Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-11

ed require. NJ. VAN Dof0
Washington, Jan. s, 1888.
!Mr. Rogers TO the President. o
BUFFALO, Dec. 81, 1901
To his Excellency NJ. vAs buren,,
President of the United States: .u
Sra. Enclosed are copies OF ufidavits when nafe
prepu,ed in great haste, and which contain III vs..
material in relation to the gross and c1lInotuna;s ia in
action to which they relate. Our whoie ifoN,ei 80,
CONJUNCTION, aud fear it will be oltlcult " 10 diam,
citizens from revenging, by n resort 10 arms, lns has.a"s
invasion of our territory. Every thing tha' ca. oG G"ms
will be by the public authorities 10 Ptete" r. e.. md Mia.
a movement. The respective snelihs ~ H' y, ,he mi.
ora have taken The responsibility OF calling OUT 'He IN
E;rI;, ~ ou,Id IN. frontier, and prevent any iur'hef ue'
predauons. ~,;o, rour obi sery't,
o;.,;., a,,or,ev for Eric co., and acting for the u. :.
STATE or New YoRk, Niagara County, SIS
Gilman Appleby, Of the city Of Buffalo, being sworn,
i, tha, he left the port of Buffalo on the Innrning Oh
the 2yth inst in the steamboat Caroline, owned ny VIM
Wells, Of Buffalo, and bound for Schlnsser, upon ~
east side Of The Ningara River, and within the ouhso
States. That this deponenL commanded the sal" eato.
lime, and that she was cleared from Buffalo win a vie"
TO run between said Buffalo and Schlosser, carry pas
senrers, freight, &c. That this deponeht couseo u
snid Caroline TO be landed at Black ROCK, on her way
down; and that, while there, this deponent caused the
American far to be run up and TINT, soon alter leaving
Black Rock iarbor, a voliey Of ~muskelry was aiscnars.
ed at the Caroline from the Canada sho'e, oul WITHOUT
injury. That the said Caroline continued her course
dawn the Niagara river unmoleSted, anu landeo OUTSIDE
,nof certain scows or boats attached to Navy lsiahu'
where q number of passengers 6isempatkeo, anu, Us
this deponent supposes, certain articles OF lIelgnt were
landed. That from this point the Caroline ran TO schlos.
ser, arriving there a. three o'clock in the afternoon,
that, between this time and dark, the caroline maue
two trips to Navy Island, landing as before. mat, al
about six o'cluk in the evening, ms deponeht causeo
the said Caroline 10 be landed at Sc.iosser, ana mdue
fas, with chains to the dock at that place. That the crew
and officers Of the Caroline numbered len, ana mat III
the course OF the evening. % individuals all OF whun
were cilizens of the u. States, came on ooaId oi TIE
Caroline. and requested this deponent aud DINER omceis
or The boat Ia hermit them to remain on board during The
night, as they were unable 10 get lodgings AT Inc tavern
near by; these requests were accedeo 10, anu '"e Pe'so"e
thus coming on board retired to rest, as ou a'S" I'LL !" .e
crew and officers of the Caroline, except sucn as were
stationed to watch during the night. That, about ma
night, this deponent was informed by one oil the "a'cn,
that 81 veral boats filled with men were making 'oWasuS
the Caroline from the river, anu th's dep"ne"' H'"eu
ately rave the alarm, and before he was able TO reach
the deck, the Caroline was boarded by some seventy
or eighty men, oil of whom were armed. lhot 'hey IN
~nediatcIy commenced q warfare with muskels, SWORDS,
and cu;lasses, upon the deienceless crew and passengers
of the Caroline, under a fierce cry OF Cd dann lneni'
civ. them no quarters; kill every man; lire hre! INIT
the Caroline was abandoned without resistance, and the
only effort made by either the crew or passengers seemed
10 he 10 escape slaughter. That this deponcnt narrowly
c.cnuqd; having received several wounds, none uf which,
however, are OF a serious character. Tint Immediately
after the Caroline fell into the hands OF the armed ioTce
who boarded her, she was set on hte, cut Loose nom ''c
dock, was towed into the current OF The river, mere
abandoned, and soon after descended the Niagara rails;
that this d.ponent has made vigilant search alter Tile IN
~dividuals, thirty three in number, who are known 10
have been on the Caroline al the time she was ooarueo:
und twentv-one only are TO be found, one oil whom, To VII,
Amos Durf.e, of Buffalo, was found dead upon the dock,
having received n shot from a musket, The bail OF which
penetrated the back part of the head, and came out al
the forehead. James II. King and Captain Z. +. lard
ing were seriously, though not morlally wounded De
var,l others recsivp0 SLIGHT wounds, The twelve lnQlVl-
duals who are missing, this depoBent has no Gouul, were
either murdered upon the steamboat, or found a wa'efy
grave in the cataract Of the falls. And this depnnent
further saws, that Immediately after the Caroline was
got into the current of The stream and abandoned, as oe'
FIRE stated, beacon lights were discovered upon The Va.
NADIA shore, near Chippewa; and alter sufficient Tune mao
; elapsed to enable The boats TO reach that shore, lhis de-
ponrnt distinctly heard loud and voclferous cheering at
That point. That this deponent has no doubt that the in.
dividuals who boarded the Caroline were a part OF the
GILMAN APPLEBY.
Subscribed and sworn, December 30, 1887, before ne,
S, b. Piper, Commissioned oil Deeds, &c, Tor Niagara
county.
sr.rr OF New Yonx, Niagara county. So.
Charles F. Harding. James II King, Joshua Fl. Smith,
William Seaman, William Kennedy, William Wells,
John Leonard, Sylvanus Staring, and John Haggar,y,
being sworn, severally, depose and say that they have
heard the foregoing affidavit of Gilman Appieby read,
that they were on The Caroline at the Time she was board
cd as stated in said affidavit, and that all the facts sworn
" UJ ouN hIP'>oJ
was 80 boarded as aforesaid, are correct and true.
c.. F. HARDING,
JAMES Il. KING,
J. H.. SMITH,
WM. SEAMAN,
WIN. KENNEDY,
WIN. WELLS,
JOHN LEONARD,
SYLvASUs STARING,
Joux c. HAGGARTy.
Sworn and subscribed, December 80, 1887, before ME,
S. b. Piper, Commissioner of Deeds, for Niugara county.
Mr.. Poinseu to Gen. Scott.
DEPARTMENT OF WAR,
January 5, less
Sir: You will repair. without delay, 10 lls Canada
frontier of the United States, anu assume Tue Niii''afy
command there.
Herewith you will receive duplicate letters TO the Go.
yernors of the States of New York and Vermont, re.
onesting them 10 call into The service of the u. States
such q militia force as you may deem necessary ior Tie
defence of that frontier OF the United States.
This power has been confded to you in The full per
suasinn that you will use it discreetly, aad extend The
call only SO far as circumstances may seem to require.
IL is Important that the troops culled into the service
should he, if possible, exempt from That state OF excite.
menl which tie late violation Of our territory has created,
and you will therefore impress upon the Governors oil
these border States the propriety OF selecting troops rom
q portion Of the State distant from the threatre OF action.
The Executive possesses no legal authority to employ
the military force tn restrain persons within our Ju'iSdlc-
tioa, and who ought 10 be under our control, from vio.
la,ing the laws, by making invaslons INTO the territory
:. Of neighburing and friendly nations, with hostile intent.
| can give you, therefore, no instructions on that sub
ject; Blu, request that you will use your influence to pre-
vent such cxresscs, and to preserve the character of this
&. Government for good faith and q proper regard for the
rights Of friendly powers.
The militia will. be called into the service for three
months, unlrss sooner discharged; and in your rr4nisi.
tions you will designate The number of men, ond take
care tia, the officers d. no, exceed a due proportion.
-. IL is deemed important that the administrative branch
Of the service should be conducted, wherever practical
BILE. by officers of the regular army.
The disposition Of The force, with regard 10 the points
10 be occupied, is confded to your discretion, military
skill, and intimate knowledge OF The country and The
amount Of that force mus, depend upon The character
and duration Of the contest now going on in Canada, and
The disposition manifested by the people and the public