[FN-1] More anciently still, the residence of the Caughnawaga clan of the Mohawk Indians, who at so early day moved into Canada, and established themselves on the St. Lawrence above the Lachine rapids.
[FN-2] The Visschers were important men among the Whigs of Tryon county. There were four brothers of them at the commencement of the war, vis. Frederick, (the Colonel,) John, William Brower, and Harmanus. William B. died of scarlet fever in the Winter of 1776. A very bitter hostility existed against this family among the loyalists, having its origin in an unpleasant altercation between Colonel Visscher and Sir John Johnson, in the Autumn of 1775. The circumstances of this affair, as recently communicated to the author by the venerable Judge De Graff, of Schenectady, a near connection of the family, were substantially these;—In the year 1775, the Colonial Congress, having full confidence both in his principles and discretion, appointed Frederick Visscher a Colonel in the militia, furnishing him at the same time, commissions in blank to complete the organisation of hie regiment. One of the commissions of captain thus confided to his disposal, he conferred on his brother John. In the Autumn of that year the Colonel directed his regiment to parade for review on an elevated plain near the ancient inn of Peggy Wymples, in Caughnawaga. It happened that while the regiment was on parade, Sir John Johnson, with his lady, drove along the river road. On descrying the regiment under arms, he ordered his coachman to drive up the hill to the parade ground. He than demanded of the first person to whom he had an opportunity to speak, who had called the assemblage together, and for what purpose? The reply was, that Colonel Visscher had ordered his regiment to parade for review. The Baronet thereupon stepped up to the Colonel, and repeated the question. The Colonel of course gave a similar reply. Sir John then ordered the regiment to disperse, but the Colonel directed them to keep their ranks—whereupon the Baronet, who was armed with a sword-cane, raised his weapon to inflict a blow upon Visscher, but the latter grasped the cane, and in the scuffle the sword was drawn—Visscher retaining the scabbard. Sir John threatened to run him through the body, and the Colonel told him if he chose to make the attempt he might act his pleasure. Sir John then asked for the scabbard of his blade, which was restored to him. Stepping up to his carriage, he directed Lady Johnson to rise that he might take his pistols from the box. Her ladyship remonstrated with him, but to no purpose, and having obtained his pistols, the Baronet again demanded that the regiment should be dismissed, for they were rebels. If not, he declared in a tempest of passion that he would blow the Colonel through. "Use your pleasure," was again the reply of Visscher. At this moment, a young Irishman, in the domestic service of the Colonel, who was in the ranks, exclaimed—"By J—s, if ye offer to lift hand or finger against my master, I will blow you through." The Baronet now saw that an unpleasant spirit was kindling against himself, whereupon he returned to his carriage, and drove away in great wrath.
Meantime Sir John proceeded with his division through the village of Johnstown, stopping before it was yet light at what was once his own hall, where he made two prisoners. There was a small stockade, or picket fort, in the village, which, under favor of darkness and sleeping sentinels, was passed silently and unobserved. Directing his course for the confluence of the Cayadutta with the Mohawk, Sir John arrived at the residence of Sampson Sammons, whose name, with those of two of his sons, has appeared in the earlier portion of the present work. There was a third son, Thomas, a youth of eighteen. They all inherited the stanch Whig principles of their father, and the whole family had rendered the State efficient service in the course of the war. [FN]
[FN] Sampson Sammons was of German extraction, a native of Ulster County, whence he had emigrated to Tryon County a few years before the war. In the first stages of the war he was a member of the Committee of Safety. In 1777, a corps of Exempts was organised under Colonel Jelles Fonda; Fonda himself acting as Captain. Of this company, Sampson Sammons was the Lieutenant. In 1779 the corps was re-organised and enlarged. On the muster-roll of this year, Sammons was entered an an Ensign.
The particulars of the attack upon the family of Mr. Sammons are of sufficient interest to warrant the giving them somewhat in detail. Mr. Sammons, the elder, was well known to Sir John, between whom and himself very friendly relations had existed; and in the early stage of the war, the former had exerted himself with some degree of success to protect the Baronet from the violence of the people. Soon after passing Johnstown, Sir John detached those of the Indians yet remaining with him in other directions, being desirous of making captives of Sammons and his sons, but wishing, at the same time, to do them no personal injury. On arriving in the neighborhood of the house, Sir John halted his division, and directed a small detachment to move with the utmost stillness and caution, and fall upon the house by surprise—observing that Sammons had some stout sons, well armed, and unless they were very careful, there would be trouble. The eldest of Mr. Sammons' sons was then the lessee of the Johnson farm at the hall, which had been sold by the Committee of Sequestrations, and which he was then cultivating; and Thomas, the youngest, had risen at an unwonted hour, in order to feed his horses, and go over to the hall to work with his brother. On coming down stairs, however, and stepping out of doors half-dressed, to take an observation of the weather—it being yet dark, though day was just breaking—the thought occurred to him, that should any straggling Indians be prowling about, he would stand but a poor chance if fallen upon alone. While standing thus in doubt whether to proceed or wait for more light, he was startled by a noise of heavy steps behind, and, as he turned, by the glitter of steel passing before his eyes. At the same instant a hand was laid upon his shoulder, with the words—"You are my prisoner!" In such perfect stillness had the enemy approached, that not the sound of a footstep was heard, until the moment when the younger Sammons was thus arrested, and the house immediately surrounded. One of the officers, with several soldiers, instantly entered the house, and ordered the family to get up, and surrender themselves as prisoners. Jacob and Frederick, who were in bed in the second story, sprang upon their feet immediately, and seized their arms. The officer, who was a Tory named Sutherland, and acquainted with the family, hearing the clatter of arms, called to them by name, and promised quarter on condition of their surrender. Jacob inquired whether there were Indians with them; adding, that if there were, he and his brother would not be taken alive. On being assured to the contrary, the brothers descended the stain and surrendered. The old gentleman was also taken. While the soldiers were busied in plundering the premises, the morning advanced, and Sir John Johnson came up with the remainder of the division. The females were not taken as prisoners, but the father and sons were directed to make ready to march immediately. Thomas here remarked to the soldier who yet stood sentinel over him, that he could not travel to Canada without his clothes, and especially without his shoes, which he had not yet put on—requesting liberty to repair to his chamber for his raiment. The sentinel sulkily refused permission; but Thomas persisted that he must obtain his shoes at least, and was stepping toward the door, when the barbarian made a plunge at his back with his bayonet, which had proved fatal but for the quick eyes and the heroism of a sister standing by, who, as she saw the thrust at her brother, sprang forward, and seizing the weapon, threw herself across its barrel, and by falling, brought it to the ground. The soldier struggled to disengage his arms, and accomplish his purpose. At the same instant an officer stepped forward, and demanded what was the matter. The girl informed him of the attempt upon her brother, whereupon he rebuked the soldier by the exclamation—"You d—d rascal, would you murder the boy?" Immediate permission was then given him to procure whatever articles he wanted. The work of plunder having been completed, Sir John, with his troops and prisoners, proceeded onward in the direction of the river—about three miles distant.
For the purpose of punishing the old gentleman for his whiggish activity, some of the officers caused him to be tied to a Negro, who was likewise a prisoner; but the moment Sir John discovered the indignity, he countermanded the order. The hands of the young men were all closely pinioned, and they, with their father, were compelled to march between files of soldiers, and behold the cruel desolation of their neighborhood. Their course thence was direct to the river, at Caughnawaga, at which place they met the other division of Indians and rangers, who, among others, had murdered and scalped Mr. Douw Fonda, a citizen of great age and respectability. The whole army now set their faces westward, traversing the Mohawk Valley several miles, burning every building not owned by a loyalist, killing sheep and black cattle, and taking all the horses that could be found for their own use. Returning again to Caughnawaga, the torch was applied to every building excepting the church; a number of prisoners were made, and several persons killed. Nine aged men were slain in the course of this march, of whom four were upward of eighty. From Caughnawaga, Sir John retraced his steps to Johnstown, passing the premises of Mr. Sammons, where the work of destruction was completed by applying the brand to all the buildings, leaving the females of the family houseless, and taking away the seven horses which were in the stables.
On the arrival of Sir John back to the homestead in the afternoon, he halted upon the adjacent grounds for several hours—establishing his own quarters in the hall of his father. The prisoners were collected into an open field, strongly guarded, but not in a confined space; and while reposing thus the Tory families of the town came in large numbers to see their friends and relatives, who for the most part constituted the white troops of the invading army. Thomas Sammons, during the whole morning, had affected to be exceedingly lame of one foot; and while loitering about the Hall he attracted the attention of the widowed lady of Captain Hare, one of the British officers who had fallen in the battle of Oriskany. Mrs. Hare, since the death of her husband, had occupied an apartment of the Hall; and she now exerted herself successfully with Sir John for the release of several of her personal friends among the captives; and on going into the field to select them, she adroitly smuggled young Sammons into the group, and led him away in safety.
It has already been mentioned that there was a small guard occupying the little fort in the village, which had been avoided by Sir John in his morning march. Toward night the militia of the surrounding country were observed to be clustering in the village, and Sir John thought it advisable to resume his march. He had collected a number of prisoners, and much booty, besides recruiting his ranks by a considerable number of loyalists, and obtaining possession of some eighteen or twenty of his Negro slaves, left behind at the time of his flight in the Spring of 1776. While they were halting, on the next day, the elder Sammons applied to Sir John for an interview, which was granted in presence of his principal officers. On inquiring what he wanted, Mr. Sammons replied that he wished to be released. The Baronet hesitated; but the old man pressed his suit, and reminded Sir John of former scenes, and of the efforts of friendship which he himself had made in his behalf. "See what you have done, Sir John," said the veteran Whig; "You have taken myself and my sons prisoners, burnt my dwelling to ashes, and left the helpless members of my family with no covering but the heavens above, and no prospect but desolation around them. Did we treat you in this manner when you were in the power of the Tryon County Committee? Do you remember when we were consulted by General Schuyler, and you agreed to surrender your arms? Do you not remember that you then agreed to remain neutral, and that upon that condition General Schuyler left you at liberty on your parole? Those conditions you violated. You went off to Canada; enrolled yourself in the service of the King; raised a regiment of the disaffected, who abandoned their country with you; and you have now returned to wage a cruel war against us, by burning our dwellings and robbing us of our property. I was your friend in the Committee of Safety, and exerted myself to save your person from injury. And how am I requited? Your Indians have murdered and scalped old Mr. Fonda at the age of eighty years; a man who, I have heard your father say, was like a father to him when he settled in Johnstown and Kingsborough. You cannot succeed, Sir John, in such a warfare, and you will never enjoy your property more!"