"Murray's
Raid"
in the Village of Champlain
August
3, 1813
The next time Champlain
saw major conflict was in August of 1813.
British commander Colonel John Murray, who was
previously stationed at a garrison in St. John's,
Québec, was given an order which included “the
destruction of public buildings, military stores, and
vessels…” He set out from Isle-aux-Noix and was
to sail to Alburg, Swanton, Burlington and
Plattsburgh. Two of the ships that he used were
the former Eagle and Growler that were captured on
June 3.
On July 31, Murray and his troops
entered Plattsburgh and burned down all of the
government property the army was using including a
blockhouse, arsenal and even the hospital. That
next morning, on August 1, the raiders broke into two
groups. One group headed to Burlington and the
other group went to Point au Roche and then Chazy
Landing. While at Chazy Landing, they burned the
store of Judge Matthew Saxe. In a letter
written to Pliny Moore on August 1, Saxe warned of the
British raid and mentioned the belief that the British
would march to Champlain and burn the block houses
there. It is likely that his store had not been
burned yet since no mention of it is made in this
letter:
The British Staid on Sandy Pint
[Point]
Iselamot last nite and this morning about
Sunrise about 10 of the Boats Steered for
the
Mouth of your River, and the Remainder
went Round the Iseland
Northend. I got
up my Horse to let you know of there
comeing
but by the time they got half way a
Cross the lake a Signal Gun from those
Boats which ware going on to Missiskoui
Bay turned them all that way so that
I did not Send to you — but I this mom
ent heard that there Plan was to
Burn the Publick Property at Swanton
& Champlain both to day — I think
there
is no doubt but you will have a
Viset
from them before to morrow nite — I think
you had better Remove the Publick
Property
all from your Vilage, if not already done
and tare down the Block Houses
if they Stand so near any other Buildings
as to Communicate fire in Case they are
Burnned by the enemy —
We think we can See
the Smoke
Rise at Swanton. a Great
Smoke is to
be Seen directly east of this Place
they turned the Pint of Alburgh about
Nine oClook this morning. they
would
then have 12 Miles by water & four by
Land to Swanton
Falls the Smoke
appeard about 3. oClock P.M
Your Obedeant Servt in
hast
Matthew Sax
the officers told Mr.
Sherman last
nite that they intende to Send 300 Men
to Champlain this Morning
On August 3, while rowing back to
Swanton, Murray sent a small party of soldiers to the
Great Chazy River where they marched to
Champlain. The soldiers burned a barracks, a
storehouse and two blockhouses. The storehouse
contained hay that was stored for the military.
Finally, Murray's soldiers captured a company of
Clinton County militia who were later exchanged for
British prisoners. Pliny Moore wrote on this day
(Aug. 3) in his diary: “Block Houses burnt by
British.” Murray's campaign of
destruction ended on August 4, only seven days after
it began. His soldiers were likely in Champlain
less than a day. (In Pliny Moore’s diary, he
also wrote about another event related to Murray’s
raid: July 31: “British at Plattsburgh.”
The burning of block houses on
August 3 by the British made the residents of
Champlain realize that they were defenseless to
British raids. At the time, no troops were
stationed in Champlain. Pliny Moore wrote a
letter to General Benjamin Mooers and tried to
persuade him that troops needed to be placed in the
village. Mooers was planning to sail to
Burlington to discuss this matter with Gen.
Hampton. Mooers wrote on August 17:
Yours of the 10th & 13th
Inst. I have received the letter handed me yesterday
by the post master — I note the Contents — Yesterday
I had arranged to have left this Early this morning
for Burlington to see Genl
Hampton
the wind high & unfavourable has prevented it —
but Expect to set out as soon as wind & weather
will
admit
I hope a sufficient force will be thrown upon the
lines to prevent depredations & it is to be
hoped that none will take place on Either side upon
the peaceble inhabitants I
shall use my Exertions and power to prevent it which
I have no objections should be known on the other
side but should the Enemy make depredations on our
side the lines they must Expect retaliation will be
made on them — please to inform the
inhabitants that I shall use my best Endeavours for
the protection of their persons & property — —
The Boston newspaper, Columbian
Centinel, of August 14, 1813, had a short
article describing Murray's Raid in Plattsburgh.
Of interest, is that the article mentions Lieut.
Sidney Smith. Smith had picked up Captain Oliver
Herrick’s men in Champlain in the boats Growler and
Eagle and was captured by the British shortly
afterwards.
Of PLATTSBURG — A letter from a gentleman of candor
and intelligence, dated at Plattsburg, 3d inst. two
days after the British had left that place, gives
some additional particulars: — “The invading force
consisted of three gunboats and 47 batteaux, each
caring 30 men (regulars). They burnt the
arsenal, store-house, block-house, and commissary
store-houses (formerly occupied by Mr. Sailly for
pot-ash works), and the containment at Vredenburgh
Falls. They carried away with them property to
the amount of 7 or $8,000; all of which might and
ought to have been moved to some place of safety; a
part of the property taken had been seized by the
collector and stored in the commissary store.
Those who stayed at home found no difficulty in
preventing their houses from being plundered.
Old Mrs. SMITH moved and left her house alone, with
a principal part of her furniture — Col. MURRAY, who
commanded the expedition, called on her house, and
finding that it had been deserted, inquired whether
it was not the residence of Sidney Smith, when at
home, and on being informed that it was, placed a
centinel at the door, with instructions to protect
every thing appertaining to it from harm; and Mr.
Bleecker informs me, that every thing was found by
the family when they returned, exactly as they were
left— that no person had been in the house.” — Note,
Mr. SIDNEY SMITH, mentioned in the above extract,
commanded one of our vessels of war on Lake
Champlain, lately taken by the British, and is now a
prisoner in Canada.
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