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22 - Mohawk Valley by W. Max Reid · Mohawk Valley

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one of the Mohawk Valley. This LibriVox recording
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  Speaker 1: is in the public domain recording by Roger Moline. The
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  Speaker 1: Mohawk Valley, Its Legends and its History by W. Max Reid,
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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one, Oriskany. In the month of August seventeen
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  Speaker 1: seventy seven occurred two of the most important battles of
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  Speaker 1: the Revolution, the results of which were finally seen in
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  Speaker 1: the surrender at Saratoga of General Burgoyne to General Gates
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  Speaker 1: and the victorious Americans. When the campaign begun with the
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  Speaker 1: bombastic proclamation of the British general who signed his name
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  Speaker 1: John Burgoyne, Esquire, Lieutenant General of His Majesty's Forces in America,
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  Speaker 1: Colonel of the Queen's Regiment of Light Dragoons, Governor of
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  Speaker 1: Fort William in North Britain, one of the Commons of
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  Speaker 1: Great Britain and Parliament, and commanding an army and fleet
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  Speaker 1: of an expedition from Canada, et cetera, et cetera. Ended
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  Speaker 1: in the complete and humiliating defeat of that windy gentleman.
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  Speaker 1: I have, says the proclamation, but to give stretch to
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  Speaker 1: the Indian forces under my direction, and they amount to
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  Speaker 1: thousands to overtake the hardened enemies of Great Britain and America.
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  Speaker 1: I consider them the same, wherever they may lurk. The
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  Speaker 1: battles I speak of are those of Bennington and Eriskany.
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  Speaker 1: It was at the Battle of Bennington that he received
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  Speaker 1: the first check to his victorious march to Albany through
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  Speaker 1: the Champlain Valley, and, at a Riskany and Fort Schuyler,
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  Speaker 1: the turning back of the attendant expedition to Albany by
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  Speaker 1: way of the Mohawk Valley. The plan of the campaign
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  Speaker 1: of Burgoyne was arranged in London and provided for a
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  Speaker 1: force of four thousand British troops and three thousand German,
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  Speaker 1: to which were added some Canadians and a body of Indians.
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  Speaker 1: An auxiliary force under Colonel Saint Lesure was to leave
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  Speaker 1: Montreal for Oswego simultaneous with Burgoyne's expedition through the Champlain Valley,
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  Speaker 1: and there join a body of Tories under Sir John
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  Speaker 1: Johnson and Indians under brand who were to clear the
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  Speaker 1: Mohawk Valley and join Burgoyne and General Howe, who was
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  Speaker 1: to proceed up the Hudson at Albany. In seventeen fifty eight,
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  Speaker 1: at the head of boat navigation on the Mohawk River,
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  Speaker 1: where the village of Rome now stands, was erected a
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  Speaker 1: fort for the protection of the settlers against the French
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  Speaker 1: and Indians during the Last French War. This was named
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  Speaker 1: Fort Stanwicks. Although strongly built, it was found to be
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  Speaker 1: untenable at the beginning of the Revolution, and in seventeen
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  Speaker 1: seventy six a new fort was built and named Fort Schuyler,
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  Speaker 1: in honor of General Phillip Schuyler. This name seems to
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  Speaker 1: have been a favorite one for fortifications. In seventeen o
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  Speaker 1: nine a fort was erected on the Hudson near Skuylerville,
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  Speaker 1: and a little later a rude fort was built on
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  Speaker 1: the present side of Utica, both of which were named
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  Speaker 1: for Peter Schuyler. The earlier one was destroyed by its
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  Speaker 1: builders and the later decayed through neglect. Previous to this,
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  Speaker 1: a rude stockade fort stood on this site and was
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  Speaker 1: called Fort Williams from its commandant, a Captain Williams. It
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  Speaker 1: is spoken of as being well built, having four pieces
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  Speaker 1: of cannon, and garrisoned with one hundred and fifty men.
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  Speaker 1: It was destroyed by General Webb in seventeen fifty six
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  Speaker 1: after the fall of Oswego, four miles away on Wood Creek,
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  Speaker 1: at the western end of the carrying place between said
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  Speaker 1: creek and the Mohawk River was another fort named Fort Bull.
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  Speaker 1: March twenty seventh, seventeen fifty six, this was attacked by
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  Speaker 1: a party of French and Indians under Monsieur de Lery.
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  Speaker 1: The defenders of the fort were massacred and the fort
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  Speaker 1: was blown up and burned. It is said that this
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  Speaker 1: fort was rebuilt about two miles from the present city
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  Speaker 1: of Rome, and is probably the fort Butte of the
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  Speaker 1: try and map of seventeen seventy nine. The siege of
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  Speaker 1: Fort Schuyler and the attendant battle at Oriskany form a
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  Speaker 1: theme of never ending interest to the dwellers of the
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  Speaker 1: Mohawk Valley, many of whose ancestors were active participants in
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  Speaker 1: that gruesome engagement. In April seventeen seventy seven, Colonel Peter
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  Speaker 1: Gansvert of the New York Line was appointed to the
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  Speaker 1: command of Fort Schuyler, and when he reached the post,
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  Speaker 1: he found the works in an unfinished state and not
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  Speaker 1: only indefensible, but untenable. On the twenty ninth of May
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  Speaker 1: Colonel Marinus Willett was directed to join the garrison at
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  Speaker 1: Fort Schuyler with his regiment, and with the active assistance
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  Speaker 1: of that officer, Colonel Ganswort proceeded to put the fort
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  Speaker 1: into as defensible state as the circumstances would permit, without
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  Speaker 1: knowing the character or strength of the enemy they were
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  Speaker 1: destined to oppose. The garrison consisted of nine hundred and
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  Speaker 1: fifty men, and although they had a plentiful supply of
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  Speaker 1: ammunition for small arms, they had only about four hundred
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  Speaker 1: rounds for the cannon. In June, information was received from
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  Speaker 1: a spy, a friendly Oneida half breed sachem named Thomas
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  Speaker 1: Spencer that a body of troops consisting of seven hundred
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  Speaker 1: Indians under command of Joseph Brandt and four hundred Regulars
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  Speaker 1: and six hundred Tories under Sir John Johnson and Colonel
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  Speaker 1: John Butler. The whole force under command of Colonel Saint Leisure,
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  Speaker 1: were to rendezvous at Oswego and from thence proceed to
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  Speaker 1: the Mohawk Valley, with Fort Schuyler as their objective point.
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  Speaker 1: This information, instead of arousing the phlegmatic Germans of the
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  Speaker 1: upper Valley to prompt and deficient action seemed to paralyze
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  Speaker 1: them with fear. The timid became backwards in preparing for
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  Speaker 1: the field, while the wavering became loyalists or at the
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  Speaker 1: best passive whigs. To counteract this effect, General Herkimer issued
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  Speaker 1: a stirring proclamation in forming the inhabitants of the gathering
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  Speaker 1: of the enemy's forces at Oswego, and calling upon all
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  Speaker 1: between the ages of sixteen and sixty to hold themselves
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  Speaker 1: in readiness to repair to the field, while the invalids
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  Speaker 1: and those over sixty years of age were directed to
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  Speaker 1: arm themselves for the defense of the women and children
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  Speaker 1: and for the protection of their homes. The disaffected were
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  Speaker 1: also ordered to be arrested and disarmed. The appeal was
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  Speaker 1: not without its effect, and the militia and the people,
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  Speaker 1: stimulated by the near approach of danger, moved with a
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  Speaker 1: degree of alacrity which contrasted strongly with their former apathy.
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  Speaker 1: On the third of August, Colonel Saint Leger arrived before
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  Speaker 1: the fort with his whole force of blatant tories and
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  Speaker 1: howling savages, and a pompous demand was sent to Colonel Ganswort,
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  Speaker 1: which dealt liberally in threats of vengeance to those who
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  Speaker 1: refused to recognize the king and submit to his authority,
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  Speaker 1: no notice being paid. The demand hostilities commenced on the
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  Speaker 1: morning of the fourth of August. Saint Lazierre at this
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  Speaker 1: juncture sent a dispatch to General Bourgogne, expressing his assurance
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  Speaker 1: that Fort Schuyler would be in his possession directly and
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  Speaker 1: the hope that they would meet as victors at Albany.
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  Speaker 1: An interesting episode is connected with this siege, which I
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  Speaker 1: think is not generally known. On the fourteenth of June
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  Speaker 1: seventeen seventy seven, Congress ordained that the flag of the
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  Speaker 1: thirteen United States should be thirteen stripes alternate red and white,
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  Speaker 1: and that the union be thirteen white stars on a
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  Speaker 1: blue field. In August seventeen seventy seven, Fort Schuyler was
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  Speaker 1: without a flag when the enemy appeared, but their pride
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  Speaker 1: and ingenuity were equal to the occasion. The white stripes
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  Speaker 1: were made from strips cut from shirts, the red from
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  Speaker 1: bits of scarlet cloth, and the blue ground for the
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  Speaker 1: stars from a cloak belonging to Captain Abraham Swarthout of
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  Speaker 1: Duchess County. This is thought to have been the first
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  Speaker 1: flag of the regulation stars and stripes that was raised
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  Speaker 1: above a fort in the United States. The arrival of
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  Speaker 1: Saint Leger at Fort Schuyler soon became known throughout the
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  Speaker 1: Mohawk Valley, and General Herkimer summoned the inhabitants in accordance
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  Speaker 1: with his proclamation. They nobly responded, not only the militia,
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  Speaker 1: but the gentlemen of the county and members of the
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  Speaker 1: Committee of Safety hastened to Fort Dayton, now Herkimer, and
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  Speaker 1: on the fifth day of August, when the Indians invested
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  Speaker 1: Fort Schuyler and by their hideous yells, attempted to intimidate
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  Speaker 1: the garrison, Herkimer was at Whitestown, eight miles from the fort,
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  Speaker 1: with eight hundred undisciplined but brave and enthusiastic troops, eager
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  Speaker 1: to face the enemy. Having crossed to the south side
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  Speaker 1: of the Mohawk at Fort Schuyler, Utica. While the party
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  Speaker 1: remained at that place, General Herkimer sent Adam Helmer and
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  Speaker 1: two trusts to men to apprize Colonel Gansvert of his
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  Speaker 1: approach and concert measures of cooperation. Three successive discharges of
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  Speaker 1: cannon were to announce the arrival of the couriers, which
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  Speaker 1: he knew could be plainly heard at the encampment. Having
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  Speaker 1: experienced considerable difficulty in approaching the fort, Adam Helmer did
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  Speaker 1: not succeed in entering until ten o'clock on the morning
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  Speaker 1: of the sixth. The signal guns were immediately fired, and
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  Speaker 1: as the message of General Herkimer intimated his intention to
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  Speaker 1: force a passage to the fort a sort he was
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  Speaker 1: immediately arranged for the purpose of diverting the attention of
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  Speaker 1: the enemy. On the fourth, when Herkimer and his troops
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  Speaker 1: left Fort Dayton, Thomas Spencer, the Faithful Oneida, was with him.
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  Speaker 1: Noticing the impetuosity of the men and the total disregard
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  Speaker 1: to all order of marching without reconnoitering or throwing out
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  Speaker 1: flanking parties, he insisted upon these precautionary measures being adopted,
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  Speaker 1: in which he was joined by General Herkimer and some
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  Speaker 1: of the older officers. The junior officers ridiculed the idea,
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  Speaker 1: and General Herkimer, contrary to his own judgment, did not
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  Speaker 1: enforce the order. On the morning of the sixth, a
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  Speaker 1: renewal of these scenes took place in Herkimer's camp, with
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  Speaker 1: the same caution which the general had previously manifested. He
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  Speaker 1: desired to remain where he was until some evidence was
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  Speaker 1: received that a movement from the fort had been made.
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  Speaker 1: The new born zeal of his junior officers revolted at
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  Speaker 1: the idea, and angry words ensued, in which the brave
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  Speaker 1: but cautious old man was denounced by Colonels, Cox and
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  Speaker 1: Paris as a coward and a tory. This bitter taunt
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  Speaker 1: sank deep into his heart, but he answered calmly, I
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  Speaker 1: am placed over you as a father and guardian, and
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  Speaker 1: I will not lead you into difficulties from which I
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  Speaker 1: may not be able to extricate you. There was a
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  Speaker 1: brief interchange of further hot words between the general Colonel
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  Speaker 1: Bellinger and John Fry on one side, and the mutinous
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  Speaker 1: Colonels and Men on the other, while the old man
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  Speaker 1: stood defiant, with chin raised and dark blazing eyes. The
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  Speaker 1: confusion became unbearable, and the shouts of lead on, lead
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  Speaker 1: on from the crowd more vehement. Suddenly, Herkimer sprang upon
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  Speaker 1: a log, too much incense to control himself, and cried,
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  Speaker 1: if you will have it, so the blood be upon
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  Speaker 1: your heads. Waving his sword, he shouted in a voice
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  Speaker 1: all the eight hundred could hear Vorwartz instantly with exultant cheth,
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  Speaker 1: the men rushed for their arms, officers, their horses, and
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  Speaker 1: the teamsters the baggage train, everyone eager to reach the
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  Speaker 1: enemy without regard to their order of going. Through the
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  Speaker 1: efforts of the General, the four regiments were brought into
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  Speaker 1: a semblance of order, with Colonel Vischer and the Canawaga
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  Speaker 1: Company in the rear as guard of the ammunition and
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  Speaker 1: supply wagons, and so marching swiftly and without scouts. At
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  Speaker 1: nine in the morning they started fourth information of the
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  Speaker 1: approach of General Herkimer, having reached Colonel Saint Leisure on
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  Speaker 1: the evening of the fifteenth, and the latter, preferring to
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  Speaker 1: receive him in the field rather than in his camp,
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  Speaker 1: detached eighty men of Sir John Johnson's Royal Greens under
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  Speaker 1: Major Watts, Sir John's brother in law, and the entire
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  Speaker 1: body of Indians under Joseph Brandt, the whole under command
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  Speaker 1: of Sir johns On Johnson, to intercept his approach. It
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  Speaker 1: appears that the influence of brand prevailed, and that it
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  Speaker 1: was determined to draw the Americans into an ambuscade for
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  Speaker 1: this purpose, With a sagacity, which does even that remarkable
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  Speaker 1: man great credit. A position was selected which was admirably
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  Speaker 1: adapted for his purpose, about two miles west from Oriskany
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  Speaker 1: and six from Whitesboro. At this place were two short
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  Speaker 1: ravines running from south to north, both opening to the
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  Speaker 1: north and separated by a level plateau of perhaps ten
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  Speaker 1: acres about fifty feet from the bottom of the ravines.
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  Speaker 1: This plateau gradually narrowed to a rounded point as the
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  Speaker 1: ravines opened out, and gradually merged into the swampy flats
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  Speaker 1: that stretched north to the Mohawk River three quarters of
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  Speaker 1: a mile away. The westernmost ravine was the run Devous
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  Speaker 1: of the British troops, who were stationed along its upper
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  Speaker 1: eastern edge, effectually concealed by its fringe of low trees
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  Speaker 1: and bushes. The Indians rapidly took their positions around the south, north,
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  Speaker 1: and eastern edge of the easterly ravine, nearly enclosing it,
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  Speaker 1: except where the rude road of logs, constructed earlier in
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  Speaker 1: the year by Colonel Gansvert for easier carriage of cannon
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  Speaker 1: and supplies for Fort Schuyler six miles away, ran down
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  Speaker 1: and over the swampy bottom of the fatal ravine. All
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  Speaker 1: around were trees and low bushes and the attendant rotting
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  Speaker 1: logs and tree trunks, while tangled masses of dead branches
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  Speaker 1: and underbrush bordered each side of the rough road that
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  Speaker 1: stretched out east and west until lost in the gloom
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  Speaker 1: of the forest, while the swampy flats dimly seen through
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  Speaker 1: the mouth of the ravine were covered with tall swamp
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  Speaker 1: grass and the long flat leaves of cattail and calamus,
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  Speaker 1: with here and there a scrub pine or willow, making
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  Speaker 1: a treacherous concealment for the naked savages. Occasionally a group
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  Speaker 1: of pond lilies and other aquatic flowers added color and
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  Speaker 1: beauty to the diversified landscape. Meanwhile, General Herkimer had moved
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  Speaker 1: on from the mouth of Oriskany Creek, entirely unconscious of
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  Speaker 1: the ambuscade two miles away. Their route lay along the
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  Speaker 1: firm lowlands for about a mile, the road gradually bearing
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  Speaker 1: to the south and up the low forest covered hills
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  Speaker 1: that led to the fatal ravine. The morning was dark, sultry,
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  Speaker 1: and lowering, and the muttering of distant thunder was in
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  Speaker 1: the air, unheeded or unnoticed by the troops whose mines
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  Speaker 1: were intent upon reaching the fort. The canaji Harry Regiment,
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  Speaker 1: with General Herkimer and Colonels Cox and Paris in the van,
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  Speaker 1: was the first to reach the eastern edge of the slope,
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  Speaker 1: down which the Corduroy road ran to the marshy bottom
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  Speaker 1: of the ravine. The General and the Colonels spoken of
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  Speaker 1: above seemed to have been at the head of the
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  Speaker 1: troops down this rough road, followed in a joyous and
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  Speaker 1: rollicking manner by three regiments and the baggage train. The
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  Speaker 1: van had nearly reached the top of the western slope,
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  Speaker 1: and the balance of the troops were huddled together at
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  Speaker 1: the narrow crossing, and the baggage train was waiting for
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  Speaker 1: an opportunity to cross. Colonel Visher with the Canawaga Company,
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  Speaker 1: was yet on top of the hill, waiting for the
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  Speaker 1: bridge or ford to become cleared before descending. Those on
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  Speaker 1: the other side were looking back to see the wagon
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  Speaker 1: making its way down the hill. Colonel Cox was giving
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  Speaker 1: an order to those below when the report of a
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  Speaker 1: rifle was heard, and Colonel Cox fell headlong upon the
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  Speaker 1: neck of his horse, which turned and at a mad gallop,
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  Speaker 1: dashed down the slope and into the startled crowd at
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  Speaker 1: the ford. Instantly, as though the rifle shot had been
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  Speaker 1: a signal for action, swarms of red devils dashed upon
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  Speaker 1: the Visher company, firing and yelling as if in hellish delight,
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  Speaker 1: separating them from the troops below and fairly overwhelming them
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  Speaker 1: with superior numbers at the same time, completing the cordon
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  Speaker 1: that was drawn around the doomed Americans in the valley below,
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  Speaker 1: while from every tree and bush rang out The report
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  Speaker 1: of rifle and the war cry of the Indians then
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  Speaker 1: ensued a scene of direst confusion as the troops at
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  Speaker 1: the crossing realized that they were completely surrounded by hordes
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  Speaker 1: of naked, painted savage devils with apparently no avenue of escape,
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  Speaker 1: but at the first discharge many had been killed, while
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  Speaker 1: others wounded had fallen into the slimy marsh, either to
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  Speaker 1: be drowned or to receive the death stroke by hatchet
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  Speaker 1: or knife from the foe, who became bold at the
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  Speaker 1: evidently helpless situation of the soldiers to return a moment
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  Speaker 1: to Colonel Visher and part of the Cotnawaga company, who
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  Speaker 1: had become separated from the main body of troops. Finding
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  Speaker 1: themselves assailed on three sides, the company rapidly retreated, firing
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  Speaker 1: as they went behind tree and bush in true backwoodsman fashion,
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  Speaker 1: drawing the Indians after them, who were intent upon their
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  Speaker 1: death or capture, and neglecting for the time being their
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  Speaker 1: duty on the hilltop in their frenzied pursuit. General Herkimer,
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  Speaker 1: although taken by surprise, seems to have risen equal to
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  Speaker 1: the occasion. Urging his horse down the hill with energetic efforts,
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  Speaker 1: he succeeded in pulling the troops who had already crossed
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  Speaker 1: up to the level plateau, where they were met by
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  Speaker 1: the fire of Sir John Johnson's rangers in front along
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  Speaker 1: the top of the second ravine and the fire of
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  Speaker 1: the Indians concealed on both flanks. Noticing that the fire
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  Speaker 1: from along the eastern slope of the ravine was thin
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  Speaker 1: and somewhat irregular, he ordered Colonel Bellinger and the soldiers
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  Speaker 1: who had not yet crossed the causeway to retake the hill.
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  Speaker 1: Dashing through the hail of lead on both flanks, the
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  Speaker 1: stalwart Palatine Germans stormed the hillside, firing to kill as
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  Speaker 1: they went, and then meeting their antagonists with the swinging
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  Speaker 1: blows of clubbed muskets. Regaining the hilltop, they formed themselves
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  Speaker 1: into circular squads, leaving the bottom of the fatal ravine
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  Speaker 1: to their dead and dying, and the occasion prowling painted
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  Speaker 1: savage with ready knife, searching for scalps and plunder. It
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  Speaker 1: was at the time that Herkimer had succeeded in getting
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  Speaker 1: the regiment in some sort of order on the plateau
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  Speaker 1: that he received the bullet through his leg, which at
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  Speaker 1: the same time killed his horse. He was taken up
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  Speaker 1: and carried up the slope to the plateau and placed
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  Speaker 1: upon his saddle at the foot of a large beech tree.
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  Speaker 1: Having lighted his pipe, he sat and continued to order
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  Speaker 1: the battle with the utmost firmness and composure, until the
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  Speaker 1: enemy retreated. For three quarters of an hour, the contest
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  Speaker 1: continued with fury on both sides. At that time, the
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  Speaker 1: enemy began to concentrate his forces and by slow degrees,
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  Speaker 1: to close upon the Americans from all points of the circle.
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  Speaker 1: Noticing this movement, the Americans on the plateau formed themselves
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  Speaker 1: into circles, and then resistance from that moment became more
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  Speaker 1: effective to counteract it the fire of the tories was discontinued,
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  Speaker 1: and the enemy charged with the bayonet, And then, more
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  Speaker 1: than ever before, the contest became a death struggle, hand
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  Speaker 1: to hand and foot to foot. Never did brave men
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  Speaker 1: stand a charge with more dauntless courage, and the enemy
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  Speaker 1: made no impression. At this moment. A blinding flash, followed
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  Speaker 1: by a crashing peal of Heaven's artillery burst upon the
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  Speaker 1: ears of the combatants, a tent upon the battle. The
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  Speaker 1: approach of the thunder storm had been unnoticed until it
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  Speaker 1: burst upon them with inconceivable fury. The roaring wind, the
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  Speaker 1: swaying of the tree tops, and the sudden downpour of
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  Speaker 1: rain arrested the work of death and drove both Indians
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: and Whites to seek shelter under trees and bushes. For
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: nearly an hour, rain fell in torrents. But even the
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: vivid lightning, the furious wind, the rolling thunder, and the
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: crashing of falling trees did not prevent the Americans from
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: making preparations to renew the deadly struggle. The wounded bound
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: up their wounds. Every musket was carefully loaded and protected
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: from the rain. Each soldier refreshed himself with water and food,
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: and waited impatiently for the cessation of the storm. General
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: Herkimer had formed the Americans farther up the plateau towards
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: the south, and had succeeded in withdrawing the troops under
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: Colonel Bellinger and Captain Jacob Gardiner from the east side
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: of the ravine, formed into a circle, each man protected
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: by tree or log. They were ordered to adopt a
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: new mode of bush fighting to counteract the operation of
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: the Indians, who, as soon as they saw a gun
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: discharged from behind a tree, rushed upon and tomahawked the
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: marksmen before he had time to reload. To prevent this,
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: General Herkimer ordered two men to take each tree, one
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: to fire at a time and the other to reserve
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: his fire for the Indian who might seek their scalps.
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: In imagination, I can see the bluff rugged old man,
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: whose tawny saxon hair veils the silver gray locks that
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: would be a fitting crown for his years of life.
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: His angular form and hardened muscles indicate laborious toil and exposure,
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: while the slow, automatic movements of his limbs are those
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: acquired by following the plow or picking his way over
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: broken farmland. On his bronzed, careworn face is a look
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: of pain, but his firm, eager eyes scan every movement
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: of his beleaguered troops and the red skinned enemy. His
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: commands are given sharp and short, like the quick blue
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: puffs of smoke from his short black clay pipe. It
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: is pleasant to note that, however rebellious his impetuous men
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: appeared on the march, his orders are now obeyed with
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: the utmost confidence in the judgment and loyalty of their
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: much abused leader. His buff faced blue coat and vest
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: are disordered and blood stained, and his wounded leg nearly
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: bare bound with a red silk handkerchief, while his neck
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: and breast are uncovered to the hot, sultry air, the
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: storm at length passed over, and amidst one of the
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: most intensely hot days, the battle was renewed with increasing fury.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: The new position of the Americans and the new system
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: of bush fighting, however, soon produced their legitimate results, and
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: the Indians suffered severely, so much so indeed, that they
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: began to show signs of uneasiness, and Major Watts moved forward.
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: A second detachment of royal Greens, which had been sent
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: out by Colonel Saint Lagerre to support them. These men
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: were tories, many or nearly all of them from Tryan County,
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: and former neighbors of the men they were marching against,
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: And as they advanced so near as to afford mutual recognition,
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: the contest became, if possible, more terrible than before. Mutual
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: revenge and hate raged in their bosoms. The Americans fired
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: upon them as they advanced, and then, springing from their covers,
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: attacked them with bayonets and clubbed muskets, or in some
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: cases with knife or bare hands, throttling and stabbing each other,
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: and sometimes dying in each other's embrace. It was at
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: this time that the signal guns were heard from the Fort,
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: an evidence to the Americans of the sortie asked for
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: by General Herkimer, and anxious to close the engagement, Colonel
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: Butler executed a stratagem that nearly accomplished that object. He
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: so changed the dress of a detachment of royal Greens
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: that they resembled Americans, using the hats of the dead
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: patriots for the purpose. These men were made to approach
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: from the direction of the fort, and were at first
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: mistaken for reinforcements from the garrison. Directly in their path
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: was Captain Jacob Gardner and some of his Conewaga men.
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: The burly captain, his only weapons his knife in short spear,
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: was fighting with a group of Tories and Indians, while
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: around him lay four of the enemy, slain by his hand.
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: His experienced eye discovered the real character of the approaching masquerade,
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: and ordering his men to fire upon them, and rushing
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: upon them himself, followed by some of his men. Upwards
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: of thirty of the Tories were slain, and the remainder
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: fled in disorder. The Indians, perceiving with what order the
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: Americans opposed the enemy, tired and sulky. After six hours
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: furious fighting, raised the retreating cry of una Unah and
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: fled in every direction, while the Tories, perceiving that their
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: allies had deserted them, also retreated, leaving the Try and
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: County militia and volunteers masters of the field. After the action,
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: General Herkimer was taken to his own house, which is
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: still standing about three miles east of Little Falls on
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: the south bank of the Mohawk River, where his leg
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: was amputated. Nine days after the battle. It is said
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: to have been done in the most unskillful manner, the
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: leg having been cut off square without allowing flesh enough
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: below the bone to form the proper flaps to cover
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: the wound, whereby the flow of blood was with difficulty staunched.
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: Colonel Willett called to see him soon after the operation,
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: and found him sitting up in his bed as cheerful
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: as usual, smoking his pipe. Hemorrhage ensued, and toward evening
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: the general became convinced that his end was near. He
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: called for his Bible and read composedly in the presence
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: of his family and others, the thirty eighth Psalm, applying
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: the penitential Confessions to his own case. His voice gradually
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: grew weaker, the book slipped from his nerveless fingers, and
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: sinking back on his pillow. General Herkimer, a Christian hero, died.
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: A description of the Mohawk Valley in seventeen fifty seven
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: is found in the documentary History of New York. The
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: writer starts from Shawegan Oswego and follows the Oswego and
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: Oneida rivers to Oneida Lake, thence through the lake to
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: Wood Creek, which he ascends to Fort Bull and thence
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: across the carrying place to Fort Williams Rome on the
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: Mohawk River. Sailing or rather polling down the river, he
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: reaches Fort Kowari Fort Herkimer on the right or south
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: bank of the river. This fort is thus described. It
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: is a large three story stone building with portholes at
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: each story, and likewise in the basement for cross firing.
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: There are some small pieces above. The house is covered
• 30:50
  Speaker 1: with plank and shingles. It is built as a store
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: and depot for shwagon oswego. It is surrounded by a
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: ditch at a distance of about thirty feet. This ditch
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: is six foot deep and seven feet wide. The crown
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: of the ditch is planted with palisades in an oblique form.
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: Behind these there is a parapet of earth, so as
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: to be able to fire over the palisades. The four
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: angles of this parapet, which is at the back of
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: the ditch, form as it were, four little bastions that
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: reciprocally flank each other. On the west side is a house.
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: Apart from the large one. It backs against the parapets
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: of the palisades and serves as a barrack and guard house.
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: There are two doors to the large building. The one
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: in the north is a small swing door. The large
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: door of the house is on the south side. Opposite
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: this fort is a small cultivated island which can be
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: reached at low water by fording from Fort Kowari to
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: Fort Canajihari. Indian castle is four leagues. The inhabitants of
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: this country are Palatines or Germans. Fort Canajihari is situated
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: on the south side of the Mohawk River. It is
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: a square of four bastions of upright pickets joined with lintels.
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: They are fifteen feet high about one foot square, with
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: portholes inserted from distance to distance, with a stage all
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: around to fire from. The fort is one hundred paces
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: on each side. It is not surrounded by a ditch.
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: There are some small pieces of cannon at each of
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: its bastions, and a house at each curtain to serve
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: as a store and barrack. Five or six families of
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: Mohawk Indians reside outside the fort. This fort was built
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: in seventeen fifty six by Sir William Johnson. Previous to
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: that time, there was a block house situated on a
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: hill on the opposite side of the Creek. Indian Castle
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: was the home of Joseph Brandt and King Hendrick and
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: Molly Brandt after Sir William Johnson's death until the flight
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: of the Mohawks to Canada. It is said that Molly
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: Brandt furnished her brother with valuable information in regard to
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: General Herkimer's movements previous to the Battle of Riskany. The
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: distance from the above fort to Fort Hunter is about
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: twelve leagues. About one hundred houses at a greater or
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: less distance are found within this length of road. There
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: are some situated about half a league in the interior.
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: The inhabitants of this section compose a militia company of
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: one hundred men. Fort Hunter is situated on the border
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: of the Mohawk River and is of the same form
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: as that of Canaja Harry, with the exception that it
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: is twice as large. There is a church or temple
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: in the middle of the fort, Queen Anne's Chapel. From
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: Fort Hunter to Chenectady or Corillier is seven leagues, and
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: twenty or thirty houses are found within this distance. The
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: inhabitants of this section are Dutch. They form a company
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: with some others on the left bank about one hundred strong.
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: Chenectady or Corlier is situated on the bank of the
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: river and is a village of about three hundred houses.
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: From Chenectady to Orange Albany is estimated to be six
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: or seven leagues. This is all that relates to the
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: right or south bank of the Mohawk, beginning again at
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: Fort Williams, Rome. The record describes the country along the
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: left or north bank of the Mohawk. Leaving Fort Williams,
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: The village of the Palatines is estimated to be twelve leagues.
• 35:01
  Speaker 1: All the country between Little Falls and Rome on both
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: sides of the Mohawk was known as the German Flats
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: and was the home of most of the Palatines that
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: moved from Skoheri Valley. In seventeen twenty two, the Palatine
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: village was known as German Flats and was situated about
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: a half mile above Fort Kouari on the opposite side
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: of the bank, now known as Herkimer. During the Revolution,
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: a fort was built at Herkimer and called Fort Dayton.
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: In seventeen fifty seven, the Palatine village, which consisted of
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: thirty houses, was destroyed and burnt by a detachment of
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: about three hundred Indians and Frenchmen under Monsieur de Bellestre.
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: The inhabitants of this village formed a company of one
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: hundred men bearing arms. Total population about three hundred men,
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: women and children, one hundred and two of whom were
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: made prisoners, and the remainder fled to Fort Kuari, except
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: a few who were killed while fording. The river from
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: Palatine Village to the Little Falls, still continuing on the
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: left bank of the Mohawk, is estimated about three leagues.
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: In this distance there are but eight houses which have
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: been abandoned. The portage at Little Falls is a quarter
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: of a league and is passed with carts. From the
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: portage to Colonel Johnson's mansion is twelve leagues. In the
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: whole of this distance, the soil is good. About five
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: hundred houses are erected at a distance one from the other.
• 36:45
  Speaker 1: The greater number of those on the bank of the
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: river are built of stone. Those at a greater distance
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: from the river in the interior are only half a
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: league off. They are the new settlements and are built
• 36:59
  Speaker 1: of wood. Two of these old stone buildings are still
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: to be seen from New York central trains north of
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: the track, the Ailey House east of Fort Plain, built
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: in seventeen fifty two, and the Frye House west of
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: Palatine Bridge, built in seventeen thirty nine. There is not
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: a fort in the whole distance of twelve leagues. There
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: is but one house built of stone that is somewhat
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: fortified and surrounded with pickets, the Frye House. The inhabitants
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: are Germans. They form four companies of one hundred men each.
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: Colonel Johnson's mansion is situated on the border of the
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: left bank of the Mohawk River. It is three stories high,
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: two stories and attic, built of stone with portholes and
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: a parapet, and flanked with four bastions, on which are
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: some small guns. In the same yard. On both both
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: sides of the mansion there are two small houses. That
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: on the right of the entrance is a store, and
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: that on the left is designed for workmen, negroes and
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: other domestics. The yard gate is a heavy swing gate,
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: well ironed. It is on the Mohawk river side. From
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: this gate to the river there is about two hundred
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: paces of level ground. It is said that the buildings
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: were enclosed in a stockade during the French War. A
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: small rivulet coming from the north empties itself into the
• 38:35
  Speaker 1: Mohawk about two hundred paces below the enclosure of the yard,
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: the Cayatos Creek said to have given the name to
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: the famous patent. On this stream there is a mill
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: about fifty paces distant from the house. Below is the
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: miller's house, and on the other side of the creek,
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: one hundred paces from the mill is a barn in
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: which fodder and cattle are kept. One hundred and fifty
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: paces from Colonel Johnson's mansion at the north side, on
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: the left east bank of the little creek is a
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: little hill, on which is a small house with portholes,
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: where is ordinarily kept a guard of honor of some
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: twenty men, which serves also as an advance post. From
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: Colonel Johnson's house to Chenectady is counted as seven leagues.
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: The road is good. All sorts of vehicles pass over it.
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: About twenty houses are found from point to point on
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: this road. The Mohawk River can be forded during summer
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: a league and a quarter west of Chenectady. Opposite Chenectady,
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: the traverse is usually by a ferry boat and Batteaux.
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: Going from Chenectady to the mouth of the Mohawk River,
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: where it discharges into the Orange Hudson, there is a
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: great falls cohoes which prev hence the passage of Batteaux,
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: so that everything on the river going from Chenectady to
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: Orange Albany passes over the high road that leads there direct.
• 40:11
  Speaker 1: In the whole country of the river corlier Mohawk, there
• 40:15
  Speaker 1: were nine companies of militia under command of Colonel Johnson.
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: Eight only remain that of the Village of the Palatines,
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: being no longer in existence, the greater portion having been
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: defeated by Monsieur de Belstree's detachment. Colonel Johnson assembles these
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: companies when he has news of any expeditions which may
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: concern the Mohawk River. In the latter part of April
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: seventeen fifty seven, on receiving intelligence by the savages that
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: there was a strong detachment descending the river Saint Lawrence
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: and entering Lake Ontario, he assembled these companies and went
• 40:56
  Speaker 1: to the village of the Palatines, where he was joined
• 40:59
  Speaker 1: by by another body of twelve hundred men sent him
• 41:03
  Speaker 1: by the Commandant of Orange. This formed in all a
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: force of two thousand men. He entrenched himself at the
• 41:12
  Speaker 1: head of the Palatine village, where he remained in camp
• 41:16
  Speaker 1: fifteen days, and did not retire until he received intelligence
• 41:20
  Speaker 1: that the French detachment seen on the Saint Lawrence River
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: had passed by and taken the route to bel Riviere, Ohio.
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: In nineteen hundred, a century and a half after the
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: above record was made, in company with Professor J. A.
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: Maney I traversed the same section of the Mohawk, not
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: by bateaux and rude carts, but by railroad in true
• 41:47
  Speaker 1: nineteenth century style. The objective point was Rome in search
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: of data in relationing to the Battle of Uriskini and
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: the siege of Fort Schuyler. We did not seek in
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: finding any evidence of the fort. In fact, we had
• 42:04
  Speaker 1: some difficulty in finding anyone that had ever heard of it.
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: We were finally, however, directed to its site in the
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: center of the city and near the border of the
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: Mohawk River. Nothing remains to mark the spot of that
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: heroic resistance of a handful of sturdy pioneers who, by
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: their valor turned back to Canada the hordes of savages
• 42:27
  Speaker 1: and tories under Saint Leger, Sir John Johnson Butler and
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: Joseph Brandt, and thereby assisted materially in defeating the plans
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: of General Burgoyne, and thus led to the surrender of
• 42:41
  Speaker 1: the British troops at Saratoga. A glance at the map
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: of New York State will show that the Mohawk River
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: rises just over the border of Lewis County, in the
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: town of Lewis and under the shadow of Mohawk Hill.
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: Although flowing in a southerly direction, until it reaches the
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: vicinity of Rome. Like many a mountain stream, with its
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: numerous curves, it seems to flow in the direction of
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: every point of the compass. West of Rome is a
• 43:11
  Speaker 1: small stream running parallel with the Mohawk called Wood Creek.
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: Distance from the said river about two miles. The slight
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: elevation of land between, however, is sufficient to turn the
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: waters of Wood Creek and Oneida Lake, and through Oswego
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: River to Lake Ontario, and thence to the Gulf of
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: Saint Lawrence. The Mohawk, bending to the east, finally reaches
• 43:38
  Speaker 1: the Atlantic Ocean through the Hudson River and New York Bay.
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: There were two routes for the Indians in their birchen
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: canoes to the Mohawk Valley, one by the way of
• 43:49
  Speaker 1: Lake Champlain and Lake George, and the other up the
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: Saint Lawrence and around the east coast of Lake Ontario
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: to Oswego River, thence up the river and Oneida Lake
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: to the mouth of one of its small tributaries, Wood Creek,
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: thence up Wood Creek to appoint two miles from the
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: present site of the city of Rome, where the canoes
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: were carried across the divide to the Mohawk River and
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: thence down to the Hudson. When the Dutch established themselves
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: in the lower Mohawk Valley, hunters and traders the Corroy
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: du Bois of the Dutch used the Mohawk River and
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: the Indian canoe to penetrate to the home of the
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: Iroquois in quest of game and furs. As the valley
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: became settled by venturesome resident traders, supplies were transported to
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: them in canoes or flatboats, which on their return brought peltries, potash,
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: and the produce of their limited acres. Niagara or Ajagara,
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: as it was called by the Iroquois, early became an
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: important trading post with the farther Indians, both to the
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: English and French, and the establishment of a post at
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: Rondequis and the building of a fort at chugen Oswego
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: in seventeen twenty five called for improvements in the mode
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: of navigating the Mohawk. Flatboats called bataux were constructed and
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: propelled by paddles, poles and sail, but it was not
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: until seventeen ninety two that the Inland Lock and Navigation
• 45:35
  Speaker 1: Company made any decided improvements in the river bed and
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: carrying places. At that time the channel was deepened, canals
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: dug at little Falls and across the carry between Wood
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: Creek and the Mohawk River. I have often thought that
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: this work was probably the incentive to Governor Clinton to
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: build his Big Ditch a quarter of a century later.
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: After this long digression, we will continue our journey from
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: Rome eastward. From the very start we found difficulty in
• 46:10
  Speaker 1: tracing the channel of the river from the windows of
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: the car. For forty five miles, the river runs its tortuous,
• 46:18
  Speaker 1: erratic course, marked by its borders of low willows and
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: occasional majestic elms, through the German Flats or until it
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: reaches the vicinity of Herkimer. We were impressed with the
• 46:33
  Speaker 1: uniform width of its channel, which has the appearance of
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: the Erie Canal before it was enlarged. In fact, its
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: channel through the German Flats seems to retain evidence of
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: work done by the Inland Lock and Navigation Company. For
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: a number of miles we have been steaming along the
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: south bank of the river, but a short distance east
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: of Utica we crossed to the north side, and so
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: continued Juan to our journey's end. This is probably the
• 47:04
  Speaker 1: place where Herkimer crossed the Mohawk with his troops en
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: route to Fort Schuyler. A little earlier in the day,
• 47:11
  Speaker 1: we had left the New York Central at Oriskany en
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: route to the battlefield and the scene of the fatal ambuscade.
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: A hurried departure from Rome obliged us to leave the
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: table at the Stanwix before dinner was served, and although
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: our roughed tempers were somewhat smoothed by the hurried eating
• 47:32
  Speaker 1: of a sandwich hurriedly made, we still felt the need
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: of victuals and drink. Although this quiet little village, with
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: its famous battlefield along its borders, could not supply us
• 47:44
  Speaker 1: with all that we desired. We, however, succeeded at last
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: in securing a vehicle for our two miles ride over
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: the hills to the fatal ravine, and with the Sheriff
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: of Oneida as our guide and factotum, and with the
• 47:59
  Speaker 1: rattle of wagon spots that kept time to the beat
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: of the horses hoofs, followed nearly the same route as
• 48:06
  Speaker 1: Herkimer and his impetuous soldiers. The weather was all that
• 48:11
  Speaker 1: could be desired, but the landscape view was not very inspiring,
• 48:16
  Speaker 1: as we were at least a mile away from the
• 48:18
  Speaker 1: range of low hills that marked the north boundary of
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: the valley, and the only evidence of the Mohawk River
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: was a line of low bushes about three quarters of
• 48:28
  Speaker 1: a mile away, while apparently limitless miles of flat land
• 48:33
  Speaker 1: seemed to stretch away east and west. But it was
• 48:37
  Speaker 1: the ravine that was the object of our pilgrimage. As
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: we neared the spot, the tall granite monument eighty feet high,
• 48:47
  Speaker 1: erected by the Oneida County Historical Society in eighteen seventy six,
• 48:52
  Speaker 1: met our site and marked the spot we were in
• 48:54
  Speaker 1: search of a few minutes more and the ravine, the
• 48:59
  Speaker 1: adjacent hill, and the fatal morass were before us. At present,
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: the ravine is spanned by a causeway over which passes
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: the main road from Utica to Rome. A narrow arch
• 49:13
  Speaker 1: of stone under the causeway forms a passage for the
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: small creek that produces the morass and swampy flats to
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: the north. A narrow ditch now confines the stream and
• 49:26
  Speaker 1: makes comparatively dry the spot at the bottom of the
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: ravine where the Corduroy Road formerly crossed, although the western
• 49:34
  Speaker 1: slope halfway to the top still gives evidence of the
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: marshy character of the soil. Accompanying this sketch are photographs
• 49:44
  Speaker 1: of this historic spot, which I trust will enable the
• 49:47
  Speaker 1: reader to comprehend the locality of the battlefield. View number
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: one shows the eastern hill and slope to the rivulet below,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: which is seen at the lower right hand corner. On
• 50:01
  Speaker 1: each side of the rivulet is still seen portions of
• 50:04
  Speaker 1: the old log road, which marks the spot where the
• 50:07
  Speaker 1: slaughter of the American troops was the greatest, as they
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: were massed near the only crossing that led through the morass.
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: See also view number two. At the time of the attack,
• 50:21
  Speaker 1: all of the troops except Colonel Visher's Cannawaga Regiment, were
• 50:25
  Speaker 1: in the hollow and climbing the western slope shown in
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: view number three. The baggage wagons were yet toiling down
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: the eastern slope, and Visher's men were masked where the
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: farm buildings are seen at the top of the hill.
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: Both hills were covered with tall pines, oaks, and maples,
• 50:47
  Speaker 1: while the bottom of this little valley was covered with
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: low trees, bushes, and swamp grass. At the present time,
• 50:55
  Speaker 1: these hills and the surrounding country are entirely cleared of
• 50:59
  Speaker 1: the forest and cultivated land is seen in every direction.
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: Even the field where the great struggle and subsequent victory
• 51:08
  Speaker 1: took place is now occupied by a thrifty potato patch.
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: On the eastern plateau is the battle monument, and in
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: the center of the photograph on the horizon line is
• 51:22
  Speaker 1: a black mark that looks like a crooked tenpenny nail.
• 51:27
  Speaker 1: This is a picture of the writer marking the spot
• 51:30
  Speaker 1: where formerly stood the tree under which the wounded general
• 51:34
  Speaker 1: sat directing the battle. Number four is a closer view
• 51:38
  Speaker 1: of the monument, and one of the group at its
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: base is pointing out the fatal ravine to a party
• 51:45
  Speaker 1: of visitors who were born and brought up at the
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: old village of Whitestown, six miles away, but were ignorant
• 51:52
  Speaker 1: of the circumstances of the battle or the points of
• 51:55
  Speaker 1: interest that surrounded us. This is not at all singular,
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: but is only another evidence of the all absorbing spirit
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: of the twentieth century, the living for the present and
• 52:08
  Speaker 1: the temporal care for the future, and the willingness to
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: leave the past to aged dreamers whose only pleasures, alas
• 52:17
  Speaker 1: may be the dreams of earlier days. End of Chapter
• 52:23
  Speaker 1: twenty one recording by Roger Moline. End of the Mohawk Valley,
• 52:30
  Speaker 1: Its Legends, and its History by W. Max Reid