He then made a surprising request. As his Rangers had not been given ammunition to practice marksmanship, the corps’ many new recruits made this an essential.10
At Montreal on December 3, Major Gray reported to Brigadier de Speth that the 2KRR detachment ordered for Carleton Island had been unable to leave Lachine until January 22, as they could not be provided for earlier. They had been detained at Point Clair by severe weather and left three days later and went to The Cedars that night. Gray had not heard from them since and was concerned that severe frost and snow had prevented further travel.
Four days after Gray’s report, Ross wrote to advise that the detachment had arrived at Coteau-du-Lac after an inexplicable delay and could go no farther. Haldimand’s reinforcement had come to naught and Ross hoped the battalion would be united at Carleton Island in the spring. He reported that the neck of land below Fort Haldimand had been fortified to protect both the shipping that would winter in the bay and the storehouses on the point.
Mathews notified Gray that the men enlisted by French would be ordered to accompany him to 2KRR; however, a handful had been “made over” to French by Sherwood and were presently employed in the Secret Service and would continue in that role, but be credited to the second battalion. McAlpin’s claim was quickly dismissed, “His Excellency appointed the Young Gentleman in Consideration of His Fathers Services, as a provision for him, but that He does not consider that He has the least inherent Right to the Men who Entered in that Corps while Mr McAlpin was a Child.”11
Captain William Twiss, Canada’s chief engineer, made a tour of lower Quebec’s various fortifications. Of his visit to the troublesome Prison Island off Coteau-du-Lac, he wrote, “We found the Côteau Island extremely well arranged for the accommodation, and security of Prisoners of War, and I think your Excellency will not hear of any making their Escape from thence: the buildings as they now stand have Births for 216 Men, with a separate Room for an Hospital, and another for the Surgeon’s Mate, each room has a Fire Place, and contains only 12 Men … these Buildings are commanded by a Blockhouse, and Guard House…. I judge the distance … to the Island to be about 500 yards.” (How wrong his predictions about no more escapes would prove to be.)12
William Twiss, 1745–1827. Canada’s very accomplished chief engineer. Twiss had worked at the Tower of London, the fortifications at Gibraltar, and the defences of the Portsmouth Dockyard before coming to Canada with Burgoyne in 1776.
Brigadier Gansevoort of Albany County’s first militia brigade received an alarming letter written at Sancoick on December 4 by Lieutenant-Colonel John Van Rensselaer, OC 14ACM. He, Colonel Daniel Bratt, and some other gentlemen had been taken prisoner a few days before by “tyrannical ruffians who have disavowed allegiance to the State of New York [and] say they are subjects of the State of Vermount.” The officers were “treated scandalously and abused and carried to Bennington,” where the rioters expected aid, and no doubt praise, but were received with contempt from the authorities who allowed the Yorkers to return home.
Then, Casper Rouse of Tomhannock was taken by another armed band, but was rescued by a “number of faithfull true subjects to the State of New York.” Lieutenant-Colonel Van Rensselaer had collected a small, armed force by dramatically stating his intention to uphold the state’s supporters at the expense of his life. He entreated Gansevoort to send help with the greatest possible dispatch lest a superior force try his resolve. The next day, Gansevoort ordered Colonels Henry K. Van Rensselaer and Peter Yates to march their regiments to John Van Rensselaer’s house and quell the unrest. He urged them to be “exceedingly cautious how you conduct yourself in this matter — the utmost circumspection is to be observed.” If they took any insurgents, they were to send them to Albany with the evidence against them. The possibility of serious armed conflict loomed again.13
On December 6, Heath offered Stark his sympathies for the general’s many complaints and assured him that the Highlands Department experienced the same problems and many more that the north did not. “In October the troops were ten days without bread — the last month more. We are equally naked and destitute of pay.” Although materials were being collected to make clothing for the whole army, it would be late before it could be ready and the 1st and 2nd New Hampshire’s paymasters would have to stay below to receive the materials. Also, the army would receive three months’ pay over the winter and, again Heath asked Stark to assure the New Hampshire regiments that they would receive equal justice to the main army.
The C-in-C reminded Stark that the engagement term of Willett’s Levies would expire at month’s end and that the distribution of the Continentals should be done immediately, in particular, the 2NH should be sent to the Mohawk River in good time to relieve Willett. Contrary to Clinton’s recommendation, he suggested that part of the regiment might be left at Schenectady and the rest sent to the principal posts above, in particular, to Fort Herkimer where there were stores and ordnance. Stark’s dispositions should be “modelled” to preserve public property, curb the enemy, and protect the country. As soon as these arrangements were made, he was to forward a sufficient supply of provisions to subsist the troops until transportation reopened in the spring. Finally, he ordered that all public arms that had been issued to the militia during the late alarm be recalled. Although concern was shown about Stark’s ill health, nothing was said about granting him leave to go home.14
Also this day, Governor Clinton wrote to Willett’s major, John McKinstry, to commiserate with him over the unsuccessful attempts to complete his regiment through the vehicle of unappropriated land bounties. As less than two-thirds of the full complement had been raised and legal recruiting had ceased on August 1, he had organized the men into an independent corps.15
Gansevoort wrote to advise the governor about the Sancoick insurrection and report that he had activated two of his regiments to curb the affair. The brigadier understood that the legislature had recently discussed the problems of Vermont’s meddling in this area of the state [the Western Union] and requested advice, as he did not want to commit any more of his brigade without the governor’s assent.
On December 7, Solomon Pendleton, a man with a checkered career as a 2ACM first lieutenant, sent the governor a great deal of information about Vermont. He had just returned from a trip to her “frontiers” and had found everything in great confusion. He observed that much was said and done that tended toward anything but peace. Folk living west of the twenty-mile line were now known as “Cattermounters” and those in “old” Vermont, “Vermounters.” The two were at odds and their enmity increased daily:
The Cattermounters compose a sort of an outrageous mob; and are supported only by the Gouvernor, Council, and a few hot-headed people in Vermont;