William Wadsworth
Encyclopedia
William Wadsworth was an officer in the New York State militia, before and during the War of 1812
. As a Brigadier General, he commanded the New York militia contingent in the American army at the Battle of Queenston Heights
. He waived his right to command over Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott
, of the United States Army
. During the battle, he faced the enemy at all times so that he would not be shot in the back and thus appear to be cowardly. Waving his sword and swearing at the troops back across the river, hoping to instill the fighting spirit in them, Wadsworth made a genuine but vain attempt to get the militia to cross and reinforce their position.
At the end of the battle, Wadsworth was taken prisoner when the American force, cut off on the Canadian side of the Niagara River
, surrendered to avoid a massacre by Indians
under John Brant attached to the British force.
family of Connecticut. He was a sixth generation descendant of William Wadsworth
(1595–1675) who was one of the Founders of Hartford, Connecticut
. In 1790, with his charismatic brother James Wadsworth
, they moved from Connecticut to the Genesee Valley of Western New York
State.
Settling in "Big Tree
" on June 9, 1790, on the east bank of the Genesee River
, William and his brother were the leading pioneers of this unsettled region, and ultimately became one of the largest wealthiest land holders of the area. As the settlement in the area increased, William was elected Town supervisor
for 21 years. Before and during his tenure, William created and took charge of the area's local militia and eventually took command of the Genesee Valley militia. By the time hostilities broke out between the U.S. and Great Britain in 1812, William Wadsworth was promoted to Brigadier General
.
William never married and history records no known children.
came riding up the road from Canawaugus, New York with his entourage of a young Englishman, servants and a poodle named Cartouche. The duke, who had letters of introduction to "those great American Landlords, Messrs. James and William Wadsworth", was somewhat taken aback by their manorial dwelling. He described it in his memoirs as being "a small log house as dirty as any I have ever seen" It was cluttered with stores of all kinds and live chickens. The duke says, "It stank so I could hardly bear it." The duke's dog apparently had eaten one of Wadsworth's chickens and his servant Jenny told that "eminent nobleman" just what she thought of him and his dog. William's hospitality extended him an invitation to "stay for a week," which was hastily declined. The duke did stay the night, but William could not see them off properly, as Captain, he had to attend to the muster of militia early that following morning. The duke left that day for Buffalo and eventually continued on his "Grand Tour
" into Canada
.
. This was a formal treaty between the Seneca nation
and the United States of America. A meadow between the Wadsworths' cabin at Big Tree
and the gigantic oak by the river, which gave the place its name, was the site of the conference. In attendance were nearly three thousand Seneca and other members of the Six Nations of the Iroquois. Representing them were the Chiefs Cornplanter
, Red Jacket
, Farmer's Brother, Tall Chief, Little Beard
and others, the Clan Mother
s of the nation, and also Mary Jemison
. Those in attendance representing the United States were Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth
, Commissioner representing the US Government, Thomas Morris
representing his father, Robert Morris, General William Shepard
representing Massachusetts
, Theophilus Cazenove
and Paolo Busti
, representatives for the Holland Land Company
, Captain Israel Chapin, representing the Department of Indian Affairs, Joseph Ellicott
, Land surveyor, and James Rees as acting secretary. All of the treaty delegates for the United States were housed in William's log cabin and new cobblestone house
. The treaty was signed on September 16, 1797 after nearly a month of, at times heated, back and forth negotiations. This treaty opened up the territory west of the Genesee River
and established ten Reservations
for the Seneca in Western New York
.
and put in command of the 7th Brigade, 1st Division, that was made up of the 18th, 19th, and 20th regiments of the New York State Detached Militia. These regiments represented the Counties of Seneca
, Cayuga
and Ontario
respectively.
The 20th Regiment contained the various companies of Ontario County, New York
in which was William's original Geneseo
Company now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Peter Allen.
At the outbreak of the War of 1812
, the Niagara Frontier
was unprepared for the defense of its settlements. Along the Niagara River
, which separates Canada from New York, the citizens were alarmed by the military activity on the Canadian side of the river. They wrote to New York Congressman and Quartermaster General
, Peter B. Porter, on April 15, 1812, about their concerns of the lack of arms and ammunition, adding "there is not five muskets that is fit to use in this place & they are not to be had in this quarter." Governor
Daniel D. Tompkins
was made aware that the New York Militia was destitute of arms, camp equipment, blankets, and other items. Particularly, at the settlements of Black Rock
, now a part of Buffalo, New York
, and the settlement at Lewiston, New York
.
On June 25, 1812, one week after his promotion and the declaration of war, Governor Tompkins ordered Brigadier General William Wadsworth, his newly formed 7th Brigade, with two cannons and ball, to command the Niagara Frontier and reinforce the 400 regular army at Black Rock. The Governor’s instruction made it clear Wadsworth was "at liberty to act offensively as well as defensively" according to the circumstances along the river. Wadsworth confessed to the governor, in a letter, that he lacked military experience and was "ignorant of even the minor duties of the duty to which you have assigned me," and asked to have an experienced "military secretary" assigned to him, a request to which the governor complied. The Governor later assigned the more experienced Major General Amos Hall to overall command of the Niagara Frontier militia on July 28, 1812, until Major General
Stephen van Rensselaer
could assume the command on August 11, 1812. It was for these reasons Wadsworth earned the epitaph “the reluctant general.”
Wadsworth marched his column of about 900 men from Canandaigua
and reaching Batavia on July 1, picking up U.S. regular troops along the way. These consisted of the 13th U.S. Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel John Chrystie
and Major James Mullany; the 23rd U.S. Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant William Clarke
; and the 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment under Captain James McKeon. Wadsworth reached Black Rock
on July 3 with a combined force of 1600 men. He immediately dispatched militia reinforcements to Fort Schlosser
at Niagara Falls, New York
and to Lewiston and sent the detachment of regulars on to Fort Niagara
. About a week later four more companies of volunteer militia attached to the 20th regiment arrived, along with 20 horsemen acting as courier riders. This group brought General Wadsworths combined strength to nearly 1,900 men at arms (including invalids, and absentees) by July 10, 1812.
General Wadsworth immediately appraised the defenses between Buffalo and Fort Niagara. He reports that Fort Niagara "is very much decayed" and under gunned. He requested heavy ordnance and field artillery. He asked that the Governor dispatch 2,000 more troops and that he immediately send food, tents, shoes and equipment for the men currently there. He went to work building batteries and breast works, but this was nearly futile "without axes, hoes, shovels or anything of this kind."
Per Wadsworth's request, Governor Tompkins sent his personal assistant, the engineer and artillerist Nicholas Gray, to assist Wadsworth. Upon his arrival on July 18, Gray reported to Tompkins that he was impressed with General Wadsworth who's "camps were in good health and orderly" and that he "had ordered a military school, both for officers and soldiers... and pays unwearied attention to the troops, and is forming a system which has as its objective the organization of the staff and camp duties."
On July 24, 1812 Major General Amos Hall arrived at Buffalo and took command, but this was only temporary, as both Wadsworth and Hall knew they were to be replaced soon. On August 11, 1812 Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer arrived to Lewiston
and took Command.
On September 4, 1812 Major General Van Rennselaer writes in his general orders "To the Commanding officer of the 7th Brigade [General Wadsworth] and to the Colonels of the 18th and 20th Regiments [Wadsworth's original Company], the General tenders his acknowledgments, for the strict discipline of their troops and the preservation of their health." This order following months of successive general orders issuing complaints and instructions to the officers about the troop's lack of discipline, order, and sanitation.
Stephan Van Rensselaer was a popular Federalist
politician and an opponent in the gubernatorial candidacy of New York in 1813. His rival, Governor Tompkins, had appointed him to command the American army for political purposes, perhaps to get rid of him, as he was an inexperienced commander.
Under presidential pressure from Washington, D.C.
Van Rensselaer began making plans to cross the Niagara River from his base at Lewiston, NY to capture the village of Queenston, Ontario
and the nearby heights
. He ordered Brigadier General Alexander Smyth
to join him in Lewiston with his troops on October 11, 1812. However, Smyth, of the regular US Army, commanding at Buffalo, had issues with taking orders from him. Believing van Rensselaer's hasty maneuver unwise, he and his men remained conspicuously absent from the campaign that followed.
In the pre-dawn hours the morning of October 13, 1812, Lieutenant Colonel John Chrystie
in command of the first landing party, made their way in darkness across the river. Col. Chrystie's boat came under surprise fire, and his crew turned and fled back across to Lewiston. Captain John E. Wool
, having landed, took command of the 13th United States Infantry Regiment, led a group of American soldiers up a fisherman's path to the British artillery stationed on top of the heights. His men were able to take out the British artillery emplacements on Queenston Heights
.
Upon realizing the Americans had landed, British
Major General
Isaac Brock
sent a message from Queenston to British Major General Roger H. Sheaffe at Fort George
, requesting immediate reinforcements to block the American landings. In the meantime General Brock ordered his men and Indian Allies to retake the heights
.
Major General Van Rensselaer worked to consolidate the position on the Canadian side of the river. Ordering the heights to be fortified, he placed Lieutenant Colonel
Winfield Scott
in command with Brigadier General William Wadsworth leading the militia. Despite the earlier success, Van Rensselaer's position was tenuous as only around 600 men had crossed being 350 Regular Army and only 250 Militia had volunteered to cross with Wadsworth.
After Van Rensselaer gave command of the invasion party to Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott. Major Isaac Roach
recalls that when Scott "took command he did not know there was a General officer on the grounds. The latter [Wadsworth], who was in plain clothes at the time, modestly made his rank known, insisted on supporting Scott, which he did, with zeal and valor, in every combat."
General Brock personally led the British charge up the heights that nearly succeeded, but it ultimately was repelled. Brock, an obvious target with his commanding height and in his general's uniform; he was wounded in the hand and then shot and killed by American sharpshooters. A second charge was made shortly after, now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
John Macdonell
. This charge was also repulsed and Macdonell was also killed in action. In this second charge Captain Wool was severely wounded in the thigh.
Meanwhile, General Wadsworth with a detachment of militia volunteers and Winfield Scott's regulars crossed the river to reinforce Captain Wool's position and take command. Wadsworth had hoped "that his example might have a better effect than his orders in making the militia cross."
British reinforcements arrived from Fort George to Queenston, including British artillery. Opening fire from the village, it made crossing the river hazardous. On the heights 300 Iroquois began attacking Scott and Wadsworth's outposts.
Frustrated, van Rensselaer worked tirelessly to convince the militia to embark to reinforce Scott and Wadsworth. However, the majority of the citizen Militia
, low on ammunition, knowing reinforcements were not in the vicinity, hearing the war cries of the Indians, and in full view of the British reinforcements approaching across the river, stood by their known right, as volunteer militia, to refuse to invade or fight in a foreign country. By law, militiamen were not required to cross a border under arms, but could volunteer to do so.
Ultimately unsuccessful, Van Rensselaer dispatched a note to Scott and Wadsworth giving them permission "to withdraw if the situation warranted."
Abandoned by the militia, hearing the Mohawk
war cries under John Brant and fearing massacre, Wadsworth's men retreated. During their retreat Wadsworth was wounded in the right arm. His line collapsing, Scott, too, fell back, ultimately retreating down the slope above the river. With no escape and the Mohawks, embittered over the loss of two chiefs, in pursuit, Scott was forced to surrender the remnants of his command to British Major General Roger Sheaffe. Wadsworth's men too, soon ran out of ammunition and were forced back to the edge of the heights where "Thousands could testify to seeing him [Wadsworth] standing on... land at the edge of the bluff, pleading... to his men on the safe bank to join him and save the day. When they would not, he shook his bright sword and cursed them so terribly that one awed eyewitness wrote, 'His language was said to be the worst in the whole American Army'." Another witness, after seeing this display, later described Wadsworth as "the most eloquently profane officer in the [US] army."
After the bugles hailed the cease-fire, General Wadsworth was brought before General Roger H. Sheaffe. Upon introductions, British Captain James Crooks
recalls, Wadsworth "drew his sword and presented the handle to General Sheaffe who said, 'I understand General your people have surrendered,' to which Wadsworth made no other answer other than bowing his head in token that it was so."
The British tallied the total number captured at 436 regulars and 489 of militia. They released the walking wounded the day after the battle. The militia was released on parole on October 15. Surprisingly, among them was Brigadier General William Wadsworth, who had further negotiated the release of Major James Mullany and Captain Peter Ogilvie. The release of such high-ranking officers was the cause of much consternation and dismay among the British troops and their Indian allies. General Sheaffe relates that he allowed Wadsworth's release in the hope that "his going with the militia will... only tend to ensure a strict execution of the agreement." The other regular officers were released several months later after the terms of the exchange agreement between the parties was honored.
Shortly after his parole General Wadsworth returned to his home on the Genesee Valley to recuperate. Though disappointed with the lack of militia to volunteer on that fateful day Wadsworth still defends them. He later writes to Van Rensselaer, "I do not say where the regulars and militia who were not there... were, but it is clear they were not where they ought to have been. ...I am conscious that on the 13th and that on every other day during the campaign, I endeavored to do my duty. With this I shall rest satisfied, however others may estimate my services. I am aware that the militia have their faults, but they have their merit, too, and it is that merit of which they ought not to be deprived, unless it is intended to render them useless in the future."
When William died in 1833 his brother James Wadsworth
inherited his estate. His obituary noted that "Few officers... have been more universally respected and beloved by their soldiers."
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. As a Brigadier General, he commanded the New York militia contingent in the American army at the Battle of Queenston Heights
Battle of Queenston Heights
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812 and resulted in a British victory. It took place on 13 October 1812, near Queenston, in the present-day province of Ontario...
. He waived his right to command over Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
, of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. During the battle, he faced the enemy at all times so that he would not be shot in the back and thus appear to be cowardly. Waving his sword and swearing at the troops back across the river, hoping to instill the fighting spirit in them, Wadsworth made a genuine but vain attempt to get the militia to cross and reinforce their position.
At the end of the battle, Wadsworth was taken prisoner when the American force, cut off on the Canadian side of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
, surrendered to avoid a massacre by Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
under John Brant attached to the British force.
Family
William Wadsworth was a scion of the prominent WadsworthWadsworth (surname)
Wadsworth is a surname. Notable persons with that surname include:*Alexander S. Wadsworth , U.S. Navy officer; fought in the War of 1812; eponym of three ships*Andre Wadsworth , American professional football player...
family of Connecticut. He was a sixth generation descendant of William Wadsworth
William Wadsworth (patriarch)
William Wadsworth was an early pioneer of New England, a founder of Hartford, Connecticut and the patriarch of numerous and prominent Wadsworth descendants of North America, including the poet Ezra Pound.-Origins:William’s exact origins have challenged descendants and researchers over the centuries...
(1595–1675) who was one of the Founders of Hartford, Connecticut
Founders of Hartford, Connecticut
Here are the 163 men and women listed in the Book of Distribution of Land as being those who settled in Hartford, Connecticut before February 1640. Their names are on a monument in Hartford's Ancient Burying Ground....
. In 1790, with his charismatic brother James Wadsworth
James Wadsworth (of Geneseo)
James Wadsworth was an influential and prominent 18th and 19th century pioneer, educator, land speculator, agriculturalist, businessman, and community leader of the early Genesee Valley settlements in Western New York State...
, they moved from Connecticut to the Genesee Valley of Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
State.
Settling in "Big Tree
Geneseo, New York
Geneseo is the name of a town and its village in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA, outside of Rochester, New York. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village...
" on June 9, 1790, on the east bank of the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
, William and his brother were the leading pioneers of this unsettled region, and ultimately became one of the largest wealthiest land holders of the area. As the settlement in the area increased, William was elected Town supervisor
Town supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
for 21 years. Before and during his tenure, William created and took charge of the area's local militia and eventually took command of the Genesee Valley militia. By the time hostilities broke out between the U.S. and Great Britain in 1812, William Wadsworth was promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
.
William never married and history records no known children.
Visit from the Duke
Despite the fact that William and his brother were now by any standard wealthy, they were still living in their first log cabin when, in the summer of 1795, the Duke François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld-LiancourtFrançois Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt
François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt was a French social reformer.-Early life:...
came riding up the road from Canawaugus, New York with his entourage of a young Englishman, servants and a poodle named Cartouche. The duke, who had letters of introduction to "those great American Landlords, Messrs. James and William Wadsworth", was somewhat taken aback by their manorial dwelling. He described it in his memoirs as being "a small log house as dirty as any I have ever seen" It was cluttered with stores of all kinds and live chickens. The duke says, "It stank so I could hardly bear it." The duke's dog apparently had eaten one of Wadsworth's chickens and his servant Jenny told that "eminent nobleman" just what she thought of him and his dog. William's hospitality extended him an invitation to "stay for a week," which was hastily declined. The duke did stay the night, but William could not see them off properly, as Captain, he had to attend to the muster of militia early that following morning. The duke left that day for Buffalo and eventually continued on his "Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
" into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Treaty of Big Tree
Between August 20, 1797 and September 16, 1797, William Wadsworth acted as host to the delegation for the Treaty of Big TreeTreaty of Big Tree
Treaty of Big Tree was a formal treaty, held from August 20, 1797 until September 16, 1797, between the Seneca nation and the United States of America. The delegates for both parties met at the residence of William Wadsworth, an early pioneer of the area and Captain of the local militia, in what is...
. This was a formal treaty between the Seneca nation
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
and the United States of America. A meadow between the Wadsworths' cabin at Big Tree
Geneseo, New York
Geneseo is the name of a town and its village in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA, outside of Rochester, New York. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village...
and the gigantic oak by the river, which gave the place its name, was the site of the conference. In attendance were nearly three thousand Seneca and other members of the Six Nations of the Iroquois. Representing them were the Chiefs Cornplanter
Cornplanter
Gaiänt'wakê was a Seneca war-chief. He was the son of a Seneca mother, Aliquipiso, and a Dutch father, Johannes Abeel. He also carried the name John Abeel after his fur trader father...
, Red Jacket
Red Jacket
Red Jacket was a Native American Seneca orator and chief of the Wolf clan...
, Farmer's Brother, Tall Chief, Little Beard
Little Beard
Little Beard, Si-gwa-ah-doh-gwih , was a Seneca chief who participated in the American Revolutionary War on the side of Great Britain...
and others, the Clan Mother
Clan Mother
Clanmothers are the Elder Women of an Iroquois Clan, who are in charge of appointing Tribal Chiefs and Faithkeepers.Each clan should have one Clanmother who should all work together. Each clanmother has a Faithkeeper who is responsible for ceremonial preparations, weddings, funerals, and other...
s of the nation, and also Mary Jemison
Mary Jemison
Mary Jemison was an American frontierswoman and an adopted Seneca. When she was in her teens, she was captured in what is now Adams County, Pennsylvania, from her home along Marsh Creek, and later chose to remain a Seneca....
. Those in attendance representing the United States were Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth
Jeremiah Wadsworth
Jeremiah Wadsworth was an American sea captain, merchant, and statesman from Hartford, Connecticut who profited from his position as a government official charged with supplying the Continental Army...
, Commissioner representing the US Government, Thomas Morris
Thomas Morris (New York)
Thomas Morris was a United States Representative from New York and was a son of Robert Morris, a merchant, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and later a U.S. Senator. The younger Morris was born in Philadelphia and attended school in Geneva, Switzerland and the University of Leipzig, in...
representing his father, Robert Morris, General William Shepard
William Shepard
William Lyman Shepard was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. Born in Westfield, he attended the common schools, engaged in agricultural pursuits, and served in the French and Indian wars for six years. He was a member of the committee of correspondence for Westfield in 1774, and...
representing Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Theophilus Cazenove
Theophilus Cazenove
Theophilus Cazenove, or Theophile Cazenove , was a financier and one of the agents of the Holland Land Company.- Life and career :...
and Paolo Busti
Paolo Busti
Paolo Busti, or Paul Busti , was the principal agent of the Holland Land Company from 1800 until his death. Busti was born in Milan, Italy and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, representatives for the Holland Land Company
Holland Land Company
The Holland Land Company was a purchaser of the western two-thirds of the western New York land tract known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. This tract was known thereafter as The Holland Purchase...
, Captain Israel Chapin, representing the Department of Indian Affairs, Joseph Ellicott
Joseph Ellicott
Joseph Ellicott was an American surveyor, city planner, land office agent, lawyer and politician of the Quaker faith.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Ellicott ....
, Land surveyor, and James Rees as acting secretary. All of the treaty delegates for the United States were housed in William's log cabin and new cobblestone house
Cobblestone architecture
Cobblestone architecture refers to the use of cobblestones embedded in mortar as method for erecting walls on houses and commercial buildings.-History:Evidence of the use of cobblestones in building has been found in the ruins of Hierakonpolis...
. The treaty was signed on September 16, 1797 after nearly a month of, at times heated, back and forth negotiations. This treaty opened up the territory west of the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
and established ten Reservations
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
for the Seneca in Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
.
Battle of Queenston Heights
On June 18, 1812 War was declared between the United States and Great Britain. On that same day, William Wadsworth was promoted to Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and put in command of the 7th Brigade, 1st Division, that was made up of the 18th, 19th, and 20th regiments of the New York State Detached Militia. These regiments represented the Counties of Seneca
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, Cayuga
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
and Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
respectively.
The 20th Regiment contained the various companies of Ontario County, New York
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
in which was William's original Geneseo
Geneseo, New York
Geneseo is the name of a town and its village in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA, outside of Rochester, New York. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village...
Company now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Peter Allen.
At the outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the Niagara Frontier
Niagara Frontier
The Niagara Frontier refers to the stretch of land south of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and extending westward to Cleveland, Ohio. The term dates to the War of 1812. This only includes the land east of the Niagara River and south of Lake Erie within the United States...
was unprepared for the defense of its settlements. Along the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
, which separates Canada from New York, the citizens were alarmed by the military activity on the Canadian side of the river. They wrote to New York Congressman and Quartermaster General
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
, Peter B. Porter, on April 15, 1812, about their concerns of the lack of arms and ammunition, adding "there is not five muskets that is fit to use in this place & they are not to be had in this quarter." Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
was made aware that the New York Militia was destitute of arms, camp equipment, blankets, and other items. Particularly, at the settlements of Black Rock
Black Rock, Buffalo, New York
Black Rock, once an independent municipality, is now a neighborhood of the northwest section of the city of Buffalo, New York. In the 1820s, Black Rock was the rival of Buffalo for the terminus of the Erie Canal, but Buffalo, with its larger harbor capacity and greater distance from the shores of...
, now a part of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, and the settlement at Lewiston, New York
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, an early 19th-century governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Lewiston,...
.
On June 25, 1812, one week after his promotion and the declaration of war, Governor Tompkins ordered Brigadier General William Wadsworth, his newly formed 7th Brigade, with two cannons and ball, to command the Niagara Frontier and reinforce the 400 regular army at Black Rock. The Governor’s instruction made it clear Wadsworth was "at liberty to act offensively as well as defensively" according to the circumstances along the river. Wadsworth confessed to the governor, in a letter, that he lacked military experience and was "ignorant of even the minor duties of the duty to which you have assigned me," and asked to have an experienced "military secretary" assigned to him, a request to which the governor complied. The Governor later assigned the more experienced Major General Amos Hall to overall command of the Niagara Frontier militia on July 28, 1812, until Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Stephen van Rensselaer
Stephen Van Rensselaer III
Stephen Van Rensselaer III was Lieutenant Governor of New York as well as a statesman, soldier, and land-owner, the heir to one of the largest estates in the New York region at the time, which made him the tenth richest American of all time, based on the ratio of his fortune to contemporary GDP...
could assume the command on August 11, 1812. It was for these reasons Wadsworth earned the epitaph “the reluctant general.”
Wadsworth marched his column of about 900 men from Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
and reaching Batavia on July 1, picking up U.S. regular troops along the way. These consisted of the 13th U.S. Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel John Chrystie
John Chrystie
John Chrystie was a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel who played a major but controversial part in the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812....
and Major James Mullany; the 23rd U.S. Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant William Clarke
William Clarke
William or Bill Clarke may refer to:People*Sir William Clarke , English politician and Secretary to the Council of the Army*William Clarke *William Clarke...
; and the 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment under Captain James McKeon. Wadsworth reached Black Rock
Black Rock, Buffalo, New York
Black Rock, once an independent municipality, is now a neighborhood of the northwest section of the city of Buffalo, New York. In the 1820s, Black Rock was the rival of Buffalo for the terminus of the Erie Canal, but Buffalo, with its larger harbor capacity and greater distance from the shores of...
on July 3 with a combined force of 1600 men. He immediately dispatched militia reinforcements to Fort Schlosser
Fort Schlosser
Fort Schlosser was a fortification built in Western New York in the USA around 1760 by British Colonial forces, in order to guard the upper entrance to the portage around Niagara Falls, near the Porter-Barton Dock. It was named for its first commander, Captain Schlosser, a practice that was common...
at Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
and to Lewiston and sent the detachment of regulars on to Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
. About a week later four more companies of volunteer militia attached to the 20th regiment arrived, along with 20 horsemen acting as courier riders. This group brought General Wadsworths combined strength to nearly 1,900 men at arms (including invalids, and absentees) by July 10, 1812.
General Wadsworth immediately appraised the defenses between Buffalo and Fort Niagara. He reports that Fort Niagara "is very much decayed" and under gunned. He requested heavy ordnance and field artillery. He asked that the Governor dispatch 2,000 more troops and that he immediately send food, tents, shoes and equipment for the men currently there. He went to work building batteries and breast works, but this was nearly futile "without axes, hoes, shovels or anything of this kind."
Per Wadsworth's request, Governor Tompkins sent his personal assistant, the engineer and artillerist Nicholas Gray, to assist Wadsworth. Upon his arrival on July 18, Gray reported to Tompkins that he was impressed with General Wadsworth who's "camps were in good health and orderly" and that he "had ordered a military school, both for officers and soldiers... and pays unwearied attention to the troops, and is forming a system which has as its objective the organization of the staff and camp duties."
On July 24, 1812 Major General Amos Hall arrived at Buffalo and took command, but this was only temporary, as both Wadsworth and Hall knew they were to be replaced soon. On August 11, 1812 Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer arrived to Lewiston
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, an early 19th-century governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Lewiston,...
and took Command.
On September 4, 1812 Major General Van Rennselaer writes in his general orders "To the Commanding officer of the 7th Brigade [General Wadsworth] and to the Colonels of the 18th and 20th Regiments [Wadsworth's original Company], the General tenders his acknowledgments, for the strict discipline of their troops and the preservation of their health." This order following months of successive general orders issuing complaints and instructions to the officers about the troop's lack of discipline, order, and sanitation.
Stephan Van Rensselaer was a popular Federalist
Federalist
The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...
politician and an opponent in the gubernatorial candidacy of New York in 1813. His rival, Governor Tompkins, had appointed him to command the American army for political purposes, perhaps to get rid of him, as he was an inexperienced commander.
Under presidential pressure from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Van Rensselaer began making plans to cross the Niagara River from his base at Lewiston, NY to capture the village of Queenston, Ontario
Queenston, Ontario
Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
and the nearby heights
Queenston Heights
thumb|Brock's Monument|250px|Brock's Monument at Queenston HeightsThe Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River...
. He ordered Brigadier General Alexander Smyth
Alexander Smyth
Alexander Smyth was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician from Virginia, who served in the United States House of Representatives and as a general during the War of 1812.-Biography:...
to join him in Lewiston with his troops on October 11, 1812. However, Smyth, of the regular US Army, commanding at Buffalo, had issues with taking orders from him. Believing van Rensselaer's hasty maneuver unwise, he and his men remained conspicuously absent from the campaign that followed.
In the pre-dawn hours the morning of October 13, 1812, Lieutenant Colonel John Chrystie
John Chrystie
John Chrystie was a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel who played a major but controversial part in the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812....
in command of the first landing party, made their way in darkness across the river. Col. Chrystie's boat came under surprise fire, and his crew turned and fled back across to Lewiston. Captain John E. Wool
John E. Wool
John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
, having landed, took command of the 13th United States Infantry Regiment, led a group of American soldiers up a fisherman's path to the British artillery stationed on top of the heights. His men were able to take out the British artillery emplacements on Queenston Heights
Queenston Heights
thumb|Brock's Monument|250px|Brock's Monument at Queenston HeightsThe Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River...
.
Upon realizing the Americans had landed, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
sent a message from Queenston to British Major General Roger H. Sheaffe at Fort George
Fort George, Ontario
Fort George National Historic Site is a historic military structure at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, that was the scene of several battles during the War of 1812...
, requesting immediate reinforcements to block the American landings. In the meantime General Brock ordered his men and Indian Allies to retake the heights
Queenston Heights
thumb|Brock's Monument|250px|Brock's Monument at Queenston HeightsThe Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River...
.
Major General Van Rensselaer worked to consolidate the position on the Canadian side of the river. Ordering the heights to be fortified, he placed Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
in command with Brigadier General William Wadsworth leading the militia. Despite the earlier success, Van Rensselaer's position was tenuous as only around 600 men had crossed being 350 Regular Army and only 250 Militia had volunteered to cross with Wadsworth.
After Van Rensselaer gave command of the invasion party to Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott. Major Isaac Roach
Isaac Roach
Isaac Roach was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1838 to 1839. He was a captain in the United States Army when he fought in the War of 1812. In 1823, he became a Major. He retired from the military on April 1, 1824...
recalls that when Scott "took command he did not know there was a General officer on the grounds. The latter [Wadsworth], who was in plain clothes at the time, modestly made his rank known, insisted on supporting Scott, which he did, with zeal and valor, in every combat."
General Brock personally led the British charge up the heights that nearly succeeded, but it ultimately was repelled. Brock, an obvious target with his commanding height and in his general's uniform; he was wounded in the hand and then shot and killed by American sharpshooters. A second charge was made shortly after, now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
John Macdonell
John Macdonell
Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell of Greenfield was an aide-de-camp to British Major General Sir Isaac Brock during the War of 1812, dying in the Battle of Queenston Heights. He was born on 19 April 1785 in Scotland near Aberchalder and came to Canada when he was seven years old...
. This charge was also repulsed and Macdonell was also killed in action. In this second charge Captain Wool was severely wounded in the thigh.
Meanwhile, General Wadsworth with a detachment of militia volunteers and Winfield Scott's regulars crossed the river to reinforce Captain Wool's position and take command. Wadsworth had hoped "that his example might have a better effect than his orders in making the militia cross."
British reinforcements arrived from Fort George to Queenston, including British artillery. Opening fire from the village, it made crossing the river hazardous. On the heights 300 Iroquois began attacking Scott and Wadsworth's outposts.
Frustrated, van Rensselaer worked tirelessly to convince the militia to embark to reinforce Scott and Wadsworth. However, the majority of the citizen Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, low on ammunition, knowing reinforcements were not in the vicinity, hearing the war cries of the Indians, and in full view of the British reinforcements approaching across the river, stood by their known right, as volunteer militia, to refuse to invade or fight in a foreign country. By law, militiamen were not required to cross a border under arms, but could volunteer to do so.
Ultimately unsuccessful, Van Rensselaer dispatched a note to Scott and Wadsworth giving them permission "to withdraw if the situation warranted."
Abandoned by the militia, hearing the Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
war cries under John Brant and fearing massacre, Wadsworth's men retreated. During their retreat Wadsworth was wounded in the right arm. His line collapsing, Scott, too, fell back, ultimately retreating down the slope above the river. With no escape and the Mohawks, embittered over the loss of two chiefs, in pursuit, Scott was forced to surrender the remnants of his command to British Major General Roger Sheaffe. Wadsworth's men too, soon ran out of ammunition and were forced back to the edge of the heights where "Thousands could testify to seeing him [Wadsworth] standing on... land at the edge of the bluff, pleading... to his men on the safe bank to join him and save the day. When they would not, he shook his bright sword and cursed them so terribly that one awed eyewitness wrote, 'His language was said to be the worst in the whole American Army'." Another witness, after seeing this display, later described Wadsworth as "the most eloquently profane officer in the [US] army."
After the bugles hailed the cease-fire, General Wadsworth was brought before General Roger H. Sheaffe. Upon introductions, British Captain James Crooks
James Crooks
James Crooks was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West.He was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1778 and came to Fort Niagara in 1791 where his half-brother, Francis, was operating as a merchant. In 1795, Francis, James and his brother William moved to Newark...
recalls, Wadsworth "drew his sword and presented the handle to General Sheaffe who said, 'I understand General your people have surrendered,' to which Wadsworth made no other answer other than bowing his head in token that it was so."
The British tallied the total number captured at 436 regulars and 489 of militia. They released the walking wounded the day after the battle. The militia was released on parole on October 15. Surprisingly, among them was Brigadier General William Wadsworth, who had further negotiated the release of Major James Mullany and Captain Peter Ogilvie. The release of such high-ranking officers was the cause of much consternation and dismay among the British troops and their Indian allies. General Sheaffe relates that he allowed Wadsworth's release in the hope that "his going with the militia will... only tend to ensure a strict execution of the agreement." The other regular officers were released several months later after the terms of the exchange agreement between the parties was honored.
Shortly after his parole General Wadsworth returned to his home on the Genesee Valley to recuperate. Though disappointed with the lack of militia to volunteer on that fateful day Wadsworth still defends them. He later writes to Van Rensselaer, "I do not say where the regulars and militia who were not there... were, but it is clear they were not where they ought to have been. ...I am conscious that on the 13th and that on every other day during the campaign, I endeavored to do my duty. With this I shall rest satisfied, however others may estimate my services. I am aware that the militia have their faults, but they have their merit, too, and it is that merit of which they ought not to be deprived, unless it is intended to render them useless in the future."
When William died in 1833 his brother James Wadsworth
James Wadsworth (of Geneseo)
James Wadsworth was an influential and prominent 18th and 19th century pioneer, educator, land speculator, agriculturalist, businessman, and community leader of the early Genesee Valley settlements in Western New York State...
inherited his estate. His obituary noted that "Few officers... have been more universally respected and beloved by their soldiers."