Although he was not feeling well, Justus was in an optimistic mood.21 Haldimand would allow Vermont to keep the lands she had annexed, and British troops would protect her. All regiments raised in her territory would be provincial corps. Justus still had some reservations over Chittenden's motives and those of his commissioners, but surely Vermont could not refuse Haldimand's terms. Her people must know that the rebels' hold on New York was about to collapse. Johnson and Butler were doing their best to subdue the frontiers, while Sir Henry Clinton was firmly entrenched around New York City.
Many scouting parties were out in quest of information, and some were after prisoners. Ensign Thomas Lovelace, of Jessup's corps, was near Saratoga carrying a dispatch and hoping to kidnap a rebel leader. One scout informed Justus that rebel leaders were meeting in Albany to discuss making a separate peace with Britain. At Fort St. Johns, Justus was unaware that Sir Henry Clinton in New York City, and Governor Haldimand in the Château St. Louis, had received disquieting word from Virginia.
Chapter 12
The Loyal Rangers
While Justus was waiting for a message from Vermont advising him how to deliver Haldimand's proclamation, rumours spread that the British expeditionary force in Virginia might be in trouble. Lord Charles Cornwallis with 7,000 troops, many of them ill or wounded, was falling back towards the Yorktown Peninsula, aggressively pursued by Generals Washington and Rochambeault, with 16,000 men in the combined rebel-French force. Offshore cruised the French fleet under Admiral DeGrasse, which might prevent Sir Henry Clinton, en route from New York City, reinforcing Cornwallis.
This news did not alarm Justus. With the situation in the north so well in hand, a setback in the south was not serious. Canada, New York City or Florida could be used as bases from which a new expedition could be sent against the rebels. What he did not realize was that Britain, herself, was endangered. The Netherlands and Spain were also at war with the mother country, and no more troops were available for service against the rebelling colonists.
Before any message came from Vermont, Dr. Smyth received a letter dated October 5 from ‘Rocks near Brown Point’ at the south end of Lake Champlain. It was from the Reverend John Stuart, the Anglican missionary to the Mohawk Indians at Fort Hunter, in the Mohawk Valley, most of whose flock were refugees near Montreal or on Carleton Island. Stuart explained that he had reached this place with fifty souls — his slaves, wife and three small sons, the others mainly women and children. They were stranded until boats arrived from Canada, and in ‘a most disagreeable situation…encamped on Shore, exposed not only to the inclemency of the weather, but an easy Prey to the Vermont Scouts if they show'd visit us’.1
Smyth left with the bateaux for Stuart's party. Justus wanted to wait in the hope that Ira Allen's message would come. Hudibras was not conducting an exchange, but a relief mission to bring the loyalists to Fort St. Johns. Stuart said he had had to post bail for 400 pounds, and await the exchange of a colonel. Later the rebels let him leave, but his party was not protected by a flag of truce.2 Smyth returned on October 9 with Stuart's party, and Justus decided not to wait any longer for a message from Vermont. On the 11th he and Smyth set out from Isle aux Noix in the only available vessel, the Trumbull, a row galley with eight guns captured from the rebel fleet in 1776.
They stopped briefly at the Loyal Blockhouse and sailed on towards Crown Point to see whether Colonel St. Leger had any news of Ira Allen or Joseph Fay.3 Before they reached St. Leger's encampment they took aboard Sergeant Andrew Reakley, King's Rangers, a scout and the bearer of bad news. Ensign Thomas Lovelace had been hanged, while another scout, Lemuel Casswell was a prisoner. With Caleb Clossen and Casswell, Reakley had been proceeding towards New York City, and they sought shelter with Levi Crocker, who had provided a safe house in the past. This time Crocker informed the rebels, and Reakley and Casswell were carried to Saratoga in irons. Clossen escaped, a stroke of luck because he was carrying Sherwood's dispatch, and was safely on his way to Sir Henry Clinton's headquarters.
Reakley, too, escaped. The rebels wanted to find out where the three scouts had hidden the boat they used to reach Lake George, and they sent Reakley with an escort of eighteen men to show them. He eluded them ‘by knocking down two Sentries & disarming one’. Sherwood informed Mathews:
While Rikley was at Saratoga he saw Mr. Lovelace Hang'd before Genl. Stark's door & by his order – This barbarous Murder of my worthy friend (& as true & brave a subject as ever left the Colonies) stings me to the heart! I hope in God His Excellency will permit us to retaliate either by hanging up some of the rascals we have prisoners from that State, or by taking and hanging on their own ground some of these inhuman butchers, which I know we can do.
He implored Haldimand to consider ‘Mr Loveless's poor widow and family’ for the dead man had been ‘exceedingly Useful’ to the service. When captured he was on his way to see Colonel van Vechtan, a rebel turned informer who provided Smyth with intelligence.4 General Stark had acted rashly, for General William Heath wrote to George Clinton, the rebel governor of New York, expressing fear that Haldimand might retaliate:
I am exceedingly sorry to find by General Stark's letter that he had tried at a court martial and executed Loveless, who came with very particular written instructions to seize a prisoner from the neighbourhood of Saratoga in which attempt he and his party were taken…He having been armed, I think already barred the idea of his being a spy, and upon what principle he was executed I am at a loss to determine – and am apprehensive it will make some difficulty – It may be best to say as little about it at present as possible5
Heath's remark about Lovelace being armed and therefore not a spy showed how little he knew of the workings of Haldimand's secret service. Loyalist agents in rebel territory generally carried firearms. Andrew Reakley also reported that rebel strength at Saratoga was 400 men under General Stark. When the latter heard rumours that St. Leger's 1,000 men were crossing from Lake Champlain to Lake George, Stark began withdrawing towards Albany. Colonel St. Leger had not been there, but Major Edward Jessup had, with a detachment of King's Loyal Americans. St. Leger had sent Jessup to menace Saratoga to prevent Stark joining a rebel force that was mustering to pursue Major John Ross' expedition then in the Mohawk Valley.6
Near Crown Point Justus received a party of New York rebels, and he added:
I have inform'd the Captain of their Flag on board the Trumble of Loveless's death, & told him at the same time, that we might with as much propriety & much more justice hang him on the bow sprit of the Vessel.
After his angry outburst at the New Yorkers present, Justus decided not to carry out his threat to hang the rebel officer. St. Leger would never permit an act which Haldimand had forbidden, and Justus would not be safe under his own flags of truce. He had used Green Mountain Boy bluff to relieve his feelings. Meanwhile, where on earth was that long awaited messenger to take Haldimand's proclamation to Vermont?
Smyth had an idea. Why not kidnap a Vermont patrol? They took the suggestion to St. Leger, who gave his consent. Away went an officer and twelve men to the vicinity of Mount Independence. The following morning they encountered a patrol, a sergeant and five men. When the British officer ordered the Vermonters to lay down their arms, they raised them to firing position, whereupon one of the British regulars opened fire, killing the sergeant, one Archelus Tupper, whose name and mode of dispatch were to immortalize him far beyond his humble station in life.7
To everyone's mortification, the British patrol returned to Crown Point with five prisoners and a corpse. Justus knew immediately that the dead Tupper spelled trouble, and he caused St. Leger to overplay his hand. The five survivors were released, carrying Haldimand's proclamation (on reunion), the dead sergeant's clothing, a letter of apology from St. Leger to Governor Chittenden, and an invitation to the deceased's friends to come under a safe conduct and attend the funeral.8
Soon afterwards Justus received a letter from Ira Allen, dated October 20, describing the b
lockade of Cornwallis' position at Yorktown by the French fleet, which might prevent Sir Henry Clinton's reinforcements from relieving the British army. Under the circumstances, Ira asked Justus to refrain from sending the proclamation, requesting him to come to Castleton for a meeting.
Justus hesitated, apprehensive. St. Leger had sent the Vermont patrol off with the proclamation, and he could not now prevent its delivery. But he would go to Castleton for the sake of the truce, threatened by the death of Sergeant Tupper. When he reached Castleton with his escort and flag, all seemed to be in order. Chittenden wanted to keep the truce, and would use the Vermont army to enforce it. Dead set against neutrality were two men of standing — Colonel Samuel Herrick, the commandant of Fort Vengeance, and Colonel Samuel Safford, who had superceded Ethan Allen as the commander of the Vermont army.
The faction controlled by Herrick and Safford was very suspicious. One dedicated rebel wondered why ‘General St. Leger was sorry that Sergeant Tupper had been killed’. Why, Vermonters opposed to reunion pondered, would a high and mighty British officer with his two gold epaulettes feel compelled to apologize for shooting a no-account sergeant in the militia?
Justus was relieved that nobody in Castleton knew that he and Smyth had had a hand in the capture of the patrol, and he did not dare raise the question of Haldimand's proclamation. No one else raised it either. For the moment, though, discussions on reunion had to be postponed, until the fate of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown was known. If the British surrendered, General Washington would be free to turn his army towards Vermont or Canada. Reluctantly Justus conceded that Ira Allen had been wise when he told him not to send the proclamation at that time. He returned to Crown Point by way of Skenesborough, where he met some Vermont envoys whom he found very haughty.9
At Crown Point he reported what had transpired at Castleton to Colonel St. Leger, and with Dr. Smyth set off in the Trumbull for the Loyal Blockhouse. They found Captain Azariah Pritchard waiting with improbable news. Fourteen French engineers were at Ticonderoga examining the fort's walls. Justus sent Elijah Bothum to investigate, and in the interval he received a letter from the Baron von Riedesel, asking whether the report on the French presence at Ty was true.
The Baron was now the commander at Sorel, responsible for the outposts along Lake Champlain. He had been on parole in New York City, until Sir Henry Clinton had arranged to have him exchanged and returned to duty. When Elijah returned he reported that Ty was as empty as it had been for years. That rascal Pritchard had been making mischief because he was jealous of Sherwood, and wanted permission to build his own blockhouse in the Connecticut Valley.10
Leaving the Loyal Blockhouse in command of Lieutenant Dulmage, Justus and Hudibras set out for Fort St. Johns in a bateau, the crew fighting headwinds. The boat leaked, and neither he nor the doctor were feeling well as they helped bail. They reached the fort on November 16, cranky and exhausted, but good news soon arrived for Justus. On November 19, Governor Haldimand had signed his commission, but certain of Haldimand's decisions surprised him. Earlier, Captain Mathews had hinted that Sherwood's company might be placed in the second battalion, King's Royal Regiment of New York.11
Now, however, Haldimand decided to establish a new regiment, which he called the Loyal Rangers, and to incorporate into it some of the small units that had served under Burgoyne. The Queen's Loyal Rangers and the King's Loyal Americans were both absorbed into the new corps, and the Loyal Rangers were members in good standing of the Northern Department. Now Justus was a captain in that department, entitled to half pay when the Loyal Rangers were reduced. Edward Jessup was the major-commandant of Justus' new regiment.
Ebenezer Jessup, the colonel of the King's Loyal Americans, who had never impressed Haldimand, was made a captain in command of a company of pensioned men. John Peters, to his disbelief and consternation, was put in command of a company of invalids, with Thomas Sherwood as his ensign. Justus felt sorry for Peters, although he had been less than co-operative of late, and puzzled for Thomas, very able-bodied and actively scouting for him. Elijah Bothum also received an ensign's commission, and Justus was happy for his brother-in-law.12
Justus regretted that Haldimand had not allowed Edward Jessup a lieutenant-colonelcy, his right as a corps commander. His Excellency tolerated commissions awarded before he arrived, but he rarely gave promotions to provincials. He also avoided placing regular officers in the mortifying situation of being inferior to provincial officers.13 Justus knew he himself deserved the rank of major, because he commanded a blockhouse, but the governor was denying him the higher rank. Although he trusted Sherwood more than others, he would not make an exception that might lead to quarrelling.
Edward Jessup was, Justus thought, a wise choice for the command of the Loyal Rangers. Born in Connecticut but raised in New York, he had the respect of the New England and New York factions in his battalion. Thanks to his brother Samuel, Justus' company was at full strength. The men were uniformed in green coatees with red facings and silver accoutrements, the colours Haldimand decreed for all provincials except the King's Royal Regiment of New York and the Royal Highland Emigrants. The latter had received red coats before Haldimand arrived in 1778, and he was gradually issuing Sir John Johnson's men with red coats as their older uniforms wore thin.14
The Loyal Rangers were stationed at Vercheres, but Major Jessup allowed Justus to have part of his company at the Loyal Blockhouse.15 Because Lieutenant Dulmage was fully occupied commanding the blockhouse garrison, Jessup assigned Lieutenant James Parrot as Justus' new junior officer. His brother Samuel remained with the company, but he was also recruiting for his own commission.
While Justus was preoccupied with Vermont, prisoner exchanges and the rescue of loyalists, Dr. Smyth organized some counter-espionage at the request of Sir John Johnson. The baronet suspected that a Mrs. Cheshire, in Montreal, was aiding paroled rebels to escape and supplying intelligence to Albany. Smyth sent three counter spies to visit ‘Madame Cheshire’. They carried Yankee firelocks, some paper money from Vermont and Connecticut, and a forged letter from General Jacob Bailey, the man thought to be against reunion. Dressed in shabby clothing the three agents left Fort St. Johns and called at Mrs. Cheshire's house. She received them warmly and gave them a packet and some verbal information to give to General Stark's headquarters. Upon their return to Fort St. Johns they confirmed Sir John's misgivings, for the lady was indeed a rebel agent.16
Brigadier Allan Maclean, the commandant in Montreal, and Johnson decided not to have her arrested. Now that they knew what she was about she could be useful. Maclean put a watch on her house and whisked her visitors off to an internment compound near the city, bagging valuable prisoners for exchange when such guests proved to be rebel agents.
Before winter closed in, Colonel St. Leger evacuated Crown Point and withdrew to Fort St. Johns. Justus stayed with his family until after Christmas, enjoying a peaceful interlude. Thomas Sherwood and Elijah Bothum came from the Loyal Blockhouse to observe the festival, and Justus' brother Samuel joined them from Verchères, still hoping for a commission. Major Jessup had permission to raise more companies, and Justus urged Samuel to try and find more recruits.
Justus was mulling over his children's future. Even if it took years more to end the rebellion, there was fine land in Canada, and Montreal had much to offer his family. The Reverend John Stuart, an excellent scholar, had received a grant from Haldimand to open a school there.17 The clergyman was at present the chaplain to the second battalion, King's Royal Regiment of New York, and preaching to the members who were in Montreal. Occasionally he visited a Mohawk village nearby where some of his flock from Fort Hunter were housed temporarily.
The Smyths were in a house not far away which Hudibras described as ‘no larger than a Racoon box’ but the only one available.18 Part of the time the doctor was at the military hospital, a mile from the fort in the barracks that housed the King's Rangers. Hudibras had a commission as surgeon to the Loyal Rangers, which would
assure him a pension when the corps was reduced.
Despite rumours circulating that Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown, Justus was in an optimistic mood. The war had been won in the north, and while the British regulars might be out of action in the south, many provincial corps were still foraying along the coast. All was not lost, and loyalists in Canada were not depressed.
Chapter 13
In Yorktown's Wake
On December 27 Major Robert Mathews, who had received a promotion, ordered Justus to go to the Loyal Blockhouse with Dr. Smyth to send out scouting parties.1 Haldimand wanted a confirmation or denial that Cornwallis had surrendered. If the British army had been captured, His Excellency needed to know what General George Washington and his French allies would do next. Justus and Hudibras set off in a sleigh for the outpost. Reporting to Mathews on January 16 1782, Justus wrote ‘I wish you a pleasant and agreeable succession of three score and five New Years, which I think is enough for this transitory state’. This salutation was for Haldimand, sixty-five years old at the time. Justus continued:
I mean to include the present which I hope you enjoyed with more satisfaction, and less embarrassment than the Doctor and me, poreing over our accounts or wadeing through the snow (from 7 in the morning to 11 at night) to assist the scouting parties to make ready2
Buckskin Pimpernel Page 16
