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1128822
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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3 1833 01152 7832
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A- F. ^A'b w.>.,
- OSWEGO. N. Y.
SALMON RIVER FALLS, PULASKI, N .Y.
1789.
^^\STO/^^
OF-
OSWEGO COUNTY,
NEW YORK.
llIlM«lra!i0n5J mul ^h^ni^lilvA Mltcfclie^
r^-^OF^^^
SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
'n^.ic\ — -
6.'-i
OPU-BLISHEID BY Ij. H. EAAEIiTS & CO.,
714—16 Filliert Street, ^Philadelphia.
c
1877.
7 9 10 6 5 15
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i
C O N T E N T S.
1128822
ISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTV.
VII.-
VIII.-
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.-
XV.-
XVI.
XXX.-
XXXI.-
XXXII.-
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
Introductory . . . •
A Rnid in 1615
-The Iroquois . . . •
-Jesuits and Colonists
-Do La Barre and Garangula .
■ Count Frontenae's Expedition
-From 1097 to 1753 .
-Tlie " Old French War" .
-From 1761 to 1775 .
-The Revolution
-From 17S.3 to 1800 .
From ISOl to 1812
10
10, 11
11-13
13-15
15-17
18, 19
19-2-t
2-1-35
35-38
38-41
41-55
55-62
—The War of 1812 ''2-69
From 1815 to 1830 .
From 1831 to 1861 .
XXIX.— Oswego in the R
Since the War .
•The Press of Oswego Count
County Buildings .
-The State Normal School
-The Common Schools
— Religion and Temperance
Medical Societies .
Agricultural Societies
The National Guard
Oswego County Civil List
69-72
. 75-115
. 116,117
. 117-121
. 121,122
. 122-125
125
. 125,126
. 126-129
. 129-131
131
OSWEGO CITY.
of Oswego City . . . •
Oswego Harbor
;c of Hon. G. B. Sloan
Thomas Kingsford
Thomson Kingsford
Elias Root .
Leonard Ames, with Portrail
Dclos De Wolf
Edwin Allen .
Edwin W. Clarke .
Joseph Hover
171
" Thomas S. Molt .
" and Portrait of B. B. Burt
" Orvillc Robinson, with Portraits
" Farm Retreat," Residence of Thomson Kingsf<
St. Paul's Church and School .
Residence of E. G. Jones .
" R. Gordon .
" 0. M. Bond .
First National Bank Building .
City Savings " "
Mannister Wort's Block .
Neal's Block (and Masonic Temple)
Residence of Luther Wright, with portrait and biography
between 186, 187
Portrait and Biography of AlvinBronson . . facing 142
u " Sylvester Doolittle . . " 113
u " Cheney Ames ... "172
« " II, >n. A. P. Grant . . " 1"3
View of Kingsford's Starch-Factory (steel) . between 174, 175
Portraits of Thomas and Thomson Kingsford (steel) " 174, 175
Portrait and Biography of R. Oliphant . . • facing 176
Portraits of Myron Pardee and wife, with biography " 178
facing 13G
Portrait of Judge W. F. Allen (steel) . • ■ ""^'"S '
Hon. Elias Root (steel) .... "I
" S. Bates, with biography
Frederick T. Carrington (steel) . • l»eing 1
Portraits of E. G. Jones and wife . . . •
Portrait of Wm. S. Malcolm
" Mrs. Catharine Van Rensselaer Cochran " 1
PortraitandBiography of John B. Edwards . . . . 1
u '• Colonel Edward M. Paine . . 1
" Daniel E. Taylor . . - • 1
ti ti Lucius B. Crocker . . . .
Portrait and Biography of Hon. B. Doolittle . . • •
« " II. Murray . . • fa<:i»g
Biography of Judge W. F. Allen
B.B.Burt •
" Hon. Elias Root
« Frederick T. Carrington
" Moses P. Neal
" Wm. S. Malcolm
Mrs. Catharine V. R. Cochran . . . •
" Orvillc Robinson
" Mrs. Lucrctia Robinson
Military Record
TOWN OF OSWEGO.
History of the Town of Oswego
Residence of Eli Wilder (double page) . . between 200,
" Levi Pease (double page) ..." 202,
Portraits of Nathan Lewis and wife, with biography
Stock Farm and Portrait oliThos. G. Thompson (and Agricul-
tural Fair Grounds) .... between 204,
Residence of William Clark .... "204
Biography of Eli Wilder
" Levi Peaso
Military Recoi-d
TOWN OF RICHLAND.
History of the Town of Richland
View of Court-House, Pulaski f''='^"g
" Pulaski Academy
Residence and Land-Office of Charles H. Cross, with portrait
between ^ 1
and biography
Portrait of Thomas W. Dixon (steel)
Residence of S. II. Fellows ....
" J. G. and G. W. White
First Congregational Church Building, with portra
Moacham and Rev. James Douglas
Residence of Jas. N. Belts, M.D., with portrait
" and portrait of Don A. King .
Portrait of Robert L. IngorsoU (steel)
Biography of " " . . . .
Captain Ira Doane
" James N. Bctts, M.D. .
" Don A. King ....
Portrait and Biography of William Strong
of Ansel Brown
View of Salmon River House, Pulaski .
Box and Bett's Block, Pulaski . . - .
Residence of Capt. Ira Doanc, with portraits .
Military Record
TOWN OF VOLNEY.
History of the Town of Volnoy
Views on Oswego River, near Fulton
faci:
CONTENTS.
Portrait and Biography of Lovwell Johnson (steel)
Willard Johnson (steel)
Residence of J. H. Distin, with portraits .
F. Vant, " " . .
" Samuel Hart, " " . .
" Wm. D. Patterson ....
" D. W. Gardner ....
" Mrs. L. E. Loomis, with portraits
" Elias Thomas, with portraits
" Charles G. Bacon, M.D., withportrait
Portraits of Ira Carrier and wife, with biographj'
Farm View of Ira Carrier
Portraits of Colonel John Gasper and wives
" Ira Ives and wife, with biography
" Thomas Hubbard and wife, with biogr.aphy
facing
Kesidence of Thomas Hubbard, Esq.
Portraits of Walter Wilber and wife, with biography
" Timothy Pratt and wife, with biography
Residence of John W. Pratt, with portraits . . facing
Portraits of Aaron G. Fish and wife, with biography
Portrait of Lyman Pa'.terson, with biography ....
Portraits of Holsey Hubbard and wife, with biography facing
" William Ingell and wife, with biography
Portrait of Isaac Marltham, and biography of Jason S. Marliham
Residence of Jason S. Markham, with portraits . facing
Portraits of Freeman Gasper and wife, with biography
Portrait of F. W. Squires, with biography . .
" Hon. Ransom H. Tyler, with biography . facing
Biography of Dr. Ransom Howard, with portraits . opposite
*' L. E. Loomis .......
" John H. Distin
" Elias Thomas
" Dr. Charles G. Baeon
" Samuel Hart
Military Record
TOWPf OF MEXICO.
History of the Town of Me.\i
Residence of the late Euge
N. Hil
ith portraits facing 262
L. H. Conkli]
" J. B. Driggs
" Phineas Davis
Residence and Factory of S. N. Gustin (double page), bct«
Carriage Manufactory of Lewis Miller
View of Grace Church
Portrait and Biograpliy of Hon. Avery Skinner
" ** Ebcnezcr E. Menfer
Residence of Mrs. Dr. C. D. Snell ....
Toronto and State Mills
Portrait and Biography of Dr. C. D. Snell
Biography of Eugene N. Hills
Military Record
TOWN OF ALBION.
History of the Town of Albion 278
Residence of D. K. Averill (double page) . between 271S, 279
Portrait and Biography of Aaron Fuller 281
" " Thomas Henderson .... 282
Military Record 282
TOWN OF CONSTANTIA.
IHstory of the Town of Constantia .
Portraits and Biography of the Bernhard family
Residence and Portrait of Hon. William H. I!ak
Biography of Hon. W. H. Baker
Portraits of Rev. Christoj.hor Martin an.l wilo
Henry Winu a"ud wife .
Portrait of Ephraim Cleveland
Biography of Christopher Martin .
Hen
Icnce of Patr
ary Record .
ck 11
TOWN OF ORWELL.
History of the Town of Orwell 297
Residence of I. W. Bennett facing 297
James J. Montague .... "298
" John Washburn "298
Residences of John E. Potter and Alexander Potter, with por-
traits facing 300
Residence of Hon. John Parker, with portraits . " 303
Biography of lion. John Parker 303
" Jas. J. Montague 303
" S. C. Davis 303
Property of S. C. Davis and Son ... . opposite 304
Portraits of the Davis family " 305
Military Record 30i
TOWN OF HANNIBAL.
History of the Town of Hannibal 307
Residence of Norman Titus facing 307
C. S. Chamberlain .... " 307
" E. S. Tallman (double page) . between 308, 309
" Jonas Shutts, with portraits (double page) between
310,311
Biography of Jonas Shutts 311
Residence of Avery Green, with portraits . . facing 312
Military Record 312
TOWN OF PALERMO.
History of the Town of Palermo 316
Residence and Store of D. H. Trimble, with portraits facing 316
Factory and Hotel of W. H. Hann.^n . . . opposite 318
Residence of J. F. Lansing '•' 319
" Frederick C. Church .... "319
" W. S. Lansing, with portraits . . facing 320
" D. L. Brown "321
Portraits of Almon Mason and wife .... "321
Portrait of Dr. Addison Beckwith .... "321
Biography of Isaac N. Lansing .... " 320
" Almon Mason "321
Biography of David L. Brown . . . . . . .321
Military Record 321
TOWN OF SCHROEPPEL.
History of the Town of Sehroeppel 324
Residence and Portrait of Alonzo Utiey . . . facing 324
" of W. H. Rico "324
Howard House " 32J
Residence of Nelson Corey (double page) . between 326, 327
Portraits of Andrew Gilbert and wife . . . facing 330
" Stephen Griffith " . . . . " 330
Portrait of E. L. Jennings " 330
" J. M. Williams " 330
Residence of R. Sutton, with portraits ... " 334
Biography of Reuben Sutton ....... 334
Military Record 334
TOWN OF NEW HAVEN.
History of the Town of New Ilavcn.
339
Premises of Orlando R. Cummings .... facing 339
Portrait of Seth Severance, with biography . . opposite 310
" A. W. Severance, " . . " 341
Portraits and Biography of A. H. Barton and wife . " 342
Residence of Edward W. Robinson, with portraits . " 343
Views at Captain Henry Daggett's, with portraits (double
page) between 344, 345
Portrait of Norman Rowo, with biography . " 344, 345
Residence of M. S. Lindall, with portrait . . " 344,345
Portrait of L. Cummings 345
Biography of Captain Henry J. Daggett 345
Military Record 345
TOWN OF AMBOY.
CONTENTS.
I'ortniits of P. J. Wilsou and wife .
Poitriiit of i'. I,aing
Philip Hess ....
" Georgo D. Wells, with biogvniiliy
Biograjihy of Thomns Laing
Rosiilciice of John Jamicson, with portrait
Portrait of Charles Loigh, with biography
Biography of John Jamicson
Residence of II. and N. Leigh .
Military Record .....
TOWN OF WILLIAIHSTOWN.
History of the Town of Williamstown 353
View of Lake and Mill at Kasoag .... facing 353
Residence of Edwin Comstoek, with portraits . . " 355
" and Hotel of C. S. Sage, with portraits . opposite 356
" A. Orton and William Steele, with portraits " 357
Biography of Hon. Chaunoey S. Sago 356
" Ashbel Orton 356
Military Record 357
TOWN OF HASTINGS.
History of the Town of Hastings 358
Residence of William B. Parkhurst, with portraits . facing 358
" D. D. Drake, M.D " 300
" Robert Elliott "360
" Leonard Snow ..... " 362
Military Record 365
TOWN OF WEST MONROE.
History of the Town of West Monroe 367
Military Record 369
TOWN OF BOYLSTON.
History of the Town of Boylston ...... 370
Residence of William Wart, with portraits . . facing 370
Biography of William Wart 373
Military Record 373
TOWN OF SANDY CREEK.
History of the Town of Sandy Creek 37i
High School Building facing 374:
Residence of William Bishop, with portraits . . " 376
" Orin R. Earl, with portrait ... " 378
Gilbert N. Harding .... "380
" William Jay Stevens .... "380
" Hon. A. S. Warner, with portraits . . .382
Biography of Hon. Orcn R. Earl 3S2
" " Andrew S. Warner 382
Residence of Julia K. Robbins, with portraits . . facing 383
Biography of Benjamin G. Robbins 383
" Julius S. Robbins 383
" William Bishop 383
Residence of J. S. Robbins facing 384
The Salisbury House "384
Portrait and Biography of Hon. Azariah Wart . . . 384
" of J. Lyman Bulkley 3S4
Military Record 384
TOWN OF GRANBY.
History of the Town of Granby 388
Residence of Wm. W. Palmer, with portraits . . facing 388
" Calvin French, with portraits . . " 389
Farm View and Residence of Thos. R. Wright, with portraits,
between 390, 391
Farm and Residence of Jasper H. Whitcomb, with portraits
(double page) between 392, 393
Residence of Felix M. Rico, with portraits . . facing 394
Oli
Pain
John C. Wells,
Mrs. M. Howell
1'1'y
. oppi
Portraits of Benjamin Wells and wife, with bio
" Benj. B. Pierce '• " . .
Residence of I. F. Pierce, with portrait . . . facing
" W. B. Gaylord, with portraits . . "
Portrait of Asa Phillips, with biography
Residence of Morgan Blakeman, with portraits . facing
" Lewis II. Hutchins, " . "
Portraits of Aaron Stranahan and wife, with biography .
Residence of Aaron Stranahan facing
" Wm. II. Tompkins, with portraits .
Portrait of David Willcox, with biography ....
Residence of Milo Wilcox, with portraits . . . facing
" Dan. S. Shattuck, "... "
" II. H. Merriam, "... "
" Mrs. Isaac Bogardus, "... "
" Jesse Reynolds, "
" Jackson Reynolds, "
J. II. Langdon ....
)hy of John C. Wells ....
" Isaac Boganlus ....
John I. AValradt ....
" William B. Gaylord
" Jackson Reynolds ....
" Morgan lUakcman
" Scth Paine
" William U. Tompkins .
" Jasper II. Whitcomb
" Dan. S. Shattuck ....
" Calvin French ....
II. H. Merriam ....
" John Palmer
" David Hutchins ....
" Jesse Reynolds ....
Military Record
TOWN OF SCRIBA.
Biogr
History of the Town of Scviba .
Residence of Geo. Fradcnburgh
" Russell Turner, with portrait
Philo H. Burnham, "
Portrait of Thomas Askew, with biography
" Daniel Hall (2d), "
" Erastus Stone ....
Biography of Erastus Stone
Portrait of Robert Simpson, with biography
Geo. W. Snyder, M.D., "
Portraits of James Church and wife, "
" Rev. Geo. Blossom an
" Philo Burnham and w
Military Record
ilh 1
TOWN OF REUFIELD.
History of the Town of Redfiold 423
Residence of James Petrie, with portrait . . . facing 424
Biography of James Petrie 428
Military Record 428
TOWN OF PARISH.
History of the Town of Parish 429
Portrait of Lieutenant-Colonel Melzar Richards, with biog-
raphy facing 429
Residence of Hon. Harvey Palmer, with portraits . " 4:J2
Biography of Hon. Harvey Palmer 432
Military Reconl 432
MISCELLANEOUS.
List of Citizens who assisted in the publication of the History
of Oswego County, with personals 434
Outline Map of Oswego County .... facing 9
View of Salmon River Falls (vignette) . . facing title-j»age.
H I 8 T O K Y
OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
BY CRISFIELD JOHNSON.
CHAPTER I.
INTKODUCTORY.
Plan of Ibc Work— Sources of Information— List of Books Examined
— Acknowledgments of Aid — Closing Remarks.
The plan of this work comprises :
First, a connected history of the events of general im-
portance or interest which have occurred in the territory
now comprising the county of Oswego, or in which residents
of that county have been actors, from the advent of Cham-
plain in 1615 down to the second year of the second century
of American Independence.
Second, special and statistical matter relating to the
county at large, and intended chiefly for reference.
Third, histories of the city of Oswego and of each town
in the county, including notices of early settlers, and sketches
of churches, lodges, and other local organizations.
Fourth, biographical sketches and personal records.
The general history is intended to follow strictly the
chronological order from 1615 to 1877, confining itself to
the territory of the present county and the acts of its resi-
dents, referring to outside matters only so far as may be
necessary to show the connection of events, telling the story
not only of battles and sieges, in which this county has been
extremely prolific, but of pioneer struggles and modern
development, and not disdaining the use of anecdote and
reminiscence to give vivacity to the picture. The other
portions of the work must necessarily be arranged according
to the subjects of which they treat.
That portion of the general history pertaining to the
period previous to the beginning of settlement was derived
entirely from books ; the later portion is partly from books,
but largely from personal recollections, contemporary records,
newspaper articles, etc. All these sources have also been
utilized in compiling the special sketches and town histories.
The books which wc have consulted, and to which we
desire to acknowledge our indebtedness, arc the Documentary
and Colonial Histories of New York, Colden's History of
the Five Nations, Smith's History of New York. Morgan's
League of the Iroquois, Squier's Antiquities, Schoolcraft's
Report on Indian AflFairs, Stone's Life and Times of Sir
William Johnson, Pouchot's Memoir of the War of 1754-
60, Lossing's Life of Schuyler, Bishop Timon's History of
Missions in Western New York, Stone's Life and Times of
Joseph Brant, Mrs. Grant's Memoirs of an American Lady,
Bancroft's History of the United States, Cooper's Pathfinder,
Clark's Onondaga, Turner's History of the Holland Pur-
chase, Ketchum's History of Buffalo and the Senecas,
Hough's History of Jefferson County, Hammond's Political
History of New York, the New York Civil List, French's
New York Gazetteer, numerous directories of Oswego, and
several minor works.
Many of the volumes above named arc the property of
B. B. Burt, E.sq., of Oswego, to whom we are indebted for
their u.so, and whose knowledge of local history h;is enabled
him to give us much v;Juable information regarding the
subject of our labors. We are also especially indebted to F.
W. Squiers, Esq., of North Volney, for assistance regarding
early records and events after the settlement of the county.
The Hon. Alvin Bronson, of Oswego, having been a resident
there since 1810, having during the greater part of that
time been active in commercial and political life, and having
entered with form scarce bent and memory scarce dimmed
upon his ninety-fifth year, has been able to furnish us much
information not attainable from any other person.
We regret that it is impracticable to mention all those
who have kindly enlightened us on minor points, but as
they number many hundreds, scattered through every town
in the county and every ward in the city, we are obliged to
confine ourselves to a general expression of thaiiLs to thusc
numerous aiders of our enterprise.
Of the manner in which the work is executed it were idle
to speak at any length here. It must stand or fall on its
own merits. Doubtless, between the frequent obscurity
of the subject, and the numerous and often conflicting au-
thorities to be consulted, occasional inaccuracies have crept
in. Doubtless some things have been omitted, a.s worthy
of attention as others which have been included ; yet we
are certain there is an immense amount of information rc-
9
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
garding Oswego County within this volume, and we trust
it is so arranged and presented that our patrons and their
children and their children's children will long turn to these
pages to learn the story of their own and their fathers' home.
CHAPTER II.
A KAID IN 1615.
Chamjilain in Oswego County— His previous Action— Attack on the
Onondagas — Champlain Wounded — The Retreat.
Hundreds upon hundreds of almost naked savages,
painted and plumed for war, gliding with stealthy step
amid the tangled vines and beneath the autumn-tinted
leaves of an American forest, armed with the bows and
arrows, the war-clubs and the stone tomahawks, which had
been the weapons of their ancestors from immemorial time,
in whose midst marched a band of ten Europeans, equipped
with arquebuse, and pistol, and cutlass, led by one whose
mien betokened the habit of command and whose eye
flashed with the fire of his adventurous spirit, — such was
the scene to be witnessed in the early days of October,
1615, in the central portion of the territory now composing
the county of Oswego.
Doubtless the same ground had previously seen many an
Indian war-party on its errand of slaughter, but never
before had it been pressed by the foot of the Caucasian.
Samuel Champlain was then leading through Oswego
County the first white men who ever visited any part of
the Empire State west of the immediate vicinity of Hudson
river. The period of his advent here was only a hundred
and twenty-three years after the discovery of America by
Columbus, eighty-one years after Cartier had sailed up the
St. Lawrence to Montreal, making some fruitless efforts at
colonization, twelve years after Champlain himself had
founded the colony of Canada, nine years after Henry
Hudson had discovered the noble river which bears his
name, and five years before the Pilgrim Fathers landed on
Plymouth rock.
From his first arrival in America, Champlain, eager to
ingratiate himself with his neighbors, the Hurons, had
aided them in their wars against their most dreaded foes,
the far-famed Iroquois. Six years previous to the time in
question he had led a band of the northern Indians along
the shore of the lake which has received his name, and had
engaged in battle with the Five Nations on the outskirts of
their territory, thus arousing their deadly enmity — trans-
iBTtted through many generations— against all the inhabit-
ants of New France.
At length he and his Huron allies had determined to
strike at the very centre of the great confederacy. With
ten trusty companions he had sought the principal villages
of the Hurons, situated on the lake of the same name.
There he had been promised that twenty-five hundred war-
riors should assemble to attack the Iroquois. What number
actually congregated at the rendezvous is unknown, but it
was undoubtedly large for an Indian wai-jiarly, and with
the aid of the terrible fire-arms of the white men they
hoped to gain an easy victory over their dreaded and de-
tested rivals. From the Huron country the whole party
had made a portage with their canoes to the head-waters of
the river Trent, had passed down its tortuous channel and
through the bay of Quints to Lake Ontario (never before
seen by a white man), had crossed that beautiful inland
sea, and had landed somewhere on its eastern shore.
At what precise point they disembarked cannot be ascer-
tained from the meagre account which Champlain has left.
Blost authorities have located it at or near the mouth of
Stony creek, in Jefierson county ; but one or two have be-
lieved that Sandy Creek bay, Oswego county, more nearly
accords with the facts stated by Champlain. At all events,
as soon as they landed, the Indians carefully concealed their
canoes, and set out in the direction of the enemy. For
four French leagues (about ten miles) they marched along
a sandy beach beside a beautiful country adorned with
prairies and small lakes, crossed by numerous streams and
by what Champlain calls two small rivers, which, if Sandy
Creek bay was the landing-place, must have been Salmon
river and Salmon creek.
Then the whole body struck boldly into the forest to
seek the home of their foes. There is no reasonable doubt
but that their object was to attack the main village of the
Onondagas, situated on or near Onondaga lake. Other
tribes and other localities have been suggested, but none
that so well satisfies the description of Champlain. For
three or four days the Huron wari-iors and their French
companions pursued their devious and tedious way, guided
only by the general knowledge which the former possessed
of the location of their enemies. It was not until the
fourth day after leaving their canoes, being the 9th of
October, that they crossed Oneida river, at or near the site
of Fort Brewerton, catching a glimpse of the beautiful
Oneida lake, where Champlain, even in his hurried passage,
noted the immense number of fish which inhabited the
stream, making it the favorite fishing-place of the Onon-
dagas.
Thenceforth their course was outside the present bounds
of the county of Oswego, and it is not our purpose to give
a minute description of events which have happened beyond
those bounds, unless residents of the county were the chief
actors in them. Barely enough will be related regarding
such matters to show the connection in the chain of events.
SufiSce it to say, then, that Champlain's expedition was
entirely unsuccessful. He arrived before the enemy's prin-
cipal village on the 10th of October, and found it so well
defended by four rows of interlaced palisades that, notwith-
•standing the number of his followers, notwithstanding the
fire-arms of the Frenchmen and his own gallant leadership,
he could not induce his undisciplined Hurons to make the
persistent efi"orts necessary to success. After a spirited but
irregular assault, in which Champlain himself was twice
severely wounded and many of his warriors were also in-
jured by the arrows of the Onondagas, and after vainly
waiting several days for a friendly tribe which was expected
from the south, the Hurons, in spite of their leader's re-
monstrances, on the 16th of October turned their steps
towards home. The Onondagas pui-.sui'd tlioni a short
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
distance, but were soon driven back by tbo Frenc'b ari|uo-
basiers.
But littlo over a week after the long eortege swept througli
the forests of Oswego County, full of savage pride and war-
like hope, it came hastening back defeated and forlorn, each
wounded warrior being borne on tlie back of one of his
fellows, in a rude wicker-basket. Champlain himself Wiis
thus carried, suffering severely from his wound, and still more
so from the cramped condition to which he was coufiued
by his basket ambulance. As soon a.s he could possibly
bear his weight, he preferred to hobble with halting steps
over the hills thau to remain pent up in the basket, which
he describes as a perfect hell.
Feeling in constant danger of attack from the vengeful
Iifii]iiois, the retreat of the Hurom was more rapid than
their advance, and on the 18th of October they reached
Lake Ontario at the point where they had concealed their
canoes. Though Champlain was anxious to return directly
down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, the Jfaroiis insisted on
taking him back to their own country, where he remained
during the winter; returning in the spring to his friends,
who had for months mourned him as dead.
Such was the first appearance of the white man within
the present borders of the county of Oswego, and, so far
as that county is concerned, the month of October, 1615,
marks the line between history and tradition. Standing
at this divisional point betwixt the known and the un-
known, let us employ a little time in peering amid the
mists of earlier ages and dubious systems ere we go for-
ward on firm ground along the ever-broadening historic
pathway from 1615 to 1877.
CHAPTER II L
THE IROQUOIS.
Thoir Various Names— Their Origin— Curious Traditions— The Prob-
able Truth— Formation of the Confederacy— Atotarho— The Sys-
tem of Clans, Sachems, and Chiefs— Prowess and Eloquence-
General Characteristics— Three Tribes in Oswego County.
At the time our history begins, the territory of the
present county of Oswego was unnuestionably in the pos-
session of that celebrated confederacy, whose renown has
far surpassed that of any other North American Indians,
and who were variously known as the Five Nations, the
Iroquois, the Iledonosannee, and the People of the Long
House. The term " Five Nations" explains itself The
appellation Iroquois was given them by the French, but is
not a French word. Old maps show a tribe of Indians
called "CoKis," located near the site of Kingston, Canada;
also " Isles des Couis" and " Bay des Couis,"' in that
vicinity. Another map designates the country of the Six
Nations as that of the '^Hiro Couis." It would seem,
therefore, that the name "■Coicis" first belonged, or was
given, to the Canadian Indians, and that the French, sup-
posing the Five Nations to be of the same tribe, gave them
the specific designation ''Iliro,' though what that means
is unknown. From •'Iliro Couis" to "Iroquois," the change
is easily seen.
The Five Nations Ciilled themselves Ilriloiwsiinnee, liter-
ally, " We form one cabin," thereby denoting that they
were all of one political household ; and this name has been
translated, with substantial correctness, "The People of
the Long House." They also called them.selves " Oiigwe
Honice," meaning Superior Men, but this appellation lias
never been adojited by the whites, though it is in some
sort continued by the proud motto of the Empire State, —
" Excelsior."
When first discovered by the whites, each of the Five Na-
tions was on the ground which it continued to occuiiy down
to the outbreak of the American Revolution, and their names
have been perpetuated by the waters whereon they dwelt, —
that of the Mohawks by the Mohawk river, those of the
Oneidas, the Onondugas, the Cnyugas, and the Scnecns by
the lakes bearing the same appellations. These tribes, or
nations, were linked together in a kind of federal union,
which decided all questions of war and peace, and perhaps
other matters affecting the general welfare, if any such
there were. The origin of this league, the origin of the
tribes which composed it, are alike uncertain. Where they
were when found by the Europeans they might have been
a thousand years, for aught that is positively known. But
there were several traditions among the Iroquois regarding
their origin, all pointing in the same direction, and all link-
ing the history of the confederacy in an especial manner
with the county of Oswego.
One account is simply that the Iroqiioif once resided in
Canada, being neighbors and rivals of the Ilitrous ; that
they were defeated by the latter, fled across Lake Ontario,
passed up the Oswego river, and settled on the lakes and
rivers of central New York. A more remarkable tradition,
given by David Cusick, the Tuscnrora chief, is that their
ancestors were called from the bowels of a mountain
near Oswego falls, by Tareuyawayon, " the Holder of the
Heavens," under whoso direction they went eastward to
the Hudson, and thence back to Seneca lake, the several
tribes dropping off on their way. Still another legend,
related in Clark's " Onondaga," is that at one time, when
the Irtquois were in great affliction on account of the
blighting of their corn, the obstruction of their rivers by
monsters, etc., two Onondagas, sauntering on the beach at
Oswego, saw a white canoe coming over the lake, from
which, when it landed, stepped a venerable personage, who
announced himself as the Spirit-man, Taounyawatha, come
to extricate the people from their troubles. He went up
the Oswego river and removed the obstructions at the falls,
so that canoes could pass without portage, though the
cataract has been replaced, on account of the wickedness of
succeeding generations. Then he continued his course up
the O.swego and Seneca, cut in twain with one blow of liis
paddle a serpent several miles in length, which lay across
the stream a little above Three Rivers point, destroyed
numerous other monsters, more terrible than those which
fell under the wrath of Hercules, and, finally, laying aside
his spiritual attributes, lived for a long time as a mere man,
the fijther and adviser of the Iroquois, under the well-
known name of Hiawatha.
12
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
All these traditions go to show that the Iroquois origi-
nally came from the north, and that they made their advent
in central New York by way of the Oswego river. Similar
shadowy authority indicates that while there was a general
resemblance and a kind of connection between the five
tribes, yet that they were politically independent for a long
time after their establishment in central New York, and
were often engaged in deadly conflict with each other. At
length, a wise old sachem named Daganawada, perceiving
that all the tribes were likely to be destroyed by each other
and by their common enemies, advised a confederation be-
tween them, and proposed Atotarho, otherwise called Tado-
daho, an Onondaga chief of extraordinary valor, as the
head of the new league. His suggestion was agreed to, and
a humble deputation of sachems sought out the renowned
Onondaga in the midst of one of his swampy fastnesses,
and persuaded him to accept the honors of leadership. One
of the few pictorial representations of Indian origin repre-
sents the terrible Atotarho, seated and smoking, with scores
of living serpents curled around his legs and hissing from
his hair, while two meek-looking ambassadors approach to
oflfer him the presidency of the proposed confederacy.
After the formation of the league, it is said that the
snakes were combed out of Atotarho's head by a Mohawk
chieftain, thenceforward called Ha-yo-went-ha, " The Man
who Combs." Perhaps this symbolizes the fact that the
authority of the Atotarho, or head chief of the confederacy,
was reduced to an almost nominal rank, involving little
more than the privilege of presiding over the general
council of the league ; but Indian symbolism, like Indian
tradition, is of too shadowy a nature to admit of elaborate
discussion in a work of this character.
Not only the early history of the Indian tribes, but their
policy, laws, and organization, as they were before, or even
since, the advent of the whites, cannot be delineated with
any certainty of correctness. When the writer first began
to consult authorities regarding the Five Nations, for the
purpose of writing the history of another county, he sup-
posed, after a short research, that he had mastered not
indeed the minutia9, but the general outlines of the Iroquois
policy, for the first book he read laid down the whole politi-
cal and social system of those tribes with a clearness which
could not be misunderstood and a positiveness which left
nothing in doubt. But further investigation, instead of
increasing, has sadly diminished his stock of knowledge on
that subject, for other authorities give widely diflerent views
not merely as to details, but in regard to the most essential
points in the organization of the Ilcdonosaimee. He is now
fully satisfied that their whole system was far less definite
than is usually supposed, and that the precise and positive
language which might properly be used by the historian to
describe the constitution of a civilized people is entirely
out of place in delineating the shadowy outlines of aborigi-
nal customs.
Yet, as Oswego County was, from its first discovery to
the close of the Revolution, acknowledged by French,
Dutch, English, and Americans to be the property of the
Iroquois, as it was constantly used by them as a hunting-
ground, and as its fortunes during all that time were closely
interwoven with those of that celebrated tribe, it would
seem as if an Oswego County history should give at least
an outline sketch of their character and policy.
The most remarkable characteristic of the Iroquois was
the system of clans, which extended through all the tribes
of the confederacy. Although these associations were far
diflFerent from the Scottish clans, which were almost inde-
pendent nations (and, indeed, from any other societies in
the world), yet the word " clan" is used by the best writers,
as more nearly suiting the case than any other in our
language.
There were, iit all, eight of thase clans, each named after
something in the animal kingdom, viz. : Wolf, Bear, Beaver,
Turtle, Deer, Snipe, Heron, and Hawk. Even in regard
to this important matter we are met with the usual uncer-
tainty which hangs over Indian affairs ; while some au-
thorities declare that all the clans extended to all the tribes,
others say that only the first three were thus widely spread,
and that the other five clans only extended through two or
three tribes each. The latter seems the more probable
statement.
Each clan was a large family, all the members of which,
however widely separated among the various tribes of the
confederacy, were bound to each other by peculiar ties, and
were under obligations to aid each other with fraternal care.
The idea of family relationship was strengthened by pro-
hibiting all intermarriage between members of the same
clan. This was strictly enforced by public opinion, and
those who violated it, if any such there were, were visited
with the deepest disgrace. The Mohawk of the Beaver
clan, whom the chase or war had led among the Senecas,
living three hundred miles from his own castle, was at once
made at home among his brother Beavers, though he might
never have seen one of them before ; but he was bound to
treat them as brothers and sisters, and marriage was not to
be thought of
Whether the clan system was the fortunate outgrowth of
fortuitous circumstances, or the splendid invention of some
forest-born genius, there seems to be no doubt that it was
the vital principle of the Iroquois confederacy. The feel-
ing of brotherhood between the dans, carefully preserved
by the prohibition of intermarriage, was a better preventive
of war between the tribes than the most solemn compact
which could have been formed among that barbarous people.
The Oiiondagas could not go to war with the Cayugas, for
in that case the Heron would have been compelled to do
battle with his brother Heron. There must be no strife
between the Oneidas and the distant Senecas, for if there
were it would sunder the fraternal bonds uniting the Bear
which reposed on the shore of Oneida lake to the fiercer
Bear which roamed through the wilderness west of the
In each tribe there were several sachems, having some
kind of authority. This much is certain ; but having ascer-
tained so much, the unfortunate investigator is again sur-
rounded by the clouds of doubt. The general belief is that
the sachems were civil chiefs, having no authority in war.
But Sir William Johnson, who ought to have had as good
a knowledge of the Iroquois as any other white man in
North America, said the sachems were elected chiefly on
account of their warlike prowess. The latter view is much
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
more consistent with the usual customs of savages than the
former, but the Iroquois were a peculiar people, and. wc are
inclined to believe, from all the testimony, that there was
more or less distinction between civil chiefs and war chiefs.
Morgan, the able author of the " League of the Iroquois,"
says that there was no distinct class of war chiefs among
the Five Nations, but every renowned warrior could beat
up for volunteers, and obtain the leadership of a band of his
countrymen. Certainly in some cases the fighting men of
the Six Nations have been known to choose a leader for a
particular battle only the day before it was to take place.
The truth jirobably is that in regard to both civil sachems
and war chiefs there was a lemleitcj/, so to say, to take them
from particular ftimilies, but there were no definite regula-
tions, and personal prowess, acknowledged wisdom, or
oratorical skill frequently gained the day over the rights
of primogeniture.
All admit that the Oiiondagas had a certain pre-emi-
nence, and that the principal civil chief was always from
that tribe, but the Senecas and the Mohaicks both claim
to have had the honor of furnishing the principal war chief
As these two hist-named tribes were located one at each
end of the " Long House," they were necessarily more often
assailed by sudden attacks than the others, and their prin-
cipal chiefs would naturally be accorded a certain suprem-
acy in warlike atfaii-s.
There was an annual congress of the confederacy held
at the council-fire of the O/iOHcZa^as, composed of six mem-
bers, according to Schoolcraft, but of fifty, according to
Morgan, and perhaps of some other number according to
the next investigator. Probably the larger figure is more
nearly correct, for the IroqKois were not accustomed to trust
much power to a single person ; but Morgan's careful allot-
ment of nine to the Oiieidas, nine to the Mohaicks, four-
teen to the Oiiondagas, ten to the Cayiigas, and eight to
the Senecas, is not in accordance with the miscellaneous
manner in which the Indians generally transacted business.
But whatever the number or the power of their chiefs,
whatever the details of their organization, the Iroquois had
already, at the advent of the white man, made themselves
the dread of all the nations round about, battling fiercely
with the Hiirons of Canada, with the Eries on the shores
of Lake Erie, and with the Cherokees of the far south,
while they had reduced to abject submission the Mohicans
of New England, the Delawares of Pennsylvania, and
many other feeble or timorous tribes.
Their republican system of government, too, and their
frequent attendance on councils and congresses, had de-
veloped their rude eloquence, in which they always took
great delight, until in all North America there were none
who could so stir the hearts of their hearers as the orators
ef the Hedonosannee.
Aside from their political skill, their valor in war, and
their eloquence in council, the People of the Long House
closely resembled the savages who surrounded them. Like
them, they were not quarrelsome towards those of their own
tribe or league, but were apt to look on all others as their
enemies, and to visit them with the most terrible cruelty.
Like them, they lived iu rude wigwams, skimmed over the
wave in fragile bark canoes, went very scantily clad in the
skins of the animals they had slain, and subsisted on the
flesh of those animals, save for the corn and beans raised
by the labor of their squaws.
Such were the ownci-s of Oswego County when Chaniplain
made his unfortunate raid, in 1615. There were, so far as
we are aware, no permanent villages of the Iroquois within
the county limits, but parties of them frequently erected
temporary wigwams for the purpose of fishing in its rivei-s
or hunting in its forests. The greater portion of the county
was considered as belonging to the Onondagas, but the
Oneidas po.ssos.sed all the borders of the lake which b(!ars
their name.
According to Morgan, no less than three of the Iroquois
tribes were owners of the territory now forming Oswego
County, and their boundaries were as clearly defined as those
of a modern township. The line between the CayugasaniS.
Onondagas began on the shore of Lake Ontario, a little west
of the mouth of the Oswego, and ran nearly due south to the
Susquehanna, leaving part of the present towns of Oswego
and Hannibal in the territory of the Cai/ugas. The line
between the Onondagas and the Oneidas, according to
the same authority, ran north and .south through " Deep
Spring," in the present town of Manlius, Onondaga county ;
north of that point it bore westward so as to include the
whole circuit of Oneida lake in the Oneidas territory,
then returning eastward to the longitude of Deep Spring, in
the present town of Constantia, and thence running north
through Watertown to the St. Lawrence, giving to the
Oneidas, in Oswego County, the present town of lledfiold
and the eastern part of the towns of Boylston, Orwell,
Williamstown, Amboy, and Constantia. We have not
much faith in the precise accuracy of Indian boundaries,
but, doubtless, the line between these tribes was substan-
tially as above laid down.
CHAPTER IV.
JESUITS AND COLONISTS.
French, Dutch, an.l English Colonization— Father Le Moinc in Oswego
County — Cros.sing Oneida River — Laboring among the Onomlagas
— Le Moinc's Return— Coming of Chaumont and Dablon— Du Puys
and his Colony going up the Oswego — Their Returning Flight —
Their Mysterious Story— Another Strange Talc — End of Coloniza-
tion in Central New York.
For forty years after the visit of Champlain, naught of
especial interest is known to have happened in the county
of Oswego. We use, and shall use, that term for conve-
nience, meaning the territory now composing the county of
Oswego, though that county had no legal existence until
two hundred years after the beginning of its own history.
In like manner towns will be referred to by their present
names long before their municipal existence began, in order
to designate without cumbersome repetition the territory
afterwards comprised within their limits.
During those forty years the eastern shore of North
America, and the banks of its rivers, were the scenes of
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOKK.
numerous discoveries, and of frequent efforts at colonization
by the most enterprising nations of Europe. The sturdy
Holland Dutchmen planted themselves all along the Hud-
son to the mouth of the Mohawk, and their bold traders
penetrated far into the territory of the Iroquois, buying
their furs and selling them the fire-arms and ammunition
which that fierce people were only too eager to obtain.
With these they not only wreaked vengeance on all their
enemies of their own race, far and near, but were even
ready to do battle with the hated French, who had so fool-
ishly provoked their wrath, — the wrath of those whom Vol-
ney afterwards called tlie "Romans of North America."
Though the French, by their situation on the St. Law-
rence, had the advantage over other European colonists in
regard to water communication with the interior of the
continent, and though they established numerous missions
and posts on the upper lakes, their respect for the Iroquois
warriors was such that they rarely ventured on the southern
shore of Lake Ontario.
Meanwhile a little band of resolute men and women had
come from old England to New England, and had begun
on Plymouth rock to develop a force which was eventually
to overwhelm Dutch, and , French, and Iroquois, and all
other rivals, foes, and obstructionists.
Though in 1648 the Jesuit father, Jogues, was sent on
a mission to the Mohawks, falling at length a martyr to his
zeal, there is no evidence that any attempt was made to
convert the Onondagas until the summer of 1655. In
July of that year Father Simon Le Moine, another of the
indefatigable followers of Loyola, passed through Oswego
County on that perilous undertaking. Having made a
toilsome journey in a canoe up the St. Lawrence, Father
Le Moine, with one companion, landed at a hamlet of fish-
ermen on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario on the first day
of August. The precise point is not designated, but it was
probably not far from the mouth of Salmon river, or per-
haps at that of Salmon creek. There seem to have been
one or more trails running from that locality to the principal
Onondaga villages, crossing Oneida river below the lake.
Many French parties, at different times, are described as
pursuing substantially this route.
Le Moine and his companion were warmly received by
the Indians whom he met. especially by Huron squaws
held as prisoners among the Iroquois, and who in their own
country had been favorably impressed by the religion of
the French missionaries. All the second day of August,
and until noon of the third, the three devoted men tramped
southward through the forests and over the hills of the
present towns of Mexico and Hastings, traversing a dis-
tance which Le Moine estimated at from forty to fifty miles,
but which was probably much less. At noon of the third
day they reached the Oneida river, across which they were
ferried by an Iroquois warrior whom Le Jloine had treated
kindly at Montreal, and who even carried the reverend
father on his shoulders through the shallow water.
Thence the visitors went to the Onondaga villages, where
Father Le Moine spent a fortnight in praying, exhorting,
holding councils, and otherwise .seeking to gain the hearts
of the Onondagas. So well did ho succeed that the chiefs
begged that more missionaries might be sent, and that a
French settlement might be planted on the shore of Onon-
daga lake. Delighted with these evidences of friendship,
Le jMoine started for home on the 15th of August, by way
of the Oswego river. On the 17th he passed the mouth of
the Oneida, and two or three miles below, near the present
village of Phcenix, he found a hamlet of fishermen. Such
hamlets for fishing and hunting were evidently scattered
here and there throughout the present county of Oswego,
and doubtless elsewhere in the immense country claimed by
the Iroquois. Remaining there a day, Le Moine and his
comrade proceeded very leisurely down the Oswego to Lake
Ontario, which they reached on the 20th of August.
Thence they coasted along the lake-shore, and went down
the St. Lawrence to Montreal, where they arrived on the
11th of September.
No sooner did Father Le Moine report the desire of the
Onondagas than Fathers Chaumont and Dablon responded
to it. They set forth on the 19th of September, arrived at
the Onondaga village on the 5th of November, and re-
mained there through the winter. They, too, ingratiated
themselves so thoroughly with the Iroquois that the latter
renewed their request for the planting of a French settle-
ment, and even the building of a French fort, in their
midst. It has been supposed by some that this friendship
was entirely feigned by the Onondagas for the purpose of
getting the French into their power, but the Jesuit fathers,
with more probability, assigned it to a desire to obtain
French arms, ammunition, and assistance against the
dreaded Cat nation, living on the shores of Lake Erie, and
other tribes with which the Iroquois were at war.
At all events, when Father Dablon returned to Montreal
in April, 1656, bearing the Iroquois' request for a French
colony, it was gladly complied with by the authorities of
New France. On the 17th of May, fifty Frenchmen,
under an officer named Du Puys, accompanied by Dablon
and three other Jesuit fathers, and two brothers of the
society, set forth in bateaux to establish, as they doubtless
hoped, the dominion of France over the fertile fields of
central New York. It was the forepart of July before
Du Puys and his companions reached the mouth of the
Oswego. Their provisions were exhausted, but they had
managed to send a messenger in advance, and ere long they
were met by a number of canoes, sent out by the expectant
Onondagas to their French brethren.
This was the first considerable body of white men who
had ever passed up the Oswego, and Du Puys expected to
make a powerful impression on the simple-minded natives.
All his men were thoroughly armed, and no less than five
small cannon were carried in his bateaux, ready to wake
the wilderness with awe-inspiring reverberations. Making
the necessary portage around Oswego falls, Du Puys pro-
ceeded to Lake Gannentaha (Onondaga) where a great
concourse of the Onondagas awaited him. There he
marshaled his men so as to make the fullest possible dis-
play of his strength, fired all his cannon, and then passed
on to take possession of the ground allotted to him in the
vicinity of the Onondaga village.
A curious mystery hangs over the whole history of the
French efforts to colonize central New York. It is strange
that a people so jealous of their independence as the Iro-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
15
quois, who had been at enmity witli the French for forty
years, should have invited or allowed a French colony to
settle among them, and the end of the proceeding is even
more mysterious than its beginning. In the e;irly spring
of 1(j5S, while the ice w;is running in dangerous masses
down the ever-turbulent Oswego, Du Puys and all his com-
panions, together with several other missionaries and colo-
nists who had joined them in 1G57, came hurrying in rude,
newly-built bateaux towards Canada. There was now none
of the grand display which had marked their hopeful ad-
vent only twenty months before ; the men, with weapons
ready for conflict, were watching anxiously for pursuing
foes, and such good time did they make with their oars
that on the 3d of April they landed at Montreal, fifteen
days after they started from Onondaga.
Du Puys reported that their suspicions had been aroused
by the conduct of the Iroquois, and that finally one of their
converts had informed them that a plot had been laid to
murder the whole colony. Too weak to fight, the French-
men secretly built bateaux in the inclosed yard of the Jesuit
mission, and when all was ready one of their number, who
had been adopted into an Indian family, persuaded his
foster-parents to make a feast in his honor, to which all the
Indians of the village were invited. After the feast they
went to sleep, and then the Frenchman rejoined his comrades,
and all fled in haste down the Oswego. It is a curious story.
Peril ajis they were afraid of massacre, and perhaps they
were homesick.
The Jesuits attributed the supposed treachery of the
Iroquois to the fact that since the arrival of the French
they had destroyed the Eric or Cat nation, the Kahquehs,
and other tribes, and that, ouce freed from these enemies,
all their jealousy of the French at once revived.
At any rate, this was the end of French colonization
(though not of missionary effort) in central New York,
unless we are to trust the dubious account of a French
settlement in the present town of Pompey, Onondaga county,
which flourished from 16G6 to lO'G'J, and which wasjoined
by a party of silver-seeking Spaniards from Florida, between
whom and the Frenchmen ([uarrels arose, that were only
settled by the savages slaying all of both parties.
French missions, however, were soon after re-established
at Onondaga, for the Jesuits would labor for their religion
under the very edge of the uplifted tomahawk, and twenty-
five years after the flight of Du Puys we find the two
Lambervilles fearlessly saying mas.s and making converts
even when the old hostility between the French and Iroquois
seemed on the point of breaking out into open war.
CHAPTER V.
DE LA BAERE AND GARANGULA.
The French and their Allies — Iroquois Offenses— De la Barre's Advance
— Mediation Offered — Location of La Famine — A Picturesque Army
—The Council— Speech of the (ioveriior— Reply of Garangula— A
Chieftain's Sarcasm— A Worthless Treaty— Failure and Flight.
It was not until 1684 that any new event of importance
occurred on the soil of Oswego County. Doubtless the
Iroquois wnr-parties frcfjueutly piussed over it on their way
to almost certain victory ; pos-sibly a French bateau occa-
sionally landed on its shore, or a French scout glided through
its forests, listening every moment for the step of the vigilant
Iroquois. Certainly tne missionaries to Onondaga must
have fre<|uently pa.ssed through here, and it is certain, too,
that at this time some Dutch and English tradei-s had made
their way up the Mohawk and down the Oswego into tlic
lakes which the French had hitherto claimed as their own.
For, since the events described in the last chapter, the
English, in 16G4, had taken possession of the Dutch terri-
tory on the Hudson, their title had been confirmed by
treaty in 1C70, and they, like the Dutch, had successfully
cultivated the trade and friendship of the Five Nations.
The French governor-general of Canada was Monsieur
Le Febure de la Barre, under whose government and that
of his predecessors alliances had been made with numerous
Indian tribes of the far west, with whom the Canadian
colonists were carrying on a most lucrative trade. The
Iroquois, or at least the Senecas, in their career of conquest,
made war on some of these French allies in the west, robbed
some French traders whom they found carrying supplies to
their enemies, and even attacked a French fort. De la Barre
determined to punish the haughty confederates, or at least
to appear in their country with such a force that they should
be compelled to sue for peace. He informed Colonel Dongan,
the English governor of New York, of his purpose, and
asked him to forbid his people from selling weapons and
ammunition to the Iroquois. Dongan, however, though a
Catholic, had no desire to see French power extended on
tlie south side of the great lakes. He protested against the
movement, and probably took especial pains that his allies
of the Long House should be well supplied with the means
of defense.
During the spring of 1684, one of De la Barre's officers,
the Sieur d'Orvilliers, carefully reconnoitred the southern
shore of Lake Ontario, and especially the country of the
Seiiecas, for it was that powerful and ferocious tribe whom
the governor was most particularly desirous to punish. On
the 9th of August De la Barre reached Fort Frontcnac, now
Kingston, where his forces were concentrated. Meanwhile,
the younger of the Lamberville brothers, the Jesuit mission-
aries among the Onoitdagas, came to say that the Cayugas,
Onondogas, and Oneidas offered themselves as mediators
between the offending Senecas and the French. Considering
the close uuiou between the tribes, it was very much as if
Massachusetts and Connecticut should offer themselves as
mediators between New York and a foreign power. De la
Barre, however, seems to have had little stomach for the
undertaking which he had begun, and sent back Lamberville
with a message that he preferred the proposed mediation to
war. Still, he was determined to make a strong demonstra-
tion, to impress the Iroquois with a sense of French power,
and to attack them if the negotiations should tail. On the
21st of August he sent off the greater part of his force
from Fort Fronteuac to a point called La Famine, at the
mouth of La Famine river, on the eastern end of Lake On-
tario, and on the 27th set forth himself with the remainder.
After a tempestuous voyage of two days they landed at La
Famine.
16
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The location of this place with the desolate name has
usually been given as Black River bay, in Jefferson county,
and the name of " Hungiy bay" has been applied collectively
to the three bodies of water (Chauniont bay, Black River
bay, and Henderson bay) at the mouth of the Black river, by
the Americans, apparently in perpetuation of the old French
name of "La Famine," supposed to have pertained to them.
An examination of the old French accounts (or translations),
however, will satisfy any one that La Famine was far south
of Black River bay. La Barre himself said that La Famine
was only four leagues from Onondaga. This must have
been a miscalculation in any case, but not half so gross if
we suppose La Famine at the mouth of Salmon river as if
we locate it at Black River bay. But what proves beyond
doubt that La Famine was not at Black River bay, and was
not far from the mouth of Salmon river, is the record of
Count Frontenac's expedition against the Onondagas in
1696. His flotilla set out from Fort Frontenac (now Kings-
ton), and on the first day went to Isle aux Chevreuils, or
Deer island (now called Grenadier island). The next day
it advanced to a place '' within three leagues of Riviere de
la Famine," and on the third proceeded to the mouth of
Oswego river. But Deer (or Grenadier) island is itself
close to Black River bay, while it is plain from the account
that more than a day's journey with boats lay between it
and La Famine.
Finally, Pouchot, an eminent French engineer, who took
part in the capture of Oswego in 1756, and who was en-
gaged professionally on the shores of Lake Ontario for sev-
eral years, has left a minute description of those shores in
his memoirs. That description follows the shore eastward
from Oswego, and mentions two streams which could be
entered with bateaux, but did not extend far into the
country (probably Catfish and Salmon creeks). It next
says, " The Riviere a la Famine, in Indian Keyouanonague,
enters very far into the interior, and goes quite near to the
portage of the height of land." No stream in that vicinity
but Salmon river answers to that description, and Pouchot's
further mention of Sandy creek and other streams to the
northward fixes the identity of Salmon river and La Famine
beyond all reasonable doubt.
To return to Monsieur Febure de la Barre. As his army
was the first large force of whites that ever appeared in
Oswego County, nay, anywhere on the great lakes of North
America, it is worthy of especial attention. It was one of
those motley assemblages, of which so many were afterwards
seen in this country, under both French and English com-
manders, and in which regular European soldiers, provincial
militia, hunters, trappers, and painted Indian warriors were
all joined in the most picturcsf|ue if not the most effective
unity.
On the shores of Salmon river were to be seen two
companies of " king's troops," gayly dressed, carefully dis-
ciplined, and trained to victory in the armies of Louis le
Grand. Then there were some five hundred Canadian
militia, motley in costume and irregular in tactics, but
accustomed to the use of arms, and not to be sneered at
in a combat in the forest. That amphibious being, the
Canadian voyageur, had already begun the life of adven-
ture for which he has been celebrated during two centuries.
and numbers of his species were to be seen amid the fifteen
bateaux and two hundred canoes which floated on the
placid bosom of the bay. Besides all these there were some
three hundred friendly Indians, part of them being de-
nominated Christians, who had adopted to some extent
the customs and dress of Europeans, and part of them
being fierce pagans of the wilderness, terrible in war-paint
and plume, who cared for nothing of European origin
except the musket and the brandy-bottle.
De la Barre does not seem to have been a man of much
energy, and on his arrival at La Famine, on the 29th of
August, he was appalled to find many of his men sick with
tertian fever, though it does not seem as if a very great
number could have been taken down after their leaving
Frontenac only seven days before. He immediately sent
a messenger, a " Christian savage," to Monsieur Le Moine
(not the missionary), at " Onontague," to hasten the move-
ments of the mediatorial ambassadors. On the 3d of Sep-
tember, Le Moine arrived with nine Onondaga chiefs, three
Oneidas, and two Coyugas, not a single Seneca being present
except " Tegan Court," who had come with the French from
Montreal.
The day after their arrival was devoted to feasting, and
on the 5th of September a council was held. As in all
councils, a good deal of time was necessarily consumed in
complimentary remarks, smoking the pipe, etc. ; but at
length De la Barre made a speech to the assembled chiefs,
seated on the ground in a semicircle before him. It was
menacing in its character, in accordance with the governor's
purpose of overawing the Five Nations. He demanded
satisfaction for the misconduct of the Senecas, saying that
in case of refusal or of further misconduct he should declare
war. He accused the Five Nations of taking the English
into the lakes belonging to the French king, and among
nations that were his children, to destroy the trade of his
subjects.
" If the like shall happen again," said the governor, " I
shall declare war."
He proceeded to charge the Iroquois with having made
barbarous incursions on the Indian allies of the French, in
which they had slain many and taken many others prisoners,
and he concluded this accusation in the same manner as
the others :
" If the Five Nations do not give liberty to those cap-
tives, I shall declare war."
Then he took his seat in the arm-chair which had been
brought from Quebec, as was thought befitted the dignity of
the representative of Louis the Fourteenth, and the spokes-
man of the Iro(piois arose to his feet. He was an Onon-
daga chief, widely celebrated under the name of Garangula,
but whom the French called " Grande Geule" (Big Throat),
either by a modification of his Indian name, or in allusion
to a natural characteristic. While De la Barre had been
speaking Garangula had kept his eyes fixed on his pipe,
with that stolid gravity of demeanor underneath which the
Indian ever conceals his emotions in the presence of his
foes. But now he arose, and, with due respect to Iroquois
forms, walked gravely five or six times around the circle
ere he halted in front of the governor-general. Then he
delivered a speech which for keenness of sarcasm and bold-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUiNTY, NKW YORK.
17
iiess of defiance it will be hard to equal in tbe annals of
oratory, whether civilized or savage.
As a rule, the writer is very much averse to the practice
of many local historians of copying numerous Indian
speeches, which are usually very long, very monotonous,
and only to be distinguished from extremely dull sermons
by the circumstance that every paragraph begins with
" Brothers," instead of " My beloved brethren." But the
reply of Garangula to Monsieur de la Barre is a brilliant
exception, and surpasses any other aboriginal production
we have read, except, perhaps, the speech attributed to
Logan.
Before transcribing the remarks of Garangula, it may
be worth while to explain why he, as well as all the rest of
the Iroquois, always called the governor of Canada " Yon-
nondio," and the governor of New York " Corlear," no
matter what might be their real names. One of the earliest
French governors was Monsieur de Montmagny. The Iro-
quois inquired the meaning of his name, and were told that
it originally meant " great mountain." They translated
this into their own language, " Yonnondio," and that term
was ever after applied by them to the governors of New
France.
Arent Van Curler, or " Corlear," was the agent of Kil-
iaen Van Rensselaer, the first patroon of Rensselaerswyck,
and managed that grand estate, comprising nearly the
present counties of Rensselaer and Albany, while his
principal remained at home in Holland. In this capacity
Van Curler endeared himself to the Iroquois who came to
trade with him, and as he was the greatest mfin with whom
they were acquainted, they applied his name to all the sub-
sequent governors of New York, though he himself was
not a governor.
At first Garangula spoke with studied politeness, but
after a few sentences he broke out in the bitterest sarcasm :
" Yonnondio, you must have believed, when you left
Quebec, that the sun had burnt up all the forests which
render our country inaccessible to the French, or that the
lakes had so far overflowed their banks that they had sur-
rounded our castles, and that it was impossible for us to
get out of them. Yes, Yonnondio, surely you must have
dreamed so, and your curiosity to see so great a wonder has
brought you so for.
" Now you are undeceived, since that I and the warriors
here present are come to assure you that the Senecas, Ca-
yugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, and Mohawks are yet alive.
I thank you in their name for bringing back into the
country the calumet which your predecessor received from
their hands. It was happy for you that you left under-
ground that murdering hatchet that has so often been dyed
in the blood of the French.
" Hear, Yonnondio ; I do not sleep, I have my eyes wide
open, and the sun which enlightens me shows me a great
captain at the head of a company of soldiers, who speaks
as if he were dreaming. He says that he only came to the
great lake to smoke the calumet with the Onondagas. But
Garangula sees the contrary ; he sees that it was to knock
them on the head if sickness had not weakened the arms
of the French.
" I see Yonnondio raving in a camp of sick men, whose
lives the Great Spirit has saved by inflicting this sickness
upon them.
" Hoar, Yonnondio ; our women had taken their clubs,
our children and old men had carried their bows and arrows
into the heart of your camp, if our warriors had not dis-
armed them and kept them back when your messenger,
Obguesse (Le Moine),canie to our castles."
He proceeded to justify all that the Iroquois had done,
of which De la Barre complained, declaring that they had
good cause to attack the western Indians, that they had
only assailed those French who carried arms to their ene-
mies, that they had a perfect right to take the English to
trade in the interior, that the lakes did not belong to the
French king, but to the Five Nations, and closing with the
eloquent declaration, " We are born free ; we depend on
neither Yonnondio nor Corlear."
It must be confessed that, for a " mediator," the tone of
Garangula was sufiiciently belligerent, but the startled gov-
ernor was in no condition to resent it. A considerable
number of his men were actually sick ; he had made very
poor provision, according to his own account, for supplying
his army, and, above all, he had not the energy of character
which forces success from adverse circumstances. Garan-
gula was master of the situation. De la Barre made what
he called a treaty with the ambassadors, which did not even
contain promises of good behavior on the part of the Iro-
quois, while the governor himself actually promised to leave
the country the next day. It was a complete diplomatic
victory for Garangula and his associate ambassadors. They
could well aflFord to give a feast to the French officers, as
they did that evening, at which the discomfited invaders
consoled themselves as best they might with the delicacies
of forest and stream for the insolence of the savages and
the weakness of their commander.
Long before the early summer dawn of the following
morning, while the chiefs were still asleep, Do la Barre was
astir, superintending the removal of the sick to the boats,
so that his sharp-eyed visitors might see as little of his
weakness as possible. As soon as daylight came the whole
army embarked in their bateaux and canoes and left as
quickly as possible the scene of their disgrace. So earn-
estly did they bend to the oars that at nightfoll they
reached Fort Frontenac, whence they soon after returned to
Montreal and Quebec.
Yet the whole force of the confederacy which had thus
bidden defiance to the power of " Le Grand Monarque,"
Louis the Fourteenth, was not supposed much to exceed
two thousand warriors. Wentworth Greenhalph, an Eng-
lishman, who, seven years before, had visited all the Five
Nations, making very minute observations, even to counting
the houses of the Indians, reported the Molumks as having
three hundred warriors, the Oneidas two hundred, the
Onondagas three hundred and fifty, the Cayugns three
hundred, and the Senecas a thousand.
Yet, even amid the contempt heaped on the military
power of France, .so adroitly had the Jesuits worked on the
feelings of the Indians that tiie chiefs made a special re-
quest that the mission should not be removed from Onon-
daga, to which, of course, a ready assent was given by De
la Barre.
18
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CHAPTER VI.
COUNT FEONTENAC'S EXPEDITION.
De Nouville's Att.ack — Iroquois Revenge — French Distress — De
Frontenao appointed Governor — His Ap]iearance on tlie Oswego
— Advance of his Army — Overland by Canoe — The Indian's
Warning— Harrying the Enemy— The Return— A Relic of the
Expedition.
The failure of Monsieur de la Barre was received with
much disgust by his government, and the next year after it
occurred he was removed from his office, and the Marquis
de Nouville appointed governor-general of New France.
He determined to chastise the contumacious Senecas, and
in 1687 he crossed Lake Ontario with a lai'ge force (that
is, large for that time and locality) and landed on the shore
of Irondequoit bay. He marched against the Seneca towns,
then situated a short distance southeastward from that bay,
and, after a battle in which the French seem to have suf-
fered as much as the Indians, he succeeded in burning their
principal villages. But the Senecas themselves all retired
into the forest, and in the then primitive condition of their
agriculture and architecture they suffered very little danger.
It was about this time that the elder Lamberville, then
the only Jesuit missionary to the Iroquois, was withdrawn
from his post among the Onondagas.
All the Iroquois tribes made common cause with their
injured brethren, and the very next year twelve hundred
of their warriors set forth against the Canadian settlements,
doubtless passing along the usual route down the Oswego,
and then coasting along the east end of the lake and down
the St. Lawrence. They ravaged the island of Montreal,
even to the very gates of the city, and had they possessed
the means of reducing fortified places, would perhaps have
put an end to French power in North America. As it was,
the French were compelled to abandon Forts Frontenac and
Niagara, and it seemed as if the Iroquois were about to be-
come undisputed masters of the whole lake country.
The same year the second English revolution placed
William, Prince of Orange, on the throne of James the
Second, and the war with France, which immediately fol-
lowed, set at work all the tomahawks and scalping-kuives
on the American frontiers. Both the English and French
colonial governments habitually urged their respective Indian
allies to send scalping-parties against the settlements of
their rivals. But the Canadian Indians were, as a rule, no
match for the Iroquois, and the French government found
it necessary to take strong measures to defend their infant
colony. In 1689 the Count de Frontenac was sent over as
governor of New France, — an aged but most energetic noble-
man, formerly minister for the colonies, whose name had
been given to the fort at the outlet of Lake Ontario, and
was even borne for a time by the great lake itself Under
that vigorous but cruel leader the French fortunes began to
improve. After several years of mutual slaughter the old
peer determined to strike a blow in person at the centre of
Iroquois power, the great council-fire of the Onondagas.
On the 28th day of July, 1696, a well-appointed little
army, bearing the banners of France, and led by the vet-
eran Count de Frontenac, appeared in bateaux and canoes
at the mouth of the Oswego river, then called by the
French the Onnontague, or Onondaga. Encamping there
for the night, the next day they proceeded slowly and
cautiously up the foaming river.
On either side of the stream fifty scouts, Frenchmen
and Indians, advanced in open order through the forest,
ever alert for ambushed Iroquois. Four battalions of reg-
ular troops, of two hundred men each, formed the elite of
the invading force. These and one battalion of militia,
numbering nearly three hundred, under Frontenac himself
and the Chevalier de Vaudreuil, ascended close along the
western shore, ready to spring to land at any moment when
the scouts should report the presence of a foe. Three
more battalions of militia of similar strength and nearly five
hundred savages, under Messieurs de Callieres and de Ra-
mezay, in like manner advanced up the eastern side of the
stream. These savages consisted of Hurons, Abenahis,
Ottawas, and other tribes in alliance with the French, who
were eager, with the assistance of French arms, to wreak
vengeance on the hated Iroquois for the many chastise-
ments they had received from them. So hard was the task
of working against the current, and so great the caution
observed, that at night the army had advanced hardly half-
way to the falls of the Oswego.
The next day, however, they arrived there and began
the portage. The soldiers and Indians in each bateau or
canoe sprang ashore, lifted it on their shoulders, and con-
veyed it around the falls. But when the Count de Fron-
tenac was about to disembark, expecting to go on foot like
the rest, fifty savages seized his canoe, and with him seated
in it bore it to the smooth water above, making the forest
re-echo with their songs and yells. The fierce old noble-
man, then seventy-four years of age, was a great favorite
with the northern Indians, whom he had aroused to the
fiercest hostility against the English and Iroquois, giving
them the hatchet with his own hands, and dancing the
war-dance with their chiefs to stimulate their savage ardor.
Some of the battalions did not pass the portage till the
next day, when an advance of ten miles was made. Near
Three Rivers point they found a rude representation of
the army, made on bark, doubtless left by some of the
Iroquois as a warning to others, and accompanied by two
bundles of rushes to signify the great number of the in-
vaders. Some of the Frenchmen had the curiosity to count
the rushes, which numbered fourteen hundred and thirty-
four, and supposed that the Onondagas meant to indicate
that as the precise number of Frontenac's army. But no
Indian could count a tenth part so many; the rushes
merely showed that there was a great force coming.
After passing into the present county of Onondaga, the
army proceeded more rapidly, landed on the south shore of
Onondaga lake, and advanced to the village, but on their
arrival found that the inhabitants had fled. The French
and their allies destroyed the villages and the crops of
growing corn, but their only captives were a lame girl and
an old man, the latter of whom Count Frontenac with his
usual cruelty allowed his Indian friends to burn at the
stake. Monsieur de Vaudreuil with a light detachment
also destroyed the villages of the Oneidas.
On the 11th of August the whole army returned, and
encamped below the falls. By ten o'clock the morning of
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the 12tl) the rapid Oswogo had borne them to its mouth.
A violent uale from the west detained them till the 14th.
At noon of that day they set forth, raising sails over their
bateaux, and by nightfall made twenty-five miles, as they
computed, eamping at the mouth of a small river. On the
15th the army returned to Fort Frontcnac, and thence pro-
ceeded to the Canadian settlements.
About a hundred and twelve years later (ISOS or 1809)
one of the early scttlcre near Oswego falls on the east side
cut down a large tree, deep within which was found an old
"blaze," and beneath it a large number of musket-balls.
The blaze was overlaid by a hundred and twelve circles,
and those who reckoned back the years till 1696 concluded
that on returning from their raid some of Count Fronte-
nac's musketeers had amused themselves by firing at a
mark, leaving the bullet-scarred tree as the only relic of
their expedition in Oswego County.
The Oiwndaffas and OiieiJas were supplied with corn
for the winter by the authorities of New York, and the ex-
pedition had apparently had no other effect than to bind all
the Iroquois more closely to their English friends. What
vengeance they would have taken on the French can only
be inferred, as the next year the peace of Ryswick was
concluded between the kings of France and England ; the
colonies of each were of course included, and their Indian
allies accepted the arrangements of their white brethren.
CHAPTER VII.
FROM 1607 TO 1753.
Oeneral Quiet — King William's Projects — Expulsion of the Jesuits
—English Supremacy— The Si.\ Nations— The Fur Trade— Traders
at Oswego — The French on the Watch — Chonequen — Ontario — A
Dispute at the Falls— A Deed to King George— Meaning of Os-
wego— The First Trading-Post- A French Protest— Punctilio in
the Woods— Dutch Adventurers— Gov. Clarke's Opinion— A W.-ill
at Oswego— Two Relics— Sir William Johnson in the Oswego
Trade — War— Rumors— The Black Prince— Rumors without
Fighting — Peace — Picquet's Opinion — Mutual Accusations — Buy-
ing Oneida Lake— Oswego Reljuilt— Approach of War.
For the next twenty-five years after the peace of Rys-
wick there is very little to relate regarding the county of
Oswego.
Eagle-eyed King William the Third saw the military
importance of the locality, and ordered a fort to be built at
the mouth of the river. The plate and furniture for the
chapel of the intended post was sent to America, but the
death of the vigilant king put an end to the project.
Notwithstanding the punishment inflicted by the French
on the Iroquois, no sooner was that peace concluded than
the adroit French Jesuits again began to make their way
up the Oswego, the Oneida, and the Seneca, and establish
themselves in the villages of the Five Nations. They were
found there by the English and Dutch traders from New
York, the jealousy of the English authorities was aroused,
and in 1700 an act of the Colonial Assembly forbade any
popish priest from coming into the colony, under penalty of
death. The French would doubtless have denied that the
Jesuit missions among the Iroquois were in the colony of
New York, but the act seems to have been effectual in
frightening them away, and their efforts in this section were
finally abandoned.
In 1702 the great European conflict known iis " Queen
Anne's war" broke out, but the Iroquois had made a treaty
of peace with the Canadian Indians, and for many years
both sides maintained it. Yet in 1708 we find them again
engaged in hostilities against the French, but not of enough
importance, nor having suflicient relation to Oswego Countj-,
to merit attention here.
, By the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, the sui)reniaoy over
the Iroquois tribes was conceded to the English, but no
definite boundaries were established. About the same time
the Five Nations became the Six Nations. The Tusatroras,
a North Carolina tribe, defeated in war by the whites and
the neighboring Indians, fled to New York, implored the
protection of the Iroquois, and were received as members
of that powerful confederacy. The Oueidus granted them
a seat near to themselves. They are supposed to have been
originally descended from the same stock as the other five
tribes, and it is hardly probable that those haughty con-
federates would otherwise have admitted them into their
league.
After the peace of Utrecht the English and Dutch traders
pushed their excursions farther and further among the
Indians, rivaling the French in the boldness and skillful-
ness of their search for furs. Coming up the Mohawk to
the site of Rome, they bore their light canoes over the por-
tage to Wood creek, thence passed down that stream to and
through Oneida lake, and skirted the southern bounds of
our county along the Oneida river to Three Rivers point.
Thence some of them pursued their way up the Seneca
river to the lakes from which it springs, others went down
the Oswego to Lake Ontario, and often passed through that
lake and far beyond, even to the foaming straits of Michili-
mackinac and the fertile prairies of Illinois. The French,
being the first traders in all those regions, were naturally
jealous of the new-comers, and the latter were obliged to
exercise constant watchfulness against the hostile intrigues
of the former with the native tribes..
As early as 1721, William Burnet, governor of New
York, made an effort to counteract the French by estab-
lishing a post on Irondequoit bay, in the present county
of Monroe. It does not, however, appe;ir to have been
sustained any considerable time. It is probably from
this circumstance that several historians of the State
of New York, followed by local writers, have stated that
a trading-post or fort was built at Oswego in 1721 or 1722.
No permanent establishment was really made until several
years later ; but there appears to have been a considerable
increase of the Indian trade at the mouth of the river. It
became a point at which the " fur Indiaus," as ihcy were
called, congregated to market their furs, and very likely
some temporary cabins were erected.
The direct trade of the English with the Indians was
stimulated by a law p;isscd by the provincial legislature of
New York in 1721, forbidding the furnishing of Indian
goods to the French in Canada. As the latter could not
obtain those goods as cheap elsewhere as from the English,
20
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
they lost a large part of their trade. The New York im-
porters were angry, but the small traders were delighted, and
hurried to and tlirough Oswego, sure of having the advan-
tage over their French rivals.
As early as 1724 the French received information that
the English had projected an establishment at the mouth of
the river ; but in the following May Monsieur de Longueil. a
French oflBcer, after making a reconnoissance, reported to his
superiors that there was as yet no trading-post at that
point. This is the first mention we meet with the name
" Choneguen" (or Chonaguen), which was ever after, as
long as the French held possession of Canada, applied to
the ground now covered by Oswego city, and sometimes to
the river which there enters Lake Ontario. It had been
adopted by them some time between 1696 and 1724; but
the precise year and the meaning of the word are alike
unknown.
In the French letters of 1725, too, we find for the first
time the great lake which borders Oswego County on the
north mentioned by its present euphonious appellation
of Ontario, instead of those more or le.ss outlandish ones,
Skanadario, Cataracqui, Conty, Frontenac, etc., which it
had previously borne. It is probably a contraction of Ske-
nadario, and is supposed to mean beautiful water.
But though Monsieur de Longueil found no trading-post
at the mouth of the river, he learned enough to alarm him
in regard to English progress. At the portage around the
fiills he found no less than a hundred English and Dutch
traders, with sixty canoes, who compelled him to exhibit his
passport, and showed an order from Governor Burnet that no
Frenchman should be allowed to go by without one. De
Longueil reproached some Iroquois chiefs, who were pres-
ent, with the insolence of the English, telling the sachems
they were not masters of their own lands. According
to his report the Indians "flew out" against the English,
told them they would bear with them no longer, and that
they had only permitted them to come there for the purpose
of trade.
De Longueil then passed on to the Onondaga village,
where he met chiefs of all the tribes in council. They gave
him permission to place two small vessels on Lake Ontario,
and to build a stone house at Niagara, a post which had
long been abandoned by the French, though they had lately
had a trading establishment at Lewiston. This house, or fort,
was immediately begun and finished the next year, 1726,
when the two vessels were also built.
That year the English and Dutch traders gathered at
Choneguen (Oswego) to the number of three hundred,
where they remained all summer, carrying on a thriving
trade with the Indians both of the vicinity and of the far
west. Monsieur de Longueil sent orders from Frontenac
to his son, the Chevalier de Longueil, commanding at Ni-
agara, not to return until the English should leave Chone-
guen, and to plunder any of their canoes which he might
find on the lake. In September the son replied there were
no more English at Choneguen, nor on the lake, nor in the
river, and promised that if he met any of their canoes he
would piously fulfill the parental command.
The wrath of the Iroquois at the English, described by I
De Longueil, could not have been very strong nor very i
general, for in this year (1726) seven of the principal
sachems of the Onondagas, Cayvgas, and Senecas made
a deed of trust to the king of England and his successors
of their lands, extending in a belt of sixty miles wide, and
in length running from Caynunghage (probably the same
as Keyonanouague, La Famine, or Salmon river) all along
Lake Ontario, the Niagara river, and the lake Oswego, to the
creek called Canahogue, which we take to be the same as
Cuyahoga. Besides this land, the deed included their
" beaver hunting-grounds," — a tract of undescribed bound-
aries and indefinite extent.
It will be seen that at one time Lake Erie was called Os-
wego (or " Okswego," as it is put down on an old map
in Colden's History of the Five Nations). The name
seems to have sprung up suddenly in two widely separate
places, for it was not till the next year that it is known to
have been used in regard to the point to which it is now ap-
plied. The meaning of the word has been rendered many
different ways, the most plausible being " flowing-water"
and " boundless view." The latter appellation would apply
to any of the great lakes, and would best account for the
curious coincidence just mentioned. But it is very uncer-
tain ; there is a great deal of indefiniteness about everything
pertaining to an Indian except his tomahawk.
It may be doubted, for instance, whether the seven chiefs
above mentioned had any authority to give a deed to George
the First of the lands, the castles, the corn-fields, and the
" beaver hunting-grounds" of these three nations. They
were, however, only given in trust, to be protected by the
king for the use of their red owners forever. In all proba-
bility it was a scheme devised by the English ofiicials to get
an acknowledgment of the king's authority over the land
in question, so as to " head off" the French in their cease-
less efforts to extend their sway.
The eastern line of the tract in question, running south
from Caynunghage or La Famine, traversed the county of
Oswego nearly in the middle, leaving the eastern half in
the possession of the Oneidas.
Early in the spring of the next year (1727) Governor
Burnet sent a body of workmen to build a " stone house of
strength" at Oswego, and they were soon followed by a
detachment of sixty soldiers, with three officers, to defend
them from any interruption by the French. The new fort,
for such it might be called, was situated on the west bank
of the river, close to its mouth, having walls of large stone
four feet thick, which the governor declared capable of re-
sisting any arms which the French were likely to bring
against it.
A French account, written while the post was being built,
states that there were then about seventy English and Dutch
cabins on the river-shore, showing the rapidity with which
the fur trade was developing.
In Governor Burnet's report to the English board of
trade is found the first mention which we have seen of the
name " Oswego" as applied to the point in question. Hence-
forth it was invariably called by that name by the English,
while the French just as invariably called it " Choueguen,"
a word which comes to light in French documents at the
same time. The earlier French only spoke of the mouth
of the " Onnontague" river. The French pronunciation.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK
as near as can be represented by Knglish letters, would be
" Shoo-ay-gwang." We are informed that the original pro-
nunciation of Oswego, down to the beginning of this cen-
tury was " Oswaygo," and it is quite probable that Oswego
and Choueguen — alias Os-way-go and Shoo-ay-gwang —
were derived from the same Indian word, modified by
GalHc and Saxon lips. This view is strengthened by the
fact that the place the English called Oswegatchie the
French cjJIed Chouegachie.
Governor Burnet was quite proud of his achievement,
declaring it to be the best thing that had over been done to
check the French, keep the Six Nations under English in-
fluence, and promote trade with the remote Indians. He
was most unquestionably correct. The position of Oswego
at the outlet of the large and fertile territory drained by
the Oswego river and its branches, in which all but one of
the Six Nations dwelt, together with its accessibility from
the Mohawk valley, made it altogether the most important
post the English had west of the Hudson, and such it re-
mained to the time of the capture of Canada. The only
wonder is that the French, with their control of the St.
Lawrence and Lake Ontario, had not secured this important
location in advance of their rivals. It is quite probable
that, had they done so, it would have made a serious differ-
ence in the subsequent contests between the English and
the French.
The Marquis de Beauharnais, then governor-general of
Canada, was much chagrined at Burnet's proceedings, and
in July sent an ofiicer to him with a protest, and another
to the commandant at Oswego, demanding that he should
forthwith abandon the place and destroy the fortification.
The latter officer of course paid no attention to the request.
The governor replied to Monsieur de Beauharnais, reproach-
ing him with having first built Niagara, and declaring,
truly enough, that according to the treaty of Utrecht the
Five Nations were admitted to be subjects of Great Britain.
This was a good answer to the French, but the Five Na-
tions themselves might not have admired that clause of the
treaty.
After the fortification was completed the garrison was
reduced to a lieutenant and twenty men.
An incident that occurred in the summer of 1728 illus-
trates the jealous ceremony with which the officials of the
rival nations conducted themselves towards each other in
the wilds of America, partly out of mere punctilio, and partly
because evei-y ceremony might involve the title to a large
tract of land.
A French subordinate, bearing the formidable appellation
of Monsieur de la Chauvignerie, was sent on a mission to
the Iroquois. Coasting along the eastern and southern
shores of Lake Ontario, he arrived at Oswego, having sent a
messenger in advance to the Onondagus. At Oswego he
landed and pitched his tent. Some Indians came to him
from the commandant of the little fortress, to demand that
he should salute with a s;dvo of musketry and lower his
flag. This he would not do. The Indians who accompa-
nied De la Chauvignerie visited the commandant and were
presented with a supply of rum, whereupon they all got so
drunk that the Frenchman was obliged to remain three days
under the guns of the fort. In spite, however, of another
summons he would not strike his flag, but kept it flying
night and day, though the usual custom was to lower it at
sun.set. On his departing up the river the summons was
again repeated, and an Onondaga chief unfurled a British
flag over one of De la Chauvignerie's boats. But the officer
would not start until it was furled, and as neither side would
salute first that important ceremony was entirely omitted.
The OnonJagas were at a loss what to say, as they claimed
the land themselves, but felt constrained to acknowledge the
supremacy of the fortress. The English would not go so
far as to fire on the boats, and so the plucky Frenchman
had his way.
Notwithstanding continued efforts on the part of both
English and French to gain increased ascendency over the
Indians, and the occasional erection of a fortress on doubt-
ful ground, there was substantial peace between the two
nations for sixteen years more. During this time Oswego
continued to be garrisoned by a lieutenant and from twenty
to twenty-five men ; but the smallness of the force was no
measure of the importance of the post. Every summer
hundreds of traders from the banks of the Hudson assem-
bled there, some remaining to trade with the Indians who
came thither for that purpose, others pushing still farther on.
The Indian trade was the great field of adventure in
which the young men of the colony of New York sought
to lay the foundations of their fortunes. Mrs. Grant, in
that pleasant sketch of ante-Revolutionary times in the
vicinity of Albany entitled " Memoirs of an American
Lady," says that as soon as a young Albanian fell in love,
which he generally did at seventeen or eighteen years of
age, he prepared to support a family by going on a trading
expedition. He asked of his father only forty or fifty
dollars in money, a canoe, and a young negro attendant.
Loading his frail vessel with Indian goods, taking care to
have a good supply of strong liquors, he and his dark
assistant set forth on a voyage as perilous as that of Jason,
amid the tears of his female friends, and especially of the
damsel who knew herself to be the object of these laborious
and dangerous exertions. There were several routes pur-
sued, but the principal one was to Oswego, whence the
adventurers scattered in every direction. The profits were
large, and if the young lover saved his scalp, one or two
trips would enable him to buy a farm or start a country
store, and settle down into the placid life of a Dutch
burgher with his chosen dulcinoa. The more extensive
traders used bateaux, a bateau being a light, flat-bottomed
boat running to a point at each end, generally carrying
about fifteen hundred pounds, and propelled by two men
with paddles in deep water and setting-poles in shallow.
For several yeais the garrison of the little post was
victualled by Albany contractors at about twelve hundred
dollars per year. In 1733 nearly fifty traders sent a peti-
tion to the then governor. Colonel Crosby, setting forth that
the commandant of the garrison laid improper restrictions
on trade, and the assembly requested the governor to ap-
point some competent man, who understood the Indian
trade and language, to live at Oswego as a superintendent.
The English do not appear to have claimed any jurisdic-
tion over the waters of Lake Ontario, however near the
■shore, for in 1730 we find Monsieur de Beauharnai.s com-
22
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
plaining that a French canoe had been ordered ashore while
passing under the guns of the post at Oswego, whereupon
the governor of New York sharply reprimanded Captain
Congreve, the commandant.
In time the little iort got out of repair,* and the colonial
assembly was slow in voting the necessary funds to renovate
and strengthen it. Governor Clarke, in a communication
to that body in 1740, said that Oswego was the only mili-
tary post on the northwestern frontier, and if well fortified
would be a complete barrier against French invasions from
that quarter. If it was captured, he declared that the
French could hold everything firom Canada to Georgia, and
concluded with this impressive testimony to its value :
" The peace and happiness of the plantations, and the
trade of England, if not the very being of his majesty's
dominions on this continent, depend on the holding of
Oswego."
The next year the assembly voted six hundred pounds
(New York currency, e(|uivalent to fifteen hundred dollars)
to build a stone wall around the " trading-house at Oswego,"
at a proper distance from it, with a bastion or block-house
in each corner. Yet it seems that even in " good old colony
times" there were officials and contractors disposed to de-
fraud the government, for in 1742 we find the governor
writing to the English board of trade that the post was in
a very defenseless condition, not only because it was out of
ammunition, but because the director of the works had
built the new wall in day instead of lime, under the pre-
tense that the latter article was not to be obtained, which
the governor did not believe. His excellency continued :
" It is, as it is managed, a jobb, calculated rather to put
money in the pockets of those who have the management
of the business than for any service to the publick."
And again he dilates on the fatal consequences to be
apprehended from the loss of Oswego, declaring that it
would be followed by the loss of the fur trade, and proba-
bly by the defection of the Six Nations. All this time, it
will be understood, the French and English were at peace ;
but there were signs of war, and each was jealous of the
other, and su.spicious lest a sudden outbreak should put
some important post into the enemy's hands.
At this time the French had two or three sailing-vessels
on Lake Ontario, armed with light cannon, while the Eng-
lish had nothing larger than the bateaux of their traders.
The only remaining relics of British occupancy at this
period are two stones, now in the Oswego city library.
One is a grave-stone, carefully lettered " Roger Corbett,
1742." On the other is rudely scrawled " Crannell, 1745."
It is doubtless also a grave-stone, though it has been sup-
posed by some to have marked the building of Fort
Ontario. But that fort was certainly not built until 1755.
The last-mentioned stone was taken from the fort and used
in the construction of the first court-house at Oswego, and
on the demolition of that building was placed in the library.
In the year 1743, William Johnson, afterwards the cele-
brated Sir William Johnson, but then only a prosperous
Indian trader in the Mohawk valley, became interested in
the fur-trade at Oswego.
In March, 1744, war was declared between France and
Great Britain. No sooner did the report of this event
reach Oswego than the traders there were filled with terror
at the prospect of a French and Indian attack. Putting
no trust in the dilapidated fort and scanty garrison, nor in
their own valor, most of them prepared for instant flight.
A few adventurous spirits remained ; to these the majority
sold such goods as they could, and departed with the rest
for Albany. Indians coming from the far west to trade at
Oswego, as they had done for years, found little or nothing
for which to exchange their furs, and departed in disgust.
George Clinton, then colonial governor of New York,
but not a member of the Clinton family afterwards so cele-
brated in State politics, immediately did what he could to
strengthen Oswego. He sent six cannon thither, and called
a council of the Six Nations at Albany to engage them to
help defend the threatened post. They gave a half promise
to that effect, but insinuated that Oswego was not as valu-
able to them as formerly, because goods had not of late
been as cheap as they once had. In truth, the Six Nations
were very much (and very sensibly) disposed to remain
neutral, and let the English and French fight their own
battles.
Lieutenant John Lindsay, the founder of the Cherry
Valley settlement, was appointed commander of the post at
this time, and held the position for five years afterwards.
In the spring of 1745 one of the officers of the garrison,
a young lieutenant named Butler, afterwards the too-cele-
brated Colonel John Butler, of detested memory, wrote from
that point that fifteen hundred men, besides Indians, were
reported to be organizing in Canada for the purpose of
attacking Oswego. If any such movement was contem-
plated it was certainly abandoned.
In June an Onondaga chief, bearing the historic name
of " The Black Prince," attended by a hundred men, women,
and children of that nation, went down to Oswego on his
way to visit Canada, on the invitation of the governor-
general. Conrad Weiser, an interpreter, who accompanied
him as far as Oswego, has left an account of what transpired,
which is so characteristic of Indian parleys as to be worth
transcribing.
On their arrival they saluted the fort with two volleys
from their muskets, which were duly returned. After land-
ing, the warriors went in a body to visit the officers. One
of the first proceedings on the part of the latter was to fur-
nish the noble visitors with a dram apiece. Presently the
Black Prince asked for another dram all around to drink
the king's health. It was given. Very soon he requested
another dram to drink the governor's health, and this too
was furnished. Then the red men seated themselves upon
their haunches and began smoking and talking. They
wanted to know all about the war, and especially about its
probable results. They said they were going to Canada to
make arrangements whereby the house at Oswego should
not be attacked by the French. Finally they wanted the
officers to give them some food. As the latter had been
treating them pretty freely, and liquor was two dollars a
gallon, they hesitated at this fresh demand. Finally, how-
ever, they hunted up three bags of peas, a few loaves of
bread, and thirty pounds of pork, which they presented to
their guests. They appeared well pleased with the gift, but
among themselves they grumbled much at the covetousness
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
of the Englishmen. The next da}' they came again to the
fort, wlien the interpreter himself treated them with a dram
apiece, and gave them a two-gallon cask of licjuor to drink
the health of the king and queen at Montreal. As Weiscr
then returned to Onondaga, it is very doubtful whether the
cask remained unbroached until the Black Prince and his
companions reached the capital of Canada.
The oflBcers seem to have made no effort to prevent the
Indians from vi-siting the French, even in time of war,
which shows that the English claims of sovereignty over
the Six Nations were not considered as involving much
active control. In fact, the Six Nations remained substan-
tially neutral thoughout the conflict which raged from 17-14
to 1748, though perhaps occasionally a small party went
upon the war-path.
In 1745, William Johnson, the successful fur-trader be-
fore mentioned, was commissioned colonel of the New York
militia, and in 1746 he was appointed superintendent of
Indian affairs for the Six Nations. He was also about the
same time selected as contractor to supply the troops at
Oswego, on condition that he should receive no higher
prices during the war than had been paid in time of peace.
This was the first appearance in public aflfiurs of one who,
until the day of his death, nearly thirty years later, exercised
an immense influence in the colony of New York. A coarse-
minded, uncultured man, but energetic, clear-headed, and
fair-dealing, he was well fitted to manage the rude warriors
and scarcely less rude frontiersmen with whom he was con-
stantly brought in contact. He had already made himself
a great favorite with the Mohawks, who looked up to him
as a father (as many of the children had a right to do), and
he soon acquired almost as great an influence over the other
Iroquois tribes. They called him Warragiyagltey (which
is supposed to mean chief manager), and probably deferred
more to him than to any other man they ever knew, not
excepting their own most powerful chiefs.
The next year, although Oswego was still unattacked, the
road from the Mohawk valley thither was infested by small
parties of the enemy, and the post was thought to be in
considerable danger. Governor Clinton and Colonel Johnson
relieved it in June, .sending thither Lieutenant Visschcr and
a company of men, with a supply of goods, provisions, and
ammunition. The next year (1748), Johnson declared he
could no longer supply the post for two hundred pounds
($500) per annum, and the assembly voted him two hun-
dred pounds extra, — no extravagant allowance for a post on
which depended to a great extent the welfare of the colony.
As the French still made no movement on this side of
the lake, the traders began to be desirous to obtain again
some of their old profits. Not yet daring to go to Oswego,
they congregated in numbers on the road thither, trading
what they could with the Six Nations, and anxiously look-
ing for an opportunity to resume business with the fur
Indians. Fortunately for them, the peace of Aix-la-Cha-
pelle, in 1748, removed the barrier, and the mouth of the
Oswego was soon alive again with traders' bateaux and
Indian canoes. Again the shores were gay with plumed
warriors from Miami and Michilimackinac, as well as stal-
wart Iroquois from their nearer homes, while scalp-decorated
braves and submissive squaws alike .stood in open-mouthed
admiration before the gaudy blankets and silver jewelry
displayed by tlie sturdy Dutch traders.
Tliere was even a considerable commerce carried on with
the French of Canada, who could buy goods so much
cheaper of the English than of their own merchants that
they were willing to run the risk attendant on illicit trade.
But even while they bought they scowled with envy at the
thought that the hated English were the possessors of all-
important " Chouegucn."
The feeling of the French was well cxjires.«ed by the
Abbe Piequet, the head of the colony of Catliolic Iroquois
at La Presentation (now Ogdensburgh), who made a tour
of Lake Ontario at a little later date. He declared Choue-
gucn to be " a post the most pernicious to France that the
English could erect." lie expressed a strong desire for its
destruction, and calculated how easily two batteries of
three twelve-pounders each would reduce it to ruins. Yet
he was obliged to admit that the English and Dutch sold
goods there to the Indians for less than a fourth of the
price, in furs, which the French charged at Niagara, an
advantage which was not counterbalanced by the fact that
the red men preferred French brandy to English.
Soon after the war Captain Lindsay resigned his military
position, and became Indian agent and commi.ssary. which
oflBces he held until his death, in 1751.
There is a tradition, and a quite probable one, that about
1750 a small mill was built at Oswego falls to grind corn
for the traders, the garrison, and those Indians whose
palates were sufficiently educated to prefer meal to samp.
In the year last named the Oswego garrison (which was a
colonial force, not a part of the Biitish army) threatened
to disband for lack of pay. The money was probably sup-
plied, as there was no outbreak. About the same time
Superintendent Johnson got into trouble with the colonial
assembly. He claimed much more than they had allowed
him for provisions and goods sent to Oswego. They, in
turn, accused him of charging for articles not sent. John-
son resigned his superintendency, but was immediately
afterwards appointed to a seat in the executive council by
Governor Clinton, with whom he was a great favorite.
With all his faults, Johnson's character, acquired during a
long and active life, was not that of dishonesty, and tlie
probability is that the assembly was merely seeking an
excuse for not paying the public debts.
The Sis Nations were much disturbed at the rcsignatii)n
of their beloved Warragiyaghcy, and in 1751 formally re-
quested his reinstatement; "for," said their spokesman, the
celebrated King Ilendrick, ■' he has large ears, and hears a
great deal, and what he hears he tells to us. He has also large
eyes, and sees a great way, and conceals nothing from us."
But in spite of these compliments Johnson refused to re-
assume the po.sition. He declared that he had advanced
for the Indian department and for suj)plying Oswego up to
the close of 1748 no less than seven thousand one hundred
and seventy-seven pounds (about eighteen thousand dollars,
an immense sum for those days), of which only five thou-
sand eight hundred and one pounds had been even voted to
him, and two thousand four hundred and one pounds of that
amount remained unpaid, although he believed the " Oswego
duties" to be sufficient for the purpose. These duties ap-
HISTOKY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
pear to have been a tax levied on all goods sold at or sent
through Oswego. Since 1748 he had advanced five hun-
dred and ninety-five pounds, at the governor's request, for
the same purposes, which was still unpaid. As he made no
charge for his personal services, he insisted that he could not
aiford to hold so unprofitable an ofiice. Several commis-
sioners of Indian affiiirs were appointed in his place-
Most of the statements relating to Sir William Johnson
are taken from his " Life and Times," by William L. Stone.
The work in question is strongly colored in favor of the
baronet, but we have taken pains to compare it with other
accounts, and to get at the facts as accurately as possible.
The ex-superintendent still prosecuted a lucrative trade
with Oswego, and his own interests, if nothing else, im-
pelled him to keep vigilant watch over French intrigues.
Learning that the Jesuits had persuaded many of the
Onomlagas to consent to the establishment of a military
and missionary station on Oneida lake, Johnson summoned
the Onondaga and Oneida chiefs together and purchased
the lake and a strip of laud two miles in width clear around
it for three hundred and fifty pounds. He off'ered it to
the colonial government at the price he paid, but they re-
fused to take it. As an unconfirmed Indian title was never
considered valid, he had but little to show for his money.
There was almost always a conflict going on betwixt the
colonial governor and his council on one side and the
assembly on the other. In this year (1751) the council
pa.ssed a bill applying five hundred pounds to the repair of
Oswego and the conduct of Indian affairs, but the assem-
bly voted this passage of a " money bill" by the upper
house a high breach of privilege, and were soon after dis-
solved. Before that occurred, however, their attention was
called to another Oswego matter. They called for an
account from the commissioners of the Oswego duties.
John Be Peyster, one of their number, sent in a return,
showing the collection of eleven hundred and forty-five
pounds for the four years closing with September, 1750.
His report for 1751 was nine hundred and forty pounds.
Johnson wrote to Clinton that there was some " cursed vil-
lainy" about the Oswego duties, but that it would be hard
to ferret it out. He asserted that De Peyster had admitted
receiving over one thousand pounds in 1749, immediately
after the war, and that the remaining one hundred and
forty-five pounds would by no means cover the receipts of
1750, to say nothing of the smaller sums collected during
the two last years of the war. From all the circumstances it
seems cjuite certain that the duties would average some
twenty-five hundred dollars per year.
In 1752 the assembly finally provided for rebuilding the
post at Oswego, which was said to be in a ruinous condi-
tion. The next year there began to be serious apprehen-
sions of further difiiculties with France. Strange as it
may seem, notwithstanding all the wars which had raged,
and all the treaties which had been made between France
and England since they had founded colonics in America,
no definite boundary lines had been agreed upon between
their respective possessions on that continent. It seemed as
if at every treaty each nation hoped that the fortunes of
peace or war would give it a larger slice of American terri-
tory than it could then lay claim to. In peace-thc English
colonies increased in population with ten times the rapidity
of the French, but the latter were much the more enter-
prising in establishing posts in the wilderness.
At this time they were taking measures to form a line of
forts from their possessions in Canada to those in Louisiana.
In May of the year last mentioned. Captain Stoddard and
Lieutenant Holland, two ofiicers of the Oswego garrison,
wrote to Governor Clinton that thirty French canoes and
five hundred Indians, under the celebrated partisan leader,
Monsieur Marin, had passed that post on their way to the
Ohio. There were rumors of still larger forces moving in
the same direction. The New York authorities appro-
priated a considerable sum in presents to keep the Six
Nations in good humor, and the governor, council, and
assembly all agreed that Colonel Johnson was the fittest man
for commissioner to distribute the goods among the Indians.
In this year, too, the colonial government, according to
Stone, confirmed Colonel Johnson's purchase, noted a short
distance back, at least so far as the land was concerned, and
in accordance with it granted him a strip two miles wide ex-
tending the whole circuit of Oneida lake. This, of course,
included a portion of the present towns of Constantia, West
Monroe, and Hastings, and Sir William Johnson was con-
sequently the first legal landholder in the present county of
Oswego. If such was the case the land must have descended
to Sir John Johnson, and have been confiscated with the rest
of his property on his joining the British during the Revo-
lution.
CHAPTER VIIL
THE "OLD FKENCH WAJ
Hostilities in 1754 — Oswego in Danger — Braddock and Shirley — Ex-
pedition against Niagara — First Englisli Sliip on Lal^e Ontario —
Siiirley's Advance — Braddock's Defeat — Shirley's Expedition
Abandoned — Fort Ontario and Fort George — Omens of Disaster —
De Montcalm and Loudon — Attacking the Communications — Brad-
street's Bateau-Men— Dc Villiers on the Watch— The Conqueror
of Washington— A Bloody Surprise— A Skirmish by the River-
War Declared— De Villiers attacks Ontario— The Ambuscade fails
—"Corsairs" on the Lake — Bradstreet with Supplies — Philip
Schuyler— The Battle of Battle Island— Schuyler's Humanity—
De Villiers Defeated— British Blunders— De Montcalm's Vigilance
— From Charaplain to Ontario— The Stealthy Approach- The Sud-
den Appearance — Opening Fire — The English Force — French
Artillery landed — Opening the Trenches — Ontario Abandoned —
Crossing the Oswego — Mercer Killed— Littlehales Frightened —
Oswego Surrendered — The Losses — The Massacre — French Evi-
dence—A Curious Adventure— The Forts Destroyed— Brilliancy of
the Victory— Runaway Webb— A Quiet Year— Pitt to the Front—
Bradstreet and Schuyler on the Wing— Quick Ship-Building —
Capture of Frontenac- A Fort at the Falls- One at Three Rivers
Point— The Culminating Struggle of 1759— A French Rcconnois-
sancc— An English Army— The Six Nations in the Field— On to
Niagara — Another Attack — A Barricade of Barrels — A Warlike
Priest— Defeat of De la Come— Niagara Captured— Lively Times
— The First Duel— Rebuilding Fort Ontario— Building Fort Brew-
erton— Ancient Relics— Capture of Quebec— The Final Rally—
The Main Army at Oswego — Distinguished Personages — Amherst
and Gage — Johnson, Bradstreet, and Putnam — The Grand Em-
barkation — Surrender of Canada — End of the War.
In 1754 hostilities actually began on the frontiers of
Pennsylvania and Virginia, though without any formal
IirSTORT OF ()SWE(!() COUNTY, NHW YORK.
25
doclaration of war. Tlio Xcw York assembly took the
alarm and voted some lliirteoii hiiiidred dollars to pay for
repairs at Oswego, and for doubling tlio garrison. It should
be remembered that a dollar would probably go nearly as
far then as five will now, so that the amounts voted from
time to time for that important post were really not a.s
small as they look. The year passed without any events of
importance in this vicinity, but in 1755 the tide of war
set strongly towards Lake Ontario. Y^et, while the work of
slaughter was raging all along the frontier, England and
France were still nominally at peace. There was merely a
little dispute about boundaries going on in America.
In February, 1755, acting governor De Lancey informed
the assembly that Oswego was in great danger through want
of provisions, as Colonel Johnson had refused to furnish
any more until his old debts should have been paid. The
urgency was so great that the necessary arrangements were
soon made.
Early in the spring the sadly- celebrated General Brad-
dock arrived in America, bearing the king's commission as
commander-in-chief of all the British forces on the conti-
tinent. His second in command was William Shirley, gov-
ernor of Massachusetts, a man of decided genius, to whom
was principally due the brilliant capture of Louisburg, ten
years before, but who was more successful in devising plans
than in carrying them out.
Braddock convened a council of the provisional gover-
nors at Alexandria, Virginia, to concert methods of driving
back the French. The keen-eyed Shirley saw at once that
by sending a force, by way of Oswego, to capture Fort
Niagara, and by building vessels which should gain posses-
sion of Lake Ontario, not only Duquesne but all the other
western forts would be cut off from their communications
and the whole French system broken in pieces. Braddock,
however, determined to march directly against Duquesne
with nearly all the regulars, and it is said that his orders
compelled him to do so. Colonel Johnson, now appointed
major-general and superintendent of Indian affairs by Brad-
dock, was directed to organize an expedition against Crown
Point, while the operations on Lake Ontario, the key of
the whole frontier, were intrusted to Governor Shirley.
That energetic commander .sent forward two Albany in-
dependent companies and two companies of Sir William
Pepperell's* regiment to strengthen Oswego while he was
organizing his forces, and directed the immediate beginning
of a Lake Ontario navy, by the construction of a small
schooner at that point. This schooner, of forty feet keel,
propelled by sweeps as well as sails, and armed with twelve
swivels, was launched on the 28th of June following, and
was the first English vessel on Lake Ontario.
Meanwhile, Shirley gathered some three hundred more
ship-carpenters, whom he sent to Oswego in June to build
vessels enough to command the lake and convey his army
*■ Sir William Peppcrell, lieutenant-general in his majesty's ser-
vice, was born in Maine, and was bred a merehant. He rose to the
lii^hest military honors. The king, in reward of his services, con-
ferred upon him the dignity of a baronet, an honor never before, or
since, conferred upon a native of New England. He died at his seat
m Kittcry, Maine, 1759, aged si.vty-thrce years.— /'o(fer'« //lilu.i/
luiil Antiq,iitk» of tin- Nurlhen, ,S'(,<(c«, 1844.
3
to Niagara. The raising, equipping, and moving of that
army, though it was to consist of only three regiments and
some independent cx)mpaniea, was a work of time. Jeal-
ousies arose between Governor Shirley and General John-
son, and the former accused the latter of preventing the
cordial co-operation of tlic Six Nations. Shirley probably
lacked the tact to manage the Indians, and perhaps, not-
withstanding his genius, was deficient in executive capacity.
In July, Colonel Schuyler's regiment of New Jersey
troojw was sent forward to Oswego, and in the forepart of
August, Shirley embarked at Schenectady with his own
and Sir William Pepperell's regiments, some independent
companies, and a sufficient complement of artillery. Ju.st
as he was doing so there came the news of the terrible de-
feat of Braddock, almost at the gates of Fort Duquesne,
and the death of that tuost unfortunate general. The gov-
ernor was now commander-in-chief of all the British forces
on tlie continent, but his men received a great shock from
the dismal story, and the expedition set forth under the
gloomiest auspices. Following the usual route, they pro-
pelled their bateaux up the Mohawk, down Wood creek,
through Oneida lake, and down the river of many rapids
to Oswego, where they arrived on the 21st of August.
There everything wore an animated aspect. Besides the
schooner before mentioned, one or two other small ves.sel8
were already bearing the British flag upon Lake Ontario,
and still others were under way. The work was pres.sed
forward as speedily as possible, but no sooner were the ves-
sels and boats ready than a severe storm set in, which de-
layed the embarkation for several days.
It was not until the 26th of September that the six hun-
dred men who were to attack Niagara went on board the
craft intended to convey them thither. But storms and
head-winds prevented their departure. For thirteen days
more they remained at Oswego, ready to set forth if the
weather abated, and then Shirley saw that the expedition
must be deferred. Many of his men were sick, all were
thoroughly discouraged, and the few Indians whom he had
induced to accompany him soon deserted what appeared to
be the failing cau.se. Determined to prosecute his darling
scheme the next year, the governor placed Colonel Mercer
in command of the forces, gave orders for the erection of
two new forts, and returned to Albany.
Mercer immediately set his troops at w^ork constructing
the fortifications ordered by Shirley. On the east side of
the river, about a quarter of a mile from Fort Oswego, a
work was built which received the name of Fort Ontario, a
name which has ever since been applied to some fortifica-
tion on substantially the same site. It was about two hun-
dred feet square, built of logs from twenty to thirty inches
in diameter, set up on end in stockade form, and banked
up with earth so as to make a wall fourteen feet in height.
Outside was a ditch fourteen feet wide and ten feet deep.
Inside, barracks were built for three hundred men. The
work was intended to mount sixteen guns. It was proba-
bly not finished until the spring of 1756.
At the same time with Fort Ontario another fortification
was begun on the hill west of Fort Oswego, exactly on the
site of the house erected by the late F. T. Carriiigton. It
was intended to prevent Fort Oswego from being com-
26
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
maoded from the rear, and was to be a hundred and seventy
feet square, the wall being a rampart of earth and stone,
twenty feet thick and twelve feet high, surrounded by a
ditch and crowned by a parapet. This work was never fin-
ished. It was sometimes called Fort George and sometimes
New Fort Oswego. This latter fort was also strengthened
by Mercer. The French imagined that its name Was Fort
Pepperell, and so designated it on some of their plans, but
it does not appear that the English ever called it by any
other name than Fort Oswego.
Meanwhile, General Johnson, in his march against
Crown Point, being threatened by Baron Dieskau, threw
up intrenchments, and when the latter made an attack he
was repulsed with heavy loss. Johnson neglected to take
any advantage of his victory, and did not even attempt to
capture Crown Point, the sole object of his expedition.
His success, however, was the only one of the year; so the
home government rewarded him with a colonelcy in the
regular army, the permanent superintendency of all the
northern Indians, a grant of five thousand pounds sterling,
and a baronetcy, and he was thereafter known as Sir Wil-
liam Johnson, — a very proper recognition of the extraordi-
nary character of any English victory in America.
Shirley, as commander-in-chief, summoned another coun-
cil of provincial governors at Albany in December, and
again proposed his pet scheme of making Lake Ontario the
main theatre of military operations. He desired that five
thousand troops, most of them to be raised by the colonies,
should rendezvous at Oswego in the spring, and thence
proceed to the capture of Frontenac and Niagara, and the
complete severance of the French line of communications.
His plan was the right one, but his previous failures to
carry his fine schemes into execution were causing his star
to pale before the rising light of the new baronet, and very
little heed was paid to his suggestions.
The spring of 1756 opened from the first with omens of
disaster to the English cause. The new commander-in-
chief of the French forces was the Marquis de Montcalm,
one of the very bravest soldiers and ablest generals who
ever trod the soil of America, while the selection of the
English court fell on tlie Earl of Loudon, probably the
most thoroughly stupid, indolent, and incompetent man to
whom were ever intrusted the destinies of a continent,
devoid alike of the theoretical skill of Shirley, the rude
vigor of Johnson, and the bull-dog courage of Braddock.
In March a French lieutenant, with a mixed party of
regulars, Canadians, and Indians, marched through the wil-
derness from Ogdensburgh, and captured Fort Bull, one of
the two posts which guarded the great Oneida carrying-
place from the Mohawk river to Wood creek ; killing most
of its garrison, destroying a large quantity of stores, and
startling the troops at Oswego with a sense of the great
insecurity of their slender line of communications.
Shirley did all he could to strengthen that important
post. He had early ordered the building of three new
vessels there, carrying respectively twelve, sixteen, and
eighteen guns. He organized a great number of bateau-
men, in companies of fifty each (composed largely of those
formerly engaged in the Albany and Oswego fur-trade), to
transport army supplies and naval stores to Lake Ontario.
These were all placed under Colonel Bradstreet, a vigilant
officer of the quartermaster's department, then rapidly
rising into prominence.
Soon, however, the governor was relieved from military
duty, though neither the Earl of Loudon, who was to com-
mand in chief, nor General Abercrombie, who was to have
charge of the northern army, had yet arrived from Europe.
Even after his removal, Shirley held a council of war at
Albany, at which he recounted what he had done to
strengthen Oswego and obtain complete possession of Lake
Ontario, and urged that four companies of scouts, of sixty
men each, should be raised to keep open the communication
with his favorite post. In modern phrase, the governor
of Blassachusetts had Oswego on the brain. But he spake
to deaf ears and dull brains.
Meanwhile De Vaudreuil, the governor-general of Canada,
and De Montcalm, the commander of the forces, kept ears
and eyes wide open, and brains and hands very busy. As
soon as spring had fairly opened, the Sieur de Villiers, a
captain in the colonial service, was sent with seven hundred
men to keep watch of Oswego, furnish information regard-
ing it, harass its communications, and capture supplies.
This De Villiers was the same enterprising officer who had
previously been operating in the vicinity of Fort Duquesne,
and who had compelled the surrender of Fort Necessity by
Major George Washington two years before. He was a
brother of Jumonville (brothers frequently had difierent
names in France, derived from their estates), who was
killed by Washington's troops in the skirmish that brought
on the war. Captain De Villiers played a very important
part in Oswego County during the summer of 1756, and
as he was the only man who ever fully conquered Wash-
ington, his proceedings are invested with peculiar interest.
Monsieur De Villiers established his headquarters on
Niaoure bay, now called Henderson bay, in Jefierson county,
and was soon busy ; sometimes sending detachments under
his subordinates, and sometimes marching himself with his
main force. Scalping-parties of Indians, or of Indians and
French combined, frequently penetrated the wilderness,
throughout this and previous wars, and harassed the settle-
ments on the Mohawk. They took various routes, but
French writers mention that a favorite one was up the
Famine, or Salmon, river.
About the 12th of May one of De Villiers' detachments
attacked a party of ship-carpenters at work only three hun-
dred yards from Fort Oswego, killing nine and capturing
three. A body of soldiers was instantly sent out, but the
wily assailants retreated into the forest so quickly that not
oven a sight of a living Frenchman was obtained, though
the pursuers found one dead one, whom they scalped and
threw into the river. Scalping seems to have been the
fashion on both sides at that time.
A few days later a very large amount of supplies came
through in two hundred bateaux and two hundred whale-
boats, managed by about a thousand men, probably under
command of Bradstreet, though there is no record to that
effect. In passing over the falls two bateaux and two
whale-boats were lost, and four men drowned. Pursuing
their toilsome way, most of them soon reached the post, but
some were detained at the reefs, two miles above. On the
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTV, NEW YOllK.
27
morning of the 17tli a lieutenant named Blair, with tweuty-
four men, was sent up to guard the bouts at the reefs. He
was yet on his way when he was attacked by one of De
Villiers' scouting-parties. Wounded at the first fire, the
young officer continued to encourage his men, but was soon
struck by a second bullet and slain. The men, under a
sergeant, maintained their ground, and in a short time were
relieved by a force from the fort. One soldier was killed
and another wounded, besides a Muhauk Indian killed and
a ship-carpenter wounded. Two French Indians were also
killed, who were duly scalped and flung into the river.
Notwithstanding that nearly two years of actual warfare
had passed, war was not formally declared by England
against Franco until the ISth of May, 175G ; followed by
a counter-declaration on the part of France on the 9th of
June. These public declarations involved no perceptible
change in the proceedings.
Near the last of May, the three vessels on which the
carpenters had been at work throughout the spring not
being ready for use. Commodore Barclay, the naval com-
mander, went out with some small ones on a voj'age of
exploration towards Niagara, from which point there were
some expectations of an attack. Being met by continuous
western winds, they returned after a fruitless voyage of
twelve days.
On the 10th of June De Villiers left Niaoure bay with
his whole force, arriving in the vicinity of Fort Ontario on
the 15th. He then arranged to make a demonstration
against that fort the next morning with a few men, hoping
to provoke a sortie, when he expected to destroy the sally-
ing party by an ambuscade. All his men, and particularly
his Indians, were carefully instructed not to fire until the
Engli-sh made a sortie. At daybreak the next morning
the combined force of French and Indians moved forward.
Early as it was, they found eight men at work a little dis-
tance outside. This was too much for the Indians. With
a yell that rang far over lake and forest, and brought every
man in both garrisons to his feet, a host of the savages
rushed forward, fired their muskets on the unfortunate
squad, and the next moment had torn the bleeding scalps
from five who lay dead upon the ground.
The garrison of Fort Ontario, which consisted of Colonel
Schuyler's New Jersey regiment, sprang to arms and opened
a brisk fire on the enemy when they appeared on the edge
of the forest. But it was in vain that De Villiers, by
showing a small force, endeavored to provoke a sortie ; the
terrific yell and tremendous fusilade with which the un-
lucky workmen had been greeted had put every one on his
guard, and the conflict soon became a mere exchange of
shots between the assailants and the defenders of the post.
After an hour and a half of such firing, De Villiers drew
off his men and retreated eastward. Schuyler lost but a
few men in addition to those surprised at the first onslaught,
and the French loss was also small.
About the 23d of June Commodore Barclay again went
on a cruise with his flotilla, consisting of his flag-ship, the
" Oswego," carrying four four-pounders, one three-pounder,
and forty-five seamen and sailors ; the " OnUirio," Captain
Lafory, carrying the same number of guns ; and a little
schooner with six little swivels and thirteen men. On their
return, after a four-days' trip, they were chased by four of
the enemy's vessels, two of whom the Frencli called
" barks," and two " corsairs." Considering the great im-
portance of his little squadron to the welfare of Oswego,
the commodore tliought it best to make all sail for that
port, where he arrived safely with his two larger vessels,
while the little schooner was seized by the foe.
On the 1st of July, 175G, Colonel Bradstreet arrived at
Oswego with six hundred bateaux, bringing sixteen car-
riage-guns, and sixteen swivels for the new vessels, which
were still unfinished, besides an immense amount of ammu-
nition and other supplies. Two liundred soldiers also came
through to join the garrison, and Colonel Mercer, the com-
mander, did his best to put the new fort on the hill in a
proper stiite of defense. Through the foresight of Governor
Shirley and the exertions of Colonel Bradstreet, Oswego
was now amply supplied with provisions and ammunition ;
the only question being whether there were men enough to
defend it against an attack in force.
Bradstreet's right-hand man in this expedition, as in
other enterprises, was a slender, fair-faced young soldier of
twenty-three, ever active, but never flurried, a descendant
of one of the oldest families of Albany, and destined to
make his family name one of the most illustrious in the
annals of America. This was Captain Philip Schuyler,
afterwards the celebrated major-general of the Revolutionary
army, who had been selected by the clear-he;jded Bradstreet
as his chief assistant, and who then held the important
post of commissary of the expedition of relief.
On the third of July Colonel Bradstreet started on his
return, with his well-armed and partially-disciplined bateau-
men in their empty boats, arranged in three divisions.
Strict ordei-s were given that they should keep close to-
gether, but the roughness and rapidity of the river prevented
complete obedience. When Bradstreet himself, beiiig near
the head of his command, was about nine miles above Os-
wego, and near the small island now known as Battle
island, the report of a hundred muskets rang out from the
dense forest on the eastern shore, and several of his men
fell killed and wounded around him. And then
"Atouce there rose so wild a yell,
As all the fiends from Ileaven that fell
Had pealed the banner-cry of Hell !"
while the dark forms of a host of naked savages were seen
half concealed amid the trees.
De Villiers had arranged a more complete ambuscade, but
had been disappointed by the impatience of his Indians,
who fired at the first bateaux they saw, instead of waiting
for the whole line of boats to come abreast of them.
Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, the French
commander ordered his Canadians also to open fire.
Confusion spread rapidly among the bateuu-men, but
Bradstreet Wiis fully equal to the emergency. Ordering
the main body to set their bateaux to the western shore
and effect a landing, he himself, with a few of those nearest
him, sprang to the island befjre mentioned, and returned
the enemy's fire, in order to cover the movement of the
others. One of this gallant band was Captain Schuyler.
A squad of Indians, carrying their guns and ammunition
above their head.-, d;ishcd through the water and attempted
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to clear the island. Bradstreet and Schuyler stood their
ground, and the assailants were beaten back, but did not
leave the island.
Both parties were reinforced till the English had about
twenty, and the Indians numbered twice as many. The
latter made another attack, but were again unsuccessful,
though they succeeded in wounding eight of their foes.
A dozen more bateau-men came to Bradstreet's aid, and the
Indians were likely to be destroyed, when De Villiers placed
himself at the head of fifty Canadians, and waded through
the stream to the relief of his allies.
A very sharp conflict now ensued between the detach-
ments under the two commanders, and the bullets flew
thick among the trees on the little island. Whenever a
man fell, if his slayer could reach him, he was forthwith
scalped, and a yell of triumph arose from the throat of the
victor. Among those who fell wounded was a French
Canadian, whom an enraged bateau-man at once lifted his
tomahawk to dispatch. Captain Schuyler interposed, saved
his life, and bade him consider himself his prisoner. As
Bradstreet and his men acted on the defensive, and rarely
left the shelter of their trees, they were enabled a third
time to drive back the assailants, and De Villiers soon re-
treated to the main-land. As the French report puts it,
he rescued the endangered Indians and retired ; but, from
a perusal of both accounts, we have no doubt that he was
really defeated at every point, though he captured a few
prisoners. The conflict on the island lasted about an
hour.
Meanwhile the bateau-jnen had fastened their boats to
the western shore, had been formed in line by their sub-
ordinate leaders, and were exchanging shots with the enemy
across the river. Leaving a detachment thus engaged, De
Villiers marched with his main force to ford the river a
mile farther up, and fall on Bradstreet's rear. The latter
perceived the movement, and at once transferred his force
from the island to the main-land to frustrate it. There
was but one bateau available, and this was crowded with
English wounded. Schuyler's disabled prisoner begged to
be taken with them, but was refused.
"Then," he exclaimed, in accents of despair, "then
fling me into the river, so I may die quickly ; do not leave
me here to perish of hunger and thirst."
The gallant and humane Schuyler could not endure this
distressing appeal. Giving his coat and weapons to a com-
riide, he supported the wounded Frenchman with one arm,
and with the other swam across the rushing current to the
main-land. He gave the wounded man in charge of Dr.
Kirkland, the surgeon of the expedition, under whose care
lie finally recovered. Twenty years afterwards, when
Major-General Philip Schuyler was commander of the
northern department of the Continental army, a portion of
which was invading Canada, the poor Canadian, though
caring little for the political questions involved, yet joined
the American forces, that he might once more meet the
man who had twice saved hi.s life on Battle island.
On reaching the main-land, Bradstreet, still accompanied
by Schuyler, at once set forth with two hundred and fifty
men to meet the French. Captain John Butler, afterwards
the celebrated Tory leader during the Revolution, was left
in charge of the remaining men to guard the bateaux. On
Bradstreet's arrival at the. destined point, he found that Do
Villiers had already forded the river, and taken possession
of a pine swamp on the west side, at the outlet of Lake
Neahtawanta. Bradstreet engaged them, and an action an
hour long took place, all fighting from behind trees, Indian
fashion. Finally, the commander of the Americans led
his men into the swamp and drove the enemy to the river,
where many of them were killed in crossing it.
The French and Indians then fled in great baste, bearing
twenty-six scalps, taking along a few prisoners, and having
wounded twenty-six bateau-men, but without destroying a
single one of the bateaux, and leaving the ground strewn
with abandoned muskets and blankets. It was reported
that a patrol from Oswego found seventy-four French and
Indians killed, but that was probably an exaggeration..
While the bateau-men were congratulating themselves
on the victory, the drums of advancing infantry were heard,
and a company of grenadiers of Shirley's regiment marched
up from the south, being on their way to strengthen Oswego.
A report of the I'acts being forwarded to Colonel Mercer,
the latter sent up two hundred men, with whom and the
grenadiers Bradstreet proposed to pursue the enemy the
next morning. A severe rain, however, prevented, and it
would probably have been useless, as the foe was doubtless
by that time in his boats and on his way to Henderson
bay. The English supposed that the French had a per-
manent camp about twelve miles east of Oswego, but this
was a mistake. De Villiers' headquarters were all the while
at Henderson bay.
Bradstreet hastened back to Albany, where he arrived
about the 10th of July, and immediately importuned Gen-
eral Abercrombie, who had arrived in the month of June,
to send reinforcements to Oswego. Sir William Johnson,
also, who had lately persuaded the Six Nations to consent
to the laying out of a military road to that post, declared
that his influence over them would be gone if Oswego
should be taken. Governor Shirley, too, who, though de-
prived of military rank, still remained near the border, re-
iterated the necessity of sustaining his darling fortress.
All was useless. Abercrombie billeted his troops at Albany
and began fortifying that town, as if expecting that the far
inferior forces of the French would soon be at its gates.
On the 29th of July his excellency the Earl of Loudon,
commander-in-chief of his majesty's forces in America, ar-
rived in Albany to begin his campaign. He, too, refused
to aid Oswego, and made some feeble preparations to attack
Crown Point. At length, however, the representations of
everybody who knew anything of American matters in-
duced him to order Colonel Webb, with a brigade of troops,
to march to the relief of the endangered fortress.
During all this time that vigilant chief, Field-Marshal
the Marquis de Montcalm, was doing all that lay in human
power to take advantage of the blunders of his foes, and to
remedy by his genius the smallness of his force. Every
exposed point of his own was guarded, every exposed point
of the enemy was watched, and his communications were
kept up, so that he could strike at whatever locality might
show the best prospect of success.
Determined to destroy, if possible, the long-detested
HISTORY OK OSWHCO COFNTY, NKW YOISK.
Chouegucn, he made his preparations at once to carry out
his purpose and to conceal it from the English. Rigaud
de Vaudrcuil, governor of the Cauiidian department of
Three Rivers, was sent with a fresh body of colonial troops
and Indians to take command of De Villiers' camp, on
Henderson bay, where he must have arrived about the time
that vigilant partism returned from bis attack on Brad-
street. The battalion of Beam was recalled from Niagara
to Frontcnac. Colonel Dc Bourlamaquc, at the latter post,
was ordered to make preparations for forwarding an army.
Descombles, an engineer, was sent forward with an escort
to reconnoitre Oswego, and then on the 27th of June the
mar(juis sot out from Montreal for Crown Point and Ticon-
deroga.
Hero he was very active for a few days, and his presence
soon became known to the English, and was probably one
of the inducements for the dull-witted Abercrombie to for-
tify Albany. Having made the necessary preparations for
the defense of the Lake Champlain route, and sufficiently
advertised his presence there, De Montcalm set out for
Montreal on the 15th of July. Urging his sinewy oarsmen
tfl their best endeavors, his bateau sped down Lake Cham-
plain and the river St. Johns, and on the 19th he reached
the capital of Canada. One "day was devoted to a final
conference with the governor-general. On the 21st the
commander-in-chief was again afloat. Despite the rapids
which made the St. Lawrence so tedious to ascend, be
reached Fort Frontenac on the 29th. In six days he or-
ganized his army, made sure of its complete equipment, and
set forth with the first division. On the 6tli of August
they arrived at Henderson bay, which had been designated
as the final rendezvous, and on the 8th were followed
thither by the second division.
Despite all his endeavors, the marquis could muster
hardly three thou.sand men for this important expedition.
The English afterwards exaggerated the number to five or
.six thousand, to cover the disgrace of their defeat, but
French writers state it at scant three thousand, and from
the details they give we have no doubt that that is substan-
tially correct. Of these the three JJuropean battalions of
La Sarre, Guienne, and Beam numbered about thirteen
hundred, the Canadians nearly a thousand, and the Indians
probably about five hundred. De Montcalm, however, had
taken good care that there should be in addition an excel-
lent train of artillery, which, with its equipments and the
supplies, occupied eighty of the strongest bateaux.
The same day (August 8) that the last division arrived
at Henderson bay, the marquis sent forward the vanguard,
under Rigaud de Vaudreuil. They rowed all night, in
order to conceal themselves from the Jlnglish, and early
the next morning reached their temporary destination, a
place called "L'Anse aux Cabanes," — Cabin cove. This
point is stated by a French writer to have been three
French leagues (seven and a half miles) from Oswego, and
the attendant circumstances show that the statement was
nearly correct. That would fix the locality at one of the
indentures in the shore, in the northwest corner of the
town of Scriba. The editor of the Documentary History
of Now York locates " L'Anse aux Cabanes" at Sandy
Creek hay. but that is entirely out of the (juostion. The
first divi.sion, however, under De Montcalm in person, went
from Henderson bay to Sandy Creek bay the night of the
8th, and bivouacked at the latter place all day of the 9th.
At nightfall they again set forth, and reached Cabin cove
at two o'clock the morning of the 10th. They had four
cannon with them, but the most of the artillery was with
the second division, which followed more slowly.
At six o'clock, the morning of the 10th, the vanguard
set forth through the woods, reaching the lake again at a
cove which the French accounts loaitc only a mile and a
half from Fort Ontario, and consc(juently just within the
present limits of Oswego city. There is a projection into
the lake, however, just ea.st of the city limits, and it is
probable that behind that projection was the cove that shel-
tered the invaders. Here the vanguard remained perfectly
quiet all day, without the English having apparently the
slightftst suspicion of their presence. After dark De Mont^
calm, with the first division, rowed cautiously along the
shore, reaching at midnight the cove where the vanguard
waited ready to cover their landing. The four cannon
were at once landed, and formed in a battery looking out
upon the lake, the bateaux were fastened to the shore, and
the wearied soldiers flung tbem.selves down on the beach
for a few hours' rest.
At three o'clock in the morning, Descombles, the chief
engineer, went forward to the edge of the forest to recon-
noitre the forts, the object of all this preparation. Return-
ing ere it was fairly light, he was mistaken by an Indian
for an Englishman, shot, and instantly killed. The French
movement could no longer be concealed. As day began to
break the Canadians and Indians were pushed forward to
within two hundred rods of Fort Ontario, forming a curved
line of investment from the lake to the river. Many of
the Indians skulked among the stumps of the clearing, and
opened fire on the astonished soldiers as they appeared on
the walls of the fortress.
This .seems to have been the first indication that the
Engli.sh had that a French army was anywhere this .side of
Montreal. The fire was returned from the garrison, but
even yet they did not know but that the assailants were
merely some of De Villiers' rangers renewing their old
tricks. Sieur Desandronius, the only surviving engineer,
designated the route for a road for the cannon through the
woods, and the laborers began work on it at eleven o'clock.
At noon Commodore Barclay with his three vessels sailed
out of port. Discovering the right of the French camp
near the landing-place, he fired a few fruitless shots at it,
but was easily driven off' by the battery before mentioned.
All the afternoon the soldiers worked at the road for the
artillery, and continued their labors far into the night to
complete it.
The force in the three fortifications which the Marquis
de Montcalm was about to attack had been somewhat in-
creased during the spring, and now numbered about fifteen
hundred men. Of these, the main strength was in the
regiments known as "Shirley's" and " PeppereU's." They
were otherwise designated sis the first and second royal
American regiments, being a portion of the British regular
army, but raised principally in America. Their colonels,
whose names they bore, were Governor Sliiiley and Sir
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
William Pepperell, but, as was the case with most colonels
in the British army, they did not serve with their regiments.
PeppereU's was commanded by Lieutenant^Colonel Mercer,
who was also commander of the post, and Shirley's by
Lieutenant-Colonel Littlehales. These two regiments had
seen service in Europe, but had been sent to America on
the outbreak of hostilities here. They had been much de-
pleted, but numbered together about nine hundred men fit
for duty.
There was also a weak regiment of New Jersey militia
under Colonel Schuyler, a relative of Captain Philip Schuy-
ler, containing about two hundred men ; two or three inde-
pendent companies, numbering perhaps a hundred more,
besides some three hundred carpenters, laborers, sailors, etc.,
who were trained to manage the guns and otherwise aid the
defense.
It was not until the morning of the 12th that the second
division of De Montcalm's army arrived with the numei-ous
bateaux laden with the artillery and provisions. A large
part of this artillery had been captured from the unlucky
Braddock the year before. Both artillery and supplies
were unloaded during the forenoon, right under the eyes
of Commodore Barclay, who was cruising off shore with
his three vessels. The commodore showed a very apathetic
spirit throughout the whole affair. He might have done
the French great, perhaps iireparable, damage while they
were landing, and ought to have risked the destruction of
his vessels to do it. But they were allowed to carry on
their preparations without interruption from the ships,
Montcalm pushing them forward with indefatigable energy.
As engineer Desandronius was a young, inexperienced
man, Captain Pouchot, of the Beam regiment, who was
also an engineer, was directed to take charge of the opera-
tions. This was the same able officer to whose memoirs of
the war of 1754-60 we are largely indebted for information
regarding the operations in Oswego County.
Firing was kept up briskly from Fort Ontario through-
out the day, but at eleven o'clock at night it ceased. It
was not until midnight that the French were ready to begin
work on the trenches, and then labor was at once com-
menced in the darkness, among the stumps, and continued
until daylight. In this time a parallel six hundred feet
long had been erected within a little over five hundred feet
from Fort Ontario. The French now opened a heavy fire
on the fort, which responded to them through the fore-
noon, but with constantly decreasing energy. At three in
the afternoon the watchful Frenchmen observed a great
commotion between the fort and the river, and in a few
moments it was evident that Fort Ontario Wiis being evacu-
ated. Colonel Mercer sent over some whale-boats for the
purpose, and in great disorder the garrison passed to the
other side. They were so well protected by the guns of
Fort Oswego that the French were not able to do them any
serious damage in their retreat. Only four men had been
killed and wounded in Fort Ontario. Perhaps, in view of
the small size of his force. Colonel Mercer was justified in
contracting his lines, but the movement greatly encouraged
the French, and correspondingly depressed the English.
Eight small cannon and four mortars were left in the de-
serted fortress, which was at once taken i)os.session of by
the joyful French, while their red allies made the woods
re-echo with their yells of triumph, striking terror into all
the timorous hearts in the beleagured garrison.
Mercer soon sent PeppereU's regiment and a hundred of
Smiley's to reinforce Colonel Schuyler at the redoubt on
the hill, where they were employed during the day in cut-
ting down the bushes which afforded a cover for assailants,
and making other preparations against an attack.
All day De Montcalm pressed on the siege with renewed
vigor. A small, lithe, active man, as rapid of speech as of
motion, the marquis hurried to and fro, regardless of dan-
ger, supervising everything, pouring out censure or praise
as occasion required, and infusing his own impetuous spirit
into all his men.
The guns of Fort Ontario were turned upon Fort Oswego.
The south end of the now trench was curved to the west
and curried down to the river's edge, where at uightfiill a
battery was erected, designed to beat down the walls of Fort
Oswego, and also reach the line of communication between
that and Fort George. Darkness only increased the labor.
The whole army was set at work, and twenty cannon were
carried in their arms (a Herculean task) to the places
designed for them.
At daylight the ever-active Montcalm ordered Rigaud de
Vaudreuil, with his Canadians and Indians, to cross the
river a little way up, occupy the woods on the other side,
and harass the English rear. The gallant partisau imme-
diately flung himself into the foaming stream and made his
way across it, followed by the whole body of provincials and
savages, some swimming, some in water to waist or neck,
but all successful in reaching the western shore. They
took positions in the edge of the forest, and made a target
of every Englishman who showed his head above the
parapets.
At six o'clock Montcalm had nine heavy guns ready for
use in his new battery, and then the game commenced in
earnest. This was the most serious fighting during the
siege. The roar of the heavy battery resounded through
the forest and rolled out upon the lake ; other French
guns in various locations added to the din. The English
responded with the fire of twelve cannon and four mortars,
while the yells of the furious Indians in the forest added
to the terrors of the scene. One of the English mortars
burst. Soon afterwards, and between eight and nine o'clock.
Colonel Mercer was killed while gallantly directing the fire
of the English guns.
The command devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel John
Littlehales, who certainly seems to have lost his head amid
the terrible confusion rcigning'around. He ordered Colonel
Schuyler to abandon Fort George, where Mercer had placed
him, thus leaving Fort Oswego liable to be commanded from
that important position. Two of Schuyler's men were
killed while marching down. The firing was still kept up
from Fort Oswego ; but Littlehales had evidently lost heart
as well as head. He soon called a council of the field-officers
and captains, and they, taking their tone from their com-
mander, quite readily agreed to a capitulation. A flag was
sent to Montcalm, and after some parleying the forts were
surrendered, the garrison became prisoners of war, and not
only all the ammunition, stores, etc., were vieldod up, but
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
all the vessels, finished as well as unfinishoil, with twelve
naval officers and nearly two hundred scainen.
From a comparison of different accounts, it is (|uitc cer-
tain that at the time of the surrender not over thirty of the
Anglo- Ameriain force had boon killed or wounded. The
French loss was stated by themselves at thirty ; that of the
English, who were sheltered, could not well have been
larger. Several of Shirley's regiment who escaped fixed it
at twenty-four, and the latter number is probably very near
correct. The total number of men made prisoners was
fifteen hundred and twenty, but of these, as has been said,
several hundred were sailors, carpenters, artificers, etc. ; all
of whom, however, worked the guns, or did other duty
about the forts. There was an ample supply of provisions
and ammunition, no less than twenty-three thousand
pounds of powder being among the spoils gained by the
victors ; and under all the circumstances the surrender
must be considered highly discreditable to Colonel Little-
hales. The victors themselves were surprised at the ease
with which their triumph was gained.
The French took immediate possession, and then fol-
lowed one of those scenes so frequent in the old border
wars of America, which sully the lustre of the brightest
victory. Near one hundred of the captives were slain by
the enraged Indians, and their scalps, torn from their man-
gled remains, were borne to decorate the wigwams of their
murderei-s on the banks of the St. Lawrence, the Ottawa,
and Lake Huron. The massacre was at length stopped by
the interposition of Montcalm ; but one cannot help think-
ing that he must have known how the savages would act,
and that he might have prevented their cruelties entirely
if he had been very anxious to do so. It looks as if he
thought it would cau.se disaffection if he prevented entirely
their feast of blood, and did not interfere till they had been
partially satiated.
We are aware that it has been doubted whether any
massacre was perpetrated, but all the statements point the
same way. One French writer, who was present, says dis-
tinctly that the Indians " perpetrated there a multitude of
hoiTors, and assassinated more than one hundred persons,
included in the capitulation, without our being able to pre-
vent them, or having the right to remonstrate with them."
Another stated that one hundred and fifty English were
killed and wounded, " including several soldiers, who, wish-
ing to escape into the woods, fell into the hands of the
Indians." Deducting thirty for the number killed and
wounded in the fighting, leaves a hundred and twenty who
fell beneath the savage tomahawks. This accords with the
statement of the first-mentioned writer, that over a hun-
dred were massacred. He said nothing about their at-
tempted escape, and that was probably a mere excuse.
Montcalm himself wrote that the savages attempted a mas-
sacre, but that he prevented it. But that intervention did
not take place until after many had been slain ; too late to
clear the memory of Montcalm from the suspicion of con-
nivance.
There is reason to believe, too, that some of the prLsoners
were reserved by the savages for the still more horrible fate
of death by torture. Among the prisoners was Francis
Lewis, afterwards a di.stinf;uished citizen of New York,
and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
His biography, together with that of Governor Morgan
Lewis, has lately been publishi^ by his descendant, Mrs.
Delafield. There is one anecdote, which the authoress
received from her grandfather, Morgan Lewis, and lie from
Francis Lewis, which bears directly on the question of the
treatment of the Oswego prisoners. Although it comes to
the public at third hand, yet the main facts are so impor-
tant, and must have been so well known in the Lewis
family, that there could hardly be any serious mistake ;
and besides, in regard to the atrocities committed by the
Indians, it harmonizes but too well with accounts derived
from French sources. Mrs. Delafield says :
" Montcalm allowed his Indian allies to select thirty
prisoners as their share of the booty, and Lewis was one of
the number. The Indians retreated northward. Towards
the clo.se of each day, when they found by the side of a
mountain stream, or in a sheltered valley, a pleasant spot
which invited them to rest and to feast, they lit their fires
and celebrated their victory by the sacrifice of a captive.
"The bloody rite was repeated so often that Lewis was
certain of the fate awaiting him. He was not a man under
any circumstances to lose his presence of mind or to de-
spair. He seemed to submit, watched, and waited. Two
warriors were selected as his guard. As the prisoner
showed no disposition to escape, they were satisfied with
binding his arms, allowing him to walk otherwise un-
shackled while they beguiled the time talking together.
" Presently words familiar to his childhood struck his
ear. Acquainted with both the Gaelic and Cymracg dia-
lects, it was easy for him to join in their conversation. It
may be that Lewis was gifted with the power of controlling
men, — it may be that his calm and dignified bearing had
already had an influence upon the savages. When they
found that there was the tie of a common language between
them, he was no longer a prisoner, — he was treated as a
friend and brother. They accompanied him to Montreal,
recommended him to the protection of the governor, and
requested that he might be permitted to return at once to
his home. This permission, however, was not granted.
He was sent to France in a cartel and exchanged."
Lewis was a native of Wales, where he learned the
"Cymraeg dialect;" and it is suggested that the Indians
might have acquired some knowledge of the Breton lan-
guage, which is almost identical with the Welsh, from the
French settlers at Cape Breton. It would be foreign to
our purpose to enter into any discussion of this branch of
the subject, but the story, coming from so distinguished a
man as Francis Lewis, adds much to the evidence that a
portion of the captured garrison of Oswego was massacred
by JFontcalm's Indian allies.
The Indians departed for their homes almost immedi-
ately after the close of the siege. The main body of the
French remained for a week. During that time the re-
maining prisoners were sent away under guard ; the cap-
tured supplies and artillery, as well as what the French had
brought, were shipped, and then the fortifications of Chou-
aguen, so long an eye-sore to French officials, were razed
to the ground. The buildings were burned, and utter deso-
laticiTi reigned over the locality so long considered the bul-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
walk of the province of New York. On the 21st of August
the victorious army re-embarked and returned to the bay
of Niaoure. whence the various coi-ps wore distributed where
their presence was needed, and the commander-in-chief
proceeded to Montreal.
The numbers engaged were small, but in every other re-
spect this achievement of the Blarquis de Montcalm is
entitled to rank as one of the most brilliant in the annals
of war. From beginning to end not a misstep was made.
The concentration of forces at Frontenac and Niaoure, the
engaging of the enemy's attention by the appearance of the
marquis on Lake George, liis rapid return and advance up
the St. Lawrence, the silent movement along the lake-shore
in the night, the unloading the artillery in face of the
enemy's fleet, the amazing energy with which the siege was
pushed forward, and the valor with which the example of
the commander inspired his soldiers, all show the work of
the master, and display in the clearest light the remarkable
military genius of Field-Marshal the Marquis de Montcalm.
It is the more to be regretted that the suspicion of conniv-
ing at cruelty mare the lustre of the brilliant achievement.
Possibly that suspicion is unfounded.
During all this while the English authorities were as
stupid and dilatory as the French were skillful and ener-
getic. We have mentioned that the Earl of Loudon had
at length ordered Colonel Webb, with a brigade of troops,
to march to the relief of Oswego. That oflScer, faithfully
copying the example of his superiors, did not get his com-
mand under motion fiom Albany till the 12th of August,
two days before the surrender. On his way up the Mo-
hawk he was met by an express bearing the news of the
arrival of the French before the fated fortiess. The mes-
senger went on to Albany, and Lord Loudon, on learning
the news, ordered Sir William Johnson to march to the
support of Webb.
At the " Oneida carrying-place," now Rome, the latter
officer was met by a few scattered fugitives, bringing news
of the surrender. Although it was to be expected that
Montcalm would advance upon the settlements, and though
the safety of the Mohawk valley depended on holding the
forts at the portage, Webb turned and fled with rapid steps
towards Albany. Everywhere consternation reigned su-
preme. Oswego had so long been considered the main
defense from attack in that quarter, that the news of its
capture filled iiH minds with the expectation of a hostile
army marching down the valley, and, worse still, of blood-
thirsty Indians making that peaceful land hideous with
indescribable atrocities. Fortunately, Montcalm's force was
too small to justify a farther advance.
The remainder of 175C and the whole of 1757 passed
away very quietly, so far as Oswego was concerned, though
the province of New York suffered seveiely on account of
its loss. The Mohawks had been profoundly impressed
with the prowess of the French in capturing the very gate-
way of their domain, and in April, 1757, a delegation of
their chiefs visited Montreal to treat for peace. Satisfactory
arrangements were made, and all the Iroquois except the
Mohawks remained neutral, while the French and the
Canadian Indians ravaged the frontiers. The British gen-
erals acted as if they, too, were neutral, and the year 1757
closed in disgrace, foreboding the destruction of the English
dominion in America.
But in 1758 the celebrated William Pitt became prime
minister of England, and new vigor was at once infused
into all the English operations. Various important French
posts were captured. All of De Montcalm's energies were
required to defend Lower Canada from invasion. Fort
Frontenac was left with but a small guard. The enter-
prising Bradstreet being commissioned as brigadier-general,
asked permission to take a force by way of Oswego and
capture Frontenac, but was refused by General Abercrom-
bie, now become commander-in-chief. But in July, Aber-
crombie was defeated with terrible slaughter at Ticonderoga.
Bradstreet then renewed his request, and, as it was desira-
ble to do something to ameliorate the efi'ects of that defeat
on the public mind, his petition was granted.
Provided with the requisite orders, and accompanied as
usual by his deputy, — Major Philip Schuyler, — Bradstreet
hastened to the Oneida portage, where he found General
Stanwix with nearly three thousand provincial troops, re-
building the fort at that point, which thenceforth bore his
name. Of these Bradstreet took command, and proceeded
with all speed to Oswego. In the words of a contemporary,
he flew rather than marched. Fast as he went, however,
still faster sped Major Schuyler, in command of the advance-
guard, accompanied by a corps of ship-carpenters and other
artisans. He arrived at Oswego several days before Brad-
street, and instantly began the construction of a schooner,
called the " Mohawk," intended to carry the necessary can-
non for the expedition. He urged on the work with such
energy that in three weeks the vessel was ready for sea.
Meanwhile Bradstreet had arrived, bringing with him the
bateaux and whale-boats with which he had so often navi-
gated the Oneida lake and river, and about the 20th of
August his army embarked on Lake Ontario.
Among the New York regiments in this expedition was
one commanded by Colonel Charles Clinton, the ancestor of
a family which has had more influence than any other over
the destinies of the State of New York. The captain of
one of its companies was the colonel's third son, — James. —
afterwards a distinguished Revolutionary general, and the
father of De Witt Clinton. The lieutenant of Captain
James Clinton's company was his younger brother, — -
George, — governor of New York for nearly twenty years
after its independence, and for eight years vice-president
of the United States.
After a short voyage the expedition arrived before Fort
Frontenac, and as that post was defended by only a hun-
dred and fifty men, it was soon surrendered to the English
commander, together with an immense quantity of stores.
Early in September, the army returned to Oswego, whence
the greater portion of it proceeded to the settlements. A
detachment (but whether detached before or afVer the expe-
dition to Frontenac is uncertain) built in that year (1758) a
new fort, a short distance below Oswego falls. Its name, if it
had one, is unknown. It was octagonal in form, with the sides
curved inward, and the angles very acute, making it almost
star-shaped. The west part of it was cut off' when the Os-
wego canal was dug, but the remains of the rest could be
traced down to a few years ago. Fifty rods below was also
HISTOUY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to be seen, within the recollection of the earliest settlers,
the remains of another fortification, semicircular in form,
situated on the high bank of the river; but this is supposed
to have been built before the coming of the white man,
either by Indians or some still earlier race.
A fort was also built — probably this year (1758), but
possibly the nest — at Three Rivers point, on the east side
of the Oswego, in the present town of Schroeppel, — a small
fortification only about twenty yards square, but provided
with four bastions, and having three largo store-houses on
the inside.
Early in 1759, General Amherst was api>iiinted com-
mander-in-chief, and herculean effort* were made by Eng-
land and her colonics to overthrow the French power in
America. Owing to her superiority by sea. Great Britain
could transfer much larger armies to the scat of war than
could her Gallic rival, and the populous colonies which bor-
dered the Atlantic could give far more aid than could the
scattered settlements on the shores of the St. Lawrence.
Again Oswego County became the scene of hostile opera-
tions. Captain Pouchot, the engineer at the capture of
Oswego, was in command at Fort Niagara. Early in June
he sent a colonial officer named Blainville, with a company
of Missisdiiffa Indians, to see what was going on in this
vicinity. They went up the Oswego a few miles, and then
went back and reported to Pouchot that there were no
English to be found. Had they gone as far as the falls
they would have found an English army even then making
the portage around that obstruction. It was under the
command of General Prideaux, who, with two thousand
regulars and provincials, was on his way to attack Fort Ni-
agara. At Oswego he was joined by Sir William Johnson
with about seven hundred warriors of the Six Nations.
They had evidently become satisfied that the Engli.sh
would succeed in the contest, and had recovered from their
neutrality. In a short time some two hundred and fifty
more Iioqnnis, from the banks of the St. Lawrence, who
had long been under French influence, came to place them-
selves under the command of the baronet.
On the first of July. Prideaux and Johnson, with their
motley command, embarked on Lake Ontario in open boats
and turned their prows toward Fort Niagara. Colonel
Haldimand, with five or six hundred provincials, was left
to guard Oswego. It was supposed that the French were
all gathered on the lower St. Lawrence to resist Wolfe, but
still it was deemed advisable to erect a stockade. A large
portion of the men were daily sent to the forest to cut logs
for that purpose. Meanwhile, Haldimand made a kind of
wall around his camp out of barrels of pork and flour, of
which there were an immense number.
On the 5th of July, the workmen to the eastward of the
camp were suddenly fired on by a body of French and In-
dians. Ectreating quickly to the camp they found it in wild
confusion, men rushing from the forest in all directions,
while those already there were ensconcing themselves
behind the bamcade of barrels to repel the foe. The
assailants were the advance-guard of a cinsiderable force
under the Chevalier de la Come. He commanded five or
six bundled Canadians from Frontcnac, and several hundred
Christian Indians iVoni the mission of La Presentation ( now
Ogdensburgh). The Abbe Piequet, the .hief ..f that mis-
sion, accompanied his converts.
De la Come had landed without discovery at the same
point, about a mile and a half cast of the mouth of the
river, where Montcalm had disembarked three years before.
Had he pushed forward his whole force to the attack it is
quite probable that he would have defeated the surprised
and ill-prepared English, — a defeat which would almost have
insured the ruin of Prideaux's army. According to Pou-
chot's account of the affair, however, the Abbe Pic(|uct, when
he heard the firing of the advance-guard, insisted on making
a short exhortation to the troops and giving them absolution.
Meanwhile the opportune moment was lost, and when De la
Corne arrived before the camp with his main force, he found
the English under arms behind their barrels, and readj' for
fight.
He had no artillery, and he could not induce his Canadi-
ans and Indians to attack even that feeble barricade. A
desultory fire was kept up on both sides for two or three
hours, but De la Corne was unable to accomplish anything
of moment. Finally his men exclaimed that the blow had
fijiled, and in spite of their officers made their way as fast
as possible to their boats. The belligerent abbe endeav-
ored to rally them, but was thrown down in the rush, and
escaped being left only by his vigorous cries of '■ Save your
chaplain ! at least, save your chaplain !"
The English lo.st about a dozen men killed and wounded,
and the French probably about the same. One account
states that another attack was made the next day. This is
doubtful, and if true the attempt had no results, and De la
Corne returned to the St. Lawrence. Between three and
four weeks later the successful English were still further
gladdened by the appearance from the west of a detach-
ment of the Forty-sixth Regiment, escorting between seven
and eight hundred French officers and men, captured at
Fort Niagara. The prisoners were soon sent forward to
Albany. On the 7th of August the main army, except a
garrison left at the conquered fortress, and the Indians also,
returned under the command of Sir William Johnson, Gen-
eral Prideaux having been killed during the siege.
On the 16th of the same month General Gage, afterwards
celebrated as the commander at Boston in the beginning of
the Revolution, arrived at Oswego to take command in place
of Prideaux. All was now as animated at Oswego as it had
been desolate three months before. The gayly-dressed Eng-
lish officers, the sturdy provincials, and the painted Iroqnnis
were alike jubilant over the capture of Niagara, the great
French stronghold of western New York, and all (except
perhaps the Indians) were eagerly watching for news from
Quebec, where Wolfe and Montcalm were measuring swords
for the last deadly conflict.
Gage had received orders to go down the St. Lawrence
and capture the post of La Galette, below Ogdensburgh.
There was much counseling between the general, Sir Wil-
liam, and Colonel Haldimand on the subject. The vigorous
baronet was in favor of going, but Gage, like almost all the
English generals of that day, was very dilatory, and after
allowing much valuable time to .>ilip away he finally declined
to go, on account of the lateness of the season.
Sir William w;is, in niudcrn phrase, •full of busines.s."
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Indians were constantly coming and going, and the baronet's
diary is full of memoranda of conferences, speeches, giving
belts, and all the other formalities essential in the manage-
ment of the red man. His entries for one day were two in
number, — the first being : " Fine morning ; I propose this
day speaking to the Indians;" the second: "All drunk;
could not meet them."
The first duel of which there is any record in Oswego
County was fought at this time, between " Bassy Dunbar
and Lieutenant Pionier, of the Royal Americans." The
former was shot through the lungs, receiving, as was sup-
posed, a mortal wound.
There were still some French vessels on Lake Ontario, and
two of them came in sight of Oswego. Two or three small
English vessels had also been built, which went out to meet
the visitors, but did not succeed in doing so.
Meanwhile, measures were taken to prevent losing what
the English already possessed. The engineers drew a plan
of a pentagon fort to replace the Port Ontario destroyed by
Montcalm. It was approved by General Gage, and the
erection of a large and substantial fortress was begun. It
was also called Fort Ontario, and remained until replaced
by the present fortification, about 1839. No attempt was
ever made to rebuild either of the works on the west side of
the river.
The new Fort Ontario was very nearly, perhaps exactly,
on the site of the old one. It was also partly on the site
of the present work, but went considerably nearer the lake.
The south part of the fortress, built in 1759-60, was within
the limits of the present Fort Ontario. The traces of the
old walls are still to be seen between the present rampart
and the lake. The whole circuit of the five sides was about
five hundred feet. The rampart was built of earth, revetted
with " saucissons" on the side towards the lake, but on the
landward sides the earth was kept in place by large square
timbers laid one upon the other. The parapet was some
twelve feet thick, and outside of it there was a ditch nearly
thirty feet wide. During the autumn of 1759 or spring of
1760, four block-houses were also erected at long gun-shot
from the fort.
At this time, too, detachments from Oswego and Fort
Sfanwix, under the direction of Captain Brewerton, built a
fort on Oneida river, a few rods from the north bank and
about a mile below the outlet of the kke. Like the one
at the falls, it was an octagon, with the sides curved inward,
so that the sharp angles made it resemble an eight-pointed
star. It was about a hundred feet in diameter on the in-
side, with a wall five feet high, crowned with palisades
twenty feet high, with loop-holes and embrasures. Outside
was a ditch, and outside of that a still lower wall. The
new fort was evidently intended for defense against Indian
rifles, not against French artillery. It was named " Brew-
erton" in honor of its constructor. The remnants of the
old wall and ditch are still to be seen close to the present
Fort Brewerton hotel.
At the same time a mole or wall of large rocks was built
at the exact point where the lake changes into the river,
running southeast into the lake and reaching somewhat
above its surface. At the end a sentry-box was erected,
and here a sentinel was continuously posted, who, from his
curious station, could view the river for many miles and
the lake as far as eye could reach. Of this, too, the ruins
are still to be seen under water. More. than a hundred
acres were cleared around the fort to give a more extended
view of an approaching foe.
Here, too, as at the falls, the modern fortification is in
the near neighborhood of ancient relics dating back to un-
known ages. In a sand-bank, a short distance east of the
fort, a large number of human bones have been discovered,
apparently belonging to males, and denoting the probable
place of interment of the warriors of a nation. The length
of some of the bones found there is said to have indicated
that they belonged to men at least seven feet high ; but the
accuracy of such estimates is always doubtful.
On the 8th of October, 1759, a scout sent out from Os-
wego towards the enemy returned with some Canadian
prisoners. These brought to the garrison the first news of
the capture of Quebec, which had occurred three weeks
previously. All men saw that the downfall of French
power in America must speedily follow, and joy reigned
supreme, especially among the provincials, who could now
hope for a long respite from the haunting fears of toma-
hawk and sealping-knife. Sir William Johnson issued a
formal invitation to the Indians to reopen trade at Oswego
and Niagara the next spring, most of the provincial troops
were sent home, the garrisons of the posts went into winter
quarters, and silence again settled down on the scene lately
so full of life.
In the spring of 1760 England and her colonies rallied
their forces to give the final blow to the French dominion
in Canada. Although it was plain that the fall of Quebec
involved the conquest of the whole province, yet De Vau-
dreuil at Montreal still held out for King Louis, and many
minor posts were yet in possession of the French. It was
arranged in the English councils that three armies should
concentrate on Montreal. One was to move up the St.
Lawrence from Quebec, one smaller one was to go down
Lake Champlain from Albany, while the main Anglo-
American force, under the commander-in-chief, General
Amherst, was to rendezvous at Oswego, and thence pro-
ceed down the St. Lawrence to attack the doomed capital.
The colonial levies came in slowly, and it was not until
the 12th of June that Amherst left Schenectady with six
thousand provincials and four thousand regulars. Once
more the Jlohawk, the Oneida, and the Oswego were alive
with hundreds of boats, their banks resounded with the
tramp of armed battalions, and the deer and the panthers
alike shrank back affrighted from the countless camp-fires
which blazed upon their woodland shores.
In the forepart of July the whole force arrived at Os-
wego. Great preparations had to be made ere this army,
the largest ever seen within this county, could be embarked
on its destined voyage. On the 25th of July Amherst
was joined by Sir William Johnson, with six hundred Iro-
quois warriors, and this number was soon swollen to over
thirteen hundred by those called French Iroquois, anxious
to make their peace with the conquering English. Never
before nor since has Oswego exhibited such an animated
and variegated scene as during the latter part of July and
forepart of August, 17tiO. Four thousand regulars, re-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NHW YOHK.
splendent in the gaudy uniform of England, moved with
martial port about the frontier fortress, or engaged in mili-
tary manoeuvres, executed with machine -like precision.
Six thousand provincials, mostly sturdy New York Dutch-
men and keen-foccd New Englanders, whose uniforms, if
not so brilliant, were generally new, and who had seen too
much hard service to be despised as soldiers, even by
European veterans, proudly marched and countermarched
to martial strains, in which the time-honored sounds of
" God Save the King" were mingled with the newly-in-
vented air of " Yankee Doodle."
Supplies were being brought forward by the ton ; hun-
dreds of carpenters were at work constructing boats ; the
whole locality rang with the noise of axe and mallet, of
drum and fife, of shout and song, and amid the excitement
the thirteen hundred plumed and painted Iroquois forgot
for the moment that their hunting-grounds were being over-
run with fearful rapidity, and were ready to follow Brother
Warragiyaghey, alias Sir William Johnson, to the death.
Man}' were the men, then or afterwards celebrated in
American history, congregated at that time at the mouth
of the Oswego. The commander-in-chief. General Jeffrey
Amherst, afterwards Lord Amherst, though devoid of great
genius, was an energetic and fliithful soldier, then forty-
three years of age, a firm but not harsh commander, highly
respected by his men, and ever ready to share their hard-
ships and their dangers. General Gage, the second in
command, a bluif, dull-witted British general, of the regu-
lation pattern, was destined to reap a dubious fame as the
presiding genius on the English side at the opening of the
Revolution, and then to sink into obscurity.
More famous at that time than even the commander-in-
chief, Sir William Johnson was doubtless the busiest of all
the busy throng. Pioneer, fur-trader, soldier, man of busi-
ness, magistrate, superintendent of Indian affairs, council-
lor of the province of New York, chief of the Mohawks,
and baronet of the Kingdom of Great Britain, this " Trib-
une of the Six Nations," as he has been aptly called, was
then, at the age of about forty-five, in the full vigor of
strength, the full flush of power, the full tide of success in
all his undertakings.
General John Bradstreet, the quartermaster - general,
whose doings in the vicinity of Oswego we have so often
had occa.sion to chronicle during the previous four years,
was by this time recognized by the commander-in-chief as
one of the mo.st efficient officers on the continent. He was
taken sick, however, while at Oswego, and did not accom-
jiany the expedition down the St. Lawrence. His coad-
jutor and friend. Major Philip Schuyler, being on other
service, wa.s not with Amherst's army that summer. There
was another Revolutionary officer there, the opposite of
Schuyler in every respect except valor and patriotism.
This was that rough but stanch Connecticut fai-mer who
left his oxen unyoked in the furrow at the news of Lexing-
ton, and whose fame is now especially united to the glories
of Bunker Hill, but who was known to the army encamped
at Oswego in 1760 as Lieutenant-Colonel Israel Putnam.
Many others of minor fame were employed under the
skillful direction of Amherst in forwarding operations, and
on the 9tli of August all was ready. Hundreds of whale-
boats were loaded with artillery and supplies, and Colonel
Haldimand had been sent ahead with a thousand men to
clear the way.
On the lOtli occurred the scene, .somewhat remarkable
in the history of war, of the embarking of over ten thou-
sand men in open boats to traveree a lake and river for
more than two hundred miles. A great host of bateaux
and whale-boats were filled with regulars and provincials,
the Iroquois warriors, with Warragiyaghey at their head,
occupied their light canoes, a long train of artillery and
supply-boats brought up the rear, and then, to the sound
of martial music, with flashing oars and waving banners,
the grand army set forth on its watery path to the Franco-
American capital.
Amhenst's plan of advancing by three routes was faulty
enough, for it involved the possibility of the enemy's de-
feating all the corps in detail. Had the French had any-
thing like equal numbers, and been directed by the genius of
Montcalm, such a consequence might perhaps have resulted.
They were, however, too much enfeebled and discouraged
to make the attempt. Captain Pouchot gallantly defended
Fort Levis, below Ogdensburgh, but the fort was soon cap-
tured by the overwhelming numbers of the English, and
that brave and skillful, but unfortunate, officer was again
sent as a prisoner through Oswego.
In September, the Marquis de Vaudreuil surrendered
Montreal, and with it all Canada. This ended forever the
rule of France in this part of America, although the formal
treaty of peace was not signed until February, 1763. Am-
herst's provincials returned home by way of Lakes Cham-
plain and Ontario, the regulars were distributed where their
presence was most needed, and Oswego County saw no more
of the grand pageants which had so lately enlivened its
sylvan scenery.
112882-^
CHAPTER IX.
FROM 1761 TO 1775.
of Luiidic"
-Ann
McVi.
■Tbi- Fir:
Sehuol — Military Garileiiing — The Patlilinder, Kau-Douce, Dcw-iif-
June, etc.— A Sudden Death— The Chieftain's Funeral— Brad-
strccfs Western Expedition — A Dramatic Meeting— A Week's
Festivities— The " Property Line"— Tryon County— The Troops
withdrawn— Death of Sir William Johnson.
A CONSIDERABLE force was Still thought necessary at
Oswego, and the greater part of the Fifty-fiflh Infantry, a
regiment mostly raised in Scotland, was transferred thither
from Montreal immediately after the surrender. The com-
mander was Major Alexander Duncan, commonly called
" Duncan of Lundie," from the estate which belonged to
his family. One of its captains was Duncan McVicar, a
Scotchman, whose wife and little daughter had been living
on the Hudson while he was doing duty with the army.
He was determined to take them to Oswego, and they are
supposed to have been the first white females belonging to
any, except the lowest, class that ever visited this county.
Little Annie McVicar was hardly six years old, but very
precocious, and having a most remarkable memory. Nearly
fifty voars later, and forty years aflcr she had returned to
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Scotland, having, under the name of Mrs. Grant, acquired
considerable literary fame, she wrote a book, entitled " Me-
moirs of an American Lady" (Mrs. Schuyler, aunt of the
general!, which is widely recognized as the most charming
picture extant of New York colonial society and life. Three
chapters of her work are devoted to her journey to, and
stay in, Fort Ontario, which bring vividly before the reader
that frontier post as it was a hundred and sixteen years ago.
The McVicars came through in October, 1760, with a
company of soldiers of the Fifty-fifth, in bateaux, follow-
ing the usual — not well-trodden, but well-paddled — course,
and fevr things in literature are more pleasant than the
romantic child's description of their forest-shaded voyage
and fire-lighted bivouacs. The last night of their journey was
spent at Fort Brewerton, then garrisoned by a company of the
Fifty-fifth, under Captain Mungo Campbell, another Scotch
officer, afterwards killed at the battle of White Plains.
They found Fort Ontario a large structure, built of
" earth and logs," as Mrs. Grant expressed it. The major
commanding was a shrewd, quaint, hard-headed, middle-
aged Scotchman, who ruled his young subordinates with
despotic, yet fatherly, control. He had had fitted up for
his own use a small frame house on wheels, which could be
moved to any part of the parade. The thin walls and
floor were supplemented by an ample lining of deer-skins,
bear-skins, etc., and the area was divided into two parts, — •
one serving as the commandant's bedroom, the other as
eating-room and library.
Here, during the long winter, which completely closed
all communication with the civilized world, the subordinate
officers were a.ssembled for instruction by the worthy major,
and required to take their daily lessons with the regularity
of school-boys. The object of the major was, doubtless,
not so much to make his officers good scholars as to keep
their faculties from rusting and their habits from lapsing
into dissipation through the idleness so common in unoccu-
pied garrisons. Whatever the object, this was undoubtedly
the first school ever taught in Oswego County.
When spring came, both officers and men, when not em-
ployed in the chase, were kept busy in agricultural labors.
Of the large tract which had been cleared around the fort,
either for defensive purposes or to provide firewood for the
many successive garrisons, a portion was devoted to the
raising of beans, peas, Indian corn, etc., by the men, an-
other to the gardening operations of the officers. The
shrewd and kindly Duncan had thus the gratification not
only of raising on that new, strong soil the largest beans,
onions, and squashes in America, but of keeping his officers
and men out of mischief to a very remarkable extent.
Major Duncan's garden lay in the hollow south of the fort,
where, E. W. Clark states, the appearances of it could be
seen sixty or seventy years ago. The McViears returned
to Albany in 1761, but Major Duncan and six companies of
the Fifty-fifth remained there until 17G5, the necessity for
this large garrison being caused by the difficulties with the
western Indians.
It was during the reign of Duncan of Lundie that
Cooper lays the opening scenes of his celebrated novel,
" The Pathfinder," in Oswego County. It was near the
Oneida river that Cap, tlic sailor, Mabel Dunham ("the
sergeant's daughter"). Arrowhead, and Dew-of-June met
Jasper Western (Eau-Douce), Chingachgook (the Big Ser-
pent), and the redoubtable Pathfinder. It was down the
Oswego falls that Pathfinder and Eau-Douce ran their bark
canoe, while the veteran salt-water sailor sat in the middle
of it trembling for the consequences, — a feat which Cooper
thinks it needful to verify by declaring that he has seen a
long thirty-two-pound cannon floated over the same dubious-
looking track. It was on the western border of Volney
that the party hid in a leafy cove, while their savage pur-
suers passed by, and that Big Serpent tomahawked the
inquisitive Iroquois. It was at Fort Ontario that Duncan
of Lundie and Quartermaster Davy Muir disputed regard-
ing the three or four wives of the latter, and that the great
contest of marksmanship came ofi' in which Eau-Douce,
through the complaisance of Pathfinder, won the silken
calash which he bestowed on Mabel Dunham.
Pontiac's war, which broke out in 1762, created great
excitement in all the frontier posts, but did not extend as
far east as Oswego. When they heard of it, several chiefs
of one of the Canadian tribes came to visit Major Duncan.
He invited them to return with their people, and celebrate
the accession of the new king, George the Third, and renew
the treaty of peace with Britain. They did so, witnessed
a review, and were supplied with a grand feast outside the
fort. The principal chief and his brother, a pair of stal-
wart braves, were invited to dinner with the officers. When
they were seated, the major called for wine to drink the
health of King George. Scarcely had this been done by
the assembled party, when the sachem's brother fell lifeless
on the floor. The usual remedies in case of fainting were
applied, without effect. The chief looked quietly on while
these efforts were being made, but when convinced that his
brother was indeed dead, he drew his blanket over his head
and burst into tears.
Indian life is not conducive to apoplexy or heart-disease,
and such sudden deaths are almost unknown among them.
The officers might well fear that some sinister interpretation
would be put on this strange event, following so soon after
drinking the wine given by the English to the deceased.
The weeping of a warrior was something equally unknown,
and betokened a degree of grief which might easily turn
to revenge. But presently the chieftain threw back his
blanket, arose, and in a dignified manner addressed the
English. He acquitted them of all part in his brother's
death, and declared that their common enemies, the Hurons,
should weep tears of blood for all those which he had slied
for his brother.
Major Duncan ordered the dead warrior to be buried
with the greatest ceremony. His body was borne to the
grave to the sound of muflied drums and booming cannon,
attended by a guard with reversed arms, while British offi-
cers in full uniform walked in solemn procession with the
warrior-brethren of the dead. The brother and companions
of the deceased were highly pleased with these manifesta-
tions of respect, and it is quite likely that this gratification
•of their vanity made the apparently untoward death of the
chief the cause of linking them more strongly to the Eng-
lish interest.
In 1764, General Bradstreet, so fre(|uently nientioued in
HISTORY OF OSWEdO COUNTV. NHW YOI'.K.
these pages, was sent with a considerable force to quell the
robellious Indians of the west. In the latter part of June
he came across from the Mohawk valley to Oswego with
from fifteen hundred to two thousand provincial troops from
New York and New England, among whom Putnam, who
never missed a chance for a fight, was in command of the
Connecticut battalion. Shortly after their arrival they
were joined by the "Tribune of the Six Nations," Sir
William Johnson, with five hundred and thirty of his Iro-
quois warriors. The e,Npedition sailed for Niagara on the
3d of July. Johnson returned after holding a council at
that post, but Bradstreet and his white and red command
proceeded to the head of Lake Erie, inflicted some punish-
ment on the hostile tribes, and did not return to Oswego
till September.
In the spring of 176G Sir William Johnson was ap-
pointed commissary of trade for Oswego and all the west-
ern posts. His duties are not definitely known, but from
the title of his oflice it is presumed that they involved a
general superintendence of the trafiic with the Indians at
those points.
In July of that year there occurred at Oswego oue of
those dramatic events which we hardly expect to meet with
(though we frequently do) in real life, and which would
form an unsurpassed subject for the liistoric painter. In
accordance with an arrangement made the previous year
through Deputy Superintendent Croghan, Pontiac, the de-
feated but hardly conquered Ottuwa chief, came from his
home on the di.stant shores of Lake Michigan to meet Sir
William Johnson at Oswego. It seems strange that one
who had so deeply imbrued his hands in English blood
should have trusted himself so far in the country of his
conquerors; but a safe-conduct was granted him, and he
seems to have relied implicitly on the good faith of the re-
nowned Warragiyaghey.
Pontiac, with a few of his tribe, came in canoes about
the 18th of July, and Sir William arrived on the 20th.
Nearly all the warriors of the Six Nations, too, came at the
call of their superintendent, to give dignity and importance
to the interview. An awning of evergreens was erected in
the open air to protect the deliberations of the council from
the rays of the July sun. On the 23d the high contract-
ing parties met in a brief preliminary interview, to make
each other's acquaintance, but nothing of consequence was
done till the next day.
On the 24th the council opened in full state. Standing
beneath the shelter formed of the fragrant branches of the
pine and hemlock were the two principals, each in his way
one of the most remarkable men of the age. The broad-
shouldered baronet, who never missed' an opportunity of
pleasing his Indian friends, wore over his civilized costume
a fine scarlet blanket edged with gold lace, while his full,
strongly-marked features were surmounted with the cocked
hat and plumes of a British colonel. The head of the tall,
keen-eyed, hawk-visaged Ottawa was also adorned with
plumes, — not, indeed, of the ostrich, but of the eagles which
his rifle had brought to the earth, — and if his blanket was
less costly than that of Sir William, it was worn with no
less dignity and with much greater grace.
Around these central figures the principal chiefs of the
Six Nations reclined upon the ground iu .savage ease, yet
with all possible decorum, while farther back was a host of
the ordinary warriors, all in full co.stuine of feathers and
paint in honor of the occasion. A group of British oflficcrs
in their brilliant uniforms added variety to the scene, and
the murmur of the wild Oswego furnished approi)riate
music for this curious drama.
Sir William lighted the great calumet, which had pre-
viously been sent to him as a present by Pontiac, took a
puflF himself, gravely presented it to his distinguished
visitor, and then in turn to each of the Iroquois chiefs.
Then the baronet opened his speech with the usual formula,
presenting a belt of wampum to Pontiac, and declaring
that thereby he " opened the door and made the road clear
and smooth" for the English and Ottawas to meet each
other in friendship. He then proceeded to discuss the
position of afl"airs at con.siderable length, pointing out what
the English had done and were willing to do for the west-
ern Indians, and adjuring them to pursue henceforth the
flowery paths of peace. At the conclusion Pontiac thanked
the baronet for his remarks, said his speech Wiis "all good,"
and promised to reply to it the next day.
On the 25th the council again met with the same for-
malities as before. Though he had taken a night for de-
liberation, Pontiac did not make a very lengthy address.
The substance of it was that he too was in favor of peace ;
that although he had been the enemy of the English he
should be so no longer, and referred to the fact that he had
always kept faith with the French as proof that he would
do the same with the English. Sir William expressed his
belief in these professions, and again the council adjourned.
The se.ssions were continued for several days after that ;
for however reticent the great Ottawa might be, there was
abundance of eloquence garnered up for the occasion in the
bosoms of the Iroquois chiefs, and it never would have
done to prevent its due expression. There was much feast-
ing, too, to be gone through with, and, doubtless, some
drinking ; and it was a week from the opening of the
council ere all these pleasing ceremonies were concluded.
At length, on the la.st day of July, Pontiac was ready
to return home. Sir William presented to each of the
princijwl chiefs, both Iroquois and Ottawa, a silver medal
bearing this inscription : " A pledge of peace and friend-
ship with Great Britain, 1766." Then Pontiac and War-
ragiyaghey spoke their last adieus, the Ottau-n chief and
his warriors entered their canoes and turned their prows
westward, while the stately baronet watched them from the
shore till they disappeared behind the nearest headland.
But little requiring the historian's attention occurred in
Oswego County from this time till the beginning of the
Revolution. Oswego continued to be a thriving trading-
post. We learn from Clark's " Onondaga" that Henry
Van Schaak, of Albany, had an important trading-house
there, transporting large quantities of merchandise around
the portage at Fort Stanwix and Oswego falls, and carrying
on an extensive trade at both Oswego and Niagara.
In 1768, at a grand council between the English and the
Six Nations, held at Fort Stanwix, of course under the
management of Sir William Johnson, a " property line" was
agreed on between the whites and Indians, beginning at the
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
junction of Canada and Wood creeks, a little east of Rome,
and running thence southward to the Susquehanna. West-
ward of this line no lands were to be purchased by the
whites. It was not continued northward from the mouth
of Canada creek, as Sir William said the land in that di-
rection was owned by the Mohawks and Oiieidas, with
whom an agreement could be made at any time. Probably
he left that part open hoping to carry the boundary farther
westward the next time. It is uncertain what became, in the
arrangements, of Sir William's two-mile belt around Oneida
lake, which, according to Stone, was the first land legally
granted in Oswego County, but we are inclined to think
he surrendered his title to the Indians if he ever had any.
Up to 1772, all this section, and all westward and north-
ward to the boundaries of the State, was nominally a part
of the county of Albany. In that year, all west of the
present east line of Montgomery county was formed into
a new county named Tryon, in honor of William Tryon,
then the royal governor of New York. The officers who
administered the laws in the settled portion were all ap-
pointed on the nomination of Sir William, and as the Indian
owners of this region usually complied with his wishes, he
was very nearly the dictator of the county.
Meanwhile the continued peace caused the almost entire
withdrawal of military force. Fort Brewerton and the forti-
fications at the falls and Three Rivers point were entirely
abandoned, and the report of Governor Tryon shows that in
177-4 Fort Ontario was dismantled, and only a few men were
stationed there to keep it from falling into entire decay.
In that year Sir William Johnson, so long intimately
connected with the prosperity of Oswego, died suddenly at
his residence, near Johnstown. His title and the greater
part of his estate descended to his son. Sir John Johnson,
and his office of superintendent was conferred on his nephew
and son-in-law, Colonel Guy Johnson ; but the remarkable
influence which he wielded over both whites and Indians
could not be transferred to another. It has been supposed
by many that his death was hastened by anxiety concerning
the relations between England and the colonies, then rapidly
hastening to a rupture, but there is no very strong reason for
that opinion. There is no cause to doubt that had he lived
he would have adhered to the royal cause, and it is certain
that all his family and the majority of his especial friends
took that side of the great contest.
CHAPTER X.
THE REVOLUTION.
Distrust in the Mohawk Valley — Guy Johnson goes to Oswego — Great
Council of the Six Nations— Quiet in 1770— Activity— The Koyal
Greens at Oswego — The Gathering of the Clans — Brant's Rank —
General St. Leger — Sir John Johnson — Butler and Brant— Setting
forth to Victory— The Dism.al Return— Oswego Abandoned— De-
stroyed by the Americans— The Attack on the Onondagas— Sir
John and Colonel Guy again — Re-establishinent of the Post — An
Attempted Surprise— Lost in the Snow— The Return— Peace and
Independence.
When the Revolution broke out, in the spring of 1775,
the distrust which, for the previous few months, had been
growing up between the adherents of the Johnson family
and the Whigs of the Mohawk valley, grew stronger with
each successive day. The influence of the Johnsons with
the Six Nations was especially dreaded. The Oiieidas and
Tuscaroras, under the influence of their missionary, Samuel
Kirkland, were disposed to be friendly to the colonists. No
attempts were made to obtain their services, as the Ameri-
cans, -at that time, would have been only too glad to secure
the neutrality of all the tribes. It soon became certain that
Guy Johnson was intriguing with the Indians against the
Americans. Early in June he removed westward from the
lower Blohawk valley, first to Fort Stanwix and then to
Oswego, where he arrived on the 17th of June. He was
accompanied by most of the Mohawk Indians, by several of
the white loyalists of the valley, by Colonel John Butler, an
officer of the old French war, who has been mentioned in
this history, and by the celebrated Joseph Brant, a full-
blooded Mohawk, whom Colonel Guy had made his private
secretary. Sir John Johnson remained at Johnson Hall
nearly a year longer. The superintendent sent messengers
to the three western tribes, and, early in July, a large
council of warriors and others was assembled at Fort Ontario.
Colonel Johnson is said, in " Ramsey's History of the Revo-
lution," to have invited the Indians to come to Oswego to
" feast on the flesh and drink the blood of a Bostonian" (as
all the Whigs were frequently called by the loyalists), and
to have explained this ferocious expression as meaning that
they were to eat a roast ox and drink a hogshead of wine.
But, considering the natural disposition of the Indians, such
a phrase, if u.sed at all, could only tend to fill them with fe-
rocious hopes and stimulate them to bloody deeds.
There was then no garrison or stores' at Oswego, and
Johnson, before coming, had written to Niagara and Os-
wegatchie for supplies. One small sloop came from Niagara
with ninety barrels of provisions, — a small allowance for six-
teen hundred and forty-eight hungry Indians and a hundred
white men, which is stated in British official documents to
have been the number present. This must have included
the squaws and children. Colonel Johnson, in a letter to
Philip V. Livingston, stated the number of warriors at
thirteen hundred and forty, but this may have been an
exaggeration to frighten the Americans. The best esti-
mates give the total number of warriors in the four tribes
which adhered to the English at about sixteen hundred,
and it is hardly probable that so large a proportion of them
as Johnson mentions had gathered at Oswego.
At first the Indians were very unwilling to promise their
assistance. Colonel Johnson labored assiduously to engage
them on the English side, and in this he was warmly assisted
by Brant, a shrewd, acute Mohaivk of about thirty-three,
whose elder sister, Molly, had been the mistress of Sir
William Johnson for twenty-five years before his death.
Johnson, Butler, Brant, and others appealed to the Indians'
avarice, declaring that the colonists were few and poor ;
that the king was rich and powerful, both in money and
men ; that his soldiers were as numerous as the leaves of
the forest ; his gold as abundant as the dirt under their
feet; and, best of all, that his rum was as plentiful as the
waters of Lake Ontario.
Finally, the Indians entered into some kind of an engage-
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOHK.
luent to assist in defeiidiiig Lake Ontario and the St. Law-
rence from the Americans, but did not, as we understand
the British report, tlicn join in a complete offensive alliance.
The superintendent then delivered to them a lot of new
arms and other handsome presents, including a number of
brass kettles, which for more than half a century afterwards
were in use among the Seiiecas on the banks of the Gene-
see. In fiict, the account of Mary Jcmison, the celebrated
" white woman," then resident in that tribe, has it that the
English oflScials gave every Indian a suit of clothes, a brass
kettle, a gun, a tomahawk, scalping-knife, some ammunition,
and a piece of gold. It is out of the question, however,
that Guy Johnson could have had such stores at Oswego
at that time, and certainly he did not pay out several thous-
and dollars in gold, when he bad as yet received no definite
order to enlist the services of the Indians. The letter of
instructions to that effect was signed by Lord Dartmouth
on the 24th of July, 1775, and could not have reached
Colonel Johnson until September.
The council was closed about the Stli of July. Most of
the Indians returned home, but the Molumks, who had
abandoned their home, accompanied Colonel Johnson and
his white adherents to Canada. They set sail in their little
sloop and a few small boats on the 11th of July, the whole
number of whites and Indians being two hundred and twenty,
and made their way to Montreal. Colonel Butler, however,
proceeded to Niagara, of which post he was soon after placed
in command. Oswego was left unoccupied, except perhaps
by a few men to take care of the buildings.
During the year 1776 nothing of especial consequence
occurred in this county. The Indians were frequently
visited by British agents to confirm their friendship for
the king by presents and flattery, but they made no serious
raids against the frontier. The Americans at first had con-
siderable success in Canada, and this doubtless contributed
to keep the red men quiet.
But during the summer of 1776 our forces were driven
out of that province, and early in 1777 great preparations
were made by the British to follow up their success with
crushing effect. A large army under General Burgoyno
marched into northern New York, which was to be sup-
ported by another strong force, entering by way of Oswego
and sweeping down the Mohawk valley. There is some un-
certainty about the details, but it is pretty sure that Sir John
Johnson, with his regiment of " Royal Greens," and Colonel
Claus, Guy Johnson's deputy (and, like him, a son-in-law of
Sir William) came to Oswego as early as June, and began
making preparations for the intended onslaught. Colonel
Guy Johnson was at that time in New York, having visited
England with Brant the year before, and returned to that
port, whence the chief had been sent across the country,
through the American lines, to rouse the Indians. He
(Brant) had been making some threatening demonstrations
on the upper Susquehanna, but drew off, and in July came
to Oswego with his band.
Numerous other warriors came in, especially Seiieais, that
tribe being by far the largest and fiercest of the Six Nations.
x\bout the middle of July, Colonel John Butler, also a dep-
uty superintendent, came from Niagara to Oswego and held
a council with the warriors, requesting them to take up the
hatchet and engage in the projjoscd expedition. Some of
the Indians demurred, declaring that they bad been invited
to Oswego merely to hold a council and to see the British
whip the rebels, — not to fight themselves. But the usual
appeiJs to their cupidity and love of blood were made, and
they were soon persuaded to take an active part. Stone, in
his " Life of Brant," declares that from that time forward
that chief was acknowledged as head war-chief of all the Six
Nations. He gives, however, no authority for the statement,
and all the circumstances show to the contrary. Brant was
never spoken of as head-chief of the Six Nations in the
British dispatches, but only as " Brant," or "Joseph, the
Indian chief" He never signed himself a.s head-chief,
though he was fond of using the far inferior title of " cap-
tain," conferred on him by the king. Besides, there was
no head war-chief according to the old customs of the con-
federacy, and it is hardly probable that the English would
have undertaken to introduce such an innovation, which
would be certain to disgust all the Iroquois except the Mo-
hdwks, — especially the Seiiecas, who were more jwwerful
than all the other tribes who adhered to the British put
together. It was customary, however, among the Six Na-
tions to choose leaders for some particular battle or expe-
dition, and it is not improbable that Brant was thus selected
as commander of the Indians who were to accompany St.
Leger, and afterwards of similar expeditions.
Shortly after the council. General Barry St. Leger ar-
rived with a body of regulars. For a short time Oswego
bore once more the stirring and martial appearance to
which it had been a stranger since the days of the old
French war. Sir John Johnson, dark, sour-faced, and
scowling, was drilling bis regiment of Tories, whose green
coats covered hearts which, like his own, were fairly black
with hatred of their old neighbors of the Mohawk valley.
Big, burly, red-faced John Butler, of whom it could at least
be said that he was a good, hard fighter, was getting " But-
ler's Rangers" ready for action, and also giving attention to
the Indian department. Brant, tall, slender, keen, and sin-
ister in appearance, was gliding among the motley groups,
clad in half-civilized, half-Indian attire, and ready to use pen
or tomahawk as occasion might require. The scene was
filled up with throngs of green-coated Tories, red-coated
regulars, and naked Indians, while over all ruled Barry St.
Leger, a plain, stubborn British officer, driven half frantic
at times by the vagaries of his strange command, but never-
theless dreaming of the glory to be won by his triumphant
march to Albany.
Meanwhile the Americans had not been idlt;. Old Fort
Stanwix had been repaired and garrisoned, and had been
rechristencd Fort Schuyler, but in common parlance still
retained its former appellation, by which it will be called
in this work when it may be necessary to mention it. The
gallant Colonel Gansevoort had been placed in command.
General Herkimer had called the militia of Tryon county
to arms, though at first they responded but slowly. St.
Leger knew it was not all plain sailing in front of him, and
was determined that at lea.st he would not be surprised on
his march.
On the 27th of July the advance-guard set forth, con-
sisting of a small detachment of the Eighth or King's regi-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ment and a few Indians, under Lieutenant Bird. The
main body followed the next day. Once more the turbid
Oswego river and placid Oneida lake were vexed with the
stroke of multitudinous oars and paddles, while bateaux and
canoes bore white men and Indians on their mission of
death. Bird's Indians were extremely insubordinate. Hav-
ing got above the falls on the 27th he went forward the
next morning two miles, but found that no Indians were
accompanying him. He waited two hours, when sixteen
Senecas came up. Then he advanced to Three River point,
where he again waited two hours, when seventy or eighty
JtJissismtffas made their appearance. But these declined to
go any farther that day. Their canoes were full of fresh
meat, and Bird learned that they had stolen two oxen from
the army drove. They were determined to have a feast, and
poor Bird had to go forward without them. He proceeded
seven miles, encamped, and the next morning again set off
without his "savages." That night he encamped at Nine
Mile point, in the present town of Constantia, and the
next day proceeded to Wood creek.
Following the same route, St. Legcr, with the main body,
arrived at Nine Mile point on the 1st of July, where he
learned that Bird had already invested Fort Stanwix. He
sent forward Brant " with his corps of Indians" (by which
St. Leger may or may not have meant the whole Indian
force) to assist Bird, and proceeded as rapidly as possible to
join him with the army.
The .siege of Fort Stanwix, the gallant defense made
by Gansevoort, Willett, and their men, the bloody battle
of Oriskany, the relief brought by Arnold and Larned,
and the final abandonment of the siege, all lie outside
the purview of this work. Suifice it to say that in the
latter days of August the remains of the confident army,
which had started for Albany a month before, came hurry-
ing down the Oswego, defeated and crest-ftillen, its members
thinned by battle and sickness, its artillery abandoned in
the trenches before Stanwix, and its red allies having nearly
all departed in anger to their homes to mourn over their
many slaughtered brethren ; nay, it is said, on British au-
thority, having vented their wrath by plundering the boats
and murdering the straggling soldiers of King George.
From Oswego, St. Leger, with his regulars, proceeded
by way of Montreal to join Burgoyne. Butler, with his
rangers, returned to Niagara, and Sir John Johnson took
his Royal Greens back to Oswegatchie, or that vicinity.
The Surrender of Burgoyne in October put an end to all
hostile operations in New York for that season. Oswego
was probably entirely abandoned.
It was certainly unoccupied in March, 1778, and re-
mained so throughout the sgring, except perhaps for a
short time by parties pa.ssing from the St. Lawrence to
Niagara, or the reverse. In the forepart of July, Colonel
Gansevoort sent down Lieutenant McClellan to destroy Fort
Ontario and the buildings around. The lieutenant found
no one there but a woman and her children and a lad of
fourteen. The family he placed in an outhouse with their
furniture and some provisions, and then proceeded to burn
all the other buildings, and as far as possible, with his .small
force, to destroy the fortifications. The boy was taken as
a prisoner to Fort Stanwix. These events took place at |
Oswego almost exactly at the same time as the slaughter of
Wyoming.
From this time forward very little of any consequence
occurred in Oswego County during the Revolution. It has
been generally supposed that a strong post was maintained
by the British at Fort Ontario, and that numerous bloody
raids against the frontiers were set on foot from that locality ;
but a close examination of the authorities shows that this is
entirely a mistake. The Indian allies of the British were
anxious for a post there for their protection, and in the
spring of 1779 sent a delegation of chiefs to General Hal-
diniand, at Montreal, charged, among other things, to re-
quest the re-establishment of a fort at Oswego. General
Haldimand explained that all his troops had been diverted
to other points, and nothing was then done towards rcoccu-
pation.
Probably if a British force had been stationed at Os-
wego it would have saved the Oaoiulagas the destruction
of their villages. Early that spring. Colonel Van Schaick
left Fort Stanwix with about five hundred and fifty men,
who rowed along the north shore of Oneida lake, and soon
reached Onondaga landing, opposite old Fort Brewerton.
There they left a guard with their boats, and marched rap-
idly to the Onondaga villages, destroying the principal one,
and, according to the ofiScial report, killing and capturing
fifty warriors.
Sullivan's great raid followed in the summer. In the
autumn a slight attempt was made by the British to inau-
gurate hostile proceedings at Oswego. Sir John John.son
and Colonel Guy Johnson went thither in vessels from
Niagara, and were joined by a considerable number of
Indians. Another body, however, who marched along the
shore, under Brant and some British ofiicers, did not come
up, and the Canadian Indians who had been expected to
make a foraging expedition to the vicinity of Fort Stan-
wix declined to undertake the dangerous task. So Oswego
was again abandoned. Sir John and Colonel Guy returned
to Niagara, and the Indians were mostly distributed in
winter quarters on the Niagara and the St. Lawrence.
Colonel Guy Johnson, in giving an account of this trans-
action to the home government, urged that Fort Ontario
should be re-established the next spring, as the Indians had
it much at heart. Whether it was so re-established in the
spring of 1780 there is nothing to show.
In the autumn of 1780 Sir John Johnson, with a force
of Indians and whites, again passed through Oswego aud up
the river to Oneida lake. There they concealed their boats,
and passed by a circuitous route to the borders of Schoha-
rie county. They inflicted great damage on the Americans,
and finally succeeded in escaping despite all the efforts of
the New York militia.
It was not until 1782 that it is certain there was a gar-
rison at the point in question. That season there was cer-
tainly a small one there, and in the succeeding winter an
effort was fnadc by the Americans to surpri.se it. Under
the special orders of Washington, the gallant Colonel Wil-
lett as,sembled four hundred and seventy men at Fort
Herkimer, in the present county of that name. They set
out on the 8th of February, 1783, proceeding in sleighs
over the ice of Oneida lake, near the north shore, till they
HISTORY OF OSWKC^O COUNTY, NEW YOIJK.
reached Fort Brewerton. There they left their sleighs
under a guard and went forward on foot. Striking through
the woods, they reached Oswego river, three miles above
the falls, about the 12th of February. At two in the after-
noon they reached the '' lower landing." There they made
seventeen scaling-ladders, and at night again moved forward.
They walked on the ice as far as '• Bradstreet's rift,"
where they ag-ain struck into the woods to avoid discovery.
An Oneida Indian was acting as a guide, and the wearied
soldiers were warm with hopes of a successful surprise.
But, after several hours of tramping in the snow, through
the dense forest, it w;is found that the Oneida had last his
way. All attempts to find it were unavailing, and nothing
remained but to keep in motion till morning, lest they should
succumb to the bitter cold. On they went, scarce knowing
whither, hour aft<?r hour, until at length the late Febniary
morning dawned on the disheartened soldiers. They found
themselves at the side of the wood. Looking forward, they
saw at the distance of three-quarters of a mile the very
prize they had been seeking, — Fort Ontario, lying in uncon-
cerned repose on the icy borders of the lake. They were
on Oak hill, near the present corner of Utica and East
Seventh streets, Oswego.
Colonel Willett's orders from Washington were impera-
tive not to attack the fort unless he cOuld surprise the gar-
rison. It w;is accordingly out of the question to push
across that three-fourths of a mile of open space. If they
could retire to some place where they could build a fire, and
remain in the vicinity till another night, the surprise might
yet succeed. While the officers were discussing what was
to be done, five British soldiers in fatigue dress, with axes
on their shoulders, were seen approaching, evidently sent
out to provide wood for the garrison. The Americans en-
deavored to capture them without noise, but though two
were taken three escaped, and fled with all speed to the
fort. Soon the drums were heard beating to arms, the gar-
rison swarmed upon the ramparts, and parties were seen
shoveling the snow from the embrasures and pi-eparing the
guns for action.
All hopes of surprise were at an end, and Wiljett reluc-
tantly gave the order to return. The men threw their
scaling-ladders in the hollow, southeast of Oak hill, where
the remnants of them were found by the early settlers, and
made the best of their way back to Fort Brewerton. Dur-
ing the trip, either coming or going, several men were badly
frozen, and one colored man was frozen to death. Two
men, Henry Blackmer and Joseph Perrigo, who afterwards
both settled on the west side of the Oswego, above the
falls, were badly frozen on this expedition.
At Brewerton the battalion found their sleighs, and
(juickly made their way to Fort Stanwix. When they ar-
rived there they heard news which well compensated them
for their disappointment at Oswego. Peace was declared,
and their country was now one of the independent nations
of the earth.
CHAPTER XI.
FROM 1783 TO 1800.
The nounclftry— The Iniquois NogloolcJ— Washington in th>- Iiiili;iii
lloavcn— Treaty of 1784— The Two Land Companies— Treaties of
178S— Woman's Rights— Oswego County bouglit liy the Whites-
The Bonnty-Laws- Laying Out the Military Tract- Method of
Allotment— The Survey Fifties- Classic Names— Oldest Deed-
First Resident of Oswego County— The true Story of Frenchman's
Island— Bruoo at Constantia— Herkimer County— Me.\ico— Ma-
comb's Purchase- The Boylston Tract- The Roosevelt Purchase-
Sale to Scriba— Cookburn'a Survey— Major Van Valkenburgh—
Love and Murder — Great Gxcitemont — Vanderkcmp's E.xpedition
—More about Frenchman's Island— A Scene on Lake Ontario—
The Ariadne of Oneida Lake — A Bear in commaud of a Boat — The
First Blacksmith in the County— Scriba begins Settlement— The
Castorland Expedition— Marc Isombard Brunei- New Rotterdam
—Oswego in 1793— A Grouty Captain— Brunei under a Tarpaulin
-Stratagems and Troubles— "Jovial as Cupids"— Formation of
Onondaga County— Mc.vioo Disorganized — Indian Troubles — Rob-
bing a Boat— The Thunder of Cannon— Terrible Alarm— Stevens'
Block-House— Wright's Survey- Van Valkenburgh at Fort Ontario
—A Moral E.xplosion— The Town.ship Survey— Scriba's Names
— La Rochcfoucauld-Liancourt — Condition of Rotterdam — The
Last of Desvatines— An Adventure with Wolves— Mexico Reor-
ganized — Oswego Surrendered — The Letter announcing it — Stow's
Adventure-Selkirk'.- Piir.hasc-Sritlomcnt of Oswego— Settle-
ment of Mexico— Sottl.imut ,.!' Rr.lReld- Scriba's Liberality-
Laying out Oswego^l'irs' ■r..\vii iMlirors of Mexico — First Justice
of the Peace— Settlement uf Uswugu Town— Formation of Oneida
County- Assessment Roll of Mexico— Settlement of Scriba and
New Haven — A Terrible Disaster — Mexico Divided.
By the treaty of peace at the close of the Revolution it
was provided that the line between the United States and
the British dominions should run along the forty-fifth paral-
lel and the middle of the St. Lawrence river, Lake Ontario,
Niagara river, Lake Erie, etc , and that all posts held by the
British south of that line should be given up. But when
the next summer General Washington sent Baron Steuben
to receive actual possession of those posts, he was astonished
by a peremptory refusal on the part of the English authori-
ties in Canada. Oswego, Niagara, Detroit, etc., were all
held on to with a firm grasp, in direct violation of the
treaty, and were so retained for over thirteen years. The
excuse was that some action was expected or taken by some
of the States unfavorable to English creditors.
But while the English were thus eager to hold on to
American soil, they had utterly neglected to make any pro-
vision in the treaty for their Iroquois allies. These were
left entirely to the mercy of the victors. By the same
rules of confiscation applied to the Tories, and usually en-
forced by concjuerors at that period, all the lands of the Six
Nations, except those of a portion of the Oneidas and Tas-
caroras, could have been appropriated by the victorious
Americans. Prudence, however, as well as humanity for-
bade the excessive exasperation of a people who, even
though defeated, crushed, and driven from their homes,
could yet inflict a terrible retribution ou their more power-
ful but also more vulnerable enemies.
It is said, also, that General Washington interposed in
their behalf, and that the Iroquois have therefore made a
place for him in the Indian heaven, where no other white
man is ever allowed to enter. Just within the gate of the
happy hunting-grounds they have located a walled inclosure,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
laid out with spacious avenues and shaded walks, filled with
every object to make it delightful, and containing at its
centre a splendid mansion built after the fashion of a fort-
ress. Each good Indian, as he passes on to the regions
where deer and buffalo furnish objects of eternal chase, sees
the tall, dignified figure of Washington, ever clad in his
Continental uniform of buff and blue, pacing to and fro in
front of his fortress-mansion, uttering no word, but exist-
ing in a state of perfect and silent bliss.
Whether it be true that Washington interposed in favor
of the Six Nations or not, it is certain that neither the gen-
eral government nor the State of New York made any law
appropriating the lands they had owned before the Revolu-
tion.
In October, 1784, a treaty was made at Fort Stanwix
with the Six Nations, by commissioners on the part of the
United States, by which the Oneidas and Tiiscaroras were
secured in the possession of the lands on which they were
settled. The Mohawks, Ononda^as, Cnyngas, and Senecas
surrendered all their lands west of the present location of
Buffalo, and were confirmed in possession of that which
they had held east and north of that point, reserving six
miles square "around the fort of Oswego" to the United
States fur the support of that post. This reservation, how-
ever, was never claimed by the general government as
against the State.
Up to this time all western New York had remained
nominally a part of Tryon county, being also comprised
within the indefinite and far-reaching boundaries of
"Kingsland district," now the town of Herkimer. In
1784 the name of Tryon county was changed to Mont-
gomery, in honor of the American hero who fell at Quebec.
For several years the condition of the Indian lands
remained uncertain, and many intrigues were entered into
to control it. In the winter of 1787-88 two companies
were formed for that purpose, — one called the " New York
and Genesee Land Company," headed by John Livingston,
a resident on the Hudson, and one termed the "Niagara
Genesee Company," composed mostly of Canadians, and
controlled by the notorious Colonel John Butler. The
latter — retaining much of his old influence over the Six
Nations, and being aided by Brant — obtained for his com-
pany in November, 1787, a lease from the principal chiefs
of the Six Nations, and another from those of the Oneidas
alone, which covered all the Iroquois lands in New York,
except some small reservations. The consideration was to
be a payment of twenty thousand dollars down, and an an-
nual rent of two thousand dollars, and the term was to be
nine hundred and ninety-nine years ! The object of this
was to evade the laws of New York, which forbade the
sale of lands by Indians to any one out of the State.
In the succeeding winter the two companies, having
united their forces, boldly demanded a confirmation of their
lease from the legislature. That body, however, promptly
declared that a lease for nine hundred and ninety-nine
years was in effect a deed, pronounced the lease of Butler
and company void, and authorized the governor to use the
military force of the State to prevent intrusion on the lands
in question.
In March, 1788, an act was passed appoirjting commis-
sioners to treat with the Indians relative to the purchase of
their lands by the State. The lessees made another effort,
this time to get half of the Indian land and surrender the
other half to the State. This attempt, too, was without
avail, and in July a grand council was held at Fort Stan-
wix by Governor George Clinton and the State commis-
sioners with the chiefs of the Onondagas, Oneidas, and '
Car/ngus.
The Onondagas then ceded all their lands to the State,
retaining the Onondaga reservation and the privilege of
making salt at the salt springs. In consideration therefor
the State agreed to pay a thousand French crowns in money,
two hundred pounds (New York currency, — equivalent to
five hundred dollars) in clothing, and five hundred pounds
annually forever. It may be interesting to the advocates
of women's rights to know that this treaty, which is the
foundation of the title of a large part of the land of Oswego
County, was signed not only by Governor Clinton and the
State Commissioners, not only by the chiefs of the Bear,
Deer, Eel, Tvvtk, Beaver, and Wolf clans, of the Onon-
dagas, but by two ''governesses," or principal women, of
that tribe. It was witnessed also by several prominent
whites and Indians, and by Kayendatyona, " chief governess
of the Senecas."
The Cayugas made a similar cession at the same time.
In September the Oneidas also granted all their lands to
the State except some reservations. The greater part of
the reserved land was outside of Oswego County, but there
was a half-mile square reserved every six miles along the
north shore of Oneida lake, and " a convenient piece at the
fishing-place on Onondaga river, three miles below where
it issues from Oneida lake." The consideration was two
thousand dollars in cash, three thousand dollars in goods,
provisions, etc., five hundred dollars towards building mills,
and six hundred dollars in silver every year thereafter.
This treaty, too, after the signatures of numerous chiefs,
bore those of Konwagalot, Konawgalet, Hannah Sodolk,
and Honoiiwayele, leading women of the tribe.
The next year an act was passed by the legislature pro-
viding for the laying out of a large part of the newly-
acquired lands as bounties for Revolutionaiy services. This
was in accordance with numerous previous enactments
passed from 1781 to 1788. Three regiments had been
raised in New York in the former year, intended chiefly for
the protection of the frontier, to whom large bounties in
land had been offered. In 1782 the legislature had desig-
nated a tract in the centre of the State running southward
from the mouth of the Oswego. In 1783 they had con-
firmed this grant, and provided for bounties for general
officers who were citizens of New York, and for various
other classes of ofllicers, and also provided for giving an
extra hundred acres to each private (with proportionate
sums to the oflicers) who would relinquish the hundred
acres in the west which he was entitled to under a law of
Congress. The object of this last provision seems to have
been to induce New York men to remain in New York.
By a law of 1784 two square miles of land at the mouth
of the Oswego (a square mile on each side) had been re-
served by the State. It is worth noticing that even at that
late day it was set down in all desorijitions that the "Onon
HISTORY OF OSWKOO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
43
daga," as it was then called, ran westward, and that the
shore of Lake Ontario ran nortli and south. The description
in question provides very precisely that tlie lines of the
reservation shall run " from the mouth of said river, and
on both sides thereof, as the same runs, one mile, then ex-
tending northerly and soidherli/ one mile, with a line per-
pendicular to the general course of the river within the said
mile, thence wesfei-li/ with the said general course to Lake
Ontario ; thence northerly and southerly to the places of
beginning."
Another reservation was provided for at " the falls, com-
monly called Oswego falls, on the Onondaga river," with
the somewhat indefinite boundary of beginning " twenty
chains above where the bateaux were usually taken out of
the said river to be carried across the portage, and extending
down the said river twenty chains below where the bateaux
were usually put into the said river, after having been trans-
ported over the said portage, and extending northeasterly
in every part between the said two places ten chains from
the said river."
By the same law of 1784 the governor, lieutenant-gov-
ernor, and four other State officers were appointed commis-
sioners to convey the lands to the soldiers or their assigns.
All this time the land itself — at least that part in Central
New Y'ork — had remained in po-ssession of the Indians,
and the fort at Oswego, around which the State designated
the lines of its reservation, was firmly held by the British.
There were lands on which bounty warrants could be located
in the northern part of the State, but most of the holders
of those warrants preferred to wait for the opening of the
rich tract lying south of Oswego.
At length, as before stated, those lands were purchased,
and the law of February 28, 1789, was passed. By that
act, modified by the law of April 6, 1790, the commissioners
of the land-office were authorized to direct the surveyor-
general to lay out as many townships as might be necessary
to satisfy the lawful claims for bounty, each township to
contain sixty thousand acres, and to be as near square as
practicable. This would make them nearly ten miles square,
— or, to be precise, a trifle over nine and two-thirds miles
square. The commissioners were required to number the
townships, and were for some reason commanded to put
township No. 1 on the west side of the Oswego fldls.
They were also required to give to each town.ship an indi-
vidual name. Each township was then to be subdivided
into a hundred lots, as near square as might be, each con-
taining six hundred acres. This was the amount allowed
to a private soldier, including the tract received in lieu of
western land.
All who claimed under the bounty laws were required to
present their claims before the first day of July, 1790.
Then the commissioners were directed to have each man's
name written on a ballot, with extra ones for the officers,
and all put in a box. The lots in each town.ship were then
to be numbered, and the number of each with its township
written on a ballot, and all those ballots to be put in another
box. A person appointed by the commissioners was to
draw a man's name from the box of names and then a lot-
number from the box of lots. That lot was to belong to
that man. But there were six lots not to be allotted in
each township. Two of these were reserved respectively
for the support of schools and of the gospel, and the rest
to fill out the sliares of commissioned officers which might
not make exact multiples of six hundred. Most of them
did, however; a lieutenant receiving twelve hundred acres,
a captain eighteen hundred, a major twenty-four hundred,
etc. There was a further provision that a settlement must
be made on every six-hundred-acre tract within seven years
after the issuing of a patent, on penalty of the lands revert-
ing to the State ; an ea.sy condition, which was probably
complied with.
This was the origin of the celebrated " Military Tract,"
within the bounds of which are comprised all that part of
Oswego County west of the Oswego river.
Besides certain small fees in money, fifty acres in one of
the corners of each six-hundrcd-acre lot were made subject
to a charge of forty-eight shillings (six dollars) to pay the
expenses of surveying. If the owner of the lot paid that
sum in two years after receiving a patent, the whole title
vested in him ; if not, the surveyor-general was required to
sell the "survey fifty" to the highest bidder for the benefit
of the State.
The people were evidently in great haste to occupy the
fertile lands from which they had so long been shut out.
In the .spring of 1790 the commissioners advertised for the
appearance of claimants, and on the 3d of July in that
year, only two days after the time allowed by law, they
met to distribute the land. Twenty-five townships had
been laid out under the direction of the surveyor-general,
Simeon Do Witt. According to law, the designation of
No. 1 was affixed to the township adjoining the falls on the
west. The one north of it was marked as No. 2 ; No. 3
was south of No. 1, and then the numbers ran up as they
went south, where most of the tract lay. The commission-
ers were very classical. They named township No. 1 Ly-
sander; No. 2 Hannibal; and gave the names of distin-
guished ancients to all the other townships but three, who
were called after equally distinguished Englishmen. Ly-
sander and Hannibal were the only ones of which any
portion is now comprised within the county of Oswego, and
therefore the only ones it is needful for us to mention.
Readers must always bear in mind the difference between a
survey township and a political town. The survey town-
ship of Hannibal comprLsed the present towns of Hannibal
and Oswego, and a small part of Granby, in Oswego County,
and the town of Sterling, in Cayuga county. Lysander
embraced the greater part of Granby, in Oswego County,
the present town of Lysander, and part of another in
Onondaga county.
On the same day above mentioned the commissioners
proceeded to allot that immense quantity of land — a mil-
lion and a half of acres — in the manner prescribed by law.
Patents were soon issued, but in very few cases did these
go to the soldiers who did the fighting. Out of fifty-eight
names of officers and soldic^rs on a page of the old " ballot-
ing-book" belonging to B. B. Burt, Esq., from which we
have gleaned most of the facts regarding the Military Tract,
only three received their land in person. All the rest had
sold their claims.
The oldest deed on record in the O.swcgo CouMty clerk's
44
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
office is from Dennis McCarthy and William Whalen, of
lots 42 and 53, in the survey-township of Hannibal, to
parties who immediately transferred the same to William
Cockburn.
Settlement immediately began on the Military Tract, but
not at first on the northern portion, in what is now Oswego
County. Meanwhile we will cross the river, and see what
is going on there.
The first white resident of Oswego County was Oliver
Stevens, who located at Fort Brewerton in 1789, began
trading with the Indians, and kept a rude tavern for the
accommodation of boatmen. In 1791, Major Ryal Bing-
ham settled in the vicinity of the fort, on land leased of a
Mr. Kaats, who had procured the title. He, however,
remained but two years, while Stevens became a permanent
resident.
That year (1791), also, another man made his home in
Oneida county with his family, whose residence there has
been the theme of many a romantic tale. This was the
hero of the celebrated episode of "Frenchman's island."
He has usually been metamorphosed into Count St. Hi-
lary, and he and his young bride are generally supposed to
have fled from the Reign of Terror in France ; but, ac-
cording to his own account, he left that country long before
the period in question. Other published accounts have
been still more fanciful. Indeed, the story has been writ-
ten and told with so many variations, with so evident a
desire to make the most of the romance, that some have
doubted the truth of the whole account, iind have looked
on the noble Gaul and his fair bride as a mere myth of an
imaginative brain. But this is a mistake ; there really was
such a couple, and their adventures were suflSciently ro-
mantic to make the aid of fiction entirely unnecessary.
There are at least three authentic records, by personal
wiinesses, regarding them. The first is found in the letters
of Francis Adrian Vanderkemp, regarding a voyage through
Oneida lake in 1792, published in 1876 in the Centennial
address of John F. Seymour, at Trenton, Oneida county.
The second is the " Castorland Journal," a very interesting
account of the voyage of certain Frenchmen to the Black
river by way of Oswego, in 1793. The " Journal" lies
not been published, but has been translated from the French
and annotated by Dr. Franklin B. Hough, the well-known
historian, to whom we are indebted for the privilege of
using it. The third is the published travels of the Duo de
la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, who saw the exiles in 1795.
From these three accounts, which agree in all substantial
respects, it is easy to learn the truth regarding the story of
Frenchman's island.
The man's name was De Vatine or Desvatines ; the latter
is the form used by most of the witnesses, and will be adopted
in this narrative. He claimed to have been a seigneur near
Lisle, France, and that his father had squandered a largo
part of the estate. The young man sold the remainder for
a sum variously estimated at from five thousand to forty
thousand dollars, and came to America with his newly-
wedded wife in 1786, several years before the French revo-
lution. Unused to the country, and of a volatile dispo-
.sition, he wasted half his fortune in traveling and buying
worthless land, and then, to recuperate, engaged in trade in
New York with a partner who ran away with nearly all
their joint property. Desvatines gathered up the remaining
pittance, and, disgusted with civilization, determined to
make his home in the wilderness. He sold the most of his
furniture, but retained his library and a little silver for the
table.
It was in the spring or summer of 1791 that the exiles
with their two children first located on " Frenchman's
island," where Desvatines began to make a clearing with his
own hands. He was unable to complete a building in
which it was possible to pass the winter, and when that
season approached he took his family to live with the
Oneida Indians at the east end of the lake, while he spent
his time hunting with the warriors. The 0»eiV/a.'! treated
the unfortunate family very kindly, and Desvatines always
spoke of them with grateful warmth.
In the spring of 1792 they returned to the island, where
Madame Desvatines gave birth to a child, Camille Desva-
tines, probably the first white child born in Oswego County
outside the military esta'olishments. Notwithstanding his
somewhat frivolous disposition, Desvatines seems to have
done a good deal of hard work for a man who had been
reared in ease. Unaided, and without a team, he cleared
a tract of some six acres, planted it with corn, built a cabin
in which his family could live, and a still ruder one which
served as a kitchen.
The nearest neighbor of the Desvatines was a Mr. Bruce,
previously a Connecticut merchant, who built him a cabin
in 1791 or 1792 on the site of Constantia village, main-
taining himself by hunting, fishing, and raising potatoes.
Leaving Bruce, Desvatines, Bingham, and Stevens, as the
white occupants of Oswego County outside of Fort Ontario,
we must go back a little to look up the title to the land
and the municipal organizations. And first, regarding the
latter.
In the spring of 1791 the county of Herkimer was set
off from Montgomery, embracing the whole country from
the west line of the latter county to the east line of Ontario
and from Tioga north to St. Lawrence. On the 10th of
April, 1792, the first town was erected, of which the name is
still retained, in Oswego County. This was Mexico. Its
eastern boundary, as defined by law, was a line drawn north
and south through the mouth of Chittenango creek, on the
south shore of Oneida lake, striking through the west part
of Con.stantia, the east part of Parish, and so on northward,
leaving the eastern part of Oswego County in Whitestown.
Its western boundary was the west line of the survey-
townships of Lysander and Hannibal. North and south
it was near a hundred miles long. The old town records
are alL lost, and as the town was afterwards reorganized,
same have doubted whether it was organized at all under
the law of 1 792. There is every reason, however, to believe
that it was, for there was already a considerable population
iu what is now Onondaga county.
On the 22d of June, 1791, Alexander Macomb, of New
York city, father of the celebrated general of the war of
1812, on behalf of a'company, supposed to consist of him-
self, Daniel McCormick, and William Constable, applied to
the State commissioners of the land-ofiice to purchase a
tract of nearly four million acres in the present counties of
IIlSTOr.Y OK OSWKC.O COIINTV, NKW YORK.
St. Lawrence, Franklin, Jefferson, Li'wis, and Oswego.
The southwestern boundary of tlie tract ran southeasterly
from the mouth of Salmon river to the present soutliwest
corner of Lewis county, thus inclosiri": the present towns
of Redfield, Boylston, Orwell, Sandy Creek, and part of
Richland. The price offered was eightpence (which, in
New York currency, was about the same as eight cents)
per acre. The proposition was accepted, and on the 10th
of January, 1792, nearly two million acres, including the
part of O.swego County above described, w;is conveyed to
Macomb by patent.
Macomb seems to have been very much embarrassed,
and in June following conveyed the whole tract to Consta-
ble. The latter immediately went to Paris to sell the land.
An association was formed there, called the Castorland Com-
pany, to purchase a large tract in Jefferson and Ljwis
counties. The agents of that company were the authors
of the " Castorland Journal" before referred to, and which
will be again drawn upon for information.
Constable, that same year, sold over a million acres, in-
cluding the Oswego lands, to Samuel Ward, who imme-
diately transferred to Thomas Boylston, of Boston, a tract
of eight hundred thousand acres, of which those lands
were a part. Thence came the name of the Boylston tract.
Boylston held the Oswego County portion three or four years,
but finally it was reconvej'ed to Constiible, doubtless for in-
ability to complete the payment. While in Boylston's hands,
or held by trustees fur him, it was surveyed into townships, of
which all the names but one have been dropped from use.
Township No. 12 of that tract was called Redfield, and now
constitutes the south part of the town of that name. No.
7, being now the north part of Redfield, was called Arcadia.
No. G, now Boylston, was Campania; No. 11, now Orwell,
wasLonginus; while No. 10, comprising the present town of
Sandy Creek, the north part of Richland, and the corner of
Albion, then bore the terrible appellation of "Rhadamant."
Minos, the companion judge of Rhadamanthus, was honored
by his name being given to the present town of EUisburg,
Jefferson county. These two last names, not to be found
in any of the gazetteers, were procured from a curious old
map, in the possession of the Scriba fiimily, showing all the
survey-townships of northern and central New York, seventy
years ago.
A few weeks after Macomb made his application, John
and Nicholas Roosevelt, likewise of New Y^ork city, applied
to the commis-sioners to purchase a tract of a little over five
hundred thousand acres, lying between Oneida lake, Oswego
river. Lake Ontario, Macomb's purchase, and " Orthout's
patent." The price offered was three shillings and one
penny (nearly thirty-nine cents) per acre. One-jixth of
the purchase money was to be paid in six months, one-half
of the remainder in one year, and the rest in two years.
These terms were accepted by the commissioners, and there
is in the possession of the Scriba family a certificate of such
acceptance, under the broad seal of the State, signed by
Governor George Clinton.
On the 7th day of April, 1792, the Roosevelts sold their
contract to the person whose, name has ever since been a.s-
sociated with that immense tract of land. This was George
Frederick William Augustus Scriba, who usually signed him
self simply George Scriba, a native of Holland, and then a mer-
chant of New York city. To ascertain the number of acres
for which Scriba was to pay, the outer boundaries of the tract
wore run and the contents estimated, in 1792, for the Roose-
veltii, by James Cockburn, under the general direction of
his brother William, an eminent surveyor, of Kingston,
New York. With the necessary assistants, James Cock-
burn pa.s.sed down the north shore of Oneida lake, and fol-
lowed all the windings of the Oneida and Oswego rivers,
constantly measuring distances and taking angles. Arriv- .
ing at Oswego, he applied to the commander to let him run
his line to the mouth of the river. But the officer refused
to allow him to come within range of the guns of the fort.
So he was obliged to make an offset and .strike the lake east
of the fort, though he managed to take several observations
by means of the flagstaff. The fort, which then mounted
only four carriage-guns, was garrisoned by a company of
Royal Americans and a few artillerists. There were no
inhabitants outside the fort, and a British custom-house
officer exercised his functions as coolly as if the territory
belonged to King George IIL
Cockburn then proceeded along the south shore of Lake
Ontario, and the northeastern and eastern linos of the pur-
chase. On completing his work he made a map of the tract,
under the n<ime of the Roosevelt Purchase, a few copies of
which are still extant. Mr. Scriba did not receive a patent
for the tract until December, 1794 ; but before reaching
that point we must turn our attention again to the course of
settlement.
Lawrence Van Valkenburgh, popularly known as '• the
major," having acquired an interest in lot 75, on the west
side of the river, came there early in 1792, accompanied by
two laborers, Valentine and Schermerhorn, and a colored
slave boy called " Har." Two men, named Olcott and Fow-
ler, brought some Indian goods to the falls a little later, and
began trading. Major Van Valkenburgh. having set iiis
men to work, returned cast. In his absence Schermerhorn
died, and was buried by Olcott, Valentine, and " liar," en-
wrapped in a blanket, while a few pieces of bark did duty
in jilace of a coffin.
. Shortly afterwards, and before the major's return, Val-
entine contracted a special friendship for a squaw, or was
suspect<id of having done so by her copper-colored liege
lord. The latter made some hostile demonstrations against
the intruder, a quarrel ensued, and Valentine struck the
Indian on the head with a hoe, causing his death. Instantly
a tremendous excitement arose among the Indians, accom-
panied by a very natural terror on the part of the two or
three whites and the negro.
Valentine sold Major Van Valkenburgh 's oxen and gun
to the English at Oswego, and fled to Canada. Olott and
" Har" left for the eastern settlements, but were ni-t at
Three Rivers point by the major, who returned to the falls
with them, and addres.scd himself to the task of pacifying
the Indians. The British commander at Fort Ontario sent
up a detachment of soldiers for the same purpo.se. These
efforts were successful, though there was much ill feeling
for a long period.
Governor Clinton offered a reward for the capture of Val-
intine, and in time the latter Wiis brought back from Canada.
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
It is said that the person who brought him promised to give
him half the reward if he would come quietly, as there was
no extradition treaty in those days. Valentine was tried
at Whitesboro', then the county-seat of Herkimer county,
and acquitted, but the tradition runs that the speculator
who arrested him kept the whole of the reward.
Another event of 1792 was the expedition of Francis
Adrian Vanderkemp, a distinguished citizen of Holland,
who fled from that country on account of having engaged
in an unsuccessful attempt at revolution, and who was ex-
amining the Roosevelt purchase with a view to settlement.
He was accompanied by the Baron De Zeng, a German
nobleman, sometimes called Major De Zeng, who had come
from Saxony to take part in the American Revolution, and
had become a permanent resident of the country.
In June the travelers, with two servants, entered Oneida
lake in their canoe, and proceeded to the mouth of Scviba
creek (where Constantia village now stands), which was
then called Bruce creek, from the solitary resident of that
name before mentioned. They then visited " Frenchman's
island."
It has been questioned as to which of the two islands
near together was actually occupied by " the Frenchman,"
but Vanderkemp's statement is direct that it was " the largest
and most westerly." His account of the exiles is very in-
teresting, and is none the less so fi-om the occasional quaint-
ness of the worthy Hollander's English. He says, —
" This island might in ancient days have been the hapjjy
seat of a goddess, in the middle ages that of a magician, or a
fairy's residence in the times of chivalry. Proceeding on
one after another the stately trees through which we per-
ceived yet the last glances of the setting sun, we were at
once after a few rods, surprised with an enchanting view, of
which it is not in my power to give you an adequate de-
scription. All that the poets did sing of the gardens of
Alcinous, all the scenery of those of Armida, so highly
decorated by Virgil and Ariosto, could scarce have made
upon me, who was captivated unawares and bewildered, a
more deep impression than this spectacle of nature. We
did see here a luxuriant soil in its virgin bloom ; we did see
industry crowned with blessing ; we did see here what great
things a frail man can perform if he is willing. It seemed a
paradise which happiness had chosen for her residence.
Our path, gradually increasing in breadth, did lead us to
the circumference of a cleared circle surrounded witli lime-
trees ; at both sides of the path was planted Indian corn,
already grown from four to five feet, while a few plants
towards the middle of this patch were six feet long, and this
in the middle of June. A small cottage of a few feet square
stood nearly in the centre of this spot. It had a bark cover-
ing, and to the left of it asimilar one, three-fourths uncovered,
and appropriated for akitchen. Herewastheresidenceof Mr.
and Madame des Wattines [the Hollander's rendering of the
French name], with their three children. They lived there
without servants, without neighbors, without a cow ; they
lived, as it were, separated from the world. Des Wattines
sallied forward and gave us a cordial welcome in his demesnes.
The well-educated man was easily recognized through his
sloven dress. Ragged as he appeared, without a coat or
hat, his manners were those of a gentleman ; his address
that of one who had seen the higher circles of civilized life.
A female, from whose remaining beauties might be conjec-
tured how many had been tarnished by adversity, was sit-
ting in the entrance of this cot. She was dressed in white,
in a short gown and petticoat, garnished with the same
stuff; her chestnut-brown hair flung back in ringlets over
her shoulders, her eyes fixed on her darling Camille, a
native of this isle, at her breast ; while two children, stand-
ing at each side of her, played in her lap. Her appearance
Was amiable indeed ; a wild imagination might have lost
herself, and have considered the wearied, toiling Des Wat-
tines as the magician who kept this beautiful woman in
slavery, but ere soon the charm dwindled away. Esteem
for the man filled our bosom, and when you considered how
indefiitigably he must have exerted himself, what sacrifices
he must have made, what hardships endured, to render her
situation comfortable and rear roses for her on this island,
so deep in the western wilderness then, notwithstanding all
the foibles which a fastidious, cool observer might discover
at his fireside, in a character and conduct as that of Des
Wattines, he becomes an object of admiration. I, at least,
gazed at him in wonder. Des Wattines introduced us to his
spouse. She received us with that easy politeness which
well-educated people seldom lose entirely, and urged, with
so much grace, to sit down, that we could not refuse it with-
out incivility. This couple was now in the second year on
this island, and all the improvements which we had seen
were the work of Des Wattines' hands exclusively."
Mr. Vanderkemp describes the interior of the cabin as
containing a few trunks, a few chairs, an oval table, two
neat beds, a double-barreled gun, and a handsome collection
of books, chiefly in modern French literature. The follow-
ing delineation displays the French love of adornment, even
in the most adverse circumstances :
" Des Wattines had laid out behind the cottage a pretty
garden, divided by a walk in the middle. The two fore-
most beds, and rabats, against the house were covered with
a variety of flowers ; sweet williams, lady slippers, with a
few decaying hyacinths. At the right hand were bush
beans, large kidney beans at poles, cabbage, turnips, peas,
salade, with that strong-scented herbage which we call
keovel (cheovel), and which you purchase so dear at your
ariival in New York, although its culinary use in cakes and
soup was then yet unknown there; at the left, watermelons,
cantelopes, cucumbers, persil, string peas, with a few of the
winter provisions, all in great forwardness, with few or no
weeds among them ; behind the garden a small nursery of
apple-trees, which was closed with a patch of luxuriant
potatoes, and these again were joined both sides by wheat,
describing a semicircle around it."
When Desvatines learned that the travelers were going
to Lake Ontario in a canoe, he generously off'ered them his
safer and more commodious bateau, which they thankfully
accepted.
With it Vanderkemp and De Zeng proceeded without
any adventure of note to Oswego. They found Fort On-
tario garrisoned by only one company of British troops,
under Captain Wickham, a Rhode Islander by birth. He
treated the travelers very politely, and allowed Mr. Price,
the interpreter of the post, to conduct them to the mouth
HISTORY OK OSWEGO COUNTY, NllW YOllK.
of Salmon oioek. Nevertheless, Vanderkenip records with
iiKlignatioii that he saw " ui this despieahle fortress seven
barrels of salt taken from an American bateau, by aii
American runaway, now a IJrilish custom-house officer."
The ti-avelers were very near being wrecked near the
mouth of Salmon creek, and Vanderkemp's curious descrip-
tion of the adventure is very aniusint; in spite of the danger
he delineates. Price gave up the helm to one of the hands
who professed to be a good sailor. There was a strong wind,
and from fear of going out on the lake the .steersman almost
ran on the rocky shore. Vanderkenip says, —
" At once a loud, pitiful cry ' hold towards shore,' struck
our ears. Price did tear the oar from Barker's hand, com-
manded to lower the sail and bring out the oars, but all in
vain. The pilot wept and cry'd, ' Hold towards shore, Mr.
Price, good 5Ir. Price ! push on shore — I pray God Al-
mighty — dear Jlr. Price, set on shore !' Price's reply was
' God damn you, rascal ! down the sail, out the oar; obey or
sink !' One of our boys sat nearly lifeless in the bow ; the
other near the mast, pale as death, with staring eyes and with
opened mouth. The danger increased to appearance : the
surge rose higher and higher ; our united strength and
weight, viz., De Zeng's and mine, were scarce sufficient to
prevent the bateau turning upside down ; twice did I actually
see a great part of the bottom, twice did I see it naked ;
one-half inch more and we had been lost. At hist the sail
was struck, the oar out, and we were only in part exposed
to the first shock, while Price, who remained calm and alert,
succeeded in forcing the prow into the waves, and bringing
us again in safety in deep water."
After this, a little more exploration satisfied them, and
they speedily returned. Mr. Vanderkenip mentions seeing
numerous bateaux and canoes laden with goods, furs, salt, etc.,
and there was evidently a good deal of business transacted
on the forest-lined shores of the Oneida and Onondaga.
On reaching Desvatines' island in July, the garden vege-
tables were fit to use, and the poor exiles, with unftiiling
generosity, insisted on furnishing the travelers with a plen-
tiful supply. Desvatines went with them as far as Fish
creek, to obtain corn of the OiiciJas, and Mr. Vanderkemp
tiius describes the scene when they set forth :
" Madame des Wattines, with her Camille to her bosom,
her eldest boy and sister at her side, motionless, staring at
us with an expressive countenance, with features portray-
ing what her soul so keenly seemed to feel in that distress-
ing moment of separation. ' Adieu, Des Wattines !' was all
which we could distinguish. There stood that lovely de-
serted fair one ! not deserted as Ariadne, but nevertheless
left, alone with three helpless children — ^alone ! on an island
in Oneida lake. I turned my head from this mournful
object and conquered, with .some reluctance, these painful
sentiments which tortured my bosom."
Mr. Stevens, at Fort Brewerton, had a curious adventure
this same year. While at dinner one day, a Frenchman,
excited, breathless, and dripping with water, came rushing
up to the open door of his house :
'' Ah, you come vite, quick, right away, Monsieur Yankee,
s'il vous plait. Mon camarade, my fren', he get kill right
avay. He be mangg — vat you call eat up— or drown, or
somesings. Venez — come right along !"
"Why, what's the matter?' exclaimed the astonished
Stevens, springing from his chair.
" Ah ! my fren', my camarade —/.c bear vill kill him —
and I lose my bateau — mon boat — prenez votre gun — take
your fusil — kill ze bear — stop ze boat — save mine fren I"
At the words "gun," "bear," and "boat," Stevens be-
gan to comprehend what was needed, snatched his loaded
rifle from the wall, and rushed down to the river's edge.
There he found another Frenchman, as wet as his com-
panion, wailing and wringing his hands.
" Ah ! mon Dieu ! mon Dieu ! ze bear run away mit mine
bateau. Ah ! see him go — shoot him quick !"
Looking out to the centre of the stream, Stevens Wiis
astonished to see a bear seutad on his haunches in the stern
of a boat, which was floating slowly down the river, while
Bruin surveyed the scene with an air of the most majestic
tranquillity. Lifting his rifle, Stevens fired, and the bear
sank down dead in the craft he commanded. The French-
men then swam out and brought both boat and bear to
shore. The animal weighed o\'ei' three hundred pounds,
and furnished many a good meal to the pioneer.
It seems that the two men had been rowing up the
stream when they saw the bear swimming acro.ss it. They
had no fire-arms, but thought they could perhaps kill him,
and at all events could have some fun. They rowed up to
him, and one of them aimed a stroke at his head with an
oar. The bear dodged the blow, and then, inste.id of trying
to get away, put his paws on the gunwale of the boat and
began scrambling in. The Frenchmen tumbled out with
equal celerity and made for shore, while his bearship took
command, as before narrated, and started on ajourney down-
stream. The man who reached shore first never looked
around, but ran at full speed for Stevens' house, thinking
his comrade in the claws of the monster. They liaJ all the
fun they wanted.
In the spring of 1793, Major Van Valkenburgh brought
his family. Forming a part of his family was his son
Abram and his newly-wedded wife of sixteen. Their son,
Lawrence, Jr., born in November, 1793, has generally been
considered the first white child born in the county, but
must give place to Camille Desvatines. With the Van
Valkenburghs came Henry Bush and a Jlr. Lary, who also
settled at the fiills.
Daniel Masters located himself on the west side in 1793,
being the first settler in the present town of Volney. He
established the first blacksmith-shop in the county, an
important part of his business being the making of spear-
heads to kill the salmon which then abounded in all the
streams. These useful articles he sold to the Indians and
settlers for a silver dollar each.
In the spring of 1793, also, Mr. Scriba, though ho had
not yet received a patent, began a settlement on his land.
He selected as its site the mouth of the stream, which Van-
derkemp called Bruce's creek, but which has since been
called Scriba's creek. The swell of the lake there was
called Fisher's bay. He named the place New Botterdam,
after the celebrated city of that name in Holland, where
he was born. He immediately set his men to building a
saw-mill and making other improvements. He also sold
a hundred acres on c;Lsy term-, to Monsieur Desvatines, who
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
for some reason, was required to leave liis island, where he
had resided for ten years.
In the autumn the embryo city was visited by Pharoux
and Desjardines, the agents of the " Castorlaiid Company,"
before mentioned, who were on their way to examine the
Black river lands, which the company was about to pur-
chase from William Constable. They were accompanied
by Marc Isombard Brunei, then a young officer of the
French navy, afterwards one of the most celebrated engi-
neers in the world, and the constructor of the Thames
tunnel, who accompanied the expedition for the sake of
adventure. Baron De Zeng also went with them from his
residence at Rome.
Their journal, for the use of which, as before stated, we
are indebted to Dr. Hough, states that they arrived at New
Rotterdam on the loth of October. Scriba's saw-mill had
been erected during the summer, but the dam was poor,
and the travelers foretold its destruction when high-water
came. New Rotterdam at that time consisted of three log
houses, evidently occupied by Scriba's workmen, who were
all sick of fever, which was attributed partly to the shallow-
ness of the water and partly to the immense numbers of
fish thrown on shore to decay by the water's edge. Des-
vatines was living close by, but was absent hunting. The
travelers, however, were visited by Mr. Vanderkemp, who,
during that summer, had purchased a thousand acres of
Mr. Scriba four miles east of New Rotterdam, and was
preparing to make a permanent residence there.
Pharoux, Desjardines, Brunei, and De Zeng proceeded
to Fort Brewerton, where they found the outlet almost
filled up by piles of stone which Mr. Stevens had arranged
with an opening in which a willow basket or eel-weir was
fastened. They mention the cabins which the Indians
occupied there during the fishing-season, built of poles
supported by crotched sticks covered and sided with bark.
Below Three Rivers point they were accompanied by
Major Bingham, who had already left Fort Brewerton and
settled in Lysander, Onondaga county.
At Oswego falls they formed an arrangement by which
the boats were slid on rollers about sixty yards around the
falls, while the goods were laden on wagons and carried
down from the upper to the lower landing. The price of
portage was half a dollar per load.
On reaching Fort Ontario a British inspector came to
see if they were taking any merchandise to trade with
Canada. De Zeng then went to the fort alone, flattering
himself he could rapidly obtain a pass, as the new com-
mander. Captain Schroeder, was, like himself, a German.
The ruins of houses were so numerous as to convince the
Frenchmen that there had once been quite a town there.
So far back had the forest been felled that the firewood for
the garrison was procured out along the lake-shore and
brought to the fort on boats. The garrison is represented
as being composed of Germans and Scotch, and as being
relieved annually in May.
While the Frenchmen were investigating. Captain
Schroeder and Major De Zeng came out, and the former
expressed great indignation and astonishment at the pre-
sumption of the French, saying he could hardly restrain
himself from sending them as prisoners to Quebec. He
compelled them to encamp on the west side of the river.
After much negotiation he consented to grant a passport,
but only on condition that Brunei should remain as a hos-
tage, and that his companions should not go into Canada.
Brunei agreed to stay if Schroeder would take care of him
iu the fort, but would not give his parole and camp on the
west side of the river.
But the worthy commandant was horrified at the idea of
admitting a Frenchman within the sacred precincts of his
fortress. Monsieur Brunei might stay on the other side
and fire his gun when he wanted food, and the commandant
seemed to have no objections to the young man's returning
to Oswego falls to stay till his companions' return. Even
this privilege was not obtained without promising the com-
mandant a ease of gin and some powder and lead. Brunei,
however, disliked to remain behind ; so his companions hid
him under a tarpaulin, took him safely past the sentry, and
steered for the mouth of Black river.
When returning from their explorations, on the 28th of
October, the party came in sight of the fort before they
knew it. They landed Brunei some two miles from the
post, so that he could cut across through the woods to the
Oswego river, without his presence being discovered. The
two other Frenchmen and De Zeng proceeded on foot to
the fort. They were met by Lieutenant Holland, the
second in command, to whom they satisfactorily explained
their proceedings and whom they describe as a very gentle-
manly person. A year and a half later he was the hero of
an exciting adventure, ending in tragedy, of which mention
will be made farther on.
On their arrival at the fort Captain Schroeder declared
he must hold them prisoners till the return of his hostage,
but was pacified by the presentation of the gifts which had
been promised him. The travelers pushed up the river,
but were very anxious about Brunei. Pharoux went to
seek him, but got lost himself, and had to sleep in the
woods. Brunei, meantime, had met a patrol in the forest
seeking deserters, but had evaded suspicion and got away,
and the whole party was united the next day at the portage.
They found families there, emigrating westward, probably
to the Genesee. There appear to have been several resi-
dents about the falls engaged in spearing salmon, which
they packed in Onondaga salt (costing a dollar and a half a
hundred) and sold for from two to three dollars per barrel.
The Frenchmen say that this facility of living by hunting
and fishing made the people indolent, and that they saw
men sitting in the sun while their log houses were not yet
covered with bark, at the last of October.
Od the thirty-first of that month they arrived at New
Rotterdam, where they supped and lodged " at the log
house of Mr. Scriba." They visited Desvatines, whose new
house was not covered and was " as open as a cage ;" yet
the Frenchmen say, — •
'' We found his wife and three little children as jovial as
Cupids. They made the most they could of their poor
barrack, where they would be obliged to spend the winter,
as from all appearances it could not be finished this
season."
He had at that time a coujile of cows which had been
obtained by the sale of fine embroidered clothing, and liis
HISTORY OF OSWEtiO COUNTY, NE\V YORK.
poultry-yard contained a few fowls ; these were his sole' pos-
sessions, except his " chance" on the land.
The travelers mention Mr. Scriba's intention to open a
road from New Rotterdam to the mouth of Salmon creek,
and expri'.ss their expectation that that will boconii; the
main route of trade between the lakes, — the same idea
which led Mr. Scriba to his ruin. The party left for the
east, attended for some distance by the indefatigable Des-
vatines in a dilapidated canoe, and soon passed beyond the
limits of Oswego County. We may mention, however,
that the Castorland Company bought the lauds for which
they were negotiating, but their proposed colony was a com-
plete faihire.
On the 5th of March, 1794, the county of Onondaga
was set off from Herkimer, embracing all of the present
counties of Onondaga, Cortland, and Cayuga, and that part
of Oswego west of the Oswego river. On the same day
that part of the town of Mexico situated in the new county
was organized into four new towns. Of these, Lysander
embraced all of the present Oswego County west of the
river, and a large part of Onondaga. The others were
farther south. This left Mexico " out in the cold." All
the territory remaining to it was north of Oneida lake and
river, in which, so far as known, the only white men living
were Mr. Stevens, at Fort Brewerton, and Mr. Masters, and
possibly one or two more, at Fulton. The town organiza-
tion, of course, fell through, and this solves the mystery as
to how it happened that Mexico was twice created by law,
as will appear a little farther on.
For several years, about the time now under con.sideration,
there was great alarm felt all along the frontier regarding
the Indians. Tlie western savages broke out into open
war, and those in this State were still sore and angry over
the chastisement inflicted on them during the Revolution.
The three or four settlers at Oswego falls felt themselves in
especial danger on account of the fatal affray already
related.
Another event of far more importance, but tending to
the same result, and occurring about the same time, is re-
lated in Clark's " Onondaga.'' The British, as has been
said, levied duties on all American boats passing by Oswego.
The hardy boatmen, chafing at this exaction on what they
considered their own territory, frequently attempted to run
by in the night, and sometimes succeeded. The British
commander hired some Americans to give notice of the
approach of boats. When these spies were discovered, they
were mercilessly punished by Judge Lynch, several being
whipped at "Salt Point," now Syracuse, where there was
already a considerable settlement. The bitter feeling against
the English which had come down from the Revolution
(especially on the New Y'ork frontier, so long ravaged by
tomahawk and scalping-knife) w:i3 intensified by the ex-
tortion practiced at Oswego, and many were disposed to
sanction the most desperate reprisals.
At this juncture it was learned that Colonel Guy Johnson,
still superintendent of Indian affairs in Canada, had pur-
chased in Albany a valuable boat-load of stores for the
Mohawhs in that province, and that it was coming through
by the usual route to Oswego. Thirty or forty reckless
men, incited alike by greed and hatred, determined to rob
it. A report was set afloat that the government had begun
granting letters of reprisal against Great Britain for injuries
to our commerce. The marauders were very ready to be-
lieve it, and equally ready to waive the formality of a com-
mission. They posted themselves on Oneida river, near
Three Rivers point, seized on the boat as its crew unsus-
pectingly steered it down the stream, divided its contents
among themselves, and ipiickly scattered to their respective
homes.
They were condemned by a majority even of the fron-
tiersmen, were it only for prudential reasons. Nothing
could possibly have been more dangerous to the infant set-
tlement than the seizure of goods intended for the Indians.
Guy Johnson came to Oswego. Many Indians gathered
there and at Niagara, threatening revenge. It is believed
that a plan was fully arranged by which, jf AVayne was
defeated in the west, a body of Indians under the terrible
Brant should make a descent on the Onondaga settlement.
The robbers, learning too late what a storm they had raised,
endeavored to keep themselves and their plunder concealed.
By diligent efforts, however, on the part of the better class
of citizens and the ofiicials, a large part of the stolen goods
was obtained and restored to the owners, and other means
taken to placate them.
It was while matters were in this excited condition that,
on the 3d of June, 1794, the few settlers at the falls, and
those scattered through Lysander, and even still farther
south, distinctly heard the sounds of cannon borne on a
gentle northern breeze from the direction of Oswego. Two
or three shots might have been easily accounted for, but
when the reverberations continued for a quarter of an hour
— twenty minutes — half an hour — and still showed no signs
of cessation, a feeling of dismay spread rapidly among the
settlers. Not knowing what could have happened, they
imagined everything. Perhaps Guy Johnson, John Butler,
and the terrible Thayendanegea were even then ascending
the Oswego with a horde of rangers and Seiiecos, though
it was hard to imagine why they should be wasting so much
powder. Some became almost distracted. Jlen, women,
and children ran about among their neighbors, though
neighbors were then a long way apart, inquiring if they
had seen any Indians coming. Some began to bury their
most valuable effects, and others hastily yoked up the oxen,
which were their only teams, half disposed to leave the
country at once.
At length, aft«r what seemed an intolerable number of
shots had been fired, the sounds cea.sed, and, as no enemy
could be heard of, peace was gradually restored to the heaits
of the dismayed people. Had they counted the number of
shots they would have found that just a hundred had been
fired, and the next comers from Oswego informed them that
the commandant was merely celebrating the birthday of
King George the Third.
General Wayne's great victory over the western Indians
in the summer of 1794 had a ver}' soothing effect on those
in the east, and thenceforward they showed very little dis-
position to raise the tomahawk against their white neighbors.
During this period of excitement, and not later than
1794, as narrated in Clark's "Onondaga," Mr. Oliver
Stevens obtained authority from Governor Clinton to erect
50
HISTOEY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
a block; house, at the expense of the State, at Fort Brewer-
ton, the fort itself not being in a situation for defense by
any garrison which could be rallied there. Mr. S. built
the block- house but a few steps south of the old fort, and
exactly on the site of the present Fort Brewerton hotel.
In 1794, also, Benjamin Wright, of Rome, afterwards a
celebrated surveyor and engineer, made an outline survey
of the Roosevelt tract for the purpose of ascertaining the
area for Mr. Seriba. He had the usual trouble about passing
Fort Ontario, and was fired on by the garrison. No damage
was done, but it was only by making a wide " offset" that
the surveyors ran that part of the line. Pursuing their
way, they completed the outline of the tract, which Wright
reported to Seriba as containing five hundred and twenty-
five thousand and sixty-three acres. There were a few
more log houses built in New Rotterdam that year, and a
road was probably opened from that point to the mouth of
Salmon creek, though possibly not till the next spring. Mr.
S. also spent a great deal of money in repairing his mill and
dam, which occasioned him a great deal of trouble. In the
mean time, genial Major Van Valkenburgh and the English
officers at Fort Ontario had become excellent friends. In
the fall of 1794, the prospect of the long cold winter was
so disheartening, and the disposition of the Indians was
still so uncertain, that the major accepted an invitation
given him by Captain Sohroeder, whose name American
tradition has converted into " Shade," to take his family
down and spend the winter there with the captain and his
wife. Comfortable quarters were accordingly fitted up, and
the major and his family remained at the post until spring.
In the spring the stay of the visitors was cut short by
an explosion at the fort, — but not of gunpowder. In April,
1795, Captain Schroeder and one of his lieutenants went
hunting wild fowl at Sodus bay. Lieutenant Holland,
the good-looking young officer so cordially mentioned by
Pharoux and Desjardines, remained in command of the
fort. Mrs. Schroeder was also young and handsome, while
her husband was somewhat older. While at Sodus the
captain was notified of the misconduct of his wife and
Lieutenant Holland. He came back raving with fury.
Lieutenant Holland was secreted to save his life, while the
other officers and the soldiers restrained and guarded the
captain. At night Lieutenant H. came and tapped at Major
Van Valkenburgh's window, begging him to protect Mrs.
Schroeder from her husband's wrath. He then embarked
in an open boat and made his way to Kingston, Canada.
The next day the captain contracted with Major Van
Valkenburgh to take his wife to Schenectady, on the way
to her father, who was a Georgian, and had been a Tory in
the Revolution. Schroeder threw a handful of money in
his wife's lap, but she flung it on the floor, saying, " I don't
thank him for it. I can draw for what I want." That
afternoon young Abram Van Valkenburgh, with a boat-
man, took her and her woman servant in a boat, and started
for Schenectady. Not long afterwards Schroeder went to
Montreal and challenged Holland. A duel ensued, in which
both were wounded, Holland mortally. So it seems there
were some bad people in the " good old times," eighty years
ago.
In the spring of 1795, Mr. Seriba, having now a complete
title to his domain, began operations on a larger scale. He
had some buildings erected at the mouth of Salmon creek,
where he contemplated the founding of a city to be called
Vera Cruz. He employed Mr. Wright to survey out the
tract into townships, — a task of no slight magnitude. A
base-line was established running southeast from Fort On-
tario to Fort Stanwix (Rome), and nearly all the township
lines were made parallel to, or at right angles with, that
base. The townships averaged about forty square miles
each, but there was no definite size established. Those in
Oswego County were named by Seriba as follows :
Township No. 5 was called Franklin (now the town of
Williamstown) ; No. 6 was Middleburgh (now Amboy) ;
No. 11, Rotterdam (now Constantiaj ; No. 12, Delft (now
West Monroe) ; No. 13, Breda (now Hastings) ; No. 14
was Brugen (comprising all of Palermo except about a fifth
on the west side) ; No. 1 5 was Mentz (now embracing the
west part of Palermo and the northeast part of Volney) ;
No. 16 was named Georgia (comprising the west third of
Schroeppel and the south part of Volney). The east two-
thirds of Schroeppel was then township 24, and was named
Erlang. No. 17 was called Fredericksburg, after Mr. Scriba's
son, Frederick, and comprised the northwest part of Volney,
the south part of i3criba, and a portion of Oswego city ; No.
18 was called Oswego, but only a very little of it has gone
into the city of that name ; the rest forms the north part of
the present town of Seriba ; No. 19 was Vera Cruz; it em-
braced the present town of New Haven, and a narrow strip
on the lake-shore now belonging to Mexico ; No. 20 was called
Mexico, and corresponded to the present Mexico, except that
the strip just mentioned has been taken off from Vera Cruz,
and a small triangle, in which Union Square is situated,
which has been taken from Richland ; No. 2 1 was Rich-
land, and comprised about three-fifths of the town of that
name south of Salmon river; No. 22 was Alkmaer, now
the town of Albion ; No. 23 was Strasburg, which corre-
sponded exactly with the present town of Parish.
These townships were laid out with lines mostly parallel,
and perpendicular to the base-line running from Fort
Stanwix to Fort Ontario. None of them lay on both sides
of that line. Soon after receiving his patent, Mr. Seriba
conveyed many large tracts to other parties. Several town-
ships went to the Roosevelts, in payment for their original
contract for the land. A large part of their interest was
soon sold under a decree in chancery, and the town of
Richland, a large part of Volney, and half of Seriba (as
well as Vienna, Oneida county), were bought by General
Alexander Hamilton, John Lawrence, and John B. Church,
and is still known as Hamilton's Gore. The township of
Vera Cruz (now New Haven) was transferred to William
Henderson, who in the next year resold it to Seriba. In
fact, there was in those days a constant trafficking back and
foi-th, between adventurous men, in great tracts of land
in northern and central New York, very much as there
is between sporting men in horses at the present time.
They traded, apparently, as much for the sake of trading
as for anything else. For two or three years after Mr.
Seriba bought the tract it was still described in deeds as
the Roosevelt purchase, but afterwards it was termed
Scriba's patent.
IIISTOHY Ol<' OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YOUK.
51
The most definite information that we have of the con-
dition of the county this year is from the published travels
of the Duke de la Kochefoucauld-Liancourt, a French
nobleman, who made extensive jourueys and elaborate ob-
servations in the United States in 1795-97, and who
passed down the Oneida and Oswego rivers in June of
the first-named j'ear. He found about a dozen poor log
houses at Rotterdam (for the prefix " New" appears to have
been dropped about this time), mostly erected at Mr.
Scriba's expense. Besides these there were only Mr. Van-
derkemp's farm and one other clearing, with a log house
upon it, along the whole north shore of Oneida lake. But
the road to Vera Cruz was already opened, and Mr. Scriba
was then building a fine frame house, which he proposed
to occupy as a store. If this store was opened that year
it w;is the first in the county intended for the custom of
white men.
The duke also gives an account of the hero and heroine
of Frenchman's island. The Desvatines were still residing
at Rotterdam, and the duke describes him as a man of thirty,
gay and active, always laughing, accustomed to labor, com-
plaining of nothing, and on good terms with all his neigh-
bors. He exchanged work with them, and sold them the
products of his well-cultivated garden. He was delighted
at seeing a countryman, and, generous as ever, insisted on
supplying the duke with vegetables without price. After
having sold his jewelry and his fine clothing he had finally
been obliged to dispose of his librarj' to Mr. Vanderkemp,
though he still retained several standard French works.
The three children before mentioned were all living.
Madame Desvatines is portrayed by the gallant duke as
then only twenty-four years of age, though her oldest child
was nearly ten. He says, —
" She appears bright and intelligent ; makes hay, bread,
and soap, and does the kitchen-work ; yet her hands are
quite delicate. She is lively, good, and has eyes of pecu-
liarly sweet and agreeable expression."
La Rochefoucauld evidently considered Desvatines'
troubles as largely owing to his unstable disposition, and
suggests that his Gallic devotion to other ladies had aroused
some jealousy on the part of his wife, who was warmly
attached to him.
This is the last definite record that we have regarding
the celebrated, though half mythical, occupants of French-
man's island. They certainly left Constantia at an early
period ; but whether to return to their beloved France, or
to seek a subsistence in some other part of America, we are
unable to say.
The same fanciful story which transforms Desvatines into
the Count St. Hilary states that the exiles were rescued
from the island by Chancellor Livingston, and were aided
to return to France after the Reign of Terror was over.
But they certainly left their island in 1793, and if there
was any truth whatever in the Livingston story it must
have referred to some other persons and locality.
La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt found at Oswego falls, in
1795, a tavern kept by one William Shorter, who also drew
boats around the falls with a yoke of oxen.
It was about this time that Oliver Stevens, the pioneer
I exciting adventure in the central
of Fort Brewerton, had i
part of the county, our account of which is principally de-
rived from Clark's " Onondaga." He had some busine!^s in
the north part of the county, perhaps at Mr. Scriba's new
city of Vera Cruz, and accordingly set fortli at dawn, on
foot, with his rifle on his shoulder and a haversack well
stored with provisions at his side. There was not even a
foot-path to guide him, but he boldly selected the course
he thought he ought to take and plunged into the forest.
Holding his course, as he supposed, steadily in the same
direction, he strode on over hill and dale. Noon came, and he
transferred a part of the load in his haversack to where it
could be more conveniently carried. On he went again,
and by the middle of the afternoon he began to bo seriously
alarmed because no signs of settlement nor of the lake had
been seen.
He soon became convinced that he had lost his way, a
fact that was not made any more pleasant by hearing the
howls of a pack of wolves resounding through the forest.
He hurried on, hoping to strike some clearing, but none
was to be seen. The howls of the wolves came nearer and
nearer. They had evidently scented their prey, and soon
their shaggy forms were seen among the trees. It is sel-
dom that the ordinary gray wolf will attack a man in the
daytime ; but these were not only spurred on by hunger
but were led by a large black wolf, a member of the fiercest
species of the lupine genus. With open jaws and flaming
eyes, he came boldly on within a few paces of the weary
traveler. Stevens fired his rifle, and the monster fell dead in
his tracks. The gray wolves halted, and though the scent of
blood made them howl more fiercely than ever, yet the loss
of their leader materially diminished their courage. Stevens
faced them, and after a few moments they retired some
distance, though not out of sight, and seated themselves on
their haunches in a group, as if holding a council of war.
Mr. Stevens reloaded his rifle, and then, being, like all
good frontiersmen, provided with flint and tinder-box, he
proceeded to kindle a fire, to which he dragged the body of
his slain enemy. The wolves howled and raged and daahed
to and fro among the trees like so many demons. Satisfied
that they were afraid of him, the traveler flung a burning
brand among them, when they immediately dispersed. Feel-
ing safe by the side of his blazing fire, and determined to
gain something by his adventure, Mr. Stevens coolly pro-
ceeded to skin his prey. By the time he had finislied it
was dark. Gathering more fuel, he kept up a big fire all
night, and remained awake by the side of it. All night
long his cowardly enemies howled in the distance, but just
before morning they finally retreated.
Having made a breakfast from the contents of his haver-
sack, Mr. Stevens strapped his wolf-skin on his back, shoul-
dered his rifle, and, laying his course by the appearance of
light in the east, endeavored to make his way back to Fort
Brewerton. But the sun did not shine, and he soon found
himself wandering aimlessly through the forest. All day
he tramped wearily on, and at night was as hopelessly lost
as ever. Again he built a fire ; but this time he did not
attempt to keep awake. If the wolves wanted to seize him
by his own fireside they could do so. Utterly exhausted,
he flung himself down on the damp ground and slept
soundly and .safely till morning.
52
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Again the dispirited traveler set fortb on his journey,
still carrying his black wolf-skin. About ten o'clock his eyes
were gladdened with the view of a clearing. Hurrying
forward, he saw what, doubtless, had often made his heart
swell with bitterness before, but which now appeared like
the very star of hope itself, — the banner of St. George float-
ing over the ramparts of Fort Ontario. There the wan-
derer was hospitably welcomed, and there he remained
through the rest of the day and the succeeding night.
Two more days were occupied in returning home, for the
traveler felt no inclination to go " across lots," but consci-
entiously followed all the windings of the Oswego and the
Oneida.
All the while he stuck to his black wolf-skin, and in due
time received from the proper authorities a bounty of forty
dollars for destroying that foe of the sheepfold.
On the 26th day of February, 1796, the town of Mexico
was reorganized by law. There were then but a very few
settlers in what wa.s left of the old town, the eastern bound-
ary of which, it will be remembered, was a line running
north from the mouth of Chittenango creek, in Madison
county. Two or three families at Fulton, one or two at
Port Brewerton, and perhaps a few along Scriba's new road,
comprised the whole number. There were some, however,
around Rotterdam, who were a long distance from the
principal settlements in Steuben, the town to which they
then belonged. A large portion of that town was therefore
annexed to Mexico, which was made to run as far east as
Scriba's patent, and also included nearly all of the present
counties of Lewis and Jeiferson this side of Black river.
The first town-meeting was directed to be held at the
house of John Meyer, in the survey-township of Rotter-
dam (Constantia). There is no record, however, to show
that any was held. Mr. Meyer was the agent of Scriba,
and was naturally the most important man in town.
That year the British flag ceased to arouse the anger of
Americans as it waved over the dilapidated fortress at the
mouth of the Oswego. Ever' since the Revolution nego-
tiations had been going on between the United States and
Great Britain on the subject, but for a long time without
success. Knowing but too well the weakness of America,
Washington resisted with patriotic firmness the clamors of
the more reckless classes for the redress of our injuries by
war. At length, after years of fruitless diplomacy, John
Jay was sent as minister to England, and succeeded in
negotiating a treaty by which all diflicultics were settled, and
the frontier forts were agreed to be given up by the British
on or before the 1st day of June, 1796.
The stipulations on the part of the United States were
such that the bitterest feeling against the treaty was aroused
on the part of the friends of revolutionary France, who
were rapidly showing their opposition to the conservative
policy of Washington, Adams, and Jay. In the south,
especially. Jay was denounced with unbounded fury.
Washington, however, sustained him, the senate confirmed
the treaty, and New York sanctioned the course of her
honored son by electing him her governor for two successive
terms of three years each.
Still, Virginia managed to make trouble by refusing to
pay debts due to British subjects, and difficulties ensued on
account of which Forts Ontario and Niagara were not sur-
rendered till July. In fact, the western forts were not
yielded until two years later. So quickly do historic facts
become involved in uncertainty, that Clark's " Onondaga,"
issued thirty years ago, stated that Fort Ontario was one of
tlie posts which were not surrendered until 1798, and some
other writers have adopted the same view. To fix the date
beyond question, we publish a copy, furnished by B. B.
Burt, Esq., of a letter written to George Seriba by the
officer who received the surrender. It was originally pub-
lished in Greenleaf's New York Journal and Patriotic
Advertiser, on the 2d of August, 1796, and reads as fol-
lows :
"Fort Ontario, July 15, 1796.
" Dear Sir, — I have the pleasure of informing you that
the American flag, under a federal salute, was for the first
time displayed from the citadel of this fort at the hour of
ten this morning. A Captain Clark and Colonel Fother-
gill were his majesty's officers, left with a detachment of
thirty men for the protection of the works. From these
gentlemen the greatest politeness and civility was displayed
to us in adjusting the transfer. The buildings and gardens
were left in the neatest order ; the latter, being considerably
extensive and in high culture, will be no small addition to
the comfort of the American officers who succeed this sum-
mer.
" I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, etc.,
"P. Elmer."
A small detachment of American troops, under a lieu-
tenant, now occupied Fort Ontario, and the eyes of their
passing countrymen were greeted by the joyful sight of the
star-spangled banner, their ears saluted by the beloved if
not melodious strains of Yankee Doodle.
How tenaciously the English held their grip as long as
they possibly could, is shown by the fact that only a very
short time before the final surrender, Joshua Stow, on his
way with several boats to survey the "Western Reserve"
in Ohio, was refused permission to pass by the red-coated
autocrat of Oswego. In vain he pleaded that he had sup-
plies and surveying tools on board, and that the whole work
in Ohio would be disarranged if he was detained. It was
" no go." Stow apparently acquiesced, and started back up
the river. A few miles up he stopped, and waited for night.
When it came and was at its darkest he ran down again,
glided quietly past the sleepy sentinels, gained the lake, and
proceeded on his way. Arriving at Niagara, he found that
post already in the hands of the Americans.
The same year that England surrendered her hold on
the position at the mouth of one of the principal rivers of
Oswego County, a distinguished British subject acquired
an interest at the mouth of the other principal stream. On
the 16th of November, 1796, a tract of three miles square
at the mouth of Salmon river, on the north side, was con-
veyed to a Mrs. Colden, in trust for Thomas Douglas, Earl
of Selkirk, a Scotch nobleman, who doubtless had an idea
of making a great commercial emporium at the mouth of
Salmon river.
Either John Love and Ziba Phillips established them-
selves as traders at Oswego immediately after the British
left, or else, which is quite probable, they had been there
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
53
before. The same year Neil McMullin, a merchant of
Kingston, New York, moved to Oswego with his family,
bringing with him a house framed at that place. He
found Love and Phillips there, but the latter left not long
afterwards.
Captain Edward O'Connor, one of the gallant band who
had followed Colonel Blillett in the weary march through
the snow, at the time of the futile attempt to surprise Fort
Ontario, located himself at Oswego the same year as Mr.
McMullin. He, with his family, however, went to " Salt
Point" to stay during the winter, and such was the custom
with several of the new-comers for two or three years.
Considerable business at once began to flow through the
embryo city as soon as the restraint of a foreign power was
withdrawn, for there was absolutely no other way to reach
the west, with heavy freight, save by this route. Although
the fort was on the east side of the river, all the new-
comers located on the other shore.
In what year the first settlement was made in the present
town of Mexico is not certain. It may have been in 1795,
when Scriba's great road from Rotterdam to Vera Cruz was
first opened, and it was certainly as early as 1796. In that
year the city of Vera Cruz, at the mouth of Salmon creek,
just below the present hamlet of Texas, wa.s laid out and
mapped by Benjamin Wright, and that gentlemen then re-
sided there as the agent of Mr. Scriba. A store was built
there that year, and although Scriba was a very adventurous
person, it is reasonable to presume that he did not build a
store unless there was somebody lived in the vicinity besides
his agent. In November, 179G, Mr. Wright wrote to
Scriba from Vera Cruz that the new store at that point was
almost ready to hold goods. The original letter is in the
possession of Mr. Cross, at Pulaski. The fact that there
was a handsome settlement in township 20, now Mexico,
early in 1798, is strong proof that it^was begun as soon as
1796. perhaps in 1795.
Redfield was another of the earliest settled towns in the
county, but the exact date is uncertain. It was occupied
certainly as early as 1799, probably in 1796, and possibly
in 1795.
Mr. Scriba's city of Rotterdam progressed very slowly.
A letter written by his agent, Meyer, in the fall of 1796
(which is now in the possession of the Scriba family), reads
as if they were just finiishirig the saw-mill which was
built in 1793 ; probably he referred to repairs, on account
of the destruction of the dam by high water. The grist-
mill was still in contemplation.
Few men ever set themselves more earnestly to develop
a new country than did George Scriba. His money must
have flowed like water. True, he undoubtedly expected to
get it back again in due time, but nevertheless liberality,
enterprise, and public spirit in the early stages of a county's
development may fairly be called virtues, and it is to be
regretted that Mr. Scriba carried them so far to excess as to
work the most serious injury to himself
In 1797 an act was passed directing the surveyor-general
of the State to lay out a hundred acres at the mouth of
the Oswego, on the west side, in a village to be forever
thereafter called by the name of O.swego. The tract was
laid out as directed, by Benjamin Wright, the lots were
sold by the proper officials, and thus far on the road to
"forever" the place has been called by the name of Oswego.
So few and so widely scattered were the people of the
great town of Mexico, that they neglected to hold a town-
meeting this year at the time prescribed by law, — April 1 ,
1797, — and perhaps had done so the year before. Town
officers were accordingly appointed by the justices of Herk-
imer county, and as these were the first of which we have
any knowledge in tlie present county of Oswego, we insert
their names here : John Meyer, of Rotterdam, supervisor ;
Oliver Stevens, of Fort Brewerton, town clerk ; Amos
Matthews, Solomon Waring, and Luke Mason, of Rotter-
dam, assessors ; Amos Matthews and Solomon Waring,
overseers of the poor ; Solomon Waring, collector ; and
Elijah Carter, constable.
Meyer was also a justice of the peace at that time, for on
the 8th of June he signed a certificate that Abram Van
Valkenburgh had acknowledged the proper bond to keep
an orderly hotel. Mr. Meyer was undoubtedly the first
justice of the peace in the present county of Oswego ; for
if there had been one on the Oswego river, Van Valken-
burgh would not have gone from the falls to Constantia to
get his certificate.
Meanwhile a few new settlers had located on the river-
shore. John Van Burcn made his home on the east side,
below the falls, in 1796, and John Waterhouse in 1797.
At this time the .settlement at the falls, on both sides, was
known indiscriminately as " Oswego Falls." There were
others came whose names are unknown, and in 1796 there
was business enough, so that it is said that Daniel Masters
and one Goodell built a saw-mill on the east side.
In the summer of 1797, Asa Rice, his family, and two
or three friends, having made their toilsome way from Con-
necticut to the embryo village of Oswego, passed along the
lake-shore to lot No. 2, in the present town of Oswego,
where Mr. Rice had purchased a farm. They proceeded to
erect a shanty of .small logs, the completion of which was
celebrated with a bottle of wine, carefully brought from the
land of steady habits. The location was duly christened
" Union Village," which name it has retained to the pres-
ent day. His friends did not remain through the winter,
and Mr. Rice was thus the earliest permanent settler in the
town. His .son, — Arvin Rice, — then a boy of eleven, still
survives, and is undoubtedly the earliest living resident of
the county.
On the first day of January, 1798, the first post-office
was established in the county, Rotterdam being its name
and location, and the much-ofiice-holding John Meyer being
the first postmaster.
On the 15th of March foUowii^g, the county of Oneida
was formed from Herkimer. It embraced the present
county of that name, all of Lewis and Jefferson counties,
and all that part of Oswego County west of the Oswego
river. So far as Oswego County was concerned, this or-
ganization — the ea.st part being in Oneida county, and the
west part in Onondaga — continued during the whole period
of pioneer settlement down to 1816. The town of Mexico
was not for some time touched by the hand of change,
retaining its old magnificent proportions.
It is extremely difficult to a.^certain with :iny certainty
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the date of events occurring so long ago, except when writ-
ten documents can he found. Events themselves will live
in tradition for unnumbered years, but dates are hardly
recollected even through the first generation, still less
through succeeding ones. In that same year — 1798 — we
come to a document which gives quite a good idea of the
state of affairs in all that part of Oswego County west of
Oswego river at that time. This is the assessment-roll of
the town of Mexico for that year, now in possession of Mr.
Cross, of Pulaski. We have copied the names of the
assessed parties belonging in Oswego County. Their resi-
dences are given on the roll according to the number of
their survey-township, but for convenience' sake are desig-
nated here, in most cases, by the corresponding modern
town. We may add, in explanation of some of the descrip-
tions, that Salmon river was then called Salmon creek, and
Salmon creek was then termed Little Salmon creek. The
list was as follows :
At the mouth of Little Salmon creek, Benjamin Gil-
bert, Benjamiu Winch, Archibald Fairfield, and Benjamin
Wright, agent for Scriba. He was assessed on a store, barn,
blacksmith-shop, saw-mill, and log house.
Mexico, Isaac Burlingham, Miles, Simon King,
Jonathan Parkhurst, Elias Rose, Nathaniel Rood, Stephen
Spinner, Hezekiah Stanley, Chipman Wheadon.
Constantia, John Meyer, Amos Matthews, John Bern-
hardt, Daniel Banvard, Henry Fall, Solomon Waring.
Orwell, Moses CoflBn.
Fort Brewerton, Oliver Stevens.
Volney (township 17), Ebenezer Wells.
" Locations on the Oswego,'' Stephen Lush, Daniel Phoe-
nix (in Schroeppel), Philip Roe, L'Hommedieu, John
Waters, Ebenezer Wright, Benjamin Walker, Lawrence
Van Valkenburgh. Two or three of those named in the last
paragraph were probably only owners, not residents. Such
was the case also with William Constable, assessed on part
of the Boylston tract; with Franklin and Robinson, as-
sessed on part of Constantia ; with Jacob Mark, assessed on
part of Scriba ; and Mr. L'Hommedieu on part of township
12.
George Scriba was at that time the owner, and assessed
on but nine out of his original twenty-four townships, of
which eight were in the present county of Oswego (and
from these are to be excepted the lands of the before-men-
tioned resident owners), viz., No. 6 (Amboy), No. 11
(Constantia — the greater portion), No. 12 (West Monroe),
No. 16 (parts of Schroeppel and Volney), No. 17 (parts of
Volney and Scriba), No. 19 (New Haven), No. 20 (Mex-
ico), No. 23 (ParLsh), — making a total of one hundred and
sixty-two thousand four hundred and seventy-seven acres,
assessed at two dollars per acre.
But by far the most populous township at that time in
the old town of Mexico was " No. 12," now known as the
south part of Redfield. The assessed owners of property
there were Samuel Brooks, Phineas Corey, Nathan Cook,
Ebenezer Chamberlain, Joseph Clark, Taylor Chapman,
Roger Cooke, James Drake, John Edwards, Nathaniel Eels,
Titus Meacham, Amos Kent, Joseph Overton, Joel Over-
ton, Silas Phelps, John Prine, Nathan Sage. Eli Strong,
Jedediah Smith, Obadiah Smith, George Seymour, Jo.seph
Strickland, Samuel Smith, Josiah Trj'on, Benjamin Thrall,
Jonathan Worth, Joseph Wickham, Thomas Wells, Luke
Winchel, Charles Webster, Daniel Wilcox, and Jonathan
Waldo, — making thirty-two assessed residents in that town-
ship alone, to about twenty-six in all the rest of Oswego
County, east of the river.
Making allowance for men who had no assessable prop-
erty, and for those living on the west side of the Oswego,
there were probably about eighty or ninety adult males in
the county in the early part of 1798, representing a popu-
lation of near five hundred souis.
We say in the early part of 1798, for those who came
later would not be assessed. The first settlement in the
present town of Scriba was made in this year by Henry
Everts, who located in the southwest part of the town, near
the river. New Haven was also first occupied by perma-
nent residents in 1798, its pioneers being Mr. Rood and
Mr. Doolittle.
We have copied at length the list of assessed men, be-
cause they show more clearly than aught else could the ad--
vance and direction of settlement in the county up to 1798.
Henceforth, however, names of individual settlers, uncon-
nected with any especial incident, will generally be left to
the township histories.
Benjamin Wright, of Vera Cruz, Mr. Scriba's surveyor
and agent, was appointed a justice of the peace in 1798,
being probably the second one in the county.
Mr. Scriba pushed forward his settlements in Rotterdam
and at Vera Cruz and along the road between with all pos-
sible speed. The latter-named place was destined to be the
great commercial emporium of central New York. It must
have been in the latter part of 1798 or forepart of 1799
that one Captain Geerman started a ship-yard and built a
small schooner. No mention of the vessel is made in the
assessment-roll of 1798, and the oldest residents say it was
in 1799 that the accident happened to it which, with its
consequences, cast a gloom over all the scanty settlements
around. It will be adverted to in the town history of
Mexico, but at the time it occurred it was a matter of very
wide general interest, and even yet the story of the remark-
able disasters of the Vera Cruz pioneers claims the mournful
attention of every sympathetic reader. It has therefore
been thought proper to insert an account of them here,
principally drawn from a statement furnished many years
ago to the Mexico Lidepeiulent by Mr. Goodwin, of that
village, after careful consultation with several old residents,
now deceased.
At that time the country around Kingston, Canada,
which had been settled at a much earlier period, was the
ordinary resource for getting provisions, or grinding those
raised here. Men sometimes took two or three bushels of
grain across the lake in an open boat, got it ground, and
returned by the same precarious conveyance. Either to
relieve a scarcity of provisions before harvest, or to get
grinding done after it. Captain Geerman, in the summer of
1799, accompanied by a young man named Welcome Spen-
cer, started in his new schooner for Canada. In a few days
the people began to look for their return, but in vain.
Days and weeks passed on, and still they came not. Anx-
iety spread rapidly among the settlers, bound together as
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
55
they were by the ties of common dangers and hardships.
The only hope was that the wanderers had been driven on
some coast or island by the wind, whence they might be
rescued.
Misled, perhaps, by their desires, a report spread among
the people that lights had been seen on Stony island, a
short distance this side of Sackett's Harbor, and it was
hoped that the wanderers might have been cast ashore
there. A meeting of the settlers for some distance around
was held at Vera Cruz, and it was determined that a party
should go in search of the missing ones.
Bold volunteers were readily found, and a crow was
made up, con.sisting of the father of young Spencer, Chip-
man Wheadon, Green Clark, Nathaniel Rood, and a Mr.
Doolittle, all of whom resided either at Vera Cruz or a
short distance back. They rowed across the lake in an
open boat, and made a thorough search of Stony island
and the neighboring isles, but found no trace of the lost
mariners. On their return they, too, encountered a heavy
gale. It came from the west, and drove their frail craft
swiftly towards the mouth of Salmon river. A man who
chanced to be on the beach, in that then uninhabited lo-
cality, saw the boat swiftly approaching the shore, bearing
all its inmates to their fate. When within a short distance
the boat was upset, and all five of the men were flung into
the boiling surf Strange as it may seem, not one of them
reached the shore alive, and it does not appear that even a
single body was ever found, except that of Green Clark,
which was washed on shore near Sandy creek. Chipman
Wheadon, a very active man, clung to the boat for some
time, but was finally washed off by the waves, and met the
fate which had befallen all his comrades.
Seven strong men were thus lost to the infant settle-
ment, for Geerman and the younger Spencer were never
heard of more. There was a vague rumor that some of the
contents of the schooner were found near Sackett's Harbor,
from which it was inferred that it was capsized near there,
but nothing was certainly known, save that it never reached
Kingston.
It is not correct to say, as the gazetteers have generally
done, that only one survivor (Benjamin Winch) was left
in the " settlement," even confining that expression to the
little hamlet of Vera Cruz, for Benjamin Wright and Arch-
ibald Fairchild at least remained. Kvcn then there were
others not far distant. The story of a subsequent disaster
on the lake, sweeping away more men of the Vera Cruz
settlement, which has found its way into some publications,
is entirely a mistake.
Unquestionably these disasters were a terrible blow to
Mr. Scriba's embryo metropolis. We cannot learn that
any more vessels were ever built there. The store, how-
ever, was kept up, and a grist-mill erected, and it is said
that one year, not long afterwards, more goods were .sold
there than at Oswego or Utica. In fact, for some time,
most of the settlers on the Seriba patent were on or near
the old Rotterdam and Vera Cruz road, and they had to
go to one of those places to trade ; they generally chose
the latter, as the more convenient.
In 1799 the collection districts of Oswego and Niagara
were formed by act of Congress. Tlic former embraced
the shores and waters of the St. Lawrence, and of Lake
Ontario, within the United States, from the forty-fifth
parallel to the Genesee river. It does not appear, however,
that any oflicers were appointed, or any attempt made to
collect duties, until four years later.
In the same year the gigantic town of Mexico was re-
duced by the formation of Camden, Oneida county ; and in
1800, Champion, Rcdficld, Turin, Lowvillc, and Water-
town were taken ofl". This brought it down so that, in
addition to the whole eastern point of Oswego County
(with Redfield forming a notch-out), it only included the
southern third of Jefferson county, — giving it an area in
all of about twelve hundred square miles. In the last-
named year (1800) one more of the present towns —
Schroeppel — was settled, Abram Paddock being its earliest
pioneer.
Having now reached the close of the eighteenth century,
we will begin the nineteenth with a new chapter. At this
time the settlements were still confined to the new (and
flourishing) town of Redfield, those in Constantia, those
extending through Mexico to Vera Cruz, a few residents
at Oswego, two or three at Union Village, and a few more
scattered along on both sides of the Oswego river. Sandy
Creek, Boylston, Orwell, Richland, Albion, Williamstown,
Amboy, Parish, West Monroe, Palermo, and Hannibal, all
greeted the new century untouched by the pioneer's axe.
CHAPTER XII.
1801 TO 1812.
An Importnnt Era — Early Hardships — Price of Land — The Bachelor
Piiinecr— The Indispensable O.t-Sled— Poverty of the Settlers— An
Imaginary Sketch — A Miscellaneous Load — A Schooliua'am in
the Woods — An Unfortunate Boy — A Day-Dream and its Interpre-
tation—Arriving at Deslination— The House-Raising- Clearing
Land— The Logging-Bee— Browse— Deer-hunting— Snow-Shoes—
"Yards" of Deer — Rails and Fences — Multitudinous Salmon —
Si.\ty-three in Seventeen Minutes— Making of Sugar— The Well—
The '■ Sweep"— Slaughtered Sheep- The Schoolma'am Spinning—
The Olil Lady Weaving— Young Jonathan's Home — The Indepen-
dent Citi7,en^Sehool-house and Meeting-house — Sugar-Party and
Quilting-Bee — Spelling-School, Singing-School, and Husking-Bee
—A Twelve-Miles' Walk to a Dance- First Settlement in the va-
rious Towns— Formation of New Towns — Ancient Relics on Trout
Brook — Increase of Commerce — The First Custom-house — An At-
tempted Raid- The Raiders Routed— First American Sliip-of-
War — Townscnd, Bronson & Co. — Durham Boats — Roads — Onu-
diaga^Difficulties with Great Britain— Feelings of Parties-
Hostile Measures.
The years to which this chapter is devott^d form the
most important era in the development of the county,
though few remarkable events transpired in it. Then was
the time when in every township the axe of the woodman
was heard, either beginning the work of improvement or
greatly enlarging on the few efforts already made. Every
year saw numerous immigrants locating in different parts
of the county. The story of one is the story of hundreds.
A few pages may, therefore, profitably be devoted to a gen-
eral view of the way in which this county, like other new
rouioiis coV( ii'd with timber, W;is settled.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The old know how it was themselves. The middle-aged
have heard the story so often told by their predecessors,
and have seen the events so often repeated in the newer
portions of the county, that they are very well acquainted
with them ; but a county history is designed to fix the
fleeting circumstances of pioneer life for the instruction of
those who are yet to come, ere they fade forever from the
memory of the living. There will soon be no spot which
will witness a renewal of such hardships as were endured
by the early settlers of New York. The labor of subduing
the prairie is trifling indeed compared with that undergone
by the pioneer who confronted the beeches and the maples,
the oaks and the hemlocks, the stumps and the roots, the
rocks and the hills, of Oswego, of Jefferson, of Lewis, and
of hundreds more of just such counties on the eastern side
of the Alleghanies.
The price of land varied from two dollars an acre up-
ward. As late as 1806 the instructions to the agent of
town 6 (Amboy) directed that a hundred families should
each receive a farm in the centre of the town for two dol-
lars and a half per acre. Purchasers of lots along the
" State road" were charged three dollars an acre for fifty
acres each, and four dollars for all over that amount. All
buyers were required to live on the land, or have some one
else do so.
The young bachelor, intent on making a home for him-
self, and mayhap for the girl he left behind him, often
plunged into the depths of the far-famed Soiiba's Patent or
the Military tract, with no aid but the axe he bore on his
shoulder, a scanty supply of provisions on his back, and
possibly a few dollars in money, though this was by no
means certain. Selecting his location, he obtained a con-
tract, and handed over perhaps his last dollar as an advance
payment. Very likely he dispensed even with a log house
the first summer, putting up a mere hut of poles, shingled
with bark.
Then late and early his axe rang among the monarchs
of the forest. When a few acres had been cut down he
probably made a logging-bee, one of the great events of
pioneer life, and got his ground cleared ready for a crop of
winter wheat. If he had no money to buy seed or neces-
sary provisions, he earned them by working for his more
fortunate neighbors. Having sown his piece of winter
wheat, he proceeded, before snow came, to put up the
" body" of a log house, — that is, the logs, without roof nor
floor, door nor window, — and then returned to the place
whence he came, married his girl, and brought her out in
the spring to his well-ventilated palace in the forest.
Often a married man came alone, in advance, in the same
way, went through the same routine, and brought his wife
and family the ensuing season. When the family came,
whether the first season or the second, whether in winter
or spring, the chances were that they and their scanty
household goods were packed on an ox-sled, and that the
music of " Whoa ! haw ! gee. Buck !" resounded in their
ears throughout the whole length of their journey. Once
in a while a solitary horse was ridden into the forest, but
its possession was a decided mark of aristocracy. Oxen
could be driven along the diabolical roads, where horses
would have broken their legs in an hour. The former
could be used in clearing land, where similar dangers
waited ; and if worst came to worst, they could be changed
into beef, to help eke out the failing supply of bread. But
their prime recommendation was their cheapness. For
cheapness was absolutely essential to the pioneer.
Mention has been frequently made of the scantiness of
their means, and it would not be far out of the way to say
plumply that all the pioneers of Oswego County — all the
pioneers of central and western New York-^were poor.
The exceptions were few indeed. Their descendants now
look back with pride to the humble log house, the ox-team,
the home-made furniture, which were the beginning of
subsequent competence ; and the greater the hardships en-
dured the greater the pride of the sons in the courage and
energy which overcame them.
Not only was the ox preferable to the horse, but the sled
was more convenient than the wagon. The former would
twist around among the trees and logs where the latter
would soon have been ruined ; besides, it was for cheaper.
Sometimes a cart, consisting of little more than two big
wheels, an axletree, and a tongue, would be brought into
use ; but for moving into the country the sled was the gen-
eral favorite, it being not only cheap and hard to break,
but capable of holding all that the ordinary emigrant family
would have to bring. Advantage was usually taken of the
snow of late winter or early spring ; but even when the
ground was half bare, the sled was the thing for moving.
Perhaps the usual process of settling a new country in
the old times can be best pictured to the mind of the reader
by an imaginative sketch, condensing and uniting the nu-
merous accounts of the pioneers.
Here comes an ox-battery attacking the forest fortress of
Oswego County. The patient, broad-horned toilers move
steadily forward along the narrow road, undisturbed by the
numberless stumps, trees, and logs against which they rub
as they make their tedious way. Behind comes the sled,
where a middle-aged matron in linsey-woolsey gown sits on
top of two feather-beds, while around her are stowed a bag
of flour, four splint-bottom chairs, three tow-headed chil-
dren, a side of pork, two iron pots, three bags of potatoes,
and a brindle cat. The new-comers evidently belong to the
more opulent class of pioneers, and will be looked up to
with i-espect by all their less fortunate neighbors. Very
likely the tall, dark, gaunt, keen-eyed, iron-jawed New Eng-
lander in sheep's-gray clothing, who with long ox-goad in
hand tramps by the side of his team, has as much as six
dollars and a half in his pocket, and will be a justice of the
peace inside of three years.
Behind the load trudges a bright, red-cheeked girl of
eighteen, occasionally clinging on in order to pass a bad
mud-hole, but capable of traveling as fai- as the oxen can,
at least. Poor as the family may seem to the city gentle-
man or old-world observer, she has had a fair English edu-
cation, has taught school the previous summer in her native
town, has quilts of her own making on that all-embracing
ox-sled, and plenty of ideas in the brain behind that inde-
pendent-looking face. Still farther back comes the boy
next younger, doomed to be the custodian of the old red
cow, the producer of the only luxuries the fomily enjoy,
the hope and solace of many a clamorous child. He looks
HISTORY OF OSWEOO COUNTY, NHW YOllK.
mad. He is vexed to the utmost point of boyish disgust
because he is not, liice liis big brother, wandering througli
the woods with rifle on shoulder, instead of fogging at the
heels of poor, despised old Betsi>y. Oh, if lie wore only
twenty instead of fifteen ! wouldn't he have a gun ? and
wouldn't he kill a bear? To kill a bear is to his mind the
chief object in moving into a new country, and he knows
he could do it if he only had a gun.
And he, the envied big brother of twenty, has sonicwliat
similar ideas as he strides with elastic step amid the trees
away off on the right flank of the main army, the flint-lock
rifle with which his fiither had faced the red-coats at Ben-
nington carelessly resting on his shoulder, his powder-horn
and bullet-pouch by his side, his inevitable sheep's-gray suit
scratched by the thickets through which he has plunged,
and his eager face aglow partly with the excitement of the
liunter, and partly with the hopes of the pioneer. Of
course it isn't for him— a man — to think much about such
trivial things as deer and bear ; he has come to the wilder-
ness to help his parents make a home and then to make
one for himself; to acquire a two-hundred-acre farm, to
turn it into first-class meadow and grain land, to raise the
largest crops in the county, to build a fine house and barns
of incalculable size, — in short, to get rich.
Still, if a deer should show itself — or, still better, if a
bear should obstruct his path — if he should boldly confront
the monster (as of course he would), and if, just as it was
rising with horrid front to attack him, he should with well-
aimed bullet lay it bleeding at his feet — what a fine thing
it would be to write back to Mary Ann about. Full of
these mingled thoughts the youth strays farther and farther
into the forest, and his mind becomes more and more ab-
stracted from its surroundings. Suddenly a great noise is
heard, a big buck with branching horns springs from his
lair and comes bounding directly across the front of the
startled young Jonathan. That worthy stands with open
eyes and mouth, forgetting his rifle, his Mary Ann, and
everything else, in his surprise and astonishment. Just as
the tail of the fleeing animal flutters for the last time among
the beeches, Jonathan recovers himself and fires an una-
vailing shot after the retreating flag.
Great Heavens! Why didn't he shoot before? Oh, if
another would only come wouldn't he fix him ? But no
other comes, and, after reloading his rifle, Jonathan makes
his way slowly and sadly back to the fiimily ox-sled. There
the young cow-captain, who has heard the shot, soon digs
the story out of him, and great is the contempt of that
would-be hunter at the recital. Oh, if he had only been
there with a gun ! Catch him standing still while a deer
ran by within twenty steps ! Bah !
Enlivened by adventures like this, the cavalcade (if a
yoke of oxen, a sled, and a cow can be so called) makes its
tedious way towards the promised land. Passing by the
scattered settlements on the bank of Oneida lake, and reach-
ing Rotterdam, it turns up the " old Mexico road" and
works its way over the high ridge whence the streams run
in opposite directions into the two lakes, Oneida and Onta-
rio. Then it turns aside into Parish, or Palermo, or Albion,
or New Haven, or Richland, or the farther part of Mexico,
following a road more execrable even than before.
5
If a log of moderate size lies in the way, the oxen step
carefully over it, and the sled goes bouncing up and down,
the children clinging to the side-boards with little shrieks
of mingled alarm and pleasure, and the old cat elevating lier
tiiil in angry protest against tliese violent pnx;eedings. If
a larger one is encountered, a.s it fre(|uently is, which can't
be driven around, axes are brought out and old Epliraim
and young Jonathan sever it in two places, roll the middle
section out of the way, and lead forward their forces in
triumph.
Arriving at length at the selected locality, if no house
has been erected in advance the family easily finds shelter
with an earlier settler, perhaps a mile or two distant. All
are ho.spitable, not only for hospitality's sake, but because
every new-comer is a positive advantage to the country.
The fii-st thing is the erection of a log house. Our two
grown-up heroes go to work preparing the logs, while young
Timothy is kept busy all day taking care of the cattle, run-
ning of errands, and helping the women folks, till he wishes
twenty times a day that he were back on the stony hill-
sides of Vermont.
As our friends belong to the best society, they cut their
logs eighteen feet long, intending to have their house nearly
sixteen feet square on the inside, — something quite palatial.
The logs being ready, the enginecr-in-chief prepares his
machinery for raising the house. It consists of a gallon
of whisky. The '" neighbore" for several miles around are
invited to the raising, and respond with unanimous alacrity.
Four fini.shed architects are selected to carry up the corners.
These shape the notches and saddles by means of which the
logs are fitted together, their less expert brethren lift the
material up to the builders, who rise with their work till
they arc six or eight feet above the ground. Rough poles
furnish the rafters.
Our high-toned friends cannot think of getting along, as
some do, without a floor, and so a few ash-logs are split up
into "puncheons," and laid on the lowest tier of logs, and
even an upper tier is laid so as to furnish a chamber, which,
divided by blankets, furnishes sleeping- rooms for the young
people. Apertures for a door and window are cut out, and
then, after an ample if homely supper, and an annihilating
attack on the remnants of the badly-defeated whisky, the
neighbors depart to their homes, pouring out their good
wishes for the new residents with equal profu.seness and
sincerity, and the younger men deeply smitten by the grace
and beauty of the fair-haired young schoolma'am.
A few days more suflice to put on the ash " shakes," two
and a half to three feet long, which do duty as shingles, to
build the fire-place of stone and the chimney of poles, and
to put in the board-door and glass-window which mark the
residence of a gentleman of substance. The women folks
begin keeping house, and the men turn their attention to
the clearing of land. There being two of them, ambitious
and active, they are determined to have a crop this very
season. Working early and late, they cut down the trees
on three or four acres, trim off' and pile the bru.sh, and burn
it as soon as the spring sun has made it combustible. The
trees are left where they fall. Between them, in the soft
woodland soil, the late corn is planted, and a tolerable crop
is harvested. But only "right smart" men c;in do thi.s,
58
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
late
crop,
fhich
rly frost
and even then they
would destroy.
Meanwhile more land is cleared to be sown to wheat.
About this job there is to be no half-way work. The brush
is trimmed and burned, the trees are felled in the right
direction, and the logs cut of the proper length. When
the August sun is hottest, another supply of whisky is laid
in, and again the neighbors are invited, — this time to a
"logging-bee."
But the muse who waits on a common county historian
can hardly be expected to describe with sufficient accuracy
and vividness that remarkable scene. Dante and Virgil
both descended into hell, but neither of them ever saw a
" logging-bee ;" if they had, they could have added some
extra touches to their Plutonian pictures. How the work
begins at a moderate pace at first ; how the logs, already
blackened by the fire which has consumed the brush, are
dragged together by ox-teams and rolled into heaps with
handspikes ; how clouds of black dust rise from the ground
and envelop everybody and everything in one funereal pall ;
how the speed increases as time progresses ; how Ephraim
and Jonathan, and young Timothy and old Jeremiah, and
William and Henry, and James and Thomas, and Buck and
Bright, and Broad and Blaze, all catch the spirit of
rivalry, and spring to their work like soldiers to the charge;
how, regardless of danger, men bound among the whirling
logs to lelieve some dead-lock with their handspikes ; how
jest and laugh and shout and cheer go up from the heroes
of the day as they sec their labors progressing to a success-
ful close ; and how, when all is done, and the great heaps
are ready for the torch, they retire to their homes covered
with soot half an inch thick, more or less, but triumphant
in another victory over the wilderness, — all this forms a
vivid picture in the mind of an old pioneer, but can hardly
be appreciated by a modern city gentleman. But without
the tremendous labors of the forest and the " logging-field"
the dry-goods box would have yielded no profit to the
smiling merchant, and the palatial residence would never
have adorned the elegant avenue.
The next day our friends Ephraim and Jonathan and
Timothy apply the torch to the log-piles, and for several
days have plenty of work watching the fires, dragging to-
gether the brands that remain, and burning them again
until all are destroyed. A harrow prepares the virgin soil
sufiiciently to receive the proper allowanceof winter wheat,
which is soon sown by the skillful hands of the head of the
family, and then the harrow again comes into play, cover-
ing the grain with enough earth to secure its germination.
As winter approaches, the family mansion is " chinked"
all around with pieces of wood between the logs, and fur-
ther secured against cold by a liberal coating of clay. Ere
long the snow comes down in an avalanche, and lies one,
two, or three feet deep throughout the forest. No hay lies
piled in stacks or stored in barns ; and how are Buck and
Bright and Betsey to be kept through the winter ? Browse.
Each morning Ephraim or Jonathan goes to the forest,
chops down a few trees, and gives the cattle a chance to
feed on the succulent twigs. It is hardly equal to first-
class hay, but cattle can live on it throughout the winter.
Half a ton of hay, procured with great labor from a distant
settlement, keeps the poor beasts in memory of old times,
and prevents them from despairing of the future. A rude
log shed slightly shields them from the fury of the frequent
storms.
Now, at last, young Jonathan has a chance to display
his skill with the rifle. Deer roam thick through the
woods, and it is not difiicult for even a mediocre marksman
to supply a family with abundance of venison. Even our
boyish friend, Timothy, has the inexpressible delight to
discover a fat doe peering in wonder from the edge of the
clearing at the strange-looking cabin, to seize the rifle, to
steal quietly to a convenient stump, and, after carefully
sighting, to bring the unfortunate intruder dying to the
earth. That one shot adds four inches and a half to the
boy's height.
As the snow becomes deeper the snow-shoe is brought
into requisition. The light ashen or hickory frame, twenty-
eight to thirty-two inches long, and from fourteen to six-
teen wide, braced with bars and plaited with leather thongs,
is strapped to either foot, and away goes the youthful
hunter over snow four feet deep, at the rate of three miles
or more an hour, scarcely sinking above the top. As the
deer had no snow-shoes, the hunter had an immense
advantage.
As food becomes scarcer the deer gather in groups (or
" yards," as they are called), twelve, fifteen, or twenty to-
gether, and dig down through the snow with their feet, to
obtain a little scanty nourishment from the shrubbery
below. When the hunters find one of these " yards" they
can save their powder ; they begin with club and knife, and
slaughter at will. (Mr. Jeremiah Matthewson, of Pulaski,
says he has known of three men killing eighteen deer in
that way in one day.) If the poor wretches attempt to
escape, they instantly sink deep into the snow, and are easily
overtaken and dispatched by those woodland Mercuries,
whose heels are made light by snow-shoes instead of wings.
A ftincy sportsman would call this mere butchery, but a
man whose pork-barrel is getting low cannot be particular
as to the way he supplies his family with meat.
But not much time can be spared for the exciting joys
of the hunter. Our friends have come into the wilderness
not to play but to work. A large part of the winter is
spent in cutting down the great oak- and ash-trees and split-
ting them into rails. It may be possible to get along a few
years with brush-fences, but Ephraim and Jonathan are
resolute Yankees, who look on the brush-fence as a mark of
shiftlessness hardly to be tolerated even for the first year.
Meanwhile the female head of the household and her
blithe daughter are busy within, being especially necessi-
tated to devote a large part of their time to the repair of
clothing. Every article must be made to last as long as is
humanly possible, for the prospect of obtaining more is poor
indeed. How earnestly the matron longs for the time when
they shall have sheep, and geese, and all the adjuncts of
civilizatiou I
Spring brings new labors and new pleasures. The rails
must be laid into the old-fashioned "worm-fence," eight
rails high, "staked and ridered," which is now following
the log house into the limbo of oblivion. Spring crops
must be sowed, — more srround must be cleared. Hand-
HISTORY' OF OSWKC.O COUNTY, NKW VOIIK.
some Ilaiinah retreats to a little older eettlemeiit, and ob-
tains eniployniont in teaching school through the summer
at a dollar a week and " board around."
Timothy is happy, for every little while he gets a chance
to fish for salmon. It makes no difference whether they
live near Salmon river, Salmon creek, or Oswego river, all
the waters which flow into Lake Ontario abound in that
delicious fish. Whenever those waters rise and roll their
turbid volume out into the lake, the salmon ai'e attracted
and rush up the streams. Even in the daytime they can
be speared by the score, but night is the chosen time.
Then two young men start out in a boat, — one handling the
oars, and one armed with a spear, — with a supply of pine-
knots for light. As the salmon are dimly revealed in the
dark wat<;r, the stiilwart spearsman transfixes them, one after
another, and hauls them into the boat till his arm is almost
too weary to lift one. (Mr. Mattliewson, to whom we have
before referred, declares that he has himself taken out sixty-
three salmon in the burning of one "jack-light" of pine-
knots, which was calculated to last seventeen minutes.
Two hundred and thirty were captured by himself and
comrade during the four hours between dark and midnight.
A hundred of these, taken at random, weighed fourteen
hundred and seventy-five pounds ! This was at a later
period, but it shows what fun there was to be had in all
those early days.)
Another winter passes more comfortably than the last.
Our friends have time to make a few dozen sap-troughs,
and, when spring sets the sweet blood of the maple flowing
in its veins, a corresponding number of trees are tapped, a
big kettle is swung over a fire in the woods, the sap is boiled
down into syrup, the syrup is "sugared ofl^,'' and little
Tommy and Johnny and Polly enjoy themselves for a while
at the top of their bent. A year or two later a still larger
number of trees will be tapped, a shanty will be built in the
woods, the sap will be gathered from far and near on a sled,
and a grand jubilee of the young folks — up to twenty-five
years old — will be held over the operation of sugaring off".
Now the women folks make up their minds that they
have carried water long enough from the spring some sixty
rods distant, and insist on a well. Ephraim, Jonathan, and
Timothy (now a stout youngster of seventeen), all take part
in this work. Good water is found some fifteen feet down.
Stone for the sides is soon brought from the surrounding
fields on that peculiar vehicle called a stone-boat, built of
stout plank, five feet by three, with a flat keel to navigate
on top of the earth, behind a yoke of cattle, and a rounded
prow, to glide past the numerous stumps. The well is at
once finished, and ornamented by its lofty " sweep," rising,
at an angle of forty-five degrees, twelve or fifteen feet high,
supported in the middle by a sturdy crotch, with a slender
pole pendent from its topmost end, and the celebrated old
oaken bucket hanging from the lower end of the pole.
This year, when the crops are harvested, Jonathan goes
back to Vermont after Mary Ann, buys a yoke of steers
and a cart, and gives his bride a ride of three hundred
miles, while he walks ahead and drives a dozen sheep
for his father's use. Carefully he watches them all the
way, fastening them at dark in the pens of friendly farmers,
until, the night before reaching home, some point Ls left
unguarded, the wolf comes down on the fold, and in the
morning ten of the twelve are found dead, their mangled
throats testifying to the cause of their untini 'ly taking ofl".
This is no fancy sketch. Not only in Oswego County, but
elsewhere, the writer has been told of little flocks brought
from some far distant eastern home only to be slaughtered
the first night of their arrival.
Many a tear is shed by the good mother over tliis de-
struction of her hopes, and the little ones join in wailing
over the warm flannels of which they have boon defrauded.
In fact, so dismal is the prospect that resolute Ejihraim
goes in person, gets more sheep, and sees to it that they
come through in safety. Then there is joy in the family.
In due time fleeces are obtained, the spinning-wheel is
brought out, and Hannah, after finishing her summer
school, treads lightly to and fro over the floor, — in which
boards have been substituted for puncheons, — twirling the
rolls she has carded with deft fingers, until an ample number
of skeins of stout yarn lie packed in a rude box, ready for use.
Yes, Hannah can spin, — as sturdy Ben, the son of a
neighbor only four or five miles distant, admiringly con-
fesses, while he sits on the door-step, with his rifls leaning
against the logs, and catches her graceful movements, — but,
when it comes to weaving, the old lady's services arc in re-
quest. She alone can manage the " warp" and the " filling,"
the "harness" and the "shuttle," so as to produce the soft,
warm flannel which so many backs are anxious for. She,
too, turns out the stronger cloth to which black sheep and
white sheep contribute, and which, after being carried
twenty or thirty miles to the nearest fulling-mill, is re-
turned as " sheep'sgray," good for coat or trousers for man
or boy.
Jonathan and Mary Ann's new homo cannot at first be
expected to be as stylish as that of the old folks. He has
his first payment to make on his land, and after that his in-
terest to provide for, and money is scarce beyond what any
one can now conceive of. What is called "hard times" to-
day would have been thought a perfect jubilee of monetary
abundance seventy years ago. The first summer a blanket
does duty instead of a door, and a piece of greased cotton-
cloth instead of a window. The first chairs consist of slabs
split out of a log, with four holes bored in the corners, fitted
with hickory legs. The first bedstead is made of poles
stuck in auger-holes in the logs in the corner of his house.
The first baby is rocked in a sap-trough.
Yet even in this humblest of residences the observant
visitor sees at once that he is in the home of an intelligent
and self-respecting freeman. Two or three books have sur-
vived the disasters of poverty and removal. If the head
of the young family cannot yet afford a newspaper, some
good-natured neighbor has loaned him one, and he hjis a
common-sense idea of the aff'airs of the nation. The rifle,
which hangs over the fire-place, may yet be leveled against
the enemies of his country. There may be a nasal tone to
his voice, but, as compared with the European pesisant, his
speech is amazingly accurate and grammatical. If a king
were to enter our friend's cabin, Jonathan would off'er him
a seat on one of the slab chairs, and Mary Ann would
bring him a drink of buttermilk, with but little more con-
cern than if it were Sijuirc Jones of the neighboring ham-
CO
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
news-
conceited : he
let. To be sure our independent, ri:
paper-reading citizen and voter is a tr
would be ready to manage the nation by the views lie has
picked up in the district school ; but still a few million
such citizens make a very solid foundation for the super-
structure of a free government. They are not easily fright-
ened nor cajoled, and their hard " horse sense" has more
than once carried the republic through long seasons of diflB-
culty and danger.
It is needless to say that the young people do not attend
high-toned balls in gas-lighted rooms, where, on spring-bot-
tomed floors, they waltz away the hours, with an interval
for supper, consisting of scolloped oysters, roast beef a la
Franjaise, giblets a I'Espagnole, ice-cream, and champagne.
Neither does the peripatetic lecturer illuminate the people
on the glories of progress and the mysteries of philosophy.
All mental instruction comes from the school-master or mis-
tress in the log school-house; all ethical teaching from the
itinerant preacher, who has not even a log meeting-house at
his command, but who occupies once a month a school-
house three miles distant, to which all the settlers around
flock with ox-teams or on foot. Equally simple are their
amusements. The sugar-party, with its egg-shells filled
with the finest product of the maple, and its waxen luxuries
cooled upon the snow ; the quilting-bee, where the girls
who work all the afternoon are taken home by the young
men in the evening ; the spelling-school, that primitive
athenasum, where rosy-cheeked lasses and sturdy youngsters
struggle with the awful mysteries of phthisic, caoutchouc,
and Michilimackinac ; the more infrequent singing-school,
also held in the log school-house, whither the poor bring
pine-knots and the rich bring tallow candles ; the jolly
husking-bee, where the great pile of corn is soon denuded
of its covering by nimble hands of girls and boys, the ra-
pidity of whose labors keeps out the cold, and where the
finding of a red ear is rewarded by a kiss from every girl
in the barn ; — these are the primitive recreations which
enliven the hard labors of pioneer life.
Nor is the dance entirely ignored. Though the log
taverns furnish very contracted accommodations, yet when
a backwoods fiddler can be found to play the part of Apollo,
the youth of both sexes are not unwilling to gather for
many a mile around in rustic devotion at the shrine of
Terpsichore. It is seldom, however, that that devotion is
carried as far as in the case which will be related in the his-
tory of the town of Volney, when three young men walked
twelve miles through the pathless forest from New Haven
to Volney Centre, found three girls whom they had never
.seen before, persuaded them to walk back with them to a
" house-warming" in the former locality, running the risk
of bears and wolves, and occupied five days in going after
their partners, going back with them, dancing, escorting
them home, and returning.
The present chapter being confined to the period before
the war of 1812, it is needless to give any description of
the early frame houses, for, though not absolutely unknown,
they were so few as not to form a feature in the landscape.
The erection of the first in each town, as well as that of
the earliest blacksmith-sliop, saw-mill, grist-mill, etc., may
safely be left to the town histories.
Leaving our friends Ephraim, Jonathan, Mary Ann, and
Hannah to push their fortunes as best they may, we will
return to the prosaic record of events. As already stated,
settlements had been made previous to the close of the last
century in Oswego city. Oswego town, Granby, Volney,
Scriba, Schroeppel, Mexico, New Haven, Hastings, Con-
stant ia, and Redfield. Omitting details for the present, it
will sufficiently give a general idea of the progress of settle-
ment to say that some one began the pioneer's work in each
one of the remaining towns before the war of 1812, in the
following order: llichland and Williamstown, in 1801;
Hannibal, in 1802; Sandy Creek, in 1803; Parish, in
180-1; Amboy, in 1805; Orwell, Palermo, and West
Monroe, in 1806 ; Boylston and Albion, in 1812.
The course of municipal organization during the same
period was as follows: In 1802, 1803, and 180-4 the towns
of Adams, Ellisburg, and Lorraine, in the present county of
Jefl'erson, were taken off from Mexico, bringing it down to
the limits of that part of Oswego County west of the river,
with Redfield already separate. In 1804, also, Williams-
town was taken off, including the present town of that
name, Amboy, Albion, Richland, Sandy Creek, Orwell, and
Boylston. In 1806 Fredericksburgh was formed on the
other end of the patent, embracing the present towns of
Scriba, Volney, Palermo, and Schroeppel. The same year
Hannibal was formed from Lysander, embracing the old
survey-township of Hannibal and thirty-three lots from
Lysander ; in other words, all of the present county of Os-
wego west of the river. These dimensions it retained until
after the war. In 1807 Richland was set off from Wil-
liamstown, embracing what is now Richland, Albion, Or-
well, Boylston, and Sandy Creek. In the same year the
survey-township of Arcadia was annexed to Redfield, en-
larging that town to its present size. In 18U8 another new
town was formed from Mexico. Mr. Scriba's favorite name
of Rotterdam was ca.st aside, and the survey-township of
that name, together with Delft and Breda (West Monroe
and Hastings), wore organized as a town under the name
of Constantia. This reduced Mexico to the territory of the
present towns of New Haven, Mexico, and Parish, which
it retained until during the war. Finally, in 1811, Scriba
was set off fi'om Fredericksburgh, the name of which was at
the same time changed to Volney, in honor of the cele-
brated French author of that name, who had lately passed
down the Oswego on a tour through the country. Thus,
at the beginning of the war, the present county of Oswego
contained eight towns, — Hannibal, in Onondaga county,
and Scriba, Volney, Mexico, Constantia, Williamstown,
Richland, and Redfield, in Oneida county.
We have already mentioned the remains of Indian or
ante-Indian relics near Oswego Falls and Fort Brewerton.
The only other locality especially rich in such relics was
discovered by the early settlers of Albion, on Trout brook,
in the north part of that town. There was to be seen a
mound twenty-eight feet high and sixty or seventy feet in
diameter at the bottom, rising in the midst of a piece of
level ground. Close beside it large quantities of stone axes,
arrow-heads, stone pipes, etc., were often thrown up by the
pioneer's plow. Near by, but on the top of a hill, was a
circular embankment nearly six feet high, inclosing some two
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
61
acres of gi'ouiid. Outside of it was a ditch, which, before the
pUice was cleared, was eight or ten feet deep. Pine-trees,
two feet in dianiet«r, grew on the top of the embankment,
undoubtedly proving its great age. It will be observed
that in this, as in most cases of old fortifications in New
York, the implements found are those of Indians.
There was not a church building in the county during
the whole period treated of in this chapter. Fort Ontario
was abandoned about the beginning of the century, even by
the small squad who had held it since the British left.
Vera Cruz fell into decay. The trade with the western
lakes by way of the Oswego river. Lake Ontario, and the
Niagara continued to increase through this period, but was
still small at its close. In 1803, Matthew McNair, a resi-
dent of Oswego, bought a sloop called the "Jane," changed
its name to the " Peggy," and went into the forwarding
business. Considerable of the merchandise which went
west was shipped by Canadian vessels, owned at Kingston
or by the Northwestern Fur Compihiy. For many years
the American vessels on Lake Ontario were very few and
very small, those of the British being far superior both in
number and size.
In the year last named a custom-house was put in oper-
ation at Oswego, with Joel Burt as the firet collector. The
importations, which had previously gone through free, were
now obliged to pay duty, — not at all to the satisftiction of a
good many of the neighboring people. The next year a
man named Wilson, a government contractor, built the
schooner " Fair American," of ninety tons, and Mr. ]Mc-
Nair the "Linda," of fifty tons. The boats in which goods
were brought down the Oswego wore sometimes carted
around the fiills and re-embarked at the lower landing.
More frequently, however, they were sent back and the
goods re-shipped in a much larger kind of boats, which often
made the journey to the Niagara.
As has been said, the payment of duties was not relished
by many of the citizens, and there was a good deal of smug-
gling going on. It seems it was then an object to import
Canadian flour, for, in 1808, Collector Burt seized a con-
siderable quantity of that article, which the owners were
trying to run through the lines. Some sixty armed men,
partly, if not wholly, from JefFei-son county, as related in
Hough's history of that county, came to Oswego in ten
boats to recapture the flour. They came into the harbor
in the daytime, but intended to wait till eleven o'clock at
night before making the attack. They could not disguise
their elation at the great feat they intended to accomplish,
and were heard swearing that they would " clear out the
place or burn it."
Mr. Burt, however, had hoard of the attack beforehand,
and had sent post-haste to the southern part of Oncmdaga
county for the aid of a company of dragoons. These came
within six miles in the daytime, and camped. About half-
past nine o'clock, they saddled up and rode forward towards
town. Just before eleven the marauders gathered in the
streets, rifle in hand, ready to make an assault on the col-
lector's warehouse. Suddenly their ears caught the sound
of galloping steeds, and a moment later they saw the head
of the column of dragoons emerging swiftly from the dark-
ness. There was not even time to escape to their boats.
Without firing a shot, they fled at full speed to the woods,
which, fortunately for them, were near at hand, leaving
their boats the lawful prey of the collinitor. In their long,
wearisome journey througli the forest back t*) their \iome8,
they must have frequently repented of their lawless under-
taking.
The same j'ear, the first United States armed vessel on
Lake Ontario was begun, by Eckford & Bergh, at Oswego.
This was the brig " Oneida," carrying sixteen twenty-four-
pound carronades. She was launched the next spring.
Lieutenant Jlelancthon T. Woolsey (afterwards the cele-
brated Commodore Woolsey) superintended the building,
and commanded the " Oneida" after she was afloat. One
of his midshipmen was James Fenimore Cooper, subse-
quently so distinguished as a novelist, who then obtained
that knowledge of the geography and history of the Oswego
river which, at a later date, he reproduced in the vivid pic-
tures of the " Pathfinder."
From 1810, there was a decided increase in the amount
of business carried on via the Oswego river and Lake On-
tario. In that year, the firm of Town.send, Bronson & Co.
began the forwarding and transportation business on the
lakes. For the two years before the war, as well as for
several years afterwards, they controlled the major part of
the business on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario ; the
portage around Niagara Falls being carried on by tlie equally
celebrated firm of Porter, Barton & Co. The member of
the fi)rmer firm who established himself at Oswego was
Mr. Alvin Bronson, then a young man of twenty-seven, now
ninety-four, and probably the most energetic man of his age
in the county.
One of the principal articles of commerce at that time
was salt, which the Syracusans (or " Salt Pointers," as they
were then called) had begun to manufacture in large quan-
tities, and which was transported by the Oswego route to all
parts of the west. The river trade above the falls was then
carried on largely in " Durham boats." They were decked
over fore and aft, and had "running-boards" on each side.
These were arranged with cleats to secure a firm footing, and
on them the men (four to six besides the steersman ) walked
from bow to stern, propelling the boat by means of setting-
poles placed against the bottom of the stream. Sometimes,
after discharging portions of their cargoes, the Durham boats
were run over the falls. Generally, however, work below
the falls was done by Oswego river boats, which were much
smaller and managed by three men each.
Turning from water-ways to land-ways, we find that, be-
sides Scriba's great road from Rotterdam to Vera Cruz,
another was cut out, about 1804, from Camden to Vera
Cruz, pa.ssing tlirough the present towns of Amboy, Parish,
and Mexico. Up to 1808, there were no roads pas.sable
with a wagon in Richland, nor in any of the towns north
and east of it, except Redfield and Williamstown. In 1807
a State road, six rods wide, was laid out from Onondaga
Hill to the mouth of Ox creek, in the present town of
Granby, and thence to Oswego. One branch went from Ox
creek to Salt Point.
The same year, a mail-route was establislied between
Onondaga and Oswego, and a post-oflice at the latter place.
The first mail-carrier, as stated in Clark's " Onondaga," was
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Onudiaga, a veteran Onondaga chief, wlio had fought
against the Americans at Fort Schuyler, Oriskany, and
Cherry Run, but who had now descended to being the
news-bearer of his conquerors. Once a week the mail
was put up in a small valise at the Onondaga office, ready
to leave at four o'clock the next morning. At nine in
the evening Onudiaga invariably came, received his valise,
and then, without a word, laid himself down on the floor
of Judge Forman's kitchen. At four in the morning
he arose, took his valise, and started forth on his journey
of forty miles. Rain, hail, or snow, it was all the same.
No one ever knew Onudiaga to flinch from his journey, or
to be delayed on the route by the weather. The worse it
was, the more the chief increased his long Indian strides;
so that the people of Oswego came to look for Onudiaga as
regularly as they did for sundown. The next day he re-
turned with equal regularity to Onondaga.
The flrst member of the assembly elected from what is
now Oswego County was Barnet Mooney, who served in
1810, and again in 1812 and 1814. He resided in what
was then Hannibal, but is now Granby, and of course rep-
resented the county of Onondaga.
Thus, in clearing the forest, erecting log houses, opening
roads, building vessels, carrying salt, starting new settle-
ments, forming new towns, etc., the time passed peacefully
on until the beginning of 1812. But here, as through-
out the country, there was a constantly-increasing anger
against Great Britain on account of her infringements, in
her wars with France, of the neutral rights of the United
States. The two chief causes of bitterness were the in-
vasion of American mercliantmen by British men-of-war in
order to seize sailors claimed as British subjects, and the
capture of American vessels trading to France, even when
no actual blockade was violated. There were hundreds
upon hundreds of such outrages, and it is safe to say that
English statesmen would no more think now of directing
such a course of conduct towards the United States as they
then authorized, than they would think of cutting their own
throats.
The only excuse that could possibly be made was that
Napoleon pursued a similar course in relation to neutral
vessels (he did not attempt to impress seamen), and that
the British were obliged to do as they did in self-defense.
In fact, however, Napoleon inflicted far less damage on
American commerce than the English ; and he first re-
pealed his obnoxious decrees. Yet, the violent hatred felt
by the Federal party against Napoleon and the French
revolutionary principles caused them to be willing to forgive
almost any oflense on the part of England, while she was
fighting the man whom they designated as the tyrant of
Europe.
Mingled with this feeling was the intense party spirit,
which was probably stronger then than even at the present
day, and which led either party to oppose whatever was
done by the other. The dominant party was the one which
had originally been christened Republican, but the members
of which wore beginning to call themselves Democrats.
They were bitter enemies of Great Britain, and looked with
far more lenient eyes on the trespasses of Napoleon than on
those of George the Third and his ministers.
All through the winter and spring of 1812 the question
of war or peace was the subject of excited discussion in
Congress. In April a law was passed forbidding the ex-
portation of specie and merchandise for ninety days. About
the same time another law directed the calling out of a hun-
dred thousand militia, of which thirteen thousand five hun-
dred were from New York. Details were made from the
numerous militia regiments and sent to the frontier. Cap-
tain Asa Wells, with a company of militia, occupied Fort
Ontario, or rather the ruins which then went by that name.
The lists of officers in the militia regiments were filled up,
musters were frequent, the people were full of excitement,
and all waited anxiously for what a day might bring forth.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE WAE OP 1812.
War Declared— Occupation of Fort Ontario— McNair and Bronson—
Schooners turned into Gun-boats— Commodore Chauncey — Oswego
Gun-boats at Work— A War of Ship-builder.=— Cooper's Ark— Sup-
plies at Oswego Falls — Rumored Danger — Arrival of Troops —
Orders to Conceal Stores — Appearance of the Enemy— Attack and
Repulse— Another Attack— Guns of the Fort Disabled— The As-
sault—The Fort Taken— Mulcaster Wounded— The Battle in the
Brush— Mitchell's Retreat— The Losses- Perils of Making an
Attack— Sinking the "Syren"— A Close Shot— Seizure of Property
— Sir James Yco and Mr. Bronson — Five Prisoners and Three Sur-
vivors—A Plucky Boy— A Ruffianly Knight— Prisoners taken to
Kingston— Released— The Militia— A Harvest of Cannon-Balis—
Getting the Guns to Sackett's Uarbor— The Boats Set Forth— One
Captured— An Indian Escort— Out of the County— Entering Big
Sandy— The British Follow— The Battle— A Complete Victory—
The Guns, etc., taken through — Chauncey again Ahead — Peace.
At length, on the 18th day of June, 1812, the declara-
tion of war, having passed both houses of Congress, was
signed by the president. The excitement increased ten-
fold. The shores of the Oswego river had so often been
the scene of bloody conflicts in former wars, that men
might well tremble lest the invader should again seek that
convenient opening into the country, and those scenes of
blood be repeated on a still wider scale.
In July, Colonel George Fleming, of Cayuga county,
with nine companies of militia, marched down the river
and took post at Fort Ontario. He made some attempts to
repair the dilapidated works, but effected very little. The
militia were called out for only a few months' service at a
time, and when their terms expired they were relieved. In
the fall, Colonel Cleveland, of Madison county, took com-
mand of Fort Ontario in place of Colonel Fleming. The
terms of almost all the militia expired with the year, and
no provision was made for supplying their places. Fort
Ontario was left almost entirely undefended.
Early in the season Mi'. McNair was appointed commis-
sary of subsistence at Oswego, and Mr. Alvin Bronson
military storekeeper. Some of the contractors, whose prop-
erty would necessarily pass through his hands, objected to
Mr. Bronson's appointment on the ground that he was a
Federalist, who could not safely be trusted in such a posi-
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Hon. One of the principal contractors, however, who knew
Jlr. Bronson's personal reput;ition, declared that he was
just the man for the place, and warmly urp;ed his appoint-
ment, which was accordingly made. Shortly afterwards he
was also appointed naval storekeeper.
Meanwhile strong efforts were made by the government
to organize a naval force on Lake Ontario, where at the
beginning of the war the stiir-spangled banner was borne by
no armed ship except the brig •' Oneida." All vessels that
were capable of being armed were at once purchased. Mr.
McNair's schooner "Julia," named for his daughter, was
thus bought, and was armed with a long thirty-two-pound
gun, and two long sixes. Soon afterwards she was sent to
Ogdensburgh, manned with sixty volunteers under Lieuten-
ant Wells, of the " Oneida," and accompanied by a company
of riflemen in an open Durham boat ; the object was to
protect six American schooners in that vicinity. Eleven
miles this side of Ogdensburgh she met two British vessels,
and a three hours' cannonade ensued. The enemy withdrew,
and the improvised Oswego man-of-war, only very slightly
injured, proceeded to Ogdensburgh. During an armistice
soon after proclaimed on the frontier, the " Julia" and the
six schooners escaped to Lake Ontario.
The schooner " Charles and Ann," belonging to the firm
of Townsend, Bronson & Co , was also purchased by the
government and ohanged into a gun-boat by the name of the
" Governor Tompkins," and did good service during the fore-
part of the war, ere larger vessels could be constructed. Lieu-
tenant Woolsey was the first commander on Lake Ontario,
but in August, Captain Isaac Chauncey was appointed com-
mander of the forces on all the northern lakes. He arrived
on Lake Ontario in the fall, taking command of the forces
on that lake in person, and fixing his headcjuarters at Sack-
ett's Harbor, at that time the only port where large vessels
could be built.
In November the two Oswego gun-boats, "Governor
Tompkins" and "Julia," with the rest of Chauncey's fleet,
were engaged in a conflict with the British land-batteries near
Kingston. Afterwards these two and another chased the
" Simcoe," of twelve guns, on a reef of rocks, and riddled
her with shot, so that after being taken into Kingston har-
bor she sank to the bottom. The " Tompkins." with three
other gun-boats, then blockaded Kingston until the ice
closed the port, when they all returned to Saekett's Harbor.
During the year 1813 very little of importance occurred
in Oswego County In April the town of New Haven was
formed from Mexico, with its present limits. A small force
of militia, frequently changed, was stationed at Fort On-
tario, but the principal dependence for protection was on
the naval force, which Commodore Chauncey was doing his
best to increase. The conflict on Lake Ontario was, as Jlr.
Bronson well defined it, a " war of ship-builders." At first
the British had the largest vessels. Then the Americans
built larger ones, and drove the enemy into his harbors.
Then the British built still larger vessels, and the Ameri-
cans lay back, and laid yet longer keels than ever. Several
indecisive conflicts took place during 1813, but none in
immediate proximity to this county.
Stores and munitions of war were constantly forwarded
in large quantities from the east over the old route — so
often traversed for the same purpose during the previous
century — to Oswego, whence they were sent both ways,
some west to Niagara and others northeast to Saekett's Har-
bor. Bodies of troops, too, were moved back and forth
from one end of Oiit;irio lake to the other, with the pur-
poseless imbecility which marked almost all the proceedings
of (he government during the war of 1812, and which can
only be accounted for by supposing that the south, which
then ruled the nation, was determined that Canada should
not be concjuered.
In June of that year there was a small body of regulars
at Fort Ontario. During the month several British armed
vessels, among them the frigate " General Wolfe," ap-
peared ofl' Oswego, and opened fire. The American ship
" Growler," of three guns, happened to be anchored in the
harbor. She responded briskly, as did the batteries under
the command of Major Case. After a brief cannonade the
enemy retired. The Americans suffered no loss, and that
of the British was probably slight.
The only other event of 1813 which need be narrated at
any length partook somewhat of the ludicrous order. Wil-
liam Cooper, a brother of Fenimore Cooper, was a rather
eccentric genius, who then made his home about Oswego.
He undertook to build a floating battery, which was to be
taken to Saekett's Harbor, and used to defend that post
from the British. Full of faith. Cooper went to work at
his own expense, the government agreeing to pay him six-
teen thousand dollars for the battery when it should be
completed and had proved actually capable of being floated
to Saekett's Harbor. It was nearly square, about sixty feet
across, and rose some four or five feet out of the water. It
was made of large logs hewed partially square, and Mr. E.
W. Clarke describes it as looking like a big, low, half-sub-
merged log house.
Whatever name the inventor might have given it, nobody
else called it anything l)ut " Cooper's Ark." There was a
mast in the middle, and when the thing was done Cooper
placed it in charge of a Captain Gould, who boldly spread
a large sail, and with a few men started for Saekett's Harbor.
There were also two or three prisoner on board, whom the
government officers wished to send to the Harbor. The
guns were to be put on board at the latter place. The ark
had gone but a short distance (being somewhere off New
Haven, as near as we can learn) wlien the wind rose slightly ;
the log craft became unmanageable, and soon went to pieces.
Fortunately, all the men escaped to shore without serious
injury. Cooper had used up his means on this curious
contrivance, and his lo.ss, together with the ridicule to
which he had subjected himself, soon caused him to leave
this part of the country.
In the spring of 181-1, Commodore Chauncey was building
the frigate " Superior" and other vessels at Saekett's Harbor.
The "Superior'' was launched on the second day of May,
I eighty days after her keel was laid. Two other vessels, the
"Jefferson" and the "Jones," were ready for use, with the
exception of a part of their armament. A large number of
heavy guns and naval stores, designed for these vessels, was
brought through from Albany to Oswego Falls, where they
were detained, awaiting a safe (ijiportunity to ship them to
Saekett's Harbor. There was also a large amount of .stores
64
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
at Oswego, in charge of Mr. Bronson. The ice in the lake
broke up early, and in April, General Gaines, at Sackett's
Harbor, learned that the British were fitting out an expedi-
tion at Kingston, the object of which was supposed to be
Oswego, or, rather, the stores and munitions believed to be
gathered there. Gaines immediately dispatched Colonel
Mitchell from Sackett's Harbor, with five companies of artil-
lery armed as infantry, with orders to protect the cannon
and naval munitions at the falls, at the hazard of everything
else. Mitchell marched his little force, less than three hun-
dred, all told, along the main road, — a very rude one, —
through Sandy Creek, Pulaski, and Mexico, and reached
Fort Onbuio on the 30th of April. He could bring no
artillery with him. He found the fort in a most wretched
condition, — the stockade broken down, and only five rusty
iron guns mounted on the ramparts. Of these, the trun-
nions of two had been knocked oflF, and they were almost
utterly worthless.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bronson had also received notice of the
expected attack from the district quartermaster, who di-
rected him to stop all stores on their way at the falls, to
send all he could forward to Niagara and Sackett's Harbor,
and to conceal the rest to the best of his ability. These
instructions were faithfully carried out. Besides the pro-
visions and stores dispatched by lake, a large quantity was
sent out into the surrounding forest for concealment.
On the 4th of Maj', Sir James Lucas Yeo, commander
of the British fleet on Lake Ontario, sailed out of Kings-
ton harbor with eight men-of-war, besides several gun-boats
and smaller craft. The fleet was armed with two hundred
and twenty-two guns, and carried about a thousand soldiers,
under the command of Lieutenant-Genoral Sir George
Gordon Drummond, of the British army. Commodore
Chauncey did not feel himself strong enough to make an
attack until his new vessels were completed, and Sir James
sailed unchallenged past the American fleet in Sackett's
Harbor. ,
At reveille, the morning of the Gth, the sentinels at
Fort Ontario s;iw a long line of vessels athwart the northern
horizon, their sails filled by a favoring breeze and their
prows pointed towards Oswego. A look through a field-
glass showed their sides frowning with cannon, and their
mast-heads decked with the red-cross banner of St. George.
Colonel Mitchell immediately sent a number of horsemen
at full speed into the country to arouse the militia, and
made preparations to defend the pile of ruins which were
dignified with the name of fort.
The schooner " Growler," with Captain Wool.sey and
Lieutenant Pearce on board, was in the river, waiting to
convey the guns and stores before spoken of to Sackett's
Harbor. She was at once sunk, and part of her crew, under
Lieutenant Wilson, joined Mitchell at the fort. On the
west side of the river, near the site of old Fort Oswego, in
what is now Fortification block, No. 2, and near the corner
of Water and West Van Buren streets, was a breastwork
armed with four brass guns, but it seemed not to have been
much used. Mitchell had his tents pitched on the west
side, apparently to give the enemy as large an idea of his
force as possible, but mustered all his men at and near the
fort.
On came the hostile fleet, their sails swelling gracefully
before the breeze, and about a quarter of a mile from the
shore they rounded to and began making preparations to
land. While these were going forward. Colonel Mitchell
sent an old iron twelve-pounder, under Captain Boyle and
Lieutenant Legate, down near the shore, a little to the
westward of the fort. Ere long, fifteen large boats filled
with soldiers left the sides of the enemy's vessels, and were
rowed rapidly towards the shore. They were covered by
the fleet, which opened a heavy cannonade on the fort, to
which Mitchell responded with his half-dozen old guns as
best he might.
For a short time the thunders of artillery echoed along
the shore and rolled far inland, startling the people with
terrible visions of coming invasion. But when the boats
came within convenient range the old twelve-pounder opened
on them with severe effect. Several of the boats were
seriously injured, and many of their occupants killed and
wounded. Two or three boats were abandoned, the sol-
diers and oarsmen clambering into the others to escape
drowning. After a few discharges from the twelve-pounder,
the boats turned about and retired, in much confusion, to
the fleet. Presently, the British ships unfurled their sails
and put out on to the lake. They lessened swiftly to the
view and finally disappeared, and the Americans congratu-
lated themselves on the easy victory which they had won.
Sir George Drummond, however, in a general order after-
wards issued, declared that he did not intend to make an
attack, but was merely feeling the American strength.
Possibly this was true ; at all events Sir George and Sir
James were not seriously discouraged by their repulse, and
the next morning the fleet again appeared off Fort Ontario.
The British man-of-war " Magnet" took up a position in front
of the village; two other vessels stood in towards the
mouth of the river. The rest of the fleet occupied nearly
their former position, but a little nearer shore. About ten
o'clock the fleet commenced cannonading the fort with all
its guns. The fort returned the fire as well as it could with
its feeble artillery. One after another the American guns
were disabled, and still the cannonade was kept up. A
great part of the balls aimed at the fort went over it into
the woods, and others flew so high that they were appar-
ently aimed at the forest to scatter any militia that might
be lurking there.
In fact, a few had come in, but the population was ex-
ceedingly scattered, and the greater part of those who had
been notified had not arrived ; those who had, were posted
in the woods near the fort. Colonel Mitchell ever bore in
mind that his main business was to protect the guns and
stores at the falls, and that he must keep his command in
a position where they could not be caught. He therefore
left only a few men in charge of the artillery in the fort,
and posted his battalion in the underbrush to the east of it.
About one o'clock, when all but one of the American
guns were disabled, the British boats again lefb the fleet.
For a description of their force we are indebted to Lossing's
" Field-Book of the War of 1812," though most of the inci-
dents of the fight are derived from still surviving witnesses.
The enemy's attacking force consisted of two companies of
De Watteville's regiment of iufimtry, under Captain Be
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Bersey, one company of the celebrated " Glengarry" regi-
ment, under Captain McMillan, a battalion of marines,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm, and two hundred sea-
men, armed with pikes, under Captain Mulcaster, of the
royal navy. The whole was commanded by Lieutenant-
Colonel Fischer. Sir George Drummond remained on
shipboard.
The boats containing the infantry and marines headed for
the brush-covered shore where Mitchell was stationed,
while Mulcaster led his sailors directly towards the fort.
Undeterred by the fire of the solitary American gun, Mul-
caster's men sprang from their boats through the water to
the shore, and rushed up the high bank before them.
Another blast of grape from the old twelve-pounder mowed
down a number of the sailors, and the few infantry in the
fort did considerable damage during a brief period, but the
British were in too large force to be stopped by such feeble
means of resistance, and in a moment gained the top of the
bank.
There they found two American sailors ramming down a
charge, while two or three other men who had been helping
them were just scurrying through the gate of the fort.
One of the sailors, too, flung down his rammer, and made
good his escape. The remaining old tar, however, was
determined to have another shot. Though surrounded by
foes, who, with leveled pikes, ordered him to surrender, he
seized the linstock and endeavored to fire the cannon. The
British might easily have run him through with a dozen
pikes, but, admiring his valor, they seized him ere he could
apply the linstock, and dragged him by main force away
from the gun.
There was no time to tarry, and, with Mulcaster at their
liead, the British sailors flooded over the feeble ramparts of
the fort. The few men on the parapet who were not struck
down fled across the open space of the little fortress, but,
determined to fight to the last, turned at bay on the outside
of the southern wall and began firing back upon the foe.
In the northwestern bastion stood the flag-staff', to which
the star-spangled banner had been nailed by order of Col-
onel Mitchell. One of the Briti.sh sailors climbed up
to take it down, when a bullet from the southern wall
stretched him lifeless on the ground. Another attempted
the perilous task, and he, too, fell beside his com-
rade. Captain Mulcaster himself than sprang on the par-
apet, and endeavored to tear down the defiant banner. The
next instant he, too, fell .severely wounded to the ground.
It was not till the fourth attempt was made that the flag
was removed. The few defenders of the southern wall
were either slain, captured, or driven away.
Meanwhile a still sharper battle had been going on to the
eastward. Colonel Mitchell, with Captains Romeyn and
Melvin, and the principal part of his battalion, met the
enemy in front as they landed, while Captains Mclntyre
and Pierce annoyed them on the flank. For near half an
hour the ground was hotly contested. The cracking of
muskets and rifles was incessant, and the bullets flew thick
and fast among the saplings and underbrush. But the
British, outnumbering the Americans two to one, .steadily
advanced, and the latter as constantly fell back. Finally,
Colonel Mitchell, seeing that the fort was cajitured and
that his little force was likely to be surrounded, and the
munitions at the falls thus exposed to seizure, gave the
order to retreat. The battalion fell back in good order,
and took their line of march up the river.
The enemy did not pursue. It is doubtful if they knew
that the principal articles of value were at the falls, and
even if they had their loss had been such, and the road
through the forest was so easily defensible, that it is not
probable they would have followed. The Americans lost
six killed, one of whom was Lieutenant Blaney, thirty-eight
wounded (thirteen mortally), and twenty-five missing. The
British loss is reported by Lossing at nineteen killed and
seventy-five wounded. Although it is customary to exag-
gerate an enemy's losses, yet we presume that Lossing had
access to the British official records, and has given the
numbers correctly. That the English, though successful,
should sufl^er tar more heavily than the Americans, is ex-
tremely probable, since the former had to take the offensive
and attack the latter behind trees and intrenchments. The
value of a defensive situation is rarely appreciated by
civiKans, who consider nothing but the numbers engaged ;
especially if their feelings dispo.se them to misunderstand
the facts. Thus, secession sympathizers are in the habit of
dilating on the great superiority in numbers of the national
troops during the war for the Union, but carefully forget to
consider that the rebels had mountains, rivers, forests, and
swamps as their auxiliaries, all guarded, and doubly guarded,
by the most formidable intrenchments, behind which they
lay in comparative safety, — before which the friends of the
Union fell by thousands.
Two citizens of Oswego, Abram D. Hugunin and Wil-
liam Squires, who had crossed the river with their rifles
and attached themselves to the American troops to aid in
repelling the invaders, did not retreat (|uickly enough, and
were captured. Peter D. Hugunin, afterwards judge, also
occupied the breastwork on the west side of the river,
occasionally sending a bullet from his rifle at the invaders,
until the fort surrendered, when he made his escape.
When Mr. Bronson saw how matters were going, he
began hastily to load some stores on to his schooner, the
" Syren," preparatory. A sergeant's guard came up to the
opposite side of the river and fired across at the laborers,
one of the bullets passing within two feet of Mr. Bronson,
and striking in the end of his warehouse. Nevertheless he
persisted in sinking the vessel. Meanwhile, the British
burned the barracks, but could do little to the fort, as it
was already in ruins. Presently Sir George Urummond
came ashore, and he and Sir James Yeo devoted themselves
to .seizing what public property they could. They suc-
ceeded in raising the " Growler" and the " Syren," which
were the principal prizes they made. There was no sys-
tematic injury to private property, but the soldiers and
sailors did considerable plundering whenever they had an
opportunity.
From the storehouse of Mr. McNair, the government
commissary, were taken some twelve hundred barrels of
hard bread, and a quantity of other provi.sions, whisky, etc ,
but these and all the other prizes were ver^' poor compen-
sation for the loss suffered by the British. The work of
seizure and luadinsr went on for .several hours. While Sir
HISTOEY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
was superintending the loading of some of the stores
on a captured schooner, he saw Mr. Bronson walking about
on the wharf, dressed as became a merchant, and sharply
addressed him, —
" Here, sir, I want you to furnish pilots to take these
boats over the bar."
Mr. Bronson replied that all the men had left the place,
and that he had no pilots under his control. With a vulgar
oath. Sir James seized him by the collar, and shoved him
back across the wharf, saying, —
" Then go yourself and take the boat out, and if you get
her aground, God damn you, I'll shoot you !"
Without making any reply, Mr. Bronson started towards
the boat. Before reaching it, however, Lieutenant-Colonel
Harvey, a gallant British officer, much respected on both
sides of the line, who was standing a short distance away,
called out, — •
" That is the public storekeeper. Sir James ; he may be
useful to us."
" Here, come back !" cried Yeo. Mr. Bronson did so,
and awaited the course of events.
An hour or so later. Sir James sent for Mr. Bronson,
who obeyed the call, when the following conversation took
place between them. Sir James began, —
" You are the public storekeeper here?"
" Yes, sir."
" And you arc my prisoner ?"
" Yes, sir."
" Now, sir, I want you to tell me all about the public
stores : what have been sent to Sackett's Harbor and Ni-
agara, if any ; what have been detained at posts in the
rear ; and what, if any, are concealed in the vicinity. If
you will give me full and correct information on these
points, you can remain here ; if not, you will be taken a
prisoner to Quebec."
" Well, Sir James," replied Mr. Bronson, " my books and
papers have been sent away for safety ; I do not think I
could give you this information if I would, and I am sure
it would be inconsistent with my' duty for me to do so if I
could."
" I have nothing to do with your duty," said the com-
modore ; '• all I have to say is, — if you give the information
I want, correctly, you can stay ; if not, you go to Quebec."
" Very well, sir," replied the faithful storekeeper, " that
settles it ; I will go to Quebec."
Sir James then called Captain O'Conner, his flag-captain,
and said, —
" Take that man aboard the ' Prince Regent,' and take
care of him."
Mr. Bronson requested O'Conner to let him go to his
room to get his trunk or some clothes. The officer con-
sented, and sent a subordinate to accompany the prisoner
to his room. On their arrival there, however, he found, as
he expressed it, " Jack Tar had been ahead of me," and
neither clothes nor books were to be found. Mr. Bronson
was then taken on board the " Prince Regent."
Four other residents of Oswego were also taken as
prisoners on board the fleet, — Abram D. Hugunin and
William Squires, the volunteer riflemen before alluded to ;
Eli Stevens, and Carlos Colton. Of these, Mr. Squires
still survives, a resident of Oswego. Mr. Colton is also
living, but resides at Toledo, Ohio. Thus, out of the five
Oswego prisoners then taken on board the British fleet
three still survive, sixty-three years after that event, — a
most remarkable coincidence in longevity. Mr. Hugunin
came of a warlike family, two of his brothers being the n in
service, — Robert as a midshipman in the navy, and Daniel
(afterwards a member of Congress) as a lieutenant in the
army.
Four of the five prisoners were grown men, but Carlos
Colton was then a boy only fourteen years old, and a clerk
for Mr. Bronson. It was doubtless this circumstance that
caused his capture, for he was taken on another vessel from
his employer, and his captors there endeavored to obtain
from him the information which they had failed to get
from the storekeeper.
" Come, now," they said, " Mr. Bronson has owned up
all about the public stores, and you may as well do so, too,
and save going to Quebec."
" I don't believe a word of it," promptly replied the
plucky boy. The British officers were highly amused, and
soon abandoned their attempts to cajole him into giving
information.
The fieet lay oflF the harbor all night. About midnight
Sir George Drummond came on board the " Prince Regent."
Walking up to Mr. Bronson, where the latter stood on the
deck, the high-toned major-general and knight thus accosted
him, his prisoner, —
" So you are the public storekeeper, are you ? You are
a pretty damned son of a ! You said there were
no stores concealed, and now we have found cannon sunk
at your own wharf"
" I did not say so. Sir George," replied Mr. Bronson ;
" I said that my books and papers were gone, which was
true, and that it would not be proper for me to give any
information concerning the stores, even if I could." ■
The general glared at him for an instant, and then broke
out again, —
" Damn you, you ought to be strung up to the yard-
arm I"
The insulted prisoner made no reply, and Sir George
presently left him.
At daylight the next morning (the 7th) the fleet set sail
for Kingston. In the course of the day. Colonel Harvey,
in conversation with Mr. Bronson, apologized for the
ruffianly language of Sir George Drummond and Sir
James Yeo, saying that they had lost heavily and gained
little by the expedition, that their friend. Captain Mulcas-
ter, was severely wounded, and that they both felt terribly
out of humor. Mulcaster was then on board the " Prince
Regent," and the groans of the stout sailor showed how
severely he was sufi"ering. He died of his wound, but not
till two years later.
But the behavior of Sir James Yeo towards Mr. Bron-
son was quite in harmony with his usual style. In the
beginning of the war he had sent, by a paroled prisoner,
from the West Indies, where he was then stationed, to the
gallant Captain Porter, the following message, as printed in
the Philadelphia Journal of September 18, 1812:
" A passenger of the brig ' Lyon,' from Havana to New
•HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
67
York, is requested by Sir James Yeo to present his compli-
inents to Ciiptaiu Porter, commander of the American
frigate ' Essex ;' would be glad to have a lelc-d-li/c any-
where between the Capes of Delaware and the Havana,
where he would have the pleasure to break his own sword
over his damned head and put him down forward in irons."
Captain Porter sent a courteous acceptance of this re-
markable cartel, but Sir James did not come to the l(tc-<}-
tete he had requested.
The Drummonds, also, were a brutal race. Lieutenant-
Colonel Drumruond, the brother of the bully of the " Prince
Regent," was killed a short time after, in the assault on
Fort Erie, while crying out to his men, " Give the damned
Yankees no quarter !'' and pistoling with his own hand
the wounded who asked for mercy. We mention the be-
havior of Sir George and Sir James because it is connected
with the history of Oswego County, not with the idea of
sanctioning the common clap-trap notion that all the ruflBan-
ism in any war is on one side.
The British fleet proceeded to Kingston, where the
prisoners were kept in the guard-house a day or two. Mr.
Bronson was fortunate enough to have an acquaintance there
who supplied him with money for his immediate needs.
After the fleet had been renovated at Kingston, Sir James
Yeo blockaded Commodore Chauncey for a fortnight, in
Sackett's Harbor, the prisoners being kept on shipboard.
At length they were dismissed, one at a time, and sent
home. Even Mr. Bronson, though holding a semi-military
position, was finally released, on the representation of Com-
modore Chauncey that he was only a merchant in charge
of public property. The difliculty which kept Commodore
Chauncey cooped up in Sackett's Harbor, while Sir James
Yeo rode insultingly before him, was the fact that the great
frigate " Superior," designed to be the monarch of Lake
Ontario, was still without her armament. To see how it
was obtained, and chronicle other matters worthy of men-
tion, we must return to Oswego County.
As was said in the description of the battle, a large
number of militiamen arrived after the fate of the day was
decided. Most of them at once returned home, having
fiimilies in a state of terror on account of the approach of
the enemy. Although no Indians accompanied the in-
vading force, yet those merciless foes had been largely
employed by the British on the frontier, and the traditions
of the Revolution led every one to expect the presence of
the red men whenever a British force appeared. Every-
where the sound of the cannon was listened to with gloomy
forebodings, and when the fleeing fugitives brought the
news of disaster, universal consternation prevailed. Hun-
dreds placed their families and a few household goods on
whatever vehicles they could command, and hastened
towards the interior.
Mr. John B. Johnson, now a venerable resident of
Oswego, relates that he was then a child of three years;
his father residing in the present town of Scriba, on the
second fiirm east of the city line, and his grandfather on the
first one. When the news of the American defeat went
flying on the wings of terror through the country, his
grandfather's fiimily was placed on an ox-.sled, the only
vehicle to be had, and started eastward. Arriving' at his
father's residence, his mother and children were added to
the load. As they pursued their course, almost expecting
to hear the Indians' war-whoop echoing in their rear, his
infant recollections vaguely preserve the appearance of a
company of militia marching past the sluggish team, one
of whom carried something which fla.shed brightly in the
sun, and which the boy was afterwards told was an oflBcer's
sword.
When they arrived at Major Stone's tavern, now called
Scriba Corners, after sundown, lie dimly remembers seeing
a large crowd, and hearing fearful outcries, which he has
since learned came from a wounded man, from whose
shoulder a surgeon was cutting a bullet.
As, however, it was learned the next day that the British
had retired, and, above all, that no Indians were in the
vicinity, the panic soon subsided, and the fugitives returned
home.
An immense number of cannon-balls were fired into the
woods by the British vessels, and the very next day all the
boys and some of the men who had not lefl the vicinity
were at work picking up these relics of battle. They were
not sought as relics, however. Dr. Deodatus Clarke, father
of E. W. Clarke, Esq., then residing on a farm just inside
the present eastern city line, knowing that cannon-balls were
in good demand, off'ered to pay for all the eighteen-pound,
twenty-four-pound, and thirty-two-pound balls that should
be brought him. What he picked up himself and what he
bought amounted to nearly five tons. Besides these there
were some still larger, and some twelve-pounders that he
would not buy. He readily sold his " pile" to Judge For-
man, at Onondaga Hollow, the contractor for furnishing the
government, as these balls were much better than those which
that gentleman could cast in his forge.
The munitions at Onondaga Hollow, by the way, were the
subject of a curious order, illustrative of the f\iet that official
ignorance flourished in the days of the fathers as well as in
our own. At one time when ordnance stores were needed
on Lake Ontario, the secretary of the navy sent an order
to a naval officer at Oswego, directing him to take his ves-
sel at once to Onondaga hollow, load it with shot ani shell,
and to return to the lake with the needed articles. The
existence of Oswego falls and a few other obstacles pre-
vented a compliance with the order.
■There were other relics in which young Edwin, with the
other boys, took perhaps still greater interest. At the gate
of the fort the retiring British threw down a large quantity
of wet cartridges. These the boys gathered up, and long
afterwards youthful soldiers stole out from many a log cabin
into the roads, and re-enacted the bombardment of Oswego,
by exploding those old cartridges, to the infinite gratification
of themselves, and the terror of their small sisters.
Mitchell, when he retreated, marched up to the falls, filling
the road with trees behind him, and took post there to defend
the precious arms and munitions. He was accompanied by
Captain Woolsey and one or two other naval officers. Find-
ing they were not pursued, Woolsey set his wits to work to
get the guns, etc., to Sackett's Harbor. The chance of carry-
ing them on schooners, in face of the Britt.sh fleet, was poorer
than ever. In this .strait Woolsey sent a messenger to
Chauncey projiosing to take them quietly along the shore
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ia open boats to the mouth of Stony creek, some twelve
miles this side of Sackett's Harbor, and then up that creek
and overland to Henderson bay, thus giving the go-by to
Yeo's blockaders. Chauncey assented, and General Gaines
gave the necessary orders to insure the co-operation of the
troops.
For two or three weeks Woolsey and his men were very
busy. Even before the fight many of the guns had been
run over the falls in scows, — a feat which looks hazardous,
but was found entirely practicable. The rest were now
taken over in the same way, all were loaded into boats,
the cordage was stowed, and all the needful preparations
were made with the utmost care. Then the precious freight
was carefully rowed down the turbulent Oswego to its mouth.
The flotilla consisted of nineteen large open boats, and car-
ried twenty-two long thirty-two-pounders, ten twenty-four-
pounders, three forty-two-pound carronades, and twelve
large cables, besides other munitions. The main cable for
the " Superior" was an immense thing, which filled one of
the largest boats, being twenty-two inches in circumference,
and weighing nine thousand six hundred pounds. Besides
a strong complement of oarsmen, the boats carried an escort
consisting of a hundred and thirty riflemen, under Major
Daniel Appling, and an arrangement had been made by
which a hundred and fifty Oneida warriors were to meet
at the mouth of Salmon river.
At sunset on the 28th of May the flotilla stole quietly
out of the harbor of Oswego, and with eastward -pointing
prows began its hazardous journey along the shore. All
night long the rowers plied their oars so vigorously that, not^
withstanding their heavy freight, at dawn they had reached
the mouth of Salmon river. In the latter part of the night
the darkness was increased by a fog, in which one of the boats
got lost from its companions. The other eighteen safely
entered the mouth of the river at daylight, where the
Oneidas awaited them on the shore, but the estray was
caught up by a British cruiser. The captain soon learned
what was going on, and immediately stood away towards the
blockading squadron, under every sail that his craft would
bear, to inform Sir James Yeo of the Yankee manoeuvre.
Meanwhile, Captain Woolsey had discovered the loss of
his boat, and as it did not appear at the rendezvous, he
could easily guess that it was captured, and that there would
soon be a squadron looking after the great prize. He con-
cluded that it would be too dangerous to try to take the
boats along shore as far as Stony creek. He thought, how-
ever, that he could reach the mouth of Big Sandy creek, in
the town of Ellisburg, Jefferson county. At top of speed
a messenger galloped northward to inform General Gaines,
and ask for aid to be sent to that point.
Then, after recruiting their energies with a hasty break-
fast, the wearied oarsmen rowed their boats into the lake,
turned their prows to the north, and bent resolutely to their
work, while every officer's eyes nervously scanned the hori-
zon to see if British men-of-war were coming to derange
their well-planned scheme. The Oneida warriors, stripped
and painted for battle, each arrayed in only a breech-cloth
and a crest of feathers, and armed with rifle, tomahawk, and
scalping-knife, strode proudly along the sandy shore, abreast
of the flotilla. Thus escorted, the squadron swept by the
outlet of Little Sandy Creek bay, and soon passed the north-
ern boundary of Oswego County. It would hardly do, how-
ever, to suspend the story of the expedition at so interesting
a juncture, and a brief sketch of its further fortunes will
be subjoined, although they carry us for a little while out-
side of the county which is our especial subject.
At noon the boats reached the mouth of the Big Sandy,
and quickly sought its friendly shelter. They proceeded a
mile or so up the south branch as far as the depth of water
would allow, and then the hard-worked sailors at length
found an opportunity to rest.
Meanwhile, as was expected, Commander Yeo had been
informed of the expedition, and had sent a light squadron,
consisting of two gun-boats, three cutters, and a gig, to in-
tercept it. These did not arrive in the vicinity until after
Woolsey had entered the creek. They cruised along the
shore all the afternoon, and not until the evening did the
commander learn that the American boats had gone up Big
Sandy creek. Nothing could be done that night, so he de-
termined to lie oflF shore till morning, and then sail in and
gain an easy victory over the heavily-laden boats ; probably
being ignorant of the presence even of Appling's men.
But that same afternoon a company of cavalry and another
of light artillery had come dashing through from Sackett's
Harbor, in response to the request of Woolsey and Appling,
and still later a small detachment of infantry came up.
Boatmen of the vicinity were kept out on the lake all night
watching for the enemy, and soon after daylight the Ameri-
can commanders were notified of the approach of the British
squadron. Major Appling placed the artillery and the other
reinforcements from Sackett's Harbor near the boats and
just above a bend in the creek. Below the bend he ambushed
his riflemen and Indians. The British came confidently on,
having apparently little idea of serious resistance. When
they came in sight of the boats they opened on them with '
solid shot, but with very little eff"ect. Landing a flanking
party on each side of the stream, they moved forward, con-
stantly assailing the bushes with which the creek was then
fringed, in advance of the flankers, with grape and canister.
The Indians, always easily frightened by artillery, soon fled,
but the riflemen hugged the ground and let the noisy storm
pass harmlessly over them.
When the pursuing vessels came opposite their ambush,
they suddenly arose and poured in a deadly fire on the boats
and the flankers. The latter were cut in pieces almost in
an instant. The boats were raked with a heavy fire, and
at the same time the American artillery opened on them
with deadly elfect. Another detachment made a rapid cir-
j cuit and assailed the enemy in the rear. In ton minutes
the British commander found that he was engaged in a
hopeless contest, and surrendered his whole force. Out of
nearly two hundred men, he had in that brief time lost
eighteen killed and at least fifty wounded ; while the whole
injury to the American.s consisted of the wounding of one
rifleman and one Indian. A hundred and seventy prisoners,
two gun-boats and four other boats, five cannon and two
howitzers rewarded the skillful plans and vigorous action
of the Americans. The cannon and cable were afterwards
carried by land to Sackett's Harbor ; the big cable of the
" Superior," in default of any vehicle of suflicient strength,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
being borne on the shoulders of two hundred volunteer
niilitiauK'n. Tlie "Superior" was quickly fitted out, the
blockade was broken, and Chauncey was able in turn to
drive Yeo around Lake Ontario.
During the remainder of the war very little of especial
consequence happened in Oswego County. The summer
and winter passed quietly away, though the people were
ever in a state of ner\'ous alarm lest the enemy should
ag-ain find his way into the county. But none came, and
when, in the early part of 1815, the news of peace spread
through the land, the people gladly returned to the inter-
rupted task of improving and developing the country.
CHAPTER XIV.
FROM 1815 TO 1830.
Organization of Oswego County— Towns then Existing— Two County-
Seats— First Officers— The " Tear without a Summer"— The Erie
Canal— Ellicott's Logic— An Oswego County Engineer— The " Big
Cat and the Little Cat"— The First Steamboat— First Court at
Pulaski— A Duel on Ice— Court-Houses begun— Three New Towns
—Mr. Bronson's Services— The Census of 1S20— Condition of the
County— Deer and Salmon— Oswego County Medical Society-
Constitution of 1821- An Oswego County Senator— Oswego Canal
Authorized— The Famous " Seventeen" — The First Circuit Court —
First Chtirch — Anecdote of Aaron Burr — Oswego Canal Built —
Stopping the Salmon — First Oswego County Congressman — The
First Pier— The First Village— The Situation in 1830.
Without pausing on the unimportant year succeeding
the close of the war, we pass at once to an event which
would be of very slight consequence in a general history,
but is of the gi-eatest moment in this local record.
On the first day of March, 1816, the legislature of the
State of New York passed an act forming the county of
Oswego out of the counties of Oneida and Onondaga. Its
boundaries were the same then as now, embracing one town-
ship and thirty-three lots of the IMilitary tract, sixteen
townships of Scriba's patent, and five townships of the
Boylston tract. Its area is one thousand and thirty-eight
square miles. The towns existing at the separate organiza-
tion of the county were Hannibal, Scriba, New Haven,
Volney, Mexico, Richland, Redfield, Williauistown, and
Constantia.
It would appear that when the scheme for a new county
was mooted, there was a strife, as is frequently the case,
between several locations for the county-seat. Oswego
village, small as it was, had the advantage in population,
wealth, and commercial importance ; while the little settle-
ment which afterwards became the village of Mexico, but
which then contained neither store nor tavern, and the still
older settlement of Colosse, divided between them the honor
of being in the centre of the county. Pulaski, too, where
there were as yet but a few log houses, was desirous of
sharing the benefits of being the capital city. Under these
circumstances the extreme eastern and western parts of the
proposed county united their forces and procured the inser-
tion in the law of a provision for two jury districts, with a
court-house in each. Three commissioners, residiuir outside
the county, were appointed by law to select sites for the
court-houses. These made choice of Oswego and Pulaski.
Next came the selection of ofiiccrs. At tliat time all
county officers were appointed by the " council of appoints
ment." The first ones commissioned for Oswego County
were Barnet Mooney, first judge; Henry Williams, Smith
Dunlap, Peter D. Hugunin, David Easton, and Kdmund
Hawks, judges ; Daniel Hawks, Jr., assistant justice ; Elias
Brewster, surrogate ; James Adams, county clerk ; and
John S. Davis, sheriff. The population of the new county
was between six and seven thousand, and as they were
mostly poor, they did not feel like entering at once on the
task of building two court-houses. The first court of com-
mon pleas in the county was held at the school-house in
Oswego village by Peter D. Hugunin and Edmund Hawks,
judges, and Daniel Hawks, Jr., assistant justice. The follow-
ing lawyers, already counsellors of the supreme court, were
admitted to practice in the Oswego common pleas on pre-
sentation of their certificates : Luther Badger, Abraham
P. Vosburgh, John Grant, Jr., and Thomas French.
Three students were admitted on examination, — Henry
White, Levi S. Burr, and George Fisher. The clerk's
office was kept in the private house of the clerk, and was
so kept in private houses or offices, alternating every three
years between Oswego and Pulaski, for forty-five years.
The summer of 1816 was the celebrated "cold summer,"'
when there was a frost every month during the season.
The crops were almost an entire failure. The smallness of
the population, the scantiness of the supplies left over from
the previous year, and the large number of immigrants
requiring food, all combined with the failure of the crops
to raise breadstufls to a very high price, and cause great
suffering among the people. Fortunately, however, the deer
were still abundant in a large part of the county, and the
salmon ran thick in all the streams. These resources sup-
plied to some extent the place of wheat and corn, but still
there was much suffering, and the memory of the " year
without a summer" is deeply impressed on the minds of
the early settlers.
In Marcli of this year an act passed the assembly pro-
viding for the con.struction of the Erie canal. The senate,
however, insisted on further surveys, to which the assembly
agreed. The preparatory work was prosecuted under the
direction of a board of canal commissioners, of which
De Witt Clinton was the leading spirit ; one of the other
members being Joseph Ellicott, the principal surveyor and
agent of the Holland land company in western New
York. At a meeting of the board, in 1815 or '16, the
subject of employing a supervising engineer was under con-
sideration. There were very few engineers in America at
that time, and it was proposed to send to England to obtain
one.
" Stuff and nonsense !" exclaimed Ellicott, who was a
rude, blunt-speaking man ; " what will an English engineer
know about making a three-hundred-mile canal through
the woods and hills and swamps of New York ? He will
want to work with as much nicety and elaboration as if he
were cutting a ditch twenty miles long through some level
English plain. He will make the work cost three times as
much as it ought to, and it won't be finished in a century.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The main thing is to survey a good line, and then have the
men dig the ditch on that line. A good surveyor, accus-
tomed to the woods, will be better than the most scientific
engineer you can find in England."
Ellicott's logic prevailed, and it was thus it happened
that the Oswego County surveyor and pioneer, Benjamin
Wright, together with James Geddes, was selected to
supervise the location and construction of the Erie canal.
The success with which he performed this great work
amply justified the shrewd ideas of Ellicott.
The people of Oswego County were naturally opposed to
a work intended to divert the great and growing western
trade from its time-honored channel past their borders.
They repeated the story of the backwoods philosopher,
who cut two cat-holes in his door, a big one for the old cat
and a small one for the kitten ; and they declared that the
Erie canal was a useless hole for the small commercial cat,
while the big one would always go through Oswego. But
they evidently didn't know how the cat would jump.
The pressure in favor of the new route could not be suc-
cessfully resisted, and, in the spring of 1817, a law author-
izing the construction of a canal was passed, the work being
commenced soon after. These proceedings dispelled the
dream of those who had expected the whole commerce of
the west to pass up the Oswego river. The dwellers on
its shores saw that to get even a share of that commerce
they must be connected with the great artery of the State,
and soon began to take measures to that end.
One event, which tended to revive their hopes of a great
lake-commerce, occurred this same spring. One fine day
the whole population of the little village of Oswego — men,
women, and children — poured out into the streets and
hurried towards the wharf
" It's come ! She's come ! There she is ! See her
come ! Hurrah ! Now we will have some business ! Good
gracious, what a smoke !" such were the mingled exclama-
tions of surprise and pleasure which broke from the lips of
the excited people as they crowded down to the river.
The cause was to be sought in an object out on the lake,
the like of which perhaps not one of the spectators had
ever before seen. Coming from the northeast, and heading
directly towards the harbor, was a large vessel, moving
rapidly without sails or oars, while from a tall pipe rolled a
huge column of smoke. It was the first steamboat west of
the Hudson. It had been built the year before at Sackett's
Harbor by General Brown, Commodore Woolsey, and other
prominent men of that vicinity, had a capacity of four hun-
dred tons, and had been christened the " Ontario," in honor
of the great lake which it was to navigate.
As it came up to the wharf the most extravagant mani-
festations of joy were indulged in by the people, who thought
the steam-boat would certainly beat the canal-boat, and
bring the whole wealth of the west directly to their
wharves. In fact, they were so excited over this new
wonder that they kept up their rejoicings with beating of
drums and blazing bonfires all night long, and until the
steamer departed the next morning. The steamer " Fron-
tenac" was built at Kingston, Canada, the ensuing season,
and ere long a vessel of that kind was no wonder on Lake
Ontario.
We may note in passing that the first term of the com-
mon pleas for the eastern jury district, being the second
in the county, was held on the 4th of February, 1817, at
the school-house in the fourth school-district of Richland
(Pulaski), with Barnet Mooney, the new first judge, pre-
siding, assisted by Judges Hugunin and Dunlap. Jamss
F. Wight, Joseph Pynchon Rosseter, Thomas C. Chitten-
den, Benjamin Wright, and Daniel Wardwell were ad-
mitted to the bar ; most of them (except Wright) being
doubtless outsiders who were already practitioners. It was
provided by law that circuit courts or courts of oyer and
terminer need not be held in the new county until the
circuit judges should decide that it was necessary, and none
were held for several years.
An event which occurred at Oswego in the winter of
1817-18 is curiously illustrative of the manners of the
period. Two Scotchmen, named McDonald and Campbell,
had a quarrel about the wife of the latter. Campbell's
jealousy at length became so great that he challenged Mo-
Donald to fight a duel. The latter accepted, and chose rifles
as the weapons. Each invited a friend to act as second,
but dueling was under the ban of the law, and not at all
popular ; so the persons invited declined to act. Mr. Wil-
liam Squires, who was asked by McDonald to be his sec-
ond, refused, but conquered his scruples sufficiently to lend
his rifle to the duelist.
Being unable to find seconds, the principals determined
to get along without them. The duel came ofi' in due
time, and what distinguishes it from most combats of that
nature was that it was fought on the ice. The field of
battle was on the Oswego river, a little above the mouth,
and near the east side, about in front of where the marine
elevator now stands. At the appointed time, which had
become generally known, a large crowd of men was as-
sembled on the bank, who, though none of them were
disposed to take part in the fight themselves, were all
perfectly willing it should proceed.
The principals had necessarily made their own arrange-
ments, according to which they marked two lines on the
ice ten rods apart. Midway between these lines the
enemies took their places, back to back, with their rifles
at a "carry." When both were ready, they started by
mutual consent, marched steadily to their respective lines,
and faced about. When both were faced, Campbell lifted
his rifle and fired, McDonald following an instant later.
The latter remained unharmed, but Campbell dropped as
if shot through the heart. On examination, however, it
was found that he had only received a fle.sli wound in the
groin.
McDonald hid for a short time, and left for parts un-
known. Campbell, too, soon recovered from his wound,
and made his way to Canada ; but what became of the fair
Helen of this Oswego Iliad history saith not. This battle
on ice was the last display of old-fashioned chivalry within
the limits of Oswego County.
The year 1818 was distinguished for the erection of three
towns. On the 28th of February, Orwell was formed from
Richland ; including within its boundaries the present towns
of Orwell and Boylston. On the 20th of April, the towns
of Oswego and Granby were formed from Hannibal. They
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
li;id nearly tbe same boundaries as now, but the dividing
line was a little farther north, so that a small part of the
jircsent Granby was then in Oswego, which also included
all of the present city on the west side of the river.
lu the summer of 1818, two court-houses were begun at
both Oswego and Pulaski. The one at the former was a
wooden building of very moderate dimensions, designed for
a court-house alone, while that at Pula.ski was a substantial
wooden structure, of which the lower part was intended for
a jail. The buildings were not completed till a year or two
later.
The eastern portion of the canal was now being rapidly
constructed. The Oswego peojile, as well as many others,
were anxious to turn it down to Oswego, and not construct
the western part, — the "hole for the little cat." Failing
in that, the Oswegonians wanted a branch canal from Syra-
cuse down the Oswego river to its mouth. Mr. Bronson,
being at that time the principal merchant and leading
citizen of the county, made fref|uent journeys to Albany in
the interest of his locality. He had not then acquired the
facility with his pen for which he was afterwards noted, but
he furnished a large portion of the facts and arguments
from which S. B. Beach, Esq., and Dr. Walter Colton wrote
pamphlets on the subject.
With a supply of Colton 's pamphlets, Mr. B. went to
Albany, and so impressed the leading friends of the Erie
canal that they obtained an appropriation of twenty-five
thousand dollars for the improvement of the Oswego river.
This was not what was wanted, but was accepted for the
time as a preparatory step towards a branch canal. No
action, however, was taken under the law.
The number of inhabitants in Oswego County by the
census of 1820 was twelve thousand three hundred and
sixty-four. By this time the county had begun to lose its
primitive appearance. A few frame houses had taken the
place of log houses on some of the main roads. The log
school-house at the four corners was, in a few localities, re-
placed by the red frame familiar to the memories of the
present generation. The convenient windlass was some-
times substituted for the picturesque well-sweep, but the
pump was still unknown in the farmer's yard. The clear-
ings had increased rapidly since the war, but even in the
western part of the county there were often many miles of
road to be seen bordered by woods on both sides, and in
the eastern portion the forest held its own with still more
tenacity. Besides Oswego, several little hamlets had begun
to look village-like, — such as Pulaski, Mexico, Fulton, and
Constantia, but there was still not a .solitary church edifice
in the county. The deer still coursed in large numbers
through the woods, and the salmon ascended the .streams
in immense shoals.
Mr. William Squires tells of chasing a door on to the ice
of Lake Ontario, near Oswego, about this time, and fol-
lowing it with his dogs out of .sight of land, until at length
his four-footed assistants caught the fugitive, and brought
it, not to the earth, but to the ice. Mr. Cross, of Pulaski,
relates how, when he was a youngster, in his father's saw-
mill, on Trout brook, in the town of Albion, the salmon
u.sed to come up and collect below the dam in great <|uan-
tities. The mill-man would shut the gate, when the water
would rapidly become shallow, and the salmon start back
towards the river. Then the young man, standing in the
stream, with a pitchfork would throw them out by the score,
catching from two to three hundred in a niirht.
From 1814 to 1820 there had been no member of as-
sembly from Oswego County. In the latter year Theophilus
S. Morgan, of Oswego, served as one of the representatives
of the district composed of Oneida and Oswego counties.
In 1821, the doctors in the county had become suf-
ficiently numerous so that a county medical society was
organized, of which a sketch will be given hereafter. That
year a new State constitution was formed, under which
sheriffs and county clerks were elected by the people of each
county, Orris Hart being the first sheriff' elected in Oswego
County, and Hiram Hubbell the first county clerk.
Senatorial districts were also provided for, each electing
four senators. By the first apportionment under the new
constitution, Oswego County belonged to the fifth district, of
which the other counties were Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis,
Madison, and Oneida. When the nominating convention
of the Bucktail or anti-Clintonian party met, it was de-
termined to give a senator to the now county of Oswego,
and Mr. Alvin Bronson was duly nominated and elected,
being the first senator (chosen fifty-five years ago ) from the
county in which he still resides.
In the classification of senators, Mr. Bronson drew a two-
years' term. He very naturally became the leader of the
movement in favor of the Oswego canal, and finally brought
that movement to a successful issue, obtaining an appropri-
ation of three hundred thousand dollars for that purpose.
He was also, in the latter part of his term, a member of
the celebrated " seventeen" who were the theme of such
wide denunciation and praise over half a century ago.
Previous to that time the presidential electors had beerr
chosen by the legislature. At the session of 1824, in order
to prevent the vote of New York from being cast for Wm.
H. Crawford, a bill was introduced giving the election to
the people. Few were willing to oppose what seemed likely
to be so popular a measure, and it passed the assembly
almost by acclamation. In the senate, however, seventeen
senators defeated the bill, considering that whatever might
be its merits at the proper time, it was a mere i)arty meas-
ure, designed to afl"ect the ensuing presidential election.
For a while they were denounced in the bitterest manner,
and not one of them was re-elected, but in time the reason-
ableness of their action was admitted, the " seventeen"
became popular, and one of their number, Silas Wright,
became a leader of his party in the United States. Mr.
Bronson and Heman J. Iledfield, of Genesee county, arc
now the only survivors of the little band once so widely
celebrated, both being over ninety years of age.
We have spoken of " parties" and " party measures ;" it
would be more correct to say " factions," for in 1824 it
could hardly be said there were any parties in the usual
sense of the word. The Democratic party had swallowed
all others, and the political contests were merely about ques-
tions of local policy, or over rival candidates for office.
It was not until 1823 that the judges of the supreme
court thought Oswego County of sufficient importance to
justify the holding of a circuit within it. The first one wxs
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
held on the 20th of August, in that year, before Hon. Na-
than Williams, circuit judge. Four cases were tried. A
court of oyer and terminer was held the same term, at
which three criminals were tried. In that year, also, Os-
wego County alone was first allowed an assemblyman.
Tlieophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego, was again elected to
that position, and thenceforward the county has always had
a representative in the lower house of the legislature.
In that year (1823), also, the first church edifice in the
county was begun at the little village of Colosse, in the town
of Mexico. It was a substantial frame building, thirty-six
feet by forty-six, and at that time was justly considered as
a remarkable specimen of architecture.
Before a blow was struck on the Oswego canal, the
Oswego people learned with consternation that the Buffalo
member of assembly, Reuben B. Heacoek, had introduced
a bill repealing the law authorizing the Oswego canal. Mr.
Bronson was then out of the senate, but was expected to
take care of the interests of Oswego all the same. He
mounted his horse and started for Albany. On entering
the capital the first man he met was Aaron Burr, who,
twenty-five years before, had been vice-president of the
United States, but was then, in his old age, earning a very
moderate subsistence by his practice at the bar. He knew
Mr. Bronson, having argued cases before him when, as a
senator, that gentleman was a member of the old court of
errors.
" Ah," exclaimed the veteran, as he met the Oswego
merchant, " so you have come to look after your canal, have
you ?"'
" Yes, sir ; that is my main object."
" Well, now, Mr. Bronson, I am disposed to be on your
side ; I am in favor of the Oswego canal, too."
" Well, colonel," said Mr. Bronson, " I believe that all
sensible men are on our side."
"Ah, my young friend," replied the disappointed and
cynical politician, " if you have none but the sensible men,
there is a vast majority against you."
But whether by the aid of the sensible or the senseless,
the Buffalo project was defeated, and the Oswego canal was
begun in 1826, the corner-stone of the first lock being laid
on the 4th of July in that year, the semi-centennial of
American independence. The canal was completed in
1828, at a cost of five hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars.
The greater part of the way the river was turned into a
canal by the erection of dams through which locks were
built for the passage of boats. The building of these dams
seriously interfered with the navigation of the salmon, and
finally stopped it. Over a dam .seven feet high they vaulted
with comparative ease, but when they came to one of the
twelve-feet ones only an occasional very muscular salmon
could leap it, and a twenty-feet dam vanquished them all.
The first congressman from Oswego County was General
Daniel Hugunin, of Oswego village, the young lieutenant of
the war of 1812, who was elected in the autumn of 1824,
but was obliged to go through a contest with the person
holding the certificate, and was not adjudged his seat until
the opening of Congress, in December, 1825. That winter
he obtained an ap{)ropriation by Congress for a pier at
Oswego, the first constructed there by the general govern-
ment. The twentieth congressional district then consisted
of Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence counties,
and was represented by two members.
In 1828 the first village in the county was incorporated,
being, of course, Oswego. Hon. Alvin Bronson was chosen
the first president of the board of trustees. In 1830 the
Welland canal was opened, and the commerce of the upper
lakes began, though slowly at first, to seek the old route up
the Oswego river.
By that year the population of the county had risen to
twenty-.seven thousand one hundred and nineteen, and the
face of the country showed a corresponding improvement.
Churches began to raise their white spires in hamlets here
and there ; frame houses superseded the old log domiciles,
even on many of the back roads ; orchards flourished and
bore fruit on nearly every farm ; the deer and bear receded
eastward, though not entirely abandoning the county ; the
canal was hailed as the harbinger of wealth ; and the people
generally looked forward to a long era of ever-i
prosperity.
CHAPTER XV.
FBOM 1831 TO 1861.
Prosperity — Two Now Towns — Speculation — Departed Greatness —
The "Hard Times"— The "Patriot War"— Adventure of the
Steamer " United States"— The " Oswego Patriot"- John Cochrane
—West Monroe— Slow Progress— The Agricultural Society— Re-
viving Prosperity — Lake Commerce — Another Son of Steam — The
Syracuse and Oswego Railroad — The Rome and Watcrtown Railroad
— Oneida River Improvement— First Plank-Road in the Union—
The Oswego and Rome Plank-Road— Lively Times- Other Plank-
Roads — Stage-Routes — L.arge Increase — The Reciprocity Treaty-
Approach of War.
For several years Oswego County with the rest of the
country enjoyed great prosperity. Population and wealth
increased. Business flowed along the line of the canal,
and its vivifying influence permeated the whole county.
Two new towns were formed, Schroeppel and Palermo being
both taken from Volney on the 4th of April, 1832. New
villages started up here and there, the growth of which will
be described in the township histories. Oswego made rapid
progress towards becoming a city. Soon came the celebrated
era of speculation, extending through 1834, 1835, and part
of 1836, when nearly all the people in the United States
thought they were going to get rich at once, by the rise of
land. Oswego County and especially Oswego village had
their delusions like the rest of the country, but did not
become quite so exalted as Buffalo and a few other western
localities.
By a curious coincidence, marking well the " irony of
fate," it was just when the flush times were at their climax,
when half the people on Scriba's patent thought themselves
on the highroad to wealth, that George Scriba, once the
owner of half a million acres of land, the liberal proprietor,
the enterprising citizen, master of towns, and founder of
cities, died at Constantia, in hopeless poverty, at the age of
eighty-four. He had long been a bankrupt, but had been
HISTORY OF {)S\VK(!() COIINTV, NKW VOItK.
allowed to retain a siiiiiU homcstoiul out of tlu^ iiuuieiise
tract he had once Ciilled his own, ami then' W liad soon a
new world grow up around him, — a world of which ho had
once hoped to bo the leading spirit, but in which he had
now no part, save what was accorded to the pitying memory
of the past.
In 18;JG came the crash, when all the imaginary wealth
of the country faded out of existence, leaving behind only
a beggarly account of worthless mortgages. The depression
was as deep as the excitement had been great, and for several
years the " hard times" pressed on the people with a weight
which has never been equaled, nor even approached, in
later days.
In 1837 and 1838 the troubles in Canada, known as the
" Patriot War," ran their somewliat ridiculous course.
Nearly all the people along the northern frontier of the
United States sympathized more or less with the insurgents,
commonly called the " Patriots," not so much on account
of their grievances as because it was natural for Americans
to sympathize with any revolt against British power.
Secret lodges of " Hunters" were formed all along the
frontier, money and supplies were forwarded to the " pa-
triots," and some armed men crossed the border. In No-
vember, 1838, the steamer " United States," then considered
the pride of the inland lakes, lay in the harbor of Oswego,
under the command of Captain James Vaii Cleve. A large
number of "patriots," under one General Von Schultz, had
come on board, and the captain was unwilling to set forth
down the St. Lawrence. But some of the owners decided
that she must go on the 11th, and go she did, with the
" patriots" still on board, and with two of the owners of the
steamer also on board. Two schooneis were seen near the
entrance of the St. Lawrence, which the owners just men-
tioned said they wanted to help through to Ogdensburgh.
Captain Van Cleve took them in tow, one on each side of
the " United States." In a short time the hatches were
raised, and a large number of armed men swarmed out of
the hold and boarded the steamer.
Captain Van Cleve was afraid of trouble, and wanted to
run the steamer and schooners ashore in Alexandria bay,
but the owners decided difl'erently, and on they went to
Ogdensburgh.
Captain W. S. Malcolm, of Oswego, who was then acting
;is United States deputy marshal, on secret service, had been
sent down to Ogdensburgh a week or two before to watch
the movements of the " patriots," and was there when the
'■ United States" arrived. The town swarmed with " pa-
triots," and it was soon noised around that they would use
the " United States" for the purpo.se of making an incursion
into Canada. The captain and engineer left the vessel. A
crowd of " patriots" (juickly took possession of it, under
the command of a General Birge, of Syracuse, and began
seeking for a pilot. Some one espied Captain Malcolm,
who stood near watching their proceedings, and exclaimed, —
'■ Here is Captain Malcolm ; he has commanded the
' United States,' and knows every harbor on the lakes or the
St. Lawrence ; he can pilot her."
The captain was immediately seized and forced to board
the vessel, which soon set out on its voyage of invasion.
His services, however, were not at first rci|iiir(d, as the
G
regular wheelsman was well ae(|uaint<;d with the channel.
The " United States" ran down and landed most of the
forces on board her at " Windmill point," some three miles
below Prescott, whither General Von Schultz and the rest
of the " patriots" crossed in boats about the same time. The
subsequent conflict and the defeat of the insurgents at the
point just mentioned are beyond our purview, and we only
mention what occurred on the " United States" because it
was to some extent connected with Oswego.
As that steamer neared Ogdensburgh she was fired into by
the armed British steamer " Experiment," the ball striking
the head of the wheelsman and instantly killing him. Cap-
tain Malcolm and a '■ patriot" colonel were standing near the
wheel-house at the time.
"Take the wheel, Malcolm," exclaimed the colonel;
" the man is killed." Captain M., seeing that the vessel
would be destroyed unless he did .so, stepped into the wheel-
house, and, standing over the prostrate form of the slain
man, guided the steamer amid a storm of balls into the
mouth of the Oswegatchie, and ran her on a bar. He im-
mediately took away some important parts of her engine,
so as to prevent her being again used by the raiders.
Colonel Worth soon came with a body of regulars, and
placed a guard on board of the " United States." Captain
Malcolm, however, remained in charge, and took her up to
Sackett's Harbor, where she was kept by the government
for a year or so, but was finally relesised.
The prevalent feeling along the frontier was fanned by a
newspaper called T/ie Oswego Putrio/, especiidly devoted to
the cause of the insurgent Canadians, and we think the
only downright organ that they had, though many papers
favored them. The I'ulriu/. was issued from the PallaiUam
office, and its editor, after a brief trial of another man, was
the young Oswego lawyer, John Cochrane, since so renowned
as an ardent politician of New Vork city. It is safe to say
that his editorials were of the most enthusiastic description,
and if armies were to be beaten by glowing words, those of
Great Britain would have been annihilated by three or four
discharges ol' 7%e Oswego Fatilot.
But in spite of young Cochrane's thunders, and of more
material aid covertly furnished by sympathizing Americans,
the "patriot" war came to an end in the forepart of 1839,
with an infinitely small amount of bloodshed. Dorephus
Abbey, the early printer of Oswego, was one of the few
who lost their lives, having been hung by the British gov-
ernment for his part in the rebellion. The truth Wiis, the
people of Canada did not think they were much oppressed,
and so tlie rebellion failed for lack of rebels.
In 1839, on the 21st of March, the town of West Mon-
roe was formed from Constantia, embracing the territory of
the old survey-town.ship of Delft, — No. 12 of Scriba's pat-
ent. Since that time no new town has been organized, and
West Monroe is still the youngest of the Oswego County
family.
By the United States census of 1840 the total population
of the county was forty-three thousand six hundred and
nineteen, an increase of only five thousand three hundred
in five years. This showed the result of " hard times" very
plainly, for during the semi-decade from 1830 to 1835 the
iiicrcjusc had been over eleven thonsand.
74
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
It was not until 1840 that the Oswego County Agricul-
tural Society was organized, that event occurring on the
1st of February in that year. The first president was N.
G. White, and the first fair was held at Oswego, coni-
mencing on the 7th of the following October. For fifteen
years the location of the fiiir was changed each year. A
more full description of the society will be given farther on.
With the new decade the condition of the county began
slowly to improve ; yet it was several years ere it had
fairly recovered from the " hard times." From about
1844, however, until 1857 was a season of very general
prosperity. The log houses almost entirely disappeared.
The old red frames which in early times had been the resi-
dences of the most prominent men in each rural district
now looked shabby and forlorn beside the handsome white
form-houses, with green blinds, which rose in every direc-
tion. The cleared ground was extended on every side, and
the greater part of the county took on all the characteristics
which distinguish an old from a new country. The com-
merce, too. which passed through the Oswego canal, Lake
Ontario, and the Welland canal continually
The appearance of the lake, too, at least in
changed with that of the land. Where once the broad ex-
panse had been broken only by the solitary canoe of the
savage, and later by the occasional bateau of the fur-trader,
now schooners and sloops and brigs swept in rapid succes-
sion befoi-e the breeze over the rippling surface, deeply
loaded with the grain of Canada and Ohio and Michigan,
and of still more distant fields, or bearing in return the
manufactures of the east and the immigrant of Europe.
Among these white-winged burden-bearers, too, was often
seen the dark cloud of smoke which denoted the presence
of the less picturesque but more rapid steamboat, crowded
with passengers of the better class, for whom, before the
completion of the Central railroad, the Lake Ontario steamer
was the principal means of summer travel. The " United
States," the " Bay State," the " Northerner," the " Onta-
rio," the " New York," the " Cataract," the " Niagara,"
and numerous other steamers navigated the lake, landing
and receiving passengers at and from Oswego by thousands,
and freight by hundreds of tons. The first propeller on
the lakes was built at Oswego, in 1842, by Sylvester Doo-
little, of that place, — now the proprietor of the Doolittle
House, — and numerous others speedily followed.
Meanwhile, however, another son of steam had been
born ; another agent had taken its place among the instru-
ments of modern civilization, destined apparently to surpass
the canal, the steamboat, and all the other methods of trans-
portation previously known. A company had been formed
to build a railroad from Oswego to Syracuse as early as
1839, and a route was surveyed the same year. But the
times were not propitious, and nothing moi-e was done for
over seven years. In March, 1847, the company was fully
organized under the name of the Oswego and Syracuse
railroad company, and work was begun the same season.
During that and the succeeding years the enterprise was
pushed rapidly forward. In October, 1848, it was com-
pleted, and the iron horse every day went screaming up
and down the west bank of the Oswego, where not so very
long since the Indian war-whoop had sounded ; where Eng-
lish and French and Americans had met in deadly conflict ;
where the burden-bearing squaw had been succeeded by the
ox-cart ; the ox-cart by the stage-coach ; the stage-coach by
the canal-boat ; and where now the valiant captain of the
passenger-packet saw his brief reign brought to an untimely
close by the advent of the locomotive engineer.
The Rome and Watertown railroad company showed a
much longer hiatus between its organization and the begin-
ning of its labors. The former was accomplished in 1832,
but it was not until November, 1848, that work was actu-
ally commenced at Rome. In the autumn of 1849 the
road was completed to Camden, Oneida county. The next
year the most of the work in Oswego County was done, and
in May, 1851, the road was in running order to Pierrepont
Manor, a short distance north of the county line. This
road crossed the towns of Amboy (barely a corner), Wil-
liam.stown, Albion, Richland, and Sandy Creek, and fur-
nished a market to a large section of the county which had
previously been almost without one. On being subsequently
extended to Watertown, it took the name of the Watertown,
Rome and Ogdensburg i-ailroad.
Another public work of this era was the improvement of
the Oneida river. In 1846 a steamboat was placed on
Oneida lake, and the dwellei-s on its shores began to hope
for a renewal of the old times when that was the great
route of western travel and commerce. An appropriation
to improve the navigation of the river was obtained from
the legislature. A coffer-dam was built at Fort Brewerton
to deepen the channel. A lock was also built at Coughde-
noy, four miles below Fort Brewerton, and another at Oak
Orchard creek, five miles farther down. This furnished
ample means of communication between lakes Oneida and
Ontario, but has not resulted in diverting any great amount
of travel from the Syracuse route.
In this period, too, some one, tired of the terrible roads
of those days, conceived the idea of covering some of the
principal ones with four-inch plank (as being cheaper than
turnpiking or macadamizing them), the expense to be re-
paid by tolls. In 1845 a charter was granted for a com-
pany to build such a road from Salina, Onondaga county,
to Central Square, in the town of Hastings, Oswego County.
In 1846 the road was completed, being the first " plank-
road" built in the United States. This example was soon
followed in other localities, and for a few years there was a
mania for building plank-roads all over the country.
Nowhere was it more prevalent than in Oswego County.
The Rome and Oswego plank-road company was orgauized
in 1847, and the road, running through Scriba, New Haven,
Mexico, Albion, and William.stown. was built immediately
afterwards, being finished in the spring of 1848. During
the following summer it was crowded with business. Large
numbers of passengers came down the lake from the west,
landed at Oswego, took the stage to Rome, and thence went
eastward by rail. Others fi-om the east went over the same
route in the opposite direction. Five coaches were fre-
quently dispatched from Oswego the same morning, each
with nine passengers inside and eight outside, besides the
driver, making eighty-five passengers in all. Nothing
could be more exhilarating than a ride on the outside on
a fine day. With the sun shining brightly, and the air
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
75
full of vigor, the four spanking horses went at a rattling
gait over the smooth new road, whirling the deliglited pas-
sengers over hill and dale, past smiling farms, pleasant vil-
lages, and cool-looking groves, and landing theiu at Rome
after a ten-hours' ride of unsurpassed excitement. But all
the while the iron horse, as has before been said, was
making his way down the Oswego. Coaches went out to
meet him as he approached, and when, in October, 1848,
he came screaming into the new city, the great stage-route
was destroyed, so far as through travel was concerned.
The Oswego and Syracuse plank-road was begun in
184S. It ran from Oswego, thirty-two miles, to Liverpool,
Onondaga county, connecting there with a road to Syra-
cuse. The Oswego, Hannibal and Sterling plank-road,
built about the same time, ran from Oswego to Hannibal,
with a branch to Sterling, Cayuga county. The Oswego
and Hastings Centre plank-road was begun in 1849. The
Williamstown and Pulaski plank-road was another of the
productions of this period, while stiil another ran from
Constantia to FuTton. All these roads have been given up
so far as the plank part was concerned. The worn-out
planks have been removed and the toll-gates abandoned.
Railroad rivalry has ruined some of them, but the general
cause of their failure has been the rapid destruction of
their material under the wear of travel. Besides, as the
county progresses, the people can afford to make bettor
gravel-roads, and do not so much feel the need of any other
kind.
As railroads advanced the stages gave way. Yet as late
as 1857 there was a daily line from Oswego to Pulaski ;
another from Oswego to Kasoag ; another from Oswego to
Auburn, and still another from Oswego to Richland Sta-
tion, — while a tri-weekly ran from Oswego to Rochester.
Across these ran other routes, — south from Pulaski to
Brewerton, and thence to Syracuse and northward to
Watertown, etc. In twenty years nearly all have passed
away, — an occasional tri-weekly or semi-weekly route tra-
versed by a Concord wagon, with a span of horses, only
emphasizing more thoroughly the loss of the staging glories
of the past.
By the census of 1850, the population of the county was
sixty-two thousand one hundred and ninety-eight, an in-
crease of eighteen thousand five hundred and seventy-nine
over that of 1840. Business was evidently looking up. In
1854 the celebrated reciprocity treaty was entered into be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, by which
nearly all the natural productions of British America were
admitted into the United States free of duty, as were those
of this country into those provinces. By the operations of
this treaty the business of the Oswego canal was largely in-
creased. This, of course, increased the business of Oswego
city and the villages along the canal ; and these, again, by
furnishing a better market, and causing a general financial
activity, promoted the welfare of the towns. The imports
of the port of Oswego became by the close of 1860 more
than four- fold what they were in 1854.
The census of 1860 showed a population in Oswego
County of seventy-five thousand nine hundred and fifty-
eight, an increase of thirteen thousand seven hundred and
sixty during the decade.
This was a handsome incrca.se, though not as large as
that of the previous decade. But the events of that and
the succeeding years put in the background questions of
increase of business and population, and concentrated tiie
thoughts of all American citizens on subjects of vital and
instant import;ince.
The election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidencj- by
the Republican party, in the autumn of 1860, was followed
by the revolt of seven southern States, while four others
stood ready to join them at the first excuse, and all the
rest of the south was exceedingly dubious in its loyalty.
The rebel Confederacy was formed. Treason organized its
forces and sharpened its weapon.s, and no power could be
found in the constitution to prevent the destruction of the
nation. The citizens of Oswego County, like all the h>yal
north, looked on with astonishment and anger. Thus the
winter and the early spring wore away, and all was rips for
a terrific explosion.
CHAPTER XVL
OSWEGO IN THE REBELLION.
First War Me
ig— The Twcnty-fuurth Itegii
No portion of the Empire State exhibited more patriot-
ism, or responded with greater alacrity to the president's
call for volunteers, than the county of Oswego. The light-
ning had scarcely fl;ished along the wires, convoying the
intelligence to the expectant north that Major Anderson
and his gallant band had surrendered as prisoners of war,
when a meeting was held in the city of Oswego, April 16,
1861, and measures adopted for the immediate fin-raation
of a regiment. Recruiting was rapidly pushed forward,
and on the morning of April 26, 1861, a company, under
the command of the intrepid John D. O'Brien, who was
the first captain of volunteers commissioned in the State of
New York under the president's first call for seventy-five
thousand troops, proceeded to Elmira. His was the first
company to rendezvous at that subsequently celebrated sta-
tion. They found nothing prepared for them, and while
barracks were being erected wore tpiartered in a barrel-fac-
tory. While here they were joined by Companies B and
G, under command of Captains Edward M. Paine and
Frank Miller. These three companies established a mili-
tary encampment, and assumed the pomp and circumstance
of war.
The following companies soon after reported at Elmira,
and on the 17th day of May, 1861, were mustered into the
United States service as the Twenty-fourth Regiment, New
York State Volunteers, by Captain Sitgreaves, of the United
States Army : Company D, from the town of Parish, under
command of Captain Molzar Richards, subsequently lieu-
tenant-colonel of the Twenty-fourth Cavalry ; Company E,
from Volney, Captain Orville Jennings ; Company F, from
Oswego city. Captain Archibald Preston ; Company G,
IVom Sandy Creek, Captain W. D. Ferguson, subsequently
majir in the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth llegimeut ;
76
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Company H, from A''olney, Captain Albeit Taylor, after-
wards major of the Twenty-fourth Cavah-y ; Company I,
from Oswego city, Captain Levi Beardsley ; and Company
K, from Ellisburg, Jefferson county, Captain Andrew J.
Barney, who was subsequently promoted to major.
The following were the regimental and line ofiBcers :
Colonel, Timothy Sullivan ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Samuel
R. Beardsley ; Major, Jonathan Tarbell ; Surgeon, J. B.
Murdoch, M.D. ; Assistant Surgeon, Lawrence Reynolds,
M.D. ; Adjutant, Robert Oliver, Jr. ; Quartermaster,
Charles T. Richardson ; Chaplain, Rev. Mason Gallagher.
Line Officers. — Company A, Captain, John D. O'Brien ;
First Lieutenant, Samuel H. Brown; Second Lieutenant,
Daniel C. Hubbard.
Company B, Captain, Edward M. Paine ; First Lieuten-
ant, B. Hutcheson ; Second Lieutenant, William L.
Yeckley.
Company C, Captain, Frank Miller ; First Lieutenant,
John Rattigan ; Second Lieutenant, William L. Peavey.
Company D, Captain, Melzar Richards ; First Lieuten-
ant, Severin Beaulieu ; Second Lieutenant, William Wills.
Company E, Captain, Orville J. Jennings; First Lieu-
tenant, Richard J. Hill ; Second Lieutenant, Ten Eyck G.
Pawling.
Company F, Captain, Archibald Preston ; First Lieuten-
ant, Patrick Cleary ; Second Lieutenant, Thomas Murray.
Company G, Captain, William D. Ferguson ; First Lieu-
tenant, Calvin Burch ; Second Lieutenant, Henry B. Corse.
Company H, Captain, Albert Taylor ; First Lieutenant,
Henry Sandorel ; Second Lieutenant, Edson D. Goit.
Company I, Captain, Levi Beardsley ; First Lieutenant,
Theo. Dalrymple ; Second Lieutenant, Noi-man Holly.
Company K, Captain, Andrew J. Barney ; First Lieu-
tenant, John P. Buckley ; Second Lieutenant, Jonathan
R. Ayers.
After being uniformed and equipped the regiment pro-
ceeded to Washington, via Baltimore, marching through
that rebellious city with loaded muskets and bayonets fixed.
They first encamped on Kalorama Heights (Mud Hill), and
soon after marched to Meridian Hill, where they remained
until the battle of Bull Run, disciplining and perfecting
themselves in the school of the soldier.
On Sunday, the 21st day of July, 1861, was fought the
disastrous battle of Bull Run. During the day the boom-
ing of the guns from that sanguinary field was plainly
heard in the camp of the Twenty-fourth, and at the close
of the day an order was received to move to Chain Bridge.
Night had already set in when the regiment marched to the
arsenal and exchanged their Springfield muskets for the
more effective Enfield rifle. While preparations were being
made during the night, an order came to move to Fort Al-
bany, about three miles distant from Washington. On the
morning of the 22d the First Oswego Regiment steadily
and beautifully marched down Fourteenth street, in Wash-
ington, and, notwithstanding the heavy shower there was
falling, they were cheered and animated by the waving of
hats, handkerchiefs, and small flags, which were occasionally
to be seen along the march through the not over-loyal capital
city of our country, and nowise disheartened by the retreat-
ing and demoralized forces in full flisiht from the scene of
our first defeat. In twos and threes and larger groups they
met the Garibaldi Guards and other regiments, with broken
weapons and lost accoutrements, and bleeding with wounds,
filled with dismay and tidings of disaster, with stories of
pressing hordes of Black Horse Cavalry, — men without
oflBcers, and ofiicers without men. It was any other than a
cheering prospect for the members of the Twenty-fourth,
but, never daunted, they passed them by with words of
encouragement and pressed to the front.
At Bailey's Cross-Roads the regiment was deployed as a
picket guard, and through the night rested on their arms, —
the only organized force between the victorious Confederates
and the city of Washington. An occasional shot exchanged
during the night told to the pursuing and victorious army
that it had met with a barrier to its further progress.
During the following three weeks, without a tent, blanket,
or baggage of any description, the Twenty-fourth held the
picket-line, and awaited the organization of the scattered
army. It is a part of the history of this regiment, and
merits mention, to state that while ■ statiolied at the cross-
roads it was supported by two guns of Sherman's battery,
and when, at the close of the three weeks, it was relieved
by another regiment, its discipline and bearing was in such
marked conti'ast with that of the Twenty-fourth that the
ofiicer commanding the battery deemed it no longer safe to
remain on the outpost, and retired within the earthworks.
On being relieved they encamped in the pine-woods, and
soon after on Arlington Heights, where they were brigaded
with the Fourteenth New York (Brooklyn Zouaves), the
Twenty-second and Thirtieth New York Volunteera, and
some three months later the Second United States Sharp-
shooters, under the command of General Keyes.
During the fall the regiment broke camp and moved
to Upton's Hill, where they built Fort Upton, and passed
the first winter. During the winter Brigadier-General
Keyes was relieved by General C. C. Augur in the com-
mand of the brigade. While here General McClellan
assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, and the
Twenty fourth at once entered upon a life of dress-parade
and reviews, held in awe by the ominous-looking Quaker
guns at Manassas and Centreville. In the spring of 1862
the grand Army of the Potomac moved. The Twenty-
fourth advanced to Bristoe Station, where they remained
about one week, and then marched to Catlett's Station, six
miles farther west. Here began its severest duty and
heavy marching. They started for Fredericksburg, and,
after a weary march of twenty miles, halted, and had
scarcely divested themselves of their accoutrements when
they were startled by a rifle-shot immediately in front. It
was soon learned that a Federal sharpshooter in the van of
the brigade bad shot a courier for refusing the countersign,
and upon his body was found an order requiring the com-
mand to press forward. There was no time for questions
or delays. They immediately pressed forward, and on the
following morning reached Falmouth, where they had an
engagement with the enemy, defeating and driving them
across the Rappahannock river. The artillery at once
opened a destructive fire, dislodging the enemy and driving
them from the river. The Twenty-fourth was warmly re-
ceived in Falmouth by the colored population, who lined the
HISTORY or O.SWKGO COUNTY, NEW YOHK.
I on eitlier hand, and as the troops marched through,
with fla^ flyhig and the bands phiying "Dixie," could but
clasp their hands in thankful prayer, while some upon their
knees, with tjars streaming down their black faces, ex-
claimed, " Bress da Lj'd ! Bress de L )'d ! I knowed ye
was comin", and here ye is." They had endured one of
the severest marches of the campaign, and, in consequence
of the condition of the roads, and the incredibly short time
in which it was made, received from the commanding gen-
eral the name of the "Iron Brigade," a designation worthily
bestowed.
Camp-life at Falmouth was varied by frequent inarches
and countermarches from camp to Spott.sylvania and Front
Royal, in Shenandoah valley, to intercept Jackson and
liis raiders. While camped at Falmouth this brigade
pjtssed from the command of General Augur to the com-
mand of General Hatch, the son of a former Oswegonian,
M. P. Hatch. The command of the division pas.sed from
General McDowell to General King, the former assuming
command of the corps, and General John Pope the Army
of Virginia. By these changes the Twenty-fourth became
the senior regiment of the First brigade and First army
corps of the army, which they maintained until the First
corps was terminated by the exjiiration of term of service
of the two-years' men.
General Burnside relieved them at Fredericksburg, and
they marched to Cedar Mountain, where Pope fought the
battle of Cedar or Slaughter Mountain. From this place,
August 9, 1862, commenced what is known as Pope's re-
treat, the First Oswego Regiment occupying the post of
honor, the rearguard. About this time was fought the
battle of Sulphur Springs, in which the Twenty-fourth
Regiment was under fire, supporting a battery of artillery.
At times the cloud of dust that betrayed the position of
the foe was plainly seen, and oftentimes was uncomfortably
near. At Rappahannock Station the regiment was under
fire, and Company B, being deployed as skirmishers, beheld
without protest the planting of a rebel battery ; the first
shi)t from which killed a man in Company D. After an
artillery duel, which lasted during that day and part of the
next, the march was taken up along the main thoroughfare
known as the Warrenton turnpike, and continued until
August 28, when Gainsville Wiis reached. Here commenced
a series of engagements known in history as the second
battle of Bull Run.
The following was the po.sitiou of the opposing forces:
The Army of Virginia, numbering forty thousand strong,
under General John Pope, was in retreat towards Mana.ssas
railroad, for the purpose of forming a junction with General
McClellan. Pope was closely followed by Stonewall Jack-
son, with an army of thirty thousand ; while General
Longstreet was pressing up the valley of the Shenandoah,
his objective point being Thoroughfare Gap, in Bull Run
mountain. Pope in the mean time thought to arrest Jack-
sun by decoying him to press our retreat until Franklin's
division, hourly expected from Alexandria, could attack
him in the rear, and thus destroy Jackson before Longstreet
could arrive with his force. The latter, however, was one
day's march nearer the Gap than General Pope had sup])osed,
and when he charsxed Jackson, that wily general drew in
his flanks, thereby leading Pope to believe him in retreat,
who rapidly pressed forward, with the assurance that
Franklin would soon open a rear attack. Franklin, how-
ever, was not there, but Longstreet was with his force of
thirty thousand men, and the entire army under the com-
mand of General Robert E. Lee.
During the night of the 28th of August, the Twenty-
fourth supported Gibbon's brigade. Some time during the
night word w;is silently passed that the enemy had out-
flanked them, and were close on them both front and rear.
In the dead hour of the night, silently and stealthily King's
division crept out from between these superior forces. Not
a sound was heard as on a double-cjuick they escaped from
this trap, marching upon the soft sod and in the grass until
daylight brought them to Manassas Junction. After a
brief halt at this point they proceeded to Ccntreville.
At five o'clock in the evening of August 29, 1862,
General Pope, •believing that Porter was advancing, in
compliance with orders sent him, ordered an attack on
Jackson's right, supposing it to be the right of the entire
Confederate force in the field. The attack was made along
the Warrenton turnpike by King's division, then com-
manded by Hatch, of McDonald's corps, who, trusting to
find the enemy in full retreat, took the men forward with
an impetuosity akin to rashness. Instead of finding the
enemy retreating he was confronted, after marching nearly
f>ne mile, by a large force, under the command of Generals
Hood and Evans, of Hill's division. The regiment was un-
der the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Beardsley. A fierce
struggle, lasting nearly oneliour, took place, mainly between
Hatch's brigade, commanded by Colonel Sullivan, of the
Twenty-fourth, and Doubleday's brigade, on the Union side,
and A. P. Hill's division on the Confederate. This fierce
contest is thus vividly described by an eye-witness :
"All day Friday the Twenty-fourth supported a regiment
of artillery in sight of the battle, which was raging in a
natural basin of many miles' extent. At evening, when
the long shadows of twilight were creeping over the land,
the regiment moved forward to harass the retreating foe.
The red dust lay in suSbcatiug thickness in the road
through which we pas.sed on the double-quick, stirring it
up beneath our feet until it hung in great clouds about
us, shrouding the landscape from view. Down the road
we dashed and through a creek, on the opposite bank of
which, on his horse, sat General McDowell, hat in hand,
with clenched fist menacing the air ; as the regiment ap-
proached he inquired, —
" ' What regiment is that?'
" ' The Twenty-fourth New York,' was the reply.
" ' Hurrah for the Twenty-fourth New York ! Give it to
them, boys ! give it to them ! They are on the run ; don"t
let them stop ; remember your country, and remember
Bull Run !'
"An answering cheer rose to our lips, ;ls through the
suff'ocating dust we rushed along. Soon a retiring battery
is met.
" ' What's the matter, boys ?'
" ' Out of ammunition.'
" ' Close up, and forward ! Forward !' and away we go ;
and still the twilight dee[)ens and the shadows gather round.
78
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUiNTY, NEW YORK.
Suddenly an ominous flash of fire, and a report of artillery
immediately in front, and the whiz and whistle of grape
and canister greeted our ears, and exploding shells burst
among us. We immediately flanked out of the road and
into the bed of a creek out of the immediate rake of their
batteries, until covered by the embankment of the creek,
about ten feet in height, up which we scrambled. No
attempt at order then, and short time was there for organ-
izing on its brow.
" The top of that bluff revealed a stone wall, at the right
from which hundreds of guns poured their murderous fire
among us. Upon the rise of ground in front appeared a
very wall of fire, and in the open brush and wood at the
left was a large force of the enemy, and fire answering
fire. Upward ! forward ! nothing fearing till the very crest
of the hill was reached and bayonets crossed. Two brigades
of intrepid, enthusiastic youths crossed bayonets with an
army numbering sixty thousand men. Who could endure
it? what amount of patriotism or love of country could
stand in that holocaust of fire and death ? Back ! alas,
back ! Slowly but surely back ! Ah ! what is that ? Forth
steps a youth, his pale face lighted up, and made paler by
the flashing lines of fire from three sides of that fatal
square. His musket and his hat raised in front, his foot-
steps press forward, while back he casts his fiice and shouts,
' Be brave, men ; don't run like cowards; forward ! and follow
nie ! I'll lead you !' 'Twas but a second, yet many saw
how Marvin Cozzens fell. While like a wall came up a
line of bristling bayonets, and the words from the hoarse
throat of a mounted ofiicer rang out, ' Steady, steady,
Hampton legion !' and on they passed over the dead and
over the wounded and the dying. They passed, and back-
ward we .slowly yielded the ground, until the darkness in-
creased and threw its merciful folds over the scene of carn-
age, and silence reigned. The battle of Grovetown was
fought and lost."
In this engagement the regiment lost twenty-nine killed,
one hundred and eighty-six wounded, and one hundred and
twenty-four missing. Among the killed was Major Bar-
ney, who fell gallantly fighting at the head of his command.
From the battle-field of Bull Run the history of the
Iron brigade is the history of the army. Associated with
the First corps, it followed its marching, camping, battles,
and glory. At South Mountain, with but a handful of men,
they again met the same enemy that had so severely han-
dled them on that fatal Friday night, and at the point of
the bayonet utterly routed and defeated them. In this
charge the regiment was under the command of the gallant
John D. O'Brien. The battle of Antietam soon followed,
and the Twenty-fourth rendered gallant service in driving
the Confederate forces back into Virginia. In this battle
the regiment was also under the command of Captain
O'Brien, who was wounded.
After an encampment of six weeks at Sharpsburg, Mary-
land, the First corps, with a squadron of cavalry, crossed the
Potomac at New Berlin, and fought the enemy in skirmishes
and raids along the difl"erent gaps in the mountains, forcing
the Confederates back upon their Richmond defenses. From
Warrenton, whore the command of the armies passed to Gen-
eral Burnside, the First corps and the Iron brigade marched
across the country to Brook's Station, on the Aquia creek
and Fredericksburg railroad. In Burnside's attack on Fred-
ericksburg it occupied the extreme left. At first Freder-
icksburg, Company B held the picket-line, under command
of W. L. Yeckley. The whole army retired and left them,
fearing that by withdrawing the picket the retreat would
be discovered. And it was not until the pontoons were
about to be withdrawn that the company was recalled
from their perilous position, and the bridge immediately re-
moved. After this unsuccessful assault the army retired to
Belle Plain, on the Potomac, and went into winter quarters.
In December occurred what was known as Burnside's
famous " mud march." In this march the army advanced
nine miles in three days and then returned to their old
camp. During the remainder of the winter nothing oc-
curred to relieve the ceaseless monotony of camp life.
In the following May, under " fighting Joe' Hooker, the
Potomac was again crossed, and the Iron brigade occupied
the extreme left in Reynolds' division, and in that order
went into the second battle of Fredericksburg. During the
engagement the brigade was withdrawn from the left of the
army and sent to support the Eleventh corps, on the ex-
treme right at Chancellorsville, and when the retreat was
ordered it covered the movement as the rear-guard, and
was the last to cross the Rappahannock river. The Twenty-
fourth did picket duty along the Rappahannock river from
this time until May 17, 1863, when, their term of enlist-
ment having expired, they were ordered to Elmira, New York,
where they were mustered out of the United States service,
on the 29th day of May, 1863.
The battle-flag of the Twenty-fourth bears the following
inscriptions : " Falmouth ; Sulphur Springs ; Rappahannock
Station ; Gainesville ; Groveton ; Manassas ; South Moun-
tain ; Antietam ; first Fredericksburg ; second Fredericks-
burg ; Chancellorsville. ' '
CHAPTER XVII.
OS"WEGO IN THE EEBELLIOBT.
The Eighty-first Regiment.
The result of the battle of Bull Run, while it carried
enthusiasm to the south and gave the Confederacy fresh
evidence of the valor of its soldiery, fired the northern
heart with a determination to at once organize an army of
six hundred thousand strong, and no longer be compelled
to submit to the humiliation of acting on the defensive, but
open at once an aggressive campaign.
President Lincoln issued a call for three hundred thou-
sand men, and soon after followed with another call for three
hundred thousand more, and under this proclamation the
Eighty-first, otherwise designated as the Second Oswego
Regiment, was raised.
It was mustered into the United States service, on the
14th of September, 1861, by Captain D. B. McKibbin, of
the Fourteenth United States Infantry.
The following were the field and stafi' oflScers : Colonel,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
79
Edwin Rose; Lieutenant-Colonel, Jacol) J. Do Forest;
Major, John McAnibly ; Surgeon, Wm. II. Uiec ; Assist-
ant Surgeon, Carrington Maefarlane ; Adjutant, Edward
A. Cooke; Quartermaster, Roger A. Francis; Cliaplain,
David SIcFarland ; Sergeant-Major, James L. Belden ;
Commissary-Sergeant, N. H. Green ; Quartermasler-Ser-
geant. John F. Young ; Hospital Steward, C. S. Hart ;
Drum-Major, W. S. Winters.
Line Officers.— Company A, Captain, William C. Raul-
ston ; First Lieutenant, Hamilton Littlufield, Jr. ; Second
Lieutenant, Elias A. Fish.
Company B, Captain, Augustus G. Bennett; First Lieu-
tenant, Hugh Anderson; Second Lieutenant, Jlartin J. De
Forest.
Company C, Captain, Franklin Hannahs ; First Lieuten-
ant, Orin J. Fitth ; Second Lieutenant, Setli J. Steves.
Company D, Captain, L. C. Adkiris ; First Lieutenant,
John G. Phillips ; Second Lieutenant, R. D. S. Tyler.
Company E, Captain, Lyman M. Kingman ; First Lieu-
tenant, W. C. Newberry; Second Lieutenant, D. G. Harris.
Company F, Captain, T. Dwight Stow; First Lieutenant.
Edward S. Cooke ; Second Lieutenant, D. C. Rix.
Company G, Captain, Henry C. Thompson ; First Lieu-
tenant, Henry H. Hamilton ; Second Lieutenant, H. W.
Green.
Company H, Captain, John B. Raulston ; Fii-st Lieu-
tenant, John W. Oliver; Second Lieutenant, Peter French.
Company I, Captain, D. B. White; First Lieutenant,
Willard W. Ballard ; Second Lieutenant, B. F. Wood.
Company K, Captain, J. Dorman Steele; First Lieu-
tenant, George W. Beniman ; Second Lieutenant, L. J.
Steele.
On the 20th of January the regiment left Oswego for
Albany, and while here, February 1, 18G2, received an ac-
cession of three hundred and fifty men from Oneida county,
forming Companies C, E, and I. This completed the regi-
ment, and on the 21st of the same month it departed from
Albany for the front. They arrived in New Y'ork the day
following, and went into barracks on Staten Island, and
here remained until March 5, when the order came to move
to Washington, which city they reached on the 7th, and on
the 8th encamped for the first time near the city, on
Kalorama Heights. Here the regiment halted twenty days,
and was attached to the Third brigade, Casey's division.
Fourth corps.
March 28 they marched to Alexandria, and two days
thereafter embarked on the steamer " C. Vanderbilt," for
Fortress Monroe, where they arrived April 1. From this
point the regiment was ordered towards Newport News, seven
miles distant, and encamped in an unhealthy locality, where
they remained fourteen days, during which period many
became ill and were sent to the hospital.
It was with glad hearts they broke camp on the 15tli of
April, when they marched to Young's Mills, and on the
following morning continued their march to Warwick
Court-House, two miles distant, and here remained five
days. On the 21st they marched four miles, and camped
in front of the enemy's works at Lee's Mills. While at
this camp many left the regiment on sick leave, Colonel
Edwin Rose among the number.
May 4 and 5 they marched sixteen miles, passing to the
left of Yorktown, and encamped on the plain before Wil-
liamsburg, where they remained during that sanguinary
struggle, the division, commanded by Casey, being the
reserve. On the 10th he engaged in a .series of short
marches via Roper's Church, New Kent Court-House, Bot-
tom's Bridge, to Seven Pines, where they arrived on the
morning of the 28th, whore they remained until the battle
which was fought May 31. lu this contest the Eighty-
first was assigned to the left of Ca.sey's division, unsupported
and in an open field.
A member of the regiment thus describes this engage-
ment: "The enemy in front, screened by a thick under-
growth of bushes, poured several volleys of musketry into
the regiment, and, although this was the first regular en-
gagement in which they had participated, yet they stood
like veterans. Volley after volley wa.s poured into the
bu.shes with deadly efl!'ect. Soon finding that they could
not maintain their exposed position, the regiment fell back
in good order to the edge of the woods in their rear.
During this time both field-officers fell. Lieutenant-Colonel
De Forest was shot in the breast ; Major John McAmbly
and Captain Kingman were killed and left on the field, to-
gether with many privates. Captain Wm. C. Raulston, being
the senior officer present, then assumed command, and in the
position then taken they kept up a constant fight with the
enemy in front for two hours, when a large force, afterwards
ascertained to be a brigade, entered the field they had left
and deployed in such a manner as to approach them both
in front and flank. To save themselves from being taken
prisoners, the order was given to fall back towards the centre
of the line, which was on the Williamsburg road, half a
mile distant. While moving in that direction the centre
gave way and was being forced down the road. To meet
this they wore obliged to change direction, passing through
a thick wood and, slashing, gaining open ground half a mile
in the rear of the firet line of rifle-pits, which they entered
and continued the fight until the day closed, — the enemy
in possession of the battle-field, including the camp, with all
the tents, the personal baggage, and extra clothing of the
men and officers."
Darkness put an end to the conflict. Although this was
the Eighty-first's baptism of fire they behaved like veterans,
and all during that memorable afternoon they were found
in the thickest of the fight, and their thin and decimated
ranks at the close of the battle told only too well of the
fierceness of the struggle.
At night they lay on their arms, and the following day
was spent in burying the dead.
June 2, General JlcClellan issued an address to the array
announcing that the final and decisive battle was at hand,
which served to inspire the troops with new vigor.
On the fourth day they marched to White Oak swamps,
where they encamped and remained until the 28th. While
i here Colonel Ro.se rejoined the regiment. On the morning
I of the 80th, after a weary march of fifteen miles through
I mud and mire, they arrived at Malvern Hill. It was im-
possible, in consof|uenfe of the depth of mud, to get the
wagons and stores through, and they were destroyed to
I prevent their falling into tiie hands of the enemy.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
July 1 the Eighty-first was assigned to the reserve corps,
and on the following day took up the line of march for
Harrison's Landing. On the 8th they encamped near
James river, and remained there thirty-nine days. While
here Colonel Rose tendered his resignation, and Major
Raulston assumed command of the regiment. On the
morning of August 16 the regiment broke camp and
marched twenty miles in the direction of Williamsburg.
The following morning the march was resumed, and at
three o'clock p.m. they crossed the Chickahominy, and at
eventide, after a weary march of twenty miles, bivouacked.
On the 18th the march was resumed, and they passed via
Williamsburg to Yorktown, which place was reached on
the 19th, after one of the most fatiguing marches of the
campaign. Many of the men dropped by the wayside, ut-
terly exhausted by the heat and fatigue. No member of
this battle-scan-ed regiment will soon forget the march on
that August day under the scorching rays of a southern
sun.
The Eighty-first went into camp at Yorktown, where
they remained till the last of December, doing fatigue duty
on the fortifications. During their stay at this place Col-
onel De Forest rejoined the regiment. December 29 the
regiment left Yorktown, and on "New Year's day," 18fi3,
arrived at Beaufort, North Carolina. They disembarked,
and, after a march of three miles, reached Caroline City,
where they encamped and remained twenty days, when they
re-embarked and sailed for Port Royal, and subsequently
camped on St. Helena island. Nearly a month was now
passed in rapid changes of position. April 4 they sailed to
North Edisto inlet; on the 10th returned to Hilton Hiad;
the 15th sailed for Beaufort ; the 17th moved to Newborn,
and on the 2d of May ordered back to Morehead City. At
this time Major D. B. White, with three companies, B, D,
and G, was ordered to Fort Macon to perform garrison
duty. The lamented Captain Ballard, with Companies E,
I, and K, was assigned to Beaufort as provost guard, and
the remaining four companies. A, L, F, and H, remained
at Morehead City, the headquarters of the regiment, then
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel W. C. Raulston.
While here several important raids were made into the
enemy's country by the Eighty-first and other troops in the
district. The Wilmington raid was made July 1, and a
few days after an expedition was sent to Swansboro'. The
most important one, however, was that under command of
Brigadier-General C. A. Heckman, which penetrated the
enemy's country to within six miles of Weldon, capturing
prisoners, destroying cotton, etc. This raid la.sted eight
days, and the men suffered greatly from fatigue.
On the 18th of October they embarked for Newport
News, Virginia, which place was reached two days there-
after, and they encamped on the ground occupied by them
in April, 1862. Again they were "tenting on the old
camp ground." Here the regiment remained, participating
in the usual routine of camp duties, until November 18,
when it was ordered to Northwest Landing, about twenty-
five miles from Norfolk, on the borders of the Dismal
swamp. Nothing of particular importance occurred during
the march except that the regiment lost two men — one
wounded and one taken prisoner — in an attack by bush-
whackers. The 19th of November found them finely en-
camped near Northwest Landing river. While here their
Yankee ingenuity was displayed by the construction of a
bridge across the river with a draw cunningly devised for
the purpo.se of destroying the enemy in the event of a
charge.
While in this camp a pleasing episode occurred in the
presentation to the regiment of a beautiful flag by BIrs. C.
E. Ingcrsoll, of Lee, Oneida county. The old banner that
waved over the Eighty-first when it went out to battle had
been returned to the citizens of Oswego in a dilapidated
condition and no longer fit for service.
January 1, 1864, a proposition was made to those having
less than one year to serve to re-enlist for three years.- On
the 23d of the following month two-thirds of the entire
regiment had re-enlisted, and the Eighty-first became a
veteran regiment. This entitled them to a furlough of
thirty days, and February 23 they started for home via
Norfolk, and on the afternoon of the 29th arrived in New
York. Here the regiment was mustered for pay, and
March 2 was reviewed by the mayor of the city and Gen-
eral Burnside, after which they were escorted to the depot,
and took the night train for Albany, where they arrived
on the following morning, and remained three days, during
which time they were reviewed by Governor Seymour and
members of the legislature. Upon their arrival in Syra-
cuse they were met by a delegation of citizens, by whom
they were breakfasted, after which they boarded the cars
for Oswego, where they arrived at four o'clock, and marched
to Doolittle hall, where the ladies of the city had prepared
a splendid repast, with which they welcomed home the
" Second Oswego."
April 5, after having passed a few weeks in the quiet of
their homes, the regiment reassembled, and on the 12th
left for the front, arriving at Yorktown, Virginia, April IS.
While encamped at this place the P]ighty-first was as-
signed to the First brigade. First division. Eighteenth
corps. Army of the James. Leaving camp on the 4th of
May, they arrived at Bermuda Hundred on the day follow-
ing, and on the 6th marched six miles from the landing
and commenced constructing fortifications. They were de-
ployed as skirmishers on the 9th, when they encountered
the troops of Beauregard, and after a sharp contest routed
the enemy, who made several inefieotual attempts during
the night to regain their lost position. During the month
now following the Eighty-first engaged in an almost unin-
terrupted series of skirmishes and battles.
June 12 an advance was made towards Richmond, and
General Gillmore's corps, to which the regiment was tempo-
rarily attacked, engaged the enemy, drove them from a long
line of works, and captured a large number of prisoners.
The battle continued until midnight, the rebels in the mean
time making several desperate charges to re-take the works.
On the 14th it was ordered to support a battery, and on
the 16th was in the battle of Drury's Bluff, where the
enemy captured many of our men. General Heckman, the
brigade commander, among the number. In this contest
the Union forces lost about three thousand killed, wounded,
and missing.
The Eighty-first occupied a conspicuous position in this
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUiNTY, NKW YORK.
81
battle, and twice repulsed charges of the enemy, and was
compliuiented by both Generals Butler and Gillmore for
their g-allantry. May 28 the Eighteenth corps was ordered
to the James river, where it embarked for White House,
Virginia, and on June 1 joined the Army of the Potomac
at Cold Harbor, and, although suffering from the excessive
heat and weary marches, the Eighteenth corps was ordered
to engage the enemy at once, and, taking a position on the
left of the Sixth corps, went into the conflict. It was a
desperate struggle, but at last the enemy was forced from
their position and a long line of works captured. This
brigade was designated to hold the works during the night,
and several times repulsed the enemy in attempting to re-
take them. June 2 the regiment lost over seventy in
killed and wounded. Among the killed was Lieutenant J.
W. Burke, of Company K.
Cold Harbor ! The mere mention of this name causes a
sickening dread to creep over us as we remember the
slaughter of human life on that June day. This was one
of the bloodiest conflicts of the war, and the Eighty-first
acquired fresh laurels to those already won on man}' a hard-
contested field. Two captains, W. W. Ballard, of Company
I, and James Martin, of Company K, were killed, and five
other captains wounded. The regiment lost thirteen offi-
cers ; the color-guard was completely annihilated, and one-
half of those who went out to battle in the morning at night
lay on the field wounded or killed. Scores of Oswego
homes were rendered desolate by this day's carnage, as so
many of her brave sons were offered up as a sacrifice upon
the altar of their country.
" They never fail who die
In a great cause. The blocli may suali their gore:
Their heads may sodden in the sun ; tlicir limbs
Be strung to city gates or castle walls :
But still their spirits walk abroad, though years
Elapse, and others share as dark a doom.
They but augment the deep and sweeping thoughts
Which over.«prcad all others, and conduct
The world at last to Freedom."
At the close of the twelve days in which the regiment
had been engaged at Cold Harbor, two- thirds failed to
answer at roll-call, and an order was issued to consolidate
the companies provisionally into four. They now expected
rest, but, instead, were marched to Petersburg, where, on
the 15th, they drove the enemy from their first line of for-
tifications, and participated in the brilliant charge of the
Eighteenth corps, which was one of the most successful of
the campaign. On the 16th the regiment supported an
assaulting column, and on the 26tli were charged by the
enemy, upon whom they opened a deadly fire, utterly an-
nihilating the assaulting column.
July 10 the regiment returned to the trenches that they
had thrown up before Petersburg. August 2 they marched
to Appomattox river, where they remained until the 2Gth,
when they returned to Bermuda Hundred. The Eighty-
first was in the battle of Fort Harrison, and was the first to
plant its banner on the enemy's works. They captured
several pieces of artillery, a battle-flag, and a large number
of prisoners. Nine officers were either killed or wounded
in this action, together with many privates. Captain Rix,
Lieutenants Tuttle and Nethway were killed, and Captain
Fish, Lieutenants Polbier and Porter mortally wounded.
Lieutenant Amos Copeland was wounded, and soon after,
while en route home, was killed in a railroad accident. The
day following the regiment captured two battle-flags and a
large number of prisoners. During the two days' battle
the Eighty-first lost one hundred in killed and wounded,
including nine officers. The regiment participated in the
battle near Seven Pines on the 29th, and subsequently re-
turned to Chapin's Farm.
In recognition of its gallant services the P]ighty-first was
presented with a stand of colors by the War Department,
bearing the inscriptions, Yorktown, Seven Pines, Savage
Station, Malvern Hill, Winton, Violet Station, Kingsland
Creek, Drury's Bluff, May 13, 1.5, IG ; Cold Harbor, June
1, 2, and 3 ; Petersburg, June 15, 10, and 24, and July 9
and 30 ; Fort Harrison (Chapin's Farm), September 29
and 30 ; Fair Oaks (2d), October 27, 1SG4.
November 5 the regiment was ordered to New York,
where it remained during the presidential election, and then
returned to its camp, near Richmond, and was the first in-
fantry regiment to enter the Confederate capital. The
Eighty-first was mustered out of the United States service
August 1, 1865.
The following is a list of the sieges, engagements, and
raids in which the reg,iment participated : Siege of York-
town, Virginia, May 3, 18G2 ; William.sburg, Virginia,
May 5, 1862 ; Bottom's Bridge, Virginia, May 11, 1862 ;
Savage Station, Virginia, May 22, 18G2; Fair Oaks, Vir-
ginia, May 30, 1862; Seven Pines, Virginia, May 31,
1862; Chickahominy, Virginia, June 24, 1862; Charles
City Cross-Roads, Virginia, June 25, 1862 ; Malvern Hill,
Virginia, July 1, 1862; Siege of Charleston, South Caro-
lina, April 7, 8, 9, and 10, 1863 ; raid on Washington,
North Carolina, April 18, 1863; raid on Trenton, North
Carolina, July 4, 1863; raid on Winton, North Carolina,
July 28, 29, 30, 1863 ; raid on Violet Station, Virginia,
May 9, 1864; Kingsland Creek, Virginia, May 13, 1864;
Drury's Bluff, Virginia, May 16, 1864; Cold Harbor, Vir-
ginia, June 1-12, 1864; Siege of Petersburg, Virginia,
from June 15 to August 26, 1864; Chapin's Farm, Vir-
ginia, September 29, 1864 ; Fair Oaks (2d), Virginia, Oc-
j tober 27, 1864 ; entered Richmond, April 3, 1865.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OS"WEGO IN THE KEBELLION.
The One Hundr
ind Tenth Regii
This regiment was composed of companies raised in the
county of Oswego, and was mustered into the United States
service, Au,gu.st 25, 1862, to serve three years. It was offi-
I cored as follows, viz. :
j Colonel, Dewitt C. Littlejohn, Oswego ; Lieutenant-Colo-
nel, Clinton H. Sage, Fulton ; Major, Charles Hamilton ;
Adjutant, Harvey D. Talcott, Oswego ; Quartermaster,
Warren I). Smith, Oswego ; Surgeon, Allen C. Livingston,
Fulton ; Assistant Surgeons, Tobias J. Green, Parish, and
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Alfred Rice, Hannibal ; Chaplain, Edward Lord, Fulton ;
Quartermaster-Sergeant, F. Gr. Comstock, Albion; Ser-
geant-Major, B. F. Bailey, Oswego.
Line Officers. — Company A, Captain, Brainard M. Pratt,
Fulton ; First Lieutenant, Valorus Randall, Fulton ; Second
Lieutenant, Almon A. Wood, Fulton.
Company B, Captain, Vinson L. Garrett, Albion ; First
Lieutenant, Albert A. Fellons, Pulaski ; Second Lieutenant,
J. Ashpole, Pulaski.
Company C, Captain, 0. B. Olmstead, Orwell; First
Lieutenant, Yates W. Newton, Sandy Creek ; Second Lieu-
tenant, A. F. Johnson, Redfield.
Company D, Captain, H. C. Devendorf, Hastings ; First
Lieutenant, D. D. McKoon, Schroeppel; Second Lieutenant,
W. S. Bradley, Schroeppel.
Company E, Captain, John Sawyer, Mexico; First Lieu-
tenant, Samuel Nichols, Mexico; Second Lieutenant, Wm.
A. Smith, Palermo.
Company F, Captain, E. N. Boyd, Hannibal ; First Lieu-
tenant, Isaac H. Peckham. Hannibal; Second Lieutenant,
Thomas Hunter, Sterling, Cayuga county.
Company G, Captain, Wm. P. BlcKinley, Oswego ; First
Lieutenant, E. Jenett, Soriba ; Second Lieutenant, A. B.
Frey, Oswego.
Company H, Captain, John Stevenson, Oswego ; First
Lieutenant, Charles A. Philipps, Oswego ; Second Lieuten-
ant, Wm. I. Rasmussen, Oswego.
Company I, Captain, James Doyle, Oswego ; First Lieu-
tenant, Thomas Kehoe, Oswego ; Second Lieutenant, E. P.
Allen, Oswego.
Company K, Captain, H. D. Brown, Constantia; First
Lieutenant, C. Gardner, Parish ; Second Lieutenant, N. A.
Gardner, Amboy.
The following list shows the number of men enlisted
from the various towns in the county, viz. : Albion, 48 ;
Amboy, 21 ; Boylston, 15; Constantia, 50; Granby, 25;
Hannibal, 77 ; Hastings, 67 ; Mexico, 56 ; New Haven,
20 ; Orwell, 44 ; Oswego town, 43. City : First ward, 31 ;
Second ward, 23 ; Third ward, 53 ; Fourth ward, 40.
Parish, 29; Palermo, 33; Redfield, 15; Richland, CO;
Schroeppel, 35 ; Sandy Creek, 24 ; Scriba, 55 ; Volney, 100 ;
West Monroe, 1 1 ; Williamstown, 9. Enlisted from Oneida
county, G ; from Onondaga, 2 ; from Cayuga, 30 ; from Jef-
ferson and Erie, 1 each ; making a total of 1025 men.
At eight o'clock on the evening of August 25 the regi-
ment left camp, and was escorted to the depot by the United
States regulars from Fort Ontario, the Oswego Guards,
German Light Guards, Washington Guards, Fremont
Guards, and Captain McKlintock's company, enlisted for
the Fourth Oswego Regiment, freemen, etc. Business was
suspended, and more than six thousand people assembled to
bid farewell to and witness the departure of a regiment
composed of the best material in Oswego County. They
proceeded to Baltimore, via Albany and New York, and
while passing through the latter city received many enco-
miums of praise on the personnel of the regiment. Among
the captains were two ministers of the gospel and two
oflScers of the State militia, — Rev. V. L. Garrett, of Com-
pany B, and Rev. John Sawyer, of Company E ; and James
Doyle, of Company I, colonel of the Forty-eighth Regiment
of militia, and H. C. Devendorf, of Company D, lieutenant-
colonel of the same organization.
The regiment remained at Baltimore, in Camp Patterson
park, about two months, and then embarked aboard the
steamer " Ericsson" for Fortress Monroe, where they
arrived November 6. While here they were assigned to
the Department of the Gulf, in the expedition under the
command of General N. P. Banks. They remained at
Ship Island nine days, and then proceeded by steamer to
New Orleans, and were ordered into camp. After a few
weeks they moved to Baton Rouge, and at the expiration
of ten days the regiment was ordered to Port Hudson, and
actively participated in that memorable siege. The Union
land forces were under the command of General Banks,
and the fleet was directed by the late gallant admiral whose
bravery and succass at Port Hudson and Mobile immortal-
ized his name, and won for him the proud epithet of the
most brilliant and successful naval commander of the age,
— David G. Farragut.
Eight war-vessels comprised the expedition to Port
Hudson ; viz., " Hartford," " Richmond," " Mississippi,"
" Blonongahela." " Kineo," " Albatross," " Sachem," and
" Genesee." On the night of the 15th of April, 1863, all
being in readiness, a red light from the flag-ship signaled
the squadron to weigh anchor, and the majestic steamers,
followed by the four gun-boats, steamed silently along in the
darkness of night. They had not proceeded far, however,
when a challenge was received from a rebel battery secreted
in the foliage on the river-bank. The challenge was
promptly accepted, and a broadside was hurled upon the
ambuscaded foe. This was the signal for the conflict, and
immediately there began one of the fiercest naval contests
of the war. Battery after battery opened its fire until the
hillsides seemed peopled with demons hurling their thunder-
bolts, while the earth trembled beneath the incessant and
terrific explosions. An eye-witness thus describes the
scene presented by the mammoth shells :
" Never shall I forget the sight that then met my aston-
ished vision. Shooting upward, at an angle of forty-five
degrees, with the rapidity of lightning, small globes of
golden flame were seen sailing through the pure ether, —
not a steady, unfading flame, but corruscating like the fitful
gleams of the fire-fly, now visible, and anon invisible.
Like a flying star of the sixth magnitude, the terrible
missile — a thirteen-inch shell — ncars its zenith, up and
still up, higher and higher. Its flight now becomes much
slower, till, on reaching its utmost altitude, its centrifugal
force becoming counteracted by the earth's attraction, it
describes a parabolic curve, and down, down, it comes,
bursting, it maybe, ere it reaches terra firma, but probably
alighting in the rebel works ere it explodes, where it
scatters death and destruction around."
Two of the vessels succeeded in running the blockade.
About this time the regiment returned to New Orleans,
and encamped at Algiers, opposite the city, and soon after
joined the expedition to the Tench country, and partici-
pated in the battle of Camp Bisland. They next encamped
at Alexandria, on the Red river, where they remained ten
days, and returned to Port Hudson.
During a period of nearly two weeks the squadron had
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUxNTY, NEW VOllK.
kept up an almost incessant bombardment; and on the
morning of Wednesday, May 27, the land forces came into
position, and the great battle opened. The conflict was
severe, and several guns of the enemy were captured. On
the 13th of June General Banks gave orders for a grand
assault at three o'clock on the following morning.
In this grand assaulting column were four companies. A,
B, E, and I, of the One Hundred and Tenth, under com-
mand of Major Charles Hamilton. The thin and deci-
mated ranks of those four companies at the close of this
fierce assault told only too plainly of the horrors of that
June day. The fighting lasted eight hours, and was one
of the most desperate assaults ever witnessed. The regi-
ment at this time was commanded by Colonel C. H. Sage.
The six companies of the regiment stationed on the west
side captured a large number of the enemy while attempts
ing to carry the fort. The One Hundred and Tenth
shared in the general rejoicing when, on July 9, 1863,
General Gardiner surrendered his entire command to Gen-
eral Andrews, of the Union forces. No member of the
gallant One Hundred and Tenth who witnessed the surren-
der, and saw the old flag of the Union unfurled to the
breeze, and heard the thunder of the batteries whose rever-
berations rolled majestically along the calm surface of the
Father of Waters, will soon forget the enthusiasm and
rejoicings of that day.
After the capitulation the regiment left Port Hudson,
and next encamped at Algiers, opposite New Orleans, where
they remained a few days, and then embarked aboard trans-
ports for Sabine Pass. They soon after joined the expedi-
tion to the Tench country, under command of General N.
P. Banks. General Banks' celebrated " water-train" created
considerable merriment among the men. It consisted of a
long train of wagons, each carrying a huge hogshead filled
with water for the use of horses and men. Theoretically
it was a success, but practically a miserable failure. Magru-
der drove him back ; the expedition was abandoned ; the
water-train was among the things of the past, and the
regiment returned to Algiers, and embarked for Fort
Jefferson, Garden Key, otherwise known as the " Dry
Tortugas."
The regiment remained here doing garrison duty, and
had in charge about nine hundred prisoners, among whom
was the celebrated Dr. Mudd, of assassination notoriety.
During the month of August they left Tortugas for home,
and were mustered out of the United States service at
Albany, August 25, 1865.
CHAPTER XIX.
OSAWEGO IN THE REBELLION.
The One Ilundrc.l and Furty-,«cve.,lli Keainu-nt.
The failure of General McClellan's peninsular campaign
in the spring and summer of 18G2, the disaster of the
second battle of Bull Run, and retreat of the army of the
Potomac into the defenses of Washington, had dissipated
all hope of a speedy tenniiiatiim of the war, and tilled the
country with alarm.
President Lincoln had issued his proclamation for " six
hundred thousand more." In August, 1862, D. C. Little-
john passed through every part of Oswego County, and
with fiery eloquence sounded the " slogan." The farmer
left his field ; the artisan his bench ; all pursuits gave way
to the extreme necessity of the hour, and the men hastened
to enroll their names under the sacred banner of their
country.
The One Hundred and Tenth lleginient New York vol-
unteers was speedily organized, and left for the field under
Colonel D. C. Littlejohn.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment New
York volunteers was soon after organized, its ranks filled,
and the regiment mustered into the United States service
September 23, 1862.
The following wore the field and staff' of the One Hun-
dred and Forty-seventh regiment:
Colonel, Andrew S. Warner ; Lieutenant-Colonel, John
G. Butler; Adjutant, Dudley Fading; Quartermastt;r,
Benjamin F. Lewis; Surgeon, A. S. Coe; Assistant Sur-
geons, John T. Stillman, S. G. Place; Chaplain, Harvey
E. Chapin.
Line Officers. — Company A, Captain John :\IeKinlo(k ;
First Lieutenant, George Huginin ; Second Lieutenant,
Edward Greyware.
Company B, Captain, George Harney ; First Lieutenant,
Patrick Slattery ; Second Lieutenant, A. Judson Dickison.
Company C, Captain, Datus Woodward ; First Lieu-
tenant, E. D. Parker; Second Lieutenant, William R.
Potts.
Company D, Captain, Alexander Hulett ; First Lieuten-
ant, George A. Sisson ; Second Lieutenant, W. P. Schenck.
Company E, Captain, Elhannan Secly ; First Lieutenant,
James Cocy ; Second Lieutenant, Orson J. Woodward.
Company F, Captain, Cyrus V. Hartshorn ; First Lieu-
tenant, Chaunccy L. Grulley ; Second Lieutenant, Harvey
Flint.
Company G, Captain, Delos Gary ; First Lieutenant,
Charles F. Robe ; Second Lieutenant, Volney J. Pierce.
Company H, Captain, R. W. Slayton ; First Lieutenant,
Abram Contennan ; Second Lieutenant, D. W. C. Mat-
thews.
Company I, Captain, Patrick Regan; First Lieutenant,
James A. McKinley ; Second Lieutenant, Daniel McA.ssy.
Company K, Captain, Nathaniel A. Wright ; First Lieu-
tenant, Franklin N. Hamlin ; Second Lieutenant, Joseph
Dempsey.
Non- Commissioned Staff. — Hospital Steward, Charles
K. Paddock ; Sergeant-Major, H. G. Lee ; Quartermaster-
Sergeant, Henry II. Mellon ; Commissary-Sergeant, Alfred
N. Beadle.
Francis C. Miller, late captain Company C, Twenty-
fourth New York volunteere, was commissioned major Oc-
tober 4, and joined the regiment in the defenses of Wash-
ington. The regiment, comprising eight hundred and
thirty-seven enlisted men, left Oswego, where it was organ-
ized and enrolled,* under the command of Colonel A. S.
Warner, for the front, September 27, 1862, via Elniira,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Harrisburg, and Baltimore, and arrived at Washington Sep-
tember 30. It was ordered to Camp Chase, in the southern
defenses, about two miles from Long Bridge.
October 3 it was ordered to the northern defenses at
Tenallytown, three miles north of Georgetown. It there
remained nearly two months, occupied in building forts and
digging rifle-pits for the protection of Washington. It
occupied an old camping-ground in the midst of a beautiful
country, diversified with wooded knolls, open glades, and
bosky dells, but this beautiful encampment was infected
with a deadly malaria, emanating from decaying animal and
vegetable matter, the accumulation of one and a half year's
occupation by our armies. Dysentery, typhoid fever, and
jaundice soon became prevalent. The regiment was soon
decimated by sickness and desertion.
Nostalgia, or home-sickness, often was a fruitful source
of more serious illness. Harvey Flint, second lieutenant
Company F, died of typhoid fever November 23. . Horace
G. Lee, sergeant-major, was promoted to fill his place
December 3. Colonel Warner, Lieutenant-Colonel Butler,
Captain Woodward, Company C, Lieutenant Slatterly,
Company B, and Quartermaster Lewis were stricken with
fever and sent to hospital or went home on sick leave of
absence. Much discontent and dissatisfaction among the
men were caused by enforced labor on the defenses. But
little time was afforded for drill and military instruction,
important requisites for preparing the regiment for efficient
field service. The men had not acquired the pride of a
professional soldier, which yields willing obedience, unques-
tioned, to his superior officer. The officer had not yet the
requisite knowledge of his profession which inspires respect
from his inferior in rank.
There was also a great lack of experience with officers
and men in the practical life of camp and field, hence it
was difficult to enforce efficient sanitary measures for the
health of the regiment.
November 28 the regiment, under the command of Major
Miller, was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac, then
stationed at Falmouth and Aquia creek, Virginia.
The enemy occupied the south bank of the Rappahan-
nock about Fredericksburg, a position strong by nature, and
made impregnable by art, as the e.xperience of our army
soon after proved.
The regiment marched across southeastern Maryland to
Port Tobacco, situated on the north 'bank of the Potomac,
opposite to Aquia creek, arriving there December 1. It
crossed the Potomac that night on transports. December
2, before the baggage train containing the tents came up,
there set in a furious snow-storm. The men had with
them their shelter-tents, which afforded to them a partial
shelter from the driving storm, but the officers had no tents,
save one which was brought up by one officer who went
back to the baggage-train after dark to get it. The night
was spent by the officers mostly in cutting wood to keep a
huge fire burning to keep themselves from freezing. In
the morning their garments were frozen stiff on their backs.
During the next day the train arrived and the regiment
went into encampment. Soon after its arrival at Ai|uia
creek it was brigaded with the Twentieth, Twenty-first,
and Twenty-second New Jersey, and One Hundred and
Thirty-seventh Pennsylvania Regiments, enlisted to serve
nine months, under Colonel Bossert, of the One Hundred
and Thirty-seventh Regiment.
The brigade was assigned to provost duty under the
direct command of army headquarters. Its duties were to
guard the line of railroad from Aquia creek to Falmouth,
attend to receiving and forwarding supplies, and perform
general police duties. The One Hundred and Forty-seventh
regiment was stationed at Falmouth, and witnessed the
disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, but took
no active part in the engagement. In the first week of
January, 1863, the brigade was transferred to the First
army corps, commanded by Major-Geueral Reynolds, form-
ing the Third brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General
Paul, in the First division, commanded by Brigadier-Gen-
eral Wadsworth. Colonel Warner, Lieutenant-Colonel But-
ler, Captain Woodward, Company C, and Quartermaster
Lewis had a short time previously returned to duty. Up
to this time the regiment had been performing irregular
duty, affording little opportunity to become pi'oficient in
the details of drill and discipline. General Paul, an old
army officer, directly set himself to the task to perfect the
organization and discipline of his brigade, attending to the
details of drill, sanitary policing, and the personal and
soldierly bearing of officers and men. The regiment was
encamped at Belle Plain, on the Potomac, four miles below
Aquia creek. The country was densely wooded and broken
into high conical hills and deep ravines. Access to the
camps was sometimes difficult. The roads during the rainy
season were nearly impassable. The camping-grounds were
excessively uneven, and the men were obliged to excavate
or burrow into the hill-side to erect their tents or cabins,
and to obtain shelter from the fierce storms of wind, rain,
sleet, or snow which almost constantly swept the Potomac
throughout that winter ; consequently much sickness pre-
vailed, especially typhoid pneumonia. Many a brave and
patriotic soldier yielded up his life with the regret that it
should be thus untimely cut short before he could strike a
blow for his country.
January 30 the Army of the Potomac, under the com-
mand of General Burnside, started on what is designated
" General Burnside's mud march." Its object was to sur-
prise and attack the enemy across the Rappahannock above
Fredericksburg.
Previously, there had been a few days of warm, settled
weather ; the roads had become dry and hard. During the
first night after breaking camp there set in a drenching
rain-storm, which lasted two days. The second night found
the whole army literally stuck in the mud. It had reached
the north bank of the stream above Fredericksburg and
encamped near the river.
The entire transportation had stuck fast, and could move
no farther. The regiment remained encamped in a dense
pine grove during the next day ; the day after it retraced
its steps and returned to its old camping-ground at Belle
Plain. This was the first experience the regiment had in
campaigning. General Burnside was now (January 26)
relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac
by Major-General Joe Hooker.
During the months of February and March, there were
HISTORY' OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
many changes in tlie organization of tlie regiment by resig- j
nation and promotion. Tlie field and staff and line ofiScers I
were as follows : i
Colonel A. S. W^anier, resigned February 4. Lieutenant- i
Colonel J. G. Butler was commissioned colonel February 1
24, 1863. Major Francis C. Miller was commis.sioncd j
lieutenant-colonel February 24. George Harney, captain
Company B, was commissioned major February 24.
Compniiy A. — Edward Greyware, second lieutenant,
resigned January 8. John F. Box, private, commissioned
second lieutenant February 11. ]
Cumpitny B. — Patrick Slattery, first lieutenant, was
commissioned captain, v!ce Harney promt)ted, March 12.
William J. Gillett, first sergeant, commissioned first lieu-
tenant, vice Slattery promoted, JIarch 24.
Company C. — Captain Datus Woodward, resigned Feb-
ruary 4. E. D. Parker, first lieutenant, was commissioned
captain February 13. Wm. R. Potts, second lieutenant,
commissioned first lieutenant, vice Parker promoted, Feb-
ruary 13. H. H. Lyman, first sergeant, commissioned
second lieutenant, vice Potts promoted.
Company D. — Captain Alexander Hulett, resigned Feb-
ruary 4. George A. Sisson, first lieutenant, commissioned
captain February 24. W. P. Sehenck, second lieutenant,
commissioned first lieutenant February 24. D. G. Van-
dusen, sergeant-major, commissioned second lieutenant Feb-
ruary 24.
Company E. — Captain Elhanuan C. Seely, resigned Feb-
ruary 4. James Coey, first lieutenant, commissioned cap-
tain February 24. 0. J. Woodward, second lieutenant,
commissioned first lieutenant February 24. S. J. Taylor,
first sergeant, commissioned second lieutenant February 24.
Company F. — Captain Cyrus V. Hartshorn, resigned
January 25. Second Lieutenant Horace G. Lee, commis-
sioned captain February 10. Gilford D. Mace, first ser-
geant, commissioned first lieutenant February 24. Charles
B. Skinner, second sergeant, commissioned second lieu-
tenant July 4.
Company H. — First Lieutenant Conterman, resigned
January 8. D. C. Matthews, second lieutenant, commis-
sioned February 10, first lieutenant. Luther M. Hays,
first sergeant, commissioned second lieutenant February 10.
First Lieutenant D. C. JMatthews, resigned February 24.
L. M. Hays commissioned first lieutenant March 24.
Cheney D. Barney, sergeant, commissioned second lieu-
tenant March 25.
Quartermaster Lewis, after a severe illness, was sent to
hospital at Georgetown, and soon after was discharged on a
surgeon's certificate of disability. Henry H. Mellen, quar-
termaster-sergeant, Wiis commissioned (juartcrmaster Feb-
ruary 13. Quartermaster Lewis had, with heroic persist-
ence, shared the fortunes of the regiment, against the
earnest solicitations of his medical ofiBcer and warmest
friends, through two or three attacks of illness, barely es-
caping with his life each time ; with a sorrowful heart he
was forced finally to submit to the inevitable, or offer up
his life as an unnecessary sacrifice. The regiment thereby
lost the services of a valuable officer. Harvey E. Chapin,
chaplain, was also discharged on a surgeon's certificate, and
died, a few weeks after returning home, witii chronic diar-
rhoea. The office was not again filled. April 3, the regi-
ment was transferred to the Second brigade, commanded
by Brigadier-General Cutler. The brigade comprised the
Seventy-sixth and Ninety-fifth Regiments, New York Vol-
unteers, and Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania and Seventh Indiana
Volunteers. James Coey, captain Company E, was pros-
trated with typhoid fever, and sent home on a sick leave of
absence.
The following died in hospital in the northern defenses
of Washington : Alfred Lukin, Company A, private, Nov.
21, 18C2;dias. A. Brown, Company B, Nov. 22, 1862;
Amos D. Fuller, corporal. Company D, November 2, 1862 ;
Nathan Rowley, corporal. Company D, December 22, 1862 ;
Franklin Lurce, private. Company II, December 11, 1862;
Stewart Park, private. Company H, November 12, 1862;
Thomas Kane, private. Company E, November 25, 18G2 ;
Edwin Robottom, private. Company E, Nov. 23, 1862 ;
Hamilton M. Wilcox, Company F, November 3, 1862 ;
George Button, private. Company E, December 31, 1862.
The following died in hospital at Belle Plain and in
general hospital, during the winter of 1862-63, and to May
1,1863: Thomas Harrington, Company A, April 11,1863;
Andrus MeChesney, Company A, February 26, 1863 ;
Theodore DoUoway, Company B, January 18, 1863; Wm.
Delamater, Company B, January 15, 1863; Joseph Pilow,
Company B, February 25, 1863 ; Wm. C. Spain, Company
C, March 19, 1863 ; Henry Miller, Company C, March 5,
1863 ; Levinus Wait, Company E, George Edmonds, Com-
pany C, February 1, 1863; Geo. M. Havens, Company C,
March 7, 1863; John Place, January 9, 1863; Luke
Potter, Company C, February 12, 1863; Henry Pittsley,
February 12, 1863; Wheaton Spink, Company C, January
1, 1863; Justus Carey, Company D, April 25, 1863;
Darius T. Dexter, Company D, March 10, 1863 ; Albert
Clemens, Company D, February 4, 1863 ; Barnard MeOwen,
Company E, April, 1863 ; Joseph A. Upton, Company E,
April, 1863; Barton White, Company E, April, 1863;
OrviU Wines, Company H, April 21, 1863; Jas. Boddy,
Company I, December 23, 1862 ; Ephraim Darling, Com-
pany H, January 10, 1863 ; Henry P. Green, Company H,
April 24, 1863; Wm. Haight, Company H, February 17,
1863; Jas. Johnson, Company H, January 10,1863; Jas.
K. P. Miller, Company H, April 1, 1863; Elisha Ozier,
Company H, January 19, 1863 ; Gilbert Jones, Company
G, February 5, 1863 p John Moshiser, Company G, March
13, 1863 ; John Warner, Company G, April 8, 1863; Jos.
F. Munger, Company F, January 11, 1863; Henry Wing,
Company F, February 28, 1863 ; Jas. A. Scribner, Com-
pany G, January 3, 1863 ; Jas. Forbes, Company K, March
23, 1863 ; Timothy Ryan, Company K, JIarch 30, 1863 ;
Daniel Whitney, Company K, February 22, 1863; Amos
Grosbeck, Company D, January 21, 1863; Alonzo Ellis,
Company E, February 12, 1863; James M. Geer, Com-
pany E, January 22, 1863 ; Willihm Lyons, Company K,
February 28, 1863 ; George W. Coon, Company G, April
13, 1863; John H. Coon, Company G, March, 1863.
HISTORY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XX.
OSWEGO IN THE EEBELLION.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment -Battle of Chan-
cellorsville— Battle of Gettysburg.
April 28, the regiment broke camp to set out on the
campaign terminating in the battle of Chancellorsville.
During the winter of 1862-63 the enemy occupied the
south bank of the Rappahannock, extending from Port
Royal, twenty miles south, to Kelly's Ford, twenty-seven
miles north of Fredericksburg. The fords were few and
strongly guarded, and watched with untiring vigilance.
No attack or demonstration on the enemy's lines could be
made below Kelly's Ford without the immediate knowledge
of the enemy.
Parts of the Third army corps, thirty thousand strong,
April 27, marched up the north bank of the stream and
crossed at Kelly's Ford, with but little opposition, and
swept down the south bank to Chancellorsville, skirting
the wilderness and uncovering the United States ford,
twelve miles above Fredericksburg ; there they were joined
by the remainder of the Army of the Potomac, excepting
the First and Sixth corps. In the mean time the enemy
became aware of their extreme dangei' and withdrew all
but ten thousand men, under General Early, from Freder-
icksburg, and hastened to meet General Hooker at Chan-
cellorsville. Prom May 2 to May 4 was fought the battle
of Chancellorsville. The First and Sixth corps were left
behind to make a feint on Fredericksburg, or if the enemy's
lines became weakened by the withdrawal of a large force,
to turn the feint into a real attack, and carry the place and
effect a junction with the main army on the south side of
the river. The two corps were to approach the river and
lay the pontoon bridges in the night under cover of darkness,
but, owing to the bad condition of the roads, daylight (April
29) found them with the bridges incomplete, and the men
received a galling fire from a line of rifle-pits on the oppo-
site bank of the river. The regiment, with General Wads-
worth's division, was to cross at Fitzhugh's crossing, about
three miles below Fredericksburg. An attempt was made
to shell the enemy out of the rifle-pits with Battery B,
Fourth United States Artillery, Captain Reynolds, but
without avail. General Wadsworth, with the Twenty-
second New York and Sixth Wisconsin Regiments, crossed
below (General Wadsworth swimming his horse) in boats,
attacked the enemy on the flank, and captured the entire
force, between two hundred and three hundred rebels. The
bridges were then speedily laid and the corps marched over,
the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York taking the
lead. The two corps took position on the enemy's side of
the river to menace Fredericksburg, placing the enemy
between the two wings of the army. At this point the
hills on the southeast recede about two and a half miles
from the river and close in on the stream at Fredericks-
burg above, and also about two miles below, forming an
amphitheatre. The enemy were strongly posted on the
hills, with several batteries. Here occurred an artillery
duel (the infantry was not engaged) duiing the next three
days. The regiment lost four or five killed and wounded.
In the mean time the battle was fiercely raging at Chan-
cellorsville. On the 2d of May the First corps was ordered
to join General Hooker at Chancellorsville. The regiment
arrived on the field of battle in the morning of the 3d at
the time of a fierce conflict. It was the day after the
stampede of the Eleventh corps under Major-General How- .
ard, which ^aseo rendered the position of the Federal army
untenable. The enemy were striving to follow up their
success of the day previous by driving our army into
the river. The battle raged two hours afterwards, when
all fighting ceased, save occasional exchange of shots on the
skirmish-line and between the artillery. The army had
safely taken up a new position, changing its lines under a
determined attack of the enemy. The regiment remained
two days on the field and fell back with the army, recross-
ing the river in the night. It went into camp in a pine
grove, about three miles below Falmouth. The men suf-
fered much from sickness after the fatigue and exposure of
the campaign. Typhoid and remittent fevers and diarrhoea
prevailed extensively. George A. Sisson, captain of Com-
pany D, a brave and valuable oificer, died from typhoid
fever soon after. Colonel Butler was again disabled by
sickness, and sent home on a sick leave of absence. He
did not again return to his command. He was a thorough
disciplinarian ; he had a lively and genial temperament ; he
was strict without being harsh, and possessed the love and
respect of his officers and men. He had brought the regi-
ment to a high state of efiiciency. P. N. Hamlin, first
lieutenant Company K, became ill, and was sent to hospital,
and afterwards sent home on a sick leave.
Died in hospitals in May and June, 1863 : Charles H.
H. McCarty, Company C, from wounds received at Fitz-
hugh Crossing, below Falmouth, May 1, 1863; William
H. Robbins, from wounds received May 1, 1863; George
A. Sisson, captain Company D, May 13, 1863 ; Ira A.
Sperry, corporal, June 22, 1863 ; David Stey, Company
D, June 11, 1863; Newton Ehle, Company E, June,
1863 ; Gordon L. Smith, Company H, June 4, 1863 ; David
Wines, Company H, May 1, 1863; Thomas Dunn, Com-
pany I, May 30, 1863 ; James L. Dodd, Company II, June
7, 1863; Nathan B. Cba.se, Company C, June 1, 1863;
Silas Halleck, Company G.
THE MARCH TO GETTYSBURG.
June 12, 1863, the regiment commenced its march on
the memorable Gettysburg campaign. It was suflTering
much from sickness. The ambulances were overcrowded,
and many of the sick were obliged to follow along the best
way they could or be captured by the enemy. A march
generally inspirits and invigorates the men, and rapidly
diminishes the sick list ; but the weather was extremely
hot, and the marches long and fatiguing. Each man carried
seven days' rations, forty rounds of ammunition, half of a
shelter-tent and blanket, besides his musket, making fifty
pounds in weight to each man. The soldiers were tormented
with blistered feet, and sunstroke became unusually preva-
lent. Men dropped down exhau.sted on the march. The sick
and disabled accumulated on the route. Requisition was
made on all mess and private transportation for the use of
the sick. Mess-kitts and other articles of necessity and
comfort were abandoned on the road. Personal convenience
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and private rights were willingly j'ielded to the necessities
of the sick and disabled. On the 14th the regiment reached
Bealton Station, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad.
The sick were sent from there to Alexandria. On the 15th
the regiment reached Centrcvillc, and there remained till
the 18th, affording the weary soldiers much needed rest.
The regiment had marched over the racing- and battle-
grounds of the two armies of the two years previous.
Everywhere were the evidences of the ravages of war.
What few inhabitants remained were dejected and poverty-
stricken. Houses and fences were destroyed ; landmarks
obliterated; even the county records were seen strewn
upon the road. Long stretches of country, on the plains
of Manassas and about Warrenton Junction, were an arid
waste. The men suffered greatly from thirst. At long
intervals stagnant pools were found, the water of a drab
color. The march, from that time till the battle of Get-
tysburg, was regulated by the movements of the enemy.
No unusual incidents occurred up to that time save the
terrible hardships of the march. Several men were pros-
trated with sickness, and sent to Washington upon every
available opportunity. George Huginin, first lieutenant
Company A, was taken ill, and sent to hospital. The
regiment crossed the Potomac at Edwards' Ferry, June
26, and encamped near Middletown, Maryland, on the
evening of the 27th. On June 28, after a toilsome march
over Cotocton mountain, reached Frederick. The next
day the regiment was detailed to guard the wagon-train to
Emmettsburg. It left Frederick at twelve M., and reached
Emmettsburg about eleven p.m., marching twenty-six miles,
with scarcely a halt on the route.
Crossing into Maryland was like passing from a desert
into a garden, from a land of desolation into a land of peace
and plenty.
Save the fatigues of the long, toilsome marches, it was a
succession of delights. The ripening crops, the well-kept
fences, and the immense, painted barns, denoted thrift and
comfort. The line of march passed over a succession of
low ranges of mountains or hills, cultivated to their tops,
with beautiful valleys lying between, presenting long vistas
of variegated landscape, dotted with villages and farm-
houses embowered with trees.
It was a picture of Arcadia to the weary soldiers, who
had long been accustomed to the worn-out lands and the.
stunted, scrubby groves of Virginia, made more desolate
by the ravages of war. It made them long for peace, and
sigh for the rural comforts which they saw spread before
them.
The ravages of armies soon became apparent in this
beautiful country. Fences began to disappear, and the
ripening grain, ready for the reaper, was soon trampled
down.
FIRST day's battle OF GETTYSBURS.
The next day the First corps marched to Marsh creek,
about four miles from Gettysburg, and went into encamp-
ment. Many things indicated that the army was on the
eve of an impending battle. Batteries were put into posi-
tion ; a strong picket-line was posted, and the corps en-
camped in line of battle, as if in readiness to receive an at-
tack. June 30 the regiment was mustered for pay. Early
in the morning of July 1 the " long roll" was sounded.
The first division was hastily got into marching order, and
started on its way towards Gettysburg. As it was crossing
the summit of the divide, two or three miles from Gettys-
burg, overlooking the valley below, puffs of smoke could bo
seen from exploding shells, about two miles northwest of
Gettysburg, but no report could be heard ; the distance
WiiS not over two and a half miles. The advance of Gen-
eral Hill's corps was debouching from the mountain pa.ss,
and driving General Buford's cavalry before it. The pace
was quickened, and as the division approached within half
a mile of the town it filed into the fields; it hastened on
the double-quick to meet the enemy, the men loading their
muskets as they marched. It hastily formed in a grove on
Seminary Ridge, in the western outskirts of the town. It
was led by General Reynolds in person to a parallel ridge
four hundred yards distant, towards the advancing enemy.
Through this ridge is a deep railroad cut. General Cutler's
brigade was formed on this ridge, the cut dividing the
brigade into two unequal parts. The One Hundred and
Forty-.seventh and Seventy-sixth New York Regiments
were stationed to the right; the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania,
Ninety-fifth New York, and Seventh Indiana Regiments,
to the left of the cut. The One Hundred and Forty-
seventh Regiment's left rested on the cut; the Seventy,-"
sixth joined the One Hundred and Forty-seventh on th^
right. The two other brigades of the First division formed
the centre and left of the line of battle. Cap.aiin Hall's
battery supported General Cutler's brigade, and was in
position on the right of the railroad cut.
The principal force of the enemy was advancing on the
Cashtown road against General Cutler's brigade, and the
brunt of attack was directed to the right of the railroad cut.
The battle opened about ten a.m. In front was a wheat-
field, sloping down to a stream, which sheltered the advance
of the enemy. They suddenly poured a withering volley
into the two regiments. General Reynolds was instantly
killed. The enemy charged through the railroad cut,
within sixty yards of Captain Hall's battery, and poured
in a destructive fire, obliging it, with its supports, to with-
draw. At the same time the enemy advanced in double
lines of battle in front and on the right flank. General
W^adsworth directed this brigade to fall back. The Sev-
enty-sixth Regiment received the order, and fell back in
time, but the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment
did not receive the order to retire. Lieutenant-Colonel Miller
was wounded on top of the head just at the time the order
was delivered to him. Confused by the wound, he did not
communicate the order to his successor. Major Harney.
Major Harney bravely held the regiment to its position,
against overwhelming numbers, until Captain Ellsworth,
assistant adjutant>general on General Wadsworth's staff,
seeing its perilous position, with great personal bravery
hastened forward and ordered Major Harney to fall back ;
the enemy at the time held the railroad cut, partially inter-
cepting the regiment's retreat. It was none too soon to
save the regiment from total annihilation or capture. It
had already lost full one-half of its numbers in killed and
wounded. Major Harney, ever mindful of the good name
and welfare of the regiment, saw after the retreat that the
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
colors were missing. Sergeant HinchclifF, tlie color -bearer,
conspicuous for his bravery and fine soldierly bearing, was
shot through the heart, and had fallen upon the colors.
Major Harney was about to return in person to bring them
off, when Sergeant Wy bourn, Company I, volunteered to
rescue them. He returned, rolled Sergeant Hinchcliff oif
the colors, and bore them ofiF triumphantly amidst a storm
of bullets. He was wounded slightly, but was saved by his
knapsack ; the ball that hit him first pas.sed through it. At
this time General Meredith's brigade, occupying the centre
of the line, was in great danger. The right wing had been
driven back, and the enemy with a large force held the
railroad cut, ready to intercept the retreat of the remainder
of the divi.sion. Upon the spur of the moment, the Sixth
Wisconsin, Fourteenth Brooklyn, and Ninety-fifth New York
wheeled around perpendicularly to the line of the enemy
and charged furiously upon them. They caught them in
the railroad cut, and captured eleven hundred men, two
battle-flags, and the rebel General Archer, and bore them
safely oflF. This movement materially facilitated the retreat
of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York. This
manoeuvre severely repulsed the enemy, and the Federal
lines were re-established. The One Hundred and Forty-
seventh New York rallied under cover of Seminary Hill,
"-lut at no time during the remainder of the day could it
_ muster more than seventy or eighty muskets. The battle
had lasted about thirty minutes at the time of the falling
back of *h° i-paiment. It returned near its former position
after the line was re-established.
The two remaining divisions of the First corps soon
came up to meet the enemy as they deployed and extended
their lines on the right, and the theatre of action shifted to
the northwest of Gettysburg, between the Chamborsburg
and Mummasburg roads. There the enemy endeavored to
overwhelm our right by superior force. The regiment was
moved up midway between the two roads about twelve M.,
and again suffered depletion of its already diminished ranks.
Several of its officers were severely wounded and borne to
the rear.
General Hill's corps, thirty thousand strong, was kept
at bay by the First corps, thirteen thousand strong, until
reinforced by General Ewell's corps in the afternoon. It
came in on the Carlisle road. The Eleventh corps, com-
manded by General Carl Sehurz, was on the field to oppose
it. Between the two corps there was an interval which was
not wholly filled up during the battle. The enemy now
had a force on the field nearly sixty thousand strong. The
two corps, First aud Eleventh, were about twenty-five
thousand strong. The roads approaching the north side of
the town — -the Mummasburg, Carlisle, and Harrisburg roads
— converge and unite just before the town is reached, form-
ing but one street or avenue of escape through the town. Be-
tween three and four p.m. the enemy with a vastly superior
force overlapping tlie Eleventh corps on the right, and
closing in on the interspace between the two corps, advanced
all along the line. The Eleventh corps made a feeble re-
sistance during a brief interval, and then fled in disorder.
It soon became disorganized and panic-stricken, and, as it
approached the junction of the converging roads, became
wedged and huddled into a mass of frightened humanity.
The enemy, unopposed, pursued and deliberately poured
volley after volley into this seething mass. The slaughter
was terrible. There were fields of standing grain in the
northern suburbs of the town filled with the dead and
wounded soldiers. This exposed the right flank of the
First corps, and necessitated a hasty retreat.
General Doubleday, successor of General Reynolds in
command of the First corps, in his official report says, —
" About four P.M., the enemy having been strongly rein-
forced, advanced in large numbers, everywhere deploying
into double and triple lines, overlapping our left for a third of
a mile, pressing heavily upon our right, and overwhelming
our centre. It was evident that Lee's whole army was upon
us. Our tired troops had been fighting desperately, some of
them for six hours. They were thoroughly exhausted, and
General Howard had no reinforcements to give me. It
became necessary to retreat. ... I gave orders to retreat,
the right to fall back first, and the Third division covering
the movement by occupying the intrenchments in front of
Seminary Hill, which I had directed to be thrown up in
the morning as a precautionary measure.
" The fortifications were nothing but a pile of rails, but
from behind them Rowley's gallant men, assisted by part
of Wadsworth's command, stemmed the fierce tide which
pressed them incessantly, and held the foe at bay until the
greater portion of the corps had retired. . . . The batteries
were all brought back from their advanced position and
posted on Seminary Ridge. They greatly assisted the
orderly retreat, retarding the enemy by their fire. They
lost heavily in men and horses at this point, and as they
retired to town were subjected to so heavy a fire that
one gun was left, the horses being all shot down. The
bodies of three caissons were necessarily abandoned. . . .
I remained at the Seminary myself until thousands of hos-
tile bayonets made their appearance round the sides of the
building. I then rode back and regained my command,
nearly all of which were filing through the town. As we
passed through the streets the pale and frightened inhabi-
tants came out of their houses, olfering us food and drink,
and the expression of their deep sorrow and sympathy."
The two streams of the retreating corps met in the streets
of the town, and impeded each other in their efforts to
escape. The enemy did not pursue our retreating forces
beyond the town, and they were rallied on Gulp's Hill, on
Cemetery Ridge. This was about four p.m. The first
day's battle of Gettysburg was ended. For some reason,
never sufficiently explained, the enemy were contented, for
that day, with the advantages already gained. If they had
continued the pursuit, in the then broken and demoralized
condition of our troops, our army could not have rallied and
defended the strong positions which it occupied during the
next two days, and the battle which checked the rebel in-
vasion would have been fought elsewhere. The Union
losses were five thousand killed aud wounded, and five
thousand taken prisoners. The enemy's loss was about the
same in killed and wounded, but less in prisoners. All the
hospitals, wouijded, and nearly the entire medical staff of
the First corps were captured. Many prisoners were
paroled ; but, as there was an agreement per cartel that no
parole should bo binding unless made at certain designated
HISTORY OF OSWECO COUNTV, NKW YORK.
89
points, and as Gettysburg was not one of them, the men
were immediately returned to duty. This w;is seized upon
by the enemy as a pretext for returning to duty tliirty
thousand rebels captured at Vicksburg by General Grant
about this time. The loss of the One Hundred and Forty-
seventh Now York was about forty filled, two hundred
wounded, and thirty missing.
The following officers were killed : Gilford D. Mace, first
lieutenant Company F ; D. G. Vandusen, second lieutenant
Company D ; Daniel McAssy, second lieutenant Company I.
The officers wounded were as follows : F. C. Miller, lieu-
tenant-colonel, slightly ; George Harney, major, slightly ;
Captains P. Slattery, Company B, severely ; E. D. Parker,
Company C, slightly ; D. Gary, Company G, severely ; Na-
thaniel Wright, severely; Lieutenants Wni. R. Potts,
Company C, severely ; \Vm. P. Sehenck, Company D, mor-
tally ; and Joseph Dempsey, Company K, slightly.
Tbo following is a list of the non-commissioned officers
and men killed in this battle, July 1, 1863 :
Company A, Charles Cole, Alexander Leroy, Joseph
Lemain, Oliver Legault, Samuel Lesarge, Walter B. Thorp,
Frank Virginia.
Company B, Corporals Conrad Warner, Wm. Martin,
Michael Doyle, David Haydeii, Delos W. Field ; Privates
Albert P. Hall, Jas. Mahoney, Henry Miller, Stephen
Planter, James Sears.
Company C, Allen Morgan, corporal, died July 12, from
wounds received July 1 ; Jos. W. Burr, Franklin Clary,
Elias Hannis, died July 15, from wounds received July 1 ;
Horace B. Hall, Degrass Hannis, Harlow JMills, Morgan L.
Allen.
Company D, Albert Bartley, John S. Butler, Joseph W.
Diston.
Company E, Samuel Carpenter, Albert D. Potter, Seth
Potter, Simeon Potter, George W. Tryon, David Welch,
John Williams.
Company F, Judson Dolbear, Frank N. Halsey, Henry
B. Mayo, Alvin P. Bureh, Johnston B. Church, Henry F.
Morton, Asa Pettingill, Chauncey Snell, Asa Westcott.
Company G, Peter Sliultz, sergeant, Fred. Rife, Edwin
Aylsworth, Peter Zeigler, Jo.seph Stoutenger, Louis Ain-
gen, Frederick Ershman, John Jlosheiser, Alex. McAm-
bly, David Rau, Hiram Stowell.
Company I, Martin David, Deglin McGrath, Denni.s
McGrath, Richard Judson.
Company K, Jas. HincbclifF, color-sergeant, Theophilus
R. Barberick, Thomas Banister, James Hudson, sergeant.
The list of the names of the wounded cannot be obtained
from the final muster-out rolls in Albany, New York.
General Doublcday in his official report says, " I concur
with the division commanders in their estimate of the good
conduct and valuable services of the following-named offi-
cers and men: General Cutler, commanding the Second
brigade, says, 'Colonel Hofmann, Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania
Volunteers, Major Harney, One Hundred and Forty-
seventh New York Volunteers, Captain Cook, Seventy-
sixth New York Volunteers, deserve special mention for
gallantry and coolness ; Colonel Fowler, Fourteenth Brook-
lyn, for charging the enemy at the railroad cut, in coimec-
tion with the Ninety-fifth New Y'^ork Volunteers and Sixth
7
Wisconsin, by which the One Hundred and Forty-seventh
New York Volunteers was releasnl from its perilous position ;
Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, commanding the One Hundred
and Forty-seventh New York Volunteers, was severely
wounded at the head of his regiment on the 1st instant.
. . . Major Harney, of the One Hundred and Fortj--
Seventh New Y''ork Volunteers, and Major Pye, of the
Ninety-fifth New Y'ork Volunteers, on assuming command
of their respective regiments, did all that brave men and
good soldiera could do, and deserve well for their services.
Sergeant H. H. Hubbard, Company D, One Hundred and
Forty-seventh New Y'ork Volunteers, was in command of
the provost guard of the brigade, eighteen strong, on the
morning of the 1st instant. He formed the guard on the
right of the Seventy-sixth New York Volunteers, and
fought until the battle was over, losing twelve of his men.
The color-sergeant of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh
New York Volunteers was killed, and the colors were caught
by Sergeant Wm. A. Wybourn, of Company I, One Hun-
dred and Forty-seventh New York Volunteers, and brought
oft' the battle-field by him, notwithstanding lie was him.self
severely wounded.' "
This wai3 the baptism of the regiment: fortunately, in
the previous battles, it had escaped with small loss; but in
this its fortune was to be placed in the most exposed and
trying position of the battle, and receive the furious onset
of vastly superior numbers. The brave General Reynolds
was immediately shot dowu in its presence. Manfuhy had
it stood up to its work, and justified the trust imposed in
it. It had withstood the attacks of the enemy when nearly
surrounded on all sides, with over one-half of its numbers
killed or wounded, its flag torn into tatters, and the staft"
completely severed by hostile bullets. Henceforth it was
considered an honor to belong to the One Hundred and
Forty-seventh New York Volunteers, and its deeds in this
day's battle were referred to with pride. The enemy, not
pursuing beyond the streets of the town, gave our shattered
and somewhat disorganized forces a breathing-spell. They
rallied on Gulp's Hill, a part of Cemetery Ridge, on the
south side of the town, a strong defensive position.
SECOND AND THIRD DAYS' BATTLE OF GKTTYSBURG.
General Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac,
was fifteen miles distant, and hearing that there was fighting
at Gettysburg, sent General Hancock, with orders to take
conmiand of the two corps. He arrived about the time
the forces fell back to Gulp's Hill, and immediately selected
a defensive position. He chose a ridge running nearly
north and south between the Tancytown and Emniettsburg
roads, terminating on the south at Round Gap Mountain,
on the north at Gulp's Hill, south of Gettysburg. The
northern extremity curves around, similar in shape to the
bond of a fish-hook. The convexity of the curve is towards
Gettysburg. This is called Cemetery Ridge. On the
morning of July 2 the remainder of the Army of the Po-
tomac, except the Sixth coi-ps, had come up, and were
posted all along this ridge. The enemy's army was posted
on Seminary Ridge, running nearly parallel to Cemetery
Ridge, except Ewell's corps, which lay opposite to Gulp's
Hill, its left extendin"; around to the northern suburbs of
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the town, where it joined the right of tiieir (the rebel) army,
nearly encircling the town. The One Hundred and Forty-
seventh New York Volunteers were posted on Gulp's Hill.
The forenoon was spent by both armies in getting into po-
sition. In the afternoon, at 3.30, General Longstrect made
his celebrated attack on our left, striving to get possession
of Little Round-Top Mountain, the key to the whole posi-
tion ; that obtained, the enemy could enfilade our whole
line. Attack followed attack, until night put an end to
the contest.
The enemy had obtained some advantage, but the posi-
tion still remained in the possession of our forces. During
the battle Gulp's Hill had been much weakened by the with-
drawal of troops to oppose General Longstreet. Between
six and seven p.m. General Ewell made repeated charges
up the steep hill, crowned by a rude breastwork of loose
stones and logs hastily thrown up by our men. The at-
tacks were renewed along in the night. Finally the enemy
effected a lodgment. A regiment of the Twelfth corps
gave way, and let the enemy in. The One Hundred and
Forty-seventh New York and Fourteenth Brooklyn, with
some troops of the Twelfth corps, charged upon them and
drove them out, restoring the lines. July 3 the enemy
placed in position, on Seminary Ridge and the railroad em-
bankment next to the town, one hundred and fifty pieces
of artillery. At one P.M. they opened fire on our centre.
The Union batteries replied, but owing to their position
only eighty pieces could be brought to bear at once. After
two hours General Hunt, chief of artillery, slackened fire
to see what the enemy were intending to do. The enemy,
thinking our batteries silenced and the troops demoralized,
began the grand attack of the day. General Picket, with
twenty thousand men, moved up the slope in dense columns
towards our centre. Our batteries opened on them, tearing
huge gaps in their lines, which were closed as soon as made.
The enemy pressed steadily on until they met our forces in
a hand-to-hand conflict. Gunners used their rammers and
the infantry clubbed their muskets to beat them off. Lieu-
tenant Haskell, on General Gibbons' staflf, speedily collected
several fragments of broken organizations of troops, and at-
tacked them " on the flank," throwing them into disorder.
During a period of a quarter of an hour the combatants
were struggling in close quarters. The attack was soon
repulsed, and nearly the entire charging column was either
killed, wounded, or captured. On the right, at Gulp's
Hill, General Ewell had kept up a series of attacks or feints
since the evening of the 2d. The hill was steep and nag-
ged, densely wooded, and the surface covered with loose
stones. With wonderful persistence and bravery, the enemy
had charged up this steep hill to our bi'eastworks during
the night of the 2d and through the day of the 3d, until
their dead literally covered the ground. Under the breast-
works they lay in heaps. Their wounded were mostly
removed during the night under cover of the darkness.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York had been
kept constantly on the alert until exhausted by fatigue and
want of sleep. A constant stream of musketry was kept
up by our line to repel the enemy. The trees facing the
line, scarred to their tops, and the limbs cut ofi' by bullets,
attest the severity of the contest. An incident occurred
on the 3d which illustrates the desperate valor and reck-
lessness of the enemy. In a charge more vigorous and de-
termined than usual, after persistent fighting, their line
broke ; a number of their men took shelter behind a large
rock in front of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New
York, but it did not wholly protect them from a flank fire
from both sides. They were being gradually picked oiF by
our men. They commenced to wave handkerchiefs and
give other tokens of surrender. This was seen by an ofli-
cer on General Ewell's staff at a distance on our right. He
immediately started to ride across our front to arrest it.
He and his orderlies were immediately riddled with bullets.
The wadding of their coats was seen to fly as the bullets
passed through them. The regiment had been fighting
almost constantly from the evening of the 2d to the evening
of the 3d without rations, and without food, save a little
fresh beef without salt, and seasoned with gunpowder.
The pickets in the night were relitvcd every thirty minutes
and the oflacers every second hour, as it was impos.sible for
them to remain longer on their posts without falling asleep.
Nature could endure no more. The men and cfiicers in the
first day's battle divested themselves of every incumbrance,
their knupsacks, haversacks, and all, save their arms and
ammunition ; consequently they had nothing to eat, save
the fresh beef which was once or twice brought to them.
During two days the enemy had made herculean efforts to
break our lines, but the Union army at all points withstood
and repulsed their fierce onsets, with terrible slaughter.
Animated by a fanaticism and bravery which was almost
superhuman, only having its parallel in the old army of
Cromwell, they had exhausted the limits of human endur-
ance. Thirty thousand out of an array of one hundred
thousand men, the flower of the Confederacy, had been
killed and wounded, and nearly ten thousand more taken
prisoners. They had the best army the world ever had seen.
The best blood in the Confederacy was fighting in its
ranks. They had gathered this splendid army through the
popular desire and inducement of invading the enemy's
country, and of diverting the ravages of war from their own
soil. It was supposed when the teeming North, with its
poplilous cities, began to witness the horrors of war, the
people would speedily sue for peace. They were now ar-
rested on the threshold, and their hopes and anticipations
turned to ashes.
This may well be considered the decisive battle of the
war. The enemy kept up a show of continuing the battle
till nightfall. In the night they silently gathered their
dispirited forces and withdrew from the town, leaving the
hospitals and wounded as they had found them. Our army
lay on its arms all night; in the morning of the 4th,
tidings were brought that the enemy had withdrawn in the
night. They fortified Seminary Hill as a menace to our
army — keeping up a show of renewing the attack during
the 4th — and a cover of retreat for theirs. In the morning
General Meade called a council of war, by which it was
decided to remain until the enemy's plans were developed.
There was some cannonading through the day, but little
infantry fighting. In the night a heavy shower set in, and
in the morning of the 5th the enemy had retreated from
Seminary Hill. The losses of the One Hundred and Forty-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
91
seventh New York, during the 2d and 3d, were consider-
able, in proportion to its numbers. Lieutenant Taylor,
Company E, was killed, and Lieutenant John P. Box,
Company A, was wounded in the shoulder, and had his
arm amputated at the shoulder-joint.
The following were killed in the second and third days'
battle of Gettysburg : John Hart, Company C ; Sergeant
Joseph Stuyvesant, Company C ; Sylvester Taylor, second
lieutenant Company E ; Sylvester Quick, Company K.
Francis Dodd, Company H, died at Fairfax seminary,
July 3, from typhoid fever. The names of the wounded
in these battles cannot be obtained.
Among the incidents of the battle, there was one which
occurred at the hospital, illustrating the reckless abandon
and bonhommie of the life of the soldier during this war.
The surgeon of the regiment with- the surgeon of the
Fourteenth Brooklyn Regiment occupied a large hotel in the
lower part of the town, which was very much exposed to the
shells of the enemy during the first day, and from the shells
of the Union army during the next two days of the battle.
In the morning of the 6rst day's battle, the hospital was
soon filled with the wounded of these two regiments;
many of them were wounded slightly. In the confusion,
the slightly wounded hud the freedom of the hotel. They
ransacked the building, and found a quantity of liquor of
all descriptions ; they soon got somewhat intoxicated.
Several of the Fourteenth Brooklyn men, with their arms
in their hands, were looking out of the windows into the
street, when they saw the enemy come into the town,
driving the Eleventh corps before them. They fired out
of the windows at the enemy. A volley was immediately
returned into the building ; thereupon the wounded soldiers,
about twelve in number, rushed down and formed a line
across the entrance, to defend the hospital against the
whole rebel army ! Just at that time, one of the suigeons
returned from a visit to several officers of his regiment, who
had been taken into a building in another part of the town,
and saw a squad of the enemy, only a few paces off, with
their muskets raised to their shoulders, about to fire into
these Brooklyn men. He ordered them not to shoot those
wounded men ; the rebel officer in command told his men
not to fire, and turned to the surgeon and said, " Disarm
them, then, or I will have every man of them shot." The
surgeon ordered the men to give up their arms and go
back into the hospital. All but three or four obeyed;
these declared that they would never surrender, and it w;is
with great difficulty that the surgeon finally saved their
lives. The enemy were determined to shoot them, and the
surgeon once or twice pushed the muzzles of the guns
aside when they were about to fire. Finally, with assistance,
he wrenched the muskets from the grasp of the wounded
men. One man was shot through the heart, and lay across
the steps of the hotel. As soon as matters were quieted,
the surgeon looked around and saw a mounted rebel officer,
considerably intoxicated, across the street, brandishing a
pistol, declaring that he would sack and burn the hospital,
because they had been firing out of the windows at his men.
He caught sight of the surgeon and came riding across the
street, saying, " I say, doctor, don't we Louisianians fight
like h — 1?" at the same time displaying several trophies
which he had picked up from the battle-field, but claiming
that he had captured them from " Yankee officers" by his
personal prowess. The surgeon, mindful of the real danger
the wounded were in, for firing out of the windows was a
plain violation of the usages of civilized warfare, flattered
the rebel officer to the top of his bent. Finally he rode oflf,
siying nothing more about sacking the building. The men
who, a short time before, were ready to defend the hospital
with their lives, soon affiliated with the ones who were
anxious to shoot them down, and were soon seated on the
curb-stone side by side, chaffing each other. Tliey soon
found out that they were old acquaintances, — they had often
picketed the banks of the Rappahannock opposite to each
other, and had often, by concerted agreement, crossed the
river into each others' lines, and had a friendly game of
cards or traded tobacco for coffee. They had many remi-
niscences to relate, and boastings of their respective prowess
in many a hard-fought battle in which they were oppo.sed to
each other.
CHAPTER XXL
OS-WEGO IN THE KEBELLION.
Tlic One Hundred .and Furty-sevt-uth Regiment— Pursuit uf the
Enemy to the Ilajjidan and lietieat uf the Ai-Jny uf the Potuuiac
to Centieville.
In the morning of the 0th the First corps set out for
Emmettsburg. As the regiment passed along the I'jmmetts-
burg road, p;ist the scenes of the late conflict, at the centre
and left of the line they saw evidences of the terrible
slaughter. The enemy's dead still cumbered the ground.
Immense piles of muskets were gathered from the fields
where the men were shot down. In places where the con-
flict raged the fiercest were the dihris of cartridge-boxes,
soldiers' belts, fragments of clothing, and bayonets trampled
into the ground and stained with blood. At Peach-Tree
Orchard an old man was gathering up relics from the battle-
field. He lived close by, in a small wooden house, around
which the battle had fiercely raged during two days, the
combatants charging and counter-charging, driving each
other backwards and forwards over his garden and yard.
He took shelter in the cellar during the battle. He gave
a graphic description of his two days' experience. In
many of the muskets gathered from the field were found
many charges of cartridges, some of them filled to the
muzzle. In the excitement, the cartridge had been put in
wrong end first; not ob.serving that the charge did not ex-
plode, another wits put in on top of the first, and so on
until .several had accumulated.
The regiment encamped at Emmettsburg in the evening
of the 6th. On the 7th crossed Cotocton mountain, taking
a short cut to Middletown ; took a mountain-path or chute
for getting wood down from the mountain. Many of the
men were nearly shoeless, and the recent severe rains had soft-
ened the horses' hoofs so much that it was difficult to keep
them shod. Many of the horses became lamed ascending
the steep mouniniii path gullied out by the rains, leaving
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the bed full of loose, small stones. The men suffered much
in the feet. Arrived at Middletown, Maryland, in the even-
ing. General Cutler ordered the inhabitants to remove their
shoes. from their feet and give them to those soldiers who
were entirely shoeless. The men had become much en-
feebled by want of sleep and proper nourishment in the
three days' battle of Gettysburg. On the 8th the regiment
marched in rain and mud through the village of Middle-
town, and encamped near South Mountain Gap. On the
9th passed through the gap and encamped in a locust grove
on the side of the mountain, overlooking a beautiful valley;
the enemy could be seen in the distance. Here, for the
first time in many days, the baggage-train came up, and the
ofiBcers obtained a change of nnderclothii)g, a luxury rarely
indulged in since leaving camp below Falmouth, on the
12th of June. On the 12th the army advanced, driving
in the outposts of the enemy, to Funkstown, Maryland.
Beyond the town the enemy were found intrenched. The
recent rains had raised the Potomac, making it unfordable.
General French had several days previously destroyed the
enemy's pontoon-bridges ; they were obliged to await the
falling of the waters or till they could construct a new
bridge. On the 13th, General Meade called a council of
war, which advised a postponement of the attack until a
reconnoissance had been made. In the evening an order
was issued for an advance on the next morning. In the
morning of the 14th the army advanced on the enemy's
works, but found them deserted. During the night the
enemy had crossed over the Potomac, partly on a new pon-
toon-bridge constructed out of timber obtained by tearing
down old buildings, partly by fording the stream. About
thirteen hundred rebels were captured, consisting of strag-
glers and part of the rear-guard which did not have time to
cross over. Marched on that day to Williamsport. Here
the brave General Wadsworth left his command for the
south. He called on the officers of the regiment and bade
them an affectionate farewell. He was greatly chagrined
at the escape of the enemy. He had met with the council
of war and strongly urged an immediate attack upon the
enemy, but as he was a junior in rank his opinion had but
little weight. He was a patriot of an antique mould, sturdy
and robust: his bravery was a little prone to rashness.
His voice was always for a vigorous prosecution of the war,
and to attack the enemy wherever found. Perhaps what
he lacked in discretion was amply made up in boldness and
bravery. Hitherto there had been too much halting and
timidity in executing and shrinking from assuming respon-
sibility. General McClellan, one year ago, had, near this
place, let the enemy slip from his grasp from the want of
vigor and boldness. Now, under vastly more favorable
conditions for our army, the enemy had escaped while our
generals were deliberating when they should have been
acting. The men had, on the 8th, got news of the capture
of Vicksburg, and, notwithstanding their enfeebled condi-
tion, were inspirited and eager for the attack, knowing that
the enemy must be much demoralized and nearly out of
ammunition. The enemy were now safe across the river,
and the men had long, weary marches before them and
many a hard battle to fight before the rebellion could be
Tiut down.
Passing over the battle-field of Antietam, July 15, the
regiment marched to Crampton's Gap, in the Cotocton
mountains ; the next day it passed through the Gap, and
crossed the Potomac into Virginia again, above Harper's
Ferry. Adjutant Fading and Lieutenant-Colonel Miller
returned to duty on the 15th. At Keedysville, July 21,
a detail was made, consisting of Lieutenant-Colonel Miller,
Captain James Coey, and Lieutenant Gillett, to go to Elmira,
New York, for conscripts to fill the depleted ranks of the
regiment. Blaj or- General Newton, who had been assigned
the command of the First corps, about this time joined the
corps. The corps marched through a beautiful valley, an
elevated plateau between the Bull Run and Blue Ridge
ranges of mountains, to Warrenton, reaching there July 28.
The inhabitants were extremely hostile. This region
had been the stronghold and refuge of the guerrillas, and
some of our officers and men were captured when not fiir
from the main column. When at Warrenton the regiment
witnessed a battle at Manassas Gap, in the Blue Ridge
range, five or six miles distant. The enemy attempted to
pass through the Gap, but were met by one of the Federal
corps and driven back. The corps left, July 25, for War-
renton Junction. August 1 marched to the Rappahan-
nock, and crossed the river August 2, and commenced to
fortify the south bank of the stream, expecting an attack ;
had some skirmishing in front. Alexander R. Penfield
reported for duty as first lieutenant, Company H, commis-
sioned July 4. The regiment lay in camp at Rappahannock
Station until September 16, then marched to Stevensburg,
near Culpepper ; there remained till the 24th instant, then
marched to Raccoon Ford on the Rapidan river. Septem-
ber 24 an elegant sword was presented to Major Harney by
Adjutant Farling,— a gift of the regiment, as a token of
respect and esteem. Received October 6 one hundred and
forty-two conscripts, and eighty more on the 9th. October
10 the regiment marched to Morgan's Ford, on the Rapi-
dan, and returned to Pony mountain, near Culpepper, in
the night.
RETREAT OP THE ARMY TO CENTREVILLE.
There had been signs of some impending movement by
the enemy during several days; the movement on the Rapi-
dam was a reconnoissance. The experience of General Pope,
the year previous, had made our generals more wary. The
Bull Run range of mountains afforded a curtain for the
enemy to mask their movements from our view. In August,
1862, Stonewall Jackson had marched up behind that range
of mountains, passing through Thoroughfare Gap, cut off the
communications of Pope's army, and destroyed an immense
amount of military stores at Centreville and rolling stock on
the Orange and Alexandria railroad, before General Pope
was aware of the movement. He at the time supposed he
was holding the enemy at bay across the Rapidan. It was
supposed a similar movement was being executed by the
enemy at this time. The regiment remained near Pony
mountain until noon, and then retreated to Kelly's Ford
on the Rappahannock. As it passed over the hills near
Stevensburg the enemy's cavalry came in sight in pursuit.
General Plcasonton's cavalry protected the rear.
The enemy's cavalry could be distinctly seen deploying
J
i
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
and charging upon our cavalry, which handsomely repelled
their charges and kept tliem at bay. Heavy cannonading
was heard towards Brandy Station to our left during the
afternoon, but the retreat of the First corps was not again
molested. It crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford
that evening, and encamped on the north bank that night.
The regiment remained till the 12th, then retreated at
midnight, leaving the camp-fires burning to deceive the
enemy ; they coming up soon after shelled tlie deserted
camp. Reached Warrenton Junction at twelve M. on the
13th, and then halted in line of battle. Heavy cannon-
ading was heard towards Warrenton. The corps halted
until the baggage-traiu got safely under way, and a large
quantity of forage had been sent to the rear on the cars,
then moved to Bristoe Station, arriving there at 11 p.m.,
after a toilsome march, and encamped over night.
In the morning heavy cannonading was heard from the di-
rection of Warrenton. The First corps pursued its retreat
to Centreville, reaching there about three P.M. From the
heights of Centreville could be seen the rebel army advan-
cing in pursuit of General Warren, then at Bristoe. They
pressed so closely upon the heels of the retreating Second
corps that it was obliged to make a stand behind Broad
Run and deliver battle. It handsomely repulsed the enemy,
and captured five guns and several prisoners. It resumed
its march to Centreville in the night. The next day there
was heavy cannonading to the left towards Bull Run, but
it soon subsided. The entire Army of the Potomac had
now taken shelter once more behind Bull Run. The enemy
had been foiled in his object, partly by the tardiness of his
uiovenienfs and partly by the skill of General Meade in
keeping his army well in hand, and making a timely
retreat. ■
General Meade, in his eagerness to escape the disasters
which had fallen upon the army under General Pope in
August, 1862, lost agolden opportunity to attack and defeat
the enemy in detail. Their flanking column came upon his
flank and rear at Bristoe Station, and there it was severely
defeated by one corps.
If he had halted his whole army then and given the
enemy battle, instead of falling back to the heights of Cen-
treville, he must have obtained an easy victory. General
Ewell coming up too late on our left found the Union army
safe behind Bull Run, threw across the stream a few shells
as a token of love and respect, ;;nd then retired. The
enemy, baffled in his attempt to cut the communications of
the Union army and repeat the brilliant manoeuvre of the
year preceding, set about destroying the Orange and Alex-
andria railroad. They twisted every rail and burned every
tie from Broad Run, near Bristoe Station, to the Rappa-
hannock, about twenty-five miles. On October IG the
regiment received one hundred more conscripts. Assistant
Surgeon Place reported for duty. He was left at Gettys-
burg, soon after was taken ill, and went from there to his
home.
The following promotions took place about this time :
Sergeant H. H. Hubbard was promoted to second lieutenant,
for gallant conduct at the battle of Gettysburg; James A.
McKinley, first lieutenant Company I, promoted to captain,
October 7, vice Patrick Resran, discharged on surgeon's
certificate of disability ; Volncy J. Pierce, first lieutenant
Company G, promoted captain Company D, vice Hulett,
resigned ; Joseph Dompsey, second lieutenant Company K,
promoted first lieutenant August 26 ; Edward Seeider, ser-
geant Company E, promoted second lieutenant Company
E, October 7, vice Lieutenant Taylor, killed at Gettysburg ;
Sidney Gaylord, sergeant Company E, promoted second
lieutenant Company E, October 7 ; James W. Kingsley,
sergeant Company K, promoted second lieutenant Company
K, August 26.
The following is a list of deaths in hospitals ;
George W. Box, Company C, September 22, 186'3;
Charles H. Backus, sergeant Company D ; Levi M. Wallace,
Company E, August 18, 1863; William Edmonds, Com-
pany P, September 17, 1863 ; Horace Cheever, Company
F; Asa Westcott, Company F, July 25, 1863.
CHAPTER XXII.
OSWEGO IN THE KEBELLION.
The One Ilunilrcd and Forty-seventh Regiment— Mine Run— Winter
Quarters — Battles of tbc Wilderness, North Anna, and Peters-
burg.
October 19, the First corps advanced to Haymarket,
near the entrance of Thoroughfare Gap. The regiment lost
several men, captured on the picket-line that evening. Tlicy
were surprised by the enemy's cavalry, in consequence of a
blunder or negligence of the ofiicer posting the picket-line.
On the next day the corps marched through the Gap and
encamped on the other side, and remained several days.
Captain Gary, Company G, returned to duty. Brigadier-
General Rice, late colonel of the Forty-fourth Regiment
New York Volunteers (Ellsworth Avengers), about this
time was assigned to the command of the Second brigade.
Brigadier-General Cutler commanded the First division,
vice General Wadsworth, relieved at Williamsport, Maiy-
land. October 24, returned through the Gap in a cold, drench-
ing rain, and marched to Bristoe Station. The railroad was
gradually being repaired, and the army advancing towards
the Rappahannock. October 31, Captains Wright, Com-
pany K, Parker, Company C, and Slattery, Company B,
who were wounded at Gettysburg, reported for duty. No-
vember 5, the regiment removed to Catlett's Station. A
brigade of the Sixth corps captured more than its number
of the enemy at Rappahannock Station. It made a gal-
lant charge on a rebel redoubt about sunset, cutting off'
their retreat across the liver, and forced them to sur-
render. November 11, Captains Wright, Parker, Gary,
Huginii), and Slattery were discharged on General
McClellan's general order No. 100 ; also Assistant Sur-
geon Place and Lieutenant Hamlin, Company K, were
discharged on the same order. On the 9th of November
the army crossed the Rtippahannock and drove the enemy
out of their encampments between the lla])pahannock and
Rapidan. They had made elaborate propaiations for the
winter; had erected coiufoi-table log huts for wintar-qiiar-
94
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOEK.
ters, as if they had meant to stay. The eDcmy retreated
across the Rapidan, and again went into winter quarters at
Gordonsville and Fredericksburg. November 27, the Union
army crossed the Rapidan to attack the enemy ; tlieir army
at the time was stretched from Gordonsville to Fredericks-
burg. The object of the movement was to surprise the
enemy, separate the two wings before they could unite, and
attack each in detail. Tlie enterprise miscarried because
of delay in concentrating for th'e attack, giving the enemy
time to unite and oppose the Army of the Potomac with
Iheir entire force. The First corps crossed the Rapidan
at Germania Ford at three a.m., marched to Gold Mine,
near the junction of the Gordonsville road, and encamped.
On the 28th marched to Robinson's Tavern, in the Wilder-
ness. On the way, the Fifth corps ordnance train was at-
tacked by guerrillas. They were stationed on the road,
dressed in Federal uniform, and were taken for Union
stragglers. As soon as the ordnance train passed by they
deployed across the road, and in the thicket intercepted the
head of the column of the First corps. By the time troops
had deployed and driven the guerrillas off they had killed
or captured several of the wagon-guard, who on the way
were riding on the wagons, neglecting their duty ; and
drivers ran off three or four of the ordnance wagons on to
a by-road, and killed several of the mules.
They set fire to the wagons which they had captured ; the
explosions of the shells were heard a long time afterwards.
This delayed the column but a short time in its march.
About three p.m. the corps reached Robinson's Tavern.
Towards Gordonsville, heavy cannonading and musketry
were heaid to our right, about two or three miles distant.
The corps was immediately got in marching order, and started
through the dense thicket for the scene of action. General
French, commander of the Third corps, had experienced
delay in crossing the ford, and was several hours behind.
The enemy had attacked him in force and had checked his
advance. When the First corps arrived on the ground
the battle had ceased. The remainder of the day and till
about ten a.m. on the 29th was occupied in getting into
position. The First corps formed into line of battle, and
charged through the dense thickets, and over ravines, pre-
serving a perfect line when possible ; when any part of the
line was interrupted by some impediment, formed into
columns by regiments, deploying into line again when the
impediment was passed, preserving intact an unbroken and
even front, and a continuous line of battle, until the enemy
were driven across Mine Run. No manoeuvre could have
been more perfectly executed on an even parade-ground.
It was a beautiful sight. Across the run, the enemy
occupied a natural fortification, with escarpment, bastions,
and salient angles, the run serving as a ditch. November
30 was spent in reconnoitcring the enemy's position to
find a weak point for an attack. December 1, the army
remained through the day to await the result of a flank
movement by the Second corps, commanded by General
Warren, but he found all parts of the enemy's line equally
protected and impervious to attack. In the mean time the
weather had become intensely cold ; the men on the skirmisb-
and picket-lines suffered terribly ; some of the wounded
were frozen on tlie ground. In the night it fell to the lot
of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Harney, to picket the front across the run.
No fires were allowed ; they were in close proximity to the
enemy, and the least noise would draw upon them a shower
of bullets. When he withdrew the line, many of the men
were so benumbed with cold that it was with difficulty that
they could be urged to withdraw. The enemy had already
made a movement to cut them off, and the regiment barely
got across the run in time to escape capture.
In the evening of December 1, the army fell back.
The First corps encamped on the south bank of the Rapidan,
at Ely's Ford. In the morning of December 2 returned to
near Culpepper, and from there went to Kelly's Ford, on the
Rappahannock. Here the corps went into encampment,
and remained several weeks. The regiment suffered much
by sickness, especially the unseasoned conscripts. Remittent
and typho-malarial fevers became prevalent. The ground
was saturated with moisture ; it had a clay subsoil which
retained the moisture from the autumnal rains. Excavations
made for the purpose of constructing the camp would soon
fill up to the surface of the ground with water discolored
by the clay. Colonel Miller, Captain Coey, and Lieutenant
Gillett returned to duty from their trip north for conscripts.
About January 1, 1864, the First corps moved to Cul-
pepper and went into winter quarters ; it occupied a rolling
country with pure water. The health of the regiment
immediately improved, and the hospital soon became empty.
During the winter the following promotions took place :
Lieutenant-Colonel F. C. Miller, promoted to colonel, No-
vember 24, 1863, vice J. G. Butler, discharged on sur-
geon's certificate of disability; Major G. Harney, promoted
lieutenant-colonel, December 15, vice P. C. Miller, pro-
moted ; D. Farling, adjutant, promoted major, Deceinber 15,
vice G. Harney, promoted; H. H. Lyman, second lieu-
tenant Company C, promoted adjutant, January 12, 1864,
vice Farling, promoted ; Joseph Dempsey, first lieutenant
Company K, promoted captain, January 12, 1864 ; George
Huginin, first lieutenant Company A, promoted captain
Company B ; Henry H. Hubbard, second lieutenant Com-
pany D, promoted first lieutenant Company D, December
24, 1863, again promoted to captain, March 24, 1864 ;
Alexander R. Penfield, promoted to captain, December 24,
18C3; Nathaniel Wright, restored, November 30, 1863;
William J. Gillett, promoted to captain, March 30, 1864 ;
James W. Kingsley, second lieutenant Company K, pro-
moted first lieutenant, March 30, 1864; James Brown,
sergeant Company B, promoted first lieutenant, July 27,
1863; Byron Parkhurst, sergeant Company G, promoted
first lieutenant Company G, December 24, 1863 ; Alexander
King, sergeant Company D, promoted second lieutenant Com-
pany D, December 24, 1863, again promoted to first lieuten-
ant Company D, April 14, 1864 ; Cheney D. Barney, second
lieutenant Company H, promoted first lieutenant Company
H, February 8, 1864; William A. Wybourn, second lieu-
tenant, promoted first lieutenant, January 23, 1864 ; Lansing
Bristol, sergeant Company D, promoted second lieutenant
Company D, April 14, 1864 ; Franklin N. Hamlin, restored
first lieutenant Company K, December 24, 1863 ; Edwin
M. Sperry, sergeant Company C, promoted second lieutenant
Company C, February 8, 1864 ; Clark H. Norton, sergeant
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
95
Company H, promoted second lieutenant Company 11,
December 7, 18G3 ; Jolm Berry, of the Fourteentli Brooklyn,
promoted second lieutenant Company A, November 24,
1863 ; William Kinney, sergeant Company K, promoted
second lieutenant, January 11, 1804; Joel A. Baker, ser-
geant-major, promoted second lieutenant Company G, April
19, 1864.
The winter of 1863-64, after the terrible battles and
weary marches of the previous season, was spent in a series
of amusements and recreation. All pursuits of life were
represented in our volunteer army. Rude theatres were
constructed, and the drama became the most popular source
of amusement. Scenes of the war were represented on
the mimic stage, generally at the expense of the enemy.
The Fourteenth Brooklyn was specially fertile in inventing
these ludicrous representations, but they stimulated rivalry
and emulation, and rival theatres sprang up. March 19,
1864, a reconnoissance in force was made on the enemy's
front. The baggage was packed, tents struck, and every-
thing put in readiness to be sent to the rear. The First
corps marched to the llapidan at Morton's Ford in the night,
and there encamped in a swamp. The men were obliged
to put down a layer of rails and logs to keep out of the
water. The enemy were strongly fortified across the stream.
The opposite bank rose abruptly, and a series of rifle-pits,
filled with rebel sharpshooters, rose up to the top of the bank.
The Sixth corps effected a crossing in another part of the
line, but was driven back with considerable loss. The
object of the movement was to prevent the enemy from
detaching any considerable force to send southwest to oppose
General Sherman.
During the winter a congressional committee investigated
the condition of the army. It was thought that results in-
adequate to the force and strength of the army had been
attained.
A reorganization of the army was recommended to make
it more efficient. The Firet corps was consolidated with
and merged into the Fifth corps under Major-General War-
ren. The Third and Second corps were consolidated into
the Second corps under Major-General Hancock. Other
changes took place. General Wadsworth returned, and
assumed command of his old First division, now of the Fifth
corps. General Grant had been assigned the command of
all the Federal armies, and made his headquarters with
those of the Army of the Potomac. March 29. the Army
of the Potomac was reviewed by General Grant. He in-
spected the troops very closely and with care.
The following is a list of those killed in battle or who
died in hospital,* from October 16, 1863, to May 4, 1864 :
Alpheus Austin, Company A, captured at Haymarket,
Virginia, October 19, died in Andersonville prison; James
Guard, Company A, killed November 3, 1863, at David's
island, New York ; Israel Barber, died November 8, 1863,
of typhoid fever; Daniel Wilson, Company B, December
23, 1863 ; Lucian Gibbs, Company B, November, 1863 ;
Samuel Delano, died at Richmond, Virginia, December 2,
1863; Jonathan Ween, Company B, December 10, 1863;
Josiah Farrington, Company F, November 24, 1863; Os-
sian Howe, Company F, December 15, 1863; Jacob
Snider, Company F, date unknown ; Robert N. Baker, cor-
poral Company G, November 20, 1863; Decatur Russell,
Company H, November 28, 1803 ; Isaac Goslinc, Company
H, November 27, 1863 ; John B. McCord, Company H,
February 15, 1864 ; Elam Seymour, Company F, January
30, 1864; Benjamin I. Stone, December 20, 18G3; Levi
Decker, Company I, November 23, 1863; Nathaniel
Covert, Company K, January 10, 1864 ; Andrew Craig,
Company K, December 8, 1863 ; John Daly, Company K,
January 18, 1864 ; John W. Elliott, Company K, Novem-
ber 17, 1863; Nicholas McCoy, Company K, Jaimary 8,
1864 ; Daniel Sharp, Comininy K, January 2, 1864 ; John
Maggerly, Company D, January 31, 1864; Stephen L.
Lacy, Company E, March 10, 1864 ; William Topher, Feb-
ruary 25, 1864. Conscripts or recruits killed in battle or
died in hospitals are not included in this list, as their names
are not found on the final muster-out rolls deposited in the
adjutant-general's office in Albany.
B.\TTL.ES OP THE WILTIERNESS, SPOTTSYLVANIA, NORTH
ANNA, AND PETERSBURG.
May 5, 1804, commenced the memorable campaign of
the Wilderness, Spottsylvania , and Petersburg.
The Fifth corps set out in the night of the 3d, crossed
the Rapidan at Germania Ford, and encamped near the gold
mine. On the morning of the 5th, advanced to the right on
a wood road over a marsh, and up a steep hill through a
dense thicket of scrub pine timber, into a clearing. Here,
the ammunition- and baggage-trains and artillery were halted.
Heavy skirmishing was heard in front. A aipturcd rebel
was brought in to Generals Warren and Wadsworth, and
questioned. He said there were only two or three rebel
regiments in front. The First division formed into a line
of battle and advanced towards Mine Run. After advanc-
ing about half a mile in a dense thicket, and over ridges and
ravines, preserving the line with difficulty, they met the
enemy. They were concealed in an opening partially grown
up to stunted, bushy pine. The division was greeted with a
withering volley. The right of the line soon fell back, leaving
the right flank of the Second brigade exposed. The
enemy pressed on all sides, and the brigade was forced to
give way. It fell back to the clearing from whence it started,
in some disorder, but none too soon to prevent being cap-
tured. The enemy had driven in all on the left, and occupied
part of the clearing. The ammunition- and baggage-trains
and artillery were all gone. The entire Pennsylvania Re-
serves, who were to the left, were cut oflFand captured. The
enemy had formed a " cul de sac," and the only point of
egress was the narrow path through which the brigade had
retreated. Many of the regiment, trying to escape, ran into
the enemy's lines and were taken prisoners.
Colonel Miller w;is severely wounded, and captured. Adju-
tant Lyman and many of the skirmish-line were captured.
Generals Griffin's and Crawford's divisions, in advance
farther to the left, had been struck by General Hill's corps,
and driven in. When the Second brigade emerged from
the woods on the retreat, the enemy occupied a hill to the
left, in short range from the broken brigade. General Rice,
supposing them to be Federal troojis, tried to rally his
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
brigade, but be soon found tbo position untenable, and fell
back to near tbe road, at Tod's Tavern, from wbere tbe Fifth
corps turned oflF in the morning. There General Wadsworth
wasrallying his division. The First division was moved
off in another direction, but was not again engaged that day.
The loss of the regiment in killed, wounded, and prisoners
was very large. It is difficult to describe the positions
which tbe regiment took during the remainder of the two
days' battle. The country is a wild region. The timber
had been formerly cut off to supply iron-furnaces, and the
land left to grow up to dwarf pine, scrub oak, chinquapins,
and brambles. The surface is broken into low ridges,
ravines, and swamps. The wood took fire in many places,
iidding the torture of burning by a slow fire to the usual
horrors of a battle-field. There was a continuous discharge
of musketry throughout the night from the muskets of the
fallen as they were ignited by tbe burning woods. In the
morning at five the battle was again opened. The First divi-
sion had marched several miles to the left after its repulse
on the 5th. It made a fierce attack on the enemy's right,
and drove it back one mile and a half, overturning General
Lee's headquarters. The Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania and
the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York, under
Colonel Hofmann, of the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania, attacked
the enemy and recovered a position lost by a part of the
Second corps, which had given way. The position was de-
manded of Colonel Hofmann by the defeated colonel of the
Second corps, which he refused to give up until ordered to
do so by his superior officer. General Wadsworth was
killed while leading his division to the attack, and fell into the
hands of the enemy. His bravery commanded respect from
the foe. His body was carefully preserved, and afterwards
sent into the Federal lines under a flag of truce. In him
the country lost an earnest and single-minded patriot. It
was often said of him that " he knew not fear." He was
shot down when rashly exposing himself to encourage his
men, who were shrinking from a galling fire, saying,
" There is not danger enough to harm a mouse." The
battle raged until after dark, neither side gaining any ma-
terial advantage. Towards nightfall General Lee massed
a large force on our right, and drove it far enough to get
possession of our communications. The wounded were
loaded into ambulances and empty baggage-wagons, ready to
be sent to Washington by Culpepper, when the news of the
disaster came. They were retained in the ambulances until
communications could be opened by Fredericksburg and
Aquia creek or Belle Plain. They suffered much by the
detention and transportation over rough roads. The First
division in this two days' battle lost over half of its num-
bers. Thus terminated, for the Union forces, the most
bloody and unique battle of the war. It was fought mostly
in dense thickets, the combatants often coming upon each
other without warning, and soon became inextricably mixed
and confused, neither party knowing which way to turn to
find its way out. It was only by the general plan of battle
that any order could be preserved. The effective fighting
force of the Union army was about eighty thousand, in-
cluding the artillery, which, owing to the nature of the
country, did but little service.
This is exclusive of General Burnside's corps, which re-
mained behind to protect the rear, and did not cross the
Rapidan till the second day. The effective strength of the
enemy was sixty thousand muskets, which was reinforced
on the second day twenty thousand muskets by General
Longstreet. The Union army was permitted to cross the
fords, which were strongly fortified, unmolested. General
Lee's plan was to launch his whole force and strike the
Union column on the flank, after crossing the fords, when
marching. It had failed through difficulty of manoeuvring
his army in the dense thickets of the Wilderness. It was
supposed by General Lee that General Grant would turn
back after the second day, and he sent a large cavalry force
across the river to intercept his retreat. But General Grant,
contrary to the previous habits of Union generals, on the
morning of the 7th, with about twenty thousand wounded,
in ambulances and wagons, set out for Spottsylvania, about
fifteen miles distant. General Lee, on interior lines,
hastened on, reached and occupied bis fortified positions
before him.
The Fifth corps in the advance was impeded by the
enemy's cavalry, and infantry attacks on the flank obliged
it to keep up a running fight all that day. General Rob-
inson, Second division, was wounded and lost a leg. By
the time the Fifth corps came up the enemy had arrived,
and were strongly intrenched in its front. In the morning
of the 8th the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment
was engaged in repelling an attack of the enemy, with con-
siderable loss in killed and wounded. May 9 was mainly
occupied in getting into position by both armies. The
enemy occupied a strong intrenched position, barring fur-
ther advance of the Union army. No fighting except by
sharpshooters ; the men were obliged to keep under cover,
as the least exposure drew the fire of the enemy. General
Sedgwick, of the Sixth corps, was picked off by a sharp-
shooter. May 10, about noon, the regiment was engaged,
■ and was relieved when out of ammunition. About five p.m.
was again brought into action and remained until after dark ;
was driven back by the burning woods; loss in killed and
wounded considerable. May 11 the regiment lay in the
rifle-pits under a heavy cannonading of shot and shell, and
a constant fire from sharpshooters. May 12, five A.M., the
regiment went into the skirmish-line without its breakfast,
charged through a dense thicket up a hill to the enemy's
breastworks, and were repulsed. The regiment then went
about five miles to the left, to engage in one of the most
determined and fiercely-contested battles of the war. At
4.30 A.M. General Hancock with the Second corps stormed
a salient angle of the enemy's works, and carried it, cap-
turing twelve thousand of the enemy. He pursued the
enemy to the second line of works ; having partially lost the
organization of the corps, he was forced to retire to the first
line, which, by the aid of reinforcements, he was able to
hold. The whole rebel army was nearly demoralized and
routed by this onset, and was only saved by the personal
example and bravery of General Lee. He caught up a
standard and placed himself in front of his routed and de-
moralized troops, rallied them, and in person commenced
to lead them back to the charge. His officers and men,
inspirited by his example, first forced him to the rear, then
chai-ged upon General Hancock, and drove him back to the
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
fii-st line. In course of the day General Lee made five
desperate attacks upon this line, but was repulsed each time
with great slaughter.
Here was the most remarkable fighting of the war. Part
of the Fifth corps was moved up in the evening to assist
in holding the position. Every man was given two hundred
and fifty rounds of Ciirtridges, and was ordered to keep up
a constant fusilade towards the enemy throughout the night ;
by so doing they kept down the enemy's fire. No living
thing could withstand such a constant stream of bullets.
In the morning there was no enemy in sight in front, and
their dead lay in heaps behind their breastworks, mostly
shot through the head. The trees within musket-range
were killed, and one tree eighteen inches in diameter was
cut clean in two by bullets. May 11, the brave General
Rice, commander of the Second brigade, when in front of his
coniniaiid, had his thigh-bone shattered by a bullet from a
rebel sharpshooter, and died that evening after an amputa-
tion, from loss of blood. When breathing his last, he made
a request to have his face turned towards the enemy.
Lieutenant-Colonel Harney was slightly wounded that after-
noon in leading a charge on the enemy's works. In with-
drawing the First division of the Fifth corps to aid in
holding the position gained by the Second corps, the Fifth
corps' hospitals were necessarily uncovered.
All the wounded that could be easily moved were re-
moved to a place of safety during the night, but about two
thousand were abandoned and captured by the enemy's
cavalry. Among them were several ofiSeers and men be-
longing to the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment.
They were rescued by the Federal cavalry three days after-
wards, but, from the want of care and proper nourishment,
many of them died who would otherwise have recovered.
In the night of the 13th the regiment experienced the
most fatiguing march of the war. It had been raining
steadily during several days, and the mud was deep. The
corps moved twelve miles to the left, through thickets,
swamps, and ravines.
During several days General Grant had been gradually
moving his army to the left to get around the enemy's
right, but he was met by a corresponding movement by
General Lee. In these series of battles the regiment had
sufiered greatly in killed and wounded and from sickness.
The following were killed or fatally wounded in the bat-
tles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, JLiy 5, 1865 :
Company A, Arnold Brown, Benoni Baker, David Bird,
George Bull, William Backus, Job G. Campbell, Abram I.
White, John E. Peer, May 8 ; Drisdon Founier, wounded
May 5, died August 16.
Company B, May 5, Bently H. Throop; Simon Barbo,
May 12. May 5, wounded, Eugene Burlingame, died July
2, 186-1. May 5, William CuUen, Allen S. Vorce.
Company C, May 5, Ransom Guinness, Albert Eaton.
Company D, Thomas Murphey, corporal. May 8 ; Wil-
liam Horsford, May 12 ; John 0. Hadley.
Company E, Burr B. Lathrop, May 5 ; William Caster,
May 5 ; Roland T. Rogers, May 10 ; Charles Brownell.
Company F, James Brown, first lieutenant, died July
1, 1864, from wounds received May 10, 1864, at Spottsyl-
Company G, May 5, William S. Herrick; May 5, Wil-
liam Harrison ; May 5, Albert June ; George W. Sncll,
May 10.
Company K, Franklin N. Hamlin, first lieutenant, died
of wounds received May 5, 1864 ; Joseph Walker, May 5 ;
Joseph Ballard, Silas E. Parsons, Daniel Vanderwalker,
William Whitehead, Abram M. Wiburn, Michael Walken-
block.
May 21 the Fifth corps marched to Guineas' station, on
the Fredericksburg and Richmond railroad. Continued
the march on the 22d, and reached the North Anna river
at four P.M. on the 24th at Jericho ford. The banks of
the stream were precipitous, and at places rising up perpen-
dicularly thirty or forty feet. The crossing was at a dis-
used ford. The road leading down the banks had been
washed out by rains, and had to be graded. The First
division, commanded by General Cutler, crossed over in
advance, fording the stream, before the pontoon bridge was
laid. The general carelessly gave permission to his division
to mass and get coffee, at the same time posting a few
pickets. General WaiTen coming up a few minutes after,
seeing from the opposite side of the stream the precarious
condition of the division, sent a peremptory command to
General Cutler to get his division into line of battle at
once, and get it in readiness to receive an attack from the
enemy. One brigade had time to form and advance a few
paces in a pine wood, when it was greeted with a deafening
roar of musketry. It came out disorganized, and fled pre-
cipitately down the banks of the stream. A host of non-
combatants, — chaplains, servants with pack animals, stretcher
bearers, hospital attendants, and surgeons, — who had crossed
over with the division, took fright, and fled, giving the
appearance of a stampede. In the mean time, the enemy
had commenced an artillery duel with four Federal bat-
teries stationed on the bluffs on the north side of the river,
the shells passing over the heads of the frightened non-
combatants, adding terror to their fright. The Second
brigade, commanded by Colonel Hofmaiin, was formed
into line, stood firm, and was in readiness to receive the
enemy. A battery, commanded by Captain Mink, formerly
a Black river boatman, a brave artillery officer, came over
at the critical moment ; he posted his battery on an eleva-
tion to the right of the Second brigade, at the same time
sending a request to Colonel Hofmann to reserve fire, and
give him the first chance at the rebels. He had loaded
his guns to the muzzle with canister. The enemy came
swarming out of the woods within short range of the bat-
tery, when it was discharged in their midst. They recoiled,
and fled panic-stricken. The battle was soon renewed.
The enemy was finally repulsed with a loss of one thousand
prisoners. The Fifth corps lost three hundred and fifty
killed and wounded. A second Ball's Bluff disaster was
only prevented by the timely arrival of General Warren on
the north bank of the stream, and the opportune arrival of
Captain Mink at the critical moment on the field of battle.
He had been wounded, and carried a crutch with him at
the time.
During the battle General Warren came over and up-
braided General Cutler, an old man, in forcible but not
over-polite terms for his carelessness. In the mean time,
HISTOEY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
General Hancock, with tlie Second corps, had effected a
crossing four or five miles below, and General Wright, with
the Sixth corps, afterwards crossed above.
In the morning, May 24, the One Hundred and Forty-
seventh Regiment was deployed as skirmishers in the ad-
vance. About forty of the affrighted rebels were captured.
They had not recovered from the demoralization caused by
the battle of yesterday. They appeared to be veiy willing
prisoners. In the morning of the 25th the regiment was
again deployed on the skirmish-line, and advanced towards
Hanover junction, to the southeast about two miles; had
severe fighting; the country flat and densely wooded at
places ; loss in killed and wounded considerable. May 26
it seemed evident that not much progress was to be made
towards Richmond in this direction. The enemy still held
the south bank of the stream between the Fifth corps and
General Hancock, and were strongly posted in our front.
In the night the corps was withdrawn to the north bank of
the stream, and started for Hanover town on the Pamun-
key. Arrived at Hanover town on the 28th. There met
General Sheridan's cavalry on its return from a raid on the
defenses of Richmond. It had met the cavalry of the
enemy, under the rebel general, Stuart, about four miles from
Richmond, and fought a severe battle, in which General
Stuart was killed. About one thousand of the wounded
cavalry were left in hospital at Hanover town. May 30
the regiment was engaged in the battle of Bethesda Church,
in which a large number of wounded prisoners fell into our
hands. May 31 , lay in the trenches in front of the defenses of
Richmond. Heavy cannonading was heard in themorningon
the right, and in the afternoon on the left, but no fighting in
front. June 2, attacked by the enemy about five P.M. ; fell
back and changed front to meet the enemy, and drove them
back ; loss considerable. There was heavy firing to the
right during the day, which continued along in the night.
June 3, battle of Cold Harbor. Commenced throwing up
breastworks about daylight ; they were not finished when
the battle opened with great fury ; several were wounded,
but none seriously. The heaviest fighting was on the right
and left. The Ninety-fifth New York suffered severely.
Lieutenant-Colonel Pye was mortally wounded.
Since crossing the Pamunkey, General Grant had been
tentatively feeling the enemy's lines. To-day he had
made an assault all along the lines, and was repulsed with
great loss in killed and wounded ; the enemy's loss was
comparatively slight, as they were fighting behind breast-
works. The regiment lay in the trenches till June 6. The
baggage-wagons came up the first time during thirty days.
Oflicers obtained a change of under-clothing for the first
time during that period. The state of that which they had
on, and of the cuticle, can be easily imagined.
In the morning of the 7th, at 3.30, the division moved
to the left ; met the enemy at the West Point and Richmond
railroad. The Second brigade was deployed as skirmishers,
and drove the enemy across the Chickahominy river ; then
encamped in the mud for the night. Picketed the north
bank of the stream till the 12th, the enemy picketing the
other side. The river here is about twenty feet across.
The enemy's pickets wore disposed to be friendly, and de-
sired to trade tobacco for coffee, but were forbidden to do
so by their ofiicers ; but the men did so clandestinely, toss-
ing their exchanges across the river. Six rebels came into
our lines on the night of the 9th. The men fished in the
stream. Moved July 13, and crossed the Chickahominy
in the night. The regiment was detailed as a train-guard,
and moved on the road towards the James river ; arrived
near the river at eleven p.m., and encamped on a fine planta-
tion, the owner of which, with three sons, had joined the
rebel army, one of whom was killed and another wounded
in the battle of the Wilderness. Jane 16, crossed the
James river at Wilson's landing ; marched for Petersburg,
starting about noon ; had a weary and toilsome march of
twenty-six miles in a broiling sun, each man carrying a
blanket, forty rounds of ammunition, and half of a shelter-
tent, making a weight of forty or fifty pounds, and went
into camp at two a.m, June 17, about three miles from Pe-
tersburg. The regiment by this time had become much
enfeebled by constant vigils and long, weary marches in the
heat of a Virginia summer. Since May 5 it had been
almost constantly in the presence of the enemy, and more
than half of the time under fire. It often slept in the
trenches when the enemy's shells were bursting thick and
fast around them as a lullaby.
The losses of the armies in their fierce struggles from
the Wilderness to the James river were never oflScially
published ; probably they were so enormous that the au-
thorities deemed it unwise to appall the country by making
known their magnitude. The whole scene of contest from the
Rapidan to the Chickahominy rivers was one Golgotha. In
many places in the dense thickets the dead were left with-
out sepulture, and their bleaching skeletons were seen upon
the return of some of their comrades after the surrender
at Appomattox Court-House (1865), who passed through
there to revisit the scenes of their former struggles. Gen-
eral Grant had had his losses more than made up by con-
stant reinforcements from the defenses of Washington by
the heavy artillery regiments stationed there. They never
supposed they were to be called into the field, and lacked
the experience and efiicicncy of the veterans who had been
in constant service and had withstood the shock of a hun-
dred battle-fields. They had to withstand the jeers and
gibes of the hardened veterans, who, not always without
malice, greeted them as " Heavies," and said, " It is better
to get accustomed to the use of small guns before attempt-
ing to use big ones," because, as they thought, they had
shrunk from the dangers of the war by seeking a safe
place behind the defenses of Washington. These regi-
ments were from two thousand to two thousand four hun-
dred strong when they came into the field. From sickness,
arising from want of proper seasoning, and casualties in
battle, in a great measure arising from the want of expe-
rience, they were soon reduced to two or three hundred.
They had not yet acquired the " discretion which is the
better part of valor" (not speaking, however, in the Fal-
staflBan sense) of the veteran, coolness and wariness in
battle, which can only be attained by long experience, and
which makes a veteran three times as valuable as a raw
recruit, bravery in both being equal. From nature's most
imperative law, self-preservation, the veteran learns to avoid
all unnecessary danger, and instinctively seizes upon all the
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
:nlvanlagcs of his position. At the end of every day's
niart-h, however weary he niiglit bo, the veteran would pvo-
tt-ct himself by constructing some kind of breastwork to
guard against surprise. When on the picket- or skirmish -
line, with marvelous quickness, if there was no natural
cover, he would scoop up a little mound of earth to protect
himself from the bullets of his foe. A gopher could not
burrow out of sight sooner than a veteran would conceal
himself from the euem^' by the use of a tin-cup or a bay-
onet.
General Grant had been flanking the enemy from the
Wilderness to the James river, and now endeavored to suc-
ceed by hastily seizing Petersburg before General Lee could
get there to defend the place. It was protected by an elab-
orate fortification built in the early part of the war, encir-
cling the town on the south side of the Appomattox, about
two and a half miles from the suburbs. Generals Han-
cock, Smith, and Burnside, with a large force, crossed the
James river and made a rapid march to surprise the place
on the 16th of June; but the enemy got there about the
same time. The Union forces took the outer works with-
out opposition, and met the enemy midway between the
works and the town. A fierce battle ensued ; neither party
gained advantage. The enemy, to hold their position, com-
menced to build an inner line of works. In the morning
of the 17th the Fifth corps, after the toilsome march of
the day previous, advanced on the enemy and gained a
position, from which it took part in the general assault upon
the enemy's lines which was made the next day. June
18, the Union army endeavored to take the enemy's works
by coup dc main, but was partially repulsed. A position
was gained varying from one hundred to four hundred
yards from the enemy's works. A vigorous use of the
pick and spade was then made, and in a few days a heavy
line of works was built, confronting the enemy's. In the
charge of the 18th the line of battle of the Fifth corps
passed over a broken country, partly wooded, partly open
fields, and crossed diagonally over a deep railroad cut, and
up the steep bank, consequently the line of battle became
very irregular and uneven. The part of the line occupied
by the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Harney, was in the open field ; the line
gave way on each side of the regiment, but a part of an-
other regiment remained with it. They had charged within
a short distance of the enemy's breastworks, and were there
left without support. It was more dangerous to fall back
than to hold the position. Lieutenant-Colonel Harney
ordered the men to lie down behind a low ridge, which
aflbrded partial protection from the enemy's fire. The
enemy opened embrasures in their works in front (the men
could look into the muzzles of the enemy's cannon as they
were run out), and bombarded them with spherical case-
shot, which nearly grazed their backs when they passed
over them. They kept their position through the day in a
broiling sun. The enemy at one time sent out a force on
the flank to capture them. Lieutenant-Colonel Harney
reserved the fire of his command until they came within
point-blank range, and poured a volley into them. They
immediately fled back behind the works.
Some of the men clamored for permission to go to the
rear. The colonel endeavored to convince them that it was
much safer to remain where they Wire; but, finally, to quiet
the complaints of others, gave four or five of them permis-
sion to retire and see what would come of it. They made
the attempt, and were all killed or wounded.
The lieutenant-colonel, like a true soldier, wished to save
the colors, and called for a volunteer to carry them to the
rear. William Sullivan, sergeant Company I, volunteered,
and carried them off', but was severely wounded. He was
soon after promoted second lieutenant for his gallant con-
duct. The regiment remained till after dark, and got off'
safely. The losses in this day's battle in killed and wounded
were very great.
The following were killed in battle, or died in hospitals,
from May 22 to June 19, 186J :
William Upcraft, Company A, killed Juno 1 ; Christian
Field, Company B, killed at North Anna, May 25 ; Patrick
O'Conner, Company B, wounded May 25, died June 14 ;
Orange Beardsley, Company C, killed May 24 ; Henry
Foster, Company C, June 18, at the battle of Petersburg;
Charles Gurnsey, Company C, June 18, at the battle of
Petersburg; Herbert Gilbert, Company C, June 17 ; Philip
Stevens, Company C, June 18 ; John Fitzgeralds, Company
D, killed at battle of Bethesda Church, June 2 ; Sidney
C. Gaylord, second lieutenant Company E, killed June 18;
John L. Bayne, Company E, June 18 ; Lewellen Laird,
Company E, wounded June 18, died June 24 ; David S.
Rice, Company F, June 18 ; Edwin Marshall, Company G,
June 18; John McMurray, Company G, June 19 ; Thomas
Seagraves, Company G, June 19; Wilbcr H. Wentworth,
Company G, June 18; Atwell Winchester, Company H,
June 19; James A. Castle, Company H, June 10; Thos.
I. Wright, Company H, May 28, at Andersonville, Georgia;
John Mitchell, Company I, died from wounds received
June 18 ; John Daly, Company K, June 18 ; Samuel
Morey and John S. Riley, Company K, June 18; Daniel
Sanders, Company K, May 25 ; Franklin B. Woodrufl',
Company K, wounded June 2, died Juno 11.
CHAPTER XXII L
OS'WEGO IN THE KEBELLION.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment— Siege of Peters-
burg—Battles of Weldon Railroad, Pecble's Farm, Uatcher's Run,
Ilickaford, and Dabney's Mills.
Now commenced the most arduous and trying service of
the war, taxing the temper of the men to the utmo.st endur-
ance. The Union army, to make any headway, was com-
pelled to hold on to every foot of ground gained, with a
death-gi-ip. The front of the line occupied by the One
Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment was in an open field,
about two hundred yards from the enemy's breastworks,
which it was expected to build up and defend. No one
could expo.se any part of his person without being hit by
the enemy's sharpshooters. Several of the men were shot
through the head during the first two or three days.
Nothing could be done at first in the daytime, and the men
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
worked witli a will ia the night for self-preservation. The
sun came down broiling hot in the day, and the men were
without shelter, save what could be got by planting boughs,
obtained from the neighboring woods in the night. The
rear descended to a small stream, then dry ; then ascended
an incline, fully exposed to the rebel sharpshooters ; conse-
quently no reliefs or communications could be got from the
rear, without great risk, in the dnytime. Moreover, on the
right the Ninth corps occupied a salient angle on a hill
within one hundred and twenty-five yards of the enemy's
lines. There was constant skirmishing going on in front
of that corps; the balls, passing over the Ninth corps on the
right flank, descended into the depression in the rear of the
regiment. Many men were killed and wounded when
cooking their food or washing their clothes : there seemed
to be no place of safety, no matter how well, apparently, it
was sheltered. In a few days, by constant labor through
the nights, strong bomb-proofs were built and covered Wiiys
constructed, which afforded complete shelter for the men
behind the works, and a safe access to the rear. By this
time the men were worn out by constant vigils and exposure
to the inclement heat. Nearly every man was sick with
diarrhoea. There were only one hundred and fifty men fit
for duty. The enemy soon procured cohorn mortars, and
silently dropped down shells in the midst of the men when
they supposed they were safe. That was a game that two
could play at. Mortars were procured on our side, and
both parties amused each other by an exchange of compli-
ments, which often had tragic endings. Occasionally, when
a fine opportunity ofi"ered, when more than usual the enemy
were off their guard, a shell would be thrown into their
midst, and playing havoc by a timely explosion (scoring
one for our side), would raise a shout from our men which
would pass all along the line. For a while this game of
ball aS"orded recreation for both parties, but at length a
truce was made against picket-firing and sharpshooting for
amusement, except by the Ninth corps, which kept up a con-
stant fire upon the enemy, for the purpose of concealing
from them the mining of a rebel fort in its front.
The lines, about one mile to the left, approached still
nearer to each other, and the pickef^lines were only a few
paces apart. The fort erected at the left extremity of the
line at this time commanded, by its position on a hill, the
enemy's line. Desperate efforts were made by the enemy
to drive our forces from it, but without avail.
They called it " Fort Hell," by which name it was after-
wards designated. At 4.40 a.m. July 30, the mine in front
of the Ninth corps was exploded, blowing up a rebel fort
with several hundred men ; at the same time the artillery
opened all along the line. The Fifth corps took a very
small part in this engagement. It kept down the enemy's
fire in its immediate front, and awaited orders to join in the
assault afterwards.
The assault was to have been made by the colored troops,
but a short time before the time set for the springing of the
mine the plan of attack was changed, creating some con-
fusion from want of time for preparation and training the
men by the commanders who were to lead the assault.
The explosion had made a crater one hundred and fifty feet
in length by sixty in width, and twenty-five to thirty feet
in depth. The sides were of loose sand, from which pro-
jected huge blocks of clay, making a formidable barrier to
the advance of the attacking column. Some delay was
causjd by removing the ab-itis and clearing aw.iy obstaales
for the advance of thj troops, giving the enemy time to
recover from the momentary panic caused by the explosion.
The troops as they rushed into the opening fell into confu-
sion, and became mixed up, losing their organization. The
enemy rallied, and poured in upon them a destructive fire
from both flanks, and from the crest of the hill in front
beyond. But a few troops were able to pass through the
crater and deploy so as to protect the flanks.
The enemy were protected by covered ways, and were
enabled to advance upon them without molestation from
the fire from our old works on either side. The attacking
column became wedged in the crater, confused and helpless,
unable to advance or retreat. In the mean time the enemy
had planted artillery at several points, and gained the range
of the crater, and poured a terrible fire upon the helpless
mass. Most of the men in the crater were killed and
wounded or captured. Thus ended the attempt to capture
Petersburg by breaching the works, by springing a mine,
and attacking them in the confusion and panic following it.
Great expectations were based upon its success, and corre-
sponding depression followed its failure. August 18, the
Fifth corps moved to the left, taking a circuitous route, and
captured the Weldon railroad, at the Yellow House. The
Second corps had been sent over to the north side of the
James to make a feint.
The enemy had weakened this point to oppose the Second
corps. Two or three attempts had been made previously to
capture this road, and they all had come to grief It was
the principal source for supplying the rebel army, and had
been defended with great pertinacity. The corps massed
in an open field on the side of the road. A rebel battery
opened at a distance, and plowed up an adjoining field
with solid shot ; no one was hurt. About six a.m. the
enemy had discovered the joke, and returned. The corps
formed in line of battle, and advanced to meet them. A
sharp fight ensued. Captain Huglnin was severely wounded.
The loss in killed and wounded was considerable, mostly in
the Second division. In the evening there came up a
drenching rain and flooded the country, it being very flat.
The rain continued at intervals throughout the next day.
In capturing the road there had been an interval left of
about four miles, occupied by a line of pickets.
The country was mostly grown up to a dense thicket of
second growth of yellow pine. In the afternoon of the 1 9th
the Fifth corps advanced a strong skirmish-line towards
Petersburg, before connecting the line on the right, leaving
the gap unclosed. Rebel General Mahone, the hete noir of
the Fifth corps, marched through the gap with a large force,
in the rear of the skirmish-line, and captured nearly the
entire force — nearly three thousand men — without firing a
shot. They were all armed with Spencer rifles. One brigade,
commanded by Colonel Wheelock, faced about, and fought
its way back. The enemy came upon the Federal line of
battle without warning. The centre of the line, being sur-
prised, gave way, and fled in confusion. The disaster for a
time seemed irreparable. The Second brigade. Colonel Hof-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNT V, NKW YOUK.
maun couiiuandiiig, occupied llie extreme left of the lino in
an open field, and was cut off. It was ordered to fall back.
The oflieer on Colonel Hofuiann's staff had to pass over a
long space swept by the enemy's bullets to give the order.
He reached the regiment on the right, and gave the order,
and told the colonel of the regiment to pass it down the
line, and then returned. The order was not promulgated
to the other regiments. The regiment that received the
order fell back, leaving the remainder of the brigade on the
field. General Warren, seeing from a distance the three
regiments of the brigade, supposing them to be the enemy,
ordered a battery to open upon them. The brigade was
successfully repelling the enemy when the battery sent a
shower of shells into its midst. They were receiving a fire
from friend and foe, and were for a while obliged to dodge
from one side of the breastworks to the other for protection.
The mistake was soon discovered, and the captain of the
batterj' was ordered to desist firing. The brigade held to
its position, and repulsed the enemy in its front. About
this time the Fifth corps was reinforced by a division of the
Ninth corps under General Wilcox, and the enemy were
driven back.
The possession of the railroad was maintained in conse-
quence of the failure of the staff ofiiccr to give the order to
the whole brigade to retii-e, and the determined bravery of
the brigade in holding to its position when receiving a fire
from the front and rear. Lieutenant-Colonel Harney was
slightly wounded by a fragment of one of our shells. Sev-
eral of the men ct' the One Hundred and Forty-seventh
Regiment were killed and wounded by the shells from our
battery. General Warren, fearing another attack from the
enemy, in order to drive him from the railroad, as the road
was almost a vital necessity to them, immediately com-
menced to re-arrange and strengthen his linos. He was a
very able engineer oflacer. He superintended the construc-
tion of the works in person, at times using the spade to en-
courage the men. The corps worked day and night to
prepare for another attack. August 21 the enemy made
another attack. They expected, from the knowledge gained
of our position in the previous attack, to win an easy vic-
tory, but in the mean time the position of the works had
been materially altered and strengthened. They were
easily repulsed, this time with terrible slaughter, and with
slight loiss to the Fifth corps. The attack fell almost
wholly on the First division.
An incident occurred during this battle illustrating the
reckless daring of some of our ofiicers. The attack in front 1
had been terribly repulsed, and all fighting had ceased, |
when a rebel brigade emerged from some woods on the left !
flank and rear of the First division, within short range of
our troops. They had arrived on the field too late. Cap-
tain Daily, on General Cutler's staff, took in the situation, |
and rode alone down in the midst of them, snatched away \
the brigade colors from the color-bearer, and demanded a '
surrender of the brigade. General Haywood, the rebel
commander, being dismounted at the time, walked up to
Captain Daily and shot him through the lung. As Captain
Daily fell from the saddle. General Haywood leaped into it,
and ordered his brigade to face about and retreat. Up to '
this time there had been no firing from either side. Tlie I
division, seeing Captain Daily with the colore, supposed the
brigade had surrendered.
When General Haywood shot Captain Daily the division
opened upon them a destructive fire. One-half of the brigade
was killed or wounded. Captain Daily was found behind
a stump, where he had crept for shelter from our bullets.
His horse was found wounded. General Haywood had
got off wounded. A Charleston paper soon after contained
an account of a personal encounter of General Haywood
with a Yankee officer in this battle, in which General Hay-
wood by his prowess had slain the officer and come off
victorious.
The dead and wounded of the enemy lay thick before
our breastworks ; many battle-flags and other trophies were
picked up on the field. Our hospitals were filled with their
wounded, many of them riddled with bullets, showing the
destructiveness of our fire. The men were greatly elated
and inspirited over this easy victory. The conditions of
the fight had been reversed. Since the battle of the Wil-
derness the enemy had acted on the defensive, and had
fought mostly behind breastworks, and had our army to a
great advantage.
In the Wisconsin brigade there were several wild Indians
from the plains ; many of them could not speak English.
They served an excellent purpose as irregular troops, as
scouts and skirmishers. The nature of the country afforded
an excellent field for their mode of warfare. With character-
istic cunning, they would creep upon the enemy's picket- or
skirmish-line like a snake, or ascend trees, and conceal
themselves among the branches. In one of the engage-
ments many of them were wounded, and taken to hospital.
They silently, with frightened looks, watched the surgeons
as they placed the wounded on the operating-table, made
them insensible with chloroform, and probed and examined
their wounds or cut off their limbs.
When it came to their turn to be examined, they were
seized with a great fear lest they should be dismembered of
their limbs. Their untutored minds could not be persuaded
that it was for their good, and the surgeons meant them no
harm. They looked upon it all as a species of torture.
Many of them who were seriously wounded had to be left
to nature, unaided, to cure their wounds.
One time Lieutenant-Colonel Harney had command of
the skirmish-line when a rebel was captured. Lieutenant-
Colonel Harney gave him in charge of one of these Indians,
and instructed him to take the prisoner to the rear, and deliver
him to the provost-guard. In a very short time the Indian
returned to the front. Lieutenant-Colonel Harney asked
him what he had done with his prisoner, and was hor-
rified at hearing the reply, " Oh, me shoot him." He
had taken him a short distance in the thicket and shot him.
He could not understand why so much pains should be
taken with a prisoner, after incurring so much trouble and
danger in capturing him.
In a few days alter the battle the lines were strongly
fortified, and extended beyond the Weldon railroad. The
siege of Petersburg was .slowly progressing; every foot of
ground gained was so .strengthened as to be defended with
a small force. In September, another feint was made across
the James river, and the Fifth corps made an attack on the
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK
enemy's line, half a mile to the left, capturing by surprise
two strong forts newly built. Towards nightfall the
enemy returned. The Second brigade, under Colonel Hof-
mann, was marched about half a mile in front, through
a belt of timber, and encamped for the night. At early
dawn the next morning the enemy discovered the exposed
position of the brigade, and opened an enfilading fire upon
it. Before the brigade could get under arms and gain a
defensive position it was thrown into disorder, notwith-
standing the coolness of Colonel Hofmann, whose voice rang
clear and distinct above the din of the bursting shells and
the roar of musketry. The brigade retired in some dis-
order behind the forts captured on the day previous. The
remainder of the corps was waiting to receive them, and
the enemy were quickly repulsed. The brigade was sent for-
ward for a decoy to draw the enemy into the works, — a foolish
and needless sacrifice of men. This was called the battle of
Peeble's Farm. Again several weeks were spent in fortifying
and extending the lines, gradually closing in upon the
enemy. About the middle of October, another see-saw
movement was made. Three corps, the Second, Fifth, and
Ninth, advanced three miles to the left, to get possession of
the South Side railroad, the last line of communication
leading to Petersburg, excepting the railroad connecting
Petersburg with Richmond. The Fifth and Ninth corps
marched to the right and formed on Hatcher's run, the Ninth
corps to the right, the Fifth corps to the left of the run.
The Second corps took a detour to the left and was to join
the Fifth corps on its left. The Second corps met with
considerable opposition from the enemy in endeavoring to
get into position, and did not succeed in forming a junction
with the Fifth corps, there being an interval of nearly a
mile between them. The counti-y was grown up to a dense
thicket, the surface was uneven, and as difficult to manoeuvre
an army in as the Wilderness.
The maps which were used by our generals as guides
were imperfect and misleading. Hatcher's run is a very
tortuous stream. General Warren was ordered to keep his
right on the stream. The two corps. Fifth and Ninth,
formed into line of battle, without waiting for the Second
corps to come up and join the Fifth corps on the left. The
One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment was detailed to
act as flankers on the left, to guard the Fifth corps against
surprise. The duty of flankers is to march by the flank,
or in column, within sight of the main army, to guard it
against surprise. The thicket was so dense that objects
but a short distance oflF could not be seen. The direction
of the line of battle of the Fifth corps was soon deflected
to the right, in order to follow the turning of the stream.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment soon lost
sight of the main line, and continued its march in a straight
course into the gap between the Second and Fiftii corps,
diverging more and more from the line of battle as it
marched ; it soon become lost. After a while a stafi'-oflicer,
after a long search, came with an order to Lieutenant-
Colonel Harney, directing him to advance with the regi-
ment and find the right of the Second corps, and picket
the interspace between the two corps. Lieutenant-Colonel
Harney, ever cautious to guard against surprise or sudden
disaster, rode in front with an orderly, to examine the
ground ;. when the regiment came up halted it until he
examined farther on. The regiment kept on in this way
until the left of the Fifth corps was found. Lieutenant-
Colonel Harney then rode off to find the right of the
Second corps. Soon after, a deafening roar of musketry
was heard from the direction towards which he had but a
few minutes before disappeared.
The enemy soon poured into the gap. They attacked
the Second corps in front and on the flank at the same
time, overwhelming it and forcing it back. The One Hun-
dred and Forty-seventh Regiment made a hasty retreat
and got ofi' without loss, save the great one of losing Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Harney. He was not again seen by the
regiment until it was on its return from Appomattox
Court-House after General Lee surrendered. He had
saved the regiment from capture, and probably from a great
loss in killed and wounded, by his timely caution. It was
not known during many months whether he was killed or
captured, and his loss was mourned by the regiment more
than all of its previous misfortunes. The whole army fell
back when the Second corps was forced to retire, and en-
camped near Hatcher's Run. Early the next morning it
resumed its retreat and returned to its old quarters in the
intrenched camp.
Many incidents occurred of an amusing nature during
the stay in the dense woods.
Rebel General Mahone, the bugbear of the Fifth corps,
found, as was his wont, the weak point in our line, and it
was his division which came into the gap. In the attack
on the Second corps his troops became much broken up
into squads, which became lost in the woods. They wan-
dered aimlessly around, and often met similar squads of our
own troops lost in the same manner. They would demand
of each other a surrender, a brief parley would be had, and
it was decided that the weaker in numbers should surrender
to the stronger, upon the democratic principle that the
stronger should rule. At length they would run upon
another squad, there would be another counting of noses,
and perhaps a reconsideration of the former vote, the
stronger always carrying the day. But in the retreat the
gap was closed by the two corps uniting, and all the lost
squads of the enemy were captured and brought out as
prisoners. There were between seven and eight hundred
of them. No new move was made until December.
It was discovered that the enemy had established a line
of communications connecting the Weldon railroad, about
twenty miles below or south of our lines, with the same
railroad within the enemy's lines, near Petersburg, by the
Boynton plank-road. The fifth corps was ordered on a raid
down to the North Carolina line, to destroy the Weldon
railroad and break up the communication. The corps
crossed the Nottoway river, about twenty miles south of
Petersburg, and there cut loose from all communications.
The weather was very warm for the season. It seemed
very much like setting out on a pleasure excursion. The
rights of property with the inhabitants were scrupulously
respected. The first day the troops marched till late in the
night. The moon- shone with unusual splendor; there was
not a fleck of a cloud to be seen. The weather was so
warm and the air so balmy that the ofiicers did not have
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY-, NEW YORK.
103
tlieir tents put up, but laid them on the ground to sleep
on. Late in the night there came a sudden down-pour ;
the ofiScers awoke with the rushing of waters under them,
which nearly floated them off. The next day, about noon,
there came a dash of the enemy's cavalry, throwing the
head of the column into temporary confusion. The division
was then commanded by General Crawford, and had the
advance.
The troops were as soon as possible deployed across the
road and in adjoining fields to repel the cavalry, on account
of the suddenness of the attack. There were conflicting
orders, and the enemy's cavalry got off without much loss.
As soon as they saw that they were charging upon a line
of infantry they turned and fled. General Warren, hasty
and passionate, upbraided some of his oiBcers for allow-
ing them to escape. The Federal cavalry were supposed
to be in advance. The inhabitants in the country had
stored in their cellars plenty of cider-brandy, or apple-jack.
Our cavalry had on the road stopped at the houses and
partaken freely of the fiery beverage, and were nearly all
lying intoxicated along the road,
Towards evening the Weldon railroad was reached; then
commenced its destruction. A brigade was marched along
the side of the railroad track and halted. A break was
made in the track at one end of the brigade. The track
was then pried up at that end with ties, and turned nearly
over bodily. After once started, the process of lifting one
side of the track from the bed and turning it over became
a very easy niattir Miles of track, with its ties attached
intact, were, in a very short time, turned over from the
bed, leaving the ties on top of the rails. It was then an
easy matter to wrench the ties from the rails and pile them
up into heaps and set fire to them. The rails were placed
across the burning piles of ties, which soon became heated
in the middle, and the weight of the ends bent them in the
shape of a bow. A rail of railroad iron, when once sub-
jected to this process, can never again be restored. By the
evening of the next day nearly twenty-five miles of the
Weldon railroad was completely destroyed.
At Hicksford, on the Meherrin river, the enemy con-
fronted the Fifth corps with a superior force. A sharp
skirmish was had at that place, and the corps set out on its
return, the object of the expedition having been accom-
plished. In the night of the commencement of the retreat
there came up a sleety storm ; in the morning the branches
of the trees were crusted over with ice. Then set in a cold,
drizzling rain. The enemy pursued, and their cavalry an-
noyed the rear exceedingly. The Federal cavalry, that
should have protected the retreat, were demoralized and
fled, mixing in with the infantry along the column. Gene-
ral Crawford, ambitious for the post of honor, had the rear
division, and the Second brigade was perpetuully pestered
by sudden eruptions of the enemy's cavalry from by-paths
or openings in the woods. They were easily driven off, but
kept the men in a state of irritation and alarm.
Whenever there was a good defensive position the army
halted and awaited attack from the enemy ; but the enemy
was wary, and was not to be induced to attack when the
advantage of position was in our favor; they contented them-
selves by throwing a few shells after us, which did us no
harm. In the evening of the second day of the retreat,
weary from a long and toilsome march through deep mud,
and drenched by a cold, drizzling rain, the men were in-
spirited by an opportunity to get even with the enemy's
cavalry, which had been annoying and pestering the rear
throughout the day.
A trap was set for them. General Wheelock's brigade had
the rear. Passing a ravine and through a deep tut in the
hill opposite, which the rains had washed out, and left high
banks on each side of the road, overgrown with dense
thicket, the general arranged his jilan. Placing a regiment
on each side, on the brows of the cut, he instructed them
that when the enemy were in the cut, to close in upon them
and capture them without firing upon them if they could.
After arranging the men out of sight of the enemy, he in-
structed the pioneers to pretend to be busy in tearing up
the bridge across the stream, and when the enemy came in
sight to retreat hastily through the cut, and entice them
into the trap.
The enemy's cavalry came and made a dash at the
pioneers, who hastily retreated. When the enemy's cavalry
dashed into the cut, both regiments rose up and poured a
volley into them, killed and wounded many of them, and
captured the remainder. The men could not be restrained
from firing, they were so much incensed and irritated by
the annoyance they had suffered all that day. In their
eagerness, some of them overshot the mark, and wounded
two or three of their own men on the opposite banks, by
their own fire. The enemy pursued no farther. The next
day the corps recrossed the Nottoway river and encamped
on the north bank of the stream, in the woods; the weather
had become very cold and the wind blew a gale ; the wood
was saturated by recent rains, and there the men remained
through the night, shivering over the smoky, smouldering
fires. The next day the cold increased in severity. The
men were exhausted by previous hardships and benumbed
with cold. Many a poor soldier had fallen by the way and
had to be urged on by the provost guard, occasionally at
the point of the bayonet, to prevent his falling behind and
being captured by the enemy. At the Nottoway, going
down, the corps had cut loose from all communications. On
its return it met a friendly force sent down to meet it, but
there was no occasion, as the corps had got safely back. It
had accomplished its object with a slight loss; but its
hardships were great, — more from the inclement weather
than from the encounters with the enemy. On the way
down rights of property of the inhabitants were scrupu-
lously respected. On the way back, every hou.se, barn,
church, and corn-crib was burned.
The retreat of the array could be traced for miles by the
smoke rising from the burning buildings. Families of
helpless women and children were turned out in the cold at
the commencement of winter. The able-bodied male popu-
lation was all in the rebel army. The writer went into a
house that seemed to be deserted at first by its inmates.
It was filled with Union soldiers, who were ransacking the
house. The brave General Wheelnck was there, endeavoring
to restrain them, but without much avail.
Passing into a back room, there was found a poor woman
with fdur or five small children cowtriuir around her, cling-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ing to her skirts ; slie with mute appeal looked imploringly
for protection. The soldiers were driven out of the house,
but upon looking back after the march was resumed, the
flames were seen bursting out of the house. The occasion
for this vandalism was that on the way down several of
the Union men gave out on the way, or had straggled ; on
their way back they were found dead, stripped naked, and
horribly mutilated.
Upon the return the regiment went into winter encamp-
ment, and but little was done, save strengthening the lines,
until February G, 1865.
The following promotions took place during the last year
of the war : James Coey was promoted to the lieutenant-
colonelcy, November 15, 1864 ; Alexander Penfield was
promoted to the majority, November 15, 1864.
The following were made captains : William J. Gillett,
Byron Parkhurst, Henry H. Hubbard, William A. Wy-
bourn, Alexander Ring. Alfred N. Beadle was made quar-
termaster.
The following were m.ide first lieutenants : Patrick J.
Brown, James W. Kingsley, Richard Esmond, John N.
Beadle, Frank P. Benks, A. Judson Dickison, Lansing
Bristol, Samuel S. Conde, Edward M. Sperry.
The following were made second lieutenants : John S.
McCoy, William Sullivan, William Boyce, Joseph W.
Emblem, and Sidney G. Cook.
During the fall and winter of 1864-65, General Grant,
with grim humor, often greeted the enemy with shotted
Salutes upon the receipt of the news of important victories,
such as the battle of Cedar Creek, the capture of Fort
Fisher, and General Sherman's successes in the south.
The time chosen was generally about dusk, when all was
quiet along the lines. Suddenly the heavens were lighted
up by the discharge of hundreds of cannon, and the course
of the projectiles could be traced, followed by the explosion
of shells as they descended into the enemy's lines. The
enemy would spitefully return the salute by the time ours
was over. The enemy were not long in discovering its object.
Their papers complained bitterly, giving General Grant all
sorts of hard names for what they pretended to consider
his " brutal humor." It had a very demoralizing effect upon
the enemy, as they soon learned that each salute was occa-
sioned by some fresh disaster to their cause.
There were signs of demoralization and breaking up of
the Confederacy; deserters were constantly coming in from
their lines ; but our ranks had been largely filled with mer-
cenaries, or bounty-jumpers, who availed themselves of
every opportunity to escape, and often, in battle, would lie
down and submit to capture without resistance. To these
General Lee issued a proclamation offering them safe-con-
duct by blockade-runners, or through distant parts of the
lines, home.
The Fifth corps broke camp February 5, and marched
to near Dinwiddle Court-House, and encamped for the
night. About dark a heavy cannonading was heard in the
rear, and an order came for the corps to get into marcliing
order. The corps was marched back a short distance, and
halted in an open field ; the wind was blowing a gale, and
the weather cold. The men were told that they might lie
down and get some sleep. It renuiiiicd there a few hours,
and then resumed the march ; at sunrise the corps was
halted at the crossing of Hatcher's Run. The Second corps
was busy throwing up breastworks. The corps remained
until about four p.m. ; then it was formed into line of battle,
and advanced upon the enemy. The Second brigade was com-
manded by General IMorrow, formerly colonel of the Twenty-
fourth Michigan Regiment. The Second brigade drove the
enemy, and gained a position in advance of the line. It held
it against several assaults of the enemy until out of ammu-
nition. The regiment had protected itself by placing
in front an abatis of tree-tops and limbs. When out of
ammunition. General Morrow still strove to maintain the
place, hoping relief would come soon. The enemy had
come up and were removing the abatis before a retreat was
ordered. The brigade was driven back, and lost all it had
gained.
The loss of the regiment in this battle was great. Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Coey, commanding the regiment, was shot
through the face, and it was supposed he had received a mortal
wound. Lieutenant Wybourn was shot through the ankle,
and had his leg amputated ; Lieutenant Bristol was killed ;
Lieutenant Berry was captured ; Captain Joseph Dempsey
was wounded in the arm ; General Morrow was shot in the
side.
The Fifth corps was driven back to the breastworks that
night. Scant provision had been made to shelter the
wounded in case of a battle ; but few of the hospital tents
had been brought up, and what there were were filled with
wounded, and many wounded were placed outside in the
open air ; fires were built around them to keep them from
freezing.
In the night came on a sleety storm, covering every-
thing with ice. About two A.M. February 7 the wounded
were all got into the ambulances and sent to City Point.
That day was a cold rainy day. There was constant
skirmishing with the enemy, at times amounting to a
real battle. The regiment occupied a swamp, and had no
shelter. The men who were wounded soon became stiffened
with cold, and by the time they reached the hospital were
pulseless. The fighting continued through the night of
the 7th. The morning of the 8th broke clear and cold.
The men, when they left camp on the 5th, were not allowed
to cumber themselves with more than one blanket apiece.
Their sufferings from exposure were great. On the 8th
they were allowed to return to the old camp and get their
tents and blankets. This battle enabled the army to extend
its lines two miles, which were strengthened with strong
defensive works. The regiment again went into winter
quarters near the place where it had fought so persistently
and bravely.
It erected new huts and had a season of rest. In the
morning of March 25, before daylight, a terrible roar of
artillery was heard towards the right. The Fifth corps
was immediately got under arms and marched towards the
scene of conflict. By the time it got on the ground the
battle was over. The enemy had captured Fort Steadman
by surprising the picket-line in its front. Deserters from
the enemy were in the habit of coming in in the night.
Sijuads of men, first announcing themselves as deserters to
lull suspicion, dashed upon the pickets and overpowered
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, XEW YORK.
them. Immediately five thousand of the enemy rushed on
the fort and surprised it. The fort was garrisoned by a raw
Pennsylvania regimeut. The men were soundly sleeping
in their huts or tents. The enemy woke them up with the
points of their bayonets, though in a playful manner. The
Penusylvanians had full haversacks and knapsacks. The
enemy, half starved, made a raid upon the larder, and
searched the haversacks and knapsacks for food. All con-
trol over them by their oflScers was lost ; no threats or en-
treaty availed to restore order out of their demoralized con-
dition. Daylight found them still in the fort, which was
commanded by a Federal fort on each side. They were
to advance on the military railroad, capture it, and cut oft'
all of our army on the left. But the enemy thought — if
he thought anything — that he could fight better on a full
stomach, and tarried too long to fill it. The two forts
poured into them a destructive fire of shot and shell, and
they were all captured. The enemy assaulted our lines in
front of the Second corps. The Second brigade suffered
severely. All that day there was mischief in the air, and
the Second division of the Fifth corps was moved about
from point to point to be in readiness to take part in it.
In the afternoon the division was reviewed by President
Lincoln. During the review heavy firing commenced in
front, and the division marched from the review direct to
the scene of action, but by the time it got there all was
quiet again ; then it returned to its camp.
The following were killed or died in hospitals from June
1 9, 1864, to the end of the war : John S. Kippen, corporal,
Co. B, February 6, battle of Hatcher's Run ; Wilson Sanders,
Co. B, July 8, 186-i, typhoid fever; Christopher Rising,
July 18, in hospital; Charles A. Brown, Co. C, killed
November 22, 186-t; Albert Fuller, Co. C, September 1,
1864, died in hospital ; L. Lawrence, killed February 5,
1865; Wm. Minor,Co.C, Augu.st 11, 1864, died in hospital;
Ansel Orr, Co. C, died in hospital ; Henry Smith, Co. C, died
in hospital; Edw. Topping, Co. D, died May 11, 1865, of
smallpox ; Luther Clark, Co. D, wounded April 1, 1865, at
Five Forks, died April 19 ; William Cline, Co. D, died in
hospital September 25, 1864 ; Samuel Fessenden, Co. D,
wounded April 1, died April 10, 1865 ; James Nolan, Co.
D, died at home August 20, 1864; Asa Radick, killed at
the battle of Hatcher's Run, February 6, 1865 ; Alfred S.
Nichols, Co. E, killed April 1, 1865, at Five Forks; James
Brown, first lieutenant, Co. F, died July 1, 1864, from
wounds received at Spottsylvania ; Daniel Densmore, Co.
G, died October 10, 1864, of wounds received May 5, 1864 ;
Sylvanus E. Barker, Co. G, killed at the battle of Gravelly
Run; Edward Damm, Co. G, killed in action August 18,
1864; Wm. Knight, Co. G, killed in action August 19,
1864; Andrew Morrison, Co. G, killed at the battle of
Gravelly Run March 31, 1865; Charles Brown, Co. G,
missing in action October 1, 1864 ; John F. Kelley, Co. G,
killed October 1, 1864; (Co. H) Alamander Plumb, killed
June 22, 1864 ; Wm. H. Morse, died August 30, 1864,
in hospital ; Daniel A. Wheeler, died August 23, 1864 ;
(Co. I) Horace Chapin, killed June 25, 1864; John
Mitchel, killed June 20, 1864; Richard Murry, killed
July 10, 1864; (Co. K) Lansing Bristol, first lieutenant,
killed February 6, 1805, at the battle of Hatcher's Run ;
Richard McUraw, killed August 19, 1864, at the battle of
Weldon Railroad; Wm. Fitzpatrick, killed August 19,
1864; Florin Hess, killed August 21, 1864: John F.
Roberts, died August 13, 1864, of wounds received May
5, 1864 ; Richard White, killed June 25, 1864 ; Tlieodore
Whitlock, killed at the battle of Hatcher's Run, February
6, 1865.
CHAPTER XXIV.
OSWEGO IN THE REBELLION.
Tlie One Hundred and Forty-seventh llegimcnt— Battles of Gravelly
Run, Five Forks, and Appouialtox Court-llousc.
In the morning of March 29 the Fifth corps broke camp
to set out on the last campaign of the war. It was joined
with General Sheridan's command, under the direction of
General Sheridan. General Sheridan had, with a large
cavalry force, set out farther to the left to make a long de-
tour, to get around the enemy's right. During the first
day, near sunset, the Fifth corps came upon the enemy and
had a sharp engagement. The One Hundred and Forty-
seventh Regiment, at Hatcher's Run, on the 6th of Febru-
ary, had lost its field and staff ofliicers, and the command
was given to Colonel Daily, of Weldon Railroad renown.
Colonel Laycock commanded the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania.
They were two kindred spirits. These two regiments weie
ordered to charge and t;ike the Boynton plank-road, which
was on a ridge in their front. Each colonel seized the
colors of his respective regiment and led the charge in per-
son. It was a rivalry between the two which should plant
the coloi-s on the ridge first. The charge was made with a
great flourish and noise, the men fully entering into the
spirit of the rivalry.
The enemy fired a volley into the two regiments and fled
precipitately.
During the night it commenced to rain ; the rain con-
tinued steadily till the 31st of March. The soil is of quick-
sand and clay, and moistens up to a great depth. The en-
tire transportation of the army was stuck fast. The roads
had to be corduroyed; in some places the first layer of log.s
sank out of sight, and a second layer had to be put on tf)p
of the first before the trains could be moved. The Fifth
corps was groping its way through dense thickets and
swamps, endeavoring to get possession of the White Oak
road and join its left to Sheridan's cavalry. In the morn-
ing of the 31st the enemy massed a large force on the left
of the Fifth corps when it was groping its way bewildered
in the swamps and woods. They made a furious attack,
sweeping down the line, doubling up brigade after brigade,
until two divisions of the corps were disorganized and the
woods filled with retreating soldiers, with all semblance of
organization lost. The left had been driven in two miles,
to a swale, where was posted the Wisconsin brigade in re-
serve. This brigade checked the pursuit of the enemy.
It met the enemy in. a hand-to-hand encounter. One of
the enemy attempted to seize the colors of a Wisconsin
regiment from the hands of a stalwart standard-bearer.
106
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUiNTY, NEW YORK.
The standard-bearer seized a musket and brained him on
the spot. He was afterwards rewarded by a medal by the
State of Wisconsin for his gallantry. After the enemy was
repulsed he turned around and attacked General Sheridan.
General Sheridan was driven back three or four miles near
Dinwiddle Court-House, but he retreated in good order,
and finally held the enemy at bay. The loss of the regi-
ment in this encounter was very severe. Colonel Daily
received a painful wound in the hand.
BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS.
When General Sheridan had drawn the enemy back, and
was holding him at bay, he sent an order to General War-
ren to march the Fifth corps up to the rear of the enemy
and cut oflF his retreat, and capture the whole force ; but
the Fifth corps was so much scattered that it could not
be got together in time. On the night of the 31st two
divisions of the Fifth corps advanced to join General Sher-
idan, but the entire corps did not get up and into position
until about four p.m. By that time the enemy had partially
fallen back. The corps was formed so as to swing around
and intercept the enemy's retreat, and capture five thousand
of them. The cavalry and Fifth corps pursued the enemy
over their works to Southerland station on the South Side
railroad ; there they tried to rally and make a stand, but
were soon driven from their position. The enemy were
broken and demoralized. The pursuit was continued along
in the night, and many of their trains were captured. The
pursuit was so close that the enemy were not enabled to
cross the Appomattox to join General Lee. After the
battle of Five Forks was over, General Sheridan relieved
General Warren from his command on the field. The pur-
huit was continued, giving the enemy no rest, night nor
day, until April 4, when the army arrived at Jetersville,
five or six miles from Buck's Station. Sheridan's cavalry
and the Fifth corps were now across the track of General
Lee's army, intercepting its retreat into North Carolina.
During the night of April 1 a terrible cannonading was
heard towards Petersburg. On the morning of the 2d an
assault was made on the enemy's works all along the line.
General Lee had weakened the force in the defenses to
strengthen his right to oppose General Sheridan and the
Fifth corps. The works were soon carried. The principal
resistance was met in one fort garrisoned with two hundred
and fifty rebels. It was captured with a loss of five hun-
dred men in killed and wounded. Only about thirty of the
enemy escaped. The force which General Lee depended
upon for the salvation of his army was broken and scattered
by General Sheridan's cavalry and the Fifth corps. Gen-
eral Lee collected the remnants of his army, and in the
night of the 2d evacuated Richmond, burning the bridges
behind him, and blowing up the magazines on the whole
line of his defenses. Anarchy and destruction ran riot
during the evacuation and the final breaking up of the
Confederacy. The business part of Richmond, consisting
of magnificent warehouses, was laid in ashes. The Con-
federate archives were partly burned and partly scattered
about the streets. The inhabitants were kept in a constant
state of consternation and alarm, fearing alike the uncon-
trolled license of their own rabble and the entrance of the
Federal army. Many of them gathered up hastily what
they could of their valuables, and fled with their retreating
army. It was to them like the breaking of doom. By
the time that General Lee had arrived at Amelia Court-
House, on the Danville railroad, General Sheridan's cavalry
and the Fifth corps were across his track, intercepting fur-
ther retreat, at Jetersville, about four miles in his front.
General Sheridan expected an attack from the desperate
enemy before the remainder of the Federal army could
come up in their rear. His scouts, dressed in rebel uni-
form, were scouring the whole country, misleading their
baggage-trains, which were endeavoring to get off on by-
roads. Some of them were led into our lines by these pre-
tended friends and captured ; others were pounced upon by
Sheridan's cavalry, which seemed to them omnipresent, and
burned. One train, two or three miles distant, was sur-
prised by the Twenty-fourth Regiment New York Cavalry,
with some other cavalry troops, and was pillaged and burned.
The rebel cavalry, under General Lee, came upon them,
and a desperate fight ensued, in which Lieutenant-Colonel
Richards, of Parish, was killed. The smoke arising from
the burning train, and the explosions from the powder-
and ordnance-wagons, could be distinctly seen at Jetersville.
Geneial Sheridan remained at Jetersville, awaiting attack,
until the remainder of the Union army began to press
General Lee in the rear. April 6, General Lee com-
menced his retreat towards Lynchburg. Then a hot pur-
suit commenced. The Fifth corps, under the command of
General Grifiin, pursued on the right flank, its column
keeping pace with the fleeing rebel army. The Second
corps pursued in the immediate rear, and crowded so
closely upon the enemy's heels that he was forced at times
to deploy the rear-guard into line of battle to keep it back.
In the mean time the flanking columns made it necessary
for them to keep moving on to prevent being wholly sur-
rounded, and having their retreat cut off. General Gor-
don's division was nearly all destroyed or captured. April
6 the enemy, with its shattered forces, succeeded in crossing
High bridge, and partially destroyed it. General Ewell's
corps made a stand across Sailor's creek, near Farmville.
The enemy occupied a strong position, protected in front by
a swale and the creek. In attacking this position, two or
three Pennsylvania regiments, endeavoring to cross the
swale, were nearly annihilated. At length General Custer's
cavalry gained a position in the enemy's rear. In a mag-
nificent charge, it came sweeping down upon them, and
captured nearly the whole corps, with General Ewell. This
is commonly called the battle of Farmville. Our losses
were very great, principally confined to the Pennsylvania
regiments. The pursuit continued through the 8th, and
until the morning of the 9th, when the Fifth corps, after
marching continuously through the 8th, and in the night,
till two A.M. of the 9th, cut off further retreat of the
enemy at Appomattox Court-House. Early in the morn-
ing of the 9th heavy firing was heard in our front. The
Fifth corps immediately got under arms and advanced. It
soon came upon the enemy driving the cavalry before them ;
a brief fight ensued, and a rebel brigade was cut off and
captured. It was the last effort of General Lee's army to
escape. It was completely hemmed in on three sides by
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
107
our forces ; on the other side was an impenetrable swamp.
As the Fifth corps advanced to a high ridge, the whole
rebel army came into view, exposing their weak position.
They were encamped across a valley on the side of the
opposite ridge. Overtures for surrender had already been
made, and a conference of the opposing generals was in
progress. There was a truce to all further fighting. The
elation of the army am better be imagined than described.
All the toils and the dangers of the weary and famished
soldiers were over. The demonstration of their joy was ex-
pressed in one hearty and prolonged cheer, extending through-
out the lines, and then subsided into perfect stillness. They
respected the bravery of the fallen foe, who had met them
in many a terrible battle-field, and now lay helpless at their
feet. There was not the disposition to gibe and jeer them
which was common after their discomfitures in other en-
gagements on the pursuit. The enemy were cowed and
humiliated, and showed none of the arrogance universal with
them before in any of their misfortunei. Their spirit was
completely broken.
The hardships of the pursuit had baen terribly severe
upon our men. They had to follow in the wake of the re-
treating enemy, over roads trampled into a thick mud of the
consistence of a mortar-bcd. The roads were lined with
dead mules, given out on the way, festering in the hot sun,
giving out a stench that was intolerable. The supply-trains
were flir in the rear, and during days the famished soldiers
would pick up the corn left by the feeding mules to stay
their famished stomachs. Nothing but the elation of vic-
tory, and a sure prospect of destroying or capturing the
rebel army, could have kept them up on the pursuit. There
was much less straggling than usual in our rear in this pur-
suit. In the evening of the 8th, General Sheridan, in the
advance of the enemy, captured a rebel supply-train of pro-
visions coming from Lynchburg for the relief of the rebel
army. This was like manna sent from heaven to our fam-
ished soldiers, and starvation or sun-ender to the starving
rebels. It was the last straw that broke the camel's back.
One great feature in this campaign, and which greatly
contributed to its final success, was the daring and ubi(juity
of General Sheridan's scouts.
They were dressed in the rebel uniform, with long
Shanghai gray coats. They presented a unique appear-
ance. They were constantly coming and going through
the lines, and sometimes ran great risk of being shot by
our pickets as rebels. They were gay^ bold riders, and de-
lighted in their duties. There was a spiee of adventure in
that sort of service which made it peculiarly attractive to
them. Out of many hundreds of them, the writer was
told that only two had got caught, but they were given a
short shrift, and immediately hung up. They claimed it
was the least dangerous of all the branches of the service.
They had the complete style and reckless abandon of the
Confederate cavalier, and the peculiar accent of the South-
erner. As the regiment wjis passing two or three hundred
of captured rebels, near Southerland station, the men, as
usual, commenced bantering them: "Ah, Johnny! you
have got enough of it, have you ? Pretty hot work now,
and poor feed, and about time to quit. Getting tired of it.
Eh, Johnny?'' Oue of thcni, thinking that it w;is an im-
putation upon their courage and constjincy to the rebel
cause, replied, " By golly! you wouldn't have got us if it
wasn't for one of your fellers dressed in our clothes. He
misled us when we were lo.st, and trying to find our way
into our lines. lie told us that he w;is sent to find us, and
show us where to go, but led us right into your lines, and
we were captured. We'll fix him if we ever catch him
again."
Tliat same night a rebel wagon-train wiis captured by
one of these scouts, who told the conductor of the train
that he was ordered to show him where he was to park his
train for the night. He led the train into our lines, and it
was captured.
These seouts were everywhere in the rebel army. They
pointed out the places where some rebel cannon were buried,
with tablets put up, with some names inscribed on them,
representing them to be soldiera' graves. They had assisted
the enemy to bury them. The pursuit had been so close
that the rebel army had become demoralized, and nearly
scattered, leaving a remnant only at the capture. The
country was filled with rebel soldiers wandering aimlessly
about.
Out of about forty-five thousand at Amelia Court-Ilouse
only twenty-two thousand had reached Appomattox Court-
House, and of that number only eleven thousand had
muskets.
CHAPTER XXV.
OSWEGO IN THE KEBELLION.
Return of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment to the Do-
fouses at Washington, and its final Muster-Out.
The First division remained two days to rest and receive
supplies. It then returned to Burk's Station. The con-
dition of the roads beggars description. Bridges were
destroyed, and the baggage-trains bad great difiieulty in
crossing the streams.
At Farmville the news came of the assassination of
President Lincoln. The inliabitants were in great fear lest
the soldiers would wreak vengeance upon them. They has-
tened to express their horror for the deed, and showed
regret and sympathy for the great loss to the country.
They said they feared Andrew Johnson much more than
they did President Lincoln, whom they had begun to look
upon as their friend.
They feared their liberated slaves, who were roaming
about the country, and clamored for protection from our
army, but they feared more their disbanded and straggling
defenders, released from all restraint and discipline. Their
great anxiety was to know " what was going to be done
with them," as they were now conquered.
They were amazed and delighted with the generous
terms of surrender granted by General Grant. After the
surrender, General Crawford, with his staff, rode into the
rebel camp to call on his former old army friends, who had
been fighting for the Confederacy. General Longstrect told
him that he had fought to the last ditch, and expected no
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
terms but an unconditional surrender, and that he should
be hung for treason. The most of them greeted the gen-
eral very cordially, but occasionally there was one whose
rebel spirit was still strong within him, and would answer
his salutation with a scowl, and turn his back upon him.
From Burksville the regiment returned by short marches
to Manchester, opposite to Richmond, passing through
Petersburg on its way. The men gave themselves up to
joy and frolic on the way, and discipline was very much re-
laxed. The poor liberated contraband contributed more
than his share to the amusement of the troops. Tossing
him up in blankets, and blowing him up by mined cracker-
boxes, when he came into the camp for food, were the daily
sport of the men, but they always rewarded him well after-
wards for the entertainment.
The regiment remained at Manchester two or three days,
and visited the stronghold of the Confederacy, the objective
point of three immense armies, and to capture which had
cost the country hundreds of thousands of men and an in-
credible amount of treasure. Libby prison, Castle Thunder,
and Belle Isle were objects of interest and places of histor-
ical celebrity.
The notorious Dick Turner, shut up in the dungeon-cell
under Libby, and fed on bread and water until his complex-
ion became bleached and eyes watery, had frequent calls
from some of his old acquaintances, whose relative conditions
were now reversed. He was very cautious in coming to the
door of his cell when called for by his former victims ; some
of them had endeavored to retaliate upon him part of the
punishment he had inflicted upon them. In the month of
May the regiment marched from Richmond to the southern
defenses of Washington. On its way from Appomattox
Court-House it was joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Harney,
Colonel Miller, and Adjutant Lyman, who had been liber-
ated from the rebel prisons by the march of General Sher-
man from Savannah north ; also by Lieutenant-Colonel Coey,
who had partially recovered from the frightful wound received
at Dabney's Mills ; and Captain Wybourn, who lost a leg
at the same place. The regiment was then mustered out of
the United States service, June 7, 1865, and started on its
way for the north a day or two after. At Baltimore it was
assigned two or three box-cars, fitted up with seats con-
structed out of rough boards loosely put together, affording
insufficient room and no possibility of reclining for sleep in
the night, on their long journey home. The cars were ex-
cessively dirty, having been used formerly for a miscellaneous
kind of transportation. The men became indignant at their
treatment by the railroad company, which was receiving sufii-
cient compensation from the government to afford them first-
class passage. They were to go by Harrisburg and Elmira.
A demand was made by Colonel Miller for better cars, on
the superintendent of the road, which was refused ; he then
demanded more cars, so that the men could ride more com-
fortably ; that also was refused. The men could no longer
be restrained. They forcibly took possession of two more
cars and attached them to the train. A riot was with dif-
ficulty prevented. There were one or two other regiments
in the same predicament.
The regiment was two days and nights going from Bal-
timore to Elmira. It was switched off on a side-track for
the passage of every passenger and freight train that came
along, as if it contained cattle or swine instead of the brave
defenders of the country, who had bravely fought in a
hundred battles.
The railroad company had been pampered throughout
the war by the government. It unfortunately was managed
by corrupt politicians and lobbyists, who did not scruple to
profit by the misfortunes of the country and the blood of
its brave defenders.
When the regiment arrived at Elmira it was warmly
greeted by the citizens of the place, and the irritation caused
by its treatment at the hands of the Pennsylvania road
soon subsided. The Erie railroad, contrary to the practice
of the Pennsylvania road, fitted out an elegant special train
to take the regiment to Ithaca. The weary men reposed
on the luxurious seats of the cars, an enjoyment no one
could fully appreciate who had not passed through weary
marshes and bivoucks in rain and mud, oflen disturbed by
the enemy's cannon, during nearly three years. ' At Ithaca
it was transferred to an elegant boat on Seneca lake, and
enjoyed a luxurious ride upon its clear waters, bordered
with abrupt banks, crowned with trees which were reflected
in the pellucid depths of the lake. It was a beautiful
clear day. The surrounding country, diversified with wood-
land and growing field, with farm-houses nestled in em-
bowering shades, presented a picture of peace and happiness
that the men had been a long time strangers to. Arriving
at Geneva, the regiment was again met by a deputation of
grateful citizens, who had made elaborate preparations for
its reception.
A special train was soon got in readin&ss to take the regi-
ment on another stage on its journey home. It arrived in
Syracuse in the night, its place of rendezvous. It then
went into encampment, and remained several days awaiting
its final muster-out and disbandment as a regimental organ-
ization. July 7, the regiment was mustered out of the
State service, and returned to Oswego. It was there greeted
with firing of cannon and other demonstrations of joy. An
elaborate collation was in readiness at one of the public
halls of the city, graced with a profusion of beautiful flowers.
The fair daughters served the bronzed and '■ battle-scarred
veterans" the delicacies of the groaning tables, who with
modest demeanor accepted the proffered service with un-
feigned embarrassment. They were much more accustomed
to storming batteries than meeting the glances of the fair
sex. Out of the eight hundred and thirty-seven enlisted
men who had left Oswego September 27, 1862, only one
hundred and forty-seven had returned; several of them
were crippled or maimed for life. Its ranks had been filled
several times during the war. The recruits, what were left
of them at the time of the muster-out of the regiment in
Washington, were transferred to other regiments. There
were on the muster-rolls of the regiment nearly two thousand
three hundred men.
This history would not be complete without a brief men-
tion of Mrs. R. H. Spencer.
Mrs. Spencer pos-sessed the true missionary spirit, with
superabundant energy for its constant employment. The
war furnished an excellent field for its exercise. She set
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
109
out with the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment
New York Volunteers, as matron and nurse in the hospital
department. She persuaded her husband, R. H. Spencer,
to enlist in the ranks. He was mostly occupied with her
as hospital attendant. They remained with the regiment,
in the defenses of Washington, until it was ordered to the
front, at Falmouth. They were left behind to care for the
sick who were left in the hospitals in Washington.
January 12, 1863, they joined the regiment at Belle
Plain. The sick at that time were suffering very much
from the want of delicacies of diet and comforts of bedding,
which could not be obtained from the purveyor's stores at
Aquia Creek.
The frequency of desertions, and smuggling contraband
stores into the army, had necessitated stringent regulations
in all communications to and from the front.
Mrs. Spencer gathered a large amount of stores from the
Sanitary and Christian Commissions.
It was necessary to apply to Colonel Rucker, the head of
the transportation bureau in Washington, for transportation.
He was a terror to the inexperienced regimental quarter-
masters. Bluff and rude in manner by nature, the want
of knowledge of the official forms and red tape in transact-
ing the business of the department by regimental quarter-
masters, and the many blunders and impositions practiced
upon him, often drove him into a paroxysm of passion.
Mrs. Spencer applied to him for transportation for her
stores to Aquia Creek. She was very curtly told she could
not have it ; nothing daunted, she then called on the secre-
tary of war, and made known her mission.
The secretary of war gave her an order on Colonel Rucker
to give her transportation on the ne.xt boat going to Aquia
Creek. She gave Colonel Rucker the order, and asked him
if that was satisfiictory. He grutHy said, " Yes ; take the
boat and run it !"
Her appearance with the needed supplies was like the
advent of a ministering angel to the sick, languishing in
the hospitals.
She accompanied the troops on the Gettysburg campaign,
carrying with her, on her horse, her bedding, cooking uten-
sils, and a supply of clothing, besides supplies for the sick.
She often assisted the men, when exhausted on the weary
marches, by carrying for them their coats and blankets,
which they would have otherwise abandoned on the way,
and then suffered from the want of them in the twilight
dews, chilly nights, and drenching rains. Nearly the entire
hospital department and medical staff of the First corps
was captured in the first day's battle of Gettysburg, and
there was great lack of medical officers and hospital attend-
ants to care for the wounded during the following two days'
battle. Amidst great confusion, and not wholly free from
danger from hostile shells, Mrs. Spencer, assisted by her
husband, got over the fire her camp kettles, and took from
her haversacks, hanging to her saddle-bow, coffee and
canned extract of beef, and was soon ministering to the
wants of the wounded, by giving to them fragrant coffee
and delicious soup. She was always cool and brave in time
of danger, and never shrank from going to the relief of the
wounded when her services were the most needed. In the
trenches before Petersburg, when no one could go to the
front without incurring imminent risk from the enemy's
sharpshooters and stray bullets, she frequently conveyed to
the weary, famishing men delicacies, of which they were
sadly in need. After the terrible battles of the Wilderness
and Spott.sylvania, the wounded were conveyed in ambu-
lances and lumbering baggage- wagons, over rough roads,
miny weary miles, by Fredericksburg to Bjlle Plain ; there
they were put upon hospital transports and taken to W:tsh-
ington.
At Belle Plain, tlie wounded, weary, famished, and tor-
tured by festering wounds, were greeted by their old friend,
Mrs. Spencer, who had, as usu:il, comj to their relief in
time of their greatest need. It had been raining several
days. She spent several days, standing ankle-deep in the
tenacious Virginia mud, making coffee and soup, till thou-
sands were served. Thousands were removed from the
ambulances and baggage-wagons and placed upon the hill-
sides, without shelter from the pouring rain. They were
made cheerful by her ministering care, and forgot their own
sufferings in their anxiety for her own comfort, and danger
in taking cold. As the Army of the Potomac advanced
towards Richmond new communications were opened, by
Port Royal, White House, and City Point. She, at each
successive point, repeated her ministering care to the
wounded and afflicted. The remainder of her deeds of
heroism and mercy are duly recorded in " Woman's Work
in the Civil War."
The following members of the regiment died in rebel
prisons during the war :
Company A, Thomas Barnes, October 4, 18(]4; Theo-
dore Elliott, September 16, 1864; Moses Shaw, September
10, 1864 ; Miles Morgan, September 1, 1864 ; Wm. Camp-
bell, Augu.st 31, 1864; Orrin Kimberly, July 13, 1864;
John Green, August 26, 1864 ; Robert Hyde, September
14, 1864.
pompany B, Joseph P. Clyens, August 17, 1864 ; Jacob
F. Goodbred, August 28, 1864 ; Gilbert Sherwood, August
4, 1864; George Walling, August 22, 1864; Francis G.
Defendorf, July 13, 1864;^ Matthew Devine, July 12, 1864 ;
John Garner, July 22, 1864.
Company C, Peter Douglass, October 5, 1864 ; Lorenzo
W. Horton, Morgan L. Allen, Jr.
Company D, Henry Broder, August 26, 1864; James
C. Eldred, July 19, 1864 ; Edgar A. Stratton, October 10,
1864; Wm. Cline, September 25, 1864; Theo. W. H.
Hawley, October 11, 1864.
Company E, John Chambers, August 29, 1864 ; Reuben
Ellis, August 24, 1864 ; Wm. Haggerty, August 26, 1864 ;
Theo. Smith, August 24, 1864 ; Ezra C. Jones, October
12, 1864; James Kenny, September 10, 1864; David
Smiley, October 9, 1864 ; Jehiel Weed, at Salisbury, North
Carolina, November 29, 1864 ; George Yerdon, at Salis-
bury, North Carolina, November 29, 1864.
Company F, Leonard A. Freeman, date and place un-
known ; Burr B. Lathrop, Florence, South Carolina; Fred-
erick Shultz, August 23, 1864, at Andersonville, Georgia ;
Wm. 0. Daniels, sergeant, November, 1864, at Rich-
mond, Virginia; Ansel Gannon, September 12, 1864, at
Andersonville, Georgia ; Charles S. Little, September 20,
1864; A. B. Randall, September 2(t, 1864; Michael
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Trainer, September 12, 1864, Andersonville, Georgia;
Waldo Ponchin,' died, after exchanged, at Annapolis ;
Wm. W. Wood, Mnrch 16, 1865, Florence, South Carolina.
Company G, Harvey D. Merritt, August 18, 1864, An-
dersonville, Georgia ; Cornelius Cramb, date unknown ;
George Keiser, September 15, 1864; John Thompson,
date unknown ; Isaac Washington, August 18, 1864; John
Wetherby, December 1, 1864, Salisbury, North Carolina;
John Miller, date unknown; John Rigby, December 10,
1864 ; Garrett S. Ayres, date unknown.
Company H, Sanford Alsavor, died in Florence, South
Carolina; John Granger, July 10, 1864, at Andersonville,
Georgia ; Isaac Gaslin, Richmond, Virginia ; David H.
Johnson, December 29, 1804, after exchanged, at Annap-
olis ; Thomas Wright, May 28, 1864; Samuel Bowen,
July 20, 1864, Andersonville, Georgia; Wesley Brock,
September 18, 1864; James A. Castle, June 10, 1864;
Noah L. Myers, August 7, 1864; James Spoor, July 18,
1864.
Company I, John Dooley, after exchanged, at Annapolis ;
Griggs Holbrook, August 22, 1864 ; Joseph Lemoreux,
August 21, 18'U; Elijah Chappel, October 12, 1864, at
Andersonville; John H. Leach, September 11, 1864.
Company K, Silas B. Taylor, September 29, 1864, An-
dersonville, Georgia ; Jabez E. Spaulding, Company E, date
unknown ; Chas. Jennings, date unknown.
CHAPTER XXVI.
OSWEGO IN THE EEBELLIOW.
The One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Regiment.
The One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Regiment was
authorized by Governor Seymour, upon the personal appli-
cation of Hon. Elias Root, of Oswego. W. G. Robinson
and William I. Preston immediately thereafter held a series
of war-meetings throughout the county, assisted by D. G.
Fort, Cheney Ames, A. B. Getty, Henry Fitzhugh, and
A. Van Dyck. Though Oswego had sent thousands of her
brave sons to the front, and the home ranks were sadly
thinned, the patriotic fire was again kindled, and recruiting
for the fifth Oswego regiment was rapidly pushed forward.
There were over fourteen hundred men recruited for the
regiment from this county, and two hundred from Madison
and Cayuga counties. It was mustered into the service
during the months of August and September, 1864.
The following were the regimental and line oflBcors :
Colonel, Wardwell G. Robinson ; Lieutenant-Colonel,
Wm. P. McKinley ; Major, W. D. Furgeson ; Adjutant,
Howard M. Smith ; Quartermaster, John Dunn, Jr. ; Sur-
geon, Tobias J. Green ; Assistant Surgeon, T. Y. Kinnie ;
Chaplain, Jacob Post.
Line Officers. — Company A, Captain, Joel S. Palmer;
Fir.st Lieutenant, C. P. Strong ; Second Lieutenant, M. L.
Branch.
Company B, Captain, W. S. BI or.se ; First Lieutenant,
J. N. Hoot; Second Lieutenant, C. H. Pavey.
Company C, Captain, J. W. Parkhurst; First Lieu-
tenant, George A. Leonard ; Second Lieutenant, Daniel
Bothwell.
Company D, Captain, S. R. Town ; First Lieutenant,
Augustus Pliilipps ; Second Lieutenant, Joel H. Warn.
Company E, Captain, John Sheridan ; First Lieutenant,
J. M. Francis; Second Lieutenant, J. H. Loomis.
Company F, Captain, Wm. Dickinson ; First Lieutenant,
I. W. Darrow ; Second Lieutenant, S. H. Brown.
Company G, Captain, J. T. Outerson ; First Lieutenant,
J. H. Grant; Second Lieutenant, T. W. Smith.
Company H, Captain, H. W. Ramsey ; First Lieutenant,
G. W. Woodin ; Second Lieutenant, T. M. Watkins.
Company I, Captain, George Wetulore ; First Lieutenant,
E. F. Morris ; Second Lieutenant, John H. Gilman.
Company K, Captain, S. Scriber; First Lieutenant, M. G.
McCoon ; Second Lieutenant, Jerome H. Coe.
The regiment left Elmira for the front in September,
1864. They arrived at Washington, embarked for City
Point, and subsequently went into camp about two miles
distant from Bermuda Hundred.
September 27, orders were received to move to Wilson's
landing, known as Fort Pocahontas. The regiment embarked
aboard the " Thomas Powell," and at four o'clock p.m.
arrived at the fort. On the following day one hundred
and twelve men were detached for picket duty, and two
companies sent to Harrison's Landing. September 29, the
regiment embarked for Harri.son's Landing. Here they
found comfortable quarters within sight of City Point, and
Colonel Robinson, being the ranking officer, became post
commandant. November 8, Rev. Jacob Post was selected
as chaplain. The regiment remained here during the term
of service, and although not participating in any severe
conflicts, they performed the duties assigned them faith-
fully.
To place before the reader a history of the entire regi-
ment, it will be necessary to follow the four companies,
A, B, D, and F, as these companies were forwarded from
Elmira before the remainder of the regiment, and rejoined
it only a short time previously to its discharge.
The four companies mentioned above, under command of
Major Furgeson, left Elmira September 14, 1864, and .soon
after arrived in Washington, where they remained until
September 23, when they took up the line of march for
Winchester, Virginia. At Harper's Ferry they halted four
days, and left for Harrisburg as a guard for a provision
train. They joined the army of General Sheridan, and
were with him during the celebrated raid through the Shen-
andoah valley. In three days they marched one hundred
and four miles on the track of the rebel General Early,
burning and destroying property. During this long and
tedious march they daily exchanged shots with Mosby's
guerrillas, and at Fisher's Hill the army participated in a
sharp engagement. They subsequently were ordered to
Martinsburg. Here they remained two days, and were
again ordered up the valley, and encamped at Cedar creek.
Early on the morning of the 19th of October, 1864, while a
greater portion of the men were sleeping, an orderly dashed
into camp with orders from General Wright, the corps
commander, to fall into line of battle immediately. With
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
nil alacritj' truly commendable, tliey struck tents and ad-
vanced, when they were immediately attacked by the enemy,
and the memorable battle of Cedar Creek commenced.
The battle raged until night put an end to the contest.
It was a severe engagement, and thrice were they driven from
their ground, and as often regained it. At the close of the
conflict they encamped on the ground that they had lefl in
the morning, but not all of those brave men who responded
so promptly to the call returned to the old camp. Sixteen
sealed their devotion to their country with their life's blood.
Lieutenant Philipps among the number. In addition to
the killed, there were forty wounded. General Early was
defeated, and the Union forces captured five thousand
prisoners, sixty-two pieces of artillery, besides a large quan-
tity of small arms. In this engagement the cavalry was
under the command of the lamented Custer. This was the
first engagement in which these companies were under fire,
but they behaved like veterans, and won many encomiums
of praise for their prompt action and bravery. Through
the inexcusable fliult of some one, no tents were issued to
these companies until the battle of Cedar Creek. Adjutant-
General Andrew J. Smith, of General Seymour's staff,
presented the officers with a wagon-cover, and this was the
only tent in the command.
They subsequently were ordered to Winchester, where a
long line of works was thrown up, called " Camp Kussell."
Here the companies remained about four weeks, when they
returned to Harrison's Landing, and joined the remainder
of the regiment. The entire command remained here several
months, and, in addition to their other duties, bestowed
much labor upon their camp, in beautifying and rendering
it comfortable. It was said to be one of the finest in the
army. While at the Landing, Colonel Robinson was post
commandant, and Major Furge.son acting provost-marshal
and post inspector. June 30, 1865, Colonel Robinson re-
ceived orders from JlajorGeneral Hartsuff directing that
the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth be marched out of the
breastworks preparatory to embarkation. The order was
promptly obeyed, and the embarkation commenced. Com-
panies A, B, D, I, and F, under command of Major Fur-
geson, shipped aboard the steamer " North Point," and the
remainder of the regiment on the " Robert Morris." July
1, the entire command reached Baltimore, and after march-
ing to the " Soldiers' Rest," where dinner was served, they
took the cars for Elmira, New York, where they arrived at
four o'clock on the following day. The regiment subsequently
went to Syracuse, where they were paid off and mustered
out.
CHAPTER XXVIL
OS'WEGO IN THE REBELLIOlir.
The Twelfth Regiment of Cavalry : " Third Ira I
RegimeDt Light Artillery.
i Guard"— First
The Twelfth Regiment of Cavalry, otherwise known as
the " Third Ira Harris Guard," was organized at New York
city to serve three years. The companies of which it was
composed were raised in the counties of New York, Colum-
bia, Albany, Rensselaer, Clinton, Franklin, Oswego, Onon-
daga, and Erie. It was mustered into the United States
service from November 10, 1862, to September 25, 1863.
Two companies were raised in this county, and were com-
manded by Captains Cyrus and Simeon Church. Aft«r the
formation of the regiment they encamped at Camp Wash-
ington, on Stat«n Island, where they remained until March,
1SG3. The colonel, James W. Savage, was on General
Fremont's staff, and when the latter was relieved he came
to New York and was tendered the command of the regi-
ment. He served during the entire terra of service, and
at the close of the war emigrated to the far west, and is
now a member of the judiciary of Omaha.
March 8, 1863, the regiment broke camp and embarked
for Newbern, North Carolina, and remained there during the
war. While stationed here the regiment participated in a
scries of raids into the enemy's country, the most important
one being the advance on Tarboro', which was made by eight
hundred men for the purpose of destroying a rebel gun-
boat, stores, etc., at that place. They destroyed the Wel-
don railroad, and on approaching Tarboro' found the enemy
in force, and immediately charged them with portions of the
Oswego companies, A and B. It was a sharp contest, and
Captain Cyrus Church, while gallantly leading the charge
at the head of his company, was in.stantly killed, eleven
bullets entering his body. Lieutenant Hubbard was
wounded and taken prisoner, and was subsequently killed,
in Slarch, 1865, in the advance on Goldsborough. Ephraim
Mosier, second lieutenant of Company A, was taken prisoner,
and died at Charleston. In this charge the two companies
lost twenty men.
A detachment of this regiment was sent to Plymouth
and also one to Little Wiishington. The Plymouth detach-
ment performed general scouting duty, and was in the bat-
tle of Plymouth, fought April 20, 1864, when the Federal
forces were defeated by the Confederate General Hooke,
and the two companies of this regiment composing the de-
tachment were taken prisoner. In this contest Captain A.
Cooper was in command, and was among the number cap-
tured. Eighty-five men were sent as prisoners of war to
Andersonville, and nearly all perished in that hellish pen
lorded over by the notorious Wirz, who was subse(|uently
executed. The detachment sent to Little Washingt^m also
did scouting duty, and were very instrumental in breaking
up and routing the rebel General Mosby's celebrated gang
of guerrillas. The Twelfth performed substiintial service
for the government, and no portion of the regiment did
better service during their two years of life on the tented
field than the Oswego companies. The prison-pen and the
bullet left their impress upon these companies, as many
who went out never returned. They battled nobly for their
country, and it is an honor to say, " I belonged to the
Twelfth Cavalry." The regiment was mustered out in
July, 1865.
FIRST REOI.MENT LIGHT ARTILLERY.
This regiment wa.s organized at Elmira, New York, to
serve three years. The companies of which it was composed
were raised in the counties of Oswegu, Oneida, Onondaga,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOEK.
Chemung, Steuben, Monroe, Wayne, Erie, Niagara, Jeffer-
son, St. Lawrence, Lewis, and Herkimer. It was mustered
into the United States service from August 30 to Novem-
ber 19, 1861. The Fourteenth New York Independent
Battery was assigned to this regiment September 7, 1863.
On the expiration of its term of service the original mem-
bers, except veterans, were mustered out, and the organiza-
tion, composed of veterans and recruits, retained in service.
We give below a history of Battery D, compiled from the
diary of the lamented Lieutenant Albert N. Ames, who was
killed by sharpshooters near Petersburg, Virginia, Septem-
ber 26, 1864.
After leaving Oswego they remained in Elmira a short
time, and about November 1 moved to Washington. The
regiment arrived there in the night-time, and took supper
in a building bearing the pleasant-sounding title of the " Sol-
diers' Retreat," and after partaking of a meal consisting of
poor coffee, dry bread, and poor beef-tongue, they marched
to a large building called the " Soldiers' Rest," where the
members of this regiment passed their first night on south-
ern soil. They went into camp here, where they passed tlie
time in drilling, etc., until March 1, 1862, when marching
orders were received, and on the following day tents were
struck and the batteries embarked on board steamers, and
they were soon steaming down the Potomac. At four
o'clock they disembarked, and commenced their march to
camp. While on this slow and tedious tramp they received
their fii'st taste of the unpleasantness of war, being harassed
continually by the shells from the enemy's batteries.
March 5, the first gun was fired by this regiment in de-
fense of her country's rights. They stationed a battery at
Budd's ferry, opposite the rebel batteries, and immediately
opened fire. They responded with three batteries, and the
shells and solid shot dropped around them like hail. This
firing soon ceased without loss to the regiment.
April 5, they marched to Liverpool Point, Maryland,
and embarked for Chesapeake bay, where they arrived
April 9. Camped here until May, when marching orders
were received. At six o'clock a.m. on the following day,
after having marched during the whole night, with no sup-
per and through a country rendered almost impassable by
the recent rains, orders were received to move immediately
to the front, and without breakfast they continued their
march through mud knee-deep. While moving as rapidly
as possible one of General Hooker's aids dashed along and
gave the order to hurry to the front, as the infantry was in
pjsition and the general was only awaiting the arrival of the
batteries to open the engagement.
At nine o'clock the batteries arrived, and while forming
the enemy opened fire, and several men were wounded,
among them Lieutenant C. P. Aiken, who was struck in
the breast with a shell, and Lieutenant H. P. Pike, who
had a leg shot off.
Major Wainwright attempted to rally his men, who had
become panic-stricken at this sudden firing ; but neither he
nor Captain Webber, who commanded a battery of regu-
lars, could call the men to their posts of duty. At length
Major Wainwright, exasperated at the conduct of the reg-
ulars, rode up in front of Battery D, which was awaiting
orders, and asked '■ if u volunteer company would volunteer
to work the guns of a regular battery." The battery re-
sponded promptly to the call, and nobly did they do their
work. They manned the regular battery, and this, to-
gether with Captain Branchall's that came up soon after,
were the only batteries in this division outside of the woods
in front of the enemy's works. Here remained these gal-
lant batteries, supported by Hooker's infantry, firing and
silencing the rebel artillery, until four p.m., when the di-
vision, having fought during the whole day without rein-
forcements or relief, was forced back by the enemy, who had
been heavily reinforced. Though pouring in a deadly fire
of shot, which swept the ground and left the rebel dead
thick upon the field, they were being driven steadily back.
At five o'clock the lamented Kearney and his gallant divi-
sion came to their relief, and, driving the enemy back, re-
gained the ground from which the batteries had been forced,
after a severe contest of eight hours with a force largely
superior in numbers, and which had constantly been re-
inforced. Through the fault of some officer this division
was suffered to wage this unequal contest unrelieved, and
their thin and decimated ranks at the close of the battle
alone told of the severity of the struggle. Their loss was
over two thousand killed, wounded, and missing.
After the battle the regiment camped near Williams-
burg, and here remained nearly one month, during which
time nothing of particular interest occurred to relieve the
ceaseless monotony of camp life. June 1, the order was
received to move out in front of the works, and while occu-
pying this position they afforded excellent marks for the
enemy's sharpshooters, who harassed them until they fell
back. The regiment remained in this section until the
latter part of August, when they embarked for_ Alexandria.
Prior to this time the battery had participated in the fol-
lowing battles : Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines,
battle of June 25, 1862, Peach Orchard, Savage Station,
White Oak Swamp, Glendale, and Blalvern Hill. At this
point Lieutenant Ames ceased the keeping of the record,
and it is impossible to give a further detailed history of the
battery. It was subsequently in the following engage-
ments : Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rap-
pahannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania,
North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethcsda Church, Petersburg,
Weldon Railroad, and Chapel House.
In the various battles in which this battery was engaged
— and many of the number were the greatest struggles of
the war — it acquitted itself with distinguished credit and
received many compliments for its gallantry. It was mus-
tered out of the United States service June 16, 1865.
CHAP TER XXVIIL
OSWEGO IM- THE HEBELLION.
The Twenty-fourth Cavalry.
This regiment was organized at Auburn, New York, to
serve three years. It was composed of companies from the
counties of Oswego, Erie, Monroe, Chemung, Oneida, Ot-
sego, Ontario, Onondaga, Livingston, and Albany. It was
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
113
mustered into the United States service in January, 1864.
Three companies were raised in tliis county. The colonel
of the Twenty fourth was William C. Raulston.
The regiment left Auburn in .February, 1864, and went
to Washington, where they remained until March, and
were then sent to the front as dismounted cavalry. They
crossed the Potomac, and went out to the Wilderness and
participated in that battle. The regiment was detailed for
picket duty, and the loss was light. A few days after they
marched to Spottsylvania Court-House, where they had an
engagement with the enemy. Several were wounded, IMu-
jor Taylor among the number. There seemed to be no
rest for the regiment, as they soon after marched to North
Anna river, where a battle was fought and a few men
wounded.
On tlie day preceding the battle of Cold Harbor the
Fourteenth Heavy Artillery was attacked by the enemy. It
soon became evident that they would be repulsed, and the
Twenty-fourth was ordered to advance as reinforcements.
The order came to hold the line at all hazards, and, while
fighting manfully to retain the line, the enemy, towards
night, charged these gallant regiments with an overwhelm-
ing force, defeating them and capturing many prisoners.
Thirty men belonging to Company E were taken prisoners,
and sent to Andcrsonville, where they nearly all perished
in that inhuman stockade. After the engagement at Cold
Harbor the regiment crossed the James river and marched
to Petereburg, and was actively engaged in the operations
in front of that city.
On the 17th day of June, 18G4, the grand charge was
made on the enemy's works, and this gallant cavalry regi-
ment led the assault. It was one of the most brilliant
charges of the war, and the entire command lost heavily.
" When can their glory fade ?
Oh, the wild charge they made!"
Captain Burch, of Company I, was killed, and Captains
Taylor and Martin wounded. On the following day the
same command made another charge, and again lost heavily.
The Twenty-fourth was then sent to the rear to recuperate,
where they remained a few days, and were ordered into the
breastworks to relieve the colored troops. They were in
line of battle when the explosion of the mine occurred, and
soon after Captain George Simons, of Company I, was mor-
tally wounded by a shell, which carried away one eye, his
nose, and a portion of his forehead. He survived several
weeks, and died in Washington. In the engagement at
Peeble's farm, in September, 1864, Colonel Raulston, Cap-
tain Thomas, and Lieutenant McGraw were captured and
taken to Danville, Virginia. Soon afler. Colonel Raulston
was killed in attempting to escape. He was a brave and
faithful ofiScer, and his loss was keenly felt. The regiment
participated in the battle of Weldon Railroad, and soon afler
received their horses, at Camp Yellow House, and joined
the mounted force. The division was commanded by Gen-
eral Gregg, and the brigade by General Henry E. Davics,
of New York city.
During the winter the regiment did general picket duty
on the left and in rear of the army operating before Peters-
burg. One night Company E, which had been stationed as
a reserve near what was known as the Calhoun Hou.se, was
attacked by guerrillas, and Orderly Sergeant Benj. La Rook,
then in command of the company, was killed in his tent,
several wore wounded, many taken prisoners, and every
horse save two captured.
In the spring of 1865 the regiment moved to Dinwiddle
Court-House and joined the general advance of the Army
of the Potomac. On the day of the advance the Twenty-
fourth was deployed as skirmishers, and in an engagement
with the enemy they lost several men. Colonel Newbury
among the number. They were in the vicinity of Fair
Oaks during the battle, and at this time the brigade was
composed of the Twenty-fourth, Tenth Heavy Artillery, and
a New Jersey and also a Massachusetts regiment. Soon
after the battle of Fair Oaks the Twenty-fourth and Tenth
were sent out on a reconnoissance, and surprised a long bag-
gage train of the enemy, which they destroyed, and cap-
tured a battery of new Wierd steel guns. They kept up a
running fire with the enemy, which finally made a stand,
and were immediately attacked by the Twenty-fourth and
Tenth, and, after a sharp conflict, were repulsed. In this
engagement Lieutenant-Colonel Melzar Richards was mor-
tally wounded. They followed hard upon the retreating
enemy, which, being pressed close, a second time fell in
line of battle, and, after firing one volley, waved the white
flag in token of surrender.
The Twenty-fourth was at the front, skirmishing with
the rebel cavalry, when the order came to cease firing, as
the grand army of the Confederacy had surrendered. The
regiment moved back from Appomattox to Petersburg,
where they remained until Sherman's army came through
from North Carolina, when the entire force moved to Rich-
mond, and from thence to Washington. The Twenty-
fourth participated in the grand review at Washington, and
afterwards crossed the Potomac to Cloud's Mills, Virginia,
where they were consolidated with the Tenth New York
Cavalry, and the new organization became known as the
First Provisional New York Cavalry. Many officers were
mustered out as supernumeraries, and among the number
were Charles A. Taylor, captain of Company E, Major
Taylor, Harry A. Genet, E. A. Talman, George F. Raul-
ston, Albert Thomas, John Hutchinson, Francis L. Brown,
A. Tucker, A. J. Heff'ron, M. McGraw, C. L. Pratt, Geo.
Curtis, Van R. Kelley, Eugene Smith, and William W.
Cook. The latter soon after entered the regular army, as
General Custer's adjutant, and was killed with him in the
fatal contest with the Sioux. The regiment was mustered
out July 19, 1865, at Syracuse. The Twenty-fourth saw
severe service, as evidenced by the following roll of honor :
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Guineas' Station, North Anna,
Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg,
Cemetery Hill, Weldon Railroad, Reams' Station, Peeble's
Farm, Vaughan Road, Beilefield.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XXIX.
OSWEGO IN THE REBELLIQlir.
The Twenty-first New York Independent Battery— The One Hun-
dred and Ninety-third Regiment— The Fiftieth Engineer Kegi-
The Twenty-first New York Independent Battery, Vol-
unteer State Artillery, was raised in Oswego County in
August, 1862, and was mustered into the service of the
United States September 2, 1862, with full ranks.
Being attached to the expedition under General Banks,
who succeeded General Butler in the command of the De-
partment of the Gulf, the battery left New York about the
middle of December, on two sailing-ships, took in cargoes
of horses at Fortress Monroe, and arrived in New Orleans
early in January, 1863.
The commissioned officers who went out with the battery
were James Barnes, captain ; Henry H. Cozzens, first lieu-
tenant ; and George Potts, second lieutenant. At New
Orleans the battery was armed with four three-inch steel
rifled guns, and was stationed until the beginning of May
at New Orleans and Bonnet Carre.
During the siege of Port Hudson it was attached to the
division of the gallant Major-General Thomas W. Sherman,
of Mexican-war fame, and was actively engaged during the
siege, which continued until July 8.
When the first attack was made, on May 21, the bat-
tery was sent during the previous night to the extreme left
of our line, to open fire on the rebel works at daylight. It
was placed in an open plain, just at the edge of the timber,
in full view of and about eight hundred yards from the
rebel earthworks. Its opening fire was instantly answered
from ten guns, scattered along behind the works, and al-
though their fire was continued until nine A.M., and they
had the range perfectly, not a man in the battery was hurt.
Many shells exploded with wonderful accuracy, one burst-
ing under one of the guns, cutting the gun-carriage in
five places and severing the lock-chain. The gunners had
just stepped aside after loading the piece, and not a man
was wounded. The same good fortune continued during
the entire siege. No member was hurt, except Corporal
James Norman, who got a bullet in the hip.
During the attack on the 14th of June the battery was
sheltered by a breastwork.
After the surrender of Port Hudson, the battery was
stationed at that post for nearly a year, during which time
but little active service was seen, except in an occasional
expedition to Baton Rouge or other points in company with
a cavalry force. On April 7, 1864, one gun, under Lieu-
tenant Potts, was sent to Baton Rouge with two or three
cavalry companies, where the force was attacked by a large
body of rebels. The cavalry escaped, but the gun was cap-
tured, with seven men of the battery, viz.. Corporals James
Campbell and Charles Barnard, and Privates Alonzo Dun-
ham, Charles Dexter, Daniel Roberts, Jr., John Walker,
and Moses Potter. These men had a taste of the horrors
of Andersonville. On February 28, Privates Daniel
McSweeney and John S. Cozzens were captured by guerril-
las, while outside the fortifications, and were taken to An-
dersonville, where young Cozzens died. Moses Potter, one
of the prisoners captured with the gun, died at his home,
in Hastings, Oswego County, soon after his release from
the prison, " of scorbutus and starvation, contracted while a
prisoner of war in the Confederate prisons of Georgia," as
stated in the surgeon's certificate.
When the unfortunate Red River expedition of General
Banks was organized, the captain of the battery made re-
peated applications to have it ordered to accompany the
army, but without success. After the signal failure of that
disastrous enterprise, a large force was organized at Mor-
ganza Bend, below the mouth of Red river, and the battery
was ordered there, where it remained until the end of the
year.
Here it exchanged two of its steel guns for four twelve-
pound Napoleon guns, and the entire outfit of Battery G,
Fifth United States Artillery. During this time it was
sent several times, with other troops, into the rebel terri-
tory near the Atchafalaya river, where several smart skir-
mishes were had with General Dick Taylor's troops.
Lieutenant Cozzens having died in New York, February
18, 1864, Lieutenant Potts was made senior first lieuten-
ant. Lieutenant Francis G. Barnes was transferred from
the Eightieth United States Colored Infantry and made
junior first lieutenant, and Orderly Sergeant Barber Ken-
yon and Sergeant Aaron F. Colnon were promoted to
senior and junior second lieutenants.
Near the close of 1864 the battery was ordered to New
Orleans, to refit for active field service. The Thirteenth
and Sixteenth army corps, under Generals Gordon Granger
and Baldy Smith, were about to undertake the reduction
of the city of Mobile. During the investment of the forts
defending that city, which commenced March 27 and
lasted nine days, the battery was in a very exposed position
in front of the " Spanish Fort," and lost two men, viz.,
John Wilson, a driver, killed March 27 by a solid shot,
and John Daly, a cannonier, March 29, by a rifle bullet.
These were the only men killed in action belonging to the
battery in its three-years' service.
After the surrender of Mobile, the battery was stationed
in that city, and had the honor to be selected to fire a
national salute in its public square, at noon of July 4, 1865.
Soon afterwards it was ordered to Galveston, Texas ; thence,
after a few weeks, to New Orleans, and thence by sea to
New York.
It was mustered out of service at Syracuse, New York,
September 8, 1865, three years and six days after its
muster-in.
Of the two hundred and twelve men who went out with
it, or who joined it from home while in Louisiana, one
hundred and forty-nine officers and privates were mustered
out at the close of its term, four deserted, two were trans-
ferred to the Invalid corps, nine were transferred to the
Twenty-sixth New York Battery ; Lieutenant Cozzens died
in New York, Private John S. Cozzens in Andersonville ;
Moses Potter at home, in consequence of the hardships he
suffered in the same place; and twenty-three died of disease
in camp or in. the hospitals, viz. :
Quartermaster-Sergeant James Blunger, Artificer Jay
Jewitt, Bugler Aaron Yan -\ntwerp, and Privates Orvin
Buudy, Luther 0. Dodge, John Dwyer, Wallace Holden,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
115
Ilonry Slirader, Tiinotliy Becbe, Horace Benedict, William
H. Huested, Adam Sixbcrry, Jacob Smith, Elmer P.
Burt, William H. Mitchell, Alvin S. Miller, Matthew
Thompson, George H. Millard, Daniel Mayne, George W.
Betsinger, Peter Dunham, Michael Daidy, and Henry
Hopkins. John Wilson and John Daily were killed in
action ; and twenty-two were discharged for disability on
surgeon's certificate.
That the battery was not engaged in more active service
was not its fault, as both ofBcere and men were ready and
anxious always to be actively employed, and never failed to
apply for a chance if any movement was contemplated.
Few organizations, of equal nunibci-s and length of service,
suffered so little from disease and death, which speaks well
for the thoroughness of its sanitary discipline. It always
had the reputation of being one of the best-disciplined
bodies in the Department of the Gulf, while it is believed
that none could show a smaller proportional record of pun-
ishments inflicted.
Its commanding officer always felt a just pride in the
faithful, orderly, manly, and soldierly qualities of the men
whom he had the honor to command. .
THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-THIRD REGIMENT
was organized at Auburn, New York, to serve one, two,
and three years. The companies of which it was composed
were raised in the counties of Cayuga, Oswego, Onondaga,
Oneida, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, and Franklin. It was
mustered into the United States service from April G to
July 6, 1865, and mustered out of service January 18,
18G6, in accordance with orders from the War Department.
Two companies were enlisted from this county, under Cap-
tains A. H. Preston and William L. Yeckley. The regi-
mental officers were as follows : Colonel, John B. Van Pet-
ten ; Lieutenant-Colonel, John C. Gilmore ; Major, Alfred
iMorton ; Adjutant, T. B. Wasson ; Quartermaster, Charles
B. Bailey ; Surgeon, D. H. Armstrong ; Assistant Sur-
geons, A. H. Tankis, Lorenzo Phinney ; Chaplain, W^.
Dempster Chase.
THE FIFTIETH ENGINEER REGIMENT
contained a number of men from this county. This regi-
ment rendered the government valuable service in laying
pontoons and building bridges. The regiment was com-
manded by Colonel Charles B. Stewart, and was mustered
into the service of the United States at Elmira, New York,
September 18, 1861. On the e.xpiration of its term of
service, the original members, except veterans, were mus-
tered out, and the regiment, composed of veterans and re-
cruits, retained in service until June 13, 1865, when it was
mustered out of the service.
The following regiments also had a few men from Oswego
county in their ranks, viz.: Fifty-ninth, Ninety-third,
Ninety-fourth, One Hundred and Forty-ninth, One Hun-
dred and Eighty-sixth, One Hundred and Eighty-ninth,
Second Artillery, Third Artillery, Fourth Artillery, Four-
teenth Artillery, Sixteenth Artillery, Seventh Cavalry,
Twentieth Cavalry, and ninety-eight enlisted in the regular
army.
Before closing the history of the part taken by Oswego
County in the war for the Union, it is proper to say a few
words, regarding the county as a whole, in addition to
our sketches ot the separate regiments and batteries.
Hardly another county in the State sent to the field as
many men in proportion to its population as Oswego.
By a general order of July 7, 18G2, a war-committee
was appointed by the governor to take charge of the raising
of troops in this senatorial district, and that committee
continued in service throughout the contest. Hon. Elias
Root was the president and Henry S. Davis, Esq., was secre-
tary. As men entered the army from time to time, they
were credited to the counties in which they enlisted, —
Mr. Davis taking especial pains, and often following the
detachments to other localities, to see that they were so
credited.
When volunteering began to drag, extraordinary efforts
were made to see that an ample number of men were en-
listed. When the time came for a settlement between the
State and Oswego County, under chapter 29 of the laws
of 1815, it was found that the State was indebted to the
county for soldiers furnished in excess of the quota of the
latter to the enormous amount oi five hundred and fifty-
two thousand seven hundred dollars, and this sum was
actually received from the State authorities by Mr. Conklin,
the county treasurer, who went to Albany several times for
the purpose, accompanied by Mr. Davis, as secretary of the
war-committee.
At the rates established by law, this showed an excess
furnished by Oswego County equivalent to eighteen hun-
dred and forty-two men for one year each. But the law
only applied to those who volunteered suKsequcnt to the
call made in July, 1864. Taking the whole war into con-
sideration, Oswego County sent to the field an excess over
her proportion, according to population, equivalent to about
five thousand men, serving one year each.
This remarkable fact needs no comment from the his-
torian.
Our military history is closed. We have faithfully
traced the history of the various regiments, and it has been
our honest endeavor to place before the people of Oswego
County a truthful record of her gallant sons who risked
their lives in the defense of their country. AVe have
sought to deal justly with all, and give deserving credit to
each and every regiment. While the history is a record of
many of the severest battles of the war, it is not in any
particular overdrawn ; it is a " plain, unvarnished tale."
It has been impossible to sketch many individual acts of
heroism, but these were not wanting. We might speak of
the lamented John D. OBrien, and the gallant Major
Barney, and follow the list down through a long line of
brave men, who distinguished themselves on many a hard-
fought field, but it would be without the scope of this work.
Oswego County may justly point with pride to the record
of her soldiery, as no section of our country act«d a more
prominent or honorable part in the great tragedy.
HISTOKY OP OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XXX.
SINCE THE "WAE.
The Volunteers at Work— Plenty of Business— New Railroads— The
Oswego and Rome Road— The Midland Road— The Syracuse
Northern— The Lake Ontario Shore— Transfer of the Syracuse
and Oswego Road— The Panic of 1873— Hard Times— Bankruptcy
and Foreclosure — Subterranean Matters — Lorraine Shales — Gray
Sandstone — Medina Sandstone — The Clinton Group— A last Look
at the whole County — The Great Transformation.
When the great war had closed in the spring of 1865,
the thousands of Oswego County volunteers were speedily
absorbed into the community from which they had sprung
to arms at the call of their country. Most of them went
to work, and there was plenty of work for them to do.
The immense amounts of depreciated money which the
government had been obliged to put in circulation during
the war had stimulated all kinds of business into an intense
activity, which lasted for several years after the close of the
conflict.
The transportation business was perhaps the most active
of all, and the great line of transportation which runs
through Oswego County was crowded to its fullest capacity.
Men tell of seeing in those halcyon days the harbor of Oswego
city so crowded with vessels that a person could walk from
one shore to the other on their .decks. The Oswego canal
and the Oswego and Syracuse railroad were equally thronged
with business. Naturally, it seemed as if new railroads
were sure to prove roads to wealth for their owners and for
the community.
The articles of the Oswego and Rome railroad company
had been filed in April, 1863. It was built from Richland
station, in the town of Richland, through the village of
Pulaski and the towns of Mexico, New Haven, and Soriba,
to Oswego city, being completed to the latter place in the
autumn of 1865. Immediately after the organization of
the company, even before the building of the road, it was
leased in perpetuity to the Rome, Watertown and Ogdens-
burgh company. The latter company subsequently bought
a majority of the shares, and by operation of law their
directors are also the directors of the Oswego and Rome
company.
A much more important scheme was that of building a
railroad from Oswego to Jersey City, opposite New York,
a distance of about two hundred and forty miles. The
articles to organize the company were filed January 11,
1866. The road was intended to be a part of a great
through route from the west to New York, and the people
along the line were very enthusiastic regarding it. Five
million two hundred and fifty-six thousand dollars in town-
bonds were secured, and only seven hundred and seventy-
three thousand from personal subscriptions.
In Oswego County the road was built through the towns
of Constantia, West Monroe, Hastings, Schroeppel, Volney,
and Scriba. It was opened to Central Square, in the town
of Hastings, in October, 1869, and to Oswego the following
month. It was completed to New York in 1872.
The Midland was followed by the Syracuse Northern rail-
road, running from Syracuse northward, crossing the Oneida
river into Oswego County, at Fort Brewerton, passing thence
through the towns of Hastings, Parish, Mexico, and Rich-
land, and connecting with the Rome, Watertown and
Ogdensburgh road at Lacona, in the town of Sandy Creek.
It was finished in the fall of 1871, by the Rome, Watertown
and Ogdensburgh company.
The Lake Ontario Shore railroad was the latest enter-
prise of this kind in the county. The articles were filed
in the office of the Secretary of State, March 17, 1868,
thus completing the organization of the company. The
road was from Oswego through the towns of Oswego and
Hannibal in this county, and thence westward along the
lake-shore to Lewiston on the Niagara. In the mean time
the Syracuse and Oswego railroad had been leased to the
Delaware and Lackawanna railroad company on the 1st of
March, 1869, and was thenceforth extensively used by them
in the transportation of coal, in addition to its ordinary
business.
In the autumn of 1873 came the great financial crisis,
which produced its natural depressing effect upon Oswego
County as well as upon the rest of the country. Men no
longer walked across Oswego harbor on the decks of vessels,
and were no longer anxious to build railroads through every
hamlet in the county. The Midland road went into bank-
ruptcy, and is now in the hands of a receiver. The mort-
gage-bonds of the Lake Ontario Shore company were fore-
closed, and in the autumn of 1874 the road was sold. It
was bid oiF by parties who organized, according to law, a
new company, called the " Lake Ontario railroad company."
In February, 1875, this company was consolidated with the
Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh company, under the
name of the latter. The Syracuse Northern was sold on
foreclosure, reorganized in the same manner as the Lake
Shore, and then consolidated with the Rome, Watertown
and Ogdensburgh company in 1875.
These new roads are now doing fairly well, but have as
yet hardly realized the expectations of their projectors.
But, as Oswego County felt the depressing influence of
commercial disaster with the rest of the nation, so with the
rest of the nation it is beginning to recover from the blow,
and hopeful men look forward with reason to the time when
all her great commercial avenues shall again be crowded
with travel and freight, and her illimitable water-power be
utilized by uncounted mills and manufactures. Certainly
much may fairly be hoped for in a county which has grown
from a few score of struggling pioneers at the beginning of
the century to the numbers shown in Oswego County in
1875, — seventy-eight thousand six hundred and fifteen.
Little more remains to be said regarding the general
history of the county. Before closing it, however, we will
take cognizance of the legal maxim that the jurisdiction of
any district extends downward to the centre of the earth,
and will give a little attention to the subterranean structure
of the country under consideration.
It would, of course, be impracticable to furnish anything
like a treatise on geology in a work of this description.
Sufiice it to say that beneath the surface soil the rocks of
the earth are arranged in strata or layers, usually somewhat
inclined upward, which come to the surface one above the
other, or, in different language, each of which crops out
from under the other. Throughout the State of New York
I
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
117
these strata incline upward to the north, consequently the
lowest stratum which comes to the surface in each county
crops out in its northern portion.
In Oswego County the lowest stratum is the "Lorraine
shales" or upper portion of the Utiea slat«, which last is
tlie uppermost stratum of what is called by geologists the
" lower Silurian" system. The Lorraine shales crop out in
the extreme north part of the county, near the lake. Nest
above this, and therefore coming out south of it, is the gray
sandstone, belonging to the middle Silurian system, which
extends from the northeast corner of the county to a point
near its centre, and thence runs westward along the lake ;
the line between it and the nest stratum south crossing the
Oswego river about a mile from its mouth. This gray
sandstone is very compact, and firmly resists the action of
the elements. It has been quarried for grindstones in the
town of Orwell, near Salmon river.
Nest to this conies the Medina or red sandstone, also a
part of the middle Siluiian system. Its northern boundary
i.s the same as the southern limit of the gray sandstone, and
runs northeast from the centre of the county to its north-
eastern corner. It extends southward, occupying more than
a third of the area of the county. It shows itself freely
on the banks of the streams, and is largely quarried for
building purposes.
The southeinmost and uppermost of the Oswego County
strata is what is known by geologists as the Clinton group
(likewi.se belonging to the middle Silurian system), which
occupies the entire border nest to Oneida lake and river.
It consists of parallel layers of shale and of red and gray
sandstone. Iron ore is found in it, but in small quantities.
Peat and marl are abundant.
Over all these rocky strata large amnunts of soil, inter-
mingled with loose rocks, have accumulated, the whole
forming what geologists term " drift." The underlying
rocks are rarely seen by the ordinary observer escept on the
banks of streams.
After this brief inspection of the foundation-walls of
Oswego County, we will give one more glance at its outward
appearance, — an appearance most encouraging to the lover of
progress and civilization.
The Indian trails over which Champlain and Le Moine,
Garangula and De la Barre, Sir William Johnson and Philip
Schuyler, passed to and fro on their various missions of war,
religion, and traffic, are now changed into the tracks over
which the iron horse screams and thunders in his seemingly
savage wrath. The forests have become groves, orchards,
and fields. The wigwams have expanded into country farm-
houses and city mansions. The place of the stump, hollowed
on top into a mortar in which to pound corn, is taken by a
score of mills capable of turning out over two million barrels
of flour per year.
What is far more important, churches are now seen by
the score, and school-houses by the hundred, in the territory
which less than a century ago was devoted to barbaric ig-
norance and pagan sacrifices. The wolf or the bear which
strays into our county from the depths of the Adirondack
forests is very liable to be trapped by a minister or shot by
a school-master, — a fact which is perhaps no consolation to
the animal in question. In short, in less than a hundred
years Oswego County has been transformed from the home
of barbarism to that of the highest civilization ; a change
which it has shared with the greater portion of our country,
but which is none the less the cause of perennial wonder to
those who meditate upon it.
Having now given a resume of the general course of
events from 1615 to 1877, we will subjoin sketches of
various organizations, buildings, etc., which pertain to the
county at large, liut which could not well be incorporated
into the continuous narrative.
CHAPTER XXXL
THE PRESS OP OSWEGO COUNTY.
The American Farmer — The Oswego Gazette — The Oswego Palla-
dium—The Oswego Palladium and Republican Chronicle — Tho
Palladium Again ; Uow it Looked of Old ; Its Subsequent Changes ;
The Palladium Printing Company; Tho Palladium of To-Day—
The Oswego Republican — The Oswego Gazette and Advertiser —
Dr. Burdell — Major Cochran — The Oswego Democratic Gazette —
The National Republican — The Oswego Free Press — The Oswego
Democrat— The Oswego Observer— Equal Rights— The Oswego
Patriot— The Commercinl Herald— The Oswego County Whig—
The Oswego Daily Advertiser— The Oswego Commercial Times—
The Oswego Times and Journal — The Oswego Times; Various
Changes: The Advertiser and Times ; The Advertiser ; The Times
again ; The Oswego Publishing Company ; The Times of To-Day
—The Oswego Commercial Advertiser— The Oswego Press— The
People's .Tournal— The Daily News— The Northern New Yorker—
The Pulaski Banner— The Pulaski Advocate- The Advocate and
Aurora— The Port Ontario Aurora— The Pulaski Courier— Tho
Richland Courier— The Northern Democrat— The Pulaski Demo-
crat—The Fulton Chronicle— Ben Franklin— The Weekly Dis-
patch—The Fulton Sun- The Fulton Mirror— The Fulton Patriot
—The Fulton Patriot and Gazette— The Phoeni.i Gazette— The
Oswego County Gazette— The Fulton Times— Tho Phoenix Demo-
crat—The American Banner and Oswego County Times— Tho
American Banner and Literary Gem — The Phoenix Reporter — The
Phcenix Register- The Oswego County Democrat— The Messenger
—The Mexico Independent— The Deaf Mutes' Journal— The Han-
nibal Reveille— The Hannibal News— The S.xndy Creek News—
The Lakeside News— The Lakeside Press— The Parish Mirror—
The Central Square News.
The press is so widely recognized as one of the most
important agencies of modern civilization that in so full a
work as this it naturally requires a special chapter devoted
to its history.
" French's Gazetteer" asserts that the first newspaper in
the county was the American Farmer, published at Os-
wego before 1807. We have, however, been able to learn
nothing of such a sheet from the oldest inhabitants, and,
as there was no post-office at Oswego until 1806, and it
was then a mere hamlet of between one and two hundred
inhabitants, it is extremely doubtful if there was a news-
paper published there at that time.
The first paper of which anything is definitely known was
the Oswego Gazette, a small weekly, started at O.swcgo in 1817,
by S. A. Abbey & Bro., and by them transferred to Augus-
tus Buckingham. It was discontinued in 1819, but the
material was purchased by John H. Lord and Dorephus
Abbey, who began in that year to publi.sh what is now by
lis
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
far the oldest paper in the county, the Weeldy Oswego
Palladium.
This was at the period when the old Republican party,
already more commonly called Democratic, had overcome
all opposition, and was beginning to split into factions by
its own weight. The Palladium affiliated with the " Buck-
tail," or Anti-Ciintonian faction. Mr. Lord afterwards be-
came the sole proprietor, and continued the publication
until 1830, supporting the administration of Monroe and
Jackson, and opposing that of John Quincy Adams.
Mr. John Carpenter then became a part owner with Mr.
Lord, and, after a few months, became sole proprietor.
When Mr. Carpenter first entered the office the name of
Republican Chronicle was subjoined to the former title,
and for about a year and a half the paper carried the some-
what top-heavy appellation of The Oswego Palladium and
RepMican Chronicle. The latter title was then dropped,
and the journal in question has ever since been known only
as Tlie Oswego Palladium.
By this time parties had been organized ; the supporters
of Jackson falling heirs to the old name of Democrats,
while the opposition was composed of "anti-Masons" and
" National Republicans," but was soon after consolidated
under the name of " Whigs." The Palladium from the
first allied itself with the Democratic party, and has ever
since remained its stanch supporter, except for a brief
period in and after 1848.
Mr. Carpenter, who still resides on a farm near Oswego,
has a file of the Palladium while under his management,
which he has permitted us to examine. It was a good-
sized sheet of six columns, with the dark look noticeable
in all old papers, and still observable in English, and, to
some extent, in Canadian journals, — a look indicative of
much ink, many "block-letters," and closely-printed adver-
In 1815, Mr. Carpenter sold out to Mr. Beman Brock-
way, with whom Mr. C. S. Sumner was associated for about
a year. In 1818 the Palladium supported Van Buren and
Adams, and upheld the " Free Democratic," or, as it was
commonly called, " Free Soil" party, until it was re-absorbed
in the Democracy.
In 1850, Mr. Brockway started the Daily Palladium,
which has been issued in connection with the weekly ever
since. The next year Mr. Brockway transferred a share
in the paper to Lloyd Mills, and for a short time it was
issued by Brockway & Mills. Mr. Brockway soon disposed
of his interest to Joseph C. Hatch, and the firm became
Mills & Hatch. In 1853, Dudley Farling became the pro-
prietor, selling out to T. P. Ottoway in 1854.
The last-named gentleman retained the control nine years,
publishing a stifi' Democratic paper during the rapid growth
of the Republican party, and the early years of the war.
In 1863 he .sold out toS. H. Parker. Mr. Parker remained
as editor and proprietor until 1866. From that time until
187c; the Palladium was published by C. Morrison & Co.,
and edited by John A. Barry. In the last-named year a
stock company was formed, called the " Palladium Printing
Company," by which the journal in question has ever since
been published, Mr. Barry remaining the editor. G. A.
D.iyton has been president of the company since the for-
mation ; G. P. Briggs was secretary and treasurer during
1870 ; Dudley Farling during 1871 and 1872, and Simeon
Holroyd since that time.
The Dailg Palladium is now a handsome twenty-four-
column sheet, a member of the New York State Associated
Press, issued about four o'clock each afternoon, under the
editorial management of John A. Barry, editor-in-chief;
B. E. Wells, local editor ; and Simeon Hohoyd, business
manager. The Weeklg Palladium is a large paper of thirty-
two columns, under the same proprietary and editorial
control.
In Blarch, 1825, Mr. William W. Abbey established
another weekly newspaper at Oswego, called Tlie Oswego
Republican, to champion the newly-inaugurated adminis-
tration of John Quincy Adams against the opposition of
the Palladium. In 1827 it was sold to Samuel Osgood,
who changed its name to The Oswego Gazette and Adver-
tiser. The next year it was transferred to William C. Shope,
who dropped its first name. In 1828 or 1829 the Adver-
tiser was purchased by Dr. Burdell, whose mysterious
murder, twenty-six years later, at the residence of Mrs.
Cunningham, in New York city, caused such intense and
wide-spread excitement. Dr. Burdell changed the name
of the Advertiser to The Freeman's Herald, and issued
it about a year, when he, too, gave up the unprofitable
eSovt. About the same time, and probably on the same
material, Major James Cochrane, a son-in-law of General
Philip Schuyler, started the Oswego Democratic Gazette
as a National Republican opponent of Jackson's adminis-
tration, it being published for him by Burdell, but it lasted
only a short time. In 1832 it was resuscitated by Mr.
John Quincy Adams as The National Republican, and
advocated the principles of the party whose name it bore
for another year, when it finally ceased to exist.
Meanwhile the feeling against Masonry had reached its
climax, and in 1830, Richard Oliphant established The
Oswego Free Press, and published it fur years as an anti-
Masonic organ. In 1834, anti-Masonry having ceased to
exist as a separate political organization, the Free Press was
transferred to George G. Foster, who gave it the name of
I'he Oswego Democrat. But the Palladium was too
firmly fixed in the hearts of the Democracy to be dislodged
even by a journal bearing their favorite name, and the next
year the Democrat gave up the ghost.
Equally unfortunate was The Oswego Observer, a weekly
begun by Bailey & Hawks in February, 1835, and dis-
continued in the latter part of 1836.
A paper called Equal Rights was issued at Oswego for a
short time about 1837. It was printed by Richard Oli-
phant fur unknown publishers.
The excitement caused in Oswego County and vicinity by
the celebrated " Patriot War" was so great that a newspaper,
called The Oswego Patriot, in sympathy with the insur-
gents, was published from the Palladium office during the
autumn and winter of 1838 and 1839. It was, so far as
we know, the only recognized organ of the revolt, though
the American frontier press very generally sympathized
with it. When the Canadian patriots were all dispersed,
transported, or hung, the Oswego Patriot was also sus-
pended. Brief as was its existence, it had two editors ;
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
tlio first being Mr. John Bonner, and the other a young
lawyer, since quite well known to fame as General John
Cochrane, of New York city.
In 1837, too. The Commercial JTerald, devoted espe-
cially to the commerce of the lake and canal, was established
at Oswego by Hull & Henry, and issued weekly until 1843.
In 1838, when the Whig^party was rapidly growing in
popular favor, The Osicigo County Whig was founded at
Oswego by Ilichard Olipliant, who published it until 1844,
and then sold it to Daniel Ayer. The next year Mr. Ayer
issued from the same office the Oswego Daily Advertiser,
the first daily paper in the county. In 1847, C. D.
Brigham became proprietor. He changed the name of the
weekly to The Oswego Commercial Times, and of the daily
to The Ostcego Daily Commercial Times, but without
relini|uishing the Whig principles of his predecessors.
Mr. Brigham sold out in 1848 to James N. Brown, who
continued the publication under the names last mentioned
until 1854, when the paper was transferred to Winchester
& Ferguson. These gentlemen also published the Weekly
and Daily Jouriad, and united it with the I'imes, publish-
ing the weekly issue as The Weekly Times and Journal,
and the daily as The Oswego Times and Journal.
On the organization of the Republican party, in 1855,
the paper adopted its principles, of which it has ever since
been a faithful supporter. In 1857 the " Journal" part of
its name was dropped, and the weekly and daily issues
became respectively The Oswego Times and The Oswego
Daily Times. From Winchester and Ferguson the Times
went to N. M. Roe and W. B. Buckhout, and from them
to Jonathan Tarbell, who edited and published it in 1859
and 1860. In the beginning of the war Mr. Tarbell sold
out to James N. Brown, and entered the army, becoming
afterwards a brigadier-general of volunteers and a judge of
the supreme court of Mississippi. BIr. Brown, having for
the second time taken the helm, retained it until 1865.
The Times was then sold to T. S. Brigham and J. A.
Place, proprietors of the Oswego Commercial Advertiser,
the consolidated paper being issued for a year as The Adver-
tiser and Times. The name " Times" was then dropped,
the weekly edition becoming The Oswego Weekly Adver-
tiser, and the daily Tlve Oswego Commercial Advertiser.
In 1873 the Osicego Press was united with the Advertiser;
the proprietorship of the consolidated journal was vested
in a stock company, called the " Oswego Publishing Com-
pany." The names Press and Advertiser were both dropped
and the old one of Times was adopted, under which title
the paper has since been published.
About two years since, the weekly Times was enlarged
to an eight-page paper of forty-eight columns, in which
form it is still published. The daily is a four-page sheet
of twenty-eight columns. The president of the company
is Benjamin Doolittle ; the secretary and treasurer, John
A. Place; the business manager, Frederick Thompson.
The editorial stafi" consists of John A. Place, editor-in-
chief; Frederick A. Dixon, local editor ; and Henry C.
Stillman, commercial editor.
The Oswego Commercial Advertiser, daily and weekly,
was established in February, 1864, by T. S. Brigham and
J. A. Place, Mr. Place being the editor. The Times was
consolidated with it early in 1865, as before stated, and the
Ailvertiser continued under the .same management and title
until its transformation into the present Times, as just
narrated.
The Osicego Press, daily and weekly, was founded by a
stock company in 1870, and mainlainedasei)arate existence
until 1873, when it was consolidated with the Advertiser
to form the Times.
The People's Journal, weekly, was established at Oswego
in March, 1849, by O'Leary & Dean. The next year it
was sold to L. A. Winchester. In 1851 it passed into the
hands of Sumner & Poucher, who started the Oswego Daily
News in connection with it. The next year L. A. Win-
chester again bought it, and changed the name of the daily
to the Oswego Daily Jownal. Two years later, 1854, the
Peoples Journal and the Daily Journal were united with
the daily and weekly Times. The Northern New Yorker
was founded at Oswego in 1873, by J. II. Oliphant. It
was issued only fourteen months, being discontinued in
1874.
The first paper in the county outside of Oswego was The
Pulaski Banner, begun in 1830, and published at Pulaski
by Nathan Randall until 1832, by A. A. Matthcwson & G.
G. Foster until 1833, and by James Geddes until 1834,
when it suspended.
In 1836 the old material of the Banner was purchased
by Daniel Ayer, who issued a weekly paper called The Pu-
laski Advocate until 1838. It was then sold to Mr. Dick-
inson, the owner of the /"orf Ontario Aurora, who removed
the latter paper from Port Ontario to Pulaski, and consoli-
dated it with the Advocate, under the name of The Advo-
cate and Aurora. Daniel Ayer again became the owner
in 1840. He discarded the second name, and published
the Advocate until 1842, when it was discontinued.
The Port Ontario Aurora was published at the intended-
to-be great city of Port Ontario, from 1837 into 1838, first
by Mr. Van Cleve and then by Mr. Dickinson, the latter of
whom removed it to Pulaski, and merged it in the Advocate,
as just stated.
In 1843 The Pulaski Cwiover was started in that village,
on the material of the defunct Advocate, by W. Winans.
In 1847 it was purchased by A. A. Matthcwson, who
changed its name to The Richland Courier. After pub-
lishing it until 1850, he sold out to Joseph C. Hatch, who
thought it necessary to make another change of name.
The appellation chosen this time was The Northern Demo-
crat. In 1854 it passed into the hands of S. C. Miller,
who gave it the title it still bears, — The Pulaski Democrat.
L. R. Muzzy, tlie present editor and proprietor, took control
of the Democrat in 1869, and has ever since conducted it.
Notwithstanding its name, it is independent in politics. It
is a thirty-two-column sheet, of good appearance, and has
a large circulation in the eastern part of the county.
The second paper in the county outside of Oswego was
the Fulton Chronicle, first published as a weekly in No-
vember, 1837, by Thomas Johnson. In 1840 it WiW sold
to Isaac S. Clark and Edwin Thompson, who gave it the
peculiar name of Ben Franklin. Unfortunately, however,
for that style of nomenclature, the Ben Franklin died the
very next year.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The Weekly Dispatch was published in Fulton about a
year, beginning in 1840, by E. C. Hatten.
The Fulton Sun was begun in 1841 by N. B. Northrop.
The next year it was united with the Mirror.
The Fulton Mirror was established in August, 1842, by
Daniel Ayer. Immediately afterwards it was united with
the Sun, and the consolidated paper was published weekly
as The Fulton Sun and Mirror until 1844. It was then
sold to Spencer Munroe, and soon after discontinued.
The Fulton Patriot was started in 1846 by M. C.
Hough. He transferred it to John A. Place in 1848, and
he to T. S. Brigham, in 1854. In 1858 the Patriot was
purchased by Hon. R. K. Sandford, who bought out the
Oswego County Gazette the same year, and published the
consolidated paper as The Fulton Patriot and Gazette.
This is still the name borne at the head of its columns,
though it is commonly called The Fulton Patriot. In
1861 Mr. Sandford disposed of his paper to Rodney L.
Adams, who sold out in 1865 to Bennett Bros., who have
been the editors and proprietors up to the time of the death
of the lamented Mr. Charles T. Bennett, just previous to
the issuing of this history. Having been enlarged three
times in twelve years, the Patriot is now a thirty-two-
column weekly, and a sturdy supporter of Republican
principles.
The Phoenix Gazette, weekly, was started at Phoenix in
1851, by Jerome Duke. He sold out to George E. Wil-
liams, who in 1853 removed it to Fulton, and changed its
name to The Osioego County Gazette. Under that title it
was published five yeare, when it was merged in the Pa-
triot, as before stated.
The Fulton Times was established in June, 1868, by
George E. and J. M. Williams. It is one of the few
papers in the county which has not changed its name since
its foundation. It is now a neat independent weekly,
twenty-two by thirty-two inches ; George E. Williams
being editor and proprietor, and W. E. Williams local
editor.
The Phanix Democrat was established at that village
in 1852, by an association of citizens, who sold it in 1854
to James H. Field. In 1855 the name was changed to
The Phoenix Banner, and again, the same year, changed
to The American Banner and Oswego County Times.
This extensive appellation proved, as might have been ex-
pected, too heavy to carry, and ere the close of the year the
paper expired.
The next year it was revived by Mary Frances Tucker,
as Tlie American Banner and Literary Gem. It carried
this patriotic, martial, refined, and brilliant designation for
eight months, when it was sold to Levi Murrill, who re-
duced its name to The American Banner. The Banner
was finally furled in 1857.
Two months afterwards the material was used by Joshua
M. Williams for the publication of the Phwnix Reporter.
That paper soon passed into the hands of A. P. Hart, who
published it until 1860. He then sold it to M. M. Carter,
who enlarged the paper to its present size, twenty-four
columns, and conducted it until 1870. In 1805 he changed
the name to The P/iuenix Register. In 1870 the Register
was sold to J. M. Williams, who has conducted it till the
present time. It is independent in politics, and devoted to
the welfare of the community which has so long supported
it.
The first paper at Mexico was the Oswego County Demo-
crat, established in 1837 or 1838, by Thomas Messenger.
After a short time he changed the name to correspond with
his own, denominating his paper The Messenger. But the
times were unpropitious, and in 1839 the Messenger ceased
from its journeys.
The Mexico Independent was established at that village
March 19, 1861, by Humphries & Scarritt, and has re-
mained ever since (over sixteen years) under the same
name, at the same place, and in the hands of the same
firm, or one of its members ; a remarkable example of sta-
bility in the changeable world of Oswego Countyjournalism.
It is a twenty-eight-column weekly, and, as its name implies,
is independent in all respects. Henry Humphries is the
sole editor and proprietor.
One of the most interesting productions of journalistic
enterprise in the county, or even in the State, is The Deaf
Mates Journal, brought to Mexico in October, 1872. For
three years it was published in connection with the Inde-
pendent, several columns of that paper being occupied by
the editor of the Journal. In October, 1875, it was pub-
lished separately, as The Mexico Independent and Deaf
Mutes Journal, and in January, 1876, it reduced its title
to The Deaf Mutes Journal, which it still retains. It is
the recognized organ of the deaf and dumb in the State of
New York, and is the only paper published for their espe-
cial use in the State, except a small one established a short
time ago in New York city, to teach them to print. The
Deaf Mutes' Journal has a circulation of about six hun-
dred. The legislature has recognized it as the organ of the
class referred to, and has granted it an allowance of six
hundred and fifty dollars, on condition of its being sup-
plied to a certain number of the deaf mutes free of charge.
Henry C. Rider is the proprietor and the resident editor ;
F. L. Seliney, of Rome, is assistant editor, and Henry
Winter Lyle, of Philadelphia, the first ordained deaf-mute
minister in the country, is the foreign editor.
The publication of the Hannibal Reveille was begun on
the first day of October, 1866, by Dr. G. V. Emens. It
was then a monthly, only fifteen by twenty inches in size,
and was furnished to subscribers at the modest price of
fifty cents per year. In August, 1870, its size was in-
creased to twenty-two by thirty-two inches. On the 1st
of January, 1872, the Reveille was made a semi-monthly,
and a year later it was issued as a weekly ; the subscription
price being changed to one dollar per year. On the 3d of
July, 1873, it was purchased by Albert N. Bradt, who has
continued its publication up to the present time.
The Reveille has always received a generous support
from the people of Hannibal and the surrounding towns, as
is evidenced by its steady progress.
The newspaper-taking capacity of Hannibal was not con-
sidered to be exhausted by the Reveille, and on the 20th of
December, 1876, Messrs. Charles H. Parsons and Clarence
B. Brower established the Hannibal Neivs, a weekly jour-
nal, twenty four by thirty-six inches. On the 1st of April,
Mr. Parsons' interest was transferred to N. B. Brower, and
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the firm-name of the publishei-s became N. B. & C. B.
Browor, who are still the editors and proprietoi-s. It lias
attained a circulation of near five hundred, which must cer-
tainly' be considered a success in a small country village,
which already supported a similar enterprise.
Ptissiny; from the western to the ciistcrn extremity of the
county, we find the Smidj/ Ciec/c News springing into ex-
istence in the growing village of Sandy Creek, in the month
of ApriJ, 1S71. Its founders were Goodenough & Soulc.
The firm soon became II. Soule & Son, who edited and
published the paper until April 1 of the present j-ear. It
was then purchased by Munger & Washburn, who took
possession on the 1st of May, 1877, and have since been
the editoi-s and publishers. The News is an independent
weekly, of twenty-eight columns, and the rapid growth of
the village iu which it is published indicates a prosperous
future for the journal in question.
In 1873, Mr. A. F. Goodenough began the publication
of the Lakeside Neios at the village of Cleveland, in the
town of Constantia. In 1874 he was succeeded by Mr.
Charles R. King, who changed the name of the journal to
The Lakeside Press. It is still published by ]Mr. King
under that title, being a vigorous, independent weekly, of
twenty-eight columns, which indicates by it-s name its
position on the shore of the beautiful Oneida lake.
On the 14th of May, 1874, the first nunibei' of another
Oswego County newspaper appeared ; in fact, it would seem
as if the " hard times" had had the effect of stimulating,
instead of depressing, journalistic enterprise in this locality.
The new candidate for public favor was called Tlie Parish
Mirror^ and was established at the village of Parishville,
town of Parish, by Mr. John W. Northrop, who is still its
editor and proprietor. The Mirror is a lively young
weekly, of twenty-eight columns, and, like most of the
other village papers of Oswego County, is independent in
politics and religion.
The very latest journalistic adventure in our county is
the Central Square News, which was established at the
pleasant little village of Central Square, in the town of
Hastings, in January, 1877. Willis G. Bohannan was the
founder, and is the editor and proprietor, with John W.
Hallock as associate editor. The News contains twenty-
four columns, and, in its own language, is " an independent,
miscellaneous family journal."
Our review of the press of Oswego County has neces-
sarily been very brief, presenting only an outline history of
each journal, but we have taken considerable pains to make
it accurate as far as it goes, and we trust it will be found
convenient and reliable for the purpose of reference. The
most noticeable point to be observed in it is the large num-
ber of village journals which have sprung up, mostly since
the war. Of these journals there are no less than eleven.
It is doubtful if another county in the State of the same
population has so many, especially one in which the jour-
nalistic field is largely occupied by two widely-circulated
city dailies.
CHAPTER XXXII.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
Tlic ol.l C.mrt-Houscs— Enlargement of that at Pulaski— Building of
a ucw one at Oswego— The Clerk's Office and the Juil— The old
i'.por-Ilouse— The new Insane Asylum— Tlio new l'i)or-lIouse— Its
InuiiUes- Interior of the .\8ylum— The Soldier's Fiito.
As has been st;ited, the first court-houses at Oswego and
Pulaski were erected ab<mt 1822. The one at the latter
place, being of brick, remained in a very good state of pres-
ervation, but the frame one at Oswego became, in the course
of thirty-five years, quite unfit for the purfwscs for whicii
it was intended.
In 1858 the board of supervisors appropriated thirty
thousand dollars to build a new c-ourt-house at Oswego, and
five thousand to extend and repair the one at Pula.ski.
Both works were carried out in the years 1859 and 18G().
The five thoasand dollars were duly expended at PuUiski,
the court-house there being extended several feet both in
width and length, becoming a very handsome and commo-
dious edifice, fronting on the public square and standing
but a few rods from the banks of Salmon river.
The cost of the Oswego court-house wa.s twenty-nine
thousand three hundred and ninety dollars. Tlie building
erected is, like its wooden prcdece.s.sor, situated ou the pub-
lic square, on the east side of the river. It is built of Onon-
daga limestone, and is quite irregular in form, being com-
posed of a main building fifty feet by sixty-six, and two
stories high, with a two-story projection on the main or
north front fifteen feet by twenty-five, and a one-sttiry pro-
jection on each side, e;ich eighteen feet by twenty-five.
The county clerk's oflice is a small one story brick build-
ing, also on the east side of the public square, and nearly
in front of the court-house.
There was no jail at Oswego until 1853, the city lock-up
being used for occasional prisoners, and more permanent
ones being sent to Pulaski. In that year a substantial
stone building was erected for that purpose on E;ist Second
street, near the lake. It is forty-five feet by seventy-five,
and two stories high, besides a high basement.
The Oswego County poor-house was established in 1828.
In December of that year Mr. John Parsons, the first
superintendent, took charge of it. It was then kept in a
small frame farm-house, on or near the site of the present
institution, in the town of Mexico. Some of the inmates
were also accommodated in a log house near by. The next
year a two-story addition was made to the farm-house, and
this constituted the poor-house for over forty years. There
were at first alout seventy or eighty inmates, but afterwards
the numbers increased to one hundred and twenty-five, in-
cluding children and insane, all crowded in those narrow
quarters.
The inconvenience became so manifest that in 1859 and
1860 the county erected a commodious and substantial iii-
s;ine a.sylum of brick, two stories high, with basement, the
main building being sixty-eight feet by thirty-two, and the
projection in the rear being forty-two feet by thirty-two.
Tbe cost was four thousand one hundred and fifty dollars.
This building, with its inmates, was then placed under the
charge of a separate keeper, independent of the keeper of
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the poor-house, though they act together in regaid to some
minor matters.
The old frame poor-house was retained until 1870, when
it was replaced by a fine brick establishment at a cost of
sixteen thousand five hundred dollars. The present build-
ing is eighty feet by thirty-five, with a wing forty-two feet
by forty, all two stories high, with basement. It now con-
tains fifty-five inmates, — twenty-seven females and twenty-
two males. Connected with it is a farm of sixty acres, on
which are kept ten cows, two horses, and a few hogs. This
is worked by the paupers ; hay, potatoes, and grain being
raised by them. The female inmates do the work of the
house.
The whole number of paupers received during the year
ending October 31, 1876 (when the last report was made)
was one hundred and eighty-six. Eighty-three were dis-
charged during the same time, and twelve died. The aver-
age expense per week of supporting them was one dollar and
fifty cents. The poor-houso contains none but adults and
a few very small children, all children between three and
sixteen being sent to the Oswego orphan asylum. Neither
has it any inmates from Oswego city, the paupers of that
locality being cared for at the Oswego city almshouse.
The insane asylum stands but a few yards from the poor-
house, and it is intended to extend the former building so
as to occupy the intervening space. Three acres of the
poor-farm are cultivated as a garden by the male inhabitants
of the asylum, while the domestic work is done by the fe-
males, except washing, baking, and ironing, which are done
at the poor-house. Twenty-four unfortunate women and
thirteen men are cared for in the asylum. Under the
guidance of the gentlemanly keeper the writer passed, a few
months since, through all portions of the home of these
stepchildren of Nature. Everything was in the neatest
condition and the best of order, but the pall of afBiction was
over it all. The lack-lustre eyes and downcast looks of
some, and the unnatural vivacity of others, told but too well
the tale of their misfortune. Each human being there was
a living tragedy, but the story of one was peculiarly im-
pressive.
Among the men was one who was a soldier in the Union
army during the rebellion. In the midst of a battle in
which he was engaged a shell exploded close beside him,
drawing no blood, but throwing him stunned to the ground
by the concussion, and affecting his brain so that he arose a
maniac. Unheeding the bullets which were flying around,
he rushed at full speed into the rebel ranks. They seized
him, but after the battle, perceiving his wretched condition,
they allowed him to return. He was discharged with a
pension of fifty dollars per month, which now supports him
in the insane asylum of Oswego County. Twelve years
have passed, but no daylight comes to the darkened mind
of the Union soldier, and hope points to no other prospect
than that of a life-long confinement amid his wretched
compeers.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE STATE NOBMAL SCHOOL.
Origin of tlie School— First Apiiropriation— Object- Toaching— Prog-
ress — An Increased ApprojirLation — Purchase of Buildings —
Description of Buildings— The Practice School— Complete Adop-
tion by the State— The Course of Study Enlarged— The Oswego
System — Institutions Officered from Oswego — Points of the Oswego
System — The Objective Method of Instruction— Natural Objects-
Numbers, Colors, etc. — Mental and Moral Science — Pestalozzi — •
Number of Scholars— The Regulations- The Course of Study—
The Local Board and the Faculty.
This institution originated in the Oswego city training-
school, founded in 1861, of which mention will be made in
the history of the city schools. It was not until 1863
that it had any connection with the State. The legislature
of that year, on the recommendation of that ardent friend of
education, Hon. Victor M. Rice, of Buffalo, then superin-
tendent of public instruction, and influenced by the great
success which had attended the training-school, under the
management of Miss M. E. M. Jones and Mr. Edward A.
Sheldon, appropriated three thousand dollars a year towards
its support, for the next two years, on condition that there
should be fifty pupils in attendence, and that each senatorial
district in the State should have the privilege of sending
two pupils free of charge. The school remained, however,
un(]er the entire control of the Oswego board of education,
occupying the building now used by one of the city schools,
on East Fourth street, between Mohawk and Utica.
During the years 1863 and IBG-l the number of scholars
rapidly increased, much exceeding the minimum prescribed
by the legislature. Mr. Sheldon continued as principal,
assisted by five teachers, including " critics." The system
commonly called " object-teaching," but which Mr. Sheldon
more accurately defines as " the objective method of instruc-
tion," which had been previously inaugurated, and of which
more will be said farther on, was kept up and developed ;
many scholars came from distant counties, and the fame of
the school began to spread even beyond the limits of the
State.
This success induced the legislature to increase its appropri-
ation, by an act passed April 4, 1865, to six thousand dollais
annually, on condition that each assembly district in the
State should be entitled to send one pupil free of charge,
and also that the city of Oswego should provide suitable
buildings and grounds for the accommodation of the school.
The institution thus provided for was also placed under the
general direction of the superintendent of public instruc-
tion, under whom the Oswego board of education was to
exercise immediate control.
These terms were accepted by the city, and in the sum-
mer of 1865 the board of education purchased the " United
States Hotel property," situated on the north side of Seneca
street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, at a cost of eleven
thousand five hundred dollars. They then enlarged and
fitted up the buildings at an additional expense of about
fourteen thousand five hundred dollars, making the total
cost, exclusive of furniture, twenty-six thousand dollars.
As thus enlarged the Normal School building consists of a
central structure of gray Onondaga limestone, fifty-one feet
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
front by Bfty-four deep, three stories high ; of a frame wiiij;
on the cast side two and a half stories high, twenty-five
feet front by fifty-four deep, but jutting back of the central
building; and of the frame portion on the west side, whieh,
though willed a wing, is the largest part of the wliole struc-
ture, being sixty-five feet front, ninety-nine feet deep, and
two stories high.
Only a few rooms on the first floor were designed for
recitations by the normal pupils ; the greater part of the
space was devoted to the " practice-school," and to small
rooms in which the normal pupils hear recitations by the
practice-school children. This practice-school was an im-
portant part of the original training-school, and is still of
the normal school. The children in the district in which
the normal school is situated meet in the same building
with it. Tiiey are Uiught entirely by the normal pupils,
but under the supervision and criticism of instructors ap-
pointed by the city board of education, and belonging to
the regular corps of city teachers.
The institution began work in its new building in Feb-
ruary, 18G6. On the 7th of April a general normal school
act was passed, providing for six new normal schools in
various parts of the State, to be governed by local boards
appointed by the State superintendent, removable at will by
him, and consisting of such number of persons as he may
direct.
By an act passed March 27, 1867, the building, grounds,
and appurtenances of the Oswego school were accepted by
the State, and it was fully admitted to the privileges and
subjected to the rules of the State normal schools, as speci-
fied in the act of the previous year. The State superin-
tendent appointed a local board of thirteen, and this ended
the connection of the Oswego normal school with the pub-
lic school system of the city, except what necessarily arises
from the existence of the practice-school. Mr. Sheldon was
continued as princiiml, with sufficient competent assistants,
most of whom had previously served under him.
Up to this time the work of the school had been confined
entirely to teaching and practicing the best methods of in-
struction, depending on examinations to test the know^ledge
of the ordinary studies possessed by candidates for admission.
As scholars increased in number, however, it was found that
many of them, while they might pass an examination in
the elementary branches, were yet so defective in regard to
various necessary studies, and so devoid of practical thorough-
ness, that it was considered absolutely necessary to provide
for their more complete instruction. This was also made
necessary by the fact that there was a constant demand for
teachers pos.sessing both advanced education and normal
training, to take charge of union .schools, high schools, and
academies.
Two courses were accordingly arranged in 1866, one for
the training of common-school teachers, occupying a year
and a half, and one especially designed for teachers of higher
schools, embracing two years. Those who had already suf-
ficient scholarship to enter at once on the strictly professional
work could graduate in the elementary course in a year,
and in the higher course in one term.
The school was highly successful, and its fame extended
throughout not only the State, but the nation. The plan
of thorough professional training of teachers employed
there became known in educational circles throughout tlic
country as the " Oswego school system." Urgent calls
came from tlie west for Oswego teachers to labor in ordi-
nary and high schools, and more especially in training-
schools similar to the present institution. Other graduates,
though less numerous, found employment in tiie eastern
and middle States.
Among the institutions officered in whole or in part from
Oswego during the sixteen years since the city training-
school was founded, have been the training-schools of
Lewiston, Maine; of Boston and Worcester, Mas-sachu-
setts ; of New York city ; of Cincinnati, Ohio ; of Indian-
apolis, Indiana ; and of Davenport, Iowa. Also the State
normal schools at Trenton, New Jersey ; at Terrc Haute
and Indianapolis, Indiana ; at Mankato, Winona, and St.
Cloud, Minnesota; at Iowa City, Iowa; at Kirksville and
Warrensburg, Missouri; at Peru, Nebraska; at Leaven-
worth, Kansas ; and at San Francisco and San Jose, Cali-
fornia.
The six new normal schools in New York, provided for
by the law of 1866, went into operation at various times
between 1867 and 1871. Like their sister-schools in other
States, these drew largely on Oswego for teachers. Nearly
the whole faculty of the Fredonia normal school was taken
from that of Oswego ; its principal, Mr. John W. Arm-
strong, having been a teacher there.
Almo.st all the schools named derived not only their
teachers, but their teaching, from Oswego, which is umiues-
tionably the parent of the present system of normal instruc-
tion throughout the country. Even the Albany normal
school, a much older institution, and very ably conducted,
confines itself almost entirely to ordinary instruction, giving
its pupils only two weeks of practice in a model school.
The salient points of the " Oswego system" are: First,
the long practice of every pupil under competent super-
vision in actual teaching, not of high-toned young ladies
and gentlemen, but of real, uneasy, whispering, pinching
little boys and girls, essentially the same as those with
whom all teachers must deal in the actual work of their
profession. Second, the maintenance of a model school,
composed of the best scholars and teachers, as a practical
example of what a first-class school should be. Third, the
use of the " objective method of instruction" in all depart-
ments of the school and in all branches of study.
An elaborate description of the objective method would
be beyond the scope of this work, but we can hardly fur-
nish a full history of tluj Oswego normal school without
giving some idea of the sy.stem of which that school is the
loading American exemplar. It certainly does not mean,
as some may imagine, the mere holding up of objects be-
fore a child and saying to it, " This is a stick of wood," or
" This is a piece of calico ;" but something like that is at the
fuumlation of all objective teaching.
The grand object of the system is to give the child
" ideas first, expression afterwards." If, however, he has
already seen the object under consideration, so that he has
what is called a "concept" of it in his mind, a picture of it
on his brain, it need not be exposed in the school-room. If
the children have never ^^een it, it should \n: produced bo-
124
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
fore them if conveniently attainable ; if not, they should be
taught to form an idea of it from something resembling it
which they have seen, — eking out this idea with as much
of reality as circumstances will permit.
Every child has seen a tree. It is not necessary that
one should be brought into the school-room, or even grow
in the yard, in order to give him an idea of it. But if the
lesson relates to oaks and maples, then the wood, the leaves,
and the bark of oaks and maples should be brought before
the class to emphasize the distinction between them. There
may be no mountains near, but the children have seen high
hills, and from these the idea of the mountain is built up.
If neither the desired object itself nor any other object suf-
ficiently resembling it is to be found, then, but not other-
wise, a picture is produced as its next best representative.
When a clear idea of the object has been produced in
the child's mind, then, and not till then, he is presented
with the word which represents that object. He spells it,
he reads it, he pronounc&s it. The same course is pursued
in regard to actions. They are first MluuWy jyj'eseiiled, and
then represented by words.
Ascending higher, in dealing with numbers, the pupil
gains his fiist idea of them from actual counting of visible
objects. All the processes of addition, subtraction, multi-
plication, and division are verified by counting. If the
subject of distance is under consideration, the students are
provided with lines, with which they actually measure
inches, feet, rods, perhaps miles. (We have never heard,
liowever, of the young ladies of the Oswego normal school
carrying object-lessons to that extent.) If colors are the
theme of study, paints are brought into the school, the stu-
dents are taught to mix them, and learn to name at sight
all their minutest gradations. Sounds, too, are first " pre-
sented" and then "represented," — a process which in a
large school must be more entertaining than convenient,
and is probably somewhat modified in practice.
In grammar, too, the pupils are first taught to observe by
actual sight the position of articles under or over others,
before dealing with the prepositions which represent those
ideas. The idea involved in the verb, the noun, the adjec-
tive, or the adverb is similarly realized before being sub-
jected to grammatical analysis.
Nor is the objective method confined to the material
world. The same realism above described is carried into
the domain of mental and moral philosophy. The emotions,
the formation of ideas, the will-power, are first described by
the students from their own internal consciousness, and then
made the subject of discussion. Thus,
"Love, Hope, and Joy, fair Pleasure's smiling train;
Hate, Fear, Remorse, the family of Pain,"
are subjected as far as practicable (ah, yes, as far as practi-
cable !) to the tests of actual experience before any theories
regarding them may be considered.
Though Lord Bacon and other philosophers have made
suggestions pointing towards the objective mode of teaching,
' it was first given thorough practical expression in the latter
part of the last century, by the celebrated Swiss teacher, John
Henry Pestalozzi. It is a pleasant coincidence that a son
of Pestalozzi's first assistant, Herman Kriisi, a son bearing
the same name, has for over twelve years been a teacher in
the Oswego normal school, the first American institution
which to any considerable extent has adopted Pestalozzi's
methods of instruction.
During that time it has steadily increased in numbers as
well as influence. During the spring term of 1877 there
were three hundred and sixteen students belonging to the
normal school proper, besides the public school children of
the practice and model schools, which number over three
hundred. The whole number of graduates from the begin-
ning of the training-school in 1861 up to June 30, 1877,
was seven hundred and seventy-seven, an average of over
forty-eight per year, which is more than twice as many as
have graduated yearly from any other normal school in the
State. Less than one-tenth of these have been males. The
proportion of male students is, however, steadily increasing.
At fiist there were almost none. During the past year
there have been eighty graduates, of which just one-eighth
have been young gentlemen.
Ninety-one per cent, of those who graduated previous to
the last year are known to have taught school, — a larger pro-
portion of teachers than the graduates of any other normal
school in this State has furnished, with one exception. The
number of counties represented in the school since its
organization have been fifty-six ; those thus represented
during the past year have been forty-five.
By the present law each school-commissioner district in
the State is entitled to send two pupils to this school^, the
cities being each allowed a number proportionate to its
population. They are appointed by the superintendent of
public instruction, on the recommendation of the school
commissioners and of the superintendents of cities. They
must pass, according to the regulations, " a fair examination
in reading, spelling, geography, arithmetic (as far as the
roots), and must be able to analyze and parse simple sen-
tences." Pupils must be at least sixteen years of age, and
must possess good health, good moral character, and average
abilities. Tuition and the use of text-books are free, but
students are held responsible for injury to or loss of books.
The range of study has been gradually increased until it
now includes three courses, — the elementary English, the
advanced English, and the classical. The first occupies two
years. The first year is devoted to the ordinary elementary
English studies, but taught in the objective manner before
described. The second year is given up entirely to studies
bearing on modes of instruction and to practice in the
training-school.
To be admitted to the advanced English course, students
must pass a thorough examination in all the studies of the
first year in the elementary English course. The first year
of the advanced course embraces algebra, geometry, chemis-
try, and other important studies. The second is nearly the
same as the corresponding year of the elementary course,
with instruction in moral philosophy and physical geog-
raphy.
The classical course covers three years; besides which, in
order to obtain admission, the pupil must pass a satisfac-
tory examination in the studies of the first " elementary"
year. The first " classical" year is nearly the same as the
first "advanced," with the addition of Latin. The second
" classicid" i.s occupied principally by Latin, natural phi-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOllK.
losophy, physical geography, and Greek or modern lan-
guages. The final year gives practice in training-school
and methods of teaching, without omitting Latin, Greek,
and geology-
Students possessing the requisite age and qualifications,
and who can pass the prescribed examination, may be ad-
mitted to the class of any year in any course, but no one
can graduate from a course without having passed through
its last or professional year. A pupil who satisfactorily
completes either one of the courses receives a diploma,
which serves as a license to teach in all the public schools
of the State, and makes a license from a commissioner un-
necessary. There has never been an " academical" depart-
ment in this school, — that is to say, a department in which
no portion of the time is devoted to strictly professional
instruction, — and the late order of the State superintendent
discontinuing those departments does not aifect the Oswego
school.
The school-year consists of two terms of twenty weeks
each. Scholai-s may enter school in either September or
February, graduate in either February or June. There is
a fair-sized library of t«xt and miscellaneous books, and an
ample complement of chemical and philosophical apparatus.
A large boarding-house is provided at a short distance from
the school, which is under the supervision of the teachers,
and at which the non-resident lady pupils are expected to
board, except in special cases.
We close our sketch of this important institution with
the officials of the present year.
The local board is composed of Gilbert MoHison, presi-
dent; John K. Post, secretary; Daniel G. Fort, treasurer;
Samuel B. Johnson, Benjamin Doolittle, Theodore Irwin,
Alanson S. Page, John M. Barron, Delos De Wolf, Thomas
S. Mott, Abner C. Mattoon, Thompson Kingsford.
Besides Edward A. Sheldon, A.M., Ph.D., who has
been the principal from the beginning, and who may be
considered the founder of the school, so far as any one
man can be credited with that honor, the faculty consists
of Henry A. Straight, A.M. ; Isaac B. Poucher, A.M. ;
Herman Krusi, A.M.; Mary V. Lee, M.D ; Matilda S.
Cooper, F. Elizabeth Sheldon, Emma D. Straight, Ordelia
A. Lester, Mary E. Moore, Rose Whitney, Martha A.
Keeler, Sarah J. Walter, and S. Ida Williams.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE COMMON SCHOOLS.
School Commissioners' Districts
drcn, and Attendance— Wage:
of Schools, Teachers, Chil
rics— Present Condition.
For the management of its common schools Oswego
County is divided into three school-commissioners' districts,
besides the city, which has its separate board of education
and superintendent. A sketch of the city schools is given
in the city hLstory, and some mention is made in each of
the towns of the earliest schools taught within it. In this
chapter we present a brief abstract of the present condition
of the schools of Oswego County, outside of the city, for
which we are indebted to the courtesy of the commissioners,
Messrs. Robert Simpson, Jr., of the firat district, Fowler
H. Berry, of the second, and J. W. Ladd, of the third.
First Di.itr,ct. g^|,^„,. Toucher.. t»cen S nnd 21. AttcT.lancc.
ttranby 20 22 1,002 822
Hannibal 15 IS a'J5 4:iS
New Haven 12 12 618 228
Oswego l.i 16 1,0.36 ;ia.>
Scrihii 17 17 1,092 4:18
Volney 17 2i) 1,9J5 70fi
Second District.
Amlmv 7 7 .380 103
Con-sti'mtia 1.3 16 1,119 .3.S5
Hastings 10 19 1,021 A'.t:,
Parish 13 1.^ 719 .321
Palermo 1.3 13 013 211
Schn.cp'pel 10 22 1,110 S.H
West Monroe... 8 8 o21 19,S
Thiril District.
Albion 14 1.^ 818 311
liovlslun S 8 371 131
Mexico 19 21 1,075 112
Orwell II 11 487 ISO
Redfield 1" 11 526 IS9
Richlan.l 22 20 1,313 518
Sandy Creek.... It 20 932 396
AVilliamstowu... 9 10 755 257
Total 2S9 XUi 19,007 7, GO I
There are several union and graded schools in the county,
of which mention is made in their respective towns. About
three-fourths of the whole number of persons between five
and twenty-one actually attend school at some period of the
year, though the average daily attendance while school is
taught is only forty per cent, of the whole number. Wages,
though varying greatly, are reported to average about five
dollars per week in summer, and eight in winter. School
libraries, unfortunately, are generally in a dilapidated con-
dition, and the larger part of the districts use the library
money to help pay the teachers. In other respects the
schools are reported to be flourishing, both numbers and
zeal being manifestly on the increase.
CHAPTER XXXV.
KELIGION AND TEMPERANCE.
Formation of the Oswego County Bible Society— Curious Facts-
Names of the Presidents — Present Officers — Oliject of the Society —
Payments to the American Bible Society — Depository and Branches
—Organization of the County Lodge of Good Templars— First
Officers— The Succession of Presidents— The Present Officers.
The Oswego County Bible Society was formed in
January, 1826. The American Bible Society had then
been in existence ten years, but its work had been compar-
atively small, and an interest in its benevolent operations
was then only just beginning to be awakened. The records
of the Oswego County society prior to the 15th of Sep-
tember, 1840, are lost, but the following extract from a
circular issued just after its organization, in 1826, shows
the necessity for its formation :
" As a preliminary step to the formation of this society,
a partial investigation of the county was effected to ascer-
tain the deficiency of Bibles ; the surprising result of which
was that one-fourth of the families in this county do not
possess an entire copy of the Holy Scriptures, a large portion
126
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
of whom have no part of the Bible in their houses. In
one of the school districts in this town, containing sixty
families, twenty-nine were destitute. In another town of
this county thirty-.six families out of one hundred and six
were found destitute. From all the returns which have
been received, it appears that eight hundred and ninety-four
families have been investigated, and of them two hundred
and fiftj'-one are put down as partially or entirely destitute
of the Word of Life."
The society was recognized as an auxiliary of the Amer-
ican Bible Society in March, 182G; but where the first
meetings were held, or who were the first cfficers, cannot
be ascertained. Rev. Oliver Ayer was elected president in
1827, and it is not certain but he was its first one. The
next year Rev. Jason Lathrop was chosen to the same
position. Rev. Ralph Robinson was elected president in
1829, and was successively re-elected for the next three
years. The succession of presidents siiice that time has
been as follows: 1833-35, Rev. Robert W. Condit ; 1836-
39, Rev. Robert W. Condit; 1840-43, Rev. Ralph Robin-
inson; 1844, Rev. Gardner Baker; 1845, Mr. Luther
Pardee; 1846, Hon. George F. Falley; 1847-48, Judge
Elias Brewster; 1849, Dr. Newell Wright; 1850, Hamilton
Murray, Esq. ; 1851-52, Hon. William F. Allen ; 185.3,
Hon. Ransom H. Tyler; 1854, Hon. James Piatt; 1856,
Hon. L. B. Crocker; 1857, Dr. M. Lindley Lee; 1858,
W. L Preston; 1859, Prof. J. P. Griflfin ; 1860, Mr.
Ralph Robinson ; 1861-62, Hon. William F. Allen ; 1863-
67, Hon. Ransom H. Tyler; 1868-72, Gilbert Mollison,
Esq.; 1873, Hon. Cyrus Whitney; 1874, Hon. T. W.
Skinner ; 1875, Col. W. D. Smith ; 1876, John B. Edwards,
Esq. ; 1877, J. G. Benedict.
The present officers of the society are J. G. Benedict,
president ; Charles T. Benedict, L. R. Muzzy, and W. H.
Kenyon, vice-presidents ; Frank S. Thrall, recording secre-
tary ; L. E. Goulding, corresponding secretary ; J. H. Coe,
treasurer and depositary ; Gilbert Mollison, S. W. Brewster,
Manni,ster Worts, 0. M. Bond, 0. J. Harmon, Thomas
Mathews, executive committee ; F. B. Lathrop, George
Goodier, auditing committee.
The object of the society, as declared by its constitution,
is to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, " with-
out note or comment." As to membership, it is provided
that all persons contributing to its funds annually shall be
members ; that those contributing one dollar or more shall
receive, if called for within twelve months, a common
Bible ; and that those contributing ten dollars at one time,
or five dollars for two consecutive years, shall become mem-
bers for life, and entitled annually to fifty cents' worth of
Bibles or Testaments.
All funds not needed for circulating the Scriptures
within the county are paid over annually to the parent
society, to be used in distributing Bibles wherever needed.
The receipts for the year ending June, 1876, were seven
hundred and fifty-one dollars and ninety-three cents, of
which seven hundred and forty-seven dollars and seventy-
four cents were paid to the American Bible Society. The
Oswego society has a depository at Oswego, and branches
at Sandy Creek, Hannibal, Fulton, Mexico, Sand Bank,
and Williamstown.
The total value of the becks at these points in June,
1876, was eleven hundred and ninety-six dollars and
seventy-eight cents.
The Oswego County Lodge of the Independent Order
of Good Templars was organized on the 20th day of De-
cember, 1870, with the following ofiicers: County Chief
Templar, S. C. Weeks ; County Vice-Templar, Helen M.
Coe ; County Secretary, W. J. Dougall ; County Assistant
Secretary, Mrs. W. J. Dougall; County Financial Secre-
tary, Julia A. Ames; County Treasurer, L. P. Storms;
County Marshal, C. R. Groesbeck ; County Deputy Mar-
shal, Mrs. Lizzie Redding ; County Chaplain, Rev. J. H.
Allsever ; County I. G., Mrs. May Chapman ; County 0.
G., B. N. Menter; R. H. S., Miss L. E. Wadleigh ; L.
H. S., Miss E. Redding.
The county lodge is composed of delegates elected from
each of the subordinate lodges in the county. It has held
meetings quarterly from organization to the present time ;
meeting with the various subordinate lodges, and doing all
in its power to promote the cause of temperance and good
morals. There are now ten subordinate lodges in the
county, with about five hundred members. The successive
County Chief Templars have been as follows : S. C. Weeks,
1871-72; Albert Potter, 1873-74; S. C. Weeks, 1875-77.
The following are the cfiicers for the year 1877 : C. C. T.,
S. C. Weeks; C. V. T., Mrs. 0. D. Austin; C. Sec,
C. W. Cogswell ; Assistant Secretary, A. Beardsley ; C. T.,
John Cooper; C. Chaplain, B. Gleason ; C. M., C. Wright;
D. SI., Mrs. R. J. Dimon ; R. H. S., BIrs. Hannah Smith;
L. H. S , Mrs. J. Cooper.
CHAPTER XXXV L
MEDICAL SOCIETIES.
Oswego County Medical Society : First Members and Officers ;
Progress; Regulations, Meetings, etc. ; Code of Ethics; Present
Officers; List of Presidents; List of Members— Homceopathic
Medical Society : First Officers and Members ; List of Presidents ;
Present Officers and Members — Eclectic Medical Society: Its
Organization ; First Officers; Reorganization; The Eclectic Creed;
Present Officers.
" The Medical Society op the County of Os-
WEOO." — The above is the official title of the association in
question, though it is more commonly designated as The
Oswego County Medical Society. It was organized in
June, 182], and, so far as known, the following were the
only members present : Anson Fay, of Volney ; S. F. Kin-
ney, of New Haven ; Allen Andrews, of Pulaski ; —
Gridley, of ; Sardius Brewster, of Mexico ; Benjamin
Coe, of Oswego ; and L. Cowan, of Volney. As, how-
ever, the records have been twice burned in ten years, it is
possible that some names have been omitted.
For the same reason the names of the first officers can-
not be given, though from the scant number of members
they doubtless all held official rank. Even the names of
the presidents for 1821 and 1822 cannot be found in the
society's manual. The president in 1S23 was Allen An-
drews, of Pulaski.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTV, NKW Y(^inv.
From 1821 to the present year the number of members
lias steadily grown until, instead of seven, there are now
fifty-eight on tiie society's register. Two of these are ladies,
female merabei-s being admitted on equal terms with males.
Four members joined in 1822, seven in 1823, four in
1824, two in 1825, four in 1826, and four in 1827. In
1828 there seems to have been a regular "revival" in the
way of joining the society, no less than seventeen having
enrolled their names in that year, while in 1829 there were
only four. No subsecjuent year has cfjualcd 1828 in that
respect. The total number of physicians who have been
members of the society since its organization is over a hun-
dred and sixty ; but of these a large majority have died or
left the county.
The officers of the society are a president, a vice-presi-
dent, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, a
treasurer, a librarian, and five censors, who are chosen
annually .by ballot. The society also elects annually five
delegates to the American medical association, and five to
the Central New York medical association. The annual
meeting is held on the second Tuesday in June, at which
officers are elected ; besides which, there is a semi-annual
meeting on the second Tuesday in December of each year.
Special meetings may also be called by the president, or, in
his absence, by the vice-president. Jleetings are held at
various localities throughout the county.
At these meetings discussions are held regarding inter-
esting questions in medicine and surgery, new members
elected, charges examined, etc. A member can only be
convicted of misconduct by a vote of two-thirds of the
members present, at a special meeting called to investigate
the charges ; after which he may be reprimanded, sus-
pended, or expelled, by a majority vote.
It is the duty of the censors to examine every candidate
for a license to practice medicine or surgery, who shall have
complied with the requisitions of the laws of the State (on
payment of five dollars for the society), and, if he be found
qualified, to give him a certificate to that effect, addressed
to the president, who thereupon confers a diploma upon him.
Any physician or surgeon, practicing in Oswego County,
may become a member, on payment of one dollar to the
treasurer, if a majority of the censors shall certify that he
is entitled to practice, and if, on being balloted for at an
annual meeting, he shall receive the votes of a majority of
the members present.
The code of ethics of the American medical association,
and that of the State medical society of New York, are
made binding on the members of the Oswego County medi-
cal association by its by-laws, and the intentional violation
of these precepts is considered good cause for discipline.
Misconduct is not only theoretically, but actually, punished,
and six or eight members have been expelled fur violations
of duty.
The following is a list of the officers and delegates chosen
at the last annual meeting, held at Oswego June 12, 1877,
to serve during the ensuing year : President, R. N. Cooley,
of Hannibal ; Vice-President, J. W. Eddy, of Oswego ;
Recording Secretary, J. K. Stockwell, of Oswego ; Corre-
sponding Secretary, George P. Johnson, of Mexico ; Treas-
urer, G. C. Bacon, of Fulton ; Librarian, A. S. Low, of
Pulaski ; Censors, D. Pardee, George W. Nelson, I. L.
Jones, A. A. Desaulinors, and D. Acker ; Delegates to the
American Medical As.sociation, J. K. Stockwell, C. M. Lee,
T. J. Green, F. S. Low, and William M. Rice; Deleg-atcs
t<i the Central New York Association, H. W. Caldwell, N.
W. Bates, H. E. Balcom, H. D. C. Phelps, and B. I)e Witt.
The following members of the Oswego County medical
society have been duly elected by the Medical Society of
the State of New York as permanent members of that
honorable body: Benjamin E. Bowen, of Mexico; A. Van
Dyck, of Oswego; G. A. Dayton, of Mexico; Charles G.
Bacon,' of Fulton; Austin Wliite, of Parish; James B.
Murdoch, of Oswego ; Frank S. Low, of Pulaski ; William
H. Rice, of Phicnis; and C. C. P. Clark, of Oswego.
The following is a list of the presidents from 1823 to
1877, so far as known : Allen Andrews, 1823 ; Anson Fay,
1827; S. F. Kinney, 1830; E. S. Barrows, 1831; P. H.
Hard, 1832 ; H. F. Noyes, 1835 ; B. E. Bowen, 1836 ;
S. Brewster, 1837 ; R. Howard, 1838 ; A. Gardiner, 1839 ;
S. Hart, 1841 ; J. M. Watson, 1842 ; A. K. Beckwith,
1843; H. Murdoch, 1844; S. Brewster, 1845; P. H.
Hard, 1846 ; S. Pardee, 1847 ; A. Van Dyck, 1848 ; C. G.
Bacon, 1849 ; B. E. Bowen, 1850 ; A. White, 1851 ; A.
Williams, 1852; A. B. Coe, 1853; T. J. Green, 1854;
J. P. Rosa, 1855 ; G. A. Dayton, 1856 ; M. R. Holbrook,
1857; John Hart, 1858; S. G. Place, 1859; Franklin
Everts, 1860 ; A. S. Coe, 1861 ; D. Pardee, 1862 ; C. C. P.
Clark, 1863; J. B. Murdoch, 1864, 1865; M. Bradbury,
1866 ; F. S. Low, 1867 ; C. M. Lee, 1868 ; G. A. Dayton,
1869; William H. Rice, 1870 ; L. L. Stevens, 1871 ; Car-
rington Macfarlane, 1872; J. L. Buckley, 1873; D. T.
Wbyborn, 1874; A. S. Coe, 1875; D. D. Drake, 1876;
R. N. Cooley, 1877.
The following is a chronological list of the members from
the organization of the society to the present time, with the
date of admission, and residence, when known :
1821. — Anson Fay, Volney; S. F. Kinney, New Haven;
Allen Andrews, Pulaski ; Gridley, Sardius Brewster,
Mexico; Bjnjamin Coe, Oswego; L. Cowan, Volney.
1822.— S. Dunlop, Samuel Torbutt, Williamstown ; H.
G. Torbutt, Williamstown ; Samuel Freeman, Williamstown.
1823.— D. W. Cole, Oswego; H. Smith, Constantia;
Darius Clark, Scriba; J. A. Paine, Lyman Huntley, Ran-
som Howard, Volney ; Al. Frederick Smith, ]Mexico.
1824.— P. H. Hard, Oswego; Samuel Hart, Oswego ;
Silas Mcac'liam, Pulaski ; W. Steward, New Haven.
1825.— Bushnell B. Carey, H. Dewey, Scriba.
1826. — A. S. Bradley, Fulton; D.Robinson, Mexico;
A. Howland, Oswego; John M. Wat.son, Pulaski.
1827.— Elisha Moore, Mexico; D.G.Ayre, Sandy Creek;
H. F. Noyes, Pulaski ; Justin Morgan, Richland.
1828.— H. Perkins, A. L. Cooper, Owen, Isaac
Whittemore, Pulaski ; J. Douglas, Scriba; L. Root, Lucius
Van Schaik, Oswego ; H. P. Van Valkonburg, Volney ;
J. H. Richmond, Parish ; Arden Allen, Hannibal ; Egbert
S. Barrows, Oswego ; Samuel K. Lee, J. Hewett, Oswego ;
J. K. Tburber, Oswego; John (i. Ayre, Sandy Creek;
Hough, N. Tift.
1829.— Wm. G. Adkins, O.swigo ; Timothy Goodwill,
R. B. Root, Mexico.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1830.— E. Palmer, Mexico; A. F. Kent, Hannibal;
David L. Hardy, Granby ; N. F. Bruce, Oswego ; N. W.
Lathrop.
1831.— M. L. Lee, Fulton ; J. Steele, Mexico ; A. Steele,
Volney; T. S. Gilbert, Orwell; Dolson Morton, Orwell;
Abiatha Gardiner, Mexico ; Webster, Hastings ; E.
G. Mygatt, A. White, Parish.
1832.— P. Sprague, Hannibal ; J. P. Rosa, Albion.
1833. — A. Goodwin, Mexico ; Caleb Burge, Sandy Creek ;
A. K. Beckwith, Palermo; S. O. Thompson, Sandy Creek.
1834. — L. Wellington, Williamstown ; M. Ostrander,
Mexico ; Chas. W. Mitchell, Oswego.
1835.- Wm. M. Baker, Scriba ; Daniel P. Stryker, Han-
nibal ; Wm. James Goulding, Oswego; 0. W. Randall,
Schroeppel ; A. E. Noble, Palermo ; Benjamin E. Bowen,
Mexico ; Stephen Pardee, Fulton.
1836.— Wm. S. Randall, Benj. A. Rosseau, Scriba.
1837. — Joseph H. Bagg, Oswego; Lucien M. Haynes.
1838.— Lewis M. Yale, Scriba; Richard M. Clark, Han-
nibal ; J. H. Skinner, Hannibal.
1839.— T. Secor, Volney; H. Murdoch, Richland; E.
A. Potter, Oswego ; James A. Thompson, Sandy Creek ;
Alex. M. Charles, Eleab M. Joslin, New Haven ; Uri Lee,
Amboy.
1841 . — A. W. Robinson, New Haven ; Joseph R. Brown,
Schroe]ipel.
1842._D. Conger, Phoenix; A. Whaley, Mexico ; S. G.
Place, Southwest 0.swego ; H. A. Skinner, C. G. Bacon,
Fulton ; Lyman Osborne, Hannibal ; M. Tuttle, Hannibal.
1843.— Wm. J. Acker, Hannibal ; Alfred Rice, Han-
nibal ; Gilson A. Dayton. Mexico.
1844.— James V. Kendall, Pulaski; A. Van Dyck,
Oswego ; Justin B. Colweil, Oswego.
1845. — Joseph H. Allen, Oswego ; J. Marble, Hastings ;
A. B. Coe, Oswego.
1846. — A. Read, Oswego; A. C. Living-ston, Fulton;
Wm. C. Coy, Schroeppel.
1847. — S. Inman, Williamstown.
1848.— N. Williams, Phosnix ; A. B. Howe, Orwell;
S. Avery, Phoenix.
1849. — A. M. Dunton, Oswego; George W. Snyder,
Scriba ; C. Porter, Fulton.
1850.— Daniel Neugent, Wm. H. Rice, Phoenix.
1851.— M. Bradbury, Mexico ; M. R. Holbrook, Fulton.
1852.— Wm. M. Skinner, Orwell ; Robt. Soott, Oswego ;
R. C. Baldwin, Volney ; T. J. Green, Parish.
1853.— John Hart, Oswego.
1855.— A. S. Coe, Oswego ; N. B. Rice, Fulton ; J. C.
Rhodes, Oswego; C. Ford, Parish; A. P. Williams,
Phoenix.
1856. — Lucius Stevens, Constantia; Franklin Evarts,
Oswego ; S. W. Austin, Oswego ; J. B. Murdoch, Oswego ;
D. B. Van Slyke, Central Square.
1857. — D. Pardee, Fulton ; S. D. Andrews, Oswego
Falls ; C. S. Waters, Fulton.
1858.— C. C. P. Clark, Oswego ; F. S. Low, Pulaski ;
Wm. H. Rulison, Parish.
1861.— Geo. W. Earle, Hastings; S. P. Johnson, New
Haven ; C. Mudge, Fulton ; F. A. Sherman, Sand Banks.
1862. — E. A. Huntington, Mexico.
1863.— Charles M. Lee, Fulton.
1864. — Ira L. Jones, Minetto.
1865.— Chas. J. Bacon, Fulton; Byron De Witt, Os-
wego ; George Seymour, Pulaski ; L. 0. Huntington,
Palermo ; D. D. Becker, Parish.
1866.— Geo. G. Whittaker, New Haven ; Isaac Morell,
Fulton ; D. T. Whyborn, Cleveland ; J. Lyman Bulkley,
Sandy Creek ; Joseph Gardiner, Williamstown ; C. Mac-
farlane, Oswego; D. D. Drake, Central Square; N. W.
Bates, Central Square.
1867.— L. C. Mitchell, Sand Banks; Ed. M. Curtis,
Oswego; S. P. Kingston, Oswego; Joseph Pero, West
Amboy.
1868. — George P. Johnson, Mexico.
1869.— A. B. Bowen, Mexico ; S. J. Crockett, Oswego ;
Dillon Acker, Hannibal.
1870. — A. A. Desauliners, Oswego ; D. A. Lawton,
Pulaski.
1871.— J. K. Stockwell, Oswego ; F. C. Durant, Oswego.
1872.— R. N. Cooley, Hannibal Centre.
1873.— George W. Nelson, Orwell.
1874.— Mary K. Hutchins, Oswego ; J. W. Eddy, Os-
wego ; A. S. Low, Pulaski ; A. S. Rockwell, New Haven ;
E. F. Kelley, Albion ; J. A. Griffen, Constantia ; J. J.
Taylor, Parish ; A. L. Thompson, Sandy Creek ; H. D. C.
Phelps, Palermo.
1875.— J. N. Mease, Oswego; A. P. Hamill, Phoenix;
Cyrus Haven, Hannibal.
1876.— H. E. Balcom, Oswego ; R. M. O'Rielley, United
States Army ; J. B. Todd, Parish ; H. H. Philbrick, Sandy
Creek ; H. W. Caldwell, Pulaski ; George E. Carpenter,
Sand Bank.
1877.— George H. Whitcomb, Phoenix ; E. A. Matfoon,
Oswego; Chas. E. Hea ton, Mexico ; J. W. Huntington,
Mexico ; Ella M. Whittaker, New Haven.
The Homceopathic Medical Society of Oswego
County. — This society was organized on the 22d of Janu-
ary, 1862. The officers who were elected at that time were
E. A. Potter, president ; A. F. Rockwell, vice-president ; F.
W. Potter, T. D. Stowe, and W. L. Woodbury, censors.
The members of the society at that time were E. A.
Potter, W. L. Woodbury, A. F. Rockwell, F. W. Potter,
Augustus Pool, T. Dwight Stowe, and Wm. W. Rundell.
The succession of presidents has been as follows: E. A.
Potter in 1861-63 ; Augustus Pool in 1864-66 ; E. A.
Potter in 1867; G. D. McManus in 1868; T. D. Stowe
in 1869-71; L. B. Waldo in 1872; W. W. Rundell in
1873; Wm. L. Woodbury in 1874; E. A. Pool in 1875 ;
W. L. Woodbury in 1876 ; Harriet Rundell in 1877.
The present officers of the society are Harriet Rundell,
president ; Cathreon Townsend, vice-president ; G. D.
McManus, secretary and treasurer ; Drs. Pool, Woodbury,
Rodway, and McManus, censors.
The present members of the society are Dr. W. L.
Woodbury, Fulton; Dr. A. Pool, Oswego; Dr. G. D.
McManus, Oswego ; Dr. Cathreen Townsend, Oswego ;
Dr. Harriet Rundell, Mexico ; Dr. C. W. Rodway, Dr. N.
H. Haviland, Fulton; Dr. G. Smith, Phoenix.
Eclectic Medical Society op the County op
Oswego. — The legislature having passed an act iucorpo-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
129
rating the Eclectic medical society of the State of New
York, and auxiliary local medical associations, conferring
on them all the powers and privileges of other medical
societies, and subjecting them tjo the same responsibilities,
in the summer of 1865 Dr. A. C. Taylor, then recently
returned from service as an assistant^surgeon in the army,
circulated a call for a meeting to organize an Oswego County
Eclectic medical society, and personally urged the members
of that school of practice to take such action. The eclectic
physicians generally entered into the movement, and on the
20th of September, 1865, an organization was effected at
the oflBce of Dr. C. D. Snell, in the village of Mexico.
The first oflBcers were as follows: President, Jesse Wat-
son, of Fulton ; Vice-President, C. D. Snell, of Mexico ;
Recording Secretary, J. N. Betts, of Pulaski ; Correspond-
ing Secretary, A. C. Taylor, of New Haven ; Treasurer, J.
Wiltse ; Censors, C. T. Greenleaf, of Brewerton, John
Wiltse, of Hannibal, and S. Douglas, of Sandy Creek.
The first delegates to the State society were H. L. Baker,
of West Amboy, C. D. Snell, of Mexico, and J. B. Chap-
man, of South Richmond.
The legislature having passed another act, in May, 1874,
designed to elevate the standard of practice in medicine and
surgery, this society effected a re-organization in the follow-
ing June for the purpose of more fully carrying out the
provisions of the new law. The society now numbers sev-
enteen members. Its annual meetings are held on the first
Tuesday in June, its semi-aunual on the first Tuesday in
December.
This society, like all other eclectic medical associations,
claims to be based on the American ideas of freedom, lib-
erty, and equality, rejecting the doctrine that there must be
what its members call an "established church in medicine."
All physicians are eligible to membership, if found qualified
to practice medicine or surgery by the board of censors.
Its members are at liberty to extend professional courtesies
to or meet in consultation with any reputable physician,
whatever his school of practice. They are bound to no
set rules, but are free to use any remedies which in their
judgment will benefit their patients, and to discard all drugs
which they may consider injurious.
The transactions of this society are published yearly, with
those of the Eclectic medical society of the State of New
York.
The following oflBcers were chosen at the election held
June 5, 1877, and are now in ofiice: President, A. C.
Taylor, of Scriba ; Vice-President, H. W. Leonard, of
Camden, Oneida county; Secretary, D. E. Lake, of Ful-
ton ; Treasurer, J. Watson, of Fulton ; Censors, E. J.
Marsh, of Southwest Oswego, S. W. Miller, of Fulton, J.
N. Manwarren, of Mexico.
CHAPTER XXXV IT.
AGKICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
Oswogo County Agricultural Society : Organization and First Fair;
I'eriiinuont Location; Grounds and Buildings; Cost of Iinprovu-
nients, etc.; List of Presidents; Present Officers; Regulations —
The Sandy Creek Society : Organization and Territory ; First
OfiBcers; Grounds, etc. ; Present OfiBcers; Its Success.
Oswego County Agricultur.\l Society. — This use-
ful association was organized on the first day of February,
1S40, with U. P. White, Esq., as president. The first fair
was held at Oswego, commencing on the 7th day of Octo-
ber of the same year. Its success was such as to induce its
repetition, and for fifteen years fairs were held at various
points in the county, changing the location each year.
The inconvenience of this migratory existence, however,
was more strongly felt every year, as the as.sociation became
more prosperous, and in 1855 a re-organization was effected
with a view to a permanent location, and the society was
duly incorporated under the laws of the State. Fourteen
acres of ground were purchased near the village of Mexico,
and fitted up for the desired purpose. It was determined
that the fair should occupy three days, beginning on the
17th day of September in each year, except when that day
should come on Sunday. At the time and place then
selected the fairs have ever since been held. Grounds
have been added and buildings have been erected, from
time to time, as increasing prosperity demanded.
The society now owns twenty-seven and one-fourth acres
of land, on which are the following buildings: Floral hall,
a frame structure in the form of a Greek cross, each section
being a hundred and five feet long by thirty-four feet wide;
Agricultural and Mechanical hall, eighty-four feet long by
thirty-four wide ; a commodious eating-saloon, besides oflBces
for the secretary and treasurer and for other business pur-
poses, stalls and pens for stock, and other fixtures. A fine
race-track serves to test the speed of Oswego County's fast
horses, and an excellent spring of water conduces to the
comfort of the visitors.
The total cost of the improvements has been between
seven and eight thousand dollars, besides which the society
has a handsome sum in its treasury. The total expendi-
ture — since the permanent re-organization of the society —
for premiums, expenses, improvements, etc., has been about
thirty thousand dollars.
The following is a list of the presidents, from 1840, in
the order of their service: U. P. White, Alvin Bronson,
Orville Robinson, William Ingalls, Seth Severcncc, K. E.
Sandford, Benjamin E. Bowen, Bradley Higgins, Andrew
Z. McCarty, Jervis W. Dewey, Hamilton Murray, John W.
Judson, Hamilton Murray (two years), John N. Holmes
(two years), Harvey Palmer, Leonard Ames, Avery W.
Severence, Oren R. Earl, Thomas H. Austin, Alvin Law-
rence, Hiram Walker (two years), Luther H. Conklin.
Hiram W. Loomis, Charles S. Cheever, Benjamin G. Rob-
bins, Morgan L. Marshall (1808 to 1872 inclusive), John
Davis (1873), Albert F. Smith (1874-75), Henry J.
Daggett (1876).
The following are the present officers of the society: A.
C. Mattoou, of Oswego, president ; L. M. Tyler, of Pulaski,
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
vice-president; L. H. Conklin, of Mexico, treasurer; H.
L. Barton, of Mexico, secretary; Romayne C. Robertson,
Washington T. Henderson, William H. Lansing, Seymour
C. Davis, Elihu Trowbridge, and R. E. Sill, directors.
Any resident of the county who pays one dollar to the
treasurer becomes a stockholder and member for the current
year, and a payment of ten dollars constitutes a person a
life-member and stockholder. A generous premium-list,
amounting to over two thousand dollars (of which near a
hundred dollars are set apart for exhibitors under fifteen
years of age), stimulates the zeal of exhibitors, and a large
attendance at each annual meeting rewards the liberality of
the managers.
Oswego Falls Agricultural Society. — The old
Oswego County agricultural society having been perma-
nently located in Mexico in 1855, a large number of citi-
zens in the western part of the county were very much
dissatisfied with the manner in which that proceeding was
accomplished. The next year they accordingly organized
an association of their own, to which they gave the old
name of the Oswego County Agricultural Society, claiming
that the prior organization of the Mexico society was fraud-
ulent and void. We have no list of the first officers, but
the first fair was held at New Haven in September, 1856.
In 1858, Hon. Joel Turrill was president, and John A.
Place was secretary, and the fair was held at Oswego Palls.
The first full list of ofiBcers we find on the society's books
is that of those elected in 1858 for the ensuing year, and
was as follows : President, Joel Turrill ; Vice-Presidents,
John W. Pratt and Orson Titus ; Treasurer, Samuel G.
Merriam ; Recording Secretary, J. U. Smith ; Correspond-
ing Secretary, R. K. Sanford ; Executive Committee,
Charles E. Case, M. S. Kimball, John Reeves ; Finance
Committee, John E. Button, A. G. Fish, E. Harrison.
Persons residing in the towns of Lysander, Onondaga
county, and Ira and Sterling, Cayuga county, were invited
to join the society. Thenceforth the fairs were held at
Oswego Falls. Legal steps were taken to assert the right
of this association to the name of Oswego County Agricul-
tural Society, and the consequent emoluments, but it hav-
ing been finally concluded that the association which met
at Mexico had the first claim to that name, the one now
under consideration took the name of Oswego County In-
dependent Agricultural Society.
It continued to prosper, and its fairs were attended by
large numbers of people from the towns of this and other
counties. In 1862 or 1863, finding its name inconve-
niently long, it adopted that of Oswego Falls Agricultural
Society, which it has ever since borne. On the 29th of
April, 1868, an act of incorporation was passed by the
legislature, of which the two first and most important sec-
tions were as follows :
"Section 1. The association heretofore known as the
Oswego Falls Agricultural Society is hereby incorporated
as an agricultural society, under the corporate name of
' The Oswego Falls Agricultural Society,' and shall consist
of such citizens of the towns of Constantia, West Monroe,
Hastings, Palermo, New Haven, Scriba, Oswego city;
towns of Oswego, Hannibal, Granby, Schroeppcl, and Vol-
ney, in the county of Oswego; the towns of Clay and Ly-
sander, in the county of Onondaga ; and the towns of Ira,
Sterling, Cato, Conquest, and Victory, in the county of
Cayuga, as have heretofore paid at one time, or shall here-
after pay to the said corporation, the sum of ten dollars.
The payment of said sum by said citizens shall constitute
them life-members and stockholders of said corporation,
and the owners of any and all property, whether real or
personal, of said society. The life-members or stockholders
aforesaid shall be the only persons qualified to vote at the
annual election of said society, or eligible to hold any office
in said corporation; and the object of said corporation shall
be to improve the condition of agriculture, horticulture, and
the mechanical and household arts.
" Section 2. The officers of the society shall consist of
a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer,
who shall be elected annually, and hold their offices for one
year, and until others shall be elected in their stead ; and
six trustees, who shall be elected for three years each, as
often as vacancies occur in said office of trustee, and shall
respectively hold their offices until others are appointed in
their stead."
The provisions restricting the voting to those who paid
ten dollars each was doubtless intended to prevent any
" snap judgments" being taken, by manufacturing voters
ofi'-hand, and has admirably succeeded. The fairs are
required by law to be held at or near Oswego Falls.
The corporation is capable of holding real estate, for the
purposes mentioned in the act, to the amount of fifteen
thousand dollars, and personal estate to the amount of five
thousand dollars.
Being permitted to recruit from eighteen prosperous
towns and the city of Oswego, the society in question has
attained great success, though receiving no aid from the
State. About twenty-five acres of land have been purchased
and fitted up as a fair-ground, on the pleasant shore of
Lake Neahtawanta, near the Oswego Falls depot of the
Syracuse and Oswego railroad. The main building, a very
commodious and elegant structure, was erected in 1873, at
a cost of about seven thousand dollars. It is two stories
high, and in the form of a cross ; the length of the sections
being respectively one hundred and one hundred and
twenty feet. A broad gallery runs entirely around the in-
side of the second story, approached by three ample stair-
ways ; the whole being lighted by a large cupola and nu-
merous windows.
The receipts from fairs are from four thousand to six
thousand dollars annually, about half of which is distributed
in premiums, and the rest used for necessary expenditures.
The following is a list of the presidents, except in the two
first years, as to which the records are defective : Joel
Turrill, 1858-60 ; Messrs. Orson Titus, C. G. Ca.se, and
F. D. Wagenen served for brief periods in 1860, after the
death of Mr. Turrill; A. G. Fish, 1861-62; Gardner
Wood, 1863-64 ; Robert Oliver, 1865 ; John H. Mann,
1866; Robert Oliver, 1867-68; John H. Mann, 1869-71 ;
0. Henderson, 1871-76 ; H. H. Merriam, 1877.
The following are the present officers: President, H H.
Meri'iam, Oswego Falls ; Vice-Presidents, B. Doolittle,
Oswego ; W. Johnson, Fulton ; Secretary, Amos Youmans,
Fulton ; Treasurer, Charles R. Nichols, Fulton ; Trustees
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YOUK.
131
and Executive Committee, T. K. Wri-iht, Granby ; A.
Grejrg, Peiinelville ; R. Walpole, Jr., Oswego; T. G.
Somcrs, Oswego Falls ; Isaac R. Osboni, Ira ; J. P.
Streeter, Fulton; Marshal, Ambrose Gregg; Chief of
Police, John W. Pratt.
The Sandy Creek, Richland, Oravell, and Boyls-
TON Agricultural Society. — Notwithstanding its top-
heavy name, this is a very energbtic institution. It was
organized in the year 1858, its constitution admitting to
its privileges the inhabitants of the four towns named in its
title, and also of that part of Ellisburgh, Jefferson county,
lying south of the road which runs from the line of Lor-
raine to the town-bridge at Ellis village, and thence down
the creek to the lake. The payment of one dollar by resi-
dents within these limits constitutes a person a member for
the current year.
The following were the first ofiiccrs of the society : Presi-
dent, Oren R. Earl; Vice-President, Horace Scripture;
Secretary, E. H. Sargent ; Assistant Secretary, W. W.
Alton ; Treasurer, Pitt M. Newton ; General Superintend-
ent, Minot A. Pruyn.
])uving its twenty years of existence the society has met
with continued and most gratifying success. The grounds
on which fairs are held in September of each year are situ-
ated at the village of Sandy Creek, and after successive
additions now comprise twenty-five acres, with the neces-
sary buildings for the purposes of the society. The follow-
ing is a list of the officers for the present year, 1877:
President, Elhanan C. Seeley; Vice-President, Newton B.
Mann; Secretary, Gilbert N. Harding; Treasurer, Albert
E. Sherman ; General Superintendent, Edmund H. Sar-
gent ; Directors, Simon Pruyn, Alexander Potter, Thomas
Lamb, O.S. Potter, George S. Buell, William G. Hitchcock.
As an evidence of the success mentioned, it need only be
said that notwithstanding the " hard times," the receipts of
the fair last year, 1876, were larger than on any previous
occasion. The managers have disbursed the amounts thus
received with liberality and discretion, and a large pre-
mium-list is yearly offered, covering all the products of the
farm, from matched horses to matchless babies.
CHAPTER XXXVIIL
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
The Twenty-fourth Brigade— Brigade Staff Officers of the Forty-
eighth Regiment— Company Olficers— Cavalry Troop- The Ar-
senal—Location and Dimensions— The Arms— Trophies of Sliill.
The following organizations constitute the Twenty-
fourth brigade, National Guard, State of New York, with
headquartei-s at Oswego : Forty-eighth Regiment, Oswego ;
Fifty-first Regiment, Syracuse ; Separate Troop cavalry. Os-
wego ; battery of artillery, Syracuse.
Number of officers and men in the Twenty-fourth bri-
gade, one thousand and seventy. Brigadier-General, Tim-
othy Sullivan ; Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. Cooke, Assistant
Adjutant-General ; Major E. A. Van Home, Inspector ;
Major Carrington Macfiulane, Surgeon ; Major G. N. Burt,
Judge Advocate; Major H. N. White, Engineer; Captain
J. T. Mott, Quartermaster ; Captain G. T. Lyon, (!ommis-
sary ; Captain G. W. (ioble. Ordnance Officer; Captain E.
G. Baxter, A. D. C. ; Lieutenant James D. Macfarlane,
A. T). C.
Forty-eighth Regiment, field and staff: Colonel, George
Hugunin ; Lieutenant-Colonel, C. V. Houghton; Major, J.
E. Fisher ; Adjutant, H. C. Thompson ; Quartermaster,
Chester Penfield ; Commissary, D. H. Judson ; Surgeon, S.
F. V. Whited ; Assistant Surgeon, D. F. Acker ; luspectur
of Rifle Practice, Alverson Curtiss.
Company officers : A, Captain, H. H. Horron ; First
Lieutenant, J. S. Barton ; Second Lieutenant, T. W. Qoodsell.
B (Hannibal), Captain L. P. Storms ; First Lieutenant,
G. V. Emeus; Second Lieutenant, Joseph Albring.
C, First Lieutenant, John Miller; Second Lieutenant,
Jacob Snyder.
D, Captiiin, Laurence Johnson ; First Lieutenant, John
Shepard ; Second Lieutenant, John J. White.
E, Captain, Prank D. Waugh; First Lieutenant, Charles
R. Parkinson.
F, Second Lieutenant, Frank J. Baltes.
G, Captain, John Ratigan.
H, Lieutenant, Walter Stebbins.
I (Mexico), Captain, E. L. Huntington ; First Lieuten-
ant, H. M. Ames ; Second Lieutenant, F. B. Gregory.
K, Captain, Thomas Quirk ; Second Lieutenant, Charles
S. Peckham. Number of officers and men, five hundred
and thirteen.
Separate Troop cavalry, Twenty-fourth brigade: Captain,
William S. Turner ; First Lieutenant, Charles S. Newell ;
Second Lieutenant, Henry Sivers ; Second Lieutenant, A.
A. Wellington. Number of officers and men, sixty-two.
The Arsenal. — This home of the Forty-eighth Regi-
ment, which is also the present headquarters of the Twenty-
fourth brigade, is a very fine, substantial brick building,
with a Mansard roof and tower, situated on East First
street, between Oneida and Mohawk, in the city of Oswego,
and facing the Oswego river, a few rods away. It is a
hundred and seventy feet long by a hundred feet deep.
The greater part of the building is occupied by a drill-room,
seventy feet-by a hundred and seventy, and extending to the
roof In front of this the lower story is occupied by separate
rooms for each of several companies ; the second story by
other company rooms, and by regimental and brigade head-
quarters ; the third story by the separate troop of cavalry.
The arms and uniforms of the men are kept in their re-
spective company rooms. Remington breech -loading rifles
with bayonets are the weapons of the infantry ; sabres and
Remington carbines those of the cavalry. Numerous prizes
are displayed in various rooms, attesting the prowess of
Oswego County men in rifle^hooting within the piust few
years. Two of these were first prizes presented by the
State for victories won by the Forty-eighth Regiment over
all the other regiments of the Sixth division in 1875 and
1876. Two others were the third prize, won at Creedmoor
in a State contest in 1875, and the second prize similariy
obtained in 1876. There are also trophies snatched from
Canadian rivals, and one obtained by the cavalrymen in a
contest at Syracuse.
HISTOEY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
OS-WEGO COXJlfTY CIVIL LIST.
State Officers from Oswego County — Court of Appeals and Supreme
Court — Members of Congress — Presidential Electors — First Judges
of the Common Pleas — County Judges — Special County Judges —
Associate Judges of the Common Picas — Justices of Sessions —
Surrogates — Special Surrogates — District Attorneys— SherifTs —
County Clerks— County Treasurers— State Senators— Members of
Assembly — Superintendents and Commissioners of Schools.
State officers from Oswego County are as follows : Henry
Fitzhugli, of Oswego city, was elected canal commissioner
in November, 1851, for three years, and re-elected in 1854,
serving until December 31, 1S57.
Andrew H. Calhoun, of Oswego city, was appointed
canal appraiser by the governor and senate, July 1, 1850,
and served until April 5, 1855.
William F. Allen, then of New York, but previously and
subsequently of Oswego, was elected State comptroller in
November, 1867, and held office from January 1, 1868, till
June, 1870, when he was elected judge of the court of
appeals.
John Cochrane, formerly a resident of Oswego, served as
attorney-general in 1864: and 1865.
Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. — Previous to the
constitution of 1847, there had been no supreme court or
circuit judges from Oswego County. Under that constitu-
tion Oswego County was united with Jeiferson, Lewis, Her-
kimer, Oneida, and Onondaga, to form the fifth judicial
district, and elected four justices of the supreme court, — one
to be chosen every two years, and those first elected to draw
for terms.
In June, 1847, William F. Allen, of Oswego city, was
elected, and drew an eight-years' term. In 1855 he was
re-elected, and served till December 31, 1863.
Henry A. Foster, of Oneida county (ex-congressman and
ex-United States senatorj, was elected in his place, and soon
afterwards removed to Oswego, where he lived throughout
his term of office, which expired December 31, 1871, and
whore he still resides.
By the judiciary amendment to the constitution, adopted
in 1869, a new court of appeals of seven members was pro-
vided for, the judges to hold fourteen years.
William F. Allen, of Oswego, was elected one of the first
judges of the new court in May, 1870, and still holds that
office.
Members of Congress. — By an act of the legislature passed
in April, 1822, Oswego County was made a part of the
twentieth congressional district, which also embraced Jef-
ferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties, and elected two
members of Congress. Previous to this the sections east
and west of the Oswego river liad been joined in represen-
tation respectively with Oneida and Onondaga counties, and
no member had been a resident of the present territory of
Oswego County. At the election in 1824, Egbert Ten
Eyck, of Jefferson county, received one of the certificates,
but on contest his seat was awarded, in December, 1825, to
General Daniel Hugunin, of Oswego, who held till March,
1827. He was succeeded by Rudolph Bunner, of Oswego,
in the Congress of 1827-2!i.
George Fisher, of Oswego, received a certificate for next
term (1829-31), but his seat, on contest, was awarded in
December, 1829, to Silas Wright, Jr., of St. Lawrence, who,
however, declined to accept it. and another St. Lawrence
county man was elected the next spring. There was no
one from Oswego County in the Congrats of 1831-33.
By law of June 29, 1832, Oneida and Oswego counties
formed the seventeenth congressional district, with two mem-
bers. Those from Oswego County were as follows :
Joel Turrill, of Oswego, 1833-35. Re-elected for 1835-
37.
Abraham P. Grant, of Oswego, 1837-39.
David P. Brewster, of Oswego, 1839-41. Re-elected for
1841-43.
By a law passed in September, 1842, Madison and Os-
wego counties formed the twenty-third congressional district,
with one member. Those counties have composed one dis-
trict ever since ; but in 1851 its number was changed to the
twenty-second, and in 1871 it was changed back to the
twenty-third. The representatives have been as follows :
Orville Robinson, of Mexico, 1843-45 ; William J.
Hough, of Madison county, 1845-47 ; William Duer, of Os-
wego, 1847-49 ; re-elected for 1849-51 ; Leander Babcock,
of Oswego, 1851-53; Gerrit Smith, of Madison county,
1853-54; resigned November, 1854; Henry C. Goodwin,
of Oswego, elected in place of Smith, 1854-55 ; Andrew Z.
McCarty, of Pulaski, 1855-57; Henry C. Goodwin, of
Oswego, 1857-59 ; M. Lindley Lee, of Fulton, 1859-61 ;
William E. Lan.sing, of Madison county, 1861-63 ; De Witt
C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, 1863-65 ; Sidney T. Holmes, of
Madison county, 1865-67 ; John C. Churchill, of 0.swego,
1867-69 ; re-elected for 1869-71 ; William E. Lansing, of
Madison county, 1871-73; re-elected for 1873-75; Wil-
liam H. Baker, of Constantia, 1875-77 ; re-elected for
1877-79.
Fresidential Electors from Oswego County, with date
of elections. — Theophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego, 18.32 ;
Peter Pratt, of Mexico, 1840 ; Henry Potts, of Williams-
town, 1844 ; Delos De Wolf, of Oswego, 1852 ; Daniel H.
Marsh, of Oswego, 1856 ; Thomas Kingsford, of Oswego,
1864 ; Delos De Wolf, of Oswego (elector at large), 1868 ;
John E. Lyon, of Oswego, 1872; Bartholomew Lynch, of
Oswego, 1876.
First Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas, loith date
of appointment. — Baruet Jlooney, of Granby, March 21 ,
1816; John Grant, Jr., of Oswego, June 1, 1820; Joel
Turrill, of Oswego, April 2, 1828 ; David P. Brewster, of
Oswego, April 15, 1833 ; Samuel B. Ludlow, of Oswego,
May 11, 1841.
CounfT/ Judges elected for four years, with time of enter-
ing on office. — Orla H. Whitney, Mexico, June, 1847 ;
Ransom H. Tyler, Fulton, January 1, 1852; Sylvester C.
Huntington, Pulaski, January 1, 1856 ; John C. Churchill,
Oswego, January 1, 1860 ; Ransom H. Tyler, Fulton, Jan-
uary 1, 1864; Cyrus Whitney, Mexico, January 1, 1868;
elected for six years; Cyrus Whitney, Oswego, January,
1872.
Special County Judges, elected for three years, with time
of entering on office. — Benjamin F. Rhodes, Pulaski, Jan-
uary 1, 1855 ; Dennis D. McCoon, Schroeppel, January 1,
1858 ; De Witt C. Peck, Mexico, January 1, 1861 ; James
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOIIK.
W. Fenton, Pulaski, January 1, 18G4 ; re-elected 18G7 ;
Andrew Z. McCarty, Pulaski, January 1, 1870; John
Preston, Pulaski, January 1, 1873; Henry A. Brainard,
Sehroeppel, January 1, 1876.
Axsociale Judges of the Common J'ltas, icilh years of
service. — Peter D. Hugunin, Oswego, 181G-26, inclusive;
Edmund Hawks, Oswego town, 1816-18; Daniel Hawks,
Jr., Hannibal, 1816-17; Smith Dunlap, Sandy Creek,
181G-1<» ; Henry Williams, Williamstown, 1816-17, 1821-
22, 1824-26 ; D.ivid Easton, New Haven, 1816-17 ; Orris
Hart, New Haven, 1817-20; William Hale, Richland,
1817-19; David S. Bates, Constantia, 1820-21; James
Bill, Oswego, 1820-21 ; John Seeber, Richland, 1820-21 ;
Samuel Farnham, Hannibal, 1820-21 ; John S. Davis,
Richland, 1821-22; Oliver Burdick, Volney, 1821-22;
Chester Hayden, Richland, 1822-23; Joseph Easton, Vol-
ney, 1822-30, inclusive ; Hastings Curtiss, Hastings, 1823-
25, 1828-29 ; Simeon Meacham, Richland, 1828-31 ;
Avery Skinner, Mexico, 1828-31, 1835-38 ; John Rey-
nolds, Orwell, 1829-34, inclusive; Lovewell Johnson, Pa-
lermo, 1832-36 ; Samuel Freeman, Williamstown, 1832-
42, inclusive ; Hiram Hubbell, Pulaski, 1835-39; Enoch
Hibbai-d, Volney, 1837—16, inclusive; Elias Brewster,
Mexico, 1839^3 ; Samuel B. Ludlow, Oswego, 1840-45,
inclusive; Thomas S. Meacham, Sandy Creek, 1841-45,
inclusive; Huntington Fitch, Hastings, 1843^7; Julian
Carter, Constantia, 1844-47 ; Orla H. Whitney, Mexico,
1846-47; John M. Watson, Pulaski, 1846-47.
Justices of Sessions, ivilh the years of service of each
justice. — John M. Casey, Oswego, 1 848 ; L. Thayer,
Parish, 1848-50, 1861-63; Norman Rowe, New Haven,
1849, 1856; Robert Simpson, Scriba, 1850, 1863; John
Wart, Boy Iston, 1851, 1852; John B. Higgins, Mexico,
1851; Mason Salisbury, Sandy Creek, 1852, 1855; Ed-
ward S. Reed, Albion, 1853 ; Samuel A. Comstock,
Albion, 1853; Ezra Green, Palermo, 1854, 1856; John
Vandenburgh, Constantia, 1854 ; Edison Wilder, Sandy
Creek, 1855; Lewis F. Devendorf, Hastings, 1857;
Marcus Patterson, West Monroe, 1857 ; Benjamin N. Hin-
man, Hannibal, 1858, 18G0-62 ; Nelson J. Williams,
Boylston, 1858; Caleb L. Carr, Williamstown, 1859-60;
Hiram M. Stevens, Sandy Creek, 1859 ; Alvin Richardson,
Mexico, 1864; Fowler H. BeiTy, Amboy, 1864; Alvin
Osborn, Oswego, 1865 ; Mars Nearing, Hastings, 1865 ;
Henry M. Barrett, Hannibal, 18G6 ; John Shepard, Albion,
1866; William Congdon, Scriba, 1867, 1873; Marcus
Patterson, West Monroe, 1867 ; Levi Brackett, Hannibal,
1868 ; Jesse W. Cross, Orwell, 1868 ; R. George Bassett,
Volney, 1869-70; Andrew S. Coey, Redfield, 1869-70,
1875 ; James G. Caldwell, West Monroe, 1871 ; Joseph
W. Phillips, West Monroe, 1871 ; Abraham David, Parish,
1872; Edmund Potter, Parish, 1872,1874, 1877; Noel
A. Gardner, Amboy. 1873 ; William R. Potts, Williams-
town, 1874; F. W. Squires, North Volney, 1875; Henry
L. Cole, Mexico, 1876; Cornelius Edick, Parish, 1876:
Isaac R. Parkhurst, Scriba, 1877.
Surrogates appointed, icith date of appointment. — Elias
Brewster, of Mexico, March 21, 1816 ; Abraham P. Vos-
burgh, of Fulton, February 17, 1817 ; Orris Hart, of New
Haven, April 8, 1819 ; Chester Hayden, of Oswego, 1820;
James A. Davis, of Pulaski, March 28, 1S23; Joseph
Helme, of Pulaski, March 27, 1826 ; Orville Robinson, of
Mexico, March 5, 1830; Joseph Torrcy, of Mexico, Feb-
ruary 9, 1834 ; Joel Turrill, of Oswego, February 8, 1843 ;
Orris Hart, of Oswego, November 3, 1845; William P.
Curtis, of Fulton, October 1, 1846; county judge per-
formed duties of surrogate from 1847 to 1852.
Surrogates, elected for four years, with dale of entering
on office. — James Brown, of Oswego, January 1, 1852;
Amos G. Hull, of Fulton, January 1, 1856, re-elected ;
Timothy W. Skinner, of Mexico, January 1, 1864 ; Henry
L. Howe, of Sandy Creek, January 1, 1868; Timothy W.
Skinner, of Mexico, January 1, 1872, elected for six years.
Special Surrogates, elected for three years, toith date of
entry on office. — William Sanders, of Cleveland, January 1,
1855 ; Joshua B. Randall, of Hastings, January 1, 1858,
re-elected; William W. Scribner, of Oswego, January 1,
1864; Francis David, of Sehroeppel, January 1, 18G7, re-
elected ; William H. Kenyon, of Sehroeppel, January 1,
1873 ; W. B. Smith, of Pulaski, January 1, 1876.
District Attorneys appointed, with date of appointment.
—James F. Wright, Oswego, April 17, 1820 ; Samuel B.
Beach, Oswego, February 19, 1821 ; David P. Brewster,
Oswego, 1829 ; Abraham P. Grant, Oswego, 1836 ; Orville
Robinson, Mexico, 1841 ; Leander Babcock, Oswego, 1843 ;
William Duer, Oswego, 1845.
Elected for terms of three years, with date of entrance
on office. — Ransom H. Tyler, Fulton, June, 1847 ; John
B. Higgins, Oswego, January 1, 1851 ; Archibald N. Lud-
dington, Fulton, January 1, 1854 ; John C. Churchill, Os-
wego, January 1, 1857; George G. French, Mexico, Jan-
uary I, 1860; William H. Baker, Constantia, January 1,
1863 , Sylvanus C. Huntington, Pulaski, January 1, 1866;
William H. Baker, Constantia, appointed (in place of Hun-
tington, resigned) in the spring of 1866, elected for full
term in the fall of 1866; Newton W. Nutting, Oswego,
January 1, 1870; John J. Lamorce, Oswego, January 1,
1873, releeted.
Sheriffs appointed, with date of appointment. — John S.
Davis, Pulaski, March 21, 1816; Peter Pratt, Mexico,
February 4, 1820 ; Orris Hart, New Haven, February 13,
1821.
Elected by the people for three years, icilh date of enter-
ing on the office. — Orris Hart, Oswego, January 1, 1823;
Asa Dudley, Oswego town, January 1,1826; Hastings
Curtiss, Hastings, January 1, 1829; William Hale, Pu-
laski, January 1, 1832; Jonathan Case, Fulton, January
1, 1835 ; Jabcz H. Gilbert, Orwell, January 1, 1838 ; Nor-
man Rowe, New Haven, January 1, 1841 ; Marinus W.
Matthews, Pulaski, January 1, 1844; Horatio J.Carey,
Oswego (appointed in place of Matthews, deceased ), Decem-
ber 5, 1844; Alvin Lawrence, Mexico, January 1, 1846;
Norman Rowe, New Haven, January 1, 1849; George W.
Stillwell, Orwell, January 1 , 1852 ; Rufus Hawkins, Oswego,
January 1, 1855; Charles A. Perkins, Constantia, Jan-
ary 1, 1858; Sidney M. Tucker, Pulaski, January 1, 1861 ;
Robert D. Gillespie, Ricldand, January 1, 1864; Sidney
M. Tucker, Oswego, January 1, 1867; James Doyle, Os-
wego, January 1, 1870; Henry II. Lyman, Pulaski, Jan-
uary 1, 1873; Frank S. Low, Pulaski. January 1, 1876.
134
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
County Clerks appointed, with date of appointment. —
James Adams, Oswego town, March 1, 1816 ; Joseph Davis,
Oswego, March 19, 1818; Smith Dunlap, Sandy Creek,
February 19, 1821.
Elected hy the people for terms of three years, with date
of entering on the office. — Hiram Hubbell, Pulaski, Janu-
ary 1, 1823; T. S. Morgan, Oswego, January 1, 1826;
Thomas C. Baker, Pulaski, January 1, 1829 ; Erie Poor,
Oswego, January 1, 1852 ; Marinus W. Matthews, Pulaski,
January 1, 1835; Daniel H. Marsh, Oswego, January 1,
1838 ; Andrew Z. McCarty, Pulaski, January 1, 1841 ;
John Carpenter, Oswego, January 1, 1844; Jabez H. Gil-
bert, Pulaski, January 1, 1847 ; Philander Kathbun, Oswego,
January 1, 1850; Edwin M. Hill, Pulaski, January 1,
1853 ; Henry S. Conde, Hastings, January 1, 1856 ; Samuel
R. Taylor, Oswego, January 1, 1859 ; Edward N. Rath-
bun, Oswego, January 1, 1862 ; Bernice L. Doane, Pulaski,
January 1, 1805; Manister Worts, Oswego, January 1,
1868 ; John J. Stephens, Oswego town, January 1, 1871 ;
Brainard Nelson, Oswego, January 1, 1874 ; Daniel E.
Taylor, Granby, January 1, 1877.
County Treasurers, appointed hy the Council of Ap-
pointment. — Peter Pratt, of Mexico, 1816 ; Elias Brewster,
of Mexico, 1820.
Appointed hy the Board of Supervisors under the Consti-
tution o/1821. — Avery Skinner, of Mexico, 1827; Robert
A. Stitt, 1839 ; Starr Clark, 1840 ; Robert A. Stitt, 1841 ;
Hiram Walker, 1846.
By the constitution of 1846, county treasurers were
to be elected by the people for terms of three years. Those
of Oswego County, with the respective dates of their enter-
ing on the office, have been Samuel H. Stone, of Mexico,
January 1, 1849, re-elected; Henry C. Peck, of Mexico,
January 1, 1855 ; Luther H. Conklin, of Mexico, January
1, 1858, re-elected each succeeding term ; is now serving
his seventh term.
State Senators. — There were no senators from Oswego
until after the constitution of 1821. By that instrument
the State was divided into eight senatorial districts. The
fifth district included Oswego, with which were joined Jef-
ferson, Lewis, Oneida, and Madison, also Herkimer until
1836, when it was transferred to the fourth district, and
Otsego annexed to the fifth. Each district elected four
senators for four years, one each year ; but on the first elec-
tion they necessarily drew for terms.
In 1822, Alvin Bronson, of Oswego, was elected, and
drew a two-years' term, serving in 1823-24. No senator
from Oswego County thereafter until 1830. Alvin Bron-
son, of Oswego, 1830-33. No senator thereafter till 1838.
Avery Skinner, of Mexico, 1838-41. No senator till 1845.
Enoch B. Talcott, of Oswego, 1845-47, when his term was
cut short by the new constitution.
By the constitution of 1846 the State is divided into
thirty-two districts, from each of which a senator is elected.
Under its provisions Madison and Oswego counties formed
the twentieth senatorial district, which was represented as
follows : Thomas H. Bond, of Oswego city, 1848-49 ; Asa-
hel Stone, of Madison county, 1850; resigned, and Moses
P. Hatch, of Oswego city, elected in his place, serving in
1851 ; James Piatt, of Oswego city, 1852-53 ; Simon C.
Hitchcock, of Madison county, 1854-55 ; M. Liudley Lee,
of Fulton, 1856-57.
By the apportionment act of 1857 Oswego County alone
became the twentieth senatorial district. The following
were the senators therefrom : Cheney Ames, of Oswego,
1858-59; Andrew S. Warner, of Pulaski, 1860-61;
Richard K. Sanford, of Fulton, 1862-63 ; Cheney Ames,
of Oswego, 1864-65 ; John J. Wolcott, of Volney, 1866-
67.
By the act of 1866 Oswego and Madison counties were
again united as the twenty-first senatorial district, and so
remain. The following gentlemen have represented that
district in the senate : Abner C. Mattoon, of Oswego, 1868-
69; William H. Brand, of Madison county, 1870-71;
William Poster, of Constantia, 1872-73 ; Charles Kellogg,
of Madison county, 1874-75; Benjamin Doolittle, of Os-
wego, 1876-77.
Memhers of Assemhly elected for one year, with years of
service. — Barnet Blooney, of Granby (then Hannibal),
1810 (elected from Onondaga county), 1812, 1814; The-
ophiius S. Morgan, of Oswego, 1820 (district of Oneida
and Oswego) ; William Root (?), 1821 (district of Oneida
and Oswego) ; Peter Pratt, of Mexico, 1822 (district of
Oneida and Oswego) ; Theophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego,
1823 (Oswego county alone) ; Hastings Curtis, of Has-
tings, 1824; Chester Hayden, of Oswego, 1825 ; Henry
Williams, of Williamstown, 1826; Orris Hart, of New
Haven, 1827-28 ; George F. Falley, of Fulton, 1829 ; Hi-
ram Hubbell, of Richland, 1830 ; Joel Turrill, of Oswego,
1831 ; Avery Skinner, of Mexico, 1832-33 ; Orville Robin-
son, of Mexico, 1834 ; Jesse Crowell, of Albion, 1835-36.
By act passed in 1836, Oswego County was allowed two
members of assembly, both elected for whole county. Or-
ville Robinson, of Mexico, and Caleb Carr, of Williamstown,
represented the county in 1837 ; Arvin Rice, of Hannibal,
and John M. Richardson, of Mexico, 1838 ; Samuel Haw-
ley, of Oswego, and Edward B. Judson, of Constantia,
1839 ; William Duer, of Oswego, and Peter Devendorf, of
Hastings, 1840-41 ; Peter Devendorf, of Hastings, and
Robert C. Kenyon, of Fulton, 1842; William F. Allen, of
Oswego, and Alban Strong, of Orwell, 1843-44; Thomas
Skelton, of Hannibal, and L. Thayer, of Parish, 1845 ;
Thomas Skelton, of Hannibal, and Reuben Drake, of Red-
field, 1846 ; Orrin R. Earl, of Sandy Creek, and M. Lind-
ley Lee, of Fulton, 1847.
Henceforth the county was divided into two assembly
districts. The first comprised Granby, Hannibal, Oswego
city and town, New Haven, Schroeppel, Scriba, and Volney.
The second embraced Albion, Amboy, Boylston, Mexico,
New Haven, Orwell, Palermo, Parish, Redfield, Richland,
Sandy Creek, West Monroe, and Williamstown. The
names of members will be given in the order of their dis-
tricts : M. Lindley Lee, of Fulton, and Andrew Z. McCarty,
of Pulaski, 1848 ; Henry Fitzhugh, of Oswego, and Ed-
ward W. Fox, of Richland, 1849 ; William Lewis, Jr., of
Oswego, and Luke D. Smith, of Mexico, 1850 ; Moses P.
Hatch, of Oswego (resigned, and Wm. P. Curtis took his
place), and BeTijamin F. Lewis, of Redfield, 1851 ; Edwin
C. Hart, of Oswego, and James T. Gibson, of Albion,
1852 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, and Charles A.
HISTORY OF OSWKGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Porkins, of Constantia, 1853 ; De Witt C. Littlojohn, of
Oswego, and Azariah Wart, of Boylston, 1854 ; Do Witt C.
Littlojohn, of Oswego, and Jacob M. Solden, of Williams-
town (contosted by Andrew S. Warner, of Pulaski, to whom
seiit was awarded), 1855; Orville Robinson, of Oswego
(chosen speaker on the forty-seventh ballot), and Andrew
S. Warner, of Pulaski, 1856; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of
Oswego, and Leonard Ames, of Mexico, 1857.
By an act passed in 1857, Oswego County was allotted
three members of assembly, and the supervisors appor-
tioned the districts as follows : First, Oswego city and
town, Hannibal and Scriba ; second, Constantia, Granby,
Hastings, Palermo, Schroeppel, Volney, West Monroe ;
third, Albion, Amboy, Boylston, Mexico, New Haven,
Orwell, Parish, RedfielU, Richland, Sandy Creek.
William Baldwin, of Oswego, John J. Wolcott, of Ful-
ton, and Chauncey S. Sage, of Willianistown, represented
the three districts, respectively, in 1858.
De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (elected speaker),
James J. Coit, of Hastings, and Beman Brockway, of Pu-
laski, 1859 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego (re-elected
speaker), William H. Carter, of Hastings, and Robert S.
Kelsey, of Now Haven, 18G0 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of
Oswego (re-elected speaker), Richard K. Sanford, of Ful-
ton, and Mason Salisbury, of Sandy Creek, 1861 ; Elias
Root, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of Fulton, and Benja-
min E. Bowen, of Mexico, 1862 ; Abner C. Mattoon, of
Oswego, Hiram W. Loomis, of Palermo, and Harvey
Palmer, of Parish, 1SG3 and 1864 ; Elias Root, of Oswego,
Richard K. Sanford, of Fulton, and Avery W. Severance,
of New Haven, 1865 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego,
AVilliam H. Rice, of Hastings, and John Parker, of Orwell,
1866 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, William H. Rice,
of Hastings, and Charles McKinney, of Redfield, 1867 ;
John A. Place, of Oswego, James D. Lasher, of Fulton,
and Alvin R. Richardson, of Mexico, 1868; Benjamin
Doolittle, of Oswego, James D. Lasher, of Fulton, and
Nathan B. Smith, of Pulaski, 1869 ; De Witt C. Little-
john, of Oswego, Abraham Howe, of Fulton, and John
Parker, of Orwell, 1870 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Os-
wego, Abraham Howe, of Fulton, and Chauncey S. Sage,
of Williamstown, 1871; Daniel G. Fort, of Oswego, Thos.
W. Green, of Coughdenoy, and Chauncey S. Sage, of Wil-
liamstown, 1872; Daniel G. Fort, of Oswego, Willard
Johnson, of Fulton, and Justin L. Bulkley, of Sandy
Creek, 1873 ; George B. Sloan, of Oswego, Willard John-
son, of Fulton, and Justin L. Bulkley, of Sandy Creek,
1874 ; Alanson S. Page, of Oswego, Willard Johnson, of
Fulton, and Henry J. Daggett, of New Haven, 1875 ;
George B. Sloan, of Oswego, Thos. W. Green, of Hastings,
and John Preston, of Pulaski, 1876 ; George B. Sloan, of
Oswego (elected speaker), George M. Case, of Fulton, and
De Witt C. Peck, of Mexico, 1877.
Siq^erinteiidents and Commissiuners of Schools. — By a
law passed in the spring of 1843, each board of supervisors
was authorized to appoint one or two county superintend-
ents of schools. Dr. Otis W. Randall, of Granby, was
appointed fur the western district of Oswego, and D. P.
Tallmage, of Pulaski, fur the eastern. In 1845 the districts
were consolidated, and Randall was re-appointed. Resigned,
and Baker, of Orwoll, appointed. Law repealed in
1847.
By a law passed in the spring of 1856 the office of com-
missioner of common schools was created. The first incum-
bents were to be appointed by the supervisors, and to hold
till December 31, 1857, when commissioners were to be
elected by the people for terms of three years. That part
of Oswego County outside the city was divided into two
districts, the first comprising Oswego town, Hannibal,
Granby, Scriba, Volney, Schroeppel, Palermo, New Haven,
and Hastings ; the second comprising the rest of the
county.
Rev. Theodore M. Bishop, of Fulton, was appointed the
first commissioner of the first district. He resigned the
last of 1856, and John A. Place, of Fulton, was appointed,
holding during 1857. Hiram W. Loomis, of Palermo, was
elected in the fall of 1857, entering on the office January
1, 1858.
James W. Fenton, of Pulaski, was appointed the first
commissioner of the second district. George F. Woodbury,
of Orwell, was elected in the autumn of 1857, entering on
the office January 1, 1858.
In the autumn of 1858 the supervisors re-organized the
county into three districts: Oswego town, Hannibal, Gran-
by, Scriba, Volney, and New Haven, comprising the first
district ; Schroeppel, Palermo. Hastings, West Monroe,
Constantia, Amboy, and Parish, the second ; and tlie rest
of the county the third. This threw Mr. Loomis into the
second district, of which he continued to act as commis-
sioner, Mr. Woodbury remaining in charge of the third.
John A. Place was appointed commissioner of the first dis-
trict, holding under the appointment till January 1, 1860.
In the fall of 1859 he was elected to serve out the remain-
der of the term, which was held to expire with the others,
Decembers], 1860, and was then re-elected. Since then
the districts have remained the same, and the commissioners
have succeeded each other with more regularity than before.
They have been as follows, with times of entering on office :
First District. — John A. Place, of Fulton, January 1,
1861. James W. Parkhurst, of Scriba, January 1, 1864.
After serving a short time, Mr. Parkhurst resigned, and
went into the army. Lemuel P. Storms, of Fulton, elected,
and served remainder of term. David D. Metcalf, of Han-
nibal, January 1, 1867 ; re-elected. Isaac W. Marsh, of
Granby, January 1, 1873. Robert Simpson, Jr., of Han-
nibal, January 1, 1876.
Second District. — Elias A. Fish, of Schroeppel, January
1, 1861. Resigned, after serving about a year, and went
into the army. Willis G. Chaffee, of Palermo, served re-
mainder of term. Newton W. Nutting, of Parish, Janu-
ary 1, 1864. Amos J. Richardson, of Palermo, January
1 , 1867. Byron G. Clapp, of Schroeppel, January 1, 1870.
William B. Howard, of Schroeppel, January 1, 1873.
Fowler H. Bony, of Amboy, January 1, 1876.
Third District. — George F. Woodbury, re-elected, enter-
ing on second term, January 1, 1861. William S. Goodell,
of Mexico, January 1, 1864. Orville A. Fobes, of Pulaski,
January 1, 1867. George F. Woodbury, of Orwell, Janu-
ary 1, 1870. John W. Ladd, of Mexico, January 1, 1873.
Ro-elocted.
OSWEGO CITY.
The early history of the military post at Oswego was so
closely interwoven with that of the northern frontier that
it has been given at full length in the general history of the
county. The history of modern Oswego begins with the
surrender of Fort Ontario by the British, which occurred
on the 14th day of July, 1796. John Love and Ziba
Phillips were either here when the British left or came im-
mediately afterwards. Little is known of them, except that
they were engaged in the Indian trade. Phillips left in a
short time, but an individual named John Love was here
six years later. He was evidently an obscure person, how-
ever, as no mention is made of him by the early settlers,
except in a single instance.
"~In this year (1796) that part of the present city east of
Oswego river was in the town of Mexico, Herkimer county,
while the portion west of the river was in the town of Lysan-
der, Onondaga county. The main parts of the city on both
sides of the river were in the State reservation, intended to
be a mile square, which had been provided for by law while
the place was still in the hands of the British. The outer
portion on the west side was in the survey-township of Han-
nibal, of the Military tract (the political town of Hannibal
was not yet in existence), while the similar portion on the
east side was in the two survey-townships of Fredericks-
burg and Oswego, of Scriba's patent. The distinction be-
tween survey-townships and political towns must be con-
stantly kept in mind by any one who wishes to have a clear
idea of the changes of those early days.
That same season Neil McMullin, a merchant, of Kings-
ton, New York, determined to take up his abode at Oswego,
where he had previously been on business. Anxious to
provide for his family comfortably, he had the frame of a
small house constructed at Kingston, and brought it through,
with his family, over the long, tedious route by way of the
Mohawk river. Wood creek, Oneida lake, and Oswego river,
so often traversed by English soldiers and Dutch fur-traders.
On their arrival the house was erected on the west side,
near the river-bank, in the centre of the ground afterwards
occupied by Seneca street. This was the first framed house
in the place, and McMuUin's was the first family here, after
the military occupation ceased, of which there is any
account, though Phillips or Love may possibly have had
one. Mr. McMullin opened a trade with the Indians,
which was the only mercantile business possible here at
that time.
That same season came Captain Edward O'Connor, an
Irishman of good education and pleasiiii; ijiuiincrs, who had
fought for freedom during the Ilrvnliirhm, :iiiil had fol
lowed the leadership of "Willett in tlic desprrate attempt to
surju-isc Oswego in the winter of 17S3 (desciibed in the
13(j
general history). He and his family occupied a log house
at first, but, being fearful of the terrible winters which pre-
vailed here, removed them to the little settlement at Salt
Point, now Syracuse, to remain during the cold weather.
His daughter, afterwards Mrs. Alvin Bronson, was born
there in the early part of 1797. It is probable the captain
taught school at Salt Point that winter, as he certainly did
in subsequent years. If Mr. MoMullin's femily remained
at Oswego, which is not certain, they must have been sub-
stantially alone.
At the session of the legislature in 1797 an act was
passed directing the surveyor-general to lay out a hundred
acres on the west side of the Oswego river at its mouth, so
as to form a public square or market-place at the most
convenient point. Lots for public buildings were to be
reserved on the square. House lots to be sixty-six feet
front by two hundred feet deep. The principal streets
were to be a hundred feet wide, and cross-streets sixty, and
a map of the survey was to be deposited in t he surveyor-
general's ofiice. The lots were directed to be sold at auction,
but the governor was authorized to reserve for public pur-
poses any that he saw fit. It was further enacted that the
town so laid out should be " called forever thereafter by the
name of Oswego."
The locality was spoken of in the law as being in the
town of Lysander and county of Onondaga. That part of
the present city on the east side of the river, it will be re-
membered by the reader of the general history, was then
in the town of Mexico and county of Herkimer.
The now village was laid out, in accordance with the
law, during the summer of 1797, under the direction of
Surveyor-General Simeon De Witt, by Benjamin Wright,
the surveyor of Scriba's patent. The plat ran from the river
west nearly to the line of Military lot No. 6, now known as
the Van Buren tract, and from the lake southward to the
neighborhood of Oneida street. The streets running north and
south were named — as now — "First," "Second," "Third,"
" Fourth," etc., but those running east and west received
entirely different appellations from those they now bear.
Surveyor-General De Witt was as classical in regard to
Oswego's streets as he or the land-commissioners had been
respecting the townships of the Military tract, and the
constellations of the heavens were utilized as freely as the
heroes of Greece and Rome had been. Only nine streets
were named at the time in question, but the number of
appellations taken from the celestial sphere was afterwards
increased to fifteen. To promote the clearness of subse-
quent history we will give the wliole number here.
The northernmost street laid out in 1797 was Aquila, a
very short one, which was nearly an eastward extension of
nrSTORY OF OSWKGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Bronson street, runnin;;; through to the river, but is now
closed up. As extended to the east side it is now called
Mercer street. On the east side, also, still north of Aquila,
were afterwards laid Auriga street, now De Witt, and Orion
street, now Mereer. Soutli of Aquila street the ancient
and modern names are as follows: Lyra street, now Van
Buren ; Aries street, now Schuyler ; Taurus street, now
Seneca ; Gemini street, now Cayuga ; Cancer street, now
Bridge ; Leo street, now Oneida ; Virgo street, now Mo-
hawk ; Libra street, now Utiea f Scorpio street, now Albany ;
Sagittarius street, now Erie ; Capricornus street, now Ni-
agara ; Aiiuarius street, now Ohio. Certtiinly it was not
Simeon De Witt's fault that Oswego did not become a celes-
tial city.
The two blocks now occupied by the public S((uare were re-
served, in 1797, for that purpose, together with the next one
to the east. The three blocks north of these, — Nos. 8, 9, and
10, — bounded by Third and Sixth streets, and by Taurus
and Aries (now Seneca and Schuyler streets), were reserved
for public buildings, while the ground between Third and
Sixth streets, northward from Aries (Schuyler) to the lake,
— being blocks one to six inclusive, — was set apart for a
cemetery.
The street-lines of the embryo city were marked by
blazed trees, for — except where McMullin and O'Connor had
made little clearings to set their houses — the ground on the
west side as far up as Ohio street was covered with woods.
It was mostly second growth, however, as the original
forest had all been cleared off (except a few scattering trees)
during the early period before 175G, when large garrisons
were stationed on the west side of the river. There was
a similar clearing on the east side, but more recent, it
having been made afber the establishment of Fort Ontario,
in 1755. On that side, too, a large tract in the vicinity of
the fort Iiad been entirely cleared, and had been used as
garden and grass-ground from the advent of " Duncan of
Lundie" in 1760. There were numerous oaks, maples, etc.,
on both sides, but the principal growth was of chests
nuts.
If any new settlers came to Oswego in 1797, their
names have escaped record. There were five or six more
families came between that year and 1802, but the precise
time of their respective arrivals is unknown. It is pre-
sumed, however, that two or three of them came in 1797
or the spring of 1798, for long ago the oldest inhabitants
used to assert that in 1798 Miss Artemisia Waterhouse, of
Fulton (afterwards Mi-s. Ichabod Brockett, of Salina),
taught the first school in Oswego. It is needless to say
that it was in a private house, and it could hardly have
numbered over a dozen children. It is not pretended that
there were but five families in the " district," and probably
one of these was that of Asa Rice, who had settled three
miles west of Oswego in 1797.
In 1798 Oneida county was formed from Herkimer, and
the east part of Oswego became a portion of the former
county.
The next year the collection district of Oswego was
formed by Congress, embracing all the shores and waters
of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, from the forty -fifth
parallel to the Genesee river, and the president was author-
10
izcd to establish a cu.stom-hou.se and appoint a collector.
For several years, however, it w;is not supposed that the
duties would repay the expense of collecting tliem, and tlio
whole frontier was left, unguarded. Absolute " free-trade"'
prevailed. A few furs, however, and a little grain for tlic
use of the pioneers, was alt that Wiis imported from Canada.
There was plenty of lumber on this side then.
The principal business of the little port was cau.sed by
the pa.s.sage of emigrants, military stoi-es, salt, and Indian
goods to the west, and the bringing back of furs from the
same locality. Westward-bound stores were brought from
Rome through the Oneida lake and Oswego river; and
often they were sent west in open sail-boats.
Peter Sharpe and ^Villiam Vaughan came at a very early
date, probably about 1798 or 1799. Sharpe kept a small
tavern for the accommodation of travelers and. boatmen,
and stored goods detained on their pa&sage. Sharpe and
Vaughan soon became the owners of a little schooner of
about fifty tons' burden ; from the indefinite accounts
handed down we should infer that it was not built here,
but purchased from the Canadians. This was used in the
modest commerce before mentioned.
In the spring of 1800, Archibald Fairfield, who had been
a resident of Scriba's city of Vera Cruz, at the mouth of
Salmon creek, discouraged by the loss of the only Vera
Cruz vessel the year before, and by the general depressing
appearance in that ambitious locality, moved to Oswego
with his family, built lum a hou.se, and went to keeping
tavern. In tho.se days almost every man kept tavern who
had two rooms in his house, and some landlords got along
with one.
At Fairfield's tavern, in the summer of 1800, stopped
Daniel Burt, of Orange county. New York, the grandfather
of B. B, Burt and E. P. Burt, of this city, having made a
canoe voyage from Kingston, Canada, where he had been
on business. Pleased with the appearance of Oswego, he
determined to make his abode in the vicinity, and on his
way home purchased of one of the Van Rensselaer family,
at Albany, military lot No. 7, now forming the upper part
of the city of Oswego, on the west side.
There was another arrival, in 1800, of the utmost im-
portance, — " a bald-headed stranger from No-Man's-L md."
This was Rankin P. McMullin, the first white child born
in modern Oswego. He, too, liked the country, and con-
cluded to stay.
Whatever education was received by the few children of
that period came from Captain O'Connor, who sometimes
taught school here and sometimes at Salt Point. The lat-
ter place contained the nearest post-office, and was the me-
tropolis to which the inhabitjints of Oswego (which was
the jumping-ofi" place of central New York) made their way
to catch the first glimpses of a doubtful civilization. There
was no road between the two places piLSsable by a wagon or
even by a sled, — in fact, there was no road to Oswego at
all. In summer every one traveled by boats ; in winter
there was no communication between the infant city and
the outer world, save when some adventurous Oswegonian
j made his way on snow-shoes to Salt Point, learned the news
I from Europe, Asia, and America, obtained the letters ad-
: dressed to his neighbors, loaded himself with a demijohn of
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
whisky, if that article had become scant in Oswego, and
returned the same way he went.
But in summer business was even then quite lively.
Archibald Fairfield soon procured two schooners of about
a hundred tons each, presumably by purchase in Canada,
bringing the Oswego fleet up to the number of three.
With these he engaged in forwarding goods and stores to
the Niagara, whence they were taken up the lakes. Cap-
tain Easmussen and Captain Ford, both masters of vessels
on the lake, came about this time, but the exact year is
unknown.
In May, 1802, we come to the first definite information
regarding the progress of Oswego since its foundation. Al-
though informed by McMullin that he would starve there,
Daniel Burt had not given up the idea of settling at Os-
wego. His sons, Calvin Bradner Burt and Joel Burt, went
to Ovid, Seneca county, in the fall of 1801, and the next
year, in company with a young lawyer named Baird, they
made their way down Cayuga lake and Seneca and Oswego
rivers in a skiff to Oswego, and took up their quarters at
Peter Sharpe's tavern. At that time, as stated by Mr.
Bradner Burt in his reminiscences, published long after-
wards, there were but six families living in Oswego, — those
of Peter Sharpe, Archibald Fairfield, John Love, Edward
O'Connor, Augustus Ford, and Captain Easmussen. Wil-
liam Vanghan was still utimarried, and McMullin's family
was perhaps temporarily absent. There were also a few
unmarried lake-sailors and river-boatmen who made their
headquarters here. There were no stores, but at least two
taverns.
Young lawyer Baird thought there was not much of an
opening here for legal talent, and left. Joel Burt also went
back to Orange county for the season. After a short ab-
sence Bradner Burt returned in September, and began the
erection of the first saw-mill in Oswego. It was on the site
of the " old red mill," and nearly on that of the present
. Exchange mills. When the timbers were ready young
Burt sent out to Rice's and up to Oswego Falls to invite
help, and all responded with great willingness. But when
every man within reachable distance was mustered, there
were but twelve, and it was only by the most strenuous ex-
ertions and the use of tackles that they were able to get
the timbers into place. After the mill was finished Mr.
Burt again returned to Orange county.
That same year Matthew McNair, a native of Paisley,
Scotland, made his way to Oswego and began a residence
there which terminated only with his death in extreme old
age. He has stated that but two of the few residences he
found here in 1802 were frames. Besides these there was
a warehouse built here that same season by Benajah Bying-
ton, of Salt Point.
Early in the spring of 1803 young Bradner Burt made
his way to Rome, and thence on foot to Oswego, stopping
in Mexico to dance all night in a house where the young
men had to bow low to escape the joists which supported
the chamber floor. When he arrived at Fort Ontario he
found the whole garrison out under arms. It consisted of
a sergeant and two men. Proceeding to the river-bank, he
called for a boat to take him across. One was immediately
sent, and while it was crossing the whole iiopukitiun of the
city, men, women, and children, turned out and came down
to the west bank of the river to welcome him. If he had
been the long-lost brother of every one of them, with straw-
berry-marks all over him, he could not have been more
warmly greeted. Eager hands were stretched out to him
from every side the moment he touched the shore, and
happiness beamed on every countenance.
And why this excess of joy over the return of a com-
parative stranger, not related to any of the citizens ? Sim-
ply because he was the first arrival of the season. For four
months, more or less, Oswego had been snow-bound and
ice-tied, its people shut out from the sight of all faces but
their own, which were but few in number (even including
the gallant garrison of Fort Ontario), and the first arrival of
a man, proving as it did that spring had really opened, was
a subject of more excitement than was the first arrival of
a steamer in the palmiest days of steamboating.
Meanwhile his father, Daniel Burt, through his acquaint-
ance with the Orange county governor, George Clinton, had
obtained a lease from the State of a hundred acres of land,
extending from the river eastward, so as to include all the
cleared ground around the fort. The lease was for ten
years, at ten dol'ars per year. He moved to Oswego in the
summer of 1803 with his sons Joel, George W., and
Daniel, Jr. His son William soon after moved to Scriba.
Daniel Burt, Sr., leaving his own land unimproved for the
present, built a log house on his leased ground directly
opposite Taurus street, and in the centre of what is now
East Seneca street. This was the first building, not con-
nected with the fort, on the east side of the river. Having
received a charter from the legislature, Mr. Burt estab-
lished the first regular ferry in Oswego, on the present line
of Seneca street.
By this time it had been discovered at Washington that
a port called Oswego, on Lake Ontario, was doing con-
siderable business, and the president determined to estab-
lish a custom-house there, as authorized by act of Congress.
It was doubtless on the recommendation of Governor Clin-
ton that Joel Burt was selected as the collector of the new
port. His commission was dated August 1, 1803. He
was certainly the first United States civil ofiicer at Oswego,
and so far as we can learn he was the first civil officer of
any kind. There is neither record nor tradition of even a
constable previous to that time.
Perhaps it was supposed that the now collector would be
sufficient to guard the entrance to Oswego ; at all events
the sergeant, with his army of two men, was withdrawn
this year, and Fort Ontario, so long the object of intense
solicitude to rival nations, was left to fall into ignoble
decay.
Mr. McNair, whose arrival the year before has been
mentioned, purchased the old schooner " Jane," of Sharpe &
Vaughan, and went into the forwarding business. Fairfield
still continued his transactions in that line. Numerous
boats came down the river. Burt's saw-mill gave, promise
of frame houses instead of log, and Oswego began to look
up. Still there was not a house north of Cancer (now
Bridge) street.
In 180-t the progress was suflicient so that it was de-
termined to have a land communication with the outer
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUxVTY, NEW YORK.
139
world. C. B. Burt was chosen path-master, and uiiJor his
direction a road was cut through as far as the falls.
This good example was quickly followed. That same
season a man named King came from the settlement in
Cato, ill the present county of Cayuga, and on the part of
himself and three neighbors offered to open a road from that
settlement to Oswego for forty dollars, being ten dollars for
each man engaged. The "solid men" of Oswego de-
termined to have the road. Forty dollars in cash was a
big sum here in those primitive times, but after much
financiering the required sum was subscribed by responsible
parties, and King began the work. It was no slight task,
the ten dollare per man Wiis well earned ; but in time the
road was completed, and when the midsummer sun was
shining most brightly King and his companions, seated on
an ox-.sled, rode triumphantly into Oswego, amid the cheers
and congratulations of the people. It was very cheap road-
making, but it should be remembered that " opening a road"
in those days meant merely cutting out the underbrush,
logs, and small trees from a space perhaps a rod wide,
making a track barely passable for an ox-sled or cart.
Captain O'Connor taught school in 1802, the first in the
place according to Mr. Burt, who had no knowledge of the
little educational effort of Miss Waterhouse. It was taught
in a log house, built as a workshop by Captain Ford, and
situated near the bank of the river, between Gemini and
Cancer (Cayuga and Bridge) streets.
It was in this year also that a man named Wilson, a con-
tractor for the carrying of government stores to the west,
built a schooner of ninety tons, called the " Fair Ameri-
can," and Mr. McNair built one, called the '' Linda," of
fifty tons. The latter gentleman then or soon after also
bought some Canadian vessels, showing that the commerce
of Oswego was rapidly rising into prominence.
In the spring of 1805 there came to Oswego a family
long and creditably known in its early history, and, from
the number, vigor, and intelligence of its members, ex-
ercising a strong influence over the destinies of the infant
city. The head of this family was Daniel Hugunin, Sr., a
man of French extraction, but brought up among the
Dutch of the Mohawk valley. With him came his adult
sons, Peter D., Daniel, Jr., and Abram D. ; the younger
sons, Robert, Hiram, and Leonard ; and the daughters,
Lucretia, Eliza, Catharine (afterwards Mrs. John S. Davis
and mother of Henry L. Davis), and Mary (afterwards
Mrs. John Grant, Jr.). The last named was then a girl of
nine, and is now the earliest surviving resident of Oswego.
Of all her youthful companions not one is left who as early
as she looked upon the pleasant woodlands, the scattered
cabins, the brawling river which constituted the O.swego of
seventy years ago, and of which, even now, she speaks with
enthusiastic praise.
We fix the date of the Hugunins' arrival from the state-
ment of Mrs. Grant, though C. B. Burt has stated it a year
earlier. At all events, the first year of their coming, whether
1804 or 1805, Mr. Burt helped Daniel Hugunin, Jr., to
build a small frame store, the first in the place. It was on
First street, between Cayuga and Seneca, and still " sur-
vives,'' so to say, as the fruit-store of Thomas Hart, being
now the oldest buildin- in Oswoiro.
In 18(15, too, but shortly after the Hugunins, came
Edwin M. Tyler, another of the sea-faring men of whom
early Oswego was so largely composed. With him was his
son, Joel F. Tyler, a child of three, since long known as
Captain Tyler of the lake service, and now, at the age of
seventy-five, the second earliest r&sident of Oswego. Cap-
tain Thcophilus Baldwin came about the same time.
It was in 1805 or 1806 that tlie first school-hou.sc in
Oswego was erected. Mr. Bradner Burt was the builder,
and, according to his recollection, it was in the former
year ; but the weight of evidence is in favor of the latter.
It owed its existence to private enterprise, for the school
system of the State was not then organized so as to provide
for the erection of school-house.s at the expense of the pub-
lic. Joel Burt, Matthew McNair, William Vaughan, and
others contributed liberally,. and the resulting structure was
extremely creditable to the educational enterprise of the
pioneers of O.swego.
It was a one-story frame, no less than thirty-five feet
square, with a cupola on the top intended for a bell, which,
however, it never received. In fact, it would pcrliaps be
more correct to speak of it as a school meeting-house, for
it was intended from the firet for the use of traveling
preachers, and was provided with a pulpit for that purpose.
This, doubtless, accounts for the comparatively large scale
on which it was built.
The firet school in the new school-house was taught by a
Dr. Caldwell, who had lately arrived, and who practiced
medicine and taught school conjointly for several years.
He was Oswego's only physician for several years. Those
who did not appreciate his medical services used to send
for Dr. Squires in Hannibal.
In the early part of 1806 both sections of the present
city became parts of new towns. On the 28th of February
the town of Hannibal, Onondaga county, was formed from
Lysander, comprising the present towns of Granby, Hanni-
bal, and Oswego, and the west part of Oswego city. It
will be observed that while the survey-township of Hanni-
bal came only to the line of the State reservation on the
west and south, the political town included the reservation
also within its limits.
On the 21st of March the town of Fredericksburg was
formed from Mexico, including the present towns of Scriba,
Volney, Schroeppel, and Palermo. This change of juris-
diction on the east side of the river, however, did not affect
many people in the present city, for Daniel Burt was then
on that side.
On the 21st of April following. Congress seems not to
have learned of the change of names, for on that day it
ftstiiblished a post-route from Onondaga Hollow to the vil-
lage of Oswego, " in Lysander." Yet no post-ofiice was
established at 0.swego till the next fall, when Joel Burt,
already collector of the port, was appointed postmaster, his
commission being dated the 7th of October. The practice
of appointing the same man to several federal offices appeal's
to have been quite common in those days. In Buffalo, at
the same period, one person was collector, postmaster, and
superintendent of Indian affaire, by appointment from Wash-
ington, besides being a judge under State authority.
It was about this time that Onudiaga, the Oiinndoga
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
chieftain, carried the mail weekly from Onondaga Hollow
to Oswego, with such exemplary punctuality, as narrated in
chapter xii. of the general history of the county. Captain
Elizur Brace is said to have been the first contractor for
carrying the mail between the places first mentioned, — pos-
sibly Ouudiaga was hired by the citizens before any regular
contractor was employed by the government.
Thomas H. Wentworth, father of the well-known resident
of that name, passing through the village on his way to
Canada in 1806, and forming a high opinion of its com-
mercial fiicilities, obtained the " refusal" of water-lots 5
and 6, and of the other property belonging to Archibald
Fairfield. The original contract, which in curious language
gave Wentworth the privilege of going to Canada and re-
turning to Utica, is now in the hands of his son, and is
certainly one of the oldest business contracts extant relating
to Oswego, if not the very oldest. Milton Harmon was a
new settler of this year.
The oldest native of Oswego now resident in it was born
in September, 1806. She then received the name of Nancy
Hugunin, being the youngest daughter of Daniel Hugunin,
Sr., but is now better known as Mrs. Goodell.
Early in 1807, Mr. Wentworth returned, in accordance
with his previous arrangement, and bought out Fairfield^
the latter soon after moving to Sackett's Harbor. He was
one of the first citizens of the place while he lived here,
and an incident related by Captain Tyler would tend to
show that the first citizens regaled themselves with food
wliich would hardly be acceptable to those of similar posi-
tion now. Just before Fairfield left, little Joel went with
his mother, who was paying an afternoon visit to Mrs. F.
Scarcely were they seated when the child's curious eyes
discovered something hanging from a joist, which to his eye
appeared to be a baby denuded of its skin.
"Oh! oh!" exclaimed the terror-stricken boy, " what
you going to do with that baby ?" pointing to the object
which had caused his excitement.
" Why," replied Mrs. Fairchild, laughing, " we are going
to eat it, of course."
" Oh, ma! take mo home ! take me home !" pleaded the
frightened child, who felt that if they had got to eating
babies at that house they might soon have an appetite for
four-year-old boys. His mother pacified him, but through-
out his stay he cast many a wary glance at the object which
had aroused his pity and his fears.
He afterwards learned that it was a porcupine, dressed
and prepared for eating. At present a good many would
about as soon think of eating a baby as a hedge-hog.
Mr. Wentworth succeeded to Fairfield's forwarding busi-
ness. Though bred to mercantile pursuits, he was an
artist of much .ability, and in after-years was in great
request as a portrait-painter in the eastern cities. He was
also the producer of many more elaboiate works, some of
which are still in the possession of his son. He was the
first devotee of the fine arts who made his home in Oswego,
and should the lovers of those arts ever dedicate a gallery
in their honor, his portrait would be entitled to e.special
prominence.
The reminiscences of early settlers that have been pub-
lished make no mention of any religious services in Oswego
until 1807, but in all probability there were such seiTices
held there before that time.
Next to Dr. Caldwell, the first physician who settled
within the present limits of Oswego was Dr. Deodatus
Clarke. His point of location, however, was then nearly
two miles from the village, being on a farm adjoining the
present eastern boundary of the city, or rather in the forest,
where he made a farm. Among his numerous children
was Edwin W. Clarke, then six years of age, afterwards an
able member of the Oswego bar, and still surviving in an
honored old age. From his father's new house to the house
of Daniel Burt, Sr., at the corner of West Seneca and First
streets, all was a dense forest, though partly of second
growth. After erecting a log house, Dr. Clarke was unable
to procure shingles for the roof. He paid two dollars per
thousand for drawing boards for that purpose from the
river-side. The transportation was accomplished on an
ox -sled in midsummer, about a hundred and fifty feet being
drawn at a time.
There were then about fourteen families on the west side
of the river, the houses being partly log and partly frame.
A log causeway facilitated travel along the road in front of
the site of the starch-factory, and a rude ferry, on the line
of Taurus (Seneca) street, served a similar purpose for those
who wished to cross the stream. Near this time the ferry
was transferred from Mr. Burt to Mr. Tyler, who bought
the house originally erected by McMullin, but which had
passed into the hands of Captain Rasmussen.
Rude indeed would now seem the little frontier village,
with its six or eight log houses and a similar number of
frame ones ; with its one diminutive store, its two or three
taverns and barn-like warehouses ; but to those who were
children then it appears almost another Eden. Mrs. Grant,
especially, grows as enthusiastic over the charms of Oswego
seventy years ago as her namesake, the celebrated authoress,
was over the spring-time delights of the same locality half
a century earlier.
"Ah!" exclaims the old lady, her memory reviving as
she dwells on the beloved theme, her imagination kindling,
and her language taking on the glow of youth, " those
were happy days ! How beautiful everything was ! How
beautiful I The trees were so green ! the air was so fresh !
the lake was so sparkling ! wild-flowers bloomed at every
step. All kinds of berries and nuts abounded. The old
fort-ground was covered with strawberries. Cranberries
were thick along the river-shore. Bccch-nuts, hickory-nuts,
and especially chestnuts, could be gathered by the bushel.
Wild plums were equally abundant. Game was plentiful
beyond conception ; any man with a rifle could obtain it,
and the Indians brought it in to sell for next to nothing.
A saddle of venison could be bought for twenty-five cents.
And the salmon ! what great shoals of them went up the
river ! Thousands at a time ! their fins breaking above the
surface of the water, and flashing like floating silver in the
sunlight ! There was no need of doctors then ; everybody
was healthy. There used to be two or three years at a
time without a funeral. There were no lawyers then, and
no need of them ; everybody was honest. Ah ! what
happy times ! what a beautiful, beautiful country!"
Once in three or four months an itinerant preacher would
RESIDENCE OF THOMAS KINGSFORD,
West First Street, between Utica a;id Mohawk Streets, Oswego, New York.
RESIDENCE OF THOMSON KINGSFORD,
Corner of West Third and Oneida Streets, Oswego, New York.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
141
come along, and then notice would be given out of a meet-
ing on Sunday at the school-house. As the hour fur ser-
vice approached a horn would be blown at the school-house
door to notify the villagers, and when the appointed time
was re ichcd, the same primitive sounds again rang out upon
the morning air. The pioneers set great store by the bap-
tism of the young ; all being anxious that their children
should receive the benefit of that rite, though they were
not all of them very particular regarding the language used
towards the holy man who administered it. On one occa-
sion an itinerant had preached on a week-day evening, and
was about to move on, when he was requested to stay over
Sunday and baptize some children. He was directed to one
pereon who was especially anxious to have the rite per-
formed. The preacher found the individual at work near
the river, and was at once accosted by him :
" Well, parson, are you going to stay over Sunday and
baptize our children ?"
" Well," replied the minister, " I hardly know. I should
be glad to do so, but it will break in on my arrangements
very seriously."
"Well now, parson, you must stay !" exclaimed the en-
thusiastic parent. " I have got two children that want bap-
tizing bad ; Mr. has another, Mr. has three
more, and I know we can pick up two or three others, and,
take it all together, you can make a d good job of it."
It is not recorded whether the reverend gentleman took
the job or not.
The event of 1808, at Oswego, was the building of the
brig " Oneida" by Henry Eckford, under the superintend-
ence of Lieutenant Woolsey, of which mention was made
in the general history. Henry Eagle, a native of Prussia,
and long a well-known resident of Oswego, first came to
that place in the year last named, and helped to build the
" Oneida."
The next spring the new brig was launched. When ready
for sea, it was taken out of the harbor and its armament
was put on board. When this had been done, it was found
that the " Oneida" could not return over the bar. It was
never inside the harbor again. The firm of McNair (& Co.
built a fine schooner of eighty tons this year. Building
began to increase on land, too, as well as on the water.
Messrs. Forman & Brackett erected a small grist-mill and
saw-mill.
The grist-mill was the first in Oswego, and the saw-mill
was second only to that of Braducr Burt, built in 1802.
By this time immigration was increasing with consider-
able rapidity ; many coming whose names have escaped
research. Theophilus S. Morgan, long a very prominent
resident of Oswego, was one of the new settlers.
The next j'ear (1810) there was a still larger immigra-
tion, including several men of some note in the early annals
of the frontier village. Of these the most prominent was
Mr. Alvin Bronson, a young man only twenty-seven years
old, although he had been in the mercantile business nine
years, who settled at Oswego as the representative of the
firm of Townseud, Bronson & Co., and began the construc-
tion of a schooner with the men and tools he had brought
with him from his former home in Connecticut.
Besides the vessel, which, under the name of the '' Charles
and Ann," and subsequently of the " Governor Tompkins,"
has been mentioned at some length in the general history,
Mr. Bronson soon erected a warehouse on the corner of
West First and Cayuga streets, for tlie use of tiie firm,
which was engaged largely in the forwarding business.
They also kept a supply of general merchandise in one end
of their warehouse. This was a custom with all the for-
warders here, as it was considered that the business would
not warrant separate mercantile establishments.
Another new-comer of this period of some notoriety was
" Colonel" Eli Parsons. He gained his military title aa
the second in command in the celebrated " Shay's rebellion,"
which broke out in Massachusetts in 1786. Parsons had
served gallantly as a captain in the Massachusetts line in
the Revolution, and excused his subsequent misconduct on
the ground of the hardships to which he and his comrades
were subjected when the depreciated paper-money in which
they had been paid was found to be worthless to buy pro-
visions or pay debts, or even to pay the taxes levied by the
State government. As one of the leaders, he was excepted
from the first amnesty granted to the main body of the
insurgents after their defeat, and was obliged to escape to
Canada, in which he only succeeded with great difficulty.
After the final amnesty he returned and settled in Oswego,
where he kept a tavern, and where he received a pension
for his services in the Revolution. According to the recol-
lections of the old settlers he was a jovial old fellow, well
liked by his neighbors, fond of making quaint remarks, and
much more at home in keeping a tavern than in leading a
rebellion.
" How do all you people make a living here ?" queried
a stranger, who could not see that there was much business
going on.
"Well, sir," replied the old colonel, "in summer we
live by skinning strangers; in winter by skinning each
other."
On another occasion, when provision was scarce, the
colonel was seen trudging up to his house with a remark-
ably fine string of fish.
" Bless me !" exclaimed a b3-stander, " what large fish !
How did you catch them, colonel? What sort of bait did
you use?"
" The best of bait, — necessity," was the sententious reply
of the veteran.
Dr. Benjamin Coe, who settled here in 1810, was the
next physician after Caldwell, and the first who had much
practice. Dr. Walter Colton, who came shortly after, was
a man of marked ability, and prominent not only in pro-
fes.sional, but in social and political life.
Edmund Hawks, who irftcrwards became a.ssociate judge
of the common pleas, came in 1810, and established a
tannery near the corner of West First and Cancer (Bridge)
streets, the first institution of that kind in the village. His
house was about where the Jefferson block now stands.
The brothers Eli and Moses Stevens about the same
time set up in business, the fii-st as a shoemaker and the
second as a hatter. The afterwards-celebrated author,
James Fenimore Cooper, was then a rollicking young mid-
shipman on board the " Oneida," making frequent visits
to Oswego, and being a hail-fellow with all its younger
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
population. He is credited with the production of the
following distich, descriptive of the occupations of the two
Stevens brothers :
Upon Moses and Eli
All the people may rely
For shoes and for hats that will stand the worst weather;
What with boots and with felt
They will use up the pelt,
And to two-legged calves sell the quadruped's leather.
On the 5th of April, 1811, the name of Fredericksburg
was changed to Volney, and on the same day the town of
Scriba was taken oif. Thus the territory of the present
city was divided between Scriba, in Oneida county, and
Hannibal, in Onondaga county.
It is hard to realize, in these days of compact organiza-
tion and swift police, that fifty odd years ago the two parts
of Oswego were separated by a jurisdictional line which
was almost impassable. Young Joel Tyler, though only
nine years old, was now intrusted with the management of
the ferry, while his father was out on the lake in command
of the schooner " Eagle." When a pedestrian wanted to
cross, the youngster could put him over in a skiff, but when
a horseman or a wagon came, the hired man was called from
his work to manage the unwieldy scow. One day Joel
heard from the Scriba side a halloo announcing that a foot-
man wanted to cross the stream. The skiff being taken
over, the passenger, who seemed to be in a great hurry,
stepped in, and Joel turned his prow westward. When
he was about a third of the way across, a horseman came
galloping up to the eastern shore, and shouted to the boy
to return.
" No, no ; go on," said the passenger.
" Come back ! come back, I say !" yelled the man on
shore.
" Go ahead, go ahead," growled the fellow in the boat.
" Come back, you young rascal, or I'll shoot you !" cried
the pursuer, taking a pistol from his holster.
" Pull for your life, you little devil, or I'll drown you !"
exclaimed the runaway, rolling up his sleeves and preparing
for instant action.
Terrified beyond measure at these contradictory threats,
the boy yet thought that the nearest danger was the greatest,
and bent to his oars with all his might. The sheriff, for
such the pursuer was, did not fire, the fugitive gained the
Onondaga shore, plunged into the forest, and was out of
reach long before the officer could get new papers to give
him jurisdiction in that county.
William Dolloway, who came in 1811, was the first man
who had a store of much consequence, separate from the
forwarding business. It was near the corner of West First
and Taurus (Bridge) streets, and the owner's residence,
just above the last street, was the farthest south of any
house in the village. The nearest house above that point
was one built by Mr. Wentworth for the use of the boat-
men whom he employed, and which stood on lands still
owned by the State, as was the case with all the land above
Mohawk street. Long afterwards JNIr. Wentworth bought
from the State the tract of land which he had improved,
and his son now lives there. That son, by the way, who
was born in 1810, is, so ftir as we can discover, the oldest
male, and next to Mrs. Goodell is the oldest person, born in
Oswego and now residing there.
Just above Wentworth's house was the farm and resi-
dence of Daniel Burt, Sr., to which he had removed after
he gave up the ferry, and which was situated on military
lot No. 7. The Wentworth house was fitted up in 1811,
and rented to Judge Nathan Sage, known as Captain Sage
to the early settlers of Redficld, who came from that place
to Oswego and was appointed collector of the port. His
commission was dated June 12, 1811.
Oswego being shut up by itself, with little communication
with the rest oi' the world, many of the men, in default of
other recreation, devoted a good deal of time to playing
practical jokes on each other. Judge Sage was a some-
what stately old gentleman, of fine appearance and de-
liberate movements, and the young fellows about town
thought he would be a good subject for some of their
pranks. Every morning he was in the habit of setting
forth from his residence, neatly dressed, with a cane in his
hand, and walking down to the foot of First street, where
his office was situated.
One morning, shortly after his appointment as collector,
the judge was marching with his usual deliberation down
the road towards the village, but he had not gone far from
his house when he saw a young man of his acquaintance
apparently working by the roadside with an axe.
" Good-morning, judge," said the axeman.
" Good-morning, sir," politely responded the official.
" Fine morning."
" Very fine," said the judge.
" But looks some like rain."
" Yes, it does a little," and Mr. Sage started forward.
After he had gone a few yards the man called out, —
" By the way, judge," — the latter halted and turned
around, — " can you tell me where young Stevens, the hatter,
boards?"
" Well, no, I can't ; he hasn't been here a great while,
you know. I have had no especial business with him. I
presume you can easily ascertain, however."
" I presume so," said the man, and the judge resumed
his walk. Some forty rods farther down he met Dr. Coe,
with a rifle on his shoulder and equipped for a hunting ex-
cursion.
" Good-morning, judge."
" Good-morning, doctor. After the deer, eh ?"
" Well, yes; I thought I would try them a few hours,"
replied the young ^^isculapius.
" It's a fine day for sport," said the worthy collector, " if
it doesn't rain. I wish you every success."
"Thank you, judge ;" and the two men moved in opposite
directions.
"Ah, excuse me," exclaimed the doctor, after they were
two or three rods apart, " there is a question I wanted to
ask you, which I had almost forgotten. Can you tell me
whore young Stevens, the hatter, boards?"
" Well, now, that's curious," said the judge, halting.
" Mr. B., up here, asked me the same question. What's
the matter. Has Stevens been doing anything out of the
way ?"
" Oh, no, not at all," replied the doctor ; " I happened to
HON. ALVIX BROXSON.
The fortunes of this gentleman were for forty years so
closely connected with those of Oswego County and city,
and he is so often mentioned in other parts of this work,
that all which is needful in this sketch is to give some per-
sonal details, and advert to some circumstances not set forth
in the general history.
Alvin Bronson was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, May
19, 1783. After spending his boyhood on a farm, and his
youth as a clerk, he became a merchant at the age of
eighteen, and has been engaged in some department of the
mercantile business ever since ; that is to say, during a
period of seventy-six years ! After nine years of successful
merchandising, during which he built two vessels and made
several voyages by sea, Mr. Bronson came to Oswego in
1810, and engaged in the lake trade as one of the firm of
Bronson, Townsend & Co. Of his connection with the
early commerce of Oswego, and of the part he took in the
war of 1812, sufficient has been said in the general history
of the county and city.
In October, 1815, Mr. Bronson married Mary, the
youngest daughter of Captain Edward O'Connor, also promi-
nent in the early history of Oswego. By that lady, now
deceased, he had one son and two daughters. After carry-
ing on a large part of the commerce of the lakes for seven
years after the war, the firm of Bronson, Townsend & Co.
was dissolved in 1822. That year Mr. Bronson was elected
to the State senate, and drew a term of two years. We
have mentioned in the general history the exertions he
made in behalf of the Oswego canal, and his connection
with the celebrated " seventeen," of whom, and of the senate
of that day, he is now the sole survivor ; the late Heman J.
Redfield, who died a few weeks since, having been the last
preceding one. Mr. Bronson was also conspicuous as an
advocate of free-trade views, which were then very un-
popular.
In 1829 he was again elected to the senate, where he
served four years as chairman of one of the most important
committees, — that of finance. Many able reports written
by him attest his ability, though he was never a seeker after
popularity, and was frequently in a small minority. About
1830, Mr. Bronson went into partnership with the late
Lemuel B. Crocker, in the forwarding business, and the
firm of Bronson & Crocker continued for twenty-five years,
weathering all the storms which at times swept over the
commercial world. Mr. Bronson was the first president of
the Oswego board of trade, in 18-18. Since then he has
confined himself mostly to his private business, though he
has occasionally found time to write an able article in aid of
the commercial interests oi" the city of his choice. The
firm of Alvin Bronson & Co. still exists, though Mr. Bron-
son has gradually given up the management of its business
to others, as well he may, considering that over ninety-four
years have passed over the head of this honored patriarch
of Oswejro.
SYLVESTER DOOLITTLE
was born at Whitestown, now Whitesboro', Oneida county,
State of New York, on the 11th of January, 1800. His
parents were from Connecticut. He learned the business
of ship-carpenter at Sodus Point, Wayne county. New
York. In 1822 he removed to Rochester, and there built
the first boat that went through the canal to Albany. From
there he removed to Utica, and was engaged in building
packets for the Erie canal before the railroads were con-
structed. Here he built and took to New York the first
lake-boat ever made, and laid the foundation of the through
freight trade by canal-boats to that city. After the railroads
were built and the packet business destroyed, through the in-
fluence of Abram Varick, Mr. Doolittle removed to Oswego,
New York, in the fall of 1830. Here he built three or four
vessels and improved the carrying capacity of the lake craft.
Having learned of the new invention of Mr. Ericsson, in
adapting the screw to the propulsion of vessels, and because
side-wheel steamers could not go through the Welland
canal, Mr. D. constructed, by the consent of Mr. Ericsson,
the first screw propeller ever used for transportation of
freight and passengers, thus establishing the feasibility
of the screw as a motive power in marine architecture. He
also built one of the first large mills in Oswego, introducing
many improvements in handling grain and making flour,
assisting by these improvements the reputation of the Os-
wego mills and character of the flour manufactured at that
place.
Having given up ship-building, he engaged in the busi-
ness of forwarding from New York to the west, and in
milling. About this time he built the block known as the
Doolittle block, and Doolittle hall, the chief place for exhi-
bitions in the city. While engaged in deepening the chan-
nel of the river a mineral spring was discovered boiling up
through the rock on the then dry bottom of the river. He
traced the stream ashore on his property, and after a large
expense, with much labor, he secured what is now known as
the Deep Rock spring. Over this he built the Doolittle
House, one of the largest and handsomest hotels in western
New York.
In the year 1829 Mr. Doolittle married Miss Catherine
Gould, of Utica, daughter of Samuel Gould, Esq. There
no issue from this
marriaKC.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
143
think that I didirt know wliere lie boardod. and I didn't
know but you did."
" AVeli, no, I don't," said the old j;cntlenian. " Ho hasn't
been here but a little while, you know, and I have had no
particular business with him. I presume, however, you
will have no difficulty in ascertaining his place of abode."
" Oh, certainly not ; excuse my troubling you. Good-
morning, judge."
"No trouble at all; good-morning;" and the two men
went on their separate ways, the judge wondering as he
walked at the sudden interest manifested in " young Stevens,
the hatter." Sixty rods farther along he saw another
young man, just turning off from the ruad towards the river,
with a fish-jKile in his hand.
" Good-morning, judge."
'•Good-morning," responded Sage; " the fish are bound
to suffer now, I suppose."
" Well, yes, I think it is a pretty good day for fishing ;
and if it should rain a little it would do no hurt. By the
by, judge," hastily continued the speaker, stepping back a
few paces out of the underbrush, '' do you happen to know
the boarding-place of young Stevens, the hatter?"
A light suddenly broke on the mind of the puzzled
oiEcial.
" You infernal rascal !" he roared, shakiirg his cane at the
offender, " if I had you here I would teach you to play
your jokes on a man of my age and position. This is all
that rascal Coe's work. I know him ; I'd like to break this
cane over his head." And the judge strode rapidly towards
the village, muttering anathemas on all the impertinent
young scamps in Oswego, and especially on Dr. Coe, whom
he rightly concluded to be the chief engineer of this elabo-
rate jest.
He was just entering the village when a steady-going old
ship-captain came out of his house, who was in a quandary
as to the proper action to be taken regarding some goods
which he was about to ship.
" Guod-morning, judge," he exclaimed at sight of the col-
lector, " glad to see you ; I wanted to ask you a question.
Can you tell me "
" Oh, you're another of the scoundrels, are you ?" shrieked
the judge, his anger now at white heat, hurling his cane at
the astonished son of Neptune, and then rushing towards
him with clenched fists, while the latter hastily beat a
retreat within his domicile. " I'll teach you to impose on
me in this way. I'll break your rascally head for you, if I
have to wait half a day for you to come out."
It was only through the intervention of his wife that the
seaman finally made it manifest that his question was a
legitimate one, and had nothing to do with the whereabouts
of " young Stevens, the hatter."
For many weeks the conspirators, and especially Dr Coe,
wisely kept out of reach of the judge's cane, but at length
his wrath was placated, being only occasionally renewed
when some saucy boy would inquire, in his hearing, of a
comrade, if the latter could tell where " young Stevens, the
hatter, took his meals."
Time pas.sed on, and even the boys ceased to bother the
judge. The war of 1812, with its years of excitement and
terror, blotted from most men's minds the memory of less
important events. Some time after its close the people of
Oswego, still debarred from the more exciting kinds of
amusement, determined on a grand concert, to be held one
winter afternoon and evening at the school-house, to which
the people from all the country round should be invited. A
good leader was provided, and all the best singers of the
vicinity were duly drilled in the good old tunes of those
early days.
No one entered more heartily into the project than Dr.
Coe, then a rising physician, with an interesting family.
Those of the country people who had acquaintances in the
viHagc generally received invitations to pass the night with
some friendly family. Deacon Mann, howciver, who had lately
settled on the river, several miles up, was almost entirely un-
acquainted in Oswego. Two or three days before the con-
cert he received a polite note from Dr. Coe, whom he had
never met, saying that he, the doctor, was aware that the
deacon was a stranger in Oswego, and might be embarnisscd
in finding accommodations on the night of the concert. He
was, however, continued the note, well known to the writer
by reputation, and the latter, therefore, took the liberty of
inviting Mr. and Mrs. Mann and family to make their
home at his house the day and evening of the concert ; com-
ing to dinner and staying overnight.
The worthy deacon was well pleased with this courtesy,
and on the appointed day hitched his oxen to his sled, took
his family on board, drove down to Oswego, and stopped at
Dr. Coe's house. Making himself known to the doctor, he
said, —
" I received your letter, doctor, and am very gla<l to avail
myself of it, and very much obliged to you for your kind-
ness."
" My letter'?" queried the surprised physician.
" Why, yes," replied the deacon ; " the letter you sent
inviting us to stay with you to-day and to-night and attend
the concert." The doctor saw at once that a fraud had
been perpetrated, but was polite enough to conceal the fact.
" Oh, yes, certainly," he said, " you refer to that letter ;
I was thinking of something else. Come right in and make
yourselves at home." This invitation was duly honored ;
the deacon and his family attended the concert, and the
next morning left for home, highly pleased with the doctor's
hospitality.
Then the latter began figuring- to find out who had " put
up the job' on him. As there was only a weekly mail,
and there had been none up the river for several days, he
knew that the letter had been sent by hand, and before the
deacon left his host ascertained who delivered the missive
to him. Immediately after the departure of his guests,
the doctor sought out the person named, who was a well-
known resident of Oswego, and began his investigations.
" Did you deliver a letter to Deacon JIann, up the river,
two or three days ago '?"
"A letter to Deacon Mann?" queried the individual ad-
dressed, assuming a thoughtful expression ; " let me see ; I
have been so busy about this concert that I hardly recollect,
but it seems to me I did give the deacon a letter, — yes, I
am sure I did."
'■Who gave it to you?"
The man scratched his head and thought and hum' d
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and lia'J a long time, but finally made up his mind that
Mr. B. was the person who had given him the epistle in
question. Dr. Coe hied to Mr. B., and repeated his inter-
rogatory. The latter had also great difficulty in recollecting
the circum-stanee, but finally brought it to mind, and was
sure that Captain C. had given him the letter. Captain
C, after the due amount of head-scratching and hard think-
ing, remembered that Squire D. had handed him the missive,
giving at the same time a plausible reason for not delivering
it himself Thus the doctor was sent to some half-dozen of
the principal residents of the village, and last of all to
Judge Sage. «
" Now," said Coe to himself, " I shall know the facts in
this business ; the judge is a straightforward old fellow, and
will tell what he knows without any fuss.'' Arriving at
Sage's office, he put his question without any preliminaries.
" A letter to Deacon Mann ?" queried the old gentleman,
scratching his head and rolling his eyes ; " why, yes, it seems
to me I gave such a letter to Mr. G. about Wednesday or
Thursday, — yes, I am quite sure I did."
"Well, where did you get it?" snapped the doctor, by
this time thoroughly out of patience.
" H'm ; now, really, Doctor Coe, I don't know where I did
get that letter ; but, now I think of it, there is a question I
would like to ask you : can you tell me where young Stevens,
the hatter, boards?"
The doctor had a sudden illumination from " the light of
other days ;" he perceived that the persons of slow recollec-
tion, whom he had been hunting up and questioning during
the better part of a winter day, had all had their cue, and he
returned with rapid footsteps to the seclusion of his own
domicile.
To return to Oswego before "the war. At this time
Water street was a mere lane, which did not go south of
Gemini (Cayuga) street. It was kept open without legal
authority, by general consent, and after twenty years' use
attained the dignity of a public highway, being finally
opened through as far as Oneida street. There was a bluff
near the river below Cancer (Bridge) street as well as
above it, and back of the blufl' was a hollow. Near where
the Normal-school boarding-house now is there was frequently
quite a little pond of water, which the boys used for sliding
and skating.
One of the most sorrowful events of early days in Oswego
happened in 1811. Captain Samuel B. Morrow had a log
house near " Baldwin's bay," a long way out of the village,
but within the line of the present corporation. While the
captain was out on the lake, in command of his vessel, his
house caught fire and three young children perished in the
flames. This sad episode of peaceful life was not surpassed
in tragic interest by aught thatoccurred duringthe war of two
years and a half, which was declared on the ISth of June,
1812. The main events of that war relating to Oswego
County have been narrated in the general county history,
and all that remain for mention in this sketch are a few
local incidents of comparatively slight importance.
Several citizens of Oswego took a prominent part in the
conflict, besides those who from time to time served in the
militia. Daniel Ilugunin, Jr., was a lieutenant in the regular
array, taking part in the battles on the Niagaia frontier.
Robert Hugunin was a pilot through the war, on one of
Commodore Chauncey's vessels. Dr. Walter Colton was a
surgeon in the army. Peter D. Hugunin was a paymaster.
The fear of Indian invaders handed down frpm Revolu-
tionary times lay heavy on all the inhabitants of the north-
ern frontier. Mrs. Grant, then Mary Hugunin, relates
that more than once she and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Peter
D. Hugunin, who had a pair of twins, sprang up in the
night on an alarm being raised ; each seized one of the twins
and fled, but returned when the alarm was found to be a
false one, as was generally the case. Mary, then a young
woman, kept house for her father and younger brothers in
Oswego during a part of the war, while the rest of the
family were sent away.
Eli Parsons, Jr., a son of the old colonel, owned and
navigated n small open boat on the river. On one occasion,
when no better means could be found, he undertook to carry
a boat-load of cannon-balls from Oswego to Sackett's Harbor.
But rough weather assailed him on the way, the boat with
its heavy freight went to the bottom, and the remains of
the unfortunate man were washed ashore near the mouth
of Little Salmon creek.
In the spring of 1813 there rode on horseback into
Oswego a midshipman in the United States navy, bearing
dispatches from Sackett's Harbor, which were forwarded to
Commodore Chauncey, then at the head of the lake. The
bearer, a native of Baltimore, had already reached the age
of thirty-five years. He had thrice looked upon the stately
form of Washington, had seen him the last time he
reviewed a body of troops, had witnessed the laying of the
corner-stone of the national capitol, had passed through
various financial vicissitudes in early life, had served under
Commodore Rodgers and the lamented Lawrence, had con-
versed with the gallant Decatur, and having twenty years
later become a citizen of Oswego, still survives, a resident
here, though in December of this year, 1877, he will reach
the age of a hundred years, rounding out a century which
began only eighteen months after the birth of the Republic.
Most citizens of Oswego will be aware that we refer to
the venerable John M. Jacobs. His business here in 1813
was not important, yet it seemed proper to notice the ap-
pearance at this stage of one who maintains his hold upon
life with so tenacious a grasp, and the sight of whom carries
the mind of the most unimaginative man back to the earliest
days of our national existence.
Among the reminiscences furnished to the Oswego Pal-
ladium during the centenary year by a son of Dr. Walter
Colton, now resident in Ohio, was one which we insert in
almost the language of the writer. IMany accidents hap-
pened in early times when vessels were passing into or out of
the harbor. Lieutenant (afterwards Commodore) Francis
H. Gregory, of the navy, frequently scouted along the lake-
shore during the war in a light-draught cutter called the
" Black-Snake." When entering the harbor on one occa-
sion a man fell overboard, was swept out by the current,
and drowned.
The body was soon after discovered on the east bar,
when the gallant young officer dived to the bottom and
brought it up. His boat, however, had drifted away,
through the mismanagement of the crew, but the lieutenant
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
clung to the body, aud finally, by desperate exertions and
with great peril, succeeded in carrying it ashore. There
was a military hospital on the beach near by, and some of
the invalids were outside. They were, or thought they
were, too feeble to help the lieutenant, who came very near
drowning. The moment he got ashore he laid down the
corpse he had rescued and went to throwing stones at the
soldiers with all his might, cursing them roundly for sitting
idle while he was likely to drown. They soon made their
way within the shelter of the ho.spital. The most remarka-
ble circumstance connected with the afiiiir was that one of
the sick soldiers in the hospital discovered the drowned
man to be his brother, who had left, home twenty years
before and had never been heard from since.
A few hours after Lieutenant Gregory had shown such
courage and humanity, the same passionate officer was en-
gaged in flogging a sailor, for some breach of discipline, in
the loft of Burt's warehouse. Several idle boys of the
village, among whom was young Colton, crowded in to see
the " fun." At this Gregory exploded again, and with a
storm of curses rushed upon the intruders " cat" in hand.
The boys tumbled head-over-heels down an outside stair-
way, while the future commodore shook his " cat" at them
in fury, and then returned to finish up the flogging, — a
kind of punishment common enough at that time, but long
since abolished by law.
When the British attacked Oswego, in 1814, all the
families left that could do so. Old Mr. Sheldon, knowing
that Captain E. M. Tyler was out" on the lake, came down
with an ox-sled and took the family out to his own resi-
dence. As soon as they arrived he sent his own son and
Joel Tyler back to bring some young cattle which were
glazing on the open grounds around the fort. Just as the
boys had got the steers and heifers started for home the
first gun was fired from the fleet, and the ball came scream-
ing and plunging close beside them. The cattle stuck up their
tails and galloped off' towards home, and the boys followed
at almost equal speed.
Even the terrors and troubles of war, however, did not
prevent the making of an important movement towards the
development of Oswego in 1814. A surveyor, named John
Randall, was sent on by the surveyor-general to remeasure
the State reservation on the east side of the river, and to
lay off a hundred acres in streets and village lots.
He Was ordered simply to follow the law designating the
bounds of the reserve, which directed that the southern
boundary should begin a mile from the mouth of the river,
and run thence a mile at right angles with the course of
the stream. Randall, however, managed to make the dis-
tances and angles materially different from those established
by Wright, encroaching seriously on the adjoining farm
lauds previously purchased. Anxiety was caused to the pur-
chasers, and delegations were several times sent to Albany
to obtain a restoration of the old line. Owing to a friendly
feeling towards the aged surveyor-general, whose proteg6
Randall was, no direct action was taken by the other State
authorities, but by general consent ^V^right's line was al-
lowed to pass as the correct one, and everybody conformed
to it in making purchases and .sales.
lu laying off' streets un the east side Mr. Randall pur-
sued the same system that had been adopted on the west
side. The streets parallel with the river were named East
First, East Second, East Third, etc., while Aries, Gemini,
Taurus, and the other celestial avenues were extended
across the stream to the east side of the new tract.
Early the next year peace was declared, and the people
at once began to occupy the lately-opened territory. Dr.
Coe, T. S. Morgan, and William Dolloway built houses on
the east side below Cayuga street. Others purchased lots
and began clearing away the trees in preparation for the
erection of buildings. By general consent the locality was
called East Oswego, though it was legally only a portion of
the town of Seriba.
Here, as everywhere on the frontier, there was a heavy
immigration immediately after the war, and Oswego rapidly
emerged from its chrysalis condition, — so rapidly, in fact,
that it will be impracticable henceforth to give the names
of individual settlers to the extent we have hitherto done.
In addition to the rapid improvement on the east side,
after the war, buildings began to show themselves on the west
side, at various points above Cancer (Bridge) street, which
had previously been the southern boundary of civilization.
One of the Hugunins, in 1815 or 1816, built a house,
then considered something palatial, on Mohawk street, near
the bank of the river, being the farthest south of any in
the village. Immediately after the war, too. Judge Sage
moved down from the Wentworth place and built him a
residence on the site of the Doolittle House.
Increasing prosperity made Oswego all the more anxious
to become the county-seat of the new county which was
proposed to be formed out of Oneida and Onondaga. The
great difficulty was that the village was very near the west
end of the large tract which it was designed to include in
the new county boundaries, and which, from the location
of counties already formed, eould not well be materially
changed. There was no doubt but that a large majority of
the people of the proposed county were opposed to locating
the county-seat so far on one side. Yet the village had
the advantage of being the only one of any consequence
within the proposed limits, and had naturally more capital
and brains to work with than any of its rivals.
At that period it was customary for the legislature, when
it created a new county, to appoint three commissioners
from other counties to select a county-seat. It was
altogether probable that if an act forming Oswego County
should be passed during the ensuing winter, the commis-
sioners would select a more central location than Oswego
village. Under these circumstances, Oswego and Pulaski
— which was also an aspirant for the honors and emolu-
ments pertaining to a capital city — ^joined forces. Dr.
Walter Colton drew up a bill containing a provision for
two county-seats, and visited Albany to urge its pa.ssago.
The principal inhabitants at both ends of the proposed
county .supported him, and the bill became a law on the
IGth day of March, 1816. It provided for commissioners
to locate the two county-.scats, but no one could doubt that
Oswego was the proper place at this end of the county, and
the selection was soon made.
The tonnage of the ves.sels belonging to the port at that
time was five hundred and four tons. The new county-
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
seat had not yet arrived at the dignity of a stage line.
The mail was still brought from Onondaga Hollow on
horseback. A little later a mail-route was established
from Utica to Oswego, the mail being also carried on horse-
back, and running once a week. The post-ofl5ce could not
have been a very profitable institution, which was probably
the reason that William Dolloway, who was appointed post-
master in January, 1815, gave up his position a year later.
Judge Sage was appointed postmaster, and, as he was
already collector, he could probably get a living out of the
two offices.
The establishment of a county-seat at Oswego was fol-
lowed by the advent of several lawyers. One of the very
earliest, if not the earliest, of these was John Grant, Jr.,
a young college graduate, who had been serving as a pay-
master in the army during the war and until a year after;
he was already a counsellor of the supreme court, when,
in the spring of 1816, he located at the promising village,
where he resided till his death. Theodore Popple was the
only other supreme court counsellor who made his home
there that first summer ; but at least two students came
who were anxious for the honors of admission to the bar.
When the first court of common pleas for Oswego
County was held at the old school-house, on the first day
of October, 1816, by Judge Peter D. Hugunin (in the
absence of First Judge Mooney), assisted by Judge Ed-
mund Hawks and " Assistant Justice"' Daniel Hawks, Jr.,
the people began to think that theu- village was really
amounting to something. The supreme court counsellors
before mentioned, as well as several outsiders, were ad-
mitted to practice on presentation of the credentials they
had already, and the students, George Fisher and Henry
White, were, after due examination, admitted as attorneys
of the common pleas. It may be remarked, for the benefit
of those accustomed only to the usages of the present day,
that the privilege of practicing in the last-named tribunal
only required three years' study, while the august honors
of the supreme court then demanded seven years of prepara-
tion from their recipient.
But, although Oswego had attained to the dignity of a
court, there was no litigation to be disposed of, no criminals
to be tried, and Judge Hugunin was obliged to adjourn sine
die. There was another young student, James F. Wright,
who located in Oswego about this time, but was not admitted
till the next term of the common pleas, held at Pulaski the
following February. Samuel B. Beach was another lawyer
who came nearly as soon as those who have been mentioned.
Another important event of 1816 was the organization
of the first church in the village. This was the First Pres-
byterian church, which was organized at the ever-useful
school-house on the 21st day of November by Rev. Mr.
Abeel, with seventeen members. Considering that it was
just twenty years since the settlement of Oswego began,
and that it had attained a population of five or six hundred
before a single religious association was formed, it must, we
think, be admitted that the place could not have suffered
severely from " early piety."
The next spring witnessed the appearance in Os ego
harbor of the " Ontario," which was not only the pioneer
steamboat of the lake whose name it bore, but was the veiy
first vessel of that kind ever seen on a lake anywhere in
the world. The event has been mentioned at some length
in the general history. The chapter devoted to the press
also contains a notice of another important event of this
year (1817), — the establishment of the first newspaper in
the village by S. A. Abbey & Brother, under the name of
the Osioego Gazette.
By this time the population on the east side had in-
creased so it was thought that a school could be supported
there. Not a school-house though ; that was an institu-
tion only to be obtained for East Oswego in the far future.
The first teacher of the few children of that locality was
Miss Philomela Robinson. She held forth in a hired room
near the river, and for eleven years the school was changed
from one rented building to another, occupying five or six
different ones in the time mentioned.
On the 20th of April, 1818, the town of Oswego, which
included all of the village west of the river, was formed
from Hannibal by an act of the legislature. The two parts
of the present city were now in the towns of Oswego and
Scriba, the inhabitants being frequently designated as Os-
wegoites and Scribaites. There was a bitter feud between the
boys on the two sides of the river, breaking out in frequent
fights, and woe to the unlucky juvenile who fouud himself
alone on the wrong side of the stream.
Then, as previously, a large part of the trade of Oswego
consisted of salt, brought down from Salina and shipped
westward. It is noted that in that year (1818) thirty-six
thousand bushels were brought from Salina, of which
twenty-six thousand were shipped westward.
In 1819 the Oswego Gazette, having passed through the
hands of Augustus Buckingham, was discontinued for a
short time, when John H. Lord and Dorephus Abbey,
with the material of the Gazette, began the publication of
that veteran of the press, the Oswego Palladium.
In 1820 the first grist-mill that was intended for manu-
facturing flour on a large scale was built, by Alvin Bronson
and T. S. Morgan.
It contained five run of stone, and was considered a
grand institution. It did a successful business ; but for ten
years no material advance was made in the work of mill-
ing. One of the proprietors, Colonel Morgan, was the
first member of the assembly from Oswego village, serving
during this same year.
All this' time Oswego was making very slow progress.
The Erie canal was in process of construction, people had
got a notion that trade was sure to flow along its channel, and
new settlers nearly all sought their fortunes in the cities and
villages growing up on its banks. The numerous stage-
coaches, too, which ran along the present line of the Cen-
tral railroad, carried the greater part of the passenger-
travel which had formerly passed through Oswego. Heavy
freight, however, still followed the old route.
Though the increase in numbers was small, however,
there was a material improvement in the appearance of the
village. Nearly all the old log houses had disappeared,
though a few still remained as relics of the pioneer days.
Neat frames had taken their places, and occasionally a brick
building might be seen, though this was very seldom.
In 1821 a light-house was built by the United States
LEONABD AMES.
Among the truly repreaenta-
tiTemeDof Oawego County, few,
If any, have been more inti-
mutely asBociat«d with the ma-
terial derelopment of thttt part
of the State than Leunard Ames,
the well'kuowu banker and iron
oianufacturer. Mr. Ames not
only witnessed the transition of
a small village into the largest
and most prosperous city in the
county, — of a thin settlement
into a busy and populous com-
anity.ofaseuii-witderoeaBinto
duct'
pereon
has typified so admirably the
agencies which wrought many
of these changes, that uo history
of Oswego County would be com-
plete withontsomeaketch of his
life, labors, and character.
Mr. Ames is of New England
-origin, his parents having re-
moTed frum Litchfield, Connec-
timt, to Mexico township, this
county, in 1814. The subject of
town of Mexico, February 8,
1818. He was the seventh child
of a family of thirteen. His
early life, like that of most of
our nuccessful business men,
was one of close application,
self-reliance, and self-denial.
He worked on the farm until
he reached his twenty-fourth
1 the Wabash r
of Indiana. At this time that
State was quite new, and the
present improvements in navi-
gation and transportation were
> Sute, and thrice Mr.
returned east on horseback from
Delphi, Indiana, there being no
public conveyance of any kind
part of the distance. Subse-
quently, Mr. Ames returned to
this county, and, in connection
with James S. Chandler, entered
into the private banking busi-
oeaa at Mexico, and afterwards
one of the originators of the
firm of Ames, Howlett & Co., at
Oswego. In 1864 he was the
prime mover in the or^aiiization
of the Second National Bank of
that city, of which ho has been
president from that time to the
present. He alio became a mem-
ber of the firm operating the
terpris* and energy In their
establishment. These works em-
ploy an aggregate of one hun-
dred and sixty hands, and aver-
ago the Dianufactiire of one
locomotive daily. In this, as to
all other of his business under-
takings, he has been eminently
successful. Honesty and a firm
desire to succeed have been the
Ho ha« evinced an excellent
judgment in all his ti-auaactions,
and sterling honesty has been
the basis of his operatiuni.
This is high testimony, but It is
only the retlex of the prominent
traits of Mr. Ames' character;
and what to the stmng» reader
may seem peculiarly the lan-
guage of eulogy, will be readily
recognized hyali who know him
OS a mere plain, uncolored state-
ment of the salient points of hiv
character, and features of his
commercial career.
Mr. Ames has figured quite
conspicuously in local. State,
and national politics. He was
elected wupervisor of the town
of Mexico in 185.'), a member of
the Assembly in 1857, and was a
delegate to the Chicago Conven-
tion which nominated Abraham
Lincoln (of glorious memory)
to the presidency. He was the
appointee under President Lin-
coln for the United States asses-
sorship for the twenty-second
Congressional dietrirt, which
positien he occupied (vut years,
being removed by Andy John-
an uncompromising abolition-
ist; having in him the inherent
love of freedom and a natural
hatred of oppre»>jion.
1 the
^C/LO 2 /<^ Z'^^^^^-:/
safe transport of fugitive slaves,
and that, too, at a time when
public sentiment was largely
pro-slavery.
Mr. Ames never enjoyed the
advantages of education, but
being naturally intelligent, and
endowed with a large amount of
I sense, industry, perse-
succeeded in building a reputa-
tion as wide spread as it is envi-
able Indeed, it may be truly
saKl of bim, that his entire career
IB niic worthy the emulation of
theyjung and a fitting example
for all Borttt and conditions of
bn«inoBi men to follow,
Residence: or LEONARD AMES,NoU2,co/f.4i'^ &oneida sts..Osw£6o,N.Y
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
govoriimciit on the north side of the fort. It was first
lii;litcd up the following spring. Tiiis was an important
'' institution" in those days, and was followed by two others
the same year (1822). A frame court-house was built on
the park on the east side of tlie river, the original court-
house block on the west side having been sold by permis-
sion of the legislature, and the proceeds applied to the
building of the structure just mentioned. When finished
it was used as a meeting-house. In fact, so eager were the
people to employ it for that purpose that they occupied it
before the paint was dry on the seats, and many a Sunday
suit was badly injured in consequence.
The first bridge, too, was erected in this year at the same
point as the present lower bridge. It was bragged about
in contemporary publications as a tremendous structure,
seven hundred feet long and costing two thousand dollars !
In truth, its erection was no slight task for that era. Wooden
boxes (caissons) were sunk in the river and filled with
stone, and on these the bridge was placed. Edwin W.
Clark, then just twenty-one, was the first man across the
new structure.
Nearly the first use that was made of the bridge was for
a battle. The Oswegoite and Scribaite boys, mindful of the
warlike traditions of the locality, mustered all their forces
on this convenient though narrow field the first night after
its completion, and proceeded to test their superiority by a
resort to the last arbitrament of kings and of boys. Long
the victory hung doubtful in the balance, while the com-
batants rivaled the deeds of De Montcalm and Mercer, of
Bradstreet and De Villiers. of Mulcaster and Mitchell, of
Pontiac and Warragiyaghcy, while many an eye was
closed in temporary darkness, while many a nasal organ
dripped plenteous gore upon the virgin planks of the new
bridge, and while the wild Oswego murmured a subdued
accompaniment to many a dismal shriek. But " Providence
fiivors the strongest battalions," and at length the superior
numbeis of the Oswego army compelled the slow retreat of
the gallant Scribaites. They fell back in good order and
were not pursued.
The contractor for the bridge, who.se name was Church,
did not entirely fini.sh his work till the beginning of winter.
Being desirous of transporting his chains and tools to the
northern part of Jefiierson county, he put them on board the
schooner " Morning Star," commanded by young Captain
Tyler, who, at the age of twenty, then made his first trip
as commander of a vessel. The voyage is noticeable for
the late time in the season at which it occurred. Captain
T. left Oswego on the 13th of December, proceeded to
Ogdensburgh (leaving the tools as he went on the ice, which
had already formed along the shore of the St. Lawrence),
cut his own way through the ice near that place, and got
back to 0.swego on the 23d. It has beenjilong time since
a vessel has traver.sed the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario
in the latter part of December.
Among the other vessels which Captain Tyler mentions
as then running on the lake were the " Henrietta," " Vi-
enna," " Gold-Hunter^" " Betsey," " Traveler," " Julia,"
" Hunter," '• Niagara," " Oswego," " New Haven," and
" Linda." A large business was dune in bringing staves
from the head of the lake and takiii- them down the St.
Lawrence. Some lumber was also carried, but hardly a
single bushel of grain had yet found its way from the west
to the shore of Lake Ontario. There was a little of one
kind of trade which has since disappeared. To save
making the portage from the Hudson to Lake Champlain,
goods were frequently brought from New York by means
of the Inland Navigation company's canal, through Oneida
lake to Oswego, and thence shipped down the St. Lawrence.
Lot No. 6 of the Military tract, now forming the western
portion of the city, had been a subject of legal warfare in
the courts ever since its being granted by the land-comniis-
b-ionei's. Martin Van Buren was the counsel for one of the
claimants, and Moses J. Cantine, his brother-in-law, was the
attorney. In 1822 the contest was .it length decided in
favor of Mr. Van Buren's client. The tract was not even
then very valuable, and the expenses of litigation had been
such as to more than equal what the land was worth.
The title was accordingly transferred, through Mr. Cantine,
to Mr. Van Buren in payment for his services. The land
in question has ever since been known as the Van Buren
tract, and a portion of it is still owned by the heirs of the
ex-president. It is now probably worth more than a thou-
sand times what the coun.selor would have charged for his
services in 1822.
As has been mentioned in the general history, Mr. Bron-
son was chosen to the State senate in the autumn of the
year just mentioned, and continued there the up-hill work
of getting an appropriation for a canal from Syracuse, in
which he and others had been for several years engaged.
The next year, 1823, the Oswego Canal company was
chartered, — not for constructing a commercial canal, how-
ever, but a manuflicturing one, on the east side of the river.
The State soon after built a wing-dam to throw the water
of the river into the canal, under an aiTangement that the
latter was to be used as a part of the State canal. It was
so used for a brief period, but the scheme was found im-
practicable, and a separate canal had to be built for boats.
In the year 1823, also, Oswego received the benefit of its
first steamboat line, consisting of the primitive "Ontario,"
the new steamer "Martha Ogden," and a small one called
the '■ Sophia." As in the milling so in the steamboat line,
very little improvement was seen thenceforth until 1830.
It was not until 1825, nine years after Oswego had be-
come a county-seat, that it could boast of a church edifice.
In that year the First Presbyterian society erected a frame
in the centre of the public square, on the west side.
The first member of Congress from Oswego, General
Daniel Hugunin, Jr., was elected in 1824, awarded his
seat after a contest, and held it until March, 1827. He
devoted himself especially to securing an appropriation for
a pier to protect Oswego harbor. He succeeded in obtain-
ing one, and in the spring of 1827 the important work was
commenced by the contractors, MeNair & Hatch.
Meanwhile Mr. Bronson in the senate and Colonel Mor-
gan in the assembly had been the principal agents in urging
through a law for the construction of the Oswego canal,
which had been begun in 1826. It was completed in 1828,
and then at last the long-neglected village began to feel the
first waves of the tide of business which it had been expect-
ing for nearly thirty years.
148
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Even at that late date there was hardly a thousand pop-
ulation in the villages on both sides of the river, and there
liad never been even a village organization. But a lavr was
passed providing for one at the session of the legislature
in 182S, and on the 13th of May of that year the first elec-
tion of officers was held. Hon. Alvin Bronson was chosen
the first president of the village, with Thomas Willett as
treasurer and John Howe as collector. The board of tras-
tees comprised seven of the most eminent men in the vil-
lage, — Daniel Hugunin, Jr., the ex-Congressman ; George
Fisher, who had received a certificate as member, and had
held the seat for a short time ; David P. Brewster, subse-
quently a member for two terms ; Colonel T. S. Morgan,
the ex-assemblyiijan ; Nathaniel Vilas, Jr. ; Joseph Turner ;
and Orlo Steele.
In those still primitive times the inhabitants of the vil-
lage settled the amount of their local taxes by a viva voce
vote, as is now done at town-meetings. While the whole
village voted the amount to be raised for general purposes,
each of the two "sides" decreed how much should be de-
voted to the special uses of that side. Accordingly, at the
first election the whole population voted to raise two hun-
dred dollars for the common use of the village. Then the
west-siders collected together and voted that three hundred
dollars should be levied for local improvements in their dis-
trict, and the eastern voters followed suit by devoting the
modest sum of one hundred dollars to the same purposes
on their side of the river. It is fair to presume, and the
presumption is corroborated by the evidence, that these
sums corresponded with reasonable closeness to the popula-
tion of the two sections, and that the west side, in 1828,
contained three-fourths of the inhabitants of the village.
The record of the first election was signed by Daniel Hu-
gunin, Jr., Joseph Turner, and John Howe, justices of the
peace.
At the meeting of the board Edwin W. Clarke was ap-
pointed the first village clerk, and John Howe village sur-
veyor. In accordance with a vote of the west-side people,
the board leased the north third of the market-ground for
nine hundred and ninety-nine years. They were also
authorized to lease in the same manner the north third of
the easterly block of the public square. The price of a
grocery-license was fixed at ten dollars.
Henry Eagle, Francis Rood, Thomas Ambler, and Wm.
I. Kniflen were appointed fire-wardens, and divers quaint
regulations were made to insure the subdual of conflagra-
tions. The fire-wardens were provided with badges of
office, consisting of staffs seven feet long, painted red, with
the words "fire-warden" upon each of them. The fire-
wardens were directed to attend every fire with their
badges of office, and attend to the forming of lines and
other necessary measures. Trustees present at a fire were
also directed to wear white bands around their hats. If
any contumacious individual should refuse to obey the
orders of either fire-warden or a trustee, it was ordered that
he should be fined two dollars. As there were eleven war-
dens and trustees, there was considerable danger of contra-
dictory orders, but no umpire was provided for in such a
case. Each citizen was required to have a fire-bucket for
every two fireplaces or stoves in his house, to be kept hang-
ing at the front of his building, with his name painted upon
them, and in case of fire every man was required to take his
buckets thither, under penalty of two dollars fine. Lost,
however, these regulations should not produce the desired
eflFect, a fire company was raised, consisting at first of thirty,
and afterwards of fifty, members.
This year, 1828, the east side had advanced sufficiently
so that a few of its most enterprising inhabitants thought it
possible that a school-house might be erected. A school-
meeting was called at the store of Milton Harmon. At the
appointed time only three persons were present, — Harmon
himself, James Sloan, and Joseph Turner. They repre-
sented the sovereignty of the people, and they proceeded to
enact that a school-house was absolutely necessary, and
should be erected at a cost not exceeding one hundred dol-
lars. The next morning the conservatives of the east side
were shocked to learn that they had been saddled with a
tax of one hundred dollars for an article of such doubtful
utility as a school-house. They threatened to prevent the
resolution from being carried out, to have it rescinded, etc.,
but finally consented to the proposed movement, strictly on
condition that the cost of furniture should be included in
the hundred dollars appropriated for the school-house.
Another church edifice (Episcopal) was also begun on
the southeast corner of the west-side public square in 1828.
There began to be some queries about the propriety of
using the square for such purposes, and the next year the
council resolved that only four churches should be built on
the ground in question. These were to be situated at the
four corners, at each of which a piece of land ninety-eight
feet front by one hundred and twenty feet back should be
set apart for church uses.
These corners refer to the square as now laid out, for in
1829 the board leased the remainder of the eastern block,
and by that or some other means acquired a hundred dol-
lars with which to improve the remainder of the square.
It was intended that the Presbyterian church should be
moved from the centre to one of the corners, but it was
never done.
At this time the salmon were still running thick in the
streams, for the first dams were not so high as to prevent
their passage, and at long intervals a deer made his way
from the outlying forest on to Oak hill, gazed for an in-
stant at the little village below, and then darted back to his
leafy retreats. In the night, at salmon time, "jack-lights,"
composed of blazing pine knots held in the prows of skiffs,
went flashing up and down the river, giving a picturesque
touch to the usual humdrum of village life. But the board
of trustees did not appreciate the picturesque, and either for
fear of fire, or because the blazing knots disturbed the
sleepy citizens, the village fiithers brought down the ex-
tinguishing hand of power upon the jack-lights. They
enacted that none should be used below Leo (Oneida)
street, and that above that point none should be brought
within three rods of a dwelling.
The beach on the river and lake north of Aries (Schuy-
ler) street was sot apart as a public fishing-ground, but was
free only for the hook and spear ; no one could draw seine
or net there without permission from the board of trustees,
who put the privilege up at auction.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
149
Even before the completion of the Welliind canal, its
anticipated benefits were so great that a new liotel, erected
in 1829, on Gemini (Cayuga) street, between First and
Second, was called the Welland House. For a long time
this was the grand hotel of the village, where all distin-
guished strangei-s stopped, where all conventions were held,
and where everybody met everybody else.
In 1830 the AVelland can:d was opened, and the same
year saw an upward movement of the long-dormant milling
business. Two mills with six run of stone each were built :
one by Henry Fitzhugh and one by Gerrit Smith and Rich-
ard L. De Zeng. Messrs. Smith and Fitzhugh, who were
brothers-in-law, both became largely interested in Oswego
property ; the latter remaining till his death one of the
leading citizens of the place, and Mr. Smith, though not a
resident, always manifesting a deep interest in its welfare.
By the census of the last-named year the population of
the village was about two thousand two hundred ; having
more than doubled within two years. The increase was the
most rapid on the east side, which had now risen to about
a third of the total population.
These were the times of hot warfare regarding Masonry.
Masonry itself had suspended operations in this county,
but anti-Masonry had also reached its climax, and was de-
clining in power. At the spring election for the town of
Oswego, the Democratic party, which was still sometimes
called by its old Jeffersonian name of " Republican," had
a majority of about sixty over the anti-Masons. Matthew
McNair was elected supervisor, and among the five assessors
were ex-congressman Rudolph Bunner and ex senator
Alvin Bronson. One of the three inspectors of schools
was William F. Alien, a young lawyer of twenty-two, who
had only the year before been admitted to the bar. Mat-
thew McNair, Samuel Carter, and Edward Bronson were
the " commissioners of gospel lots," — ofiicers having charge
of the land set apart for religious purposes in each township
of the Military tract.
On the 1st of August, 1830, the little schooner " Erie"
came down the lake to Oswego. A great crowd greeted its
arrival with the most exuberant manifestiitions of joy, and
its oflBcers and passengers were entertained at a gi-and ban-
quet at the Welland House, where the wildest predictions
were made regarding the results to flow from the coming of
that little schooner. The reason of all this excitement was
that the " Erie" was the first^comer from the lake whose
name it bore, — the first vessel to pass through the Welland
canal.
One of the severest of the early fires in Oswego occurred
on the 1st of October, 1830. All the buildings on the
west side of West First street, from Gemini (Cayuga)
street to Taurus (Seneca) street, and thence along Taurus
to the corner of Second street, were reduced to ashes. That
locality was then in the heart of the business portion of the
village, and the list of losers included the names of F. T
Carrington, D. P. Brewster, E. & T. Wentworth, R. L. De
Zeng, Bronson & Doming, L. B. Crocker, George Fisher,
J. I. Fort, A. Richardson, Dr. W. G. Adkins, and others
of the " heavy men" of that era. But the place was then
in the full tide of growth, and the scars of fire were quickly
.obliterated.
The first church built on the east side was the First
Baptist, the society of that name having received permis-
sion in March, 1831, to erect an edifice -on the northwest
corner of the east square. The desire for higher education
than could be afforded by the district schools also began to
manifest itself, and in 1831 a number of the leading citi-
. zens associated themselves to found an academy. The
foundation of the building was laid that year on part of the
block originally intended for the east portion of the public
square and leased by the city, but hardly was the new
structure erected when jealousies arose on account of its
proximity to the district school, which was still the only one
in the place. So the trustees sold the new building and
purchased another on Taurus (Seneca) street, between
Third and Fourth. This was used for school purposes for
nearly twenty years.
Another proceeding which indicated the awakening of
the literary spirit was the opening of a reading-room by
Mr. John Carpenter, the proprietor of the l\illaditim,
where the principal periodicals of the country were kept on
file, and were submitted to the perusal of readers at a sub-
scription price of four dollars a year.
The loss of the new schooner " Henry Clay," belonging
to Mr. Fitzhugh, causing as it did the death of Captain
Duncan Campbell and a number of seamen, cast a temporary
gloom over the rising village, quickly dissipated by the
constantly broadening glow of material prosperity.
Early in 1832, rumors of the hitherto unknown destroyer,
cholera, began to alarm the people. In time the mysterious
miasma, wafted from the Atlantic coast, approached the
frontier village. Meetings of the citizens to devise pro-
tective measures against the deadly invader were held, and
in a short time the trustees appointed a board of health,
consisting of Joel Turrill, Rudolph Bunner, T. S. Morgan,
H. N. Walton, John Grant, Jr., G. II. McWhorter, Elisha
Moon, Joseph Grant, and Ambrose Morgan. Dr. W. G.
Adkins was appointed health ofiicer.
One event of the cholera period is worthy of especial
notice. Money was deemed necessary to drain unhealthy
localities and to take other precautions, and the trustees
had no power to pledge the village for that purpose. They
therefore resolved to raise, and did raise, a thousand dollars
by their personal notes, trusting to the legislature to au-
thorize the necessary tax. The cholera came and many fell
before it, but one can learn little on the subject by consulting
contemporary records. People were very shy of saying
much, for fear of increasing the panic. As for the news-
papers of 1832, one couldn't learn from them that there
had been any cholera within a thousand miles.
At this period the remains of old Fort Oswego were still
to be seen at the foot of the hill on the west side. Tra-
dition asserted that when the fort was taken by the French
(or, as the people generally misunderstood it, when it was
taken by the English from the French) a large amount of
specie was hidden in the old well within the inclosure, and
still remained in concealment. Numerous searches had
been made, water-witches and "sorcerers" had been (m-
ployod, but the seekers had not been able to find even il o
well, much les.s the money. But in the latter part of lt32
a man named Scripture, from Sandy Creek, wliile rummaging
150
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
round within the old wall, and near where the liberty-pole
then stood, found the long-abandoned well. If he found
any specie he said nothing to any one about it, and the next
morning he left the village, his discovery being marked only
by the presence of numerous cartridge-boxes, bullets, etc.,
thrown out by the finder. The well was about sixteen feet
deep and four feet across, and was well walled up. It was
a focus of curiosity for a few days, but people were too
busy then to devote much time to inve.stigating the relics
of the past.
Each succeeding month saw an increase of population
and of wealth. The then immense sum of a thousand
dollars was raised by general tax, and after the cholera had
passed by all sorts of improvements were the order of the
day.
The remainder of the eastern third of the public square
and of the market ground, on the west side, were disposed of,
and the avails applied to improving the western section of
the village. The lot on the northeast corner of the market
ground was sold for eleven hundred and fifty dollars, subject
to a yearly rent of ninety dollars to the village. Mr. Van
Buren laid out a portion of Military lot No. G into streets
and lots, and these streets were soon opened by the author-
ities as far as the village bounds extended.
Abraham Varick, a wealthy capitalist, had the Varick
canal constructed, for hydraulic purposes, under the man-
agement of R. L. De Zeng, on the west bank of the river.
The wall between it and the river was built ten feet thick
at bottom, about four feet thick at the top, sixteen feet high,
and three thousand feet long ; the canal being sixty-two
feet wide and seven feet deep, with a fall of nineteen feet
deep, and costing, when completed two years later, seventy-
five thousand dollars.
Politics also were hot. There was a Bronson and a
Turrill section of the Democratic party, under the leadership
of Hon. Alvin Bronson and Hon. Joel Turrill, and between
that party and its opponents, now rapidly taking the name
of Whig, the fight was as lively as could well be desired.
General Peter Sken Smith, a brother of Gerrit Smith, and
a lawyer, residing on the east side of the river, was a leader
of the opposition ; the FaUadhim was the organ of the
Democrats, the Free Press and afterwards the Democrat
were the champions of the Whigs, and the wordy wars,
frequently enlivened with libel suits, were even more fierce
than at the present day.
There was but a single school district on the west side of
the river up to 1834. In that year a new one was formed,
bounded by Gemini (Cayuga), Third, and Scorpio (Albany)
streets and the river, being district No. 12 of the town of
Oswego. In fact, people hardly had time to attend to
such little things as schools. By 1835 everybody was get-
ting rich at forty knots an hour. The Oswego bank turned
out money in unlimited quantities, and the next year the
Commercial bank was equally liberal. The lovers of inflation
had everything their own way. A fire which burned up
Fitzhugh's grist-mill, Bronson & Morgan's grist-mill, and
fifteen or twenty other large buildings, was hardly noticed.
There was plenty of money to build more.
Some reserved lots on the river and outward harbor, be-
longing to the State, were sold at auction. Competitors
came from New York, Albany, and other places, anxious
to make their fortunes out of Oswego land. One large
lot of about three acres sold for a hundred and eight
thousand dollars. Twelve small ones brought about forty-
eight thousand. No one doubted that all the property then
bought would be sold for much larger amounts. It was
asserted that the State had then received three hundred
thousand dollars for property in 0.swego, and had still a
large amount left.
The collections at the custom-house felt the astonishing
impetus of business. For the third quarter of 1835 they
were over twenty-one thousand dollars, and it was announced
that the collections for the second and third quarters of that
year were thirtt/ times as much as they had been for the
corresponding quarters in 1834. A gentleman came from
the east and bought the old "Oswego House," occupying
somewhat less ground than the present " Fitzhugh," for a
hundred thousand dollars. He paid ten thousand dollars
down, and that was the end of it.
The year 1836 opened with still more glowing prospects.
In March there were thiity-five vessels building at once,
averaging a hundred tons each. Property continued to rise.
A block between Sixth and Seventh streets, which had been
purchased the summer before for two thousand dollars, was
now sold for sixteen thousand I
There were at this time on the two hydraulic canals six
grist-mills, two cotton-factories, three machine-factories, a
stone-polishing mill, a tobacco-factory, three extensive tan-
neries, four saw-mills, a cedar-cutting mill, a large foundry,
and extensive iron-works.
Besides these, there were in the village a Presbyterian,
an Episcopal, a JMethodist, a Baptist, a Congregational, and
a Catholic church ; an academy, two banks, seven taverns,
twenty-one general stores, two weekly newspapers, and about
six hundred dwellings, containing in the neighborhood of
five thousand inhabitants. Any one who should then have
denied that Oswego would soon be one of the first cities on
the continent would have been considered a lunatic and a
traitor.
But in the latter part of 1836 the trouble began. In-
flation had been carried to its utmost possible extent, and
when the reaction set in, the vast volume of the practically
irredeemable paper-money shriveled up befoi-e the hot breath
of the panic, involving the whole country in financial dis-
aster which has never since been approached.
The Oswego people could not at first believe that their
high hopes were so completely blasted, and for a while en-
deavored to breast the tide. But all through 1837 prices
continued to sink, and money, of late so plentiful, became
scarce beyond conception. Both banks broke. Millions
of imaginary wealth disappeared. Nearly every business
man became bankrupt. The firm of Bronson & Crocker
struggled through almost alone. Building ceased, and for
years Oswego lay commercially supine under the weight of
the terrible " hard times."
On the 1st of March, 1837, a new and complete code of
village laws was enacted by the trustees, all previous ordi-
nances having been repealed. Regarding the usual provisions
regulating the market, forbidding the running at large of
animals, etc., little need be said here, but there were two
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
151
sections regarding the streets wliich are of nineh inter-
est.
The people had become thorouglily weary of tlie celestial
street-names selected by old Simeon De Witt. The use of
these had now been extended as far south as the south line
of the old State reservation, near the present Ohio street.
To the mind of the ordinary, common-sense citizens, there
was something outlandish in such names as Aries, Taurus,
Cancer, Scorpio, Caprieornus, and Sagittarius ; and if he
kTiew enough of Latin to tran.slate those appellations into
Ham street. Bull street, Crab street, etc., it did not materi-
ally help the matter.
So in 1837 the trustees, responding to the general wish,
changed the name of all the old streets in the village run-
ning east and west. Auriga street was transformed into
De Witt, A(|uila to Mitchell, Lj-ra to Van Buren, Aries to
Schuyler, Taurus to Seneca, Gemini to Cayuga, Cancer to
Bridge, Leo to Oneida, Virgo to Mohawk, Libra to Utica,
Scorpio to Albany, Sagittarius to Erie, Caprieornus to Nia-
gara, and Afjuarius to Ohio street. A street running north
and south, which had previously borne the name of Van
Buren, was changed to Eighth street.
It w;is also provided that the curb-stones of the side-
w;ilks on all streets from and including Second to the river
(and on Bridge street as far as Fourth), on the east side,
.should be placed nineteen feet from the street-line. In
West First, West Second, north of Mohawk, and in West
Seneca, east of Second, the curb-stones were to be twenty
feet from the street-lines ; while in all other streets a hun-
dred feet wide they were to be twenty-six feet from the
This, of course, left a wide space between the sidewalk
and street-Hue. It was further enacted that on the business
streets before mentioned, where the curb was nineteen or
twenty feet from the line, the owner might build a platform
seven feet wide into the street on which to display goods.
On the streets where the curb was twenty-six feet out
(except from Second street to the river), the inhabitants
were allowed to inclose seventeen feet of space with an
ornamental fence, to be removed on thirty days' notice from
the board of trustees.
This practically reduced the streets from a hundred to
sixty-six feet wide. The result has been to make Oswego
one of the shadiest and hand.somest cities in the country.
The owners of adjoining lots had no permission to build on
the seventeen feet, but they universally availed themselves
of the permission to inclose it. Consequently, throughout
almost all Oswego, the houses are invariably at least seven-
teen feet from the sidewalk ; the intervening space being
usually occupied by a handsome shaded yard, — a sight
hardly to be seen in any other city of its size in the world.
In the latter part of 1837 the financial depression was
variegated if not relieved by the excitement regarding the
celebrated " Patriot War," Oswego, on account of its
being the general gateway of communication with Canada,
was perhaps more infected with " patriot" sympathy than
any other town on the frontier. All through 1838 con-
tinued excitement prevailed, and men and means were sent
to the insurgents by the " Hunter" lodges formed along
the border. We have described some of the leading events
of this period in the general history of the county, in-
cluding the operations of the steamer " United Stiites," and
the publication of the Oswego Patriot ; but there was one
affair of a local nature, near the close of the disturbances,
which we will mention here.
On the 12th of January, 1839, two brass field-pieces,
which had been stolen from some State arsenal by the
patriots, were found concealed about a machine-shop just at
the east end of the bridge. On the 14th they were seized
by George H. MeWliortcr, United States marshal, and
placed in charge of a guard of regular soldiers. The next
day he prepared to remove them to a more secure place. A
crowd began to a.ssemble, who desired to prevent their
being put out of reach of the " patriots " The marshal
sent for a company of United States troops, which was
quartered in the United States hotel property, where the
noimal school now is. The company came down upon the
bridge, where they were immediately surrounded by an im-
mense crowd, so closely packed that the soldiers could
hardly have brought a musket to bear had they tried.
The mar.shal was unwilling to proceed to extremities.
Finally John Bunner, an ardent " sympathizer," remem-
bered that Colonel Runnill, of the New York State militia,
who was also the keeper of the jail, had orders to take posses-
sion of all arms bearing the State mark, as the two field-pieces
did. The colonel was hunted up, and demanded the guns
in the name of the State. As the claim was reasonable on
the face of it, the marshal decided to give them up to him,
though he was known to be in sympathy with the " pa-
triots," For this reason the crowd assented to the arrange-
ment. The cannon were dragged out, and under the
nominal charge of Colonel Runnill were paraded through
the principal streets, preceded by drum and fife, and sur-
rounded by the exultant sympathizers, who numbered
nearly all the people of the village. The cannon were
finally deposited in the jail-yard, on the site of the present
city hall, under the charge of the worthy colonel.
A short time afterwards a number of sympathizers took
possession of them without difiiculty, dragged them by a
roundabout road to the locality now called Minetto, and
concealed them under the floor of a barn, ready for
the next invasion of Canada. The United States troops,
which had been reinforced from Sackett's Harbor, got on
the track of the lost guns, and marched to the ueighborhcod
where they were concealed, but could not find them.
None of the people would betray wliat they considered the
cause of freedom. Colonel Runnill was afterwards court-
martialed for allowing the cannon to be taken from his
possession ; but the militia officers who tried him were
probably as friendly to the " patriots" as himself, and he
was speedily acquitted.
Among the results of the military excitement of the day
was the organization, in 1839, of the " Oswego Guards," the
first uniformed militia company in the village of which we
can find any account. Its first officers were Captain S. S.
Hulbert, Lieutenant J. AV. Ransom, and Ensign G. S.
Titus.
Notwithstanding the hard times the trustees continued
to order the paving and improving of streets, and fifteen
hundred dollars were raised for general purposes in ISllS.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
But for several years thereafter it was very quiet in Os-
wego. About 1842 or 1843 the village began slowly to re-
cover from the previous depression. In the latter year the
Eagle and the Washington mills, each with five run of
stone, were erected, being the first since the panic. The
next year the Empire mill was built, new residences began
to rise, and commerce showed signs of improvement.
The Masons had been under the ban of public opinion in
all this section ever since the Morgan afi"air, but in 1845 a
new secret order made its appearance in Oswego. The first
lodge of Odd-Fellows, " Oswegatchie," was organized here
in May of that year.
Business and improvements continued to increase during
184G, but 1847 was the most remarkable j'ear which had
yet been known. No less than six large mills were built in
that single year, — the Atlas, Premium, Pearl, Seneca, Lake
Ontario, and Express, — having in all forty-two run of stone,
and being capable of making four thousand two hundred
barrels of flour per day. New business blocks, churches,
and residences arose on all sides, and people began to talk
railroad and city. Oswego lodge of Ma.sons was organized,
the first in the place since the outbreak of anti-Masonry.
The next year both city and railroad talk became accom-
plished facts. Application was duly made to the legis-
lature, and on the 24th of March an act was passed by that
body organizing the city of Oswego. It was divided into
four wards, each represented in the council by two alder-
men, who exercised the legislative power of the new body
politic, while the executive authority was confided to a
mayor.
The first city election resulted in the choice of James
Piatt as mayor, and of Hunter Crane, Gilbert Mollison,
Stephen H. Lathrop, Robert Oliver, George S. Alvord,
John Brigeol, Samuel S. Taylor, and William S. Malcolm.
The council appointed J. M. Casey as the first city clerk.
The railroad from Syracuse was completed in October,
and this gave a new impetus to the business of the youthful
city.
The same year another institution was established, which
has been almost as important to Oswego as the railroad or
the city government. This was the starch-factory erected
on the Varick canal by an Auburn joint-stock company, and
placed under the management of T. Kingsford & Son. A
full account of this important establishment will be found
elsewhere. Two more mills were built in 1848, — the
Crescent and the Huron.
In 1849 a wooden bridge was built across the river on
Utica street, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. Toll was
still exacted on the old one on Bridge street, but the new
one built by the city was free.
By 1850 the population had risen to twelve thousand
two hundred and five. Ships loaded with grain came down
from all the upper lakes by the score. That newly-invented
Yankee notion, the elevator, quickly transferred it to the
canal-boat or the mill, and it was speedily sent forward to
New York or transferred into flour. The old academy had
gone down, and there were only district schools in the new
city. To supply the defect iu higher education the Oswego
seminary was opened in the " United States hotel" building
in May, 1850, and for a while met with gratifving suecess.
In 1852 the city had advanced far enough, so it was
thought, to be lit by gas, and the Oswego gaslight factory
was incorporated. On the 11th of February the same
year, the Oswego orphan asylum was organized.
One of the first, as it was one of the most important,
events of 1853, was the organization of the schools of the
city in a compact system, controlled by a board of educa-
tion, in place of the ten or twelve disunited districts previ-
ously existing.
But by far the most startling and impressive event of the
year 1853, and probably of that whole decade, was the great
fire of July 5. All the mills and elevators on the east side
of the river were destroyed, and most of the buildings in
the second ward. But ere the ashes were cold the enter-
prising citizens began to rebuild. Six mills were rebuilt,
with increased capacity, during that and the succeeding
year, and no less than eight elevators. These, added to
those which had escaped the fire, made a total of seventeen
mills and ten elevators in operation at the end of 1854.
Other improvements were made at the same period.
The old wooden toll-bridge, erected in 1822, was replaced,
in 1855, by an iron one, built by the city at a cost of
forty-two thousand dollars.
That generous philanthropist, Gerrit Smith, who had
long had an interest in Oswego, in 1853 gave twenty-five
thousand dollars to establish a city library, then committing
its ipanagement to a board of trustees appointed by himself.
A large two-story brick for the use of the library, on the
corner of West Second and Oneida streets, was built in
1853 and 1854. A more full account of this important
institution is given separately farther on.
In 1854 the celebrated reciprocity treaty was negotiated
between the United States and Great Britain, by which
most of the natural products of the United States and
British America were admitted into each of those countries
respectively duty free. Oswego, the great entrepot of the
Canadian trade, was greatly benefited by this treaty, and
all the steamers, propellers, schooners, mills, elevators, and
canal-boats were crowded to their utmost capacity by the
grain and other products of Canada superadded to those of
the west.
During the five years from 1850 to 1855 the population
increased from twelve thousand to near sixteen thousand,
a growth more rapid than that of any other city in the
State. Sixty-nine Oswego vessels, including steamers, pro-
pellers, and schooners, with an aggregate tonnage of twenty-
one thousand two hundred and seven tons, rode in and out
of her busy harbor, besides the numerous ones belonging to
other ports.
From that time till the beginning of the Rebellion,
Oswego continued its onward course. Even the panic of
1857, which seriously aifected the trade of the country at
large, but slightly checked that of Oswego. In 1860 the
population was sixteen thousand eight hundred and sixteen.
The stirring events of the next four years, the march of
gallant battalions to the seat of war, the story of their hard-
ships and their valor, the return of their thinned but vic-
torious ranks, have all been recounted in the general history
of the county. While a host of gallant volunteers left the
little city built on the classic ground of the old French and
IIISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
153
tho Revolutionary wars, the thousands who remained pushed
on the more prosaic but equally necessary business of every-
day life with scarcely diminished vis^or.
A new iron bridge was built, in place of the wooden one
on Utica street, iu 1807, and other improvements were not
neglected.
But with the abrogation of the reciprocity treaty in 18GG
came a decided check to the prosperity of the city. The
population in 1870 was but twenty thousand nine bundled
and ten.
The financial crisis of 1873, though far less disastrous
than that of 1836, yet had a seriously' depressing effect
upon Oswego, as well as upon the rest of the country.
From that depression the Frontier City is now slowly but
steadily arising. Notwithstanding the " hard times," the
population increased to twenty-two thousand four hundred
and fifty-five in 1875. Commerce lifts her drooping head,
and once more essays, though not yet with her old-time
vigor, to make the shores of the Oswego the home of
industry, enterprise, and wealth.
Yet those who look upon the turbulent river, rushing
with rapid pace towards the lake, and aifordiug a water-
power unsurpassed upon the continent, cannot doubt that
commerce alone will never accomplish the " manifest des-
tiny" of Oswego. Even the milling business, important as
it is, cannot occupy a tenth of the power which runs to
waste at Oswego and in its vicinity. With more than the
capacities of Lowell and Lawrence combined, with greater
facilities than those towns for the gathering of materials
and the distribution of products, there is no good reason
why Oswego should not outdo both Lowell and Lawrence
in the number and magnitude of its establishmonts, save
that they already have those establishments and Oswego
has not. But the star of industrial as well as of political
empire is taking its way westward. New Lowells and Law-
rences must arise in various parts of the continent, where
natural advantages and intelligent enterprise point out the
location, and nowhere do the natural advantages ofter stronger
inducements to enterprise than on the shores of the rushing
Oswego.
We have passed very rapidly over the later history of
Oswego, for the reason that we give separate sketches of all
its important institutions, its schools, churches, societies,
banks, mills, elevators, etc., and to those sketches we now
call the attention of the reader
THE CITY HALL.
The elegant and substantial building known as tho city
hall was erected in 1869-70. It is of Onondaga lime-
stone, three stories high, with a Mansard roof, the whole
surmounted by a tower in which is placed the city clock.
Its dimensions are sixty-one by one hundred and six feet,
and its cost about one hundred thousand dollars. The
lower story is used as the city jail and the offices of the
police department ; the second story contains the offices of
the municipal authorities, and the upper story the offices
of the board of education and the council chamber. On a
tablet in the interior of the building we find inscribed the
subjoined :
"eoKSF.ii STcivF. i.\in jii.vK 21, 1S70.
" Hon. Alansoii Page, Miiyi>r.
"Aiaormim Morgan M. Wheeler, Alderman Charles Poolittle,
Aldcriuan Goorgo Gohio, Ahlcrman Juhii Eilland, AUlcrinan John
Kaligan, Al.lcrman .fames H. Murdoek, Alderman William Black-
wood, Aaron Calnon, Uuilding Committee.
" II. N. White, Arehitect,
" Henry W. Secbor, Julius A. Sccber, Master Builder.«.
"John Ratigan, AutUony Culkins, Michael Culkins, Master
Masons.
" James Randall, Thomas NcsdcU, Stono Cutlers."
The building is conveniently located, being in the public
square, opposite the post-office. It is an imposing structure,
and constitutes one of the finest architectural nionunieiits
iu the city.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BUILDING.
This substantial structure was erected in 1857, and first
occupied in 1858. It is of limestone and iron, and is as
near fire-proof as possible. Its dimensions are fifty-eight
by eighty-six feet, and its location Oneida street, between
First and Second streets. It is a three-story building, with
a basement. The first floor is occupied by the post-office
department, the second by the custom-house officials, and
the third is used as the United States court-room.
THE POST-OFFICE
was established in 1806, and the first postmaster was Joel
Burt, appointed October 7, 1806. Ilis successors, with
the dates of their respective appointments, are as follows :
William DoUoway, June 2, 1815 ; Nathan Sage, Janu-
ary 17, 1816; John Grant, Jr., June 22, 1825; Samuel
Hawley, January 10, 1831 ; John H. Lord, September 24,
1839; James Cochian, September 27, 1841; David P.
Brewster, July 2, 1845 ; Robert H. Martin, January 19,
1849; Cheney Ames, May 17, 1849; Samuel H. Beards-
ley, May 4, 1853 ; Alfred B. Getty, July 6, 1858 ; Henry
Fitzhugh, March 27, 1861 ; Aaron J. Cowles, July 7,
1865 ; Samuel R. Taylor, October 26, 1866 ; David W.
Erwin, March 2, 1867; George Hugunin, April 15,1869;
John A. Place, May 10, 1873; Cheney Ames, June 9,
1877.
The business of the office fur the fi.scal year ending
June 30, 1877, is represented by the subjoined statistics;
Received — Letters, 728,000; postal cards, 160,000;
newspapers, 300,000 ; miscellaneous, 75,000.
Forwarded— Letters, 750,000; postal cards, 200,000;
newspapers, 130,000; miscellaneous, 117,000.
Number of registered letters received, 1605; forwarded,
804 ; transit, 2040.
Total receipts for sale of stamps, stamped envelopes,
postal cards, and box rent, $18,353.
Number of money-orders i.^sued — Domestic, 2578 ; for-
eign, 55 ; amounting to 833,968.
Number of money-orders paid— Domestic, 2625 ; foreign,
125 ; amounting to $49,458.
THE CUSTOM-nOUSE,
as before stated, is located in the second story of the gov-
ernment building. Oswego was made a port of entry in
154
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1803, and Joel Burt was appointed the first collector on
the 1st of August of the same year. His successors, from
the expiration of his service until the present, have been
as follows: Nathan Sage, appointed June 12, 1811 ; John
Grant, Jr., June 1, 1826; George H. McWhorter, May 1,
1834; Thomas H. Bond, August 2, 1841; George H.
McWhorter, May 24, 1843; Jacob Richardson, June 5,
1849; Enoch B. Talcott, May 23, 1853; Orville Robin-
son, April ], 1858; John B. Higgins, April 1, 18G0;
Charles A. Perkins, October 1, 1861 ; Andrew Van Dyck,
September 1, 1864; Charles C. P. Clark, April 1, 1869;
Elias Root, May 1, 1871 ; Daniel G. Fort, June 30, 1877.
LIGUT-HOUSES.
The first light-house was built in 1837, and rebuilt in
1869. The present structure is built of gray limestone.
The tower is sixty-six feet high, and is octagonal in shape.
It is situated five hundred feet from the pier-head. The
light is of the third order of lens apparatus, fixed, and is
visible fifteen miles. On the pier-head, five hundred feet
north of the above, is an octagonal iron tower, the focal
plane of which is thirty-three feet above water, and con-
tains a beacon-light which is visible eleven miles. It is so
constructed as to be removed to the outer breakwater when
the latter shall be completed.
THE SCHOOLS OF OSWEGO.*
As has been stated in the previous sketch of the city,
the first school in Oswego was taught in a log house near
the corner of West First and Seneca streets, about 1798,
by Miss Artemisia Waterhouse, from Oswego Falls (now
Fulton). The school was subsequently taught by Captain
Edward O'Connor, and, as early as 1807, by Dr. Joseph
Caldwell, a physician by profession, who, not finding patients
enough to give him a comfortable support, turned school-
master. We have also narrated how, in 1806, a school-house
was built by Mr. Bradner Burt, with the proceeds of a sub-
scription, on what was then known as the Court-House
block, on the corner of West Third and Seneca streets.
The block was afterwards sold, and the proceeds applied
to the erection of a court-house on the east side of the
river, and the building was removed to the opposite block
on the corner of Second and Seneca streets, then the corner
of the public square. It here served the triple purpose of
school-house, meeting-house, and court-house. It was occu-
pied for school purposes until another building was erected
on Fourth street next north of what is known as the Acad-
emy building. It was destroyed by fire in 1865.
About this time, or soon after, the subject of the erec-
tion of an academy building was agitated, and in 1831
the foundation of the building just referred to was laid.
The ground on which it stands was at first leased, it being
a part of a reserve for a public square.
Fears being entertained that two schools of a somewhat
different character, brought into such close proximity,
might interfere somewhat with each other, the trustees
decided to sell the new building and purchase a house on
» For this sketch wo are entirely indebted to the reports of the
board of education, and the courtesy of their secretary, Mr. Vir;;!!
C. Douglass.
Fourth street, between Seneca and Van Buren streets.
This building was converted into a school-house, and occu-
pied for that purpose until 1851, when it was sold, and the
academy building, which had long been occupied for a
boarding-house, was purchased and fitted up for school
purposes.
Up to 1834, this was the only district school within
the limits of the village of West Oswego. In this year a
district was formed, which we find described as follows ;
" Commencing at the Oswego river on Gemini (now
Cayuga) street, in the village of West Oswego, running
westerly along Gemini street to Third street, thence so\ith-
erly along Third to Scorpio (Albany) street, thence easterly
along Scorpio street to the Oswego river, thence north on
said river, at low water mark, to the place of beginning."
This was district No. 12. The first meeting for organ-
ization was held at the "Welland House, on the 18th day of
January, 1834; Gideon H. Wuodrufi', Henry White, and
Edmund Hawks were elected trustees. The first school in
the district was taught in an old building on the corner of
Second and Bridge streets, originally erected for a tavern.
A new brick school-house was built on West Third street,
near Mohawk, in 1836. This house has since been twice
enlarged, once by the trustees in 1850, and afterwards by
the board of education.
In the same year, 1836, the district called No. 14 was
created, including all the territory west of Fourth and
north of Cayugas streets, within the village limits. A lot
was purchased and a house erected before the close of the
year. The first trustees were Jacob N. Bonsteele, Leonard
Smith, and Peter Hailigan. In 1848 the title of this dis-
trict was changed to No. 6, by order of the city superin-
tendent. In the year 1852 the old school-house and lot
were sold, and another lot purchased on the corner of West
Eighth and Schuyler streets, on which the house at present
occupied by primary school No. 1 was erected in the same
year. The entire expense of house, lot, and appurtenances,
was nineteen hundred and sixty-seven dollars and thirty-
six cents.
In about the year 1841 or 1842 a stone school-house
was built on West Bridge street, between Sixth and
Seventh, for the district designated as No. 13, which
included all the territory west of Third street, between
Albany and Cayuga, within the village corporation. For
some time previous, the school of this district liad been
taught in a hired room west of the present site of tlie
Methodist church. The now school-house was small, con-
sistinir of but a single room.
In 1843 another district, styled No. 17, was taken off
from the east end of this district, including all the territory
lying between Albany and Cayuga streets, and Third and
Sixth streets. A house consisting of a single room was
built on Fourth street, near Bridge, for the use of this
district. In 1856 this building was enlarged to its present
size by the board of education.
In the fall of 1848 another colony was formed from the
parent stock, and from the southwesterly part of No. 13
was created a district embracing all the territory lying
between Albany and Oneida streets, and west of Sixth
street. This new district was created by an order of John
niSTORY OF OSWEGO COTTXTY, NE\V YORK.
B. Purk, town superiiifciKiont, issued October ;5, 1S4S, and
was designated district No. 21. la December of the same
year the title was changed by Mr. A. H. Dunham, the suc-
ces-sor of Mr. Park, to No. 10, by which it wa^ designated
at the time of the organization of the board of education.
In the winter and spring of 1849 a new house was erected
on West Mohawk, near Tenth street. Tiiis also was a
single room, and is still known by the name of " White
School-House," being occupied by primary school No. 3.
All south of Albany street constituted district No. 9.
About the year 1841 a new district was cre;itcd from
tills extensive one, embracing all between Albany street
and the old viUage line ; and a stone school-house, with a
single room, was erected in 1842. This was enlarged in
1850 to its present capacity. The cost of enlarging was
fourteen hundred dollars. It stands on or near the corner
of West Fourth and Erie streets, and is occupied by pri-
mary school No. 5. The district was known as No. 18
until the year 1848, when its title was changed to No. 9.
It has since been changed to No. 7. This house was
burned in the winter of 18(51. The walls, however, were
left standing, and it was rebuilt by the Northwestern insu-
rance company the same year.
The first public school on the east side of the river was
taught by. Miss Philomela Robinson, in a hired room near
the river, in the Second ward, about 1817. The location
of the school was frequently changed; the second one was
near the cove; the third near where the Columbia mill
now stands ; the fourth on the west side of First street, at
the foot of Cayuga ; the fifth in Mr. Elias Park's house,
on the corner of Second and Seneca streets. Among the
early teachers of the school who succeeded Mis.s Robinson
were Mr. Morton, Miss Daggert, Mr. Dwyer, Miss Ora
Coate, Mi.ss Lydia Miner, Richard Parsons, and Eliza
Wells.
Some time in the fall of 1828, a school-meeting was
called at the store of Milton Harmon. At this meeting
were present James Sloan, Milton Harmon, and Joseph
Turner. Being progressive and liberal-minded men, they
voted that it was " absolutely necessary to have a school-
lujiisc," and resolved that one be erected at once, at a cost
not exceeding one hundred dollars ! On the morrow a great
breeze was raised about their ears by some of their more
wealthy but parsimonious neighbors, who neglected to guard
their pecuniary interests by being present at the meeting.
They were severely rebuked for presuming to levy so heavy
a tax on the district. They were warned that they would
surely ruin the town by such oppressive taxes.
We have already told in the sketch of the city how the
three persons present voted that a school should be built for
a hundred dollars, how their neighboi-s afterwards opposed it,
and how the latter finally yielded on condition that the
greatest economy possible should be used. The contract
was accordingly made with Mr. Luther Palmer to erect the
house and put in all the furniture complete for one hundred
dollars. It was a slab or plank house, about twenty-five by 1
thirty feet, battened on the inside, adorned with neither [
paint nor mortar. The seats were of the same materials as I
the rest of the structure, with a board fastened around
against the wall to serve as a writinir-Jesk. This hou.se i
stood until about the year 1840, when it gave way to a very
respectable one-story stone structure, with a hall, two school-
rooms, and a basement. The building was consumed by the
great fire of 1853, and the following year the present two-
story brick building, with a hall and ten school-rooms, in-
cluding two in the basement, iiside from furnace-rooms and
closets, arose from its iuslies, under tlie auspices of the board
of education. This house accommodates about five hun-
dred pupils, and is tilled to its utmost capacity.
In the year 1851 a wooden school-house was built on the
corner of Ea.st Ninth and Seneca streets, designed f.ir the
younger children of this part of the di.strict. This build-
ing is now occupied by primary school No. 8. It appears
to have been erected by Jas. H. Dow, for the sum of four
hundred and sixty-five dollars. The cost of the lot was one
hundred and eighty dollars.
About the year 1832, we are informed that Mrs. Wells
taught a public school in a room rented of Mr. O'Harra, on
East Third street, near Oneida. As near as we can ascer-
tain, this was the first public school taught in that part of
the town. For the next two years the school was taught by
R. P. Grossman. The territory south of Bridge street had
been set off as a new district about 1830 or 1831.
For nine or ten years this school was taught in hired
rooms, and in the old court-house for some time. It was
not until 1841 that a new building was erected. This was
a very respectable frame house, with two school-rooms, and
was located on the site of the present elegant brick structure
on East Fourth street, between Mohawk and Utica streets.
In the same year this district was divided by the county
superintendent, in answer to a petition of the trustees, and
all that portion of the village east of Sixth street and south
of Bridge street constituted district No. 19. For some-
thing more than a year the school of this district was taught
in a rented house belonging to James Cochran, on Oneida,
below Tenth street. In 1842 a new house was erected,
consisting of a single room, located on Tenth street, near
Oneida. This house has since been twice enlarged by the
board of education.
The old frame house on Fourth street was removed in
1857, and a three-.story brick building was erected under
the direction of the board of education. This was destroyed
by fire in December, 18G0, and the following year tlio
present building, modeled after nearly the same plan as the
other, but somewhat enlarged, was erected.
For several years a room was also rented of Mr. James
Baker, on West First street, near the tannery, for the
acconimudation of the smaller children in this part of the
town.
Desiring to dispose of this building, Mr. Baker kindly
offered to erect a small house for the accommodation of tlie
school, and rent it until such time as the board could jiur-
chase the same.
The proposition was gladly accepted, and the house which
now stands on East Fifth street, near Erie, was built, and
rented until June 2, 1859, when it was bought by the
board. It has since been enlarged to double its original
capacity. Aside from the districts already enumerated,
there were two joint school districts, — one up the river, on
the west side, in the neighborhood of .^Ir. Sobicski Buit,
156
HISTOKY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YOEK.
and the other in the west part of the town, in the neighbor-
hood of Mr. Lewis A. Cole. As to the time of the forma-
tion of these districts, we have been unable to gain any
reliable data. By the act under which the schools were
reorganized these districts were dissolved.
This brings down the history of the public schools to the
time of their reorganization under a board of education.
Before entering upon a consideration of this period of their
history, it is proper that we should notice a movement, in
itself of comparatively little moment, but which, at the
same time, had an important bearing on the organization of
the present free-school system.
In the fall of 1848, a benevolent association was formed
for the purpose of providing for the education of the poorer
classes : such as from inability to pay the requisite rate-bill,
to purchase school-books, or clothe their children properly,
were practically shut out from the advantages of a common-
school education. This was called the Orphan and Free
School association. The movement enlisted the sympa-
thies and co-operation of many of the best citizens. The
ladies, through the aid of sewing-societies, prepared cloth-
ing for the children. All the dwellings of the poor were
visited, and those requiring assistance selected. A room was
rented (^the basement of what was called the old ■' Taber-
nacle," on West Second street), books were provided, and the
school was opened in the fall of the year above named. The
prime mover of this enterprise was the present principal of
the normal school, E. A. Sheldon, who acted as secretary of
the society, solicited and collected the funds, visited the
families of the poor, distributed the clothing, and taught
the school.
The school opened with one hundred and twenty children,
most of whom had rarely, if ever, seen the inside of a school-
room before. It was continued for eighteen months, when
it was proposed by some of those most actively interested
in the school, to initiate a movement to make all the public
schools of the city free, and thus, in a great measure,
obviate the necessity of this free-school association.
After one or two meetings of the directors for consulta-
tion in regard to the matter, it was resolved to call a meet-
ing of citizens, to take into consideration the propriety of
organizing a system of free graded schools. This was held
in the fall of 1850, and a committee was appointed to pre-
pare, and submit at a subsequent meeting, a plan for the
reorganization of the schools. The plan presented was very
similar in its main features to the present organization ; but
meeting with warm opposition, the project was for the time
being abandoned.
Another eifort was made the succeeding winter, but with
no better success. In the year 1853, through the hearty
CO- operation of the representatives at Albany, Hon. James
Piatt and Hon. D. C. Littlejohn, a local school act was se-
cured, the one under which the schools are now working ;
and the first board was organized May 11, 1853, consisting
of the following gentlemen :
First ward, Leander Babcock, D. S. Goldey ; Second
ward, Wm. F. Mason, John C.Churchill; Third ward, Ab-
ner C. Mattoon, Wm. H. Goit ; Fourth ward, A. B. Coo,
0. J. Harmon. A. B. Coe was elected as the first president
of the board, and E. A. Sheldon as secretary.
At the time of the reorganization of the schools, there
were, as stated in the first annual report of the board,
" twelve school districts, including one joint district, the
school-house of which was located within the city. Each
district was a separate and distinct organization, and all the
children who attended school at all were obliged to attend
the school in their own district, or be subjected to an oner-
ous tuition."
At that time there were in the employ of the board
twenty-one teachers, with an average attendance of thirty-
eight pupils each. The compensation paid was from one
bundled and fifty to two hundred and twenty dollars, and
in one instance two hundred and forty dollars per annum
for ladies, and from three hundred to four hundred dollars,
and in one instance six hundred dollars for gentlemen.
There were also seventeen private schools, with an average
attendance of six hundred and thirty pupils.
The following September the city was entirely redis-
tricted and the schools completely graded. The city was
first divided into eleven primary districts, then into five
junior districts, bounded without reference to the primaries,
then into three senior districts, the whole comprising one
high-School district. As the scholars finish the course pre-
scribed in each of the lower schools, they may progress up-
ward into the higher.
The old academy building, the academy having long been
discontinued, was purchased by the board and fitted up for
a high school. That institution was kept there until 1867,
when it was temporarily removed to the normal school
building. In February, 1868, the academy or high school
building was destroyed by fire. During the succeeding
summer the board built a substantial brick structure for the
use of the high school, on the same site, on Third street,
between Cayuga and Seneca. It is eighty-eight by seventy-
nine feet, will accommodate six hundred pupils, and cost
twenty-two thousand two hundred and twenty-five dol-
lars.
During the summer of 1870 the board of education
purchased two lots, one in the Second ward, on the corner
of Tenth and Mitchell streets, for the sum of fifteen hun-
dred dollars, and the other in the Seventh ward, on Talman,
between Third and Fifth streets, for the sum of nine hun-
dred and ten dollars. The board also enlarged the site of
school No. 7, on West Fourth, between Albany and Erie
streets, by the purchase of the adjoining lot on the north,
thirty-three by a hundred feet, for the sum of seven hun-
dred dollars. The site of school-house No. 2, in the Fourth
ward, was enlarged by the purchase, on the 6th of Novem-
ber, 1875, of fifteen by a hundred feet on the north, for
four hundred and fifty dollars.
In the summer of 1871 the board erected, on the lot in
the Seventh ward, purchased the year before, a school-house
of suitable size and construction to accommodate three hun-
dred pupils, at a cost of ten thousand eight hundred
dollars.
On the night of October 1, 1875, the brick school-house
in the Fourth ward was destroyed by fire. On the 27th of
the same month the contract for rebuilding it was executed,
and it was completed ready for use by the 1st of April,
1876, costing the sum of eight thousand three hundred
HISTOllY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NKW YORK.
157
dollars. Tliis is the fourth school liouso that has oucuiiiod
tho same site.
Having now sketched the changes of districts and build-
ings up to the present time, it only remains to give the
personnel of the administrative and educational staff. The
following Is the board of education for 1877 :
First ward, Joseph Trcmain, Robert Gordon ; Second
ward, M. J. Wallace, Patrick M. Reynolds; Third ward,
J. N. Collins, Frederick Earl; Fourth ward, Amos Waldt,
J. M. Barrow ; Fifth ward, Daniel O'Connell, John Flynn ;
Si.xth ward, J. L. McWhorter, Cha.s. W. Murdoch ; Seventh
ward, Michael Dundon, Lawrence Robinson ; Eighth ward,
John C. Bradt, Thomas Dewinc.
The president is Daniel O'Connell, the secretary Virgil
C. Douglas.s. The secretary is ex-officio superintendent of
all the schools of the city. IMr. Douglass was appointed as
assistant to Mr. Sheldon in 1S66. He was appointed sec-
retary October 5, 1SG9. He and Mr. Sheldon have been
the only secretaries since the board was organized. The
following are the names and salaries of the present teachers:
Hiffh &/ior>?.— Principal, Charles W. Richards, $1200;
Preceptress, Tillie C. Staats, $595 ; Assistants, Eva S. Ed-
wards, $522.50 ; Julia B. Douglass, half time, $250.
ScUor School M). 1.— Principal, Martha W. Stowell,
$GSO; Assistants, Hattie M. Sperry, $475; Emily A.
Comer, $427.50 ; Emily D. Coon, $427.50 ; Libbie M.
Stearns, $427.50; Mr.s. Carrie E. Tubbs, $475; June
Gorman, $400 ; E. Jennie King, $400.
Senior School No. 2.— Principal, Charles H. Treadwell,
$1125; Assistants, J^innie A. Ross, $475; Julia A. Wil-
son, $475; Inez E. Wallace, $427.50; Kate A. Mattison,
$400 ; Teresa E. Burns, $400.
Junior School No. 1. — Principal, Rose Whitney,
$522.50 ; Assistant, Sarah J. Walter, $403.75.
Junior School No. 2. — Principal, Lizzie Salmon,
$522.50; Assistants, Lillie C. Marsh, $400; Mary A.
Leonard, $403.75 ; Carrie L. Paddock, $400 ; Sarah E.
Terry, $403.75 ; Addie V. Watkin, $400 ; Georgia A.
Timerson, $403.75'; Cora A. Brown, $400.
Junior School No. 3. — Principal, Eliza H. Weed,
$522.50 ; Assistants, Lizzie Kingsford, $403.75 ; Maggie
A. Draper, $400.
Junior School No. 4. — Principal, M. Augusta Barrow,
$522.50.
Junior School No. 5.— Principal, Helen JI. Tubbs,
$522.50; Assistants, J. A. DonnoUey,' $400; Celia L.
Ormsby, $400 ; Mary E. Leffin, $400.
Junior School No. 6. — Principal, Anna E. Hamilton,
$522.50; Assistants, Mary Cusick, $403.75; Mary J.
Murphy, $400 ; Emma E. Baker, $400.
Primari/ School No. 1. — Principal, I']liza J. Nichols,
$498.75; Assistant, Mary E. Bryan, $403.75.
Primart/ School No. 2. — Principal, Martha A. Keeler,
$498.75; Assistant, S. Ida Williams, $400.
Primary School No. 3. — Principal, Maggie Jackson,
$ 1-98.75 ; Assistant, Harriet E. Stevens, $400.
Primari/ School No. 4. — Principal, Mrs. C. C. Wells,
$498.75; Assistants, Ada H. Inman, $403.75; Maggie
A. Lyons, $400.
Primary School No. 5. — Principal, Jeaniietto T. Morri-
son, $198.75; Assistants, Mary Hanen, $403.75; Emma
S. Hunt, $100; Mary F. Aylcsworth, $400.
Primary School No. (>. — Principal, Maggie A. Kenific,
$498.75; Assistant.s, May E. Gray, $400; M. Jennie
Murray, $400.
Primary School No. 7. — Principal, Nelly A. Riggs,
$498.75; Assistant, Ella II. Maxwell, $403.75.
Primary School No. 8. — Principal, Ellen M. Bruce,
$498.75; Assistant, Lizzie II. Dinmore, $tOO.
Primary School No. 9. — Principal, Minnie E. Doran,
$498.75 ; Assistant, Minnie E. Burgoyne, $400.
Primary School No. 10. — Principal, Maggie C. Staats,
$498.75 ; Assistjuit, Mrs. H. Amelia Lyons, $403.75.
Primary School No. 11.— Priucijial, Rose B. Williams,
$498.75 ; Assistant, Ella A. Dempsey, $400.
Primary School No. 12. — Principal, B. Manning,
$498.75.
Unclassijied School. — Principal, John M. Moore, $850;
Assistant, Mrs. G. M. Gardenier, $475.
Music Teacher.— J Auics N. Baker, $GS0.
OSWEGO CITY LIBRARY.
For some years it had been in the mind of Gerrit Smith,
in consequence of the large property he owned iu Oswego,
and the great benefits he had derived therefrom, to make a
special bauefaction for the permanent advantage of the city.
In pursuance of this purpose he addre.ssed the following
letter to eight of h'Ls friends, prominent citizens of the
place :
"Pr.TEniioDi)', Jul.v 17, lS.'i3.
"Alvin BKOXso>r, James Platt, Geo. II. McWhor-
ter, Henry Fitzhugu, Edwin W. Clark, John
B. Edwards, James Brown, De AVitt C. Little-
JOHN.
" Gentlemen : As some of you are aware, I have for years
entei-tained the idea of founding a public library in the city
of Oswego. The time has now arrived for me to act upon
that idea.
" I appropriate to this object the sum of twenty-five
thousand dollars ($25,000), and I wish you to be at the
pains of expending it. You can draw for it as follows: 1st
March, 1854, for $5000 ; 1st June, 1854, for $5000 ; l.st
August, 1854, for $5000; 1st October, 1854, for $5000;
1st December, 1854, for $5000.
" It strikes me that it might be well for you to pur-
chase a lot and erect upon it a building which would serve
for other purpo.ses as well as for the library. The lot and
the building might cost, say fifteen to twenty thousand.
The balance of the twenty-five thousand you could then
expend in books, and the rents of that portion of the
library not devoted to the library would furnish means for
adding books from year to year. But all this I leave to
your better judgment.
" As I have always had more to do with property on the
east than on the west side of the river, and as that part of
the city has suffered exceedingly from the late fire, and,
moreover, as much le.ss has been done for the inhabitiints
of that part of the city than for the inhabitants of the
other side, I enjoin that the library be on the east side, of
the river. My only other injunction is that the privilege.^
158
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and benefits of the library shall be always as acceptable to
the one as to the other, and that no person — on account of
their race, or complexion, or condition — shall be shut out
from the privileges and benefits, or in any degree curtailed
of them.
" As to the character of the library, I have only to say
that my warm wish is that no book unfriendly to truth and
purity may ever find a place in the library.
" I leave it with you to take such legal steps as are neces-
sary for the maintenance of my own rights and the rights
of the public in respect to the library.
" With great regard,
" Your friend,
"Gerrit Smith."
Tlie gentlemen rcfen-ed to accepted the trust and organ-
ized the library.
April 15, 1854, the institution was incorporated by the
legislature by the name and style of the " Trustees of the
Oswego City Library." Mr. Smith declined to have the
library called by his own name, hoping that the citizens
would take an interest in the matter and aid it with their
contributions. Later, Mr. Smith gave about five thousand
dollars more to the library, making the whole sum donated
by him nearly thirty thousand dollars.
The board of trustees, in 1853, purchased the lot, corner
of Oneida and Second streets. East Oswego, and erected
thereon the edifice which has been occupied by it ever
since. The board also appointed Geoige C. McWhorter
catalogian,and he, in pursuance of such authority, compiled
the library and purchased the books. In the early years of
the library one of the original trustees, Mr. Brown, died,
and his place was filled by the election of Mr. Murray. Sub-
sequently Mr. McWhorter died, and was succeeded by his
son, George C. McWhorter. Afterwards Mr. Murray and
Mr. Piatt died, and Mr. Fitzhugh removed from town.
Their places were filled by Mr. Mollison, Mr. Irwin, and
Mr. Kingsford. Four of the original trustees, Messrs.
Bronson, Clark, Edwards, and Littlejohn, survive. Mr.
Bronson was chosen first president of the board, and held
the position eighteen years, when, in consequence of his
great age, he declined a re-election, and was succeeded by
Mr. McWhorter.
The present board of trustees are as follows, viz. : Presi-
dent, George C. McWhorter; Trustees, Alvin Bronson,
Edwin W. Clark, John B. Edwards, George C. McWhor-
ter, Dewitt C. Littlejohn, Gilbert Mollison, Theodore Irwin,
Thomson Kingsford ; Secretary, Edwin W. Clark ; Treas-
urer, John B. Edwards ; Librarian, Benjamin Stocks.
The library now contains about six thousand volumes,
exclusive of those received from the United States and the
State of New York, which are not entered in the printed
catalogue.
The library is departmented, and every department of
literature and learning is represented as far as may be. The
tone of the library is high, the aim having been to bring
the taste of the community up to the standard of a good
library, rather than — by the admission of useless, ephem-
eral, and often unhealthy current literature — to lower the
library to the level of those who prefer passing amusement
to mental improvement.
There are a few rare and curious books in the collection,
and some rave and valuable, especially on the subject of
American history and biography. The reference depart-
ment is ample and excellent.
The citizens of Oswego may be congratulated on having
so valuable a library, and nothing probably will so much
conduce to perpetuate the memory of Gerrit Smith as the
library which he wisely and generously founded.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A description of the primitive methods in use for extin-
guishing fires forty or fifty years ago has been given in the
general sketch of the village and city ef Oswego a short dis-
tance back.
On the 12th day of April, 1855, the Oswego fire depart-
ment was incorporated, and the following-named persons
designated as fire wardens : John Dynan, Matthew Soulon,
Richard Tobin, Lawrence Johnson, John C. Hugunin, John
Comes, James Ryan, James Malone, Volney K. Burr, Syl-
vester G. Abbott, Nathan Bobbins, and William Stewart.
This organization remained in operation until 1876.
Under act of May 20, 1876, Bradley B. Hurt, Thomas
Dobbie, Edward Mitchell, and David M. Gorsline were fire
commissioners, with power to " organize fire companies, and
appoint a sufiicient number of able-bodied men, and re-
putable inhabitants of the city of Oswego, firemen." At
the first meeting ot the board B. B. Burt was chosen chair-
man, and H. M. Harmon dork pro tem. J. C. Cooley, Jr.,
was appointed clerk, who ofiiciated three months, and was
succeeded by George Noyes Burt, the present clerk.
The first appointees were as follows, viz. : George W.
Warsop, chief engineer; P. M. Cunningham, J. Mitchell,
assistant engineers.
Steamer No. 1. — William H. Young, foreman ; A. Sal-
ladin, Jr., assistant foreman ; Charles B. Chase, engineer ;
M. L. Rowlson, stoker; J. T. Cunningham, W. J. Garra-
han, Frank M. Fairtile, Henry Sands, C. H. Bryan, Z. H.
Smith, J. W. Roach, Frank Cusick, firemen.
Steamer No. 2. — John Dillon, foreman ; Michael Gor-
man, assistant foreman; Timothy Cotter, engineer; John
Brennan, stoker ; John Clark, Norman Belger, Henry Net-
tles, John Naoey, William Daley, Samuel Garrahan, Eugene
O'Ncil, firemen.
Steamer N'o. 3. — Richard C. Cullivin, foreman ; F. J.
O'Brien, assistant foreman ; F. C. Hammond, Frank Gad-
wood, Peter Bartholomew, James Pidgeon, John Turner,
Louis Dulack, W. H. Kiefer, John Kelly, firemen.
Hook ami Ladder No. 1.— William M. Williams, fore-
man ; C. K. Carrier, assistant foreman ; Michael Dempsey,
Dennis Rcdnioiid. 31icliael Looney, John Galvin, John
Phillips, Orrin 0. Williams, John Fitzsimmons, firemen.
THE WATER-WORKS.
The movement for supplying Oswego with water from
the river was inaugurated in May, 1868, and in November
following the works were completed and in operation. The
water is' taken from the river at a distance of about two
miles south of the city, and forced into two large reservoirs
of filtcen million gallons' capacity, one located on the east
and tbo other on the west side of the river. There are
Residence ofOrville. RoBiNSQN,Os,r
HISTORY OF OSWKCO COUNTY, NEW YOKK.
159
twenty-five miles of pipe in operation, and one liundrcd
and seventj'-tive fire-liydrants. The water is supplied to
the city through a filter, and the daily coiisumptiou is one
uiillion gidlons.
Hon. Wni. J. McAlpiiie was chief engineer of the works ;
John McXair, resident and constructing engineer ; and
James McDonald builder.
The sto^Jwholdcrs were as follows, viz. : Thomas Kings-
ford, Thompson Kingsford, Penfield, Lyon & Co., Irwin &
Sloan, D. G. Fort, and Delos De Wolf Delos De Wolf,
president ; D. G. Fort, secretary ; and David Mannering,
treasurer. Capital, two hundred and twenty thousand
dollars.
This enterprise has proved to be a success, and not too
much praise can be bestowed upon its public-spirited pro-
genitors for their efforts in furnishing Oswego with an
abundant supply of pure water.
OSWEGO ORPHAN ASYLUM.
This institution was incorporated February 11, 1852,
and the certificate of incorporation was executed by the
following-named pereons : Gilbert MoUi.son, W. Lewis, S.
H. Reynolds, Simeon Bates, Geo. Fisher, J. I. Fort, R. F.
Child, J. Brown, J. C. Hugunin, R. Perkins, Luther
Wright, Daniel H. Marsh, A. P. Grant, H. Littlcfield, S.
II. Lathrop, J:\s. Bickford, M. P. Hatch, L. B. Crocker,
Delos De Wolf, Henry Eagle, Sardis Allen, William Brown,
and Pertius F. Paisons.
The first board of trustees was constituted as follows, viz, :
Males : Hamilton Murray, Luther Wright, James Bickford,
Mose.s P. Hatch, Simeon Bates, Samuel B. Ludlow, John
B. Edwards, Gilbert Mollison, Patrick H. Hard, Robert F.
Childs. Females: Margaret McWhorter, Elizabeth M.
Grant, Catharine C. Marsh, Loi.-s Ann Allen, Elizabetli P.
Fisher, Ann C. Crocker, Elizabeth Bond, Emily D. Har-
mon, Emily Allen, and 3Irs. Allen Mead.
The certificate of incorporation was executed before Hon.
O. J. Harmon, then recorder of the city, and received the
approbation of Hon. W. F. Allen, then a justice of the
supreme court, now associate judge of the court of appeals
of this State.
The first meeting of the corporation was held at the re-
corder's office in the city hall, February 27, 1S52, and
was followed by a series of meetings with short intervals,
at which the organization was gathered up and compacted
into working order.
A small building was rented on the east side of West
Sixth street, and was continuously occupied till the removal
to the new edifice four years later.
On the 1st of June, 1852, Mi.ss Tabbs volunteered to
become the regular teacher, and Miss Mary T. Condit to
suparintenJ the Saai.iy-scluol, and so the skeleton organ-
ization began to put on its comely proportions.
So strong was the faith of the managers in the ultimate
success of the enterprise that they ventured to purch;ise a
lot of two acres for two thousand dollars, and proceeded at
once to the erection of the fine and substantial building
that now looks down from its eminence upon the city of
Oswego.
On the 15th of April, 1S5C, under the care of Mr.
Richard Perkins as builder, and Z. D. Stevens as architect,
the building was to be completed, and on the 1st of May
it was ready for the reception of the children, and soon the
managers found the number of children had increased from
seven to seventy-four.
At the close of this year they found the asylum in debt
four thousand five hundred and fi fly-one dollars and ninety-
six cents, and the building yet unfurnished. The people
at once manifested a deep interest in the mutter, and the
building was rapidly furnished by individual contributions.
The school-room was furnished by the children ol' the pulilic
schools, and nobly did they perform the ta.sk.
The asylum is now in a prosperous condition, and reflects
great credit upon its humane progenitors and those through
whose efforts it has been sustained and fostered.
Of the twenty original corporators, six are dead, — Mr.
Murray, Dr. Hard, Mi-s. Grant, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Bond,
and jMi-s. Crocker.
Of those whose signatures appear to the papers of incor-
poration, George Fisher, Jacob I. Fort, J. C. Hugunin,
Henry Eagle, P. Parsons, and James Brown are dead.
The present officers, trustees, and directresses, are as fol-
lows: Hon. 0. J. Harmon, president; Gilbert Mollison,
secretary ; 0. II. Hastings, treasurer. Trustees, T. Kings-
ford, J. K. Post, Luther Wright, Jas. Bickford, G. B.
Sloan, J. B. Edwards, A. C. Mattoon, 0. H. Ha.stings, S.
Bates, and M. Worts. Directresses, Mrs. Wright, Wheeler,
Isaacs, Mollison, Pardee, Lathrop, Page, Hoot, and Klock.
HOME FOR THE HO.MELESS.
The movement which culminated in the founding of this
humane institution was started by a number of the ladies of
Oswego, in the month of February, 1872. In the follow-
ing May a building was rented for the use of the home,
and was occupied until the present building was erected.
The institution was incorporated May 3, 1875, and the
following persons were named in the charter: Ozro M. Bond,
Theo. Irwin, Thomson Kingsford, George B. Sloan, Simeon
Bates, Delos De Wolf, Samuel B. Johnson, Isaac G. Jen-
kins, Benjamin Hagamau, Benjamin Doolittle, Alanson S.
Page, George Goodier, Mannister Worts.
The following-named persons comprised the fir.^t board of
directors: Mrs. Cheney Ames, Mrs. James Brown, Mrs. L.
A. Card, Mrs. J. C. Churchill, JMrs. Cro.ssman,* Mrs. D.
De Wolf, Mrs. B. Doolitth^, Mrs. A. H. Failing, Mra. G.
Goodier, Mrs. Wm. Goit, Mrs. E. C. Hart, .'\Irs. T. Irwin,
Mrs. S. B. Johnson, Mrs. M. Kingsford, Mrs. T. Kings-
ford, Mrs. D. C. Littlejohn,! Mrs. John E. Lyon, Mrs. T.
S. Mott, Mrs. J. J. Mack, Mrs. R. Oliver, Mrs. J. K. Post,
Mrs. W. A. Poucher, Mrs. W. A. Rundell, Mrs. S. Ran-
dall, Mrs. M. B. Underwood, Mrs. M. C. Worts, Mrs.
Young.
President, Mrs. T. Irwin ; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. C. Ames,
Mrs. J. C. Churchill, Jlrs. D. De Wolf, Mrs. Wm. Goit,
3Irs. Goodier, Mrs. T. Kingsford, Mrs. J. K. Post, Mrs.
M. C. Worts. Mrs. M. B. Underwood, treasurer; Mrs.
*■ Resigned. Mrs. Sinallcy clcclcil to till vacancy.
■\ DwcasLtl. Mra. l.^uacs elected lu till \ncaiiey.
IGO
HISTOIIY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
J. E. Lyon, corresponding secretary; Mrs. W. A. Pouclier,
recording secretary.
The present building was erected in 1876 at a cost of
twenty thousand dollars, and was under the supervision of
the following building committee : Theodore Irwin, Delos
De Wolf, Thomson Kingsford, Simeon Bates, and George
Goodier. It is a neat and substantial brick structure, located
on the corner of East First and Utiea streets. The home
is now in a prosperous condition, and much credit is due to
those public-spirited ladies through whose indefatigable
efforts it was founded.
The board of directors for 1877 are as follows: Mrs.
Irwin, Mrs. Failing, Mrs. Lyon, Mrs. Oliver, Mrs. Whet-
more, Mrs. M. E. Kingsford, Mrs. T. Kingsford, Mrs.
Wilber, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. B. Doolittle, Mrs. M. Worts,
Mrs. Card, Mrs. McChesney, Mrs. Mary Underwood, Jlrs.
Ehoder, Mrs. Randall, Mrs. Hart, Mrs. De Wolf, Mrs.
Isaacs, Mrs. Goodier, Mrs. Woodruff, Mrs. Couch, Miss
Newkirk, Mrs. Perham, Mrs. Sloan, Mrs. Hull.
HISTORY OF OSWEGO CHURCHES.
Arravged according to the time of tlicir orgiinization.
THE FIEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCn.
The First Presbyterian church was organized Novem-
ber 21, 1816, with seventeen members, viz., Sylvanus
Bishop, Abraham Clark, Rachel Bishop, Jeanette Clark,
Mary Hugunin, Christine Conner, Hannah Smith, Lois
Brace, Catherine Shafely, Mary Coolcy, Sarah Buel, Martha
Minor, Catherine Dubois, Nancy Clarke, Lucretia Walradt,
Hannah Hall, and Blary Coates. Sylvanus Bishop and
Abraham Clark were chosen ruling elders.
This was the first religious organization in the city. The
society was incorporated in 1824. The church worshiped
from 1816 till 1825 in the school-house on the southwest
corner of West Second and Seneca streets, which seiTed
for sehooMiouse, church, and court-house for several years.
The first church building erected in Oswego was built by
this society in 1825, nearly in the centre of the public
square, on the west side of the river. It was fifty-four by
eighty feet, and cost about six thousand dollars. Twenty
feet were added to its length in 1841. On the night of
October 24, 1841, it was destroyed by fire. This was the
work of an incendiary, for whose apprehension and convic-
tion the trustees of the village in vain offered a reward of
Seven hundred and fifty dollars.
The society now worship in a substantial stone church
on the corner of West Fourth and Bridge- streets. It cost
ten ihousaiid five hundred dollars; the chapel connected
with it throe thousand five hundred dollars. A parsonage
is being erected between the chapel and West Fifth street.
For eight years missionaries and neighboring ministers
supplied the preaching. In 1825 the Rev. James Abell
was ordained and installed as the first pastor. He resigned
in 1830. The Rev. Robert Condit was installed as pastor
in 1831, and remained in that position for forty years. The
Rev. James A. Worden was installed as colleague to Dr.
Condit in 1866, and resigned a few months after Dr. Con-
dit's death, which occurred February 12, 187 1. Tlie Rev.
David Tully is the present pastor, who succeeded Mr.
Worden June 16, 1872. The first superintendent of the
Sabbath-school was Edwin W. Clarke. The present mem-
bership of the Sunday-school is three hundred and forty,
and the number of volumes in the library is twelve hundred.
During this year (1877) a beautiful white marble tablet
in memory of the Rev. Dr. Condit has been placed in the
church by his friends, bearing the following inscription :
" In memory of Rev. Robert W. Condit, D.D., for forty
years the beloved pastor of this church, who entered into
rest February 12, 1871, aged seventy-five years. 'He
being dead yet speaketh.' — Hebrews xi. 4."
CHRIST CHURCH (EPISCOPAL).
This parish was organized on the 26th day of February,
1822, in a school-house on the west side of the Oswego
river, in what was then the little village of Oswego.
The Rev. Amos Pardee, a missionary of the church,
presided at the meeting, which resulted in the choice of the
following persons as wardens and vestrymen : James Bill
and William Dolloway, wardens; John Moore, Jr., Theo-
philus S. Morgan, Thaddeus Clark, Thomas Collins, Eleazer
Perry, Nathaniel Farnham, Robert Cooley, M. P. Hatch,
vestrymen.
Occasional services were held in the school-house in which
the church was organized, in connection with services at
other missionary stations in the neighborhood. At the
expiration of the first year Mr. Pardee was transferred to
another field of labor. He was not succeeded by any
regular missionary until 1826. Occasional services were,
however, maintained during the interval by lay reading.
Mr. Bill, the senior warden, was appointed a lay reader by
Bishop Hobart. In November, 1826, Rev. John McCarty
was appointed missionary for this county and parts of On-
ondaga. He reports that for three years the services of the
church had been entirely suspended. There were, in 1826,
eleven communicants of the church, whose names are as fol-
lows : James Cochran and Catharine V. R. his wife, Robert
Cooley and Electa his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Banner, Mrs.
McHugh, Mrs. Mary Ingrain, Mrs. Charlotte M. Eagle,
Mr. Robert Dwyer and his wife, and Mrs. White.
The corner-stone of a new stone church, called Christ
church, of Oswego, was laid by Rev. Mr. McCarty on the
9th day of May, 1828, with appropriate religious services;
the Rev. Dr. Rudd, of Auburn, being present and assist-
ing. It continued to be a missionary parish until the year
1835.
The debt of three thousand dollars contracted for the
building of the church was paid by the aid of a gift froni
Trinity church, in the city of New York, of one thousand
dollars. From this date the church has been self-support-
ing. The church building was consecrated to its holy pur-
poses on the 25th day of January, 1829, having been
finished within the short space of nine months from the
laying of the corner-stone. Its dimensions were seventy
by fifty-two feet. Its capacity was about four hundred
persons. The number of communicants at that time was
ninety-one. The number of communicants in the parish
when Mr. McCarty left it, in 1845, was the same as it had
been ten years before. Rev. John S. Davenport became
the rector of the parish in August, 1845, upon the rcsig-
HISTORY OF OSWEGO COUNTY, NK\V YORK.
IGl
nation of Rev. Jolin JlcCaity. During tlie yeur 1850 tlic
parish of the Evangelists was foinied fmni this parish, and
during the next two years the erection of a stone churi-h
edifice was begun upon the east side, which was upi nod fur
services in December, 1852.
Upon the resignation of Mr. Davenport in 1852, the
Rev. Anthony Schuyler was called to the rectorship. It
was decided in 1853 to erect a new church. In August,
1854, the ground was broken, and the foundation of the
new edifice was laid. The corner-stone was laid with ap-
propriate ceremonies upon the 12th day of October, 1854,
by the Rev. W. B. Ashley, rector of St. Paul's church,
Syracuse. The church was opened for divine services upon
tlie 1st day of January, 1857. The number of communi-
cants at that time was one hundred and thirty-two. The
cost of the church building was thirteen thousand dollars.
In 1857 the old church building, which had for several
years been used for a school-house, was sold for two thou-
sand dollars to the Methodist society. lu 1858 a wooden
chapel was built by the society for a school and lecture-
room. This building was built by funds which were raised
by contribution.
The old church building, after having been used for three
years by the Methodi.sts, was, upon the disorganization of
that society, re-transferred to the Christ church. It was lefl
unoccupied, and fell considerably out of repair, and was
finally destroyed by fire upon the 7th day of January, 1862.
The church received the benefit of its insurance to the
amount of fifteen hundred dollars ; a like sum was raised
by subscription, and the amount was applied to pay off the
debt of the cliurch. The debt of the church was thereby
reduced to about seven thousand dollars. The Rev. An-
thony Schuyler resigned the reetorehip of the parish in
Ocober, 1862. In March, 1863, the Rev. Amos B. Bush,
D.D., entered upon the duties of rector. In 1865 an effort
was made to relieve the parish from its mortgage debt by
voluntary contribution, and upon the 29th day of April the
sum of six thousand dollars was raised for that purpose.
In April, 1865, the Rev. Amos B. Beach was instituted by
Bishop Cox into the rectorship of the parish.
THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
As early as 1812 occasional Methodist services were held
in private houses in Oswego. In 1816 a cla.ss of three
members was organized with Mrs. Catherine Hawley as
leader, and Oswego was included in Sandy Creek circuit,
Oneida district, with George Gary, Luther Bishop, and
Enoch Barnes as preachers, and Charles Giles as presiding
elder. Services were for the most part held at Mrs. Haw-
ley's house, occasionally in private rooms in other parts of
the village, until a room or hall near what is now the corner
of Third and Schuyler streets was fitted up and used in
common by several denominations. James Hazcn with
Amos Perry, C. Lambert with T. Dixon, succeeded the first
preachers. In 1819 Oswego circuit was formed, with Na-
thaniel Reeder as preacher, followed by C. Lambert, J. P.
Aylesworth, Orin Foot, Truman Dixon, Alexander Irvine,
J. B. Roach, George W. Densmore, and W. W. Ninde, in
the order named.
lu 1827, under the pastorate of J. 15. Roach, the first
Methodi.st Epi.scopal cliurch of Oswego was legally incor-
porated, with Webster S. Steele, David C. Knajip, Asaliel
Hawley, Robert Dwyer, and William Matchett as trustees.
In 1829 Oswego was made a station, and John Sayer ap-
pointed preacher. During this year the society built a
chapel on the corner of what is now AVest Fifth and Cayuga
streets, on ground now included in the West Oswego park.
Then S. Bibbins, E. Wheeler, N. Salisbury, A. D. Peck,
W. W. Ninde, B. Phillips, John Soveys, C. L. Duiniing,
I. L. Hunt, diaries Giles, J. Alley, and H. E. Chapin
served this church as pastors in the order named. There
was but one society and but one place of worship until
1848, when the society was divided by common consent
according to location (the Oswego river being the dividing
line), and the East Methodist Episcopal church was organ-
ized and incorporated, and G. G. Ilapgood was appointed
to the charge of the First church. In 1849 the
chapel, which was owned in common by the two societies,
was burned, and during the year following, under the pas-
torate of Almon Chapin, the First Methodist Epi-seopal
society erected their present house of worship on the corner
of West Fourth and Oneida streets; since which C. L.
Dunning, L. D. White, N. Salisbury, 0. M. Legate, 11.
Reynolds, M. D. Gillette, C. L. Dunning, N. G. Axtell,
Wesley Mason, J. B. Foote, James P]rwin, J. Fletcher
Clymer, E. C. Curtis, Frank J. Jewell, E. Horr, Jr., and
W. F. Hemingway have served as pastors.
In 1866, during the pastorate of James Erwin, Wesley
chapel, on the corner of Fifth and Tolman streets, was
built, and has since been occupied by the First jMethodist
Episcopal church as a mission chapel, maintaining a Sab-
bath-school, regular social worship, and occasional preaching
services.
The church is at present served by Rev. W. F. Jlark-
ham as pastor. The board of trustees are James Biokford,
Mannister Worts, Chester Penfield, George Goble, Hiram
Klock, Argalus J. Hopkins, Charles AV. Farnhani, AVilliam
G. Call, and James McCarthy. The present membership
of the church is two hundred and fifty. Her Sabbath-
schools have about four hundred scholars, and are superin-
tended by IMannister AVorta.
To no one penson does this church and Methodism in
Oswego owe more than to Mrs. Catharine Hawley, who by
her energy and zeal procured the organization of a society,
and watched over it with a mother's care and devotion,
until called to the church triumphant in the summer of
1872. Her name is fragrant with precious memories.
THE FIRST B.iPTIST CHURCH.
This church was organized March 13, 1828, with eleven
members. These were Amos G. Currey, Elijah S. Stock-
well, AVilliam Burt, Mrs. William Burt, AValter Read, Mre.
AA^ilter Read, Mrs. AVilliam L. Beebe, George Cyrenius,
Mrs. George Cyrenius, Samuel B. Morrow, Miss Lydia
Morrow.
Rev. John C. Harrison was called soon tluivaftcr, and
became 
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