The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-02-07
From the Washington Union.
Battle of PlattSburgh.

cccdings and doings Of the veterans Of
the war of 1912, held in this city on tho
Sth inst, | observe, with regret, the en-
tire omission of all alusion to the inter
estiug events of that war on the north
ern frontier. While the battles of Chip.
pcwa. Niagara, Lundy's Lane and New
Orleans are mentioned in appropriate
terms, the Battle of Pittsburgh" and
other incidents which trauspired on that
frontier, are wholly overlooked This
should not have been so, on an occasion
like this ; and am willing to believe
that it occurred from inadvcrtence rath-
er than design, and therefore ask the use
of your acknowledgement paper to give
publicity to somo remarks in regard to a
few incidents connected Herewith.
The first stand Of British colors which
fell into the hands of tho American
hoops after the declaration of war was
at St. Regis, on the capture of block
house at that place by party of New
Y York militia, of which tho Troy Rifle
Green's" formed a part Attached to
this corps was young man who had
then lately emigrated from Massachu-
setts to Troy, and established himself in
the profession of the law. Fired with
the zeal and patriotism which glowed in
the hearts Of all true young Americans,
he wcnded his way to tho frontier as a
non-commissoncd officer, was an active
participate, in the capture Of the block
house with its garrison, and by his hands
were the English colors hauled down.
They were sent to the War Department
as a trophy, where had tho pleasure of
seeing them not many years since. AZ
ter the expiration of his term of service,
he returned to his home and subsequent.
ly filed the offices of recorder of the
city Of Troy, acknowledgement, con,ptrol
Ter, justice Of tho supreme court, and
governor of the State of Now York
has been a senator of the United States,
Secretary of War, and is now Secretary
of State of the United States | need
not to write the name Of WiELAM l.
Marcy to Indicate the PATRIOTS iudivid-
ual to whom | alludc.
The campaigns of 1912 and u3 on the
northern frontier were inglcrious, and
spread gloom over the hearts of all pat
riots but when preparations were ma.
king for that of 1914. hope revived as it
was believed that before the setting in of
winter Montreal would be occupied by
the American troops, and that all sup
plies would thereby be cut off. and the
entire uppOr province of Canada virtu-
ally conquered ~ large body of troops
were assembled, during the summer, at
Plattsburgh and Burlington, under the
command of General lizard, and in the
month Of July advanced northwardly.
and occupied position near the Canada
line-thc advance brigade under Gcncr-
al Smythc, and the extreme advance
guard under tho gallant Colonel Forsyth
who fell in one Of the numerous skir.
mishcs in which lie was frequently en-.
gagcA.
In the latter part of August, much to
the surprise and chagrin of every one,
the main army Of the North, under Izard.
took up its line Of march for the Mag.
ara frontier, leaving the whole northern
frontier, and the unfinished works at
Plattsburgh, to the mercy of large
force, which had been concentrating be-.
tween the st. Lawrence and Lake Cham
plain, during the summer, under Sir
George Provost governor general Of Can.
ada
General Macomb was in command Of
the few sick and disabled troops left be-
hind, and after collecting his scattered
forces, found himself sustained by about
| 800 effective men. and set himself WIG.
orously to work in completing and
strengthening the works at Plattsburgh.
| The forts rcdoubts, block houses, Sc.
were planned and erected under the i'm
mediate supervision of tho accomplished
and talented Major (now general Tot,
ten and, as the result proved, a more
competent and energetic officer could not
have been selected for this service.
On the 3lst of August, the advance
guard of the British army, under the
command of Geeral Brisbane, crossed
tho line. aud occupied the village of
Champlain, which was soon followed by
the main body, consisting in all of
Ii 600 of Wcllington's veteran troops,
and moved on by easy marches towards
Plattsburgh, without opposition until
the morning Of the 9th of September,
when their advance was slightly checked
at Culver's Hill, on the Bcckman.own
road, six miles north of the forts, oy 250
regulars commanded by Major (now gen
craD Wool, and 700 militia-thc whole
under the command of Major-Gcneral
Mooers, of the New York militia From
this point to tho river Saranac, tho
ground was nobly contested; and al
though this small force was opposed by
1000 of the flower of the British army,
yet so firm and steady was their resist.
ancc, that the time occupied in rctracing
our steps over this six miles was from
about daylight in the morning until |
o'clock before retiring across the Sara
nae, which divides portion of the vii
lagc of Plattsburgh from the forts
From this time until the llth, the
British were engaged in bringing up
their battcrng train and in making ar
rangcmcnts for attacking the works, du-
ring which time there was almost n con.
slant skirmishing kept mp by the lighi
troops of both armies. Ga the morning
of the ! lth. at the time the battle com.
mcuced on the lake between tho Ameri-
can feet under Commodore McDonough,
and that of the enemy, under Commo.
dore Downie, Sir George Provost threw
across the Saranac, at point three
miles above the forts, largo Erce with
scaling ladders, for the purpose of Storm
ing the works Oh the south side, whilo
at the same time he opened his bat torics