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Breaking out of the
Revolutionary War.—The "Committee of Safety" at Albany Warned against Sir
John Johnson, and notified that the Scotchmen were arming.-the Whigs "daily
scandalized, provoked and threatened" by the Loyal Catholic
Highlanders.—Correspondence between Sir John and Governor Tryon, and the
latter and Lord George of Maine. — General Schuyler, of the Revolutionary
Army, invades Tryon County.—Negotiations between him and Sir John and Mr.
Macdonell (Collachie).—Sir John and the Highlanders escape to Canada.—-Lady
Johnson taken prisoner.—Her letter to General Washington.
At the time of the arrival
and settlement of the Glengarry people in the Mohawk Valley, affairs in
America were, then, in a very unsettled condition. In order to meet the
military expenditure therein, the British Parliament had a short time
previously imposed a stamp duty on all legal documents. This was met with a
denial on the part of the discontented colonists of the right of the
Imperial Legislature to impose taxes upon them without their consent. The
Stamp Act was repealed the year following its enactment, hut it was
contended that the principle of taxation without representation was
maintained by a light duty of three pence per pound which was placed on
tea—one fourth of that paid in England at the time— and nominal duties on
other articles. On the 16th December, 1773, occurred in Boston Harbour that
episode which Mr. Erastus Wiman has lately designated as the "Boston tea
party," when a number of persons disguised as Indians threw into the harbour
from the East India vessels some three hundred and forty chests of tea. The
port of Boston was thereupon closed, and troops sent to enforce submission.
A "Continental Congress" was
then decided upon and convened at Philadelphia in September, 1774, and an
effort made to induce the people of Canada, who had but lately passed under
British rule, to join jn it by sending representatives. "The Quebec Act"
Which was then in contemplation, however, and the principles of which Were
known to the King's New Subjects, fully satisfied the French Canadians,
guaranteeing to them as it did their own laws, language and customs, and
they tacitly declined to participate in the proposed Congress, although some
sons of sedition within the Province endeavoured to stir up their fellow
countrymen to hostility against the form of government, and went to the
expense of translating, printing and circuit ring the letter sent to them by
the promoters of the Continental Congress.
In April, 1775, occurred the
first collision between the armed Colonists and the soldiers of the King,
and throughout the Thirteen Colonies measures were taken w ith a view to
procuring their ultimate independence.
On the 18th of May the
Provincial Committee of the Palitinate District or State of New York
addressed the "Committee of Safety" at Albany, stating t'n^t the Johnsons
and their powerful allies in the Mohawk District, had succeeded by threats,
intimidation and an array of military strength, in preventing any open
adoption of a declaration approving of the proceedings of the Continental
Congress. Says the Palitinate Committee :—
"This County has for a series
of years been ruled by one family, the several branches of which are still
strenuous in dissuading the people from coming into Congressional measures,
and have, even last week, at a numerous meeting of the Mohawk District,
appeared with all their dependents armed, to oppose the people considering
of their grievances ; their number being so large and the people unarmed,
that they struck terror into most of them, and they dispersed.
Mr. Stone adds that:—
" The Committee further
notified their friends in Albany that Sir John Johnson was fortifying the
Baronial Hall by planting several swiveia around it and he had paraded part
of the Regiment of Militi which he commanded on the day previous for the
purpose of intimidation, as it was conjectured. It was likewise reported
that the Scotch Highlanders, settled in large numbers in and about
Johnstown, who were Roman Catholics, had armed themselves to the number of
150, ready to aid in the suppression of any popular outbreak in favour of
the growing cause of liberty.
During the course of the
summer, the tension became stronger. The Dutch or German settlers divided in
their allegiance, Mr. Stone stating that the majority of them declared
themselves as Whigs, as the American sympathizers were called—the Loyalists
being termed by the Revolutionists, Tories. The first shot in the war West
of the Hudson was fired when the Loyalist Sheriff of the County arrested a
Whig named John Fonda, at whom he fired when he resisted arrest. It was
immediately returned by the discharge of a number of firelocks of the rebels
at the Sheriff, which, however, were not very deadly, as the only effect was
a slight wound in his breast. The doors of the house were broken, and an
effort made to seize the Sheriff, when a gun was fired at the hall by Sir
John. " This was known to be a signal for his retainers and Scotch partisans
to rally to arms, and as they would muster 500 men in a very short time, the
Whigs thought it more prudent to disperse."
From this out, the relations
of the neigbours to each other became more and more strained. The Loyalists
threw every impediment in the way of the Committee, and no method of
embarrassing them was left untried ; they called public meetings themselves,
and chose counter-committees, covered the Whig Committees with ridicule, and
charged them, most proptily, with illegal and tyrannical conduct —the
consequence being mutual exasperation between near neighbours, and the
reciprocal engendering of hostile feelings between friends, who ranged
themselves under opposing banners. These incipient neighborhood quarrels
occasioned, in the progress of the contest which ensued, some of the most
bitter and bloody conflicts that ever marked the annals of Civil War.
On the 7th September, 1775,
the Whig Committee wrote the Provincial Congress- in New York, denouncing
the conduct of Sir John Johnson, and that of his associates—particularly the
Highlanders, who, to the number of 200, were said to be gathered about him,
and by whom the Whigs "were daily scandalized, provoked and threatened."
It appears that from the
following correspondence in January, 1776, Sir John and the Highlanders took
active preliminary steps towards armed resistance to the Congressional
authorities:—
Governor Tryon to lord George
Germaine.
"On board H.M.S. Duchess of
Gordon, " New York Harbour, 3rd January, 1776.
"My Lord,
"The gentleman who delivered
me the enclosed letter from Sir John Johnson, assured me that by Government
complying with its contents Sir John could muster five hundred Indians to
support the cause of Government, and that these with a body of regulars
might retake the forts. If Sir John had the titlK'.of Superintendent of
Indian Affairs it would give the greatest weight to His Majesty's Indian
affairs, the Indians having the greatest a-lection for the son of their late
benefactor. I wish Your Lordship may think as favourably of Sir John's
proposals as 1 do. &c."
(Enclosure in the above.
SIR JOHN JOHNSON TO GOVERNOR
TRYON.
"Sir,
"I hope the occasion and
intention of this letter may plead my excuse for the liberty I take in
introducing to Your Excellency the bearer hereof, Mr. Allan Macdonell, who
\\ ill inform you of many particulars which cannot at this time be safely
communicated in writing. The distracted and convulsed state that this
unhappy country is now worked up to, and the situation that I am in here,
together with the many obligations that our family are under to thei best of
Sovereigns, induce me to fall upon a plan that may, I hope be of service to
the country, the propriety of which I entirely submit to Your Excellency's
better judgment, depending on the friendship which you have been pleased to
honour me with, for your advice on, and representation to. His Majesty, of
what I propose,
"Having consulted with all my
friends in this quarter, among whom are many old and good officers, I have
come to the resolution of forming a Battalion, and have named all the
officers, most of whom have a good deal of interest in their respective
neighborhoods, and have seen a great number of men ready to complete the
plan. We must, however, not think of stirring until support and supplies of
many necessaries to enable us to carry our design into execution are
received —of all which Mr. Macdonell will inform Your Excellency.
" I make not the least doubt
of the success of this plan should we be supported in time. As to news, I
must beg leave to refer you to Mr. Macdonell, who will inform you of
everything that has been done in Canada that has come to our knowledge. As I
rind by the papers you are soon to sail for England, I despair of having the
pleasure of paying my respects to you, but most sincerely wish you an
agreeable voyage and a happy sight of your family and friends.
"I am, Your Excellency's
"Most obedient, humble
servant,
"John Johnson."
Doubtless the organization
and other preparations indicated in the above letter, some knowledge of
which must have transpired, induced Congress in the same month to direct the
expedition into Tryon County of General Schuyler of the Revolutionary Army,
the forces under his command numbering some 3,000 men. He addressed a letter
to Sir John Johnson from Schenectady, requesting an interview, and pledging
his word of honour that he and the officers with him would come and go in
safety. Sir John, attended by several of his leading friends among the
Scotchmen, and two or three others, met him about sixteen miles from
Schenectady. Negotiations were then entered upon in writing between General
Schuyler on the one part and Sir John and Mr. Allan Macdonell (Collachie),
as representing the Highlanders, on the other. The fourth article of the
terms offered by General Schuyler was as follows :
"That the Scotch inhabitants
of the said County shall, without any kind of exception, immediately deliver
up all arms in their possession, of what kind soever they may be; and that
they shall each solemnly promise that they will not at any time hereafter,
during the continuance of this unhappy contest, take up arms without the
permission of the Continental Congress or of their General Officers; and for
the more faithful performance of this article, the General insists that they
shall immediately deliver up to him six hostages of his own nomination."
Sir John having answered the
written offer of terms, agreeing to deliver up their arms, but as to the
fourth article declining on the part of the Scotch inhabitants to give
hostages—no one man having command over another, or power sufficient to
deliver such—Genera 1 Schuyler declared the answer to his terms to be wholly
unsatisfactory, and required immediate compliance with his demands in all
respects before midnight. Sir John Johnson is alleged by the Americans then
to have given his parole of honour not to take up arms against America.
General Schuyler was to be at liberty to take away sit of the Scotch
inhabitants prisoners, without resistance, the others all to surrender their
arms ; the six prisoners to be maintained agreeable to their respective
ranks; to be allowed a few days to settle their private affairs, and, being
gentlemen, to wear their side arms.
"Fifth: Neither Sir John
Johnson nor the Scotch gentlemen can make any engagement for any other
persons than those over whom they may have influence. They give their word
and honour that, so far as depends on them, the inhabitants shall give up
their arms and enter into the like engagement as the Scotch inhabitants."
To this General Schuyler
agreed, stating that he would take six of the Scotch inhabitants prisoners,
since they preferred it to going hostages, and undertaking on behalf of
Congress to pay all deference due to their rank, they to be confined for the
present either at Reading or Lancaster in Pennsylvania. They were eventually
sent to the latter place, Mr. Allan Macdonell being one of the prisoners. On
the same afternoon Sir John delivered up the arms and ammunition in his
possession, Mr. Stone naively remarking that the quantity of both was much
smaller than was expected:
"On Saturday, the 20th,
General Schuvler paraded his troops at noon to receive the arms of the
Highlanders, who to the number of two or three hundred, marched to the front
and grounded their arms. These having been secured, the Scotchmen were
dismissed with an exhortation to remain peaceable, and with an assurance of
protection if they did.
The American authors allege
that Sir John Johnson did not observe the compact of neutrality, nor the
obligations of his parole, and further that General Schuyler was in receipt
of information convincing him that Sir John was secretly instigating the
Indians to hostilities. "To prevent such a calamity," says Mr. Stone, "it
was thought advisable to secure the person of Sir John, and once more to
quell the rising spirit of disaffection in the neighborhood of Johnstown,
especially among the Highlanders," and in June following the events already
narrated, Colonel Day ton, with a part of his regiment then on its way to
Canada, was despatched by General Schuyler to prosecute the enterprise. Sir
John, however, was warned in time of the proceedings of the enemy, and
hastily collecting his friends, made his way to Canada, arriving after
nineteen days of severe hardships at Montreal, "having encountered ail the
sufferings that it seemed possible for man to endure.'' Mr. Sparks, in his
life of Washington, states that Lady Johnson was removed to Albany, where
she' was retained, but without any particular result, except the indignation
offered to a gentlewoman of high station and in a delicate state of heath,
as a kind of hostage for the peaceable conduct of her husband.
Lady Johnson was a daughter
of the Honourable John Watts, for some t'me President of the Council of New
York, and a first cousin once removed of General Schuyler, to whom she had
so deep an aversion, as appears trom the following letter of hers addressed
to General Washington, apprising him of her being taken prisoner: "Sir, "
Albany, June 16, 1776.
"I take the liberty of
complaining to you, as it is. from you I expect redress I was compelled to
leave home, much against my will and am detained here by General Schuyltr,
who, I am convinced, acts more out of ill nature to Sir John than for any
reason that he or I have given him. As I am not allowed to return home, and
my situation here made as disagreeable as it can be by repeated threats and
messages from General Schuyler too indelicate and cruel to be expected from
a gentleman, I should wish to be with my friends at New York, and would
prefer my captivity under Your Excellency's protection to being in the power
if General Schuyler, who rules with more severity than could be wished by
Your Excellency's
"Humble Servant,
"M. Johnson.
"To His Excellency General
Washington."
Lady Johnson was obliged,
however, to remain at Albany for six months longer before she was allowed to
proceed to New York.
Sir John and Lady Johnson had
beer married in New York in 1773. She died at Montreal in 1815. |
