East Greenbush (New York) Town Historian Hears from U.S. Army About Soldier's Burial Site

From the June 7, 2024, Times Union by Kenneth C. Crowe II.

Town historian Bobbie Reno has a letter from the U.S. Army showing a ground penetrating radar scan where War of 1812 soldier Samuel Helms is perhaps buried.

Private Samuel Helms was executed during the war and is believed to have been buried in an unmarked grave behind Red Mill Elementary School.

Reno thought she was facing a roadblock from the Army over its policy not to disturb a soldier's buried remains if possible.

The Army's Office of Army Cemeteries told her to contact the New York State Historic Preservation Office and work with that agency regarding Helms.  She is doing just that.

Reno has spent the last 14 years researching Helms in an effort to clear his name after he was executed and buried at the Army's Greenbush Cantonment during the War of 1812.  He was absent without leave in October 1812, then returned.  In July 1813, he was ordered tried for desertion.  He was convicted and executed by firing squad in late August or early September 1813.

--Brock-Perry

A Video and More Information on Betsy Doyle

From the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, "Heroine of Fort Niagara Betsy Doyle:  History happened here."

There is a minute and a half video as well as a historical marker featured at this site.

Some more information about Betsy Doyle:

**  She has been called "The Hero of Fort Niagara."

**  After the fort fell to the British in 1813, she took her family 310 miles to the Greenbush Cantonment.

**  There, she continued to support the American cause, often without pay.

**  She died in 1819.

**  In 2012, she was named a New York State Woman of Distinction for her bravery.

--Brock-Perry

Betsy Doyle and Battle of Fort Niagara-- Part 6: After the Battle and Death

Although one man was killed and five wounded loading hot-shot, Betsy survived the artillery barrage and her bravery was mentioned in several battle reports.  The story of her actions spread quickly among the American troops at the fort and the whole region. 

In December 1813, Betsy fled the Fort Niagara area when the British invaded and captured Fort Niagara.  Withn her children at her side, she fled 300 miles to the East Greenbush Cantonment near Albany, New York.

This journey took nearly four months.

Betsy Doyle then served for six years as a nurse and  laundress at the cantonment.  Sometimes, she did not receive pay from the Army.

Betsy fell ill  and was bedridden for  a month before her death in April.

According to one officer:  "Her death was accelerated by the want of necessities which her pay would have procured."

Despite her service, Betsy Doyle became  a victim of the war long before it ended.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Heroine Betsy Doyle

While doing research about the Greenbush Cantonment I came across the name of this woman in connection to her role in the War of 1812 and to Greenbush, New York.  I decided to follow up on her.

Historical Marker located in Youngstown, Niagara County, New York.

BETSY DOYLE

Heroine of Fort Niagara.  Carried hot shot to cannon, stood  sentry duty.

Fled  310 miles to Greenbush, NY when enemy attacked fort in 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush in the War of 1812: The Cantonment-- Part 3

Major John Defreest, who lived in what is now North Greenbush,  was an officer in Colonel Carr's New York Militia.    Carrr was one of several Rensselaer County soldiers who served during the war.

Depending upon which story you believe, Col. Carr's soldiers arrived just in time to turn the tide at the Battle of Plattsburgh, or was too late to tip the  balance for an American victory.

After the war ended in 1815, the government continued to station a few soldiers at the Cantonment and finally sold the property to  Hathhorn  McCulloch for $8,007, in 1831.

Today, the only building left at the site is one of the officers' quarters and it is a private residence.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush in the War of 1812-- Part 2

When General Dearborn took command of the Greenbush Cantonment, the cost overruns began.  He bought the land on behalf of the government for $9,000 and construction of the Cantonment began.  It wasn't until a year later that Dearborn discovered the government didn't have a clear title to the land.

So he had to pay an additional $1,250 to perfect the title.  Additionally, the government purchased a large field of standing rye nearby that was ready for harvest.  However, a cavalry unit arrived there and the hirses promptly devoured the whole crop.

The Cantonment consisted of  eight barracks for enlisted men, three units for officers, the general's house,  surgeon and physician's quarters, a hospital, horse stables, armory, arsenal  storehouse, guard house, kitchens and many latrines.

Jim Greenfield is not sure whether local units were stationed there.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush in the War of 1812: The Cantonment-- Part 1

From Town of North Greenbush Notes:  Greenbush in the War of 1812" by Jim Greenfield.

No battles occurred in the old town of Greenbush, New York (Rensselaer,  East and North Greenbush) during the war, the area does have claim to fame because the U.S. Army constructed a large military post called the Greenbush Cantonment there.

The several hundred  acre cantonment was located near the present-day Red Mill School in East Greenbush.  During the war, over 5,000 troops trained there.

The Greenbush location was well located because it was near the action occurring at both the Niagara Frontier and Lake Champlain.

The commanding general of the cantonment was  Henry Dearborn, a veteran of the American Revolution.  One suspects he might have been well past his prime abilities.  Rather than a "fighting general" he was more of an administrative general" far from the battlefield.  Think General Halftrack from the "Beetle Bailey" comic strip.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush Cantonment-- Part 3

From North American Forts site.

GREENBUSH CANTONMENT

(1812-1819) East Greenbush, New York

A 400-acre post that was the headquarters of the Northern Division of the U.S. Army.  Built here were eight two-story barracks, three officers' quarters, hospital, two commissaries, arsenal, armory, guardhouses, magazine and stables around a parade ground.

Inactivated and then sold in 1831.

All buildings were removed except one of the officers' quarters which then became a private residence.  This structure still exists today at 250 McCullough Place (provate property).

The Red Mill Elementary School occupies the parade ground.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush Cantonment-- Part 2

The central core of the cantonment was surrounded by  the support buildings and stables.

Each set of four enlisted barracks faced a  separate large parade field while the three  officers' quarters were positioned at the head and foot of the parade areas.

The post was declared surplus in 1819 and sold to private parties in 1831.

CURRENT STATUS

It is private property in East Greenbush, Renssalear County, New York.

One building, an officers' quarters, remains and is converted into apartments.  The Red Mill School now occupies the grand parade grounds.

--Brock-Perry

Greenbush Cantonment-- Part 1

Private Samuel Helms was executed here.  (See last three posts.)

From Fort Wiki.

Greenbush Cantonment (1812-1819)--  A U.S. Army  post established in 1812 during the War of 1812 in Renssalear County, New York.  Abandoned in 1819.

HISTORY

First established in May 1812 on 400 acres purchased by the government for training of troops.    Built on this site were accomodaqtions for  some 4,000 troops and included a 100-bed hospital.

A central core of  buildings, eight large enlisted barracks (252 feet by 22 feet) and three large officers barracks (90 feet long), housed the garrison.

--Brock-Perry

 

Private Samuel Helms Executed-- Part 3: Death in Late August or Early September 1813

"All of my research doesn't support desertion.  It proves he went AWOLn and was tried on charges before an illegal court-martial," said Bobbie Reno.  He was sent to the provost marshal jail at Greenbush Cantonment, a major Army base during the War of 1812, where some 4,000 soldiers were housed and trained.

Samuel Helms always intended to return and was not running from military services as the desertion charges indicated.  War of 1812 records  show that he was listed as AWOL on October 2, 1812, and he was back in camp and placed on muster rolls on October 22, 1812.

It appears that Private Helms became an example for what would happen to deserters.

Helmswas ordered to be tried in July 1813 at Greenbush Cantonment for desertion.  he was convicted and executed by firing squad in either late August 1813 or early September 1813.  Reno says she believes he was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere on the grounds of the cantonment, perhps at the school fields.

With the 210th anniversary of his execution coming up this year, Reno said, "I thought it might be a good thing to go to the governor."

(Hopefully, the governor will clear Private Helms' name.)

--Brock-Perry

Private Helms Executed-- Part 2

Private Helms was an unknown soldier who was executed during the War of 1812 for desertion at the Greenbush Cantonment (camp), which is now the site of  the Hampton manor neighborhood and Red Mill Elementary School.

Now, Greenbush historian  Bobbie Reno is out to get those charges dropped.

Samuel Helms of Captain Joseph Delafield's Company in the 1st New York Militia Regiment apparently might have had an illegal court martial.

Reno attempted to have the state militia  rule in his innocence but they couldn't.  However, she got the governor of the state, Kathy Hochul, to review her documentation and rule on it.

The issue for Private Helms is whether he deserted his post in Ulster County or went AWOL (absent without leave) to see his wife and three young children.

Reno's research makes it seem that the private was AWOL and shouldn't have been tried at court martial.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry