The Baronet made no reply; but the appeal was effectual, and the old gentleman was set at liberty. He then requested the restoration of a pair of horses. Sir John replied that this should also be done, if the horses were not in the possession of the Indians, from whom he could not safely take them. On making the inquiry, a span of his horses were found and restored to him. A Tory officer, named Doxstadter, was seen by Mr. Sammons to be in possession of one of his horses, but he would not relinquish it, pretending that he was merely entrusted with the animal by an Indian. [FN-1] The two sons, Jacob and Frederick, were carried into captivity, and suffered a protracted and severe imprisonment, interesting accounts of which will presently be given. Several of the aged prisoners, besides Mr. Sammons, were permitted to return, one of whom, Captain Abraham Veeder, was exchanged for lieutenant Singleton, who had been taken at Fort Schuyler by Colonel Willett, and was then in Canada on his parole. [FN-2]
[FN-1] After the war was over, Doxstadter returned from Canada upon some business, was arrested in an action at law by Mr. Sammons, and made to pay the value of the horse.
[FN-2] The present narrative of this irruption has been prepared almost entirely from the manuscripts and conversations with Major Thomas Sammons, the lad who was taken prisoner—after a diligent comparison of his statement with other authorities. The author has also the written narratives of Jacob and Frederick Sammons, before him, together with an account written by the Rev. John I. Shew. Major Thomas Sammons is yet, (February, 1838) well and hearty. He has formerly, for several years represented Montgomery (late Tryon county) in Congress.
The immediate object of this irruption by Sir John Johnson, was to procure his plate, which had been buried at the time of his flight in 1776, and not recovered with the iron chest. This treasure was not indeed buried with the chest, but in the cellar, and the place of deposit was confided to a faithful slave. While Sir John was in the hall, in the afternoon, the slave, assisted by four soldiers, disinterred the silver, which filled two barrels, brought it to the Baronet, and laid it down at his feet. [FN-1] It was then distributed among about forty soldiers, who placed it in their knapsacks—a quarter-master taking an account of the names of the soldiers, and the articles confided to each—by whom it was to be carried to Montreal. The irruption, however, was one of the most indefensible aggressions upon an unarmed and slumbering people, which stain the annals of the British arms. As the commanding officer, Sir John is himself to be held responsible in a general sense. How far he was directly and specially responsible for the midnight murders committed by the barbarians, is a question which may, perhaps, bear a somewhat different shade. Still, from the success which attended the expedition, and the unaccountable inaction of the people against him, it is sufficiently obvious that he might have recovered his plate without lighting up his path by the conflagration of his neighbors' houses, or without staining his skirts with innocent blood. [FN-2] But the most remarkable circumstances attending this expedition are, that the inhabitants were so completely taken by surprise, and that Sir John was so entirely unopposed in his advance on the morning of the 22d, and altogether unmolested on his retreat. The inhabitants, who had so often proved themselves brave, appear to have been not only surprised, but panic-stricken. True, as has already been incidentally stated, before Sir John commenced his return march, the militia had begun to gather at the village, a mile distant from the hall. They were led by Colonel John Harper, who was beyond doubt a very brave man. With him was also Colonel Volkert Veeder. But they were not strong enough to engage the enemy; and when Thomas Sammons arrived among them after his release, this opinion was confirmed by his report that the forces of Sir John exceeded seven hundred men. Colonels Harper and Veeder thereupon marched back to the river, and the invaders retired unmolested, [FN-3] save by Captain Putnam and four men, who hung upon their rear, and observed their course to the distance of twenty-five miles.
[FN-1] This faithful domestic had lived long with Sir William Johnson, who was so much attached to him, that he caused him to be baptized by his own name, William. When the estate was placed in the hands of {illegible word} by the Committee, William was sold, and Sammons was the purchaser. He lived with him until retaken by Sir John, but never gave the least hint either as to the burial of the iron chest, or the plate, although both had been hidden in the earth by him.
[FN-2] It is quite probable that Sir John's private papers, or correspondence, if they have been preserved, might place this and other dark transactions in a more favorable light. The author has exerted himself in vain to discover any such papers. They are believed to have been scattered, on the Baronet's decease at Montreal, some half a dozen years since.
[FN-3] MS of Major Thomas Sammons.
Governor Clinton was at Kingston at the time of the Invasion. Hastening to Albany on the first rumor of the intelligence, he collected such militia and other forces as he could obtain, and moved to Lake George with a view to intercept Sir John. It was supposed that the course of the enemy might possibly lie in the direction of Oswegatchie, and for the purpose of striking him upon such a march, Colonel Van Schaick, with eight hundred men, followed him by the way of Johnstown. Descending Lake George to Ticonderoga, the Governor was joined by a body of militia from the New Hampshire grants. But all was of no use; the invaders escaped—taking to their batteaux, probably, at Crown Point, whence they proceeded down the lake to St John's. The captives were thence transferred to the fortress of Chamblee.