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Page 49
"The latter course would have been attended with great loss, but might
probably have been effected. The forward division had no alternative but
to fight. Facing out in every direction, they sought shelter behind the
trees and returned the fire of the enemy with spirit. In the beginning
of the battle, the Indians, whenever they saw that a gun was fired from
behind a tree, rushed up and tomahawked the person thus firing before he
had time to reload his gun. To counteract this, two men were ordered to
station themselves behind one tree, the one reserving his fire until the
Indian ran up. In this way the Indians were made to suffer severely in
return. The fighting had continued for some time, and the Indians had
begun to give way, when Major Watson, a brother-in-law of Sir John
Johnson, brought up a reinforcement, consisting of a detachment of
Johnson's Greens. The blood of the Germans boiled with indignation at
the sight of these men. Many of the Greens were personally known to
them. They had fled their country, and were now returned in arms to
subdue it. Their presence under any circumstances would have kindled up
the resentment of these militia; but coming up as they now did, in aid
of a retreating foe, called into exercise the most bitter feelings of
hostility. They fired upon them as they advanced, and then rushing from
behind their covers, attacked them with their bayonets, and those who
had none, with the butt end of their muskets. This contest was
maintained, hand to hand, for nearly half an hour. The Greens made a
manful resistance, but were finally obliged to give way before the
dreadful fury of their assailants, with the loss of thirty killed upon
the spot where they first entered. Major Watson was wounded and taken
prisoner, though afterwards left upon the field.
"In this assault Col. Cox is said to have been killed; possessing an
athletic frame, with a daring spirit, he mingled in the thickest of the
fight. His voice could be distinctly heard, as he cheered on his men or
issued his orders, amid the clashing of arms and the yells of the
contending savages.
"About one o'clock, Adam Helmer, who had been sent by Gen. Herkimer with
a letter to Col. Gansevoort, announcing his approach, arrived at the
fort. At two o'clock, Lieut. Col. Willet, with 207 men, sallied from the
fort for the purpose of making a diversion in favour Gen. Herkimer, and
attacked the camp of the enemy. This engagement lasted about an hour,
when the enemy were driven off with considerable loss. Col. Willet
having thrown out flanking parties, and ascertained that the retreat
was not feigned, ordered his men to take as much of the spoil as they
could remove, and to destroy the remainder. On their return to the fort,
above the landing, and near where the old French fort stood, a party of
200 regular troops appeared, and prepared to give battle. A smart fire
of musketry, aided by the cannon from the fort, soon obliged them to
retreat, when Willet returned into the fort with his spoil, and without
the loss of a single man. A part of that spoil was placed upon the walls
of the fortress, where it waved in triumph in sight of the vanquished
enemy.
"This timely and well-conducted sally was attended with complete
success. A shower of rain had already caused the enemy to slacken their
fire, when finding by reports that their camp was attacked and taken,
they withdrew and left the militia in possession of the field.
"The Americans lost in killed nearly 200, and about as many wounded and
prisoners; they carried off between 40 and 50 of their wounded. They
encamped the first night upon the ground where old Fort Schuyler was
built.
"Among the wounded was Gen. Herkimer. Early in the action his leg was
fractured by a musket-ball. The leg was amputated a few days after, but
in consequence of the unfavourable state of the weather, and want of
skill in his surgeons, mortification ensued, and occasioned his death.
On receiving his wound, his horse having been killed, he directed his
saddle to be placed upon a little hillock of earth and rested himself
upon it. Being advised to choose a place where he would be less
exposed, he replied, 'I will face the enemy.' Surrounded by a few men he
continued to issue his orders with firmness. In this situation, and in
the heat of the battle, he very deliberately took from his pocket his
tinder-box and lit his pipe, which he smoked with great composure. He
was certainly to blame for not using greater caution on his march, but
the coolness and intrepidity which he exhibited when he found himself
ambuscaded, aided materially in restoring order and in inspiring his men
with courage. His loss was deeply lamented by his friends and by the
inhabitants of Tryon County. The Continental Congress, in October
following, directed that a monument should be erected to his memory, of
the value of five hundred dollars. But no monument was ever erected."
"I will face the enemy," said Kinnison, repeating the words of the brave
Herkimer.
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