Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

The Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley
by Nelson Greene
O'Connor Brothers Publishers, Fort Plain, NY 1915

CHAPTER XXV.
1775-1783-Review of Mohawk Valley Events-Tryon County Militia Records-Territory Covered in These Sketches.

With this chapter are concluded the first two periods of the history of the middle Mohawk valley-that of settlement and that of the war of the Revolution. At almost every point this story touches that of the nation. Just as Walt Whitman sings of man as representative of the race and the race as the single man multiplied, so, in this history of the Mohawk country, we see the growing nation and in viewing the land of America we get a diminished yet clear prospect of our own valley. Thus while following the current of local life and events we are borne along as well on the great stream of national life.

In the foregoing chapters, mention has been made of the connection of the men of the Mohawk country with the decisive event of the Revolution---the success of the Americans in the 1777 campaign against Burgoyne and St. Leger. A further instance of the vital interlocking of our story with that greater one of the United States, is evidenced in that thrilling first encounter of the Iroquois with the French power, represented by Champlain and his Canadian savages. The shots fired by the Frenchman into the ranks of the red men of the Five Nations gave us these United States, for it made the Iroquois enemies of the French power forever. They formed a bulwark against the encroachment of the Gallic dominion and may, at that early date, have prevented France from conquering the greater part of the thirteen colonies. Thus it is that the shot of an arquebus, on the shore of a lonely lake, or the death struggle of a few hundred farmers in a forest fight, may settle the destinies of a nation. A further instance of past conditions affecting the present is evidenced in the state of New York, the boundaries of which were largely determined by the Dutch settlements along the Hudson and the territory occupied by the Five Nations. It has also been stated that the successful example of the Iroquois confederacy had a considerable influence in formation of the United States of America.

The Revolutionary record of Tryon county, besides detailing the defense against British invasion of the New York frontier, is concerned with two great national military movements of the war-the vital defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga (to which the successful defense of Fort Schuyler contributed) and the Sullivan and Clinton invasion of the Indian country, in connection with which occurred the march of the New York detachment of the American army along the Mohawk to Canajoharie, the rendezvous there, the cutting of a road through the wilderness to Otsego lake and the subsequent unique march thither of Clinton's force, convoying the river flatboats with their supplies, loaded on eight horse wagons and oxcarts. This campaign was one of the most noteworthy of the war and the Mohawk valley side of it seems to have never received the full and proper presentation that it merits.

The Tryon county infantry and militia, as has been shown, had been instrumental in the American success of the Saratoga campaign. Creasy calls this one of the fifteen decisive battles of the world (up to 1855) and mentions the British checks at Fort Stanwix (Schuyler) and at Bennington as strongly influencing the final defeat of Burgoyne and the British army. Of this historically great battle Lord Mahon wrote:

"Even of those great conflicts, in which hundreds of thousands have been engaged and tens of thousands have fallen, none has been more fruitful of results than this surrender * * at Saratoga."

The victory at Stillwater was decisive not only in ensuring American independence but it eventually brought about American predominance over the western hemisphere. To this great world result the men of the Mohawk contributed, at Oriskany and Fort Schuyler, as much as if they had fought on the field of Stillwater itself, where some of them were also engaged.

The record of the Mohawk country garrisons and the militia of Tryon county is one of the best of the American soldiery of the Revolution. Wherever the Tryon county men met the enemy on anything like equal footing they had beaten them. Under good leaders like Willett they had proved the best of rangers and line of battle men. The feats of scouts like Helmer and Demuth are fit subjects for song and legend, and the deeds of the American man behind the gun, on the fields of Tryon county, make stories which will hold the interest of Mohawk valley folk for centuries to come. It would be interesting if the composition of the different Tryon county garrisons, throughout the Revolution, could be known. Future research may show them, and It may be here mentioned that the history of the Mohawk valley during the war for independence should be made the subject of a comprehensive work, treating the matter in complete form. It furnishes as interesting material as that of any region of similar extent within the limits of the original thirteen colonies.

Occasional glimpses have been caught, in the foregoing chapters of the garrisons and the commanders of the army posts of present western Montgomery county-Fort Plain, Fort Paris, Fort Windecker, Fort Willett, Fort Plank, Fort Clyde. We know from the frequent recurrence of the names of families then resident along the Mohawk, in the accounts of the Revolutionary movements of the Tryon county American forces, that the patriot army in the Mohawk country was always largely composed of local men. They are frequently spoken of as militia but their years of service made them as efficient as regulars, and they were such in every sense especially during the latter years of the war.

We have records of Tryon county men who were engaged in many of the military movements hereabouts during the Revolution. There were undoubtedly scores who fought at Oriskany who took part in all of the later conflicts. This was especially true of the Palatine and Canajoharie district men, as their territory was the scene of most of the important events after Oriskany. We have one record of a Canajoharie district man who took part in the first and last Revolutionary military movements in the Mohawk valley. This was John Roof jr., who fought at Oriskany in 1777 and went with Willett on the expedition to Fort Oswego in 1783. He was probably in military service, in the intervening years and there were scores like him. At the end of hostilities, about 1782, these Tryon county soldiers entered upon the reclamation of their farm lands and the rebuilding of their homes as vigorously as they had opposed the motley savages employed by England to ravage their country during the six years from 1777 to 1782.

That the valley Revolutionary soldiers of Tryon county were men of the greatest physical hardihood is plainly evident. Proof of this is seen In the many instances of their long marches over rough ground and, at the end of these "hikes," frequently the infantry went into battle. In 1780, Van Rensselaer's army, from the neighborhood of Albany, marched to Keator's rift at Sprakers, a distance of over fifty miles, and at the close of their second day in Montgomery county, after marching over ten miles more, went into action at Klock's Field. On this day, from the time they left their camping ground in the town of Florida, they covered thirty miles and fought a battle as well. On the evening of the day of the appearance of Ross and Butler and their raiders (Oct. 24, 1781), Colonel Willett and his four hundred fighters, from Fort Plain and the neighboring posts, marched through the night to Fort Hunter (a distance of twenty miles), reaching there the next morning, October 25. After a strenuous time crossing the Mohawk, the Americans made a further journey of nine or ten miles, when they went into action and won the victory of Johnstown. They had tramped thirty miles and won. a hard victory in a night and a day. After a day's rest, the troops continued the pursuit of the beaten enemy to Jerseyfield on West Canada creek, where they killed Butler and many of his band and scattered Ross's force completely. On their return to Fort Dayton, they had covered over 60 miles of ground under winter conditions, suffering -great hardships, and had performed this feat in four days on two days rations. The Fort Plain soldiers in this campaign, covered 150 miles from their start until the time they returned to their barracks. The great physical vigor of the men of the Mohawk country is also shown in the amusing incident of the footrace between a company of scouts and a company of infantry, on the Freysbush road, while on the march back to Fort Plain. It is to be regretted that conditions which produced such men of iron in the valley could not have continued to give us men of equal vigor.

Besides this evidence of the generally fine physical condition of the valley Americans, the previous chapters have given abundant proof of the Individual military valor and physical prowess of men like Herkimer, Clyde, Dillenbeck, Willett, Stockwell, Gardinier, Helmer, Demuth, Crouse, Vols, Woodworth, and a host of others.

Some years ago the state of New York published part of its Revolutionary records in a volume entitled "New York in the Revolution." This is a roster of the regular troops and militia raised in New York during the war of independence and includes the Tryon county militia. Many of the names are misspelled but this roll of the local militia forms a record of the families settled in the country of the Mohawks at the time of the Revolution. Regarding the Tryon county list, State Historian James A. Holden, says: "I am doubtful as to how many of the men served in more than one regiment or capacity. The names are apt to be doubled, as the terms of enrollment were very lax and a man might be on more than one regiment roll at a time, as I am informed. However the number given is approximate and can be so stated in your work." In the publication referred to the enrolled men's names are given. No date is attached to any of the lists. Below is summarized the numbers of each organization together with its officers, from the county of Tryon:

Tryon County Brigade of Militia:

First Regiment (Canajoharie district). Officers: Colonel, Samuel Campbell; colonel, Ebenezer Cox (killed at Oriskany); lieutenant-colonel, Samuel Clyde; major, Abraham Copeman; major, Peter S. Dygert; adjutant, Jacob Seeber; quartermaster, John Pickard; surgeon, Adam Frank; surgeon, David Younglove. Summary: Staff, 9; line, 38; men, 552; total, 599. Col. Clyde was acting colonel after 1778.

Second Regiment (Palatine district). Officers: Colonel, Jacob Klock; lieutenant-colonel, Peter Wagner; major, Christian William Fox; major, Christopher Fox; adjutant, Samuel Gray; adjutant, Andrew Irvin; quartermaster, Jacob Eacker; surgeon, Johann Georg Vach. Summary: Staff, 8; line, 43; men, 615; total, 666.

Third Regiment (Mohawk district). Officers: Colonel, Frederick Visscher (Fisher); lieutenant-colonel, Volkert Veeder; major, John Bluen (Bliven?); major, John Nukerk; adjutant, Peter Conyn; adjutant, John G. Lansing jr.; adjutant, Gideon Marlatt; quartermaster, Abraham Van Horn; quartermaster, Simon Veeder; surgeon, John George Folke (Vach?); surgeon, William Petry. Summary: Staff, 12; line, 62; men, 651; total, 725.

Fourth Regiment (German Flats and Kingsland). Officers: Colonel, Peter Bellinger; adjutant, George Demuth; quartermaster, Peter Bellinger. Summary: Staff, 3; line, 20; men, 415; total, 438, The foregoing list of staff officers for this fourth regiment is, of course, incomplete.

Fifth Regiment (Schoharie valley?). There is no list of men given. John Harper was colonel.

Battalion (company?) Minute Men Officers: Colonel, Samuel Campbell; captain, Francis Utt; lieutenant, Adam Lipe; lieutenant, Jacob Matthias; ensign, William Suber (Seeber?). Summary: Staff, 1; line,. 4; men, 60; total, 66. Col. Campbell removed to Niskayuna, below Schenectady, in 1779 and had no share in Tryon county military matters after that date.

Battalion Rangers (Scouts), First Company: Captain, John Winn; lieutenant, Lawrence Gros; lieutenant, Peter Schremling. Second company: Captain, Christian Getman; lieutenant, James Blllington; lieutenant, Jacob Sammans (Sammons?). Third company: Captain, John Kasselman; lieutenant, John Empie; ensign, George Gittman (Getman). Summary: Officers, 9; men, 155; total, 164.

Associated "exempts." Captain, Jelles Fonda; lieutenant, Zephaniah Batchellor; lieutenant, Abraham Garrason; ensign, Samson Sammon (Sampson Sammons); ensign, ---- Lawrance. Summary: Line, 5; men, 159; total, 164. These were invalids or men beyond the age of military service (then about 60 years) who were organized for defense, while the active men were absent on military duty. They could be called upon In case of great emergency.

The total of the Tryon county militia foots up 2,830 men. This does not include the fifth regiment which evidently came from the Schoharie valley and of which there are no records in "New York in the Revolution." This is not a chronicle of the Schoharie valley (a. separate region), but only of the land of the Mohawk or the central Mohawk river section, and the Schoharie valley is only treated where it passes through present Montgomery county or where It affects this story.

In 1781 Colonel Willett was in command of a regiment of "levies" at Fort Plain as aforementioned. These were men drafted into service, and included many men from the settlers along the Mohawk. A list of these levies is given in "New York in the Revolution," which is here summarized as follows: Officers: Colonel, Marinus "Willett; lieutenant colonel, John McKinstry; major, Andrew Fink (major of brigade); major, Lyman Hitchcock (muster master); major, Josiah Throop; major, Elias Van Bunschoten; adjutant, Jelles A. Fonda; adjutant, Pliny Moore; quartermaster, John Fondey (Fonda); quartermaster, Matthew Trotter; quartermaster, Jacob Winney; paymaster, Abraham Ten Eyck; surgeon, Calvin Delano; surgeon. William Retry; surgeon's mate, George Faugh; surgeon's mate, Moses Willard; chaplain, John Daniel Gros (pastor of the Canajoharie district Reformed Dutch church at Fort Plain). Summary: Staff, 17; line, 75; men, 916; total, 1,008. These men were probably distributed among the principal valley posts and acted in conjunction with the Tryon county militia. This regiment may have done duty in the valley a large part of the last three years of the war. On page 68 of "New York in the Revolution" Is recorded a regiment of "levies" of which Col. John Harper was commandant. On page 77 is given another of which Col. Lewis DuBois was In command. The Revolutionary records are frequently fragmentary and incomplete and, as before stated, there is no date given with each roll so that it is impossible to tell at just what period of the war the different bodies listed were engaged. It may be that they include all the men enrolled in each militia organization throughout the war, or even all the men liable for military duty in each district.

In consideration of all the Revolutionary history in the chapters foregoing it must be remembered that the events recorded all occurred in the great county of Tryon, of which Johnstown was the civic center and Fort Plain the military headquarters, during the last tour years of the war--1780,1781,1782,1783.

It will be noted that all the Mohawk valley military actions, with the exception of Oriskany and West Canada creek, occurred within a fifteen-mile radius of Fort Plain, and this is the region especially considered in all the chapters of this work, comprising as it did the Mohawk river sections of the Canajoharie and Palatine districts of Tryon, later Montgomery county.

This history, also, in full detail, covers the middle valley country occupied by the Mohawks, during the greater part of the historical period and in which their settlements were located exclusively during the last century of their valley tribal existence. Here much Indian life was centered, all of which is of great interest to the student of Indian lore and which would fill a considerable volume. At Indian Hill, on a branch of the Otsquago south of Fort Plain, are found some of the earliest Indian remains in eastern New York. This interesting spot is considered in a later chapter on the town of Minden. The Mohawk valley, from the Schoharie river to Fall Hill, seems to have been the home of the Mohawks from the earliest historical times. However, the seats of their castles and villages were frequently changed within this territory. The river section between Fall Hill and the Noses has been called Canajoharie by the Mohawks, evidently from the earliest times.

Their later chief villages, as shown in the foregoing chapters, were at Fort Hunter and Indian Castle. This river country occupied by the Mohawks is here treated in detail historically as well as the Canajoharie and Palatine districts. So that "The Story of Old Fort Plain," is, in truth, a history of old Tryon and Montgomery county, of the country of the Mohawk Iroquois (from the time of its discovery) which is also the middle Mohawk valley, of the Canajoharie and Palatine districts and the five western towns of present Montgomery county, as well as the "Story of Old Fort Plain." It is all of these because the stories of them are so interwoven that it is better to here present the whole fabric to the view of the reader than it is to tear it apart and attempt to show the different threads separately.

In a general way, also, the history of the valley, within a radius of fifty miles of Fort Plain, is treated during the first three periods of its history (from 1616 to 1838). This enables the reader to gain a clearer idea of the life and events of the smaller area aforementioned, which is considered in great detail and from every viewpoint.

The foregoing chapters offer an opportunity of close acquaintance with many actively connected with the thrilling events of the Revolution and with the life of the times. It is probable that mention has been made in this work, of the majority of families or heads of families in the Canajoharie and Palatine districts. The beginnings of human things are extraordinarily interesting to human beings and, in the chapters dealing with the first three periods of the history of the country of the Mohawks, we see the individuals themselves, who make up the local communities and live again with them their lives of peace or war on the hills and in the vales of this fair northland country.

The growing population makes it impossible to consider individuals, in this local record, after the end of the third period of Montgomery history (1838) and, after that date, the valley hereabouts is treated historically and in a general way without reference to people individually, except where the mention of names is absolutely necessary to the continuity of the story.

The succeeding chapters cover the third and fourth periods of the history of the country of the Mohawks, in its relation to the old Canajoharie and Palatine districts, whose river sections are now largely comprised within the present limits of the five western towns of Montgomery county. Here we see a similar linking together of local with national history in the matter of the valley's highways and waterways. The Mohawk route to the west, by its natural formation, was and is probably the most important in the eastern states. It was largely through it that the tide of westward emigration flowed and through it east traded with the west from the earliest times. Its highways and great railroads follow the old Indian trails and the Barge canal, in its eastern section, covers largely the exact route from the Hudson to the Great Lakes, followed by the Indian canoe and the Mohawk flatboat. The Erie and the subsequent railroads, made the nation, the state, the metropolis and the valley great, populous and rich in material things, as it is today. On the completion of the Erie canal, the trade and traffic it brought, to and through New York, raised it from a secondary to a first position among the states and its metropolis quickly became the largest city in the western hemisphere.

Rich in material things our valley is indeed today, according to modern ideas; albeit it is poorer far in its natural resources than it was when the Dutch made their first settlements in its eastern part two centuries and a half ago. It is for the men of today and of the future to conserve the natural wealth remaining and to bring back, as much as possible, that which has been lost and wasted-particularly the health-giving and soil-preserving forest.