The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-07-14
VOL. 1, NO. SO.
81ngraphies.
[FoR THE PREss.l
James Clinton, Esq.
BIZ W. D..
IcONTINUED.1


In l775 his regiment composed part of the
army under Gen. Montgomery, (who fell at
Quebec) which invaded Canada; and he par
tlclpated in all the fatigues, dangers and priva-
tons, ofthat celebrated but unfortunate expedi-
ton.
In October, TIT, he commanded at Fort
Clinton, which together with its neighbor, Fort
Montgomery, constituted the defence of the
Hudson river, against the ascent of an enemy.
His brother, the Governor, commanded -in-chief
at both forts.
Sir Henry Clinton, with view to create a
division in favor of General Burgoyne moved up
the Hudson with an army of four thousand men.
and attacked those works. which were very i'm
perfectly fortified, and only defended by FIVE
hundred men, composed principally of Militia,
at that After most gallant resistance, the
forts were carried by storm
General Clinton was the last man who left the
fort, and not until he was severely wounded by
the thrust Of a baYonet; pursued and fred at
by the enemy, and his attendry servant killed.
he bled profusely and when he dismounted from
his war horse, in order to effect his escape from
the enemy, who were close on him, it occurred
to him that he must either perish on the noun
tains or to be captured, unless he could supply
himself with another horse; an animal which
sometimes roamed in that region In this emer-
gency, he took the bride from his horse, and
slid down precipice of one hundred feet to the
rayine of the creek which separated the forts.
and feeling cautiously his way along its precipi-
tous banks, he reached the mountain at distance
from the enemy, after having fallen into the
stream, the cold water of which arrested copi-
Gus effusion of blood
The return of light furnished him with the
sight of horse, which conveyed him to his
house, about sixteen miles from the fort, where
he arrived about noon, covered with blood, and
laboring under severe fever.
In his helpless condition, the British passed up
the Hudson, within few miles of his house. and
destroyed the town of Kingston
The cruel savages and horrible irruptions of
the Iroquos, or six nations of Indians, on our
frontier settlements rendered it necessary to in
aict a terrible chastisement, which would pre-
vent repetition of their atrocities
An expedition was accordingly planned, and
the principal command was committed to General
Sullivan, who was to proceed up the Susquehan-
ma, with the main body of the army, while Gen.
Clinton was to join him by the way of the Mo-
hawk river.
The Iroquois inhabited, or occasionally oc-
cnpied, that immense and fertile region which
composes the western parts of New York ard
Pennsylvania, and besides their own ravages,
from their settlements to the inhabited parts of
the United States, they facilitated the inroads
of the more remote Indians. When Gen. Sull-
van was on his way to the Indian country he
was joined by Gen. Clinton with upwards Of
sixteen hundred men. The latter had gone up
the Mohawk in batteauxs from Schenectady,
and after ascending that river about fifty-four
miles, be conveyed his batteauxs from Canajo-
harie to the head of Ostego Lake, one of the
sources of the Susquehanna
Finding the stream of water, in that river, too
low to float his boats, he erected dam across
the mouth of the Lake, which soon rose to the
altitude of the dam. Having got his batteauxs
ready, he opened passage through the dam for
the water to fow This raised the river so
high, that he was enabled to embark all his
troops; to float them down to Tioga, and to
join Gen. Sullivan in good season The Indians
collected their strength at Newton took pos
session of proper ground and fortified with juGg-
ment, and on the 18th of Augdst, 1779, an at
tack was made on them; their works were
forced, and their CONSERVATION was so great that
they abandoned all further resistance; for, as
the Americans advanced in their settlements,
they retreated before them without throwing
any obstruction in their way. The army passed
between the Cayuga and Seneca Lakes by
Geneva and Canandaigua, and as far west as the
Genesee river, destroying large settlements and
villages, and fields of corn orchards of fruit
trees and gardens Astounding with esculent vege-
tables The progress of the Indians in agricul-
ture struck the Americans with establishment
Many of their ears of corn measured tlcenty-t,Co
inches in lengthl They had horses, cows, and
hogs, in abundance They manufactured salt
and sugar and raised the best of apples and
peaches, and their dwellings were large and COM
modious The desolation of their settlements,
the destruction of their provisions, and the con-
flagration of their houses, drove them to the
British fortress of Niagara for subsistence where,
living on salt provisions, to which they were un-
accustomed, they died in great numbers, and the
e Al ~