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Cornell University Library 1993.THE ADVENTURES AND ENTERPRISES OF
ELIJAH D. EFNER.
MANUSCRIPT DATED JANUARY 21, 1865.
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR.
Soon after the War of the Revolution, in the County of Scho-
harie and State of New York somewhat more than a mile south
of the County Seat, settled and lived Joseph Efner, an honest
Dutchman, a Hollander. Havitig married Ruth Doty, a Quak-
eress of English descent, he soon after adopted her religious
principles, and was ever afterwards a staunch and sincere sup-
porter of her faith.
Here, on the north bank of a beautiful mountain stream
that discharges its waters into the Schoharie Creek, about one
mile west of my father’s house, I was born on the 19th of March,
1791. My father was a tanner, and on the 4th of March, 1804,
before I had completed my 13th year I went to Albany with my
father, on a load of leather, and became a bound apprentice to
the firm of Potts & Smith, in State Street. Jesse Potts and
Nehemiah Smith constituted the firm, and the sons of the former
are still in business in that place. Having passed through what
is common as I suppose to all apprenticeships, I graduated on
the 17th of July, 1807, but desiring to travel and to see more
of the world, I went north, combining employment with pleasure
and instruction, working first at Salem, Washington County,36
THE ADVENTURES OF
thence to West Rutland, Vermont, remaining two months and a
half in charge of a Mr. Wheaton’s business ; and thence to
Brandon, Middlebury, Burlington, St. Albans and Montreal,
working in each place.
On my return from Montreal about April i, 1808, I visited
an uncle, Gilbert Doty, at Caldwells Manor, which was the first
town in Canada separated from'Vermont by a road, his house
being in Canada and his barn in Vermont. This was in the
time of the “ Embargo” and my visit gave me an opportunity
of learning something of the perseverance and character of the
Vermont people. During good sleighing the barn would be
filled with pork, flour, potash, flaxseed and whatever would
bring gold from Canada; which would soon be spirited away on
some convenient night, and carried into Canada.
This trade was kept up in defiance of the U. S. Government
until the passage of the Non-intercourse Act, which enabled the
proper officers to seize contraband property on suspicion on
board of vessels or any other conveyance within (if I rightly re-
member) 30 miles of the frontier.
At this place I witnessed a very novel and exciting scene.
It was known that the Vermont lumbermen had collected im-
mense quantities of lumber among the islands near Colchester.
These rafts were joined together into one enormous raft which
was fitted for 13 sails; the revenue officers with artillery at
Windmill Point, had determined to contest the passage of the
raft into Canada; the people were much iexcited about the suc-
cess of the undertaking and all seemed to favor the enterprise.
One morning early, before I had left my bed, I heard the
shouts, “The raft, the raft!” and there it was with 13 sails set.
When opposite to Windmill Point, firing upon it commenced
with cannon, but the wind was fair, and on they came, no one
being visible on it except at the steering oars, until the U. S.
boundary was passed, when some 200 men sprang upon the
barrels of flour, potash, pork, etc., with which they had been
barricaded, discharging their arms in the air with exultation and
defiance, thus triumphing over the laws of their country.
On the next morning following I began to journey back to
Albany on foot, walking the entire distance as I had done fromELIJAH D. EFNER.
37
Albany to Montreal. After a short visit home I walked over to
Herkimer, there being no stage at that time without returning to
Schenectady or Albany. , At that time (1808) I think Herki-
mer contained nearly as many inhabitants as Utica then did;
the former say about 500 and the latter about 700.
At Herkimer I found Charles Talmadge and John Mullet
who were about forming a copartnership to start business in
Buffalo. At Sackett’s Harbor, whither I then went, I first met
and made the acquaintance of John Sackrider, who also came to
Buffalo in 1812; and in September of that year he and myself
uniformed Swift’s Regiment, then stationed at the foot of Niagara
Street. We boarded with Mrs. Dickinson, our shop being in her
house, which was situated under the hill, six or seven rods up the
River from the ferry house. The gun battery was on the
ground where the Niagara-street Railroad buildings now are,
and the mortar battery was in a ravine directly in our rear or
east of us. Although occasionally annoyed by cannon shot
striking the rocks between our shop and the river, and scattering
fragments of them against our windows, I do not remember
one instance of either ourselves or men leaving work for a
moment on account of it. When the contract was completed
we went to Buffalo and took a room in the second story of
Townsend & Coit’s building at the corner of Main and Swan
streets, remaining there until after the “ Pomeroy Mob,” when
I went to Utica and remained until April, 1813. I then returned
again to Buffalo and for a short time was in the employment of
Talmadge & Mullet, for the purpose of fixing whose first settle-
ment, as also that of John Sackrider in Buffalo, this digression
has been made. Sackrider is deserving of a much more extend-
ed notice. General P. B. Porter used to say that he had no
braver or more capable officer in his corps, and Col. Chapin,
under whom he served as Captain, has always spoken of his
courage as an officer. It was he who threw his stalwart arms
around and his body upon the arms in the bow of the guard
boat, when the party of prisoners of which Col. Chapin and
Captain Kane were a part took the guard and brought them
into Fort George, near the mouth of the Niagara River, where
our army then had possession.38
THE AD VENTURES OF
To return to my narrative. About the ist of August I met
at Herkimer by appointment Mr. Ira Gilbert, whose acquaint-
ance I had made at Albany, aud we proceeded to carry out an
agreement then made to visit Little York, now Toronto, where
his father resided and where my eldest brother lived, being em-
ployed as printer for the Government. We started from Herki-
mer in a one-horse gig. Our route was through Utica, Sullivan,
Manlius Square, Jamesville, Onondaga Hollow, and Onondaga
Hill, then the County Seat for Onondaga County. All there
was of Syracuse then was a small frame tavern. We passed
through Skaneateles, a beautiful village at the outlet of Skaneateles
Lake; Auburn, then known as Hardenburg’s Corner, where
there was a stone tavern, a blacksmith’s shop, a mill, and I
think two other houses. We put up one night at Hardenburg’s
who owned the mill as well as the tavern. Cayuga Lake was
the next place. We crossed the lake in a flat-boat or scow ;
there was a tavern and a few buildings on each side of the lake.
The next place was Mynders’ Mills, and a few dwellings now called
Seneca Falls. I do not remember anything at what is now
Waterloo, unless there may have been farmhouses. Geneva and
Canandaigua were both flourishing villages. The former may
have contained some 600, and the latter about 800 inhabitants.
Thence we passed through Bloomfield, Lyma, and Avon to
Caledonia, the last named alone bearing indications of the be-
ginning of a village. From Caledonia to Batavia there was no
village, although most of the land adjoining the road seemed to
be taken up, and built upon, mostly with log houses, and the
road was comparatively good. Batavia was a thriving village of
about 400 inhabitants. From Batavia to Buffalo we encountered
the worst road I had ever seen, and as I now look back after the
lapse of 56 years, I cannot remember ever having seen so bad a
road. It was made of round logs, of all sizes, laid crossways.
From Batavia to Buffalo I do not think there were more than
five houses. Yandeventer’s was the first one we came to; if
Goss’s Tavern was then built, it was on a new road not then
much traveled ; the next was Asa Ransom’s, on the same side of
the road, and in Clarence Hollow. We staid with him over
night; like most of the buildings in new countries, his was a logELIJAH D. EFNER.
39
house, but sufficiently spacious for the requirements of travel at
that time. There were two or three buildings (log houses)
between Ransom’s and Granger’s, where Mr. Granger was build-
ing a frame house, the first frame house west of Batavia and east
of Buffalo.
We reached Buffalo on the 8th day of August, 1808, and put
up at a tavern on the ground where the Mansion House now
stands. Here we remained three or four days looking about for
village lots, but finally left for Little York without making any
purchase. My recollection of Buffalo is that it then contained
between 200 and 300 inhabitants, but the country around being
sparsely settled, I considered the place too small for an additional
shop at that time, but nevertheless determined to make it my
future home, as soon as its business would warrant.
There was no road to Black Rock then, without returning to
the Guide-board Road (now North Street), except what nature
had provided—the sand beach, which though heavy was much
better than the corduroy road to Batavia. The ferry house at
Black Rock stood on the rocks which have since been removed
in excavating for the canal; it was directly in front of the end of
the street which passes on the south side of 'the street-railway Co’s
stables between Reserve lots 16 & 17, and there was a carriage-
road in front of the building up and down the river. The road
on the Canadian side of the river was then excellent, being
smooth and dry all the way to Newark.*
From Newark to the head of Lake Ontario to “Brandt’s
Tavern,” then the only house there (I have not been there since
and cannot say what the place is now called) the road was toler-
ably good, although there were fewer inhabitants along the way
than on the river road, which with the exception of Chippewa
and Brampton was as well settled as it now is.
In November I returned to Albany again, leaving Little
York in a schooner for the mouth of Genesee River from which
place I walked the entire distance. My thoughts continually
reverted to Buffalo; and who after standing on the “ Terrace ”
and looking off upon Lake Erie, having the Lake region and the
vast West with its probable future in his mind’s eye, could forget
* Now Niagara, Ont.40
THE AD VENTURES OF
Buffalo? Accordingly in the spring of 1809 I wended my way
back again by another, then a better route: via the Mohawk
River, Oneida Lake and Oswego River to Oswego, thence in the
Schooner British Queen (Capt. Steel) to Lewiston on the Niagara
River. We were nearly two days making the trip between
Oswego and Lewiston. From Lewiston I traveled on foot over
a good road made by Porter Barton & Co. to Schlosser, where I
took a Durham boat for Black Rock, arriving at Bird Island pier
the same evening.
This was the best and I may say the only route by which
merchandise was transported to Buffalo, and west of it at that
time, and the boat I was in contained the stock of a Western
merchant who was then on board. ' The cargo was discharged
in a warehouse situated on Bird Island near the south end of
Black Rock Pier, about an acre of which was above water, and
the water in front of the dock, on the lower side of the Island,
was of sufficient depth to float the largest vessel then on the
Lake. All the commerce of the western Lakes was carried on
from this Island and Fort Erie in Canada; that is, all the merchan-
dise that went from the East, or came from the West up to that
period was stored at the two places mentioned, or put on board
of vessels direct, at these places only.
That evening I went to Buffalo and engaged to work forTal-
madge & Mullet, and also for Mr. Lewis, whose shop was in the
second story of Joseph Stocking’s store on the corner of Main
and Swan streets. The County Clerk’s office for Niagara County
was on the same floor, Mr. Le Couteulx being the Clerk and
Mr. Holmes, who married a daughter of Doctor Cyrenius Chapin,
being the Deputy Clerk. In July I again went to Little York
and worked for Mr. John Murchison, in whose employ I had
also been in 1808. Upon returning in October I visited Mr.
Doty in the town of Porter, and as an evidence of the then
sparce settlement of that region, I will mention that I was depu-
tised to summon a coroner’s jury, upon the principle perhaps
that I had nothing else to do, and I accepted the duties for the
sake of seeing the country. The names of the jurors were given
to me (what would I not give for a copy of those names!); they
were the heads of families at Lewiston, Niagara Falls and eastELIJAH D. EFNER.
41
on the Ridge Road to Molineaux, including all the settlers by
the way.
The jury appeared promptly at 9 o’clock the next morning,
at the house of ’Squire Doty, and all on horseback proceeded to
where the body was found, about five miles further down Lake
Ontario. It proved to be that of a British soldier who about
ten days before, had fallen overboard from a vessel going into
the Niagara River. Only imagine—more than forty miles of
travel to summon a coroner’s jury !
From the town of Porter I went in a bateau to Sodus Bay
with Mr. Reed, sutler at Fort Niagara, and thence on foot to
Albany, returning early in the Spring to Salt Point, where in
connection with E. M. H. Salford we opened shop and worked
for salt, which was legal tender there, money being mostly out
of use. I boarded at Rowe’s Tavern, where were also the prin-
cipal salt purchasers at that place. Having got all the salt I
could transport I left for Oswego in company with John Rich-
ardson. He was a brave man, and the only Volunteer Captain
whose whole company crossed to Fort Erie to engage in the sortie
of Sept. 17, 1814. I saw them volunteer, every man passing
around the square, during a tremendous rain-storm, General
Porter leading, drenched meanwhile in rain.
Our salt was taken to Oswego in one of Goodhue & Co’s
boats and in one of their vessels to Lewiston. Mine was landed
at Fort Erie from Queenston where were my means of transporta-
tion. I sold the salt, and never engaged in the trade again,
although this had yielded a profit. At Fort Erie I worked for
Mr. Moon, until the salt which had to take its 'turn arrived,
when I again crossed into Buffalo, and remained until Novem-
ber, 1810.
In this month I went to Maysville * in Chautauqua County,
landing from a schooner at Portland, now Barcelona, and put
up at Samuel Wilkeson’s, who settled in Buffalo in 1814. He
was an active and prominent citizen, holding various offices in
the gift of the people, and was among the most prominent in
obtaining the side-cut canal from Black Rock to Buffalo and
the building of the harbor here. Samuel Wilkeson was truly
* Now spelled “ Mayville.”42
THE AD VENTURES OF
faithful to his political friends. An early acquaintance and the
interest of Buffalo, which all but three or four of our citizens
espoused, threw us much together. Both of us were “War
Democrats M during the War of 1812.
These interests led us to follow the fortunes of DeWitt
Clinton who favored our interest in opposition to Samuel Young
and Peter B. Porter. Thus we went on harmoniously, each
doubtless trying to persuade himself that he was all the while,
still a Democrat, until Henry Clay in 1825 cast the vote of
Kentucky for John Quincy Adams, instead of Andrew Jackson,
who had the greater number of votes and had by his valuable
services earned preference. I then returned to the Democratic
fold where I have ever since been, and from that time I lost the
friendship of Wilkeson.
This fact is mentioned to account for his omitting my name
in all his “Harbor Reports, M notwithstanding I was the largest
individual subscriber to indemnify the stockholders of the steam-
boat Superior for any loss they might sustain on account of not
getting the boat out of Buffalo Creek, after it was built, if they
would consent to build it here instead of Black Rock. The
boat was built here, and we, the subscribers to the bond, were
assessed pro rata to open the channel, in addition to which I
gave my own services, working in the water up to my waist, as
laborers could not be obtained. I put this on paper, because
the old citizens who were witnesses to what I state are fast pass-
ing away.
My object in landing at Portland was to visit Maysville,
Chautauqua Co., about nine miles distant, a favorable place, as
I had been informed, for business. I found the place however
too small, and returned to Portland the same evening, where I
found Mr. James Sloan, now a resident of Black Rock. Much
of the conversation that night was upon the practicability of
making a voyage at that season of the year in an open loaded
bateau to Detroit. We finally concluded to attempt the trip ;
and after taking in the cargo, which consisted of such goods as
were salable to Indians and Frenchmen who were engaged
white fishing in Detroit River, we started and after some re-
markable adventures and mishaps resulting from the storms weELIJAH D. EFNER.
43
encountered, we reached Cleveland, from which place it was
thought best to arrange with a captain of a vessel bound for
Detroit, to tow our boat and take the cargo on board, which we
accordingly did.
Detroit was then the largest village west of Schenectady, and
Erie, Pa., was next in importance on the Lakes. I remained
during that winter at Detroit, and left on the 15th of April,
1811, in company with Mr. James Sloan ; and as the only
methods of returning were to purchase horses, go on foot through
the wilderness, wait for a vessel late in the season, or purchase a
canoe (a dug-out), we chose the last-named. I enjoyed the trip
very much, loving it for its sports, as well as for its very perils.
We had fowling-pieces for game, and spear for fish, both of
which were abundant in the coves, creeks and marshes. We did
not paddle but laid by for fair wind, using our blankets for sails.
At that time there were but few clearings visible along the
shore, except Frenchtown, now Munroe, and Maumee; there
was no village until we arrived at Erie, unless Cleveland, Grand
River, Ashtabula and Conneaut, each of which contained two
or three houses, could be so called. Erie had enjoyed a con-
siderable carrying trade from the Lakes to the Ohio at Pittsburg,
via Le Boeuf, French Creek and Allegheny River.
It was during this year, and while I was at Pittsburg, that I
witnessed the launching of the first steamboat on the western
waters. I well remember the arrival there of the 4th U. S.
Infantry, Col. Boyd. It was composed of the best material I
had ever seen in any service, a large proportion of the men
being seamen who had been thrown out of employment by the
embargo, and were then direct from Fort Independence, Boston,
Mass. Their discipline, their parades, and their reviews were
superior to anything I have ever seen in any service. I was
strongly tempted to go with them ; but unwilling to enlist in
time of peace, I determined to follow. It was rumored that
they were going to chastise the Indians who had become trouble-
some in Western Indiana, under the leadership of Tecumseh.
Coming up with them at Vincennes, where they had halted for
the arrival and organization of volunteers, I went into the em-
ployment of the commissary.44
THE AD VENTURES OF
The Battle of Tippecanoe is familiar to all, and I can truly
say that every man did his duty. After caring for the wounded
and burying the dead, destroying the Indian village and digging
up their buried corn and burning it, we turned back towards
Vincennes again. The chiefs and head men among the Indians
sued for peace in the Spring, and held a Council with General
Harrison on the 4th day of March, 1812, and agreed to be
friends, but a few days afterwards they commenced killing the
settlers in every direction. One morning a young man entered
Vincennes before daylight, announcing the murder of a whole
family, nine in number, named Herryman, on the Embarras River.
The whole village was collected together, and was addressed by
General Harrison, received arms and ammunition, and marched
in every direction to protect the settlers.
On the 8th of May, 1812, I left Vincennes in company with
the 4th Regiment, commanded by Col. Miller (General Boyd
having gone East), and the reception with which we met at Louis-
ville, Lexington, Cincinnati, and other places was most enthus-
iastic. We united with Hull’s army at Dayton, Ohio, marched
thence to Springfield and Urbana; from the latter place our
route to the Maumee River lay through an unbroken wilderness,
through which we cut a road the entire distance, building two
block-houses by the way. We forded the Maumee River at the
rapids, and it was at this place, on the next day after our arrival,
and after we had despatched our medical stores, surgical instru-
ments and many valuable army stores on board a schooner,
together with such officers as had their wives with them, that we
first heard of the declaration of war between the United States
and Great Britain. As a matter of course, these all fell into the
hands of the enemy in passing Malden, they having received
the intelligence two days in advance of us, along the whole
frontier.
It was at this place I met my worthy old friend William
Baird, U. S. express rider, on his return trip from Detroit,
whither he had been with Government despatches from Buffalo.
We arrived at Detroit early in July. Capt. Dequinder was
recruiting a company of “ one year or the war” men, and I
immediately became a member of his corps as full private. My45
ELIJAH D. EFNER.
first fight was at the River Canard in Canada, in an expedition
commanded by Col. Cass and McArthur, who expected to take
the guard stationed at the bridge but failed to accomplish it,
mainly on account of the attack on the bridge being too soon
and too impetuous. Cass’s party had made a wide circuit and
had forded some distance above, and the party on the road was
only to amuse the enemy until we had gained their rear; instead
of which they were driven off before it was possible for us to
get around.
About the last of July Major VanHorn with about 300 men
left Detroit to bring up Col. Brush who was at River Raisin with
200 men and supplies for our army. This party fell into an
ambush at Truago and were defeated and dispersed, but our com-
pany was not of the party. As soon as their fate was known,
we were ordered from Canada to Detroit, and on the next day
we left on the same errand with 580 men, about 250 of whom
were of the old 4th Regiment, the whole under the command of
Col. James Miller, the same who at Lundy’s Lane, on being asked
if he could take that park of artillery, said, “l will try, sir !”
If any man of this small force had not before made up his mind
to win, I think he did so when he passed the mangled and un-
buried men of VanHorn’s party at Truago; but before the set-
ting of that day’s sun, we gained a signal triumph over more
than twice our number at the battle of Brownstown, which Gen-
eral Miller always regarded as his greatest achievement. The
enemy were pursued to their boats, and crossed to Malden.
Instead of allowing us to accomplish the objects of the expe-
dition, now while the road was open to us, we were ordered
back to Detroit the next day, and by the perfidy of Hull, be-
came prisoners to General Brock, August 16, 1812. The arms,
ordnance and the regular troops were sent to Fort Erie, in the
John Adams and Queen Charlotte, and the volunteers were sent
to Cleveland, Ohio, where we were landed on the morning of
the 2 2d of August, from the schooner Nancy, Capt. James
Rough, whose mate was Walter Norton. On the same day Mr.
Norton, Capt. Richard Smith, Joseph Gooley and myself started
on foot for home at Buffalo, where we arrived on the 1st of
September.46
THE ADVENTURES OF
The Pomeroy Mob occurred in December, 1812. Pomeroy
had been much annoyed by the soldiers occupying his bar-room
and monopolizing the fire-place to the exclusion of travelers and
the citizens. One day he remonstrated against such conduct as
an abuse to which he would no longer submit, and was said to
have used very strong language. The next day the soldiers be-
gan to collect in front of his tavern and vicinity, and waiting
until the boarders (among whom were many of their officers)
had gone into the dining-room for dinner, they commenced
breaking up the bar, with its contents, destroying the front
windows and damaging the house generally, some of them say-
ing, ‘Met us fire the building,” which they afterwards did.
Knowing that Doctor Blood of the 4th Regiment lay sick of a
wound in his chamber, I went up with three others to save him,
and while bringing him down the hall stairs which they were
pulling to pieces some of them struck their bayonets over the
bunk at the wounded man, but upon being assured it was not
Pomeroy they allowed us to pass out. I then went to Mr.
Joseph Stocking and told him that a few armed men should go
down to the mob, not to interfere, but to rescue persons in
danger. He opposed it, as being unsafe, but one of his men and
John Mullet went with me, and we each, with musket loaded
and bayonets fixed, took our station about two rods outside of
the rioters. Mr. Stocking came to us again, begging us to re-
turn. It was well however, that we remained, for soon we saw
Mr. Abel Grosvenor, a highly esteemed citizen, running towards
us, with the mob at his heels, they having mistaken him for
Pomeroy. He stumbled and fell, and at the same moment we
charged over his body and saved him. Just at that moment a
company of soldiers who were quartered at the jail, came down
on the run and we were all saved. The company did no more
than to halt there, their numbers being insufficient for an attack
on the rioters. Col. Moses Porter of U. S. Artillery was camped
on the south side of Church Street, between the Terrace and
Franklin Street, with a very good set of men. The rioters’
camp was on the south side of Court Street on the Terrace and
the site of the present Wilkeson block. There were some
Pennsylvania troops where Delaware Street now is, south ofELIJAH D. EFNER.
47
Ferry Street, and the U. S. regular Infantry were at “ Flint
Hill” on the Granger farm. It was Smythe’s brigade.
Col. Porter determind to break up the mob at once. His
whole force was drawn up, their guns shotted, and with the
exception of two companies which he took with him, were left
ready to support him if necessary, or defend the camp. When
he reached a point a little south of South Division Street, he
halted one company with two pieces of artillery, ready for
action, and with the other company marched directly towards
the mob, his men being armed with a sword and a brace of
pistols each. Porter entered the building at the head of one
file, and the other two went to the right and left, surrounding
the building. Those outside started for their camp for arms,
declaring they would be revenged upon the artillery whom they
considerably outnumbered. All was anxiety, and fears were
entertained as to the result, but little resistance was made in the
tavern. A few billets of wood and bayonets were used, but
the hands that used them fell with them and the riot was over
there. We feared however that they would fall upon the artil-
lery,* and overpower them, when we beheld the Flint Hill men
in heavy columns advancing upon the rioters’ camp, and all
was safe. They were surrounded and made prisoners and the
choice given them, either to be dismissed from the service, and
sent home, or march directly to Scajaquada Creek, not to visit
Buffalo again, and to hold themselves ready to march into
Canada at a moment’s notice. They chose the latter, and after-
wards proved themselves among the best troops we had.
In May, 1813, after Dearborn’s Army returned from taking
Little York, they encamped on the lake shore, about three
miles below Fort Niagara, on the farm of Mr. E. Doty, from
which place it was known a descent was to be made on Fort
George and Newark, now Niagara. I went down to see the
sport, and had the pleasure of witnessing the whole affair from
the top of the mess house of Fort Niagara, where we had a
battery which was constantly engaged with the enemy’s batteries.
It was the most beautiful sight I ever saw. The morning
was clear and bright, with a light wind off shore, scarcely mak-
ing a ripple on the water. Our fleet moved slowly up, going no48
THE AD VENTURES OF
faster than the row-boats, which were between them and the
shore, and contained our infantry. All passed the Niagara
River except the Growler, which anchored near Fort Niagara,
and kept up a constant fire from that point. Our forces landed
about half a mile above the mouth of the river under cover of
the guns of the shipping. The first brigade was in the van,
under General Scott. As the boats neared the shore, a rapid
fire was opened upon them by the enemy who till then had lain
concealed. The first attempt of our men to reach the top of
the bank was repulsed, but before the second brigade had landed,
the first re-formed,and with the inspiring air of “ Yankee Doodle, ”
they charged up again, and held their ground until the enemy
retreated before them. The enemy had previously been driven
out of Fort George, by shot and shell from our batteries; and
all the buildings in the fort had been fired early in the morning.
My partner, Thomas Shearer, and myself crossed over the
same day and rented a building of Mr. Wagstaff, and imme-
diately had all the business we could do. We remained there
until the ist of October, when I returned to Buffalo, and on the
evening of my arrival, entered into partnership with Mr. James
Sweeney, who came to Buffalo in June, 1813. (Mr. Shearer pre-
ferring to follow the Army down the St. Lawrence.) This
copartnership continued seven years. We then occupied a room
in the second story of Joshua Gillett’s store, corner of Main
Street and the Terrace. There was a Citizens’ Company here,
to which all not otherwise in the service belonged; it had no
regular organization, and consisted of such only, as from time
to time assembled when the alarm gun was fired. Mr. Sweeney
and myself never failed to go directly to the rendezvous, the
Square now occupied by St. Paul’s Church. Our first business
on assembling was to elect officers from such as were present.
On the night of December 29th when the British troops
crossed over to burn Buffalo, Joseph Bull was chosen captain,
and we marched to Black Rock, only to see our troops retire in
the most disgraceful rout and disorder. Those belonging East
retired in that direction, while those who belonged West, scam-
pered up the beach, and no power could stop them. We re-
mained until there was no hope of checking the enemy and then
retired on Niagara Street to Buffalo.ELIJAH D. EFNER.
49
Johnson, a Kentuckian, one of Commodore Perry’s gunners,
had gone to the beach for a gun. I followed down and met the
party near where the Canal crosses Commercial Street, and
assisted them in bringing up the piece, which was mounted on a
truck carriage, such as were then used on the decks of vessels.
We got it in position on Main Street, opposite Niagara, and
commenced firing, when the enemy arrived opposite the old
tannery, but after the third shot it became unfit for use. Just
at that moment Mr. Seth Grosvenor came to me bearing a white
flag, saying he had be.en quite on the hill, and remembering
that I was a paroled prisoner, and seeing me at the gun, came
back to save me. The British troops were then formed in the
graveyard on Franklin Square, and Col. Chapin was mounted
and ready to go to them with a flag of truce, to make the best
terms he could for the surrender of the place, and he also ad-
vised me to leave at once. At that time there were but seven-
teen persons remaining in sight and about the gun. Of these I can
now remember only the following :	Col. Chapin, Robert Kane,
James Sweeney, Lyman Worden, Seth Grosvenor, Samuel
Parker, Elisha Foster, George Stow, Jason Tigner, Timothy
McCuen, Joseph Hoyt, Mr. Hull, myself and the sailor Johnson
before alluded to as a Kentuckian ; and Groesbeck, who was
wounded in the face at Black Rock that morning. I left directly,
going West, and to show that I did not leave any too soon I will
state a person who joined us near the Terrace, was shot going
down the hill, at the end of the Terrace. He was a blacksmith
and I think his name was Springsted or something like it.
We returned to Buffalo on the afternoon of the 2d of Janu-
ary, 1814, and remained until evening, visiting Reese’s black-
smith shop where had already been collected 13 bodies of our
slain; and on finding that Mrs. St. John, who occupied the only
remaining house, could not lodge us, we went to Williamsville
that night, and in the morning walked over to Mrs. Vande-
venter’s, about eight miles. Here we found Mrs. LeCouteulx
with two sleighs loaded with furniture and accepted her invita-
tion to ride to Batavia, where she found her husband, who had
left Buffalo before her. From Batavia we went to Utica, thence
to Sackett’s Harbor, and after visiting Albany returned again to
Buffalo, arriving here about the 1st of June, 1814.50
THE AD VENTURES OF
Abraham Larzelere, who lived at Newark, U. C., when our
army took possession of that place but who was a native of New
Jersey, moved to Buffalo early in the Spring of 1814, and built
the house next south of where Dr. Shelton lives on the west side
of Pearl Street;* and Sweeney & Efner occupied the half story
above him. That building still remains, as does the old
“ Forbes” house, southwest corner of Pearl and Swan Streetsf
which we purchased in January, 1815, and moved into. Having
soon after sold it, we bought the lot on Main Street, where
Barnum’s variety store now is, and as a little matter of history,
I would mention that in front of this lot in 1814 I witnessed the
execution of a Canadian Indian by Seneca Indians, they having
condemned him as a spy, upon very trifling evidence. All our
efforts to save the poof fellow were in vain, and after having
shot him through the heart with a rifle ball, they lashed the body
to a pole and bore it away on their shoulders for burial.
Our army crossed into Canada on the 3d day of July,
1814. Scott’s Brigade crossed in boats from near the ground
below where the stables of the Niagara Street Railway Company
now are; the second brigade, commanded by Gen. Bissell, went
a few miles above Fort Erie in vessels, and landed there. As
lookers-on Sweeney and myself went over with the first brigade.
(I had been exchanged the previous May.) The fort was im-
mediately invested, and surrendered after firing but three cannon
shots down the road we were moving up. Leaving a sufficient
guard in the fort, the army returned to the river, opposite the
ferry, and encamped for the night, and Sweeney and myself re-
turned in the boats which brought over the prisoners. On the
glorious 4th the army moved down the river and fired a National
salute at the enemy at Black Creek, and on the 5th the great
battle of Chippewa was fought and won in true military style
over the veterans of the Peninsular War in Spain. Our army
then crossed Chippewa Creek and moved down to Fort George
and invested it; the enemy at that time held both sides of the
river, at its mouth, Fort Niagara having been taken by Major
Murray in December, 1813, and not yet retaken. Soon after
* Site of the new St. Paul’s Guild house,
f Now the site of Dun’s xo-story office building.ELIJAH D. EFNER.
51
the investment of Fort George the enemy began to collect forces
at Burlington Heights at the head of Lake Ontario, to raise the
siege, and if possible to cut off o.ur retreat. As soon as it was
known that a large force was approaching from that direction,
our army retired towards their garrison at Fort Erie.
While preparing to cross Chippewa Creek, intelligence was
brought that the enemy were in force at Lundy’s Lane. Gen-
eral Brown, who was Commander-in-Chief, ordered General
Scott to return with his command and reconnoiter. Scott sent
word back that the enemy were in force, and immediately gave
battle, holding his position in the open field until his supports
arrived. This was the hardest-fought battle during the war.
Our army remained masters of the field, but as we retired the
next day across the Chippewa, the enemy claimed a victory.
We certainly took the most prisoners, and among them General
Riall. It was in this battle that General Miller replied to the
question whether he could take the battery which was so destruc-
tive to our ranks, saying, “I will try, sir.” This was on July
25th and our army arrived at Fort Erie about the 1st of Au-
gust, and by the 5th the enemy had invested the place on the land
side, the communication by water to Buffalo being open during
the whole siege. A few days after the investment, the enemy
crossed over, about 1300 men, and landed them below Scaja-
quada’s Creek, intending another raid upon Buffalo, but Major
Forsyth held the southern bank of that stream with 250 riflemen
who had taken up the plank from the bridge, and so disposed of
some logs and timber as to afford protection against musketry.
Every attempt to cross on the stringpieces was repulsed with
heavy loss. The enemy then filed into the woods intending to
continue up the stream to a ford, but the riflemen kept opposite
them, sheltering themselves behind trees, and making sure of
their man at every fire, until the enemy finally retraced their
steps, and returned to Fort Erie.
On the dark night of August 25th, General Drummond made
a desperate attempt to storm Fort Erie. Our infantry lay
along a line of breastworks, extending from the Fort to Towson’s
battery, along the angle from his battery into the river, and also
along the angle from the northeast bastion of the Fort into52
THE AD VENTURES OF
about four feet of water at each termination, our artillery being
in Towson’s battery and in Fort Erie. The enemy exceeded us
largely in numbers, and battled manfully for the prize, but did
not get into our works, except at the northeasterly bastion of
Fort Erie, which was taken by a storming party, closely followed
by a heavy column of infantry supports. At the moment when
the enemy were pouring in, and around it, either by accident or
design, the bastion blew up. Lieut. McDonough, its brave
defender, perished in it.
This terminated the contest; such of the enemy as were able
to retire, did so leaving behind them their dead and wounded.
Mr. Sweeney and myself assisted in bringing the wounded from
the landing to the hospital, and the faces of the poor fellows were
so fearfully disfigured, that the sight of them was sickening.
From Towson’s battery there was a continuous sheet of fire, and
every attempt to storm it was repulsed. The Dewateville Corps
endeavored to flank it, by turning the angle, by wading around
the end, around the angle wall, which extended into the river;
this however had been provided against, by placing a sufficient
guard there to receive and disarm them as fast as they came
around. This was done in the most quiet manner, except as to
such as either attempted to return or make fight, who were shot
down, to float away by the strong current there.
The siege was continued until the 17th of September, 1814,
when that brilliant and memorable sortie was made which
relieved us from the presence of the enemy in this vicinity dur-
ing the remainder of the war. General Peter B. Porter had
been for a few days collecting volunteers here, for the purpose
of raising the siege; these could not be compelled against their
wishes, to go beyond our frontier, and resort was therefore had
to calling for volunteers from them to cross over. They were
accordingly formed on Niagara Street, with their left bent round
on Main Street, and General Porter, leading the music, passed
along their front, calling for volunteers. The march was down
Main and Erie streets to Pearl, and up Pearl to Niagara again.
The first time around he appeared to have got somewhat more
than half. One company, that of Captain Richardson of
Cayuga County, all volunteered the first time around. EveryELIJAH D. EFNER.
53
time they passed around, the volunteers would cheer, and jeer
their comrades who were left, and this continued until nearly all
of them had been brought in. Thomas C. Love was among
the number (from Genesee County I believe), and after the war
became an honored citizen of Buffalo. I well remember that
this volunteering took place during the most tremendous rain-
storm I ever witnessed. General Porter was completely drenched,
but would seek no shelter until his work was finished. The
volunteers were then marched to the boats prepared for them,
and taken over to the fort.
The sortie as before stated was on the 17th and the column
led by General Porter consisted of volunteers and a few Indians
who made a circuit so as to strike the right flank of the enemy,
cutting out the underbrush as they advanced; and the regulars,
commanded by General Miller, took a position in the ravine,
between the fort and the enemy’s batteries, and were to move
upon them directly upon the commencement of firing being
heard from Porter’s party. The charge was promptly made
and beautifully executed; the guns (24-pounders) were spiked,
the trunnions knocked off with sledge-hammers, taken with them
for that purpose, and the gun-carriages broken up. The enemy
began to retire the next day towards Burlington Heights, and
continued until we were left in undisputed possession of the
place. The enemy held Fort Niagara until the close of the war.
In 1836 I went over the ground with General Miller, who
related a circumstance to which he attributed much of the spirit
of impulse and daring evinced by his men on that occasion.
He said that after his men had all arrived in the ravine, and just
as he was about to join them, a dispatch boat from Buffalo
brought him a handbill giving the first news of the victory over
the British fleet at Plattsburg, which he read to his men, and the
instant he finished the reading, the firing commenced by Gen.
Porter’s column, when his men rose up, and with cheers and
shouts rushed upon the batteries and carried them.
The copartnership of Sweeney and Efner continued until
1820, when Mr. Sweeney moved to the corner of Main and
Erie streets, doing a successful business until the loss of his
sight, when he purchased the land at the confluence of Niagara54	THE AD VENTURES OF ELIJAH D. EFNER.
River and Tonawanda Creek, a part of which he laid out into
village lots, and resided there until his death, on January 13,
1850, mourned by numerous friends, and by the poor to whose
wants he never turned a deaf ear.