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

Thanks to James F. Morrison for letting us use his book!

Chapter XVIII

1780-Johnson's Schoharie and Mohawk Invasion-Oct. 19, Battles of Stone Arabia and St. Johnsville-Van Rensselaer's Inefficiency-Enemy Escapes-Fort Plain Named Fort Rensselaer-Fort Plain Blockhouse Built -Fort Willett Begun.

In the fall of 1780, an invading force under Sir John Johnson, Joseph Brant and the Seneca chief Cornplanter, ravaged the Schoharie and Mohawk valleys. The battles of Stone Arabia and St. Johnsville were fought and the enemy escaped, after a defeat at the latter place. They would have been crushed or captured by a pursuing American force had it not been for the complete inefficiency of the militia commander. Gen. Robert Van Rensselaer. Practically every town of Montgomery county was concerned in this campaign, either being the scene of ravages by Johnson or the march of and battles of the patriot force. The object of this Tory and Indian raid, like all others, was to destroy completely the houses, barns and crops of all the Whigs along the Schoharie and Mohawk. By destroying or plundering the country of all supplies the enemy hoped to weaken the resistance of the frontier. This raid was particularly destructive to the Schoharie country. It followed, within three months, Brant's terrible Minden foray of August 2, 1780. Thus did blow after blow fall upon the suffering but valiant people of the Mohawk.

At Unadilla, Brant and Cornplanter, with their Indians, joined Johnson and his force, which consisted of three companies of the Royal Greens, one company of German Yagers, 200 of Butler's rangers, a company of British regulars and a party of Indians. The total force must have approximated 800 men or more. Sir John and his army came from. Montreal, by way of Oswego, bringing with them two small mortars and a brass three-pounder, mounted on legs instead of wheels and so called a "grasshopper." This artillery was mounted on pack horses. The plan of the raiders was, upon reaching the Schoharie, to pass the upper, of the three small torts on that stream, by night and unobserved; to destroy the settlements between there and the Middle Fort and attack the latter in the morning. This plan was carried out October 16, the homes of all but Tories being burned. The Middle Fort was bombarded without effect and the enemy then moved down the Schoharie to Fort Hunter, making a feeble attack on the Lower Fort by the way.

All buildings and hay stacks belonging to Whigs were burned and their cattle and horses appropriated. One hundred thousand bushels of grain were thus destroyed and (says Beers) nearly 100 settlers were murdered. The Whigs were so roused over the destruction of their property that, after the enemy disappeared, they fired the buildings and crops of their Tory neighbors, which had been spared, and the ruin along the Schoharie was thus complete.

Ravaging the Schoharie valley, Johnson and Brant's Tory and Indian force moved north, down the Schoharie creek, and entered that part of its course which flows through Montgomery county. "Johnson buried one mortar he had been using and his shells in a little "Vlaie" (natural meadow) in the town of Charleston. In 1857 some of these shells were plowed up. The Schoharie militia, under Col. Vrooman, followed Johnson's course toward the Mohawk, during which march the enemy took several prisoners and continued the looting and burning of houses and barns. Johnson and Brant gave Fort Hunter a wide berth, passing that fortification at a distance of half a mile. Here a Tory named Schremling, was scalped and killed (his political leanings not being known) and a number of women and children of the Schremling, Young and Martin families were captured.

An Indian and Tory detachment crossed the Mohawk to plunder and ravage the north side, while the main body continued westward through the town of Glen, on the south side highway, to a point, in the town of Root, a little east of the Nose, known on the Erie canal as the Willow Basin, and there encamped for the night. Nearly all the buildings, on both sides, along the Mohawk were burned and plundered from Fort Hunter to the Nose. On this march British regulars guarded the prisoners to prevent the Indians from murdering them. A little captive girl of ten years, Magdalena Martin, was taken up by Walter Butler and rode in front of him on his horse. The evening being very bitter, Butler let the little maid put her cold hands in his fur-lined pockets and thus they journeyed to the camping ground. One of the raiders asked Butler what he was going to do with the pretty girl. "Make a wife of her," was his quick reply. This small Revolutionary captive became the wife of Matthias Becker and the mother of ten children. She died in Fort Plain, at the home of her son-in-law, William A. Haslett, in 1862, in her 93d year. So closely are we unknowingly linked with the past that there may be those who read this page who personally knew this old lady, who, as a little girl, rode with Butler and warmed her hands In his pockets on a chilly October night over a century and a quarter ago. And such a strange and wayward thing is the nature of man that we look with wonder at the picture of this Tory murderer of women and little ones cuddling a small rebel child to keep her from the cold.

The next morning at the Nose, learning that a force of Albany and Schenectady militia were coming after him, Johnson allowed Mrs. Martin and her children to return home, with the exception of her 14-year-old son. News of the raid had reached Albany and the Schenectady and Albany militia quickly assembled and proceeded with great speed up the Mohawk to attack Johnson's men. Gen. Robert Van Rensselaer of Claverack, commanded the pursuit and he was accompanied by Gov. Clinton. On the evening of the 18th they encamped in the present town of Florida. From there Van Rennselaer sent word to Col. Brown at Port Paris and to Fort Plain (probably directed to Col. John Harper). Brown was ordered to attack the enemy in the front the next morning, while Van Rensselaer's army fell on their rear.

On September 11, 1780, according to a state report, Col. Brown, at Fort Paris, had 276 men under him, and Col. John Harper (supposedly at Fort Plain then) commanded 146, and there were but 455 men to guard the frontier in the Canajoharle-Palatine districts. These troops were then under the command of Brigadier-General Robert Van Rensselaer. When Brown attacked Johnson at Stone Arabia he had but 200 American militiamen with him and it is probable the balance of the patriot force (then located at three posts) in this neighborhood were left to guard the torts or were on duty elsewhere. The Fort Plain soldiers joined Van Rensselaer's force as later noted. The valley people, warned of the enemy's approach, gathered in the local forts for safety and there were few or no casualties among them, after Johnson left Fort Hunter on his march westward.

On the morning of October 19, 1780, Johnson's army crossed the Mohawk at Keator's rift (near Sprakers) and headed for Stone Arabia, leaving a guard of 40 men at the ford. At almost the same time Col. Brown paraded his men, to the number of 150 or 200, and sallied forth from Fort Paris to meet the enemy. The American commander, mounted on a small black horse, marched straight for the approaching foe. He passed Fort Keyser, where he was joined by a few militiamen, and met Johnson's army in an open field about two miles east by north of Palatine Bridge. Capt. Casselman advised Col. Brown, considering the overwhelming force and protected position of the enemy, to keep the Americans covered by a fence. Without his usual caution, Brown ordered an advance into the open, where his men were subjected to a heavy fire. The militia returned the fire, fought gallantly and stood their ground, although many of their number were being killed and wounded. Seeing he was being outflanked by the Indians, at about ten in the morning, Col. Brown ordered a retreat, at which time he was struck down by a musket ball through the heart. The pursuit of the enemy made it impossible for his men to bear off their commander's body and it was scalped and stripped of everything except a ruffled shirt. Thirty Americans were killed and the remainder fled, some north into the forest and some south toward the Mohawk and Van Rensselaer's army. Two of the Stone Arabia men took refuge in Judge Jacob Eacker's house and put up a defense until the Indians fired the building, after which the savages stood around and laughed at the shrieks of their burning victims. The enemy's loss was probably less than that of the Americans on this field.

The British regulars passed Fort Keyser without firing a shot. Capt. John Zielie, with six militiamen and two aged farmers, were at the portholes, with muskets cocked and hats filled with cartridges at their sides, but held their fire for fear of an attack -which would mean annihilation. When the enemy were out of sight four of the militiamen from this post set out for the field of battle, found Col. Brown's body and bore it back in their arms to Fort Keyser.

The Tories, British and Indians after this ravaged, plundered and burned all through the Stone Arabia district, among other buildings, burning both the Reformed and Lutheran churches. Few, it any of the inhabitants were killed or captured as all had taken refuge in the forts or in the woods. After the burning and plundering, Johnson collected his men by bugle calls and the blowing of tin horns and pursued his way westward toward the Mohawk.

On the morning of the 19th, Gen. Van Rensselaer started his pursuit, from his Florida campground, at moonrise. He reached Fort Hunter before daybreak and was there joined by the Schoharie militia. Van Rensselaer came up to Keator's rift, shortly after Johnson had crossed. It was probably here that his force was joined by Col. Harper, Capt. McKean with 80 men (probably from Fort Plain) and a large body of Oneida Indians under their principal chief, Louis Atayataroughta, who had been commissioned a lieutenant-colonel by congress. Col. Harper, probably then in command at Fort Plain (as S. L. Frey locates him there in September), was in chief command of the Oneidas. Van Rensselaer's army was now double that of Johnson's. Here the American commander halted, perhaps deterred from crossing the ford by the small rear guard of the enemy which was stationed on the opposite bank. The firing at the Stone Arabia field, two miles distant, was plainly heard and here came fugitives fleeing from the defeated force, bringing news of the rout and of the killing of Col. Brown. One of Brown's men, a militia officer named Van Allen, promptly reported to Gen. Van Rensselaer, with an account of the action, and asked the latter it he was not going to cross the river and engage the enemy. The general replied that he did not know the fording place well enough. He was told that the ford was easy and Van Allen offered to act as pilot. Thereupon Capt. McKean's company and the Oneidas crossed the river. Instead of supporting this advance party, in his promised cooperation with Col. Brown's men, it then being: near noontime, Gen. Van Rensselaer now accompanied Col. Dubois to Fort Plain to dine with Gov. Clinton.

Gen. Van Rensselaer, after leaving Keator's Rift, ordered the company of Lieut. Driscoll and his artillery to Fort Plain, possibly anticipating an attack by Johnson in that quarter. He tried the ford opposite Fort Frey but found it impassable and ordered his men to cross at Walrath's ferry at Fort Plain. They, however, made the passage of the Mohawk at Ehle's rift, near what was later Ver Planck's and is now called Nellis's island. They stopped at the house of Adam Countryman on the Canajoharie side and here turned into the road which led to the ford, which existed in the river prior to the barge canal operations. This was later the Ver Planck and still later the Nellis farm. Here the American troops began the passage of the Mohawk while their general was wasting valuable time in a lengthy dinner at "Fort Plain or Rensselaer."

At Fort Plain, it is said, Col. Harper denounced Van Rensselaer for his incompetency and apparent cowardice and other officers joined in with Harper, while the Oneida chief called him a Tory to his face. About four o'clock Van Rensselaer rode back, through the present village of Fort Plain, to his men, who were as bitter against him as his officers were. Here he found that the remainder of his army had crossed the Mohawk at Ehle's rift (just below Fort Plain), in the extreme western end of the town of Canajoharie, on a rude bridge built upon wagons driven into the river. At length Van Rensselaer was stung into something like activity and, late in the afternoon, the pursuit was rapidly resumed (from the present village of Nelliston) up the north shore turnpike through the town of Palatine.

Sir John Johnson, seeing that he could not avoid an o attack, threw up slight breastworks and arranged his forces in order of battle. This position was in the town of St. Johnsville, about one and one-half miles east of the eastern village limits of the village of St. Johnsville. The Tories and Butler's rangers occupied a small plain, partly protected by a bend in the river, while Brant with his Indians, concealed in a thicket on a slight elevation farther north, were supported by a detachment of German Yagers. It was near evening when the Americans came up and the battle commenced. Van Rensselaer's extreme right was commanded by Col. Dubois, and then came the Oneidas and the left was led by Col. Cuyler. As the Americans approached the Indians in ambush shouted the war-whoop. The Oneidas responded and rushed upon their Iroquois brethren, followed by McKean's men; the latter supported by Col. Dubois, whose wing of the battle was too extended to match the enemy's disposition of forces. Brant's savage band resisted for a time the impetuous charge, but finally broke and fled toward a ford, about two miles up the river. Brant was wounded in the heel but got away. Several were killed and wounded on both sides and the enemy everywhere gave way in great disorder and fled westward. It was now becoming so dark that the American officers feared their men would shoot each other and the general firing was discontinued, although the Oneidas, Capt. McKean's and Col. Clyde's men pursued and harassed the flying enemy, capturing one of their field pieces and some prisoners. Johnson's men, utterly exhausted from their prior marching and exertions, camped on a meadow, at a point on the river near the ford. Here he spiked and subsequently abandoned his cannon. At this time the Americans could have driven the enemy into the river and have captured or destroyed them. All accounts agree that the patriot troops were eager to get at the enemy but their spirit was of no avail owing to the weakness of their commanding officer.

Col. Dubois took a position above Johnson on the north side of the river to prevent the enemy's escape. Col. Harper's men and the Oneidas crossed to the opposite side and camped on the Minden shore, opposite Johnson's bivouac. Gen. Van Rensselaer ordered an attack at moonrise, giving orders that it was to begin under his personal supervision. He then executed the remarkable manoeuvre of tailing back with the main body down the river three miles, where he went into camp for the night. Johnson's entire force, as subsequently shown, could have been easily captured at any time, as it was on the point of surrendering. Van Rensselaer failed, of course, to attack and, at moonrise, Johnson crossed the ford and escaped to the westward with his entire force, abandoning his cannon and 40 or 50 horses captured in the Schoharie valley, which were subsequently recovered by their owners. The next morning one of the enemy was killed and nine captured by seven men and a boy from Fort Windecker, some of them surrendering voluntarily on account of fatigue.

Gen. Van Rensselaer sent a message to Fort Schuyler for a force to proceed from that point to Onondaga lake to destroy Johnson's boats. Capt. Vrooman set out with 50 men, all of whom were captured by Johnson, through the treachery of one of Vrooman's party. The Oneidas and a body of the militia moved up the river after the retreating enemy, expecting Van Rensselaer to follow as he promised. Coming next morning upon the still burning camp fires of the enemy, the pursuing party halted, the Oneida chief fearing an ambuscade and refusing to proceed until the main body came up under Van Rensselaer. After following leisurely forward as far as Fort Herkimer, the Continental commander abandoned his weak pursuit and sent a messenger recalling the advance force. The American army turned about face and marched back down the Mohawk. The garrisons returned to their posts and the militia to what shelters they had made or could make for themselves and their families, within the zones of protection afforded by these fortifications. The Schenectady and Albany militia continued on down the valley to their homes under the leadership of their thoroughly discredited commander.

This American army was one of the largest yet concentrated in the valley and probably was only equalled in numbers by that of Clinton which had encamped at Canajoharie the year before. The force that took the field on both sides at Klock's Field was the largest which arrayed itself for battle on any one Revolutionary field in the Mohawk country. About the same numbers were here engaged as at Oriskany (2,500), but at the action of St. Johnsvllle the clash took place on one battleground while Oriskany consisted of two fights several miles apart -the bloody struggle in the ravine and Willett's destructive sally from Fort Schuyler. Van Rensselaer's army had accomplished practically nothing and, moreover, had sat supinely by while Brown's heroic band was being scattered by the enemy. And all this lost opportunity and disgraceful record was due to the incapacity or cowardice of a general totally unfitted for military command. It was left for Willett, a year later, to show how effectively the valley Americans, when properly led, could beat off the Canadian invaders.

Time after time, up to the day of the Stone Arabia battle, the local patriot soldiers had attempted to grapple with their savage white and red invaders, only to see them slip away on each occasion, unharmed and unpunished. Now, after the enemy had been cornered at Klock's Field and could have been easily destroyed or captured, they had been practically given their liberty by Van Rensselaer.

The valley militia had flocked to the American standard, eager to strike a fatal blow at their hated toes. The patriot population and soldiers of the Mohawk must have been indeed disheartened, discouraged and disgusted at this fiasco of a campaign, which initially had promised complete American success.

Van Rensselaer's conduct was the worst display of inefficiency or cowardice seen in the valley, and perhaps anywhere, during the Revolution. An opportunity was lost of crushing completely the raiders and probably preventing future bloodshed and loss in the valley. Van Rensselaer was subsequently court-martialed at Albany for his conduct but was acquitted, largely on account of his wealth and social position, it is said.

There was much scurrilous intrigue, dissension, bickering and petty jealousy among certain cliques of so-called patriots. The real American Revolutionary fighters were compelled to combat these vicious forces from within as well as the enemy. The acquittal of Van Rensselaer is an evidence that all Americans were not actuated by high-minded patriotism and strict justice, during the war of independence.

Had the Continental Revolutionary forces been composed exclusively of men like Washington and Willett the conflict would have ended within a year or two in complete American success. Not only did such patriots have to fight the early battles with raw, undisciplined and frequently unreliable troops, but they had to constantly combat an insidious Tory influence among the people and the effect of such inefficiency as that exemplified in Van Rensselaer and men of his ilk.

At this time, and until its discontinuance as an army post, the Minden fort was known both as Fort Plain and Fort Rensselaer, the latter being its official title, conferred upon it probably by Van Rensselaer himself; Fort Plain evidently being its popular name and the one which survived until a later date. This is treated in a subsequent chapter.

In S. L. Frey's article on Fort Rensselaer (Fort Plain) published in the (Fort Plain) Mohawk Valley Register of March 6, 1912, he says: "Gen. Van Rensselaer * * * was appointed to the command of some of the posts In this section in the summer of 1780,- Fort Paris, Fort Plank, Fort Plain and others. His headquarters were at Fort Plain. In the fall of that year he wrote to Gov. Clinton from Fort Plain, dating his letter 'Fort Rensselaer, Sept. 4, 1780.' This is the first time the name appears."

Van Rensselaer evidently gave his name to his headquarters post on his arrival there in the summer of 1780, which may have been in August after the Minden raid. At the time of the Stone Arabia battle, Col. John Harper was in command of Fort Plain (under Gen. Van Rensselaer, of course).

In the court martial of Gen. Van Rensselaer the designation "Fort Plane or Rensselaer" is frequently used in the testimony of the witnesses. In this evidence appears the names of the following as having been engaged in the valley military operations of the time of the Stone Arabia battle: Col. Dubois, Col. Harper, Major Lewis R. Morris, Col. Samuel Clyde (who commanded a company of Tryon county militia), Lieut. Driscoll and Col. Lewis, in whose quarters at "Fort Plane or Rensselaer," the commanding general went to dine.

The number of Oneidas engaged in the foregoing military operations is given as 200 warriors by one authority and 80 by another, the smaller figure probably being nearer the truth. During part, at least, of the war this tribe lived in, about and under the protection of Port Hunter, their own country being too exposed to invasion. The Oneidas were generally loyal to the American cause and did good service for the patriots on several occasions-notably the campaign treated in this chapter, at Oriskany and at West Canada creek. As previously stated Col. John Harper was in command of these Indians, taking rank over their native chief.

After the Stone Arabia battle, some 26 or 30 Americans were buried in an open trench near Fort Paris. The situation is believed to have been a few rods southeast of the present schoolhouse. John Klock drew the bodies of Brown's men thither on a sled although there was no snow on the ground. They were buried side by side in the clothes in which they fell. Some others who were slain were interred elsewhere.

Col. Brown was buried in the graveyard near the Stone Arabia churches. Most of the Americans killed on this field were New England men, although local militiamen were also engaged. The loss of the enemy probably did not exceed half of the 40 or 45 patriots supposed to have been slain. On the anniversary of Col. John Brown's death in 1836, a monument was erected over his grave by his son, Henry Brown, of Berkshire, Mass., bearing the following inscription: "In memory of Col. John Brown, who was killed in battle on the 19th day of October, 1780, at Palatine, in the county of Montgomery. Age 36." This event was made a great occasion and was largely attended, veterans of the Stone Arabia battle being present. It is mentioned in a later chapter dealing with its period in Palatine.

After the Klock's Field battle some of McKean's volunteers came upon Fort Windecker, where nine of the enemy had been taken. On one of them being asked how he came there, his answer was a sharp commentary on the criminal inaction of General Van Rensselaer. The man, who was a valley Tory, said: "Last night, after the battle, we crossed the river; it was dark; we heard the words, 'lay down your arms,' and some of us did so. We were taken, nine of us, and marched into this little fort by seven militiamen. We formed the rear of three hundred of Johnson's Greens, who were running promiscuously through and over one another. I thought General Van Rensselaer's whole army was upon us. Why did you not take us prisoners yesterday, after Sir John ran off with the Indians and left us? We wanted to surrender."

It is reported that the Schoharie militia, engaged in this campaign, were short of knapsacks and carried their bread on poles, piercing each loaf and then spitting it on the sticks.

Col. John Brown was born in Sandersfleld, Mass., in 1744. He was graduated at Yale college in 1771 and studied law. He commenced practice at Caughnawaga (Fonda) and was appointed King's attorney. He soon went to Pittsfield, Mass., where he became active in the patriot cause and in 1775 went to Canada on a mission to try to get the people there to join the American cause. He was elected to congress in 1775 but joined Allen and Arnold's expedition against Ticonderoga. He was at Fort Chambly and Quebec. In 1776 he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel. In 1777 he commanded the expedition against Ticonderoga and soon after left the service on account of his detestation of Arnold. Three years before the latter became a traitor Brown published a hand bill in which he denounced Arnold as a traitor and concluded: "Money is this man's god, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country." This was published in Albany in the winter of 1776-7, while Arnold was quartered there. Arnold was greatly excited over it and called Brown a scoundrel and threatened to kick him on sight. Brown heard of this and the next day, by invitation, went to dinner to which Arnold also came. The latter was standing with his back to the fire when Brown entered the door, and they met face to face. Brown said: "I understand, sir, that you have said you would kick me; I now present myself to give you an opportunity to put your threat into execution." Arnold made no reply. Brown then said: "Sir, you are a dirty scoundrel." Arnold was silent and Brown left the room, after apologizing to the gentlemen present for his intrusion. Col. Brown, after he left the army, was occasionally in the Massachusetts service. In the fall of 1780, with many of the Berkshire militia, he marched up the Mohawk river, his force to be used for defense as required.

Brown is said to have been a man of medium height, of fine military bearing and with dark eyes. He generally wore spectacles. His courage was proverbial among his men and in the Stone Arabia action seems to have run into recklessness, although, soldier that he was, he probably figured on holding the enemy at any cost until Van Rensselaer's large force could come up and, falling on the rear, crush them completely, which could have been readily accomplished by a skillful and determined commander. Col. Brown was immensely popular with his troops-with the militiamen from the valley as well as with the soldiers he commanded who were from his own state of Massachusetts.

Governor George Clinton visited Fort Plain on at least two known occasions. The first was during the Klock's Field operations and the second was when he accompanied Washington through the Mohawk valley in 1783. Clinton was a brother of Gen. James Clinton and an uncle of Dewitt Clinton, later the famous "canal Governor." He was born in Ulster county in 1739. In 1768 he was elected to the Colonial legislature, and was a member of the Continental congress in 1775. He was appointed a brigadier in the United States army in 1776, and during the whole war was active in military affairs in New York. In April, 1777, he was elected governor and continued so for eighteen years. He was president of the convention assembled at Poughkeepsie to consider the federal constitution in 1788. He was again chosen governor of the state in 1801, and in 1804. Afterward he was elected vice president of the United States and continued in that office until his death in Washington in 1812, aged 73 years.

In the fall of 1780 and the spring of 1781 the fortification of Fort Plain was strengthened by the erection of a strong blockhouse. It was situated about a hundred yards from the fort, commanding the steep northern side of the plateau on which both blockhouse and fort stood. The construction was of pine timber, 8 x 14 inches square, dovetailed at the ends, and Thomas Morrel of Schenectady, father of Judge Abram Morrel of Johnstown, superintended its erection. It was octagonal In shape and three stories in height, the second projecting five feet over the first, and the third five feet over the second, with portholes for cannon on the first floor, and for musketry on all its surfaces; with holes in projecting floors for small arms, so as to fire down upon a closely approaching foe. The first story is said to have been 30 feet in diameter, the second 40 and the third 60, making it look top heavy for a gale of wind. It mounted several cannon for signal guns and defense-one of which was a twelve-pounder-on the first floor. It stood upon a gentle elevation of several feet. This defense was not palisaded, but a ditch or dry moat several feet deep extended around it. The land upon which both defenses stood was owned by Johannes Lipe during the Revolution. It is said it was built under the supervision of a French engineer employed by Col. Gansevoort. The latter, by order of Gen. Clinton, had repaired to Fort Plain to take charge of a quantity of stores destined for Fort Schuyler, just prior to Brant's Minden raid of August 2, as we have seen. It was probably at this time its erection was planned. Ramparts of logs were thrown up around the defenses at the time of the block-house erection. Some little time after this, doubts were expressed as to its being cannon-ball proof. A trial was made with a six-pounder placed at a proper distance. Its ball passed entirely through the blockhouse, crossed a broad ravine and buried itself in a hill on which the old parsonage stood, an eighth of a mile distant. This proved the inefficiency of the building, and its strength was increased by lining it with heavy planks. In order to form a protection against hot shot for the magazine, the garrison stationed there in 1782 commenced throwing up a bank of earth around the blockhouse. Rumors of peace and quiet that then prevailed in the valley, caused the work to cease. A representation of this blockhouse constitutes the seal of the village of Fort Plain. It was as much a part of the defensive works of Fort Plain as the stockaded fort and was of a more picturesque appearance and so was chosen for use on the seal chosen for the seal. A slight elevation marks its site at the present day 1913).

Fort Willett was begun in the fall of 1780 and finished In the spring of 1781.

There are extant few records of the garrisons which tenanted Fort Plain, for ten years or more, and also those of Its adjoining posts. Some have been preserved by Simms and the gist of a few are here given:

In the summer of 1780, Captain Putman's company of rangers from Fort Plain started for Fort Herkimer. They stopped for the night at Fort Windecker and Cobus Mabee of Fairfield, was put on picket duty for the night outside the post. About midnight the guard saw a savage stealing up behind a rail fence. He deftly slipped his hat and coat over a stump and dropped down behind a nearby log and waited. The Indian came very near and at a short distance fired at the dummy man, drew his tomahawk and rushed up. But before he could sink it in the stump, Mabee shot him dead. The garrison, halt dressed, rushed to arms and found their comrade had bagged a remarkably large Indian. As showing the crudity of the times, it is said the corpse lay unburied near the fort for some time and was made the butt of Indian play by the boys of Fort Windecker.

In the summer of 1780 the enemy was reported to be in the vicinity of Otsego lake and Capt. Putman led his company of rangers from Fort Plain to the lake, accompanied by a company of militia under Maj. Coapman, a Jerseyman. The route was from Fort Plain to Cherry Valley and from there to Otsego lake. Finding no signs of an enemy a return march was made to Cherry Valley and from there to the Mohawk. On the way back an argument arose as to relative physical superiority of the rangers or scouts and the militia. To prove which was the better set of men, a race was proposed to Garlock's tavern on Bowman (Canajoharie) creek. Major Coapman and Captain Putman were both heavy men and did not last long in the race of five or six miles, which soon started between the two rival companies. Putman's scouts were victorious and three of them, John Eikler, Jacob Shew and Isaac Quackenboss (a "lean man") distanced the militiamen and reached Garlock's pretty well played out. The soldiers were strung along the highway for miles in this run. "After the men had all assembled at the tavern, taken refreshments and the bill had been footed by Major Coapman, the party returned leisurely and in order to Fort Plain." It is a significant comment on the hardihood of the Revolutionary soldiers that they should find excitement in a five-mile run over a rough highway carrying their guns and packs.

Under date of April 3, 1780, Col. Visscher writes to Col. Goshen Van Schaick to order "some rum and ammunition for my regiment of militia [then stationed mostly in the Mohawk valley posts from Fort Johnson westward], being very necessary as the men are daily scouting."

A story is told of Fort Klock, in the present town of St. Johnsville, and near where the battle between Brant and Johnson's forces and Van Rensselaer's troops was fought. It probably relates to the time of this action although no date is given. A grandfather of Peter Crouse was one of the garrison of Fort Klock. Seeing a party of mounted English troopers passing, the militiaman remarked that he thought he could "hit one of those fellows on horseback." Taking careful aim he shot a British officer out of his saddle, and his frightened horse ran directly up to Fort Klock, where Crouse secured him. A number of camp trappings were fastened to the saddle, among which was a brass kettle. These articles became famous heirlooms in the Crouse family.

Elias Krepp, an old bachelor, was the miller of the grist mill erected by Sir William Johnson, in the then Tilleborough at the now village of Ephratah. In 1780 a party of raiders burned the mill and took Krepp to Canada. After the war he returned and, with George Getman, went to the ruined mill and, from its walls, removed several hundred dollars in gold and silver which he had there hidden for safety.

The Sacandaga blockhouse (built 1779) was located two miles southeast of Mayfield and was a refuge for the few scattered families of the neighborhood and to defend Johnstown from surprise by way of the Sacandaga, a favorite route to the Mohawk for Canadian invaders. Its garrison being withdrawn, it was attacked by seven Indians in April, 1780, and successfully defended by one man, Woodworth, who, though slightly wounded, fought them oft and put out fires they kindled. The savages fled to the forest and were followed by Woodworth and six militiamen on snowshoes a day or two later. The Americans came up with the savages and killed five of the party, returning with their packs and guns.

The chief national events of the year 1780 are summarized as follows: 1780, May 12, capture of Charleston, S. C., by British; 1780, August 16, American army under Gates defeated at Camden, S. C.; 1780, Sept. 23, capture of Major Andre of the British army by three Continental soldiers, Paulding, Williams and Van Wart, and subsequent disclosure of Arnold's treason, following his flight from his post at West Point on the Hudson.