A

LEGACY

OF

HISTORICAL GLEANINGS,

COMPILED AND ARRANGED

BY

Visscher, Van Rensselaer

MRS. CATHARINA V. R. BONNEY.

Λ

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE LEGACY, WHY BEQUEATHED: Introductory. A Modest Request. Asser-

tion of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. Autobiographies, when Popular. Auto-

graphical Sketches. Gleanings. Historical Trail. Our great Progenitors, the Ish

and Isha. St. Nicholas's Day. Oranje Boven in the Ascendancy. Dutchman's Pe-

rennial Standard. Santa Claus. Henry Hudson at the Fuyck. Patroons of 1629.

De Herr Killian Van Rensselaer. Village of Beaverwyck. First House of Worship.

Vigilance of Albanians. Indian Depredations. Citizens Scalped on Bethlehem

Turnpike. Commerce of Early Times. Anneke Janse. Hendrick Van Rens-

selaer. Power of Attorney. Indians on the War path. Rescue of Jesuit Priest.

Destruction of Schenectady. Memorial Painting. Dutch Ancestry. Robert

Sanders. Orders to Armorer 128 Years Ago. Quaint Letters,.

CHAPTER II.

1

COLONIAL HISTORY: Robert Sanders to Sir William Johnson. The same to

Col. Wendell. Same to General Lyman. Same to New Hampshire Committee.

Same to Thomas Hubbard. Gen. Wolfe at Quebec. Robert Sanders to Richard

Wibard. Aunt Schuyler's Mansion Burnt. A Spicy Letter. Death of Robert

Sanders. Christian Stadle's Patent. Col. Philip Van Rensselaer. Affray at

Boston. Destruction of Tea. General Schuyler to Philip Van Rensselaer. Robert

Ray to same. Col. Ethan Allen. Firing from the Asia. Committee of One

Hundred. Campaign in Canada. Interesting Letters. List of Officers and Spoils

Taken. Capture of Col. Allen. Death of Montgomery. Teunis Ts. Van Vechten

to Philip Van Rensselaer. Abraham P. Lott to same. Richard Varick to same.

Daniel Hale. Henry Glen to same. Early Receipts. Declaration of Independ-

ence. Christopher Yates to P. Van Rensselaer,.
24

CHAPTER III.

SURRENDER OF BURGOYNE: General Hendrick K. Van Rensselaer. Burgoyne

at Ticonderoga. Hoisting Cannon. Battle of Fort Ann. Van Rensselaer Severely

Wounded. Silver Balls. Battle of Saratoga. Van Alstyne Goes as a Spy.

Surrender of Burgoyne's Army. Col. Nicholas Van Rensselaer Sent Express to

Albany. Great Doings. Army Receipts. Col. Wagoner at Fort Stanwix.

General Gansevoort. Han Yost. Daniel Hale to Philip Van Rensselaer. Capt.

Frederick Visscher and Sir John Johnson. Attack of the Visschers. Aunty Put-

man. General Washington at Schenectady. Cornelius Ray to Philip Van Rens-

selaer. General Stephen Van Rensselaer. A Return to Lord Sterling. Letters

from Yale College. Timothy Pickering. Gen. Gansevoort to Philip Van Rens-

selaer. Wedding Invitations 90 years ago. Dancing Assembly in 1791. Wash-

ington's Bon Repos. Union College Committee to Gen. Schuyler. P. Van Rens-

selaer to George Clinton,..

58

CHAPTER IV.

GENERAL WAYNE'S CAMPAIGN Gen. St. Clair's Surprise. Appointment of
Gen. Wayne. Solomon Van Rensselaer. Marching Orders from Gen. Knox. Far
West. Abstract of Sundries. Commission for Captain. Capt. Campbell to Capt.

Van Rensselaer. Capt. Turner to same.
Lieut. N. I. Visscher to same. Sorrel

Troop. Gen. Wilkinson Tests the Metal. Garden Destroyed. An Offset. In-

dians Troublesome. Battle of the Miami. Indians Routed. Capt. Van Rensselaer

Severely Wounded. Extract of Capt. Campbell's Will. Little Turtle. Capt.

Van Rensselaer to Lieut. Visscher. The same to Gen. Wayne. Several Letters

from Officers. K. K. Van Rensselaer to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Henry Cuyler

not Dead,..

89

CHAPTER V.

EUROPEAN TRIP IN 1795: Lieut. Visscher to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Fort

Wayne. Lieut. Posey to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Robert S. Van Rensselaer to his

Sister. James Cuyler to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Letter from Amsterdam. Secre-

tary of War to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Capt. Webb to same. Lieut. Blue to same.

West Point Letters. Sol. Van Rensselaer to Secretary of War. Capt. Van Rens-

selaer to his Cousin. Dutch Letter. Mr. and Mrs. Church. Visit to Blenheim.

House. Duke of Malborough. Magnificent Park. Wedding Invitation. Maria

Gansevoort. Abraham Hun. Tea Party,.....

109

CHAPTER VI.

CUMBERLAND LINE: Tender Surveillance. Marriage. Marching Orders. In-

teresting Route. Letters and Diary. Down the Ohio in Flat Boat. Fort Wash-

ington. Lexington Letter. Gen. Wilkinson to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Knoxville.

Cherokee Indians Dissatisfied. Lieut. Visscher to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Richard

Varick to Phillip Van Rensselaer. Secretary of War to Capt. Van Rensselaer.

Letter from Fort Niagara. Major of Cavalry,...

130

CHAPTER VII.

TROUBLOUS TIMES: Death of General Washington. Mrs. Adams's Drawing

Room Deferred. Funeral Procession in Albany, General Hamilton to Secretary

of War. Same to Gen. Wilkinson. Governor Jay to Secretary of War. Gen.

Wilkinson to Major Van Rensselaer. Duel in West Indies. "Shoot him on the

Spot.' Adjutant General. Death of General Schuyler. Judge Van Ness to

Sol. Van Rensselaer. Liberty and Equality.' Political Elements in Albany.

E. C. Genet's Counter Statement. Federalist's Meeting. Republican Meeting.

Affray. Gov. Tayler to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Statement of facts by Federal Com-

mittee,

150

CHAPTER VIII.

SPEECH OF HON. ELISHA WILLIAMS: Elisha Jenkins vs. Sol. Van Rensselaer.

Solomon Van Rensselaer es, John Tayler. The same vs. Charles D. Cooper. The

same vs. Francis Bloodgood. Awards in the several Cases. Elisha Williams.

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. First Steam boat. Several Letters

from Judge Van Ness. Gov. Morgan Lewis to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Several

Letters. Gen. Van Rensselaer to the Public. Same to William Simmons.

P. Van Ness to Judge Van Ness. Gen. Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer.

of General Gansevoort,

John

Death

170

CHAPTER IX.

DECLARATION OF WAR IN 1812: Maj. Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer in Com-
mand of Forces. Adj. Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer as Aid-de camp. Departure of
General and Suite. Entertainments. John Lovett as Secretary and Military Aid.
Interesting Letters. Sackett's Harbor. Ogdensburgh. Sol. Van Rensselaer to
his wife. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Governor Tompkins. Tour of Inspection.
Queer Night Quarters. Oswego. Niagara Frontier. Destitute State of the Army.
Head Quarters.
Gen. Wadsworth. Armistice. "Solomon Van Rensselaer's

Diplomacy," Major S. S. Forman. Jacob Ten Eyck.

his wife. General Brock. Surrender of Hull's Army.

Maj. Gen. Dearborn,...

Sol. Van Rensselaer to

Gen. Van Rensselaer to

194

CHAPTER X.

CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE U. S. ARMY: General Orders. Gen. Dearborn

to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Major Gen. Sheaffe. Maj. Gen.

Brock to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Dearborn. Con-

scientious Scruples. U. S. Troops Should not be "Hulled." Gen. Brock's Procla-

mation. Spicy Letters. Contemplated Duel. General Orders. Major Lovett to

Abraham Van Vechten. Captain Jennings's Poetical Order. Gen. Van Rens-

selaer to Gen. Brock. Col. Van Rensselaer to Abraham Van Vechten. Capt.

Whistler. Colonel Van Rensselaer to General Lewis. Major Cuyler to Col. Van

Rensselaer. Prisoners of War. Revoking Sentence of Death. Major Lovett's

Letters,..
213

CHAPTER XI.

BATTLE ON QUEENSTON HEIGHTS: Col. Marinus Willet to Gen. Van Rens-

selaer, Gen. Smyth to Gen. Van Rensselaer. "Rebukes Gen. Smyth's Imperti-

nence." Proposed Council of officers. Death of Major Cuyler. Col. Van Rensselaer

to his Wife. Preparations to Cross the River. Lieutenant Sim. General Brock's

Last Letter. Col. Van Rensselaer Visits the British Side. Brass Howitzers

Recognized. Invasion of Canada. Col. Van Rensselaer Severely Wounded.

Captain Wool in Command. Major Lovett's Battery. Loss of Hearing. Gen.

Van Rensselaer to Secretary of War. Cowardice of Militia,

CHAPTER XII

238

RESIGNATION OF MAJOR GEN. STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER: Lieut. Col. Scott.

Encounter with Indians. Official Letters. Gen. Wadsworth to Gen. Van Rens-

selaer. Major Lovett's Interesting Letters. Col. Van Rensselaer to his wife.

Exchange of Prisoners. Gen. Sheaffe to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Regret that Col.

Van Rensselaer was Wounded. Offers Assistance. Respect shown Gen. Brock's

Remains. Brig. Gen. Evans. Several Letters. Capt. Wool to Col. Van Rens-

selaer. Governor Tompkins. Gen. Van Rensselaer's Public Reception at Albany.

Removal of Col. Van Rensselaer to Buffalo. Noble Offer. New Song. Gen. Van

Rensselaer to Col. Van Rensselaer. Return to Albany. Col. Van Rensselaer's

Honored Reception. Judge Van Ness to Col. Van Rensselaer. Address of Wash-

ington Benevolent Society,
260

CHAPTER XIIL

MAJOR JOHN LOVETT'S ELECTION TO THE 13TH CONGRESS: J. Robinson to

Col. Van Rensselaer. Dr. Cyrenius Chapin to same. Generals Smyth and Porter.

Review of Queenston Battle. Challenge from Peter B. Porter to Sol. Van Rens-

selaer. Major Lovett's Statement. Soldier Friend. Maj. Lovett to Solomon

Southwick. Robert Macomb to same. Governor Tompkins. Col. Van Rensse-

laer's Letter. Encounter between Maj. Lovett and Gen. Porter. Elected to

Congress. Lovett's Letters from Washington. Prince of Schaghticoke,.... 283

CHAPTER XIV.

INTERESTING LETTERS FROM WASHINGTON: John Lovett to Joseph Alexander.

Same to Sol. Van Rensselaer. No Artist Represent a Deaf Man. Enemy near.

Peril to the Capital. Gen. Wilkinson Ordered North. Gov. Tompkins to Sol.

Van Rensselaer. Major General. Invitation to accompany Gen. Wilkinson. Sol.

Van Rensselaer to Gen Wilkinson. General Hull's Court Martial. Sentenced to

be shot. The "Albany Quill." George M. Bibb to J. J. Crittenden." Col. Fen-

wick to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Armstrong. Enemy at Washington. Defense

of New York. Letters, .
303