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James Livingston (American Revolution)
Encyclopedia
Colonel James Livingston (March 27, 1747 – March 9, 1832) was born in the French province of Canada
to New York
-born parents. He was living in Quebec (as Canada was known following the French and Indian War
) when the American Revolutionary War
broke out. He was responsible for raising and leading the 1st Canadian Regiment
of the Continental Army
during the invasion of Canada
, and continued to serve in the war until 1781. He retired to Saratoga, New York
, where he served as a state legislator and raised a family of five children.
, outside Montreal
. His parents had recently moved there from New York
, where his father was from the locally prominent Livingston family
, and his mother was the sister of General Abraham Ten Broeck
.
began in September 1775. As early as August, he had been in contact with General Philip Schuyler
, mostly through the efforts of John Brown
, an American spy. On August 18, he sent a messenger to Schuyler at Fort Ticonderoga
, presumably with information on British military readiness at Fort Chambly
and Fort Saint-Jean
; unfortunately, this messenger destroyed the message, fearing he might be captured with it. General Richard Montgomery
(who was married to one of Livingston's relatives), who was in command of Ticonderoga at the time, sent John Brown back to Livingston. On the 28th, they sent word back to Montgomery with news that spurred him to begin the invasion: the British had almost completed ships capable of threatening the American naval superiority on Lake Champlain
.
Up to, and then also following, the arrival of the American forces at Île aux Noix
in early September, Livingston was active in the Chambly area, raising local support for the Americans. On September 15, he reported to Schuyler that militia under is control had cut off Fort Chambly
from communication with Montreal
, and that Brown and Ethan Allen
were raising additional troops and guarding the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River
.
Forces under his command, numbering about 200, participated in the capture of Fort Chambly on October 18, along with militia under Brown's command. On November 20, Montgomery made him a colonel in the Continental Army
, and gave him command of the 1st Canadian Regiment
, consisting mainly of the troops he had recruited. This regiment then served at the battle of Quebec
in December 1775, and the ensuing retreat. They later saw action in the Saratoga campaign
, including the relief of the siege of Fort Stanwix
in August 1777, both Battles of Saratoga, and the Battle of Rhode Island
.
Livingston was in command of Verplanck's Point on the Hudson River
in September 1780, when he played a crucial role in the unmasking of Benedict Arnold
's treachery. While on guard duty, his troops fired on the British sloop of war Vulture, forcing that vessel to retreat southwards. This ship had brought Major John André
to meet with General Arnold. Since the ship was driven off, André was forced to attempt travel by land to New York; he was captured with incriminating papers in his possession. André as hanged as a spy, and Arnold, his plot discovered, managed to escape to the British lines.
He retired from the Continental Army on January 1, 1781. In recognition of his service, he was granted 3500 acres (14.2 km²) of land near where Tyre, New York
is today. In 1801, Congress awarded him another 1280 acres (5.2 km²) of land near the modern location of Columbus, Ohio
.
living in Montreal, in 1772; they had at least two sons, Edward and Richard Montgomery (named after the general in his memory) and three daughters, Elizabeth, Catharine and Margaret. Elizabeth married a business partner of John Jacob Astor
, Peter Smith, and was the mother of the famed abolitionist Gerrit Smith
. Margaret married Daniel Cady
, and one of their children was Elizabeth Cady Stanton
.
After the war, Livingston settled in Saratoga
. From 1781 to 1794 he served in the New York State Legislature. He died in Saratoga at age 85 in 1832.
Canada, New France
Canada was the name of the French colony that once stretched along the St. Lawrence River; the other colonies of New France were Acadia, Louisiana and Newfoundland. Canada, the most developed colony of New France, was divided into three districts, each with its own government: Quebec,...
to New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
-born parents. He was living in Quebec (as Canada was known following the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
) when the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
broke out. He was responsible for raising and leading the 1st Canadian Regiment
1st Canadian Regiment
The 1st Canadian Regiment, was raised by James Livingston to support Colonial efforts in the American Revolutionary War during the invasion of Quebec...
of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the invasion of Canada
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
, and continued to serve in the war until 1781. He retired to Saratoga, New York
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
, where he served as a state legislator and raised a family of five children.
Pre-war life
James Livingston was born March 27, 1747, to John Livingston and Catherine Ten Broeck, in Chambly, QuebecChambly, Quebec
Chambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
, outside Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. His parents had recently moved there from New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
, where his father was from the locally prominent Livingston family
Livingston family
The Livingston family of was a prominent family which migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from William, 4th Lord Livingston, its members included signers of the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States...
, and his mother was the sister of General Abraham Ten Broeck
Abraham Ten Broeck
Abraham Ten Broeck was a New York politician, businessman, and militia Brigadier General of Dutch descent. He was twice Mayor of Albany, New York and built one of the largest mansions in the area that still stands more than 200 years later.-Early life:Ten Broeck was the son of Dirck Ten Broeck...
.
American Revolutionary War
Livingston was living in Chambly, working as a grain merchant, when the invasion of QuebecInvasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
began in September 1775. As early as August, he had been in contact with General Philip Schuyler
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...
, mostly through the efforts of John Brown
John Brown of Pittsfield
Colonel John Brown , often known as John Brown of Pittsfield because of his common name, was a Patriot, spy, soldier, and military leader, in the American Revolutionary War...
, an American spy. On August 18, he sent a messenger to Schuyler at Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
, presumably with information on British military readiness at Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
and Fort Saint-Jean
Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)
Fort Saint-Jean is a fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec located on the Richelieu River. The fort was first built in 1666 by soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment and was part of a series of forts built along the Richelieu River...
; unfortunately, this messenger destroyed the message, fearing he might be captured with it. General Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
(who was married to one of Livingston's relatives), who was in command of Ticonderoga at the time, sent John Brown back to Livingston. On the 28th, they sent word back to Montgomery with news that spurred him to begin the invasion: the British had almost completed ships capable of threatening the American naval superiority on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
.
Up to, and then also following, the arrival of the American forces at Île aux Noix
Ile aux Noix
Île aux Noix is an island on the Richelieu River in Quebec, close to Lake Champlain. The island is the site of Fort Lennox National Historic Site. Politically, it is part of Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix.-Background:...
in early September, Livingston was active in the Chambly area, raising local support for the Americans. On September 15, he reported to Schuyler that militia under is control had cut off Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
from communication with Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and that Brown and Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
were raising additional troops and guarding the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
.
Forces under his command, numbering about 200, participated in the capture of Fort Chambly on October 18, along with militia under Brown's command. On November 20, Montgomery made him a colonel in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, and gave him command of the 1st Canadian Regiment
1st Canadian Regiment
The 1st Canadian Regiment, was raised by James Livingston to support Colonial efforts in the American Revolutionary War during the invasion of Quebec...
, consisting mainly of the troops he had recruited. This regiment then served at the battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
in December 1775, and the ensuing retreat. They later saw action in the Saratoga campaign
Saratoga campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...
, including the relief of the siege of Fort Stanwix
Siege of Fort Stanwix
The Siege of Fort Stanwix began on August 2, 1777, and ended August 22. Fort Stanwix, in the Mohawk River Valley, was then the primary defense point for the Continental Army against British and Indian forces aligned against them in the American Revolutionary War...
in August 1777, both Battles of Saratoga, and the Battle of Rhode Island
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Siege of Newport, took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of...
.
Livingston was in command of Verplanck's Point on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in September 1780, when he played a crucial role in the unmasking of Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
's treachery. While on guard duty, his troops fired on the British sloop of war Vulture, forcing that vessel to retreat southwards. This ship had brought Major John André
John André
John André was a British army officer hanged as a spy during the American War of Independence. This was due to an incident in which he attempted to assist Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.-Early life:André was born on May 2, 1750 in London to...
to meet with General Arnold. Since the ship was driven off, André was forced to attempt travel by land to New York; he was captured with incriminating papers in his possession. André as hanged as a spy, and Arnold, his plot discovered, managed to escape to the British lines.
He retired from the Continental Army on January 1, 1781. In recognition of his service, he was granted 3500 acres (14.2 km²) of land near where Tyre, New York
Tyre, New York
Tyre is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 899 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Lebanese city of Tyre.The Town of Tyre is located in the northeastern part of the county, northeast of Geneva, New York....
is today. In 1801, Congress awarded him another 1280 acres (5.2 km²) of land near the modern location of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Life after the war
Livingston had married Elizabeth Simpson, an immigrant from Cork, IrelandCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
living in Montreal, in 1772; they had at least two sons, Edward and Richard Montgomery (named after the general in his memory) and three daughters, Elizabeth, Catharine and Margaret. Elizabeth married a business partner of John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
, Peter Smith, and was the mother of the famed abolitionist Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith was a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist...
. Margaret married Daniel Cady
Daniel Cady
Daniel Cady was a prominent lawyer and judge in upstate New York. While perhaps better known today as the father of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Judge Cady had a full and accomplished life of his own.-Life:Cady was born in that part of Canaan, Columbia County, New York which was later split off to form...
, and one of their children was Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early woman's movement...
.
After the war, Livingston settled in Saratoga
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
. From 1781 to 1794 he served in the New York State Legislature. He died in Saratoga at age 85 in 1832.