The Chenango and Unadilla Valleys Fifty Years Ago.
S.S. Randall
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, April 10, 1872
War of 1812
On the 8th of September 1812, four hundred volunteers rendezvoused at Norwich [Chenango Co. NY], as recruits for the front, in the War with England, declared in the preceding June. they spread their tents on the open meadows, east of Steere's Hotel, the old Eagle, then kept by Moses Doty; made choice of Lieut. Col. Thompson Mead as their commandant, and on the 20th started on their march for the western and northern frontier. My own recollection does not extend back to this period, but my friend, Nelson B. Hale remembers and has well described the scene, in a late number of The Telegraph, which he was so kind as to send me a few weeks since. Mr. Clark informs us that about half the regiment thus assembled, were residents of Chenango, and the residue of Broome and Tioga. John Randall, Jr., of Norwich, was Major; John Noyes, senior, Adjutant; Asa Norton, Quarter Master, and Dr. William Mason, of Preston, Surgeon of the corps. Among the Captains of companies, were Reuben Gray, of Sherburne; Nathan Taylor of South New Berlin, Thornton Wasson of Guilford, and Daniel Root, of German; all good men and true. Those among the Lieutenants who did most efficient service in the field, were Charles Randall, of Capt. Gray's company, and John Fields, who had formerly been in the British army. Upon the arrival of the regiment at Buffalo, early in October, they immediately marched down the Niagara River, and took position on the American side, opposite Queenstown Heights. In the sanguinary engagement which followed, Col. Mead's corps took an active part. "On the morning of the 13th," says Mr. Clark, "at early dawn, one hundred of the regiment took to the boats and crossed form Lewiston to Queenstown. Col. Thompson Mead, Captains, Bacon (of Broome), Wasson and Root, Lieutenants Charles Randall and John Fields, were with the men. On their way across the ferry, they met Col Solomon Van Rensselaer returning in a boat, badly wounded. A speedy landing, in good order, was effected, and the men formed and ascended the mountain, taking position in open fields, on its apex, a few rods to the south of Gen. Brock's monument, and only about thirty rods from the line of the Indians secreted behind forest trees and heavy rail fence. Col. Mead was repeatedly fired upon while passing to and fro, giving orders to the men. Sergeant Mann was shot standing by his side. Branches of trees over his head were cut by rifle bullets. The aim of the savages was every instant growing more precise and fatal. Lieut. Charles Randall, seeing the dangerous position of his company, hastily beat up for volunteers to drive the savages, and to take shelter in their secure retreat. The charge succeeded in putting the red men to flight, with some loss in their number; and the troops had a few hours of repose before the closing scene of the protracted contest." The total loss of the Americas in this battle, in which the late Major General Winfield Scott "fleshed his maiden sword," was estimated at 1000 men. One hundred were killed, two hundred captured, and about three hundred of the remainder surrendered with Gen. Scott. The prisoners, including Col. Mead's corps, were taken to Niagara, and from thence to Newark, afterwards burned by the Americans. Lieut. Fields, unfortunately fell into the hands of his former British commandant, but succeeded in escaping recognition, and was shortly after dismissed on parole. Lieut. Randall conversed freely with his British captors at Newark, who appeared greatly to admire the pluck and daring by which the Indians were so promptly and effectually driven from their dangerous ambush. On the 19th or 20th of October, the prisoners were all discharged on parole, and the surviving members of the Chenango regiment returned home.
In this engagement Col. Mead appears to have behaved with great coolness and determination. In his retreat, he somewhat unwisely concealed a valuable sword in his possession, a loan from a friend, in the rocks at Queenstown, the subsequent discovery of which caused many a pleasant jest at his expense.
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