French Mills, New York

From Wikipedia.

Back on March3, 2016, I wrote about West Point Class of 1806 graduate Robert Lucas and said that he died at French Mills Feb. 4, 1814.  I was unfamiliar with French Mills, so looked it up.

After the British victory at Crysler's Farm 11 November 1813, the defeated American Army under Major General James Wilkinson went into winter quarters at French Mills, New York, close by the Canadian border.

The Army arrived at French Mills with few supplies, and because of poor roads and a lack of transport and draught animals, coup[led with the inefficiency of the Quartermaster General's Department, it was impossible to resupply the Americans.

Sickness increased until there were no less than 450 in the hospital at Malone, New York and many more at French Mills.

Late January 1814, Secretary of War John Armstrong ordered Wilkinson to detach a division of 2,000 to Sackets Harbor, NY, and the rest, 4,000, to Plattsburgh, New York, on Lake Champlain.  The sick and wounded were moved to Burlington, Vermont.

French Mills was the site of a saw mill which started making clothes in 1795.  It was sold to Abel French in 1800 and became a tavern.   U,S.forces retreated here after the Battle of Crysler's Farm.  Over 200 soldiers died during the winter of 1813-1814.

It is now Fort Covington, New York.

--Brock-Perry