Slaughter and Massacre at Schenectady, New York, January 11, 1690
1690. Jan. 11.
The French reach the trail leading to Corlaer (Schenectady) under Sieur Le Moyne de Sainte Helene and Lieut. Daillebout de Mantet, and decide to attack that place first, rather than Albany, with about 100 men and as many Indians. At 11 o'clock, it being decided because of the severity of the winter night to wait no longer, detachments approach the various city gates, which through laxity were found unprotected. The village was stockadoed with pine logs ten feet high, with gates at the north and south ends of Church street. It is stated that there were within the wall about eighty houses shielding nearly four hundred souls. A stockade fort at the north end of Church street, where it meets Front street, held a garrison detachment of 24 men of Capt. Jonathan Bull's Connecticut company, under Lieut. Talmadge, sufficient to make repulse. The signal of attack was given Indian fashion, when detachments were at each gate, and the torch was applied, everyone being killed by the sword as in midnight fear they rushed from their abodes. Only two houses were standing at the end of two hours, — that of Sander Glen, across the Mohawk, because of previous kindness shown to the French, and of the widow Bratt, whither the wounded M. de Montigny was carried. Pieter Schuyler (in his letter of the 15th, to Gov. Bradstreet of Massachusetts) states: "The whole village was instantly in a Blaze. Women with child (were) ripped open, and their Infants cast into the Flames, or dashed against Posts of the Doors. Sixty Persons perished in the Massacre, and twenty-seven were carried into Captivity. The rest fled naked during the massacre, but twenty-one were lost on the road, Feb. 8. French depart from Schenectady at 11 o'clock on Sunday, taking 30 prisoners, fifty good horses being seized to convey the plunder; but of these only sixteen were to reach Montreal, the others being required for food on return march, Feb. 9. Simon Schermerhorn, wounded and blood-besmeared, arrives in the early morn at Albany on his panting steed, and announces the massacre; following him at intervals, other fugitives arrive from the vicinity of Schenectady and give the alarm that Albany is to be burned as was Schenectady, with the consequence that instead of despatching all the militia at command to help the Mohawk valley inhabitants or to pursue the French, they feel impelled to make a defence at home, and messengers are sent on horse with all speed to Kinderhook, Claverack and Kingston to procure assistance, Feb. 9. Capt. Bull takes a detail of soldiers from Albany companies to Corlear (Schenectady) and inters the bloody, blackened and frozen bodies, at the same time, by orders received, invites the Mohawks to build castles of defence at that place and on the island (Van Rensselaer) for the further protection of Albany, Feb. 9. Convention commissions Robert Livingston and Capt. Geret Teunise to go to Massachusetts and Connecticut to treat with their governors regarding necessity of joining forces to invade Canada, March 2. Jacob Leisler commissions Johannes de Bruyn, Johannes Prevoost and Jacob Milborne to go to Albany with 160 soldiers to possess Fort Orange and control King William's government, March 4. Leisler's claim to administer the government of the province recognized by the city and Pieter Schuyler allowed to retain office of mayor; but Johannes Cuyler is appointed town-clerk in stead of Robert Livingston, April. Leisler at council of war in New York, favors expedition against Canada, May 1. Board of Indian Commissioners constituted. Four persons escaping, who had been taken prisoners at Schenectady, arrive at Albany and relate terrible experiences on their journey back with the French to Canada, they subsisting on dead horses, eating mosses and bark of trees, June 9. The famous "Ballad" of the burning of Schenectady (twenty graphic stanzas) composed by Walter Wilie of Albany, June 12. Leisler appoints his friend Milborne the commander-in-chief of the expedition to be raised by the several provinces to invade Canada ; but the New Englanders of importance decry the appointment for so important a post of one they say is only a trades man of little intelligence, and the government of Connecticut recommends Maj-Gen. Fitz John Winthrop, to which Leisler finally agrees, June. Gen. Winthrop arrives at Albany with his Connecticut troops, commissioned to lead the American forces against the French in Canada, and camps at the Schuyler Flatts, Watervliet, north of city, July 21. Gen. Winthrop, disgusted with the small quantity of men for his expedition, finding that the colonies had not sent half of the promised allotments. New York sending August. Gen. Winthrop joins Col. Pieter Schuyler and his army at the "Great Carrying Place" (Fort Edward) whom he finds busily engaged in making bark canoes for the expedition through the two lakes; but much discouraged by reason of lack of proper transportation for so many, they hold a council at which it is determined to return to Albany, first commissioning Johannes Schuyler (the youngest brother of the Mayor) a captain, who proceeds to accept what militia will volunteer to join his invasion from among the Dutch and Indians, and in the end makes a campaign that is successful in some measure,
