redcoat - Old Fort Niagara

There’s a Redcoat in my Backyard!
There’s a
REDCOAT
in my BACKYARD!
The word “redcoat” is an historical term that refers to soldiers in the British Army. The word comes from the red uniforms
worn by most British soldiers. If you lived along the Niagara River
during the American Revolution (1775-1783) you would have seen
redcoats stationed at Fort Niagara, Fort Schlösser and Fort Erie.
One of their jobs was to protect the Niagara Portage, or carrying
place. This important road connected the lower Niagara River
with the Niagara River above the Falls. At the portage, cargo had
to be unloaded from boats and carried up or down the steep Niagara
Escarpment.
Jasper Parrish
10
Mil
ile C
12
Fort
Niagara
4M
ree
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eC
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ree
Mil
Redcoats were
not the only people who
lived and traveled along
the Niagara. Because the
Niagara portage ultiNiagara
mately connected the upFalls
per Great Lakes with the
Atlantic Ocean, Niagara
was a busy place and the
forts along the river were
not just army outposts, The Niagara Frontier
they were small military
during the
communities. Other peo- American Revolution
ple who inhabited this
1775-1783
area included:
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The story of Fort Niagara
told through the eyes of a boy named
Mil
eC
ree
k
ree
k
The portage, or carrying place, was the road that connected the lower Niagara River with the Niagara River above
the Falls. At the portage, cargo had to be unloaded from boats and
carried up or down the
steep Niagara EscarpLake Ontario
ment.
Lower Landing
Fort
Schlosser
Grand
Island
Fort
Erie
Lake Erie
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Fur traders making their way to the upper Great Lakes
passed by Fort Niagara. These men traded goods made in Europe for
animal furs harvested by the Native Americans.
Fort Niagara lies in the territory of the Seneca, The Keepers of the Western Door for the Haudenosaunee. The Haudenosaunee or Six Nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga,
Seneca and Tuscarora) lived in what is now New York State and parts
of Pennsylvania. Natives came to Fort Niagara for supplies and to
trade with British officials. By the American Revolution, the trade relationship between Native and Europeans had become an economic
necessity.
Women and children also lived at Fort
Niagara. A few army wives were allowed to follow
their husbands and worked as nurses and laundresses.
It took many different skills
to support a military community far from other
settlements. Carpenters and masons were needed to keep buildings and fortifications in repair.
Blacksmiths made and repaired iron objects and
coopers repaired barrels needed to ship just about
anything. Because travel was mostly by water,
many men built and repaired boats and sailing
vessels.
The Haudenosaunee wanted to stay out of the war, because many of the Haudenosaunee saw the conflict as a disagreement
between a father ( the King) and a son (the colonies). By 1777 most
Haunedosaunee had decided to fight on the British side. There were
serious concerns about American settlers moving into Haudenosaunee territory in violation of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The
Haudenosaunee came to Fort Niagara for guns, ammunition and
other supplies that they needed to attack the frontier settlers in eastern New York and Pennsylvania. When American forces struck back
during the Sullivan campaign of 1779, many Iroquois were forced
from their homes and became refugees at Fort Niagara.
During Native frontier raids, many settlers were taken prisoner and brought back to Fort Niagara. Here they were sometimes
ransomed and put to work maintaining the Fort. One prisoner was a
boy named Jasper Parrish, who was captured in July 1778 near his
home in what is now northeast Pennsylvania. After about a year in
captivity, he was brought to Fort Niagara where he met many of the
people you will encounter during your visit to the Fort.
Meet the Members of the Community!
When the American Revolution broke out in 1775, many
things changed. Instead of protecting the frontier, British soldiers at Fort Niagara worried about attacks from their American neighbors.
People who did not want independence from Britain left their homes
and came to Fort Niagara to seek protection from the Crown. They
were known as Loyalists because they were loyal to the King.
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3
ario
Lake Ont
Map of FORT NIAGARA
around the time of JASPER
PARRISH, 1780.
1
1
2
Traders/Merchants
7
5
Indian Department
Buildings
Niagara
River
Ranger Barracks,
and Loyalist settlements
across the River
4
Read the description below and find
its number on the map!
2 3
The Bottoms
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Let’s see where some of the people you
are about to learn about lived and
worked!
Fort
Niagara
1
4
This map is based off one drawn by
Lieutenant Charles Terrot in 1780 and
shows us what Fort Niagara really looked
like at the time Jasper Parrish was here.
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1. Soldier’s Barracks, where soldier’ lived.
2. Powder Magazine & Storehouse,
where artillerists worked.
3. Provisions Storehouse where artificers
like the cooper worked.
4. The Bottoms, many women likely did
laundry down near the water.
5. Native Dwellings, important Natives
lived in the Bottoms, refugees lived outside the
Fort.
6. Ranger Barracks, and other loyalists
were across the River.
7. Indian Department Buildings, one
of which was likely Captain David Hill’s
cabin where Jasper Parrish lived.
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British
The 8th Regiment
When you visit Old Fort Niagara, you will recognize
men of the 8th Regiment by their red coats. Look for what other clues reveal the identity of this regiment.
Most of the soldiers at Fort Niagara were members of the 8th Regiment of
Foot, also known as the King’s Regiment.
Soldiers in the regiment were recruited in
Britain and sent to America in 1768. Less
than a decade earlier, the British had captured Canada from the French and British
soldiers were now needed to guard the
Empire’s newly acquired possessions.
Many British soldiers were men of
good character who had been put out of
work by changes in Britain’s economy. They
were well trained, disciplined soldiers and spent most of their days
working, guarding and practicing the manual of arms. Some of the
soldiers’ duties were to maintain their arms (muskets and bayonets)
and their uniforms. In 1776 A British officer wroteIt should be insisted on, that a soldier at all times keeps his arms in
such a state of perfection, as never to be ashamed to shew them....
not only clean and bright, but highly polished....habituating soldiers
to such remarkable neatness, about every part of their appointments,
not only gives employment for many of those idle hours they otherwise
must have (a circumstance in itself alone quite worthy of consideration) but beyond all doubt, encourages in them a kind of liking for
those arms, etc. which they are taught to take care of.
Color this picture
of a British soldier.
Take a look at the
photo to the left to
see what colors to
use!
Bennett Cuthbertson, Cuthbertson’s System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry, (1776), 91-92. Accessed
February 29, 2016. https://books.google.com.
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Artillery
Artillerists man the cannons at Fort Niagara. When you
visit the Fort, you will notice that artillerists wear a different
kind of uniform from the redcoats. Artillery coats are blue, with
red lapels, collar and cuffs. This is because the artillery is a
different branch of the service from the infantry.
Fort Niagara was the best
defended of all British posts on the
Great Lakes. In addition to thick walls
and buildings, the fort’s defenses
depended on many pieces of artillery.
Throughout most of the American
Revolution, the fort possessed about
35 to 40 pieces of artillery.
Highly skilled workers were
required to man these cannons. Artillerists were trained in math, laboratory work (making up artillery rounds),
maintenance of guns and their wooden carriages, as well as the process of firing a gun. Artillerists also
had to work with various kinds of shot for use
against infantry, fortifications or even ships.
With all its artillery, Fort Niagara had
only 10-13 trained artillerists. This number was
typical of most forts. Because of their small
numbers, artillerists had to train other soldiers
from the garrison to assist with handling the guns. The corps of artillery, with all its dependencies, is, as it were, the general
instrment of the army, and without it nothing can be done.
Charles James, A New and Enlarged Military Dictionary, (London, 1805). Accessed March 20, 2016. https://books.google.com.
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Artificers
When you visit Old Fort Niagara, you will meet artificers
at work. Each uses simple machines to make their tasks easier.
Think of ways you could help each artificer complete his work.
An artificer is a skilled craftsman in
the armed forces. Fort Niagara required many
such men to keep the Fort in good repair and the
soldiers supplied with good equipment. At Fort
Niagara you will meet several artificers including
a carpenter, a cooper (barrel maker) and a blacksmith. Artificers were usually soldiers who had
a particular skill. They were paid extra wages to
perform a variety of tasks around the Fort.
Carpenters built new structures and repaired existing ones
as the war enlarged the size of the Fort’s garrison. They often served
the Navy by helping to build and repair sailing vessels and boats
called batteaux. They also helped to build and repair wooden cannon
carriages that helped defend the garrison.
Coopers were very important because they made and
repaired barrels that were used to ship necessary supplies. Fort Niagara served as a supply depot for all British forts in the Great Lakes
region. Barrels of pork, flour and peas were sometimes leaking after
their long journey and needed repair before they traveled to their next
destination. Coopers also made barrels for exports of vegetables,
peaches and cherries.
Blacksmiths were responsible for making and repairing iron
items. The garrison blacksmiths did musket repairs, made hardware
for cannon carriages and metal parts for naval vessels. There was also
a blacksmith hired by the Indian Department (an agency that tried to
maintain good relations between the British government and Natives). The blacksmith made repairs to firearms and tools for Natives
to help maintain their loyalty to the Crown.
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Distaff
When you visit Old Fort Niagara think about what life
was like before indoor plumbing and running water.
Although the term distaff can
mean a part of a spinning wheel, in an 18th
century military setting, it usually refers to
women. While there were many more men
than women at Fort Niagara, soldiers’ wives
nonetheless played an important role in the
support system of the garrison.
When enlisted in the army,
British soldiers were not encouraged to marry. However, if a soldier was married, it was
common practice for a few soldiers’ wives
(usually no more than five or six) to follow each company of men
when they were sent to foreign shores.
At Fort Niagara, women had three primary
duties. First, we know from a 1783 census that there
were at least ten women serving with the 8th Regiment and twelve women with the 34th Regiment
working as laundresses. In addition, a Mrs. Scott of
the 8th Regiment served as a nurse in the hospital.
Finally, Mrs. Robertson of the 8th Regiment served
as a school mistress, which indicates the presence
of children in the garrison as well. For their service,
women were paid by the men for doing laundry.
They also received partial rations of food along with the men of their
company.
If a woman is known to be industrious and able to earn her bread;
if these circumstances appear favorable, it will be right to give him
[a soldier] leave, as honest, laborious Women are rather useful in a
Company.
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Bennett Cuthbertson, A System for the Complete Interior Management and
Oeconomy of a Battalon of Infantry, (1776),157. Accessed February 15,
2016. https://books.google.com.
Native Americans
Natives at Old Fort Niagara will discuss the role of the
Haudenosaunee during and after the American Revolution.
When you visit the fort, talk with the Natives and find out why
they have come to Fort Niagara.
Initially, the Iroquois Confederacy chose to
remain neutral and not to take part in the
American Revolution.
The Proclamation Line of 1763 was
to keep the colonists from moving onto
Haudenosaunee lands but the British were unable to stop their colonists from crossing the
line and taking Haudenosaunee land. By the
outbreak of the American Revolutionary War,
colonists had been moving onto Haudenosaunee lands illegally for almost twenty years.
Both British and American forces
tried to persuade the warriors to join their side since the Haudenosaunee were considered valuable allies. Eventually, the British and
Americans both enticed a number of young Haudenosaunee men to
join their cause. Since the decision to go to war was not in consensus, participation was an intergenerational disagreement in Iroquois
society.
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The Iroquois warriors who chose the British side used this
as an opportunity to address long standing resentment against the
colonists, some of whom had illegally taken Iroquois land since the
1763 Proclamation. George Washington sent an army, led by Generals Sullivan and Clinton, on a campaign through Iroquoia in 1779 in
response to frontier raids by British-allied warriors. The Sullivan-Clinton Campaign destroyed over 40 towns and forced entire communities to flee. The British had promised to support their Haudenosaunee allies during the war but were unable to supply enough soldiers
to turn back the Sullivan-Clinton campaign.
Thousands of Iroquois men, women, and children became
refugees. Three to five thousand Iroquois sought refuge at Fort Niagara during one of the worst winters in recent memory.
The following spring of 1780, Iroquois war parties went back
on the offensive and carried the British war efforts through Iroquoia.
These war parties drove the colonists back close to Albany and continued the family conflict among their own people. As a result, the
frontier was then pushed further east than it had been the previous
year.
Some Natives at Fort Niagara were not British allies. In
February 1780, four Iroquois Chiefs (Oneidas and Mohawks), all
American supporters, went to Fort Niagara on a peace mission. They
were imprisoned in the Fort’s “black hole,” where one Mohawk chief,
73-year old Little Abraham, died in prison.
It is true that all the Indian Nations have nothing to do with
your father’s children’s quarrel. Therefore your opinion is agreeable with ours, and we shall stand neutral and keep hands down
for peace.
Red Jacket, 1776. Quoted in Jeanne Winston Adler, Chainbreaker’s
War, (Black Dome Press: Delmar, NY, 2002), p. 46.
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American Colonists
Loyalists
When visiting Old Fort Niagara, you will meet a Loyalist who will try to recruit you for duty on the frontier. This will
mean attacking former friends and neighbors who are rebelling
against the King.
Loyalists were Americans who
opposed independence and wanted to
remain loyal to King George III. Under
political pressure, many loyalists left their
homes and fled to areas controlled by British troops. Fort Niagara was one such destination and many Loyalists from the New
York and Pennsylvania frontiers arrived at
the Fort with little more than the clothes on
their backs.
From Fort Niagara, Loyalists could move down to Montreal
where more food was available, or they could
join a regiment of loyalists that would go on
raids with Native warriors against American
settlements in New York and Pennsylvania.
This regiment of Loyalists was known as
Butler’s Rangers, named after its founder, Major John Butler. Loyalists who did not join the rangers could settle on the western bank
of the Niagara River to farm and help grow food for the Niagara
community.
Color this picture of a Loyalist family.
Take a look at the photo to the left to
see what colors to use!
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American Prisoners
When you visit Old Fort Niagara, you will meet an
American prisoner. Even though he is a prisoner of the British,
listen for clues that he is still a supporter of American independence.
Raids based out of Fort Niagara were very effective
against poorly defended frontier settlements. Raids were designed to
destroy or remove food supplies needed by American troops. They
also forced American commanders like General George Washington
to detach soldiers from his army to guard the frontier. One such raid,
in November 1778, was launched from Fort Niagara against Cherry
Valley, a settlement in eastern New York.
Cherry Valley was occupied by Colo. Alden’s Regt. and was, therefore, esteemed to be most secure’ but even here the Enemy have proved too strong
for us. This is the 7th valuable settlement in the state which this season
has been destroyed...The Public have losst by the Destruction of these settlements some of the principal Granaries in this State from whence alone
the army might have drawn supplies.
Papers of George Clinton, Governor George Clinton to John Jay, November 17, 1778, 4:289-90.
Those who were captured during these attacks were sometimes brought back to Fort Niagara and sold to the garrison. They
were often offered a job to earn their keep at the Fort. Such was the
case with James Flack, who was captured in what is now the State of
Kentucky in 1780. As an Irish-American, Flack had little liking for
the British and he refused to work.
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Jasper Parrish had a much different experience as a captive.
For those who were taken captive, the first few days could be quite
difficult. Over time, however, the treatment prisoners received from
their Native captors was generally quite kind. Sometimes captives
wanted to remain within the Native community even after being
released. At Niagara I was offered four shillings Sterling a day to assist in
making gun carriages. This I refused and was again imprisoned for
what they called my obstinacy.
Pension Application of James Flack, National Archives and Records
Administration #S5407.
The Jasper Parrish Story
Eleven-year-old Jasper Parrish was captured by a
Munsee raiding party on July 5, 1778. Jasper and
his father were traveling to Lackawaxen on the
upper Delaware River to try to warn settlers of
Native attacks. They were taken to Cookhouse
(present Deposit, NY) where they remained for
several months. At Cookhouse, Jasper’s father
was taken from him and sent to Fort Niagara. In
October, Jasper’s captors took him to Chemung.
Here he was sold to a family of Delawares who
moved to the Tioga River. During the winter of
1778/79 Jasper and his Delaware family suffered
from shortages of food. He ate the same food as his Native captors:
venison, wolf, dog, fox, muskrat and some wild fowl. With warmer
weather Jasper accompanied his Native family hunting, fishing and
gathering nuts. He learned the Delaware language.
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With the approach of General Sullivan’s army in August
1779, Native warriors, Butlers Rangers and a few men from the British 8th Regiment of Foot tried to stop the Americans at Newtown
(near Elmira, NY). Jasper was sent to Painted Post, NY, along with
the women and baggage. The Americans won the battle of Newtown and forced the Iroquois and their British allies to retreat. Many,
including Jasper, fled to Fort Niagara.
That fall, Jasper lived outside Fort Niagara with the Delaware.
After about six weeks, his captor took him inside the Fort to sell him,
but no one was buying. Finally, a “large, fine, portly looking Mohawk
Indian by the name of Captain David Hill” bought him for $20. Hill
lived in a log house below the Fort. (By the late 18th Century, the
transition from extended family longhouses to the single-family log
house was nearly complete.) Hill took Jasper home and treated him
with kindness during the five years they lived together and formally
adopted Jasper into his family in 1780, during a council held at Fort
Niagara. Jasper picked up the Mohawk language as he remained with
the Hill family until November of 1784, at which point he returned
home to see his family.
Having been exposed to several indigenous languages, Jasper continued to work as a translator for the Haudenosaunee and
the United States government and was involved with the Pickering
(Canandaigua) Treaty of 1794. This Treaty established peace and
friendship between the United States and the Haudenosaunee and
affirmed the land rights of the Haudenosaunee in New York State.
You can also watch an exciting reenactment of this brave young
boy’s story at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb3MZ5peSF4&feature=youtu.be
...Jasper Parrish and Horatio Jones. We adopted them into our families, and made them our children. We loved the[m], and nourished
them. They lived with us many years. The path of peace was opened,
and the chain of friendship was once more made bright. Then these,
our adopted children, left us to seek their relations; we wished them to
remain among us, and promised if they would return and live in our
country, to give each of them a seat of land for them and their children
to sit down upon. They have returned and have, for several years past,
been serviceable to us as interpreters. We still feel our hearts beat with
affection for them.
Farmer’s Brother, 1798. The Speech of Farmer’s Brother, N. Coverly, Jr.
printer, Milk-Street, Boston, 1810.
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Are You Ready to Visit Old Fort Niagara?
Be a Spy for General Washington!
When you come to Old Fort Niagara it is likely that you
will be asked to deliver a secret message. That message will be written
using the pigpen cypher.
AB CD EF
GH IJ
KL
Ciphering is a way of writing a
message by using a secret code. It is written so that messages can be passed along
without falling into enemy hands. The Pig
Pen cipher (sometimes called the Masonic
cipher) is one of many different types of
encoding that was used by General Washington and his spies during the American
Revolution. In order to encode your message you begin by creating a cipher key like
the one on the right. Each letter will now
be represented by the shape of the “pig
pen” that it is found in. If there is a dot in the shape, that means that
the second letter in the key is the intended letter.
MN OP QR
ST
WX
UV
YZ
Here is an example.
s e c
r e
t
a g e n t
Now let’s give it a try.
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Directions: Read this short informational text on patriots and loyalists. Then, take the quiz to see if you are ready to enter through the
Gate of Five Nations to explore Old Fort Niagara!
American Revolution:
Patriots & Loyalists
The Revolutionary War split the people of the American colonies
into three groups: the loyalists, patriots and those who chose to remain
neutral.
What was a patriot?
Patriots were people who wanted the American colonies to gain
their independence from Britain.
Why did people become patriots?
People in the Americas felt they weren’t being treated fairly by the
British. They were being taxed without any say or representation in the
British government. Many patriots believed the British government had too
much control over their lives. Soon cries for “liberty” were being heard
throughout the colonies. The patriots wanted freedom from British rule.
Famous Patriots
There were many famous patriots. Some of them became presidents like Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence
and John Adams. Perhaps the most famous patriot at the time was George
Washington. He led the Continental Army and later became the first
President of the United States. Other famous patriots included Paul Revere,
Samuel Adams, Ethan Allen, Patrick Henry, and Ben Franklin. These people
are often called the Founding Fathers of the United States.
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What was a loyalist?
Not everyone who lived in the American colonies wanted to break
away from the British. There were many people who wanted to stay part of
Britain and remain British citizens. These people were called loyalists.
Why did some people remain loyal?
Many loyalists did not want to divide the British Empire. They
realized the British government wasn’t perfect, and wanted to fix it rather
than going to war. Many people who were neutral became loyalists due to
the poor treatment they received from patriots.
Famous Loyalists
Since the loyalists lost the war, there aren’t as many famous loyalists as there are patriots. Benedict Arnold was a general in the Continental
Army who went to fight for the British. Another famous loyalist was Joseph
Galloway. He was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress but
later worked for the British army. Other famous loyalists include Thomas
Hutchinson (governor of Massachusetts colony), Andrew Allen, John Butler (leader of the loyalist Butler’s Rangers), and David Mathews (mayor of
New York City).
What happened to loyalists during the war?
Life for the loyalists became increasingly difficult during the war.
Loyalists who lived in areas controlled by the patriots were in constant danger from radical patriots. Many of them lost their homes and businesses.
Many Loyalists left the country and went back to Britain. Others
decided to help the British fight the patriots. They joined Loyalist army
units, such as the King’s Royal Regiment of New York and Butler’s Rangers
which was formed at Fort Niagara.
What happened to the loyalists after the war?
Many loyalists moved to England or Canada after the war ended. A
lot of them lost their fortunes and land that they had built up over the years
in the Americas. In some cases the British government paid them for their
loyalty, but it was usually not nearly as much as they had lost. The United
States government wanted the loyalists to stay. They felt the new country
could use their skills and education. However, very few stayed.
Interesting Facts About Patriots and Loyalists
•Other names for patriots included Sons of Liberty and Rebels.
•Other names for loyalists included Tories and Royalists.
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•Many loyalists lived in New York City.
•Not everyone picked a side. Many people tried to remain neutral so they
could avoid conflict and the war.
•Patriot towns created groups of men called “committees of safety”. Patriots would swear an oath to these men in order to get a pass to travel freely through patriot controlled land.
Proceed to quiz…These are all text based questions. Be sure to go
back and check the passage for the correct answer!
Patriots and Loyalists Quiz
________________________________________
1) What was a patriot during the Revolutionary War?
A) A person who liked to ride horses into battle
B) A volunteer soldier who was ready to fight at a short notice
C) A person who wanted independence from Great Britain
D) A person who wanted the colonies to remain a part of the country of Great Britain
2) What was the main reason that the colonies wanted their independence
from Britain?
A) They were being taxed by Britain without representation
B) They did not want to drink English tea any more
C) They liked the French better
D) They thought it would be fun to make their own country
3) Who of the following people was NOT a famous patriot?
A) George Washington
B)
John Adams
C) Samuel Adams
D) King George III
4) What was another name for Loyalist?
A) Tory
B) Royalist
C) All of the above
D) None of the above
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5) What was a loyalist during the Revolutionary War?
A) A person who remained loyal to the Continental Con
gress even when the war was going poorly
B) A member of the Sons of Liberty
C) A person living in the American colonies who wanted to stay a part of Great Britain
D) Any colonial who lived south of the colony of
Pennsylvania
6) What famous loyalist was a general in the Continental army before he
became a traitor and went over to the British?
A) George Washington
B) Benedict Arnold
C) John Adams
D) William Howe
7) True or False: Life for the loyalists was easy during the Revolutionary
War.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
8) What was another name for the patriots?
A) Tories
B) Loyalists
C) Federalists
D) Whigs
9) What American city had a very large Loyalist population?
A) Boston
B) Philadelphia
C) Albany
D) New York City
10) True or False: Most of the loyalists stayed in the United States after the
Revolutionary War had ended.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
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Old Fort Niagara wishes to thank the following
contributors to this project:
The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area
for funding this project
Teachers from the Tuscarora School:
Joanne Weinholtz
Vince Schiffert
Teachers from Lewiston Porter School District:
Joy Khatib
Susan Black
Kathleen Lombardo
Photography and Creation of the Accompanying Youtube Video:
Lee Guigino
2016
Old Fort Niagara Association