, and their first the St. Lawrence. The main trail taste of gunpowder. west led to Oneida Castle and Six years later Champlain and thence to Manlius, in the Onon­ the French strengthened by Hur­ daga country. (A side trail went on, Algonquin and the Montagnais from Onondaga to the north end Indians, crossed over to our shores of Oneida Lake, thence through of Lake Ontario and, hiding their dense forest to Famine Bay, at canoes in weeds and underbrush the end of Lake Ontario.) The along the beach, started overland main trail went west through Au­ to a fortified town of the Iroquois. burn to Lake Cayuga and down (This town was probably located to the outlet at Seneca River, at Nichols Pond near Oneida thence to Geneva and Canan- Lake.) At any rate, the French daigua, into the country of the came looking for trouble, and they Senecas. Passing through Leroy got it.... for they were unable and Batavia to Tonowanda Creek, to scale the palisades of the it there made a split, one branch town, and were forced to retreat, going to Lewiston, the other to at a considerable loss. (I might Buffalo. (Beyond Iroquois territory mention that the present remnants

—74— of the Montagnias tribe, dwell carry huge loads over long, dan­ along the shores of Lake Saint gerous portages, starved, cold and John, in northern Quebec. Their hopeless of mercy, he was taken principal reservation now is at down the Richelieu river to Lake Pointe Blue, where they tent dur­ Champlain, down to the Mohawk ing the Summer, leaving for the Villages. Each day of the journey woods early in the Fall. I have vis­ was a nightmare of suffering, each ited this tribe several times, and night's resting place was the the­ truly they are a degraded and atre of new tortures. At Ossernen- vanishing people. They speak a on his companion, the layman queer patois of French and Indian Rene Goupil, was put to death for and live almost hopelessly in teaching an Indian child to make squalor. It is difficult to realize the sign of the cross. Here at that they are the once proud and Auriesville, Jogues earned the feared tribe who plunged the title, "The Saint of the Mangled French and Iroquois into such Hands," for the women and chil­ bloody, fearful years of slaughter dren severed the ends of his fin­ and reprisals.) gers, chewing them with their teeth, and hacking at them with Coming to the principal subject clam shells. After 13 months, of this meeting, the work, travels Jogues finally escaped and reached and sufferings of the early Jes­ the Dutch colony at Fort Orange, uits among the Iroquois, it is veil near Albany. They sent him down to remember that it would be well the river to New Amsterdam, and nigh impossible to give due cred­ thence to France. This priest was it to all the valiant sons of St. the first to administer the sacra­ Ignatius who gave up to their ments in the bounds of the pres­ last full measure of devotion for ent State of New York. There were the advancement of Christianity then no Catholics in the state, ex­ among the Indians. Many of them cept two that he found living at are little more than dimmed Manhattan. names upon the musty pages of the past, yet their labors wrote In April, 1644, Father Fran­ their names in letters of tears, cesco Bressani was captured at the blood and fire upon the honor roll same spot where Jogues had been of the founders of this nation. The ambushed two years before. Taken first of these valiant men was per­ down over the same route he was haps the best known of all...Fa­ sold to the Dutch at Albany, and ther Isaac Jogues, lately canon­ made his way back to France. ized into the roll of sainthood, along with his six companion In 1645 the Iroquois sent a dele­ martyrs: John de Brebeuf, Noel gation to Three Rivers, Quebec Chabanel, Anthony Daniel, Charles to sue for peace with the French. Gamier, Gab-^el Lalemant and Isaac Jogues had returned to Que­ their two laymen associates: Rene bec from France and he was chos­ Goupil and John Lalande. en to return to the Iroquois as an ambassador for the French. This choice fell upon him, not be­ Martyrdom of Father Jogues cause he had been trained as a The first priest to come to the diplomat, but because he knew Iroquois was Isaac Jogues, but his something of the Indian language initial coming was not the proud and ways and whether he lived procession of an ambassador of or died was not important. Turn­ Christ bringing the word of God to ing his face back to the land that a new people; Jogues came to the had so cruelly treated him two Iroquois as the sorriest of all hu­ years before, Jogues left for the man creatures ... a prisoner of war. Mohawk country on May 16, 1646, Along with some Huron compan­ accompanied by four Mohawks ions, he was captured by the Mo­ and two Algonquins. They went hawks on the St. Lawrence River, down the Richelieu River to Lake August 2, 1642. Kicked, beaten, and Champlain and Lake George. On tortured at every step, forced to this journey Jogues, as its dis-

—75— coverer, named this beautiful was later effected and he return­ lake, "Lake of the Blessed Sac­ ed to Three Rivers, Quebec. rament", and this name it kept Then began a period of nego­ for nearly a century. Down the tiations between the Indians and Hudson to Fort Orange, they then the French. The Five Nations of travelled up the Mohawk to Os- the Iroquois manifested a desire sernon. Conferences were, held, for peace and asked that some and Father Jogues started his re­ "Blackrobes," (as the Jesuits turn journey to Three Rivers. For were called) be sent to them, to convenience he left a box with bring their people a knowledge the Indians. This box contained of the Great Manitou of the White Mass supplies which he wished to man. Accordingly, on July 17th, leave there until his return. While 1654, Father Simon Lemoyne left he was in Quebec, the corn crop of Montreal with some Iroquois, as the Mohawks failed, and the an ambassador of peace. They medicine men of the tribe, seeing traveled by canoes, up the St. in Christianity the death knell to Lawrence River, past the Thou­ their profession, persuaded the sand Islands. His diary tells us tribe there was some evil magic that he saw great herds of deer in the box left by the priest. When and wild cows (probably buffa­ Jogues started back for Mohawk loes). It was the last of July country with John Lalande as his when they reaches Lake Ontario companion, they had barely left and came to an Indian fishing vil­ Fort Richelieu when they were lage, probably at the present site captured by the Mohawks and of Sackett's Harbor. From here taken as prisoners to Auriesville, they took the overland trail where they were put to death. through the dense woods to Onon­ (Fathers Daniel, Brebuef and Lale- daga. mant, acting as missionaries to On August 10th, a great council the Hurons, were captured by the was held at the caief village, Iroquois and put to death near about two miles south of Manlius. Midland, Ontario, in 1648 and All nations of the Iroquois, except 1649.) the Mohawks, were represented. Pledges of peace, and presents of Iroquois Ask For "Blackrobes" good will were given by both sides. Repeated attacks by the Iro­ To show their good faith, the quois forever scattered and dis­ Onondagas offered to send some persed the Huron nation. The young girls of the tribe to con­ Iroquois then turned their atten­ vent schools of Quebec. In re­ tion to destroying the Neuter Na­ turn Lemoyne agreed to send mis­ tion, around Niagara. This was sionaries to the Onondaga coun­ speedily and bloodily done, and try. After a quick journey back bold with their conquests, the to Canada, Lemoyne went down Iroquois then decided to wipe out to the Mohawk country. There the Tobacco Nation, situated be­ he succeeded in making a treaty tween the Huron and Neuter Na­ with that tribe, and then hastened tion. In December of 1649, they back to Montreal. (A hasty jour­ made a violent attack on the ney at that time meant several largest town of the Tobaccos, and weeks or months on the hard killed many, including Father trail.) Charles Gamier. The next Jesuit to feel the First Priests Visit Oswego storm of their savage fury, was a The next year, 1655, a delega­ Father Joseph Poncet, who was tion of the Onondagas, represent­ captured near Quebec while help­ ing also the Oneidas, Cayugas and ing some men harvest the grain Senecas, arrived at Quebec. They crop of a poor widow. Poncet was asked that a chapel be built at taken to the Mohawk Valley In­ Onondaga as a central mission. In dian towns, and there tortured response to this request, the and held prisoner. His release French sent Fathers Joseph

—76— Chaumonot and Claude Dablon. a site for the French colony. They To these two go the hoaors of be­ finally decided on a site half way ing the first missionaries really down the north shore of Lake assigned to work among the Iro­ Onondaga. The colony was locat­ quois Nation purely as priests. ed near two springs, one fresh They left Montreal on the 17th, water and the other salt. A note of October in company with some in their memoirs tells us that the Iroquois and Hurons. Travelling hillsides around the springs were up the St. Lawrence River and alive with rattlesnakes, and that Lake Ontario, they arrived at the wild doves abounded in great mouth of the Oswego River, where numbers on the slopes. These they met a large fishing party of French built in fear and trembl­ Christian Hurons. Down the Os­ ing for they were suspicious that wego River, and across to Onon­ the Iroquois were attempting to daga, (now Pompey), the Fathers lure settlers into the country only reached that place in time to hold the easier to slaughter them. a great conference, on Sunday, Fathers Menard and Choumonot November 14th, 1655. Mass was went on to the country of the celebrated, probably the first Mass Cayugas and built a chapel on the ever to ae celebrated in New shores of Lake Cayuga, near York State. At the conference, Union Springs. This trip opened Chaumonot made a lengthy to them the vistas of the beauti­ speech, in true Indian style, he ful Seneca River and the sur­ used all the tricks and gestures of rounding country. Chaumonot in oratory and dramatics, as was the company with David Lemoyne, a Indian way. With each promise layman, went to the country of he made to the tribe, he gave a the Senecas. Father Menard was belt of wampum as a pledge. It called to Onondaga, but the Cayu­ is interesting to note that the gas immediately sent a delegation belt he gave in pledge of his prom­ to him, beseeching him to return, ise to preach the word of God, is with the result that he did go still in existence. At this same back to that tribe. When Chau­ place, on the 18th, of November, monot reached Seneca territory, the first Catholic chapel ever to he found a fertile field for sowing be erected in the state, was built the seed of the word of God. But in a single day. It was called although prospects seemed bright after St. John the Baptist. for successful mission among the Senecas, the Fathers were too Celebrate First High Mass In few in number to supply perma­ State nent missions to the different vil­ In 1656 Father Dablon, Chau- lages. And, as each of the Four monol's companion, returned to Nations had formally invited Quebec, to urge the Governor to them, he could not postpone at carry out the French agreement least a first visit, without offense. made with Indians the year pre­ So, regretfully, Chaumonot was viously. He then started the re­ obliged to leave the valley of the turn journey to Onondaga, ac­ Genesee and start back with Le­ companied by Fathers Rene, Men­ moyne for the country of the ard, James Fremin and Francis Oneidas. On the way, they Le Mercier, with two lay brothers stopped at Cayuga, where Le­ and fifty colonists, who were to moyne died and was buried. settle at Onondaga. It took them Chaumonot took Father Menard over a month to travel from Mon­ with him and the two started for treal to Onondaga, and their the Oneidas. diaries tell us that they under­ To turn back the page of history went terrible hardships on the for one year, we might mention journey. On July 12th, they sang that Father Simon Lemoyne had a High Mass, the first High Mass visited the Mohawks in 1655, and ever to be celebrated in the state. had promised to return the fol­ With great care, they selected lowing year. However, their

—77— ruthless killings on several occa­ sire for peace was another trap, sions, made him a bit fearful but the courageous Lemoyne vol­ about his safety among them. unteered to return to Onondaga Knowing the Indian nature, how­ and Cayuga territory. Here h< ever, he did go back to them spent a year, baptizing over twc again, and was kindly received. hundred souls. His prize convert He went down to Albany, where was the famous Chief Garakontie, he visited the Dutch. There he who finally was the one to make told them of the strange salt a real treaty with the French. springs at Onondaga, but these It seemed a pity that Gospel steady going burghers were not to and gunpowder continued to be be deceived by such strange tales (he Siamese twins of the French, and they characterized his story but such was the case. With as a typical Jesuit lie. Lemoyne ihe priests seeking only a chance returned to Quebec in 1658. to preach the word of God, and the fur traders seeking these French Escape From Onondaga great sources of business, the By Ruse switches from peace to war were The Huron tribe on the Isle of so rapid and confusing that no Orleans were split into three European felt safe in the domain clans after the attacks by the of the Indian. In September, Mohawks in 1656. One clan went 1666, DeTracey led twelve hun­ down to Onondaga country, put­ dred French soldiers to Mohawk ting themselves under the pro­ territory and leveled five In­ tectorate of that tribe; another dian villages to a ruin of smoul­ clan elected to go with the Mo­ dering ashes. This subdued the hawks, while the third group warlike spirit of the tribe, and was to stay with the French. once more they came, seeking The band destined for Onondaga peace. land, started out accompanied by two priests: Ragueneau and Du- Six Jesuits Come to Indians Perron. At the Thousand Islands, In 1667 six Jesuits set out for they were ambushed by the On- the Indian mission of the Iro­ ondagas and several Hurons were quois. These six were John Pier- slain. ron, Peter Millet, Stephen de At this point many plots were Carheil, Julien Garnier, James made to kill the French settlers Bruyas, James Fremin. Pierron, at Onondaga, but the fact that Fremin and Bryas went to the the French were holding several Mohawks, while Garnier went to Onondaga hostages at Quebec, the Oneidas. Bruyas transferred prevented the plots from being to Oneida, leaving Garnier free carried out. In March, 1658, In­ to go to Onondaga. Father Car­ dian resentment long smoulder­ heil assisted at Onondaga, while ing, burst into open flame, and Millet was with the Cayugas. the colonists were saved only by Here among these tribes the the timely warning of a friendly six Jesuits labored in the work tribesman. The French escaped by of salvation of souls. They them­ a ruse. Inviting all the Indians selves were educated, and re­ to a great banquet, they gorged fined men. They came from old the simple savages and one by families of Europe and brought one slipped themselves away, with them all the finer sensibil­ taking flight across the lake in ities of culture and deep appre­ boats which they had built ciation of the humanities. secretly and hidden in the attics With hope of no wage save of their cabins. years of hardship and suffering, Later the same year the On- they gave themselves over, body ondagas and the Cayugas sued and soul, to the divine destiny for peace at Montreal. Many sus­ of their calling. Unselfishly they pected that this claim of a de­ spent their lives and themselves

—78— for their cause. Living in rude these curses settled the more shelters, forced to wrest their easily on a race whose natural own meager living from the for­ tendency was inclined to cater est, stream and field, they be­ to the animal appetite. (This is came truly all things to all men. off the record, but I have a A Jesuit spends fifteen years in Jesuit brother who at this very study after his college course moment is working among the has been completed, and the esquimos on the Yukon river in Order has earned for itself the Alaska. He tells me that the well deserved recognition of being Fathers even in that far off the best trained and most highly mission feel that the only three educated body of men in the contributions the white has made world. Yet ancestry, breeding, ed­ to the Esquimo are: Booze, ucation and ability knelt in Tobacco and Gasoline.) prayer with the red men of this The Dutch influence on the part of our land, leading these Mohawks greatly increased the spiritually little ones to Christ. work of the Jesuit missioners. In 1668 the Senecas sent to Not only was Dutch rum potent Montreal asking that their tribe and easily obtained, but their too might have its Blackrobes jealousy of French encroachment to dwell among them and teach on New York territory led them them the simple truths of Chris­ to ridicule religion, in an attempt tianity. At this request, Father to nullify the work of the priests. F,remin left the Mohawks and These two factors made religion went to the Seneca nation in the not too desirable an item on valley of the Genesse. He built the Indian market, particularly a chapel at Lima, and, finding in view of the hedonistic ten­ his labors so fruitful that he dency of the red race. But the needed help, sent for Father Fathers stuck to their guns. Not Gamier from Onondaga. Pierron for nothing do they spend fif-' took charge of the Mohawk mis­ teen years amongst the tradi­ sion, visiting each of their seven tions of St. Ignatius before they villages each week. Here he was undertake their life's work. They assisted by Father Francis Boni­ made it a hard and fast rule that face. Gamier and Millet later no adult Indian could be bap­ went to Onondaga, and Carheil tized until he had proven himself to the Cayugas. free from superstition and sinful practices. These two were, for the Liquor Traffic Great Problem most part, sins of gluttony and The big problem the priests immorality. But finally drunken had to contend with among the orgies began to be things of the Indians, was the great traffic of past, and a gradual respect for liquor that flowed in such great virtue and the marriage contract streams from Albany and Man­ came into being. hattan into the Indian villages Some of the converts made by and wigwams. Instances have these missioners offer paradoxes been noted where a party of In­ of virtue springing from vice. dians returning from these Colon­ As a lily may grow with its ial towns, would bring back as roots deep in the mud, so the many as forty to sixty casks of Fathers saw miraculous examples whiskey. Indian nature was none of piety and virtue alive in these too sweet at its best, and, since surroundings where vice and alcohol can rapidly remove ven­ moral corruption were the rule eer, a few drinks would bring rather than the exception. Among out all that is bad and vicious the notable examples, none of the Indian temperament. If shines more brightly than the European colonization brought name of Kateri Tekakawitha, any blessings to the Indian, it "The Lily of the Mohawks." Her brought its curses as well, and mortal remains now rest at

—79— Caughnauaga, across the St. titude was not at all favorable Lawrence from Montreal. The to the Jesuits. shining light among the Onon- When the English regained pos­ dagas was the famous Chief session of New York, they Garakontie. The Senecas gave claimed the territory of the Five us Francis Tehoronhionga and Nations, as well, and then truly James Atondo. These, and many was the end of Jesuit labors ini others were living sources of in­ sight. Another destructive ele­ spiration to the fellow tribesmen. ment was the fact that liquor After spending five years was being sold to the Indians, among the Oneidas, Father not only by the Dutch and Eng­ Bruyas was made the Superior lish, but by French Catholic of all the Iroquois Mission. He merchants as well, in defiance of localized his work with Father the laws of the Church. Many Boniface at the Mohawk villages. Courers du Bois were rum run­ Millet replaced Bruyas at Oneida, ners. The influence of the Eng­ and John DeLamberville was at lish and Dutch versus the Jesuits Onondaga from 1670 to 1685. Sev- made itself more and more ap­ tral other transfers and shifts parent. Even the English Gover­ were made, Father Carheil forced nor Dongan, himself a Catholic, by ill health to leave Cayuga, worked against the French Jes­ being replaced by Father Peter uits. Many Indian Catholics left Raffeix. Carheil went to the their homes and emigrated to the Senecas with • Gamier. Father shores of the St. Lawrence, James Pierron came as first res­ where they could practice the ident misioner to St. Michael Catholic religion in peace. This mission near Bloomfield. angered the ones who were left behind, for they realized their Baptize 2,221 in Decade decreased numbers left them the more open to enemy raids and In the ten years from 1668 to, so they turned their fury on the 1678, the missioners baptized priests. 2,221 souls. It is true that these were mostly sick and dying In­ Last Mission Closed in 168G dians, but thousands of others were given some light of the In 1679 Fathers Bruyas and word and truths of God, as well. DeLamberville left the Mohawks, These men were forced to do the and two years later Father de work not only of priests, but of Gieslis left, closing the Mohawk doctors, lawyers and any other Mission forever. The Senecas roles that might have been forced were preparing for war with the upon them. Their rugged routine French, and so the Fathers were was quick to sap the strength of forced to abandon that mission the strongest, and human flesh as well. The same troubles drove was not made to bear the hard­ Father Carheil from the Cay- ships that they were forced to ugas, and Father Millet from the accept as part of their everyday Oneidas. The only two priests lives. Father Boniface, worn with now left in the whole state cf his years of work, was forced to New York, were the brothers De­ retire to Montreal. He was suc­ Lamberville. In complete inno­ ceeded at Auriesville by James cence, DeLamberville was used DeLamberville, a younger brother as a tool by Governor Denonville of the DeLamberville at Onon­ of Quebec, duping many Indians daga. into a trap and capture. The In­ An undercurrent of unrest dians understood that DeLamber­ prompted the Jesuits to realize ville was innocent, but advised that the end of their mission was him to flee the country for his, imminent. The Dutch at Albany own safety. Thus, with the de­ in 1673 recovered New York parture of this priest from Onon­ from the English, and their at­ daga, in 1686, was closed the last

—80— of the Jesuit Missions in the standards, Christ might be called land of the Iroquois. a failure, for he died as a crim­ inal on the gallows - but, dy­ Judged by human standards, ing, He redeemed mankind. and in measures of time, some [Bibliography: Stewart, "Explora­ might feel that the story of the. tions"; Donohoe, "The Iroquois And Jesuit Missions is a story of fail­ The Jesuits." Wynne, "Jesuit Mar- ure, even though heroic failure. tyre of North America"; Campbell, ''Jesuit Martyrs ot North America"; But judged by the standards of Lynch, "History of the Diocese of God, and in measures of eternity, Syracuse"; Campbell, "The Jesuits it is a glorious chapter of suc­ 1534-1921"; Thwaites, "Jesuit Rela­ tions"; ''Catholic Encyclopedia" (16 cess and crowning achievement. volumes, New York, 1913); Zwerlein, According to those same human "Religion in New Netherland"].

OSWEGO CIT

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jgecrologp

MRS. FRANK P. WAGG May 31, 1938

JOSEPH H. GILL July 10, 1938

SYLVANUS C. HUNTINGTON July 24, 1938

DAVID D. LONG January 15, 1939

JOSEPH M. BONNER .May 27, 1939