Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

The Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley
by Nelson Greene
O'Connor Brothers Publishers, Fort Plain, NY 1915

CHAPTER XXI.
1782-Last of the War in the Valley- Rebuilding and Repopulation-Tory and Indian Raid at Fort Herkimer- Tories-Gen. Washington at Schenectady.

The following chapter deals with the year 1782 and 1783 as relating to the Canajoharie and Palatine districts and Tryon, later Montgomery county. As there were no hostilities to speak of in those years in this immediate section, the valley began to rapidly build up again. Families returned to their burned homes. The whole section had been razed of dwellings by the raiding parties of the enemy but houses and barns were now reared and, with rumors of peace in the air, the valley was rapidly repopulated in these two years. When Washington came to Fort Plain in 1783 much of the marks of war along the Mohawk had vanished. In 1782, and even in 1783, small scalping parties of Indians committed occasional murders and depredations and in 1782 the Herkimer settlements were destructively visited but the Canajoharie and Palatine districts were comparatively free of further hostilities, except in a small way. This was largely due to the efficient protection afforded by Col. Willett and his garrisons.

In February, 1782, the Tryon county court of general session indicted 41 persons for their Tory proclivities, on the charge of "aiding, abetting, feeding and comforting the enemy." Molly Brant was one of those indicted. In February, 1781, this court indicted 104 Tryon county Tories on this charge. In October, 1781, 16 more were so charged. Among the 163 persons indicted many bore the names of Mohawk valley German and Dutch pioneer families. Simms says, "Indeed we may say that thus very many of the German families of New York became represented in Canada, and are so to this day."

The Tories were not allowed to return without vigorous protests. Peter Young of the town of Florida, living at Young's lake (a small pond near Schoharie creek) was an ardent patriot. He married a Serviss girl, whose family were Tories. At the close of hostilities two of Young's brothers-in-law made Mrs. Young a visit. Young came in on them and ordered them back to Canada at the point of a musket and they promptly took up their return journey.

Christopher P. Yates wrote a letter to Col. H. Frey dated Freyburg, March 22, 1782. He said among other things: "We have already had three different inroads from the enemy. The last was at Bowman's kill, [Canajoharie creek] from whence they took three children of McFee's family."

1782, July 26 and 27, occurred Capt. Crysler's last Tory invasion of the Schoharie country at Foxescreek and in the Cobleskill valley, which was the final incursion in that quarter.

One of the last Indian murders of the Revolution, within the present limits of Fulton and Montgomery county was that of Henry Stoner of Fonda's Bush, later Broadalbin, in 1782. He was an old patriot and was struck down and tomahawked in his fields. His son. Nick Stoner, the famous trapper, attacked the Indian murderer of his father with an andiron in a Johnstown tavern after the war. Strange to say young Stoner was imprisoned for this affray in which he laid out several savages, but was shortly after released from the Johnstown jail.

In July, 1782, all the buildings on the south side of the Mohawk In the German Flats section, except Fort Herkimer and the Johan Jost Herkimer house, were destroyed by a force of 600 Tories and Indians. The night before the mill at Little Falls had been burned by the raiders. One man was killed in attempting to escape to Fort Herkimer and another was caught, tortured and killed near that post, the Indians hoping his cries would draw a party from the fort and so weaken it that they could make a successful attack. The garrison's hot fire kept off the enemy. Two soldiers in the fort were hit and killed and a number of the invaders are presumed to have been killed and wounded. The valley of the Mohawk was not again visited by any serious raid during the remainder of the war. The conflict had not entirely ceased in other quarters but there was a general subsiding of hostilities here. Toward the close of 1782, the British commander-in-chief directed that no more Indian expeditions be sent out, and those on foot were called in.

The following account shows the resourcefulness and reckless daring of one, at least, of the Tories of the valley: Among the Mohawk valley refugees in Canada was John Helmer, a son of Philip Helmer, who lived at Fonda's Bush. Having returned to that settlement he was arrested and imprisoned at Johnstown. The sentinel at the jail one day allowed Helmer to take his gun in hand to look at it, as the prisoner expressed admiration for it. Helmer, with the weapon, intimidated the guard and escaped again to Canada. With characteristic recklessness, he returned later to recruit British soldiers among his Tory neighbors and was again captured and jailed at Johnstown. Fortunately for the venturesome Tory, a sister of his had a lover among the garrison stationed at the jail, which was then also a fort; and he not only released Helmer but with another soldier set out with him for Canada. The two deserters were shot dead by a pursuing party and Helmer, although severely wounded by a bayonet thrust, escaped to the woods. Later he was found half dead and was returned to the jail for the third time. His wound, having healed, he again escaped and reached Canada after almost incredible sufferings. Here he remained and made his home after the war. Among the Tory fighters seem to have been many of reckless valor, although their most typical leader, Walter Butler, died the death of a coward after a record unequaled for bloody and inhuman crimes, showing that a craven heart and a murderous hand go together. The spirit animating the Tory fighters seems to have been absolutely different from that of the Americans. Believing that the cause of the king was just, they resorted to every diabolical device to murder and intimidate the Whig population of the valley. The more violent their crimes, however, the harder did the provincials stand their ground. Many of the Tories were more savage than the Indians, as Brant affirms and their murderous cruelty toward the women and children, as well as men, who were formerly their neighbors, almost surpass belief. They seem to have been as ready with the scalping knife as the Indians and were constantly inciting their savage allies to the utmost barbarities. In contrast to this attitude, that of the Whig population of the valley was marked. Much as the Tory soldiers were hated, their women and children who were left behind were not injured or maltreated in a single known instance, and the Tory prisoners taken were treated with the utmost justice. The intense hatred of England, which prevailed in the valley after the Revolution, was due as much to Tory barbarities as to the murders and tortures perpetrated by the Indians. American justice combined with American brawn, won in this horrible struggle against white and red savagery, but the bitter passions engendered by this civil war along the Mohawk endured for years afterward.

It was the Tory methods of warfare, particularly as shown on the frontier of New York, that so thoroughly embittered American sentiment against England, a feeling that existed in varying degree for the greater part of a century after the close of the Revolution. Warfare, based upon the murder of women and children and the destruction and looting of property can never stand high in the eyes of civilized people. Tory and Indian murders, barbarities and scalpings combined with the Revolutionary use of hired foreign troops, such as the Hessians, were the causes which tended to divide the two great branches of the English speaking peoples during the greater part of the nineteenth century.

It is probable that the actions of many of the Tryon county Tories, during the war for liberty, were actuated by the thought of gain. In case the British cause had triumphed the patriots' lands would doubtless have been confiscated and given to the Tories in proportion to their Revolutionary "services." This would be rendered easier by the wholesale murder of the "rebel" population and it was probably such a policy that induced the fiendish methods of the Tory invaders and their Indian allies.

There is abundant evidence that the valley Tories were promised the "rebels'" lands it they would fight for King George. Sir John Johnson was particularly lavish with these promises to his followers from the Mohawk valley. It is said that two Tryon county Tories, then serving under Sir John, began an argument as to which should have the rich lands of Lieut.- Col. Wagner in Palatine. It ended in a rough and tumble fight which laid the two warriors up for several days.

It is a fitting place here to refer to the difficulty experienced in the foregoing Revolutionary chapters in naming, as a whole, the forces invading the valley. They are generally spoken of as the "enemy" or the "raiders" or some such-term, for the simple reason that they cannot be referred to as "English" or "British," because they were composed of such varying elements. British, Tories, Indians and Germans composed the army under St. Leger and under Sir John Johnson at Stone Arabia and St. Johnsville and in almost every other case of battle and invasion. The Americans looked upon the British use of Indians in the conflict as a brutal, uncivilized proceeding and England's further employment of Hessian troops was a still further cause of the just hatred of our countryman against Britain. True, America had many friends in England but the ruling party countenanced the savagery referred to and brought about a deplorable state of affairs in the after relations of the two countries.

Philip Helmer had had a love affair with a maiden of the Palatine district. Johannes Bellinger, a Whig, lived just above Fort Hess, in the town of St. Johnsville, and had six daughters, with one of whom the _ lively Tory, Philip Helmer, was enamored. He was of course forbidden the Bellinger place and consequently formed a plot to kidnap his sweetheart, Peggy by name. Taking a party of Indians he set out for Bellinger's but, evidently fearing the savages would do harm to the family, he gave the alarm at Fort Hess and a party of volunteers set out to ambuscade the red men. On their approach, one of the militia became excited and shouted: "Boys, here they are," and the Indians turned and fled, one of their number being shot down and killed. It is said that this double-turncoat, Helmer, married Peggy Bellinger after the war.

Another account says that Tories and Indians of the guerilla party intended carrying off the Bellinger girls as concubines for themselves, leaving Helmer entirely out of the deal. Learning of this he turned informer as related.

The reunions of valley families with members who had been captured during the Revolution, furnish countless dramatic incidents. One of these has a homely smack of early farm life. Leonard Paneter was captured in the present town of St. Johnsville, when he was but eight years old, and taken to Canada. On his release from captivity a year later he was sent to Schenectady with others who had been taken in the valley and who were now exchanged and free to return to their Mohawk homes. Young Paneter's father sent an older son down to Schenectady to bring the boy back. Here he found a number of lads drawn up in line waiting for parents or relatives to identity them. The boys did not at once know each other but Leonard upon seeing the horse that carried his brother, remembered it at once, and the brothers were soon reunited and happily on their way, probably both riding the old nag homeward.

In the summer of 1782, Gen. Washington was at Albany and was invited to visit Schenectady by its citizens. He accepted and rode there from Albany in a carriage with Gen. Schuyler on June 30, 1782. Washington walked with his hat under his arm in a long procession which served as his escort a considerable distance. A public dinner was given the commander-in-chief at the tavern kept by Abraham Clinch, who was a drummer boy under Braddock. Being acquainted with the adventures and sufferings of Col. Visscher, who then lived in Schenectady, Washington expressed surprise that the noted Tryon county militia officer had not been invited, and sent a messenger for him. Visscher was a man of spirit, but somewhat retiring. He was found in his barn doing some work, which he left with reluctance. Presenting himself to Washington the latter gave him marked attention and seated Visscher next himself at the dinner. A number of Tryon militia officers were there present. Visscher, it will be remembered, was in chief command of the neighboring posts, with headquarters at Fort Paris in Stone Arabia, in 1779, and later was scalped by Indians but recovered, as previously related. He also commanded the unfortunate rear guard at Oriskany but was himself a man of utmost bravery.

During this Schenectady visit, it is related, Washington was walking about the streets of that city with a citizen named Banker, a blacksmith. An old negro passing took off his hat and bowed respectfully to the general, a salutation which Washington politely returned. His Schenectady companion expressed surprise, saying that slaves were not thus noticed in the valley. Washington replied: "I cannot be less civil than a poor negro." Washington on this Schenectady journey also visited Saratoga Springs and vicinity.