Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/458

the rights of the colonists in spite of the majority, and came to be the acknowledged leader of the opposition. He inspired hope and courage among his constituents, and it was on his nomination in 1770 that Edmund Burke became agent in Eng- land for the colony of New York. He was a dele- gate to the Continental congress that convened in Philadelphia in May, 1775, by which he was placed on a committee with George Washington to draw up rules and regulations for the army. On the recommendation of the Provincial congress of New York he was appointed on 19 June one of the four major-generals that were named by congress. He accompanied Washington from Philadel- phia, and was assigned by him to the command of the northern department of New York. Pro- ceeding to Albany, he at once engaged in the diffi- cult task of organizing an army for the invasion of Canada. Troops were collected, but lack of arms, ammunition, and pay delayed any movement. There was also considerable ill feeling between thr commanders of the colonial forces as to questions of relative rank, particularly at first between Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold. In August he went to Tieonderoga with the object of placing that fort and Crown Point in a state of defence. Subse- quently the failure of Schuyler's health led to his transferring the command to Gen. Richard Montgomery. He then returned to Albany, where he continued his exertions in raising troops and forwarding supplies to the army. After the death of Montgomery he made every effort to re-enforce the American army. Early in 1776 he directed an expedition to Johnstown, where he seized the mili- tary stores that had been collected by Sir John Johnson. Jealousy existed among the officers at the front, and the New England contingent, es- pecially, was dissatisfied with its leader, in conse- i [in 'iieu of which Gen. John Thomas was directed by congress to take command of the army in the field, while Schuyler was continued in Albany ex- ercising the general direction of affairs, and espe- cially the duties of quartermaster-general and com- missary-general. During the early part of 177G he was kept continually busy by the movements of Sir John Johnson and other Tories in the Mohawk valley, and he was also considerably embarrassed by complaints that were sent by his enemies to G'en. Washington and congress. Schuyler's per- fect knowledge of the situation, the topography of the country, and the available supplies, led him to doubt the expediency of continuing the Ameri- can forces in Canada; but, in opposition to his rec- ommendation, congress persisted in its action, and the weak army under Thomas, suffering with small- pox, oppressed with want, and lacking in discipline, was kept on the frontier. Meanwhile a strong Brit- ish force, under Gen. John Burgoyne, had arrived in Canada, and the American army had fallen back on Crown Point greatly reduced in numbers. In May, Gen. Horatio Gates was ordered to the com- mand of the army in Canada, which had been made vacant by the death from small-pox of Gen. Thom- as. On reaching Albany, believing himself in com- mand of the department, he issued orders that con- flicted with those of Schuyler, in consequence of which the latter agreed to co-operate with him, and meanwhile submitted the question of prece- dence to congress, through Gen. Washington. That li< iily recommended that the officers act in harmony with each other. Schuyler occupied himself at this time in negotiations with the Six Nations, in virtue nf hi-, office of Indian commissioner, and in fit- ting out a Meet for operations on Lake Champlain. Gates was not sat Mini with the net ion of congress. and began to intrigue for the removal of Schuyler, who, on 14 Sept., 1770, formally offered his resigna- tion, but congress declared that it could not dis- pense with his service, and its president, John Hancock, requested him to continue in command. Great credit is due to Schuyler for conducting the affairs of this department under peculiarly adverse conditions ; and the proffer of his resigna- tion was the result of persistent neglect on the part of congress to take action on his appeals for sup- plies and men, as well as their habit of conferring directly with Gates, who openly used his influence among the New England delegates to have him- self confirmed as commanding general. In spite of chronic illness, Schuyler acquiesced in the ac- tion of congress, and continued in his efforts to aid Gates and in preparing defences to meet Burgoyne, whose invasion was confidently expected. Early in 1777 he was chosen to represent New York in the Continental congress, and was appointed chief of the military in the state of Pennsylvania. He then made his appeal to congress concerning let- ters of censure that had been sent to him from that body, and so thoroughly vindicated himself that he was directed to proceed to the Northern department and take command there. Closing his official work in Pennsylvania, where he had rendered excellent service in organizing the mili- tia, Schuyler returned to Albany early in June, and proceeded with his preparations for an attark from Canada. The advance of Burgoyne forced the American army to retreat until Ticonderoga was evacuated by Gen. Arthur St. Clair on 4 July, his force being wholly inadequate to its defence, and oi her retrograde movements followed. The great victory at Bennington, however, had been won before 19 Aug., when Gates took command of the army in virtue of a resolution passed by congress on 1 Aug. When this action was taken Gates had been for some time absent from the army in Phila- delphia, using his influence to injure Sehuyler, whom he charged with neglect of duty in permit- ting the evacuation of Fort Ticonderoga. The se- lection of Gates to the command was made by con- gress after Washington had declined to act. A committee of investigation was authorized by con- gress, and in Octoher, 1T7S. a court-martial was convened, which declared itself unanimously of opinion that Schuyler was " not guilty of any neg- lect of duty," and acquitted him "with the highest honor," which proceeding congress tardily con- firmed several months later. Schuyler continued with the army in a private capacity until the sur- render of Burgoyne. He finally succeeded in effecting his resignation on 19 April, 177!>. Before his vindication by the court-martial he was chosen, in October. 1778, by the New Y'ork legislature a representative in congress ; but he refused to take his seat until the sentence had been confirmed, after which he was a member of con- gress until 17*1. Meanwhile he continued to act as Indian commissioner, holding councils and making treaties with the different tribes of the Six Nations. Although unwilling to enter active military ser- vice again, he wa- appointed in 1779 to confer with Washington on the state of the Southern depart- ment, and divided his time thenceforth until the close of the war between congress and Washington's headquarters, where he became one of t he mi ist trust- ed counsellors of the commander-in-chief. In 1 7 S (> he was elerled state senator from the western dis- trict of New York, and he served until 17*4. again from 17SIJ till 179(1. and finally from 1792 till 1797. Throughout his political life he was a l-Vderali~t, and with Alexander Hamilton ami John Jav shared