Tuscaroras to the Rescue at Lewiston, NY-- Part 3: "Sacrifice Their Blood Upon the American Altar"

**  "The overwhelming massacre was prevented by the appearance of Chief Longboard and his company.  Their war whoop caused  the attacking force to at once take flight."

--New York Times, April 8, 1883.

**  "It is evident that the timely intervention of the Tuscarora Indians , saved great slaughter of men, women and children among the white people.  In every instance when the United States was in trouble, the Tuscaroras  were ever ready to sacrifice their blood upon the American altar."

--Tuscarora Chief Elias Johnson

--Brock-Perry

Tuscaroras to the Rescue at Lewiston-- Part 2: "Bravely Repulsed a Party of the Enemy"

**  "Tuscaroras stood their ground long enough to allow the rest of the American force to escape.  While the main body of Tuscaroras held their position, three warriors moved past the western tribesman flank, blew a horn, and fooled their enemies into thinking they were being surrounded."

--Carl Benn "Iroquois in the War of 1812"  1998/

**  "The Tuscarora Indians bravely repulsed  a party of the enemy."

--  National Intelligencer, Washington, D.C., January 4, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

Tuscaroras To the Rescue-- Part 1: "A Few Lucky Minutes to Escape"

From the "Tuscarora Heroes" book by Lee Simonson.

**  Bravery brought a company of armed Tuscaroras to the rescue. led by war chief orator Longboard, Col. Johnson, Ovid, and Littlegreen.  They had heard the alarm and seen the torch, and fired a single volley which sufficiently surprised the British and Mohawk natives to cause a retreat and delay that furnished the inhabitants a few lucky minutes to escape from the blow of the tomahawk and thrust of the fatal knife."

--  Chipman P. Turner, "Dark Days On the Frontierof Western New York" 1879.

**  "It should be mentioned to the credit of a small band of Tuscarora Indians, that they effectually aided the flight of the citizens of Lewiston."

--  O. Turner, "Pionerer History of WNY" 1850

--Brock-Perry

The Events at Lewiston-- Part 3: "Many Innocent Persons Were Butchered"

**  "The citizens about Lewiston escaped by the Ridge Road, all going the one road on foot--  old and young, men, women , and children flying from their beds, some not more than half dressed, without shoes or stockings, together with men on horseback, wagons, carts, sleighs, and sleds overturning and crushing each other, stimulated by the horrid yells of the 900 savages in pursuit, which last eight miles, formed a scene awful and terrific in the extreme."

Jonas Harrison, Lewiston resident, December 24, 1813.

**   "Lewiston was sacked, , plundered, and destroyed -- made a perfect desolation.    Free course was given to the blood-thirsty Indians, and many  innocent persons were butchered, and survivors were made to fly in terror through the deep snow to some forest shelter or remote cabin of a settler far beyond the invaders track."

--Benson Lossing , "Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812", published1869.

--Brock-Perry

The Events at Lewiston-- Part 2: "Horribly Cut and Mangled By Tomahawks"

**  "The sight we witnessed was shocking beyond description.  Our neighbors were seen lying dead in the fields and roads, some horribly cut and mangled by tomahawks, others eaten by the hogs, which were probably left for that purpose, as they were the only animals found alive."     Portion of a letter to the Editor from the Albany Argus, dated Buffalo, dated December 26, 1813.

**  "The most savage cruelty was fiendishly enacted upon such as were unable to escape.  The sequel was but another scene of distress and affliction, transpiring in bloody tragedy."     Chipman P. Turner in "Dark Days on the Frontier of Western New York," 1879.

--Brock-Perry

The Events at Lewiston Were "Shocking Beyond Description"-- Part 1

I have been writing about the events that took place at Lewiston, New York, on Dec. 19, 1813, when British, Canadian and their allied Indians attacked this American town on the border of Canada.  The heroic actions of the local Tuscarora Indians saved the situation from becoming much worse than it might have.

These quotes are from the "Tuscarora Heroes Book" by Lee Simonson.

"I never witnessed such a scene before and hope I shall not again."  Charles Askin, Canadian citizen, 1813.

"They were stripped, scalped and had their hearts torn out."   Baltimore Weekly Register, Jan. 29, 1814.

"The British entered the house at Lewistown in which the sick soldiers and wounded, and not withstanding the entreaties, shrieks and cries of the helpless soldiers, not a life was spared, and it was reported that the houses  were all burned before they were all dead."    Niles Weekly Register, December 24, 1814. (1813?)

--Brock-Perry

Why the Tuscaroras Helped Their Lewiston Neighbors-- Part 1: Peaceful Relations

From the Tuscarora Heroes Monument site.

The Tuscaroras could have looked the other way and done nothing when the British attacked, but they didn't.  They moved decisively to prevent a complete massacre.

No one would have expected them to take the stand that they did against the British and the overwhelming force of their blood brothers, the Mohawks.

But, there were two reasons for what the Tuscarora did.

1.  There was a long-standing bond of friendship with the white citizens of Lewiston.    As neighbors, the Lewistonians and Tuscaroras trusted each other and traded and did business together.  They lived peacefully together.

--Brock-Perry

The Tuscarora Heroes Story-- Part 2: The Tuscaroras to the Rescue

Tormented parents found themselves helpless in defending their children.  One 7-year-old was shot and scalped in front of his mother.

At the moment when all hope seemed to be lost and all thought they would become victims in the massacre, the local Tuscarora men  ran down to Lewiston from their village on top of the escarpment and offered the first resistance the enemy had seen.

The Tuscarora attack was so hard that the British and their allies believed there were a lot more of them than there were and the attack stopped in its tacks.

Though outnumbered 30 to 1, the Tuscarora had bought enough time for the surviving townspeople to escape.

Bravery.  --Brock-Perry

The Tuscarora Heroes Story-- Part 1: A Murderous Rampage

From Wikipedia.

In the early morning hours of December 19, 1813, the citizens of Lewiston, New York awoke to unimaginable horrors.   The small frontier village, situated on the Niagara River on the border of the United States and Canada, suddenly found itself on the front lines of war.

Hours earlier, under cover of night, British-Canadian troops had invaded the United States and captured American Fort Niagara without firing a shot.  Then they and their Indian allies  ran down River Road toward unsuspecting Lewiston, armed with torches, guns and tomahawks, intent on retribution and to turning Lewiston into a pile of ashes.

Poorly defended, the citizens of Lewiston were on their own.  They could only run for their lives through the snow and mud in hopes of escaping the impending atrocities.  Civilians were murdered in the rampage.

--Brock-Perry

Tuscarora Heroes Monument, Lewiston, New York

From Wikipedia.

Stands as testament of thanksgiving from the people of Lewiston to the Tuscarora Nation for saving the lives of dozens of local residents during the War of 1812 from British attack on December 19, 1813.  It consists of three 110% lifesize bronze statues that present a tableau of two Tuscarora men rescuing a local woman and her baby from the attack.

Thousands of spectators witnessed the unveiling ceremony of December 19, 2013, the bicentennial of the event.

The monument site has several symbolic aspects.    They are mounted on concrete in the shape of a turtle's back.    The Iroquois believe the earth was formed on a large turtle's back.  The turtle's head points toward an American flag representing the U.S.-Tuscarora alliance since the American Revolution.

Six northern white pines surrounding he monument represent the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.  The Iroquois flag also flies at the site.

--Brock-Perry

Lewiston (NY) Remembers War of 1812, Tuscarora Support

From the Dec. 21, 2019, Niagara Frontier Publications.

It was quite cold, but that didn't cancel Lewiston's annual War of 1812 remembrance ceremony held on Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Tuscarora Heroes Monument at the corner of Center Street and Portage Road.

It was emceed by the village historian Lee Simonson who told the story of Reuben Lewis "Lewiston's First Martyr"  who sent his wife and children to safety, but stayed behind to fight the attacking British who attacked and burned the village.

Tuscarora Nation elder and council member Neil Patterson Sr. offered his thoughts on the event.    They had been monitoring the British and tried to warn of the impending attack.  Though they were ignored, they stayed to defend the whites of the village.

--Brock-Perry

Steps of a Traitor-- Part 4: Retaliation

When the British forces arrived on the scene of the smoking Newark,. they were enraged.  They took on the Canadian volunteers, killing two and capturing several.  Willcocks and the others got away.

In retaliation, Gordon Drummond crossed the Niagara River a few days later, captured Fort Niagara in a surprise attack and in the next few weeks, likewise torched several towns and villages, including Lewiston, Black Rock and Buffalo on the American side which they occupied until the war's end.

How many of Newark's civilians died in 1813 is not known, but undoubtedly many froze to death.

Shortly after his order to burn Newark, American General George McClure was relieved of his command and dismissed from the army.  Joseph Willcocks now had a price on his head.

A Traitor to Canada.  --Brock-Perry

Indigenous Warriors Save the Day at the Battle of Queenston Heights-- Part 2

The first part of the plan to capture Upper Canada involved 1,400 American troops crossing the Niagara River from Lewiston, New York, and seizing the heights.  At the time of the attack, there were no trees on Queenston Heights and it offered a commanding view and control of the surrounding countryside.

The invaders captured an important British battery and General Brock was mortally wounded trying to lead his troops in its recapture.  Things were going very badly for the British soldiers, their Canadian militia and several escaped American slaves.

But, at the critical moment, a force of 200 Six Nation warriors came jogging into the the scene from Fort George.

--Brock-Perry

Indigenous Warriors Saved British and Canadians at the Battle of Queenston Heights-- Part 1

From the June 3, 2018, Niagara This Week.com "Indigenous warriors turned the tide of the Battle of Queenston Heights" by Paul Forsyth.

"War cries helped convince American reinforcements in Lewiston to refuse to join the fray."

Major General Isaac Brock has a monument at Queenston Heights where he was killed by a musket shot.  But, most Canadians do not know of the important role Indians played in the British victory.On October 13, 1812, just months after the United States declared war on Britain, the Americans were planning for their conquest of Upper Canada starting with the capture of Niagara.

--Brock-Perry   The Brock stands for Isaac Brock

Phineas Riall-- Part 2: Burner of American Towns

As a major in 1805, he went to the West Indies with the 15th Regiment of Foot and participated in the capture of Martinique in 1809 and Guadeloupe in 1810.

After that he returned to Britain and rose to the rank of colonel and then became a major general through seniority.  He then was posted to Canada where he was in command at Montreal.  Then he accompanied Lt. General Drummond to attack the American side of the Niagara River.

He led a detachment across the river at Lewiston 19 December 1813.  He then advanced along the river, burning almost every American village, in reprisal for the U.S. burning of Newark ten days earlier.

And, he later got upset at Campbell doing the same thing?

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gray

From the New Yok State Military Museum.

Fort Gray, 1812, Niagara County.  Niagara Falls.

Located by the Lewiston Escarpment opposite Queenstown.  named for its builder, Nicholas Gray.

Located on the site of an unnamed French blockhouse/store house and an unnamed British blockhouse/ store house.

Attacked and destroyed December 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gray On the Niagara Escarpment-- Part 4: Site Visible for Many Years Afterwards

After the British left in December 1813, this ended almost 65 years of continuous military presence at the very top of the Niagara Escarpment at Lewiston.

Major Mallory later made Lockport his home and died there in 1853 at the age of 94.

The ruins of Fort Gray were visible for many years afterwards.  Actually, the exact location of the fort was known until the mid 1900s.

There was hope that Fort Gray would become part of the Lewiston Historical Park, but the park never came to pass and the Fort Gray site was bulldozed for the Robert Moses Parkway along the Niagara River.  Part of the Lower Landing became a part of the Art Park and many sites are marked there.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gray on the Niagara Escarpment-- Part 3: British Attack in 1813

In 1812, the U.S. Army erected another blockhouse on the site.  Army captain Nicholas Gray arrived and found the remains of the British blockhouse overlooking the Niagara Gorge above Lewiston.

In December 1813, the British attacked Lewiston.  A small detachment from Fort Gray, under Major Benajah Mallory, a Canadian volunteer, was able to hold the British at bay for a short time while they advanced toward Manchester, now Niagara Falls.  This enabled local residents time to flee.

The British marched from Lewiston to Fort Niagara, south of Niagara Falls and east along the Ridge Road, burning everything in its path.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Army Camp at Dickersonville, N.Y.-- Part 4: Hardscrabble Burned By the British

After the British captured Fort Niagara in December 1813, Hardscrabble became one of the few places on the Niagara Frontier still under American control.

Sometime in early July, the British burned the camp.  One source says troops stationed there had been dismissed three months earlier in April 1814.

Seven hundred American troops were then sent to Lewiston so it could be rebuilt.  Whether Hardscrabble was rebuilt is not known, but another encampment was established at Lewiston despite the British still holding Fort Niagara until May 1815.

--Brock-Perry

Tuscarora Monument Unveiled in New Yorl

From the Dec. 19, 2013, WKBW 7 Eyewitness News "Tuscarora Heroes Monument to Be Unveiled."

Lewiston, NY  December 19th marks the the 200th anniversary of the British capture of Fort Niagara and burning of Youngstown and Lewiston.  What was happening in Lewiston was turning into a massacre until Tuscarora Nation warriors created a diversion and helped rescue some of the residents.

A three piece, larger-than-life bronze monument depicting 2 Tuscarora men saving a woman and child is to be dedicated, the result of years of planning by the Historical Association of Lewiston and local sculptor Susan Geissler.

--Brock-Perry