1755

Fort Johnson

Jacob Christman in the Militia

Jacob Christman is now found in the 2nd Battalion of the Militia.

Two Nicholas Christmans are born. One to Jacob; his 6th child. One to Frederick; his 4th child. Could it be that old Johannes had died and they were named after him?

0206 Nicholas Christman (b.abt.1755)
0304 Nicholas Christman (b.1755)

At Stone Arabia, the Reformed Congregation was in trouble. In May, the Coetus (predecessor of the General Synod) reported that the church of Stone Arabia was:

“a German Reformed church north of Albany ... for sometime past imposed upon and tossed about and injured by German (ministerial) tramps. It is far distant and has little strength; but it longs for the Gospel ministry ... if not helped now in this way ... it is liable to become totally scattered.”

Shortly after the Albany Congress ended, the French & Indians attacked the Dutch Village of Hoosick on the Hudson north of Albany. There was significant destruction of property and livestock and some civilians were murdered. The Albany Militia gave chase, but as usual, to no avail. Johnson ordered the militias to build their defenses and be ready.

Life became very tense and disheveled on the New York frontier.

William Johnson; Indian Superintendent & Major General

William Johnson was afraid that Washington’s defeat would help sway the Indians to the French. After expressing his concerns about the Indians needing constant attention for loyalty, England appointed Johnson “Sole Superintendent of the Affairs of the Six United Nations, their Allies and Dependents.” He was also given the military commission of Major General.

June

William Johnson held council at Fort Johnson. More than one thousand Indians from the Six Nations attended. Daniel Claus interpreted as William Johnson made a long speech condemning the French and urging the Six Nations to stand beside their English brothers; he gave them more presents; they decided to stay neutral again.

July 7 to 9

Braddock sent a flying column to attack Fort Duquesne. The French & Indians ambushed the flying column. Braddock was killed and only 462 of his 1,459 men engaged survived. It was a horrible blow to the English.

Nicholas Herkimer was a lieutenant in the Schenectady Militia and led a company that repulsed a French & Indian attack.

By autumn, General Johnson, prominent citizen, and amateur military commander, led a force to Lake St. Sacrament. When he saw it’s unbelievable beauty, he named the water, Lake George. With his Indians were King Hendrick and the 13 year old Joseph Brant. Johnson had 3,400 men and built a camp for an expected 5,000. His opponent - Ludwig August von Dieskau, German baron, European war commander and hero.

The first European to see Lake George was Father Jogues, a French Jesuit missionary, taken captive by the Mohawk in 1642. Father Jogues later named the lake Lac Saint Sacrament. In 1755, the British soldier and colonial official Sir William Johnson renamed it Lake George in honor of George II. During the French and Indian War and during the American Revolution, Lake George, on a transportation route between New York and Canada, was the scene of many battles. The most famous was the Battle of Lake George, fought on September 8, 1755, in which a force of French and Native Americans was defeated by a British colonial force under General William Johnson. – Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia

The Battle of Lake George


September 7 & 8

Dieskau’s objective - Fort Edward, the Great Carrying Place; and, his Indian scout led him 4 miles off the mark. Dieskau didn’t realize that Indians did not like to face artillery. About midnight, Johnson learned of Dieskau’s presence between his camp and the fort.

At daybreak, he held a council of war certain that Fort Edward would be attacked. Johnson dispatched a thousand whites and two hundred Indians to the relief of the fort under Col. Williams and King Hendrick. The teenage Joseph Brant was among them. Hendrick criticized the number of men Johnson sent in the famous quote:

“If they are to fight they are to few; if they are to be killed, they are to many.”

Two miles from camp they were ambushed. Hendrick was shot from his horse and was bayoneted. Colonel Williams was shot through the head. The rest of the men fought every man for himself until Johnson dispatched Col. Cole after hearing the engagement. Cole had another 300 men.

Soon the survivors and rescuers returned to camp, less at least a hundred scalps. Dieskau was victorious for the moment; he ordered his officers to form their troops for the attack. His Indians were surprised to see that Johnson had artillery too, and skulked towards the woods on the flanks. This caused a delay. Dieskau said later, ”They fought like devils.”

His regulars attacked Johnson’s center and dozens fell dead. Reforming, they attacked the right. There was no give. Johnson’s artillery bombarded Dieskau’s Indians in a swamp. They fled. His regulars retreated. Johnson’s men leaped over the defenses and gave chase. Dieskau was shot and captured.

Later, troops from Fort Edward attacked Dieskau’s remnant; only a few of them escaped to their boats at Crown Point.

Johnson lost 220 killed, 91 wounded. The high proportion of dead to wounded was because of Indian scalping and bullets that were poisoned with copper and yellow arsenic found in captured bullet pouches.

It is unknown if Jacob Christman was with Johnson’s force in this battle; Jacob was with Johnson’s force when they returned in 1757, so it is possible that Jacob was there. He was 49 years old.

William Johnson was shot in the hip early in the battle. He spent the rest of the fight in his tent bleeding. There began a whispered rumor that Johnson was a coward because he went to his tent.

England was very grateful for the victory; and within ten weeks, William Johnson was knighted - Sir William Johnson, America’s first Baronet. He was given the 18th century version of a ticker-tape parade in New York City. It was England’s only victory of a miserable year. The wound, and possibly a sexual health problem, affected Sir William’s health for the rest of his life. From this point on he was found bed-ridden with illness many times which the stress of his command and other responsibilities aggravated.

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