Moses Hazen
Encyclopedia
Moses Hazen was a Brigadier General
in the Continental Army
during the American Revolutionary War
. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay
, he saw action in the French and Indian War
with Rogers' Rangers
. His service included particularly brutal raids
during the Expulsion of the Acadians and the 1759 Siege of Quebec. He was formally commissioned into the British Army
shortly before the war ended, and retired on half-pay outside Montreal, Quebec, where he and Gabriel Christie, another British officer, made extensive land purchases in partnership. During his lifetime he acquired land in Quebec, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, but lost most of his Quebec land due to litigation with Christie and the effects of the revolution.
In 1775 he became involved in the American invasion of Quebec
early in the American Revolutionary War, and served with the Continental Army
in the 1775 Battle of Quebec
. He went on to lead his own regiment (the 2nd Canadian
, also known as "Congress' Own") throughout the war, seeing action in the 1777 Philadelphia campaign
and at Yorktown
in 1781. He was frequently involved in litigation, both military and civil, and constantly petitioned Congress
for compensation of losses and expenses incurred due to the war. He supported similar efforts by men from his regiment who were unable to return to Quebec because of their support for the American war effort.
, a frontier town in the Province of Massachusetts Bay
, to an old New England
Puritan
family. Some histories that mention Hazen sometimes indicate that he was Jewish. A genealogist clearly documents Hazen's lineage to England, where the family name was Hassen. Contemporaries of Hazen seem to have thought he was Jewish; for example, Sergeant James Thompson, in his diary The Fraser’s Highlanders, describes meeting him during the retreat from the Battle of Sainte-Foy
: "On the way, I fell in with a Captain Moses Hazen, a jew".
Hazen was apprenticed to a tanner when the French and Indian War
broke out. In 1756, he enlisted with the local militia, which included a number of family members. He first served at Fort William Henry
near Lake George
, where he probably first met, and may have served under, Robert Rogers
of Rogers' Rangers
. Rogers eventually recommended him for an officer's commission in a new company of the Rangers; in 1758, after having worked for his brother providing supplies for the British Siege of Louisbourg
, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in John McCurdy's company of the Rangers at Fort Edward
. In McCurdy's company, he saw action at Louisbourg, including the initial landings, when the action was quite fierce.
After Louisbourg, the company was stationed first at Fort Frederick (Saint John, New Brunswick
), and then at Fort St. Anne, where the company was part of a campaign
against Indians and Acadian
s that had taken refuge there from the ongoing expulsion of the Acadians. These raids were sometimes quite brutal; the company was known to scalp Acadian settlers. In one particularly brutal incident, Hazen was responsible for the scalping of six men, and the burning of four others, along with two women and three children, in a house he set on fire. Joseph Bellefontaine, a leader of the local militia and the father of one of the women, claimed that he was forced to witness this event in an attempt to coerce his cooperation with the rangers. (Bellefontaine escaped into the woods with two of his grandchildren.) General Jeffrey Amherst, who did not hear of the incident until after he had promoted Hazen to captain, noted, "I am sorry that to say what I have since heard of that affair has sullied his merit with me as I shall always disapprove of killing women and helpless children."
In January 1759, Captain McCurdy was killed when a tree felled by one of his men fell on him; Hazen was given command of the company. Later in 1759, his company was at the siege of Quebec, where the company was primarily engaged in scouting and raiding in the countryside; he was away on one of those raids during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
. In another notable atrocity that may have involved Hazen's company, a priest and thirty parishioners in a parish near Quebec were killed and scalped.
Hazen also fought at the 1760 Battle of Sainte-Foy
, where he was severely wounded in the thigh. In February 1761, he purchased a commission as a first Lieutenant
in the 44th Regiment of Foot
in the British Army
. He spent the remainder of the war on garrison duty at Montreal
, retiring on half-pay in 1763. General James Murray wrote approvingly of Hazen in 1761, "He discovered so much still bravery and good conduct as would justly entitle him to every military reward he could ask or demand".
During the siege of Quebec, Hazen had met Gabriel Christie, then a deputy quartermaster. Christie owned some land in the Richelieu River
valley south of Montreal, and wanted to expand his holdings. (Christie later became one of the largest landowners in Quebec.) After the war, Christie and Hazen jointly purchased the seigneuries
of Sabrevois and Bleury, located on the east bank of the Richelieu near Fort Saint-Jean
. They also leased land on the west side of river from the Baron of Longueuil. These holdings gave them almost exclusive control over the land holdings around Saint-Jean, which is the northernmost navigable point reachable from Lake Champlain
.
Christie, who was still in military service, was frequently away from the land, so Hazen developed the land while Christie provided the funding. Hazen constructed a manor house at Iberville, and two mills, and set about selling timber and other business endeavours. In 1765, Hazen was also appointed a deputy land surveyor, and a justice of the peace. As part of his business dealings, he offered General Thomas Gage
, then in command of British forces in New York City
, facilities and lumber for military use. Gage was uninterested at the time, letting Hazen know that he would keep the offer in mind, if the need for military movements became necessary in the area.
Hazen expanded the business of the seigneuries, but his aggressive development also incurred debts, which caused friction with Christie. In 1770, Christie, unhappy with the debts, eventually demanded an accounting. This ultimately led to a division of the holdings, with Hazen receiving the southern portion of the Bleury seigneurage, styled Bleury-Sud. Hazen and Christie were in and out of court for years afterward over control of these lands; Christie eventually won complete control over those lands after the American Revolution.
In 1762 Hazen's brother John settled Haverhill, New Hampshire
, in the far north of that province on the east side of the Connecticut River
, and in 1764 Jacob Bayley settled Newbury
, in what is now Vermont
, across the river from Haverhill. Hazen had shares in both of these settlements; he also acquired land west of the Connecticut River in what is now Bradford, Vermont
. It was at this time that the idea of constructing a road from there to Saint-Jean was first raised; this idea surfaced again during the American Revolutionary War
, when George Washington
authorized construction of what became known as the Bayley Hazen Military Road
.
His land developments continued to grow in 1764 when he joined the Saint John River Society, and organization created by a group of military officers for the purpose of developing land along the Saint John River, then in Nova Scotia (now New Brunswick
). His coinvestors included Thomas Gage
, Frederick Haldimand
, William Johnson
, and Thomas Hutchinson.
In the fall of 1770 Hazen married Charlotte de la Saussaye, a woman from a good family in Montreal. They settled down near Saint-Jean, where they built a house and began farming.
in 1775, Hazen was living on half-pay in Saint-Jean. When Benedict Arnold
raided Fort Saint-Jean on May 18, Hazen reported the news of that raid (as well as the capture of Fort Ticonderoga
) first to the military authorities in Montreal, and then to Governor Guy Carleton
in Quebec
, before returning home to consider the consequences the conflict might have on him and his lands.
The American invasion of Quebec
arrived near his home at Saint-Jean on September 6. On that day, Hazen met with General Philip Schuyler
, explaining to him that Fort Saint-Jean was well-defended and unlikely to be taken by siege, and that the local habitants were unlikely to assist the American effort. This gloomy portrait led Schuyler to consider retreating; but the arrival of additional American troops, and a more optimistic assessment from James Livingston
, a grain merchant living near Chambly
, encouraged the Americans to renew the attack. Livingston went on to form the 1st Canadian Regiment
in November 1775.
, now commanding the American forces, began to besiege Fort St. Jean. The next day, a detachment of American forces under the command of John Brown
arrested Hazen north of the fort. However, a British sortie
from the fort forced Brown's men to retreat; Hazen ended up in British hands. Major Charles Preston
, the British commander, was mistrustful of Hazen, and sent him to Montreal under the guard of Claude de Lorimier
. Brigadier General Richard Prescott
, unhappy with Hazen's explanations of his movements, imprisoned him.
He was held in poor conditions for 54 days. Following the fall of Fort St. Jean, the British withdrew from Montreal, transporting prisoners on one of the many ships used in the evacuation. Most of this British fleet was captured by the Americans, who released Hazen and other political prisoners who had supported them. Unhappy with the treatment he received by the British, Hazen joined the American forces, which were on their way to Quebec City. He did this in spite of the fact that the Americans had done significant damage to his estate during the siege, plundering the estate for supplies, and using his house as a barracks.
, and was one of two men (the other was Edward Antill
) sent to report the devastating loss to the Second Continental Congress
in Philadelphia. The Congress, in recognition for his efforts, gave Hazen a commission as a colonel
, leading the Continental Army
's 2nd Canadian Regiment
. (Antill was commissioned the regiment's lieutenant colonel.) The regiment was often referred to as "Hazen's" or "Congress' Own", the latter because the regiment was established by Congress and was not part of any state quotas. Hazen was initially offered a position as brigadier general
, but he refused, requesting instead a colonel's commission, and indemnification against losses caused by the conflict. (His property had already been significantly damaged by the American action around St. Jean.) Hazen was fortunate in arriving in Philadelphia before John Duggan, one of Livingston's captains, to whom Benedict Arnold had earlier promised the commission for the 2nd Canadian.
Hazen and Antill returned to Quebec, where Hazen was stationed at Montreal while Antill recruited men for the regiment. Hazen was briefly in command of the defenses of Montreal for the Americans, from late March to mid-April 1776, when General David Wooster
took command of the American forces outside Quebec, and Benedict Arnold assumed command of the Montreal garrison. During the time he was in command, Hazen dispatched Timothy Bedel
and 390 men to fortify The Cedars, about 40 miles (64.4 km) upriver from Montreal; these forces surrendered to a British-Native force during the Battle of The Cedars
in May.
. Hazen (and likely his men) were called as reinforcements to assist in the American response to the action at The Cedars. In council, Hazen and Arnold had a heated exchange over what actions to take; in Arnold's opinion, Hazen's behavior bordered on insubordination. Arnold had previously held a high opinion of Hazen, writing that he was "a sensible, judicious officer, and well acquainted with this country".
During the American retreat from Quebec in May and June 1776, Hazen and Arnold were embroiled in a dispute that led to charges and counter-charges, courts martial and other hearings, lasting into 1779. At issue were supplies that Arnold had ordered seized from merchants in Montreal and sent to Chambly for eventual shipment south as part of the retreat. Hazen, in charge of the facilities at Chambly, refused to sign for the goods, as he recognized them as the property of friends in Montreal. In the ensuing retreat, most of these goods were plundered and lost. Arnold wanted to immediately court-martial Hazen for failing to follow orders, but the arriving British army delayed any such activity until the army's return to Fort Ticonderoga
. Arnold's opinion of Hazen clearly changed; he wrote, "This is not the first or last order Col. Hazen has disobeyed. I think him a man of too much consequence for the post he is in."
Hazen's court martial was held on July 19, 1776; he was honorably acquitted. However, there were irregularities in the proceedings (the judge advocate was the same officer who had delivered the goods from Montreal to Chambly, so he did not testify), and Arnold continued to attack Hazen afterwards. In December 1776 another inquiry was held, and Hazen was again cleared of any wrongdoing. Hazen then countercharged Arnold with the plundering of the Montreal merchants; Arnold was not cleared of these charges until a higher-level inquiry in 1777.
, in the summer and fall of 1776, before being ordered to winter quarters at Fishkill, New York
. During this time, Hazen continued recruiting, receiving permission from Congress to recruit anywhere in the United States. In the northern states he ran into difficulties, as those states were having trouble filling their own regimental lines; he was often outbid by other recruiters. Antill, who recruited in the central states (primarily New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania), had greater success. By June 1777, the regiment reached about 700 members, out of an authorized strength of 1,000. The cultural differences between the original Quebec enlistees and the new recruits from the Thirteen Colonies
was a regular source of friction within the regiment, and Hazen consequently kept the French-speakers in companies separated from the English-speakers.
Hazen also submitted to Congress a claim for damages to his estate in Quebec. The original bill was for $11,363; Congress paid $2,595 in October 1776.
In May 1777, Hazen's regiment was ordered to join the main army at Princeton
, where it was active in the Philadelphia campaign
as part of John Sullivan
's brigade. Some of Hazen's companies (but not Hazen himself) participated in the Battle of Staten Island
; in this action, Antill was captured. Hazen's command during the Battle of Brandywine
included the northern (right) end of the American line; this position was one of those flanked by the British in their attack. Hazen made an early report indicating the presence of British troops on the American flank that turned out to be the main British thrust. His report was dismissed by General Sullivan, who wrote, after receiving other reports, that "Colo. Hazen's Information must be wrong." To Sullivan's detriment, the other reports were wrong, and Hazen's was correct; the British flanking maneuver was instrumental in the American loss of the battle. Hazen's regiment lost 4 officers and 73 men in the battle. In the Battle of Germantown
, Hazen commanded a brigade that included in addition to his own regiment, the 2nd
, 4th
, and 6th Maryland Regiment
s. They formed part of Sullivan's column when it marched on the town; his regiment lost 3 officers and 19 men in the engagement.
This failure did not deter Hazen from offering a new route for invading Canada. This route went from Newbury, where Hazen owned land and knew the area, to Saint Francis, Quebec
. On July 12, Hazen departed Newbury to scout the route. By July 25, he had returned to White Plains; the effort was abandoned for the time being because the manpower was needed in the New York area. Plans for possible attacks against Quebec based on routes departing from the Newbury area were again contemplated in the fall of 1778, but Washington continued to resist the idea.
, once again with the eventual goal of launching an invasion. Part of the road, between Newbury and Peacham
had been constructed in 1776 by Jacob Bayley. Hazen supervised the development of the road up to what is now called Hazens Notch
in northern Vermont. Work was discontinued on the road in August after word was received that the British were preparing a military force at Saint-Jean to attempt capture of the construction crew. General Washington had never intended to send an invasion along this route; the entire works was a ruse to divert British attention, and deter them from launching an invasion. Washington wrote to Congress that the work "was for the purpose of exciting jealousies at Quebec and at the Enemy's posts on the St. lawrence, and of making a diversion in favor of the late expedition under general Sullivan
... this very happily succeeded".
. There Hazen was again involved in litigation; he was rejected for service on a court martial considering charges against Benedict Arnold due to their previous confrontations, and he also opened complaints of supply mismanagement during the summer's roadbuilding activities. A detailed review of the army in the spring of 1780 by Baron von Steuben
led to the recommendation that the regiments of Hazen and Livingston be merged, as Livingston's had shrunk to 103 men. Hazen and Livingston had a political tussle over seniority; although Hazen lost the claim to seniority, he ended up in command of the combined regiment.
In January 1780 the regiment was involved in a failed attack on Staten Island; word of the operation leaked to the British. Hazen's regiment was then transferred to the brigade of Enoch Poor
. By the time the transfer was effected, Hazen was given command of the entire brigade, although repeated requests he had made for promotion to brigadier general were rejected. During the summer the brigade was relocated to the West Point area. While en route, Hazen allowed his men to stop for water, breaking the army column. Von Steuben ordered Hazen's arrest for this transgression of military discipline. Hazen was acquitted, and promptly countercharged von Steuben with behavior unbecoming an officer and gentleman; von Steuben apologized.
Hazen's regiment was garrisoned opposite West Point that fall when British Major John André
was captured and General Arnold defected. One hundred of Hazen's men, including his nephew, Benjamin Mooers
, witnessed André's hanging.
under Lafayette
during the Siege of Yorktown
. Hazen's brigade served on the right of the line, and was deeply involved in the October 14 battles for the redoubts.
Following the British surrender, Hazen and his unit were given prisoner guard duty at Lancaster, Pennsylvania
. While on this duty, a misstep by Hazen caused a minor diplomatic incident, known as the "Asgill Affair". The British accused an American soldier of spying, and were threatening to hang him. George Washington threatened to hang a British soldier if this happened, and instructed Hazen to choose an officer whose rank was similar to that of the accused American. The man he chose by lot, Charles Asgill
, should have been ineligible for selection due to the terms of the Yorktown surrender. The accused American was eventually acquitted, but Asgill's plight drew the attention of Marie Antoinette
; Washington received a letter from the French foreign minister asking for a pardon.
During the winter of 1781–2 Hazen also took time off for personal business. Among his dealings was a partnership with Timothy Bedel to acquire land along the military road they had built in Vermont.
. He was active for many years on behalf of the men who served under him and their families, especially those that originally came from Quebec, in their quest for compensation for their losses. He also continued his litigious ways—he was involved in an ongoing string of legal actions until his death in 1803. He died in Troy, New York
where he was buried. His nephew, Benjamin Mooers, was ultimately responsible for untangling many of Hazen's affairs.
On May 26, 1828, Congress
authorized a payment of $3,998.81 to Hazen's heirs in compensation for the half-pay lost to him when he joined the American forces.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
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...
during 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...
. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
, he saw action in 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...
with Rogers' Rangers
Rogers' Rangers
Rogers' Rangers was an independent company of colonial militia, attached to the British Army during the Seven Years War . The unit was informally trained by Major Robert Rogers as a rapidly deployable light infantry force tasked with reconnaissance and conducting special operations against distant...
. His service included particularly brutal raids
St. John River Campaign
The St. John River Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when Colonel Robert Monckton led a force of 1150 British soldiers to destroy the Acadian settlements along the banks of the Saint John River until they reached the largest village of Sainte-Anne des Pays-Bas in February 1759...
during the Expulsion of the Acadians and the 1759 Siege of Quebec. He was formally commissioned into the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
shortly before the war ended, and retired on half-pay outside Montreal, Quebec, where he and Gabriel Christie, another British officer, made extensive land purchases in partnership. During his lifetime he acquired land in Quebec, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, but lost most of his Quebec land due to litigation with Christie and the effects of the revolution.
In 1775 he became involved in the American invasion of Quebec
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...
early in the American Revolutionary War, and served with 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...
in the 1775 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...
. He went on to lead his own regiment (the 2nd Canadian
2nd Canadian Regiment
The 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was authorized on January 20, 1776, and raised in the province of Quebec for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island,...
, also known as "Congress' Own") throughout the war, seeing action in the 1777 Philadelphia campaign
Philadelphia campaign
The Philadelphia campaign was a British initiative in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress...
and at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
in 1781. He was frequently involved in litigation, both military and civil, and constantly petitioned Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
for compensation of losses and expenses incurred due to the war. He supported similar efforts by men from his regiment who were unable to return to Quebec because of their support for the American war effort.
Early life
Moses Hazen was born in HaverhillHaverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
, a frontier town in the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
, to an old New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
family. Some histories that mention Hazen sometimes indicate that he was Jewish. A genealogist clearly documents Hazen's lineage to England, where the family name was Hassen. Contemporaries of Hazen seem to have thought he was Jewish; for example, Sergeant James Thompson, in his diary The Fraser’s Highlanders, describes meeting him during the retreat from the Battle of Sainte-Foy
Battle of Sainte-Foy
The Battle of Sainte-Foy, sometimes called the Battle of Quebec, was fought on April 28, 1760 near the British-held town of Quebec in the French province of Canada during the Seven Years' War . It was a victory for the French under the Chevalier de Lévis over the British army under General Murray...
: "On the way, I fell in with a Captain Moses Hazen, a jew".
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...
broke out. In 1756, he enlisted with the local militia, which included a number of family members. He first served at Fort William Henry
Fort William Henry
Fort William Henry was a British fort at the southern end of Lake George in the province of New York. It is best known as the site of notorious atrocities committed by Indians against the surrendered British and provincial troops following a successful French siege in 1757, an event which is the...
near Lake George
Lake George (New York)
Lake George, nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes, is a long, narrow oligotrophic lake draining northwards into Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River Drainage basin located at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, U.S.A.. It lies within the upper region of the...
, where he probably first met, and may have served under, Robert Rogers
Robert Rogers (soldier)
Robert Rogers was an American colonial frontiersman. Rogers served in the British army during both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution...
of Rogers' Rangers
Rogers' Rangers
Rogers' Rangers was an independent company of colonial militia, attached to the British Army during the Seven Years War . The unit was informally trained by Major Robert Rogers as a rapidly deployable light infantry force tasked with reconnaissance and conducting special operations against distant...
. Rogers eventually recommended him for an officer's commission in a new company of the Rangers; in 1758, after having worked for his brother providing supplies for the British Siege of Louisbourg
Siege of Louisbourg (1758)
The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the...
, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in John McCurdy's company of the Rangers at Fort Edward
Fort Edward (town), New York
Fort Edward is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 5,892 at the 2000 census....
. In McCurdy's company, he saw action at Louisbourg, including the initial landings, when the action was quite fierce.
After Louisbourg, the company was stationed first at Fort Frederick (Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
), and then at Fort St. Anne, where the company was part of a campaign
St. John River Campaign
The St. John River Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when Colonel Robert Monckton led a force of 1150 British soldiers to destroy the Acadian settlements along the banks of the Saint John River until they reached the largest village of Sainte-Anne des Pays-Bas in February 1759...
against Indians and Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
s that had taken refuge there from the ongoing expulsion of the Acadians. These raids were sometimes quite brutal; the company was known to scalp Acadian settlers. In one particularly brutal incident, Hazen was responsible for the scalping of six men, and the burning of four others, along with two women and three children, in a house he set on fire. Joseph Bellefontaine, a leader of the local militia and the father of one of the women, claimed that he was forced to witness this event in an attempt to coerce his cooperation with the rangers. (Bellefontaine escaped into the woods with two of his grandchildren.) General Jeffrey Amherst, who did not hear of the incident until after he had promoted Hazen to captain, noted, "I am sorry that to say what I have since heard of that affair has sullied his merit with me as I shall always disapprove of killing women and helpless children."
In January 1759, Captain McCurdy was killed when a tree felled by one of his men fell on him; Hazen was given command of the company. Later in 1759, his company was at the siege of Quebec, where the company was primarily engaged in scouting and raiding in the countryside; he was away on one of those raids during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
. In another notable atrocity that may have involved Hazen's company, a priest and thirty parishioners in a parish near Quebec were killed and scalped.
Hazen also fought at the 1760 Battle of Sainte-Foy
Battle of Sainte-Foy
The Battle of Sainte-Foy, sometimes called the Battle of Quebec, was fought on April 28, 1760 near the British-held town of Quebec in the French province of Canada during the Seven Years' War . It was a victory for the French under the Chevalier de Lévis over the British army under General Murray...
, where he was severely wounded in the thigh. In February 1761, he purchased a commission as a first Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 44th Regiment of Foot
44th Regiment of Foot
The 44th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army. After 1782 the regiment became known as the 44th Regiment of Foot. The lineage of the 44th transferred to the Essex Regiment in 1881...
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He spent the remainder of the war on garrison duty at 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...
, retiring on half-pay in 1763. General James Murray wrote approvingly of Hazen in 1761, "He discovered so much still bravery and good conduct as would justly entitle him to every military reward he could ask or demand".
Land development
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
valley south of Montreal, and wanted to expand his holdings. (Christie later became one of the largest landowners in Quebec.) After the war, Christie and Hazen jointly purchased the seigneuries
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
of Sabrevois and Bleury, located on the east bank of the Richelieu near 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...
. They also leased land on the west side of river from the Baron of Longueuil. These holdings gave them almost exclusive control over the land holdings around Saint-Jean, which is the northernmost navigable point reachable from 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...
.
Christie, who was still in military service, was frequently away from the land, so Hazen developed the land while Christie provided the funding. Hazen constructed a manor house at Iberville, and two mills, and set about selling timber and other business endeavours. In 1765, Hazen was also appointed a deputy land surveyor, and a justice of the peace. As part of his business dealings, he offered General Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
, then in command of British forces in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, facilities and lumber for military use. Gage was uninterested at the time, letting Hazen know that he would keep the offer in mind, if the need for military movements became necessary in the area.
Hazen expanded the business of the seigneuries, but his aggressive development also incurred debts, which caused friction with Christie. In 1770, Christie, unhappy with the debts, eventually demanded an accounting. This ultimately led to a division of the holdings, with Hazen receiving the southern portion of the Bleury seigneurage, styled Bleury-Sud. Hazen and Christie were in and out of court for years afterward over control of these lands; Christie eventually won complete control over those lands after the American Revolution.
In 1762 Hazen's brother John settled Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,697 at the 2010 census. Haverhill includes the villages of Woodsville, Pike, and North Haverhill, the historic town center at Haverhill Corner, and the district of Mountain Lakes...
, in the far north of that province on the east side of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, and in 1764 Jacob Bayley settled Newbury
Newbury (village), Vermont
Newbury is an incorporated village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 396 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, in what is now Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, across the river from Haverhill. Hazen had shares in both of these settlements; he also acquired land west of the Connecticut River in what is now Bradford, Vermont
Bradford, Vermont
Bradford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,619 at the 2000 census.-History:The first settler was John Hosmer in 1765...
. It was at this time that the idea of constructing a road from there to Saint-Jean was first raised; this idea surfaced again during 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...
, when George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
authorized construction of what became known as the Bayley Hazen Military Road
Bayley Hazen Military Road
The Bayley–Hazen Military Road was a military road that was originally planned to run from Newbury, Vermont to St. John's, Quebec, not far from Montreal. , running from Newbury to Hazens Notch near the Canadian border, were constructed between 1776 and 1779 during the American Revolutionary War...
.
His land developments continued to grow in 1764 when he joined the Saint John River Society, and organization created by a group of military officers for the purpose of developing land along the Saint John River, then in Nova Scotia (now New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
). His coinvestors included Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
, Frederick Haldimand
Frederick Haldimand
Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
, William Johnson
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
, and Thomas Hutchinson.
In the fall of 1770 Hazen married Charlotte de la Saussaye, a woman from a good family in Montreal. They settled down near Saint-Jean, where they built a house and began farming.
Continental Army arrives
At the start of the Revolutionary WarAmerican 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...
in 1775, Hazen was living on half-pay in Saint-Jean. When 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...
raided Fort Saint-Jean on May 18, Hazen reported the news of that raid (as well as the capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga occurred during the American Revolutionary War on May 10, 1775, when a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold overcame a small British garrison at the fort and looted the personal belongings of the garrison...
) first to the military authorities in Montreal, and then to Governor Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
in Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, before returning home to consider the consequences the conflict might have on him and his lands.
The American invasion of Quebec
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...
arrived near his home at Saint-Jean on September 6. On that day, Hazen met 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:...
, explaining to him that Fort Saint-Jean was well-defended and unlikely to be taken by siege, and that the local habitants were unlikely to assist the American effort. This gloomy portrait led Schuyler to consider retreating; but the arrival of additional American troops, and a more optimistic assessment from James Livingston
James Livingston (American Revolution)
Colonel James Livingston was born in the French province of Canada to New York-born parents. He was living in Quebec when the American Revolutionary War broke out...
, a grain merchant living near Chambly
Chambly, 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:...
, encouraged the Americans to renew the attack. Livingston went on to form 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...
in November 1775.
Imprisonment and release
On September 17, Brigadier General Richard MontgomeryRichard 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...
, now commanding the American forces, began to besiege Fort St. Jean. The next day, a detachment of American forces under the command 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...
arrested Hazen north of the fort. However, a British sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
from the fort forced Brown's men to retreat; Hazen ended up in British hands. Major Charles Preston
Charles Preston
Sir Charles Preston, 5th Baronet was a British Major who was stationed in Canada during the American Revolutionary War.-Revolutionary War:...
, the British commander, was mistrustful of Hazen, and sent him to Montreal under the guard of Claude de Lorimier
Claude-Nicolas-Guillaume de Lorimier
Claude-Nicolas-Guillaume de Lorimier was a businessman, official and political figure in Lower Canada. He was also known as Guillaume, Chevalier de Lorimier, Major de Lorimier, and by the Iroquois name Teiohatekon....
. Brigadier General Richard Prescott
Richard Prescott
Richard Prescott was a British officer, born in England.He was appointed a major of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, on 20 December 1756, transferred to the 72nd Regiment of Foot on 9 May 1758, and on 14 December 1761, lieutenant-colonel of the 17th Regiment of Foot, before in May 1762, transferring to...
, unhappy with Hazen's explanations of his movements, imprisoned him.
Service in Quebec
Hazen served in the Battle of QuebecBattle 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...
, and was one of two men (the other was Edward Antill
Edward Antill
Colonel Edward Antill was an American soldier. He was born in Piscataqua, New Jersey and died at Saint-Jean, near Montréal, in Canada...
) sent to report the devastating loss to the Second Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
in Philadelphia. The Congress, in recognition for his efforts, gave Hazen a commission as a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, leading 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...
's 2nd Canadian Regiment
2nd Canadian Regiment
The 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was authorized on January 20, 1776, and raised in the province of Quebec for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island,...
. (Antill was commissioned the regiment's lieutenant colonel.) The regiment was often referred to as "Hazen's" or "Congress' Own", the latter because the regiment was established by Congress and was not part of any state quotas. Hazen was initially offered a position as brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, but he refused, requesting instead a colonel's commission, and indemnification against losses caused by the conflict. (His property had already been significantly damaged by the American action around St. Jean.) Hazen was fortunate in arriving in Philadelphia before John Duggan, one of Livingston's captains, to whom Benedict Arnold had earlier promised the commission for the 2nd Canadian.
Hazen and Antill returned to Quebec, where Hazen was stationed at Montreal while Antill recruited men for the regiment. Hazen was briefly in command of the defenses of Montreal for the Americans, from late March to mid-April 1776, when General David Wooster
David Wooster
David Wooster was an American general who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Cities, schools, and public places were named after him...
took command of the American forces outside Quebec, and Benedict Arnold assumed command of the Montreal garrison. During the time he was in command, Hazen dispatched Timothy Bedel
Timothy Bedel
Timothy Bedel was a soldier and local leader prominent in the early history of New Hampshire and Vermont.Bedel was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts...
and 390 men to fortify The Cedars, about 40 miles (64.4 km) upriver from Montreal; these forces surrendered to a British-Native force during the Battle of The Cedars
Battle of the Cedars
The Battle of The Cedars was a series of military confrontations early in the American Revolutionary War during the Continental Army's invasion of Quebec that had begun in September 1775. The skirmishes, which involved limited combat, occurred in May 1776 at and around The Cedars, west of...
in May.
Trouble with Arnold
Following Arnold's assumption of command at Montreal, Hazen's regiment was assigned to garrison duty at Fort ChamblyFort 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....
. Hazen (and likely his men) were called as reinforcements to assist in the American response to the action at The Cedars. In council, Hazen and Arnold had a heated exchange over what actions to take; in Arnold's opinion, Hazen's behavior bordered on insubordination. Arnold had previously held a high opinion of Hazen, writing that he was "a sensible, judicious officer, and well acquainted with this country".
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...
. Arnold's opinion of Hazen clearly changed; he wrote, "This is not the first or last order Col. Hazen has disobeyed. I think him a man of too much consequence for the post he is in."
Hazen's court martial was held on July 19, 1776; he was honorably acquitted. However, there were irregularities in the proceedings (the judge advocate was the same officer who had delivered the goods from Montreal to Chambly, so he did not testify), and Arnold continued to attack Hazen afterwards. In December 1776 another inquiry was held, and Hazen was again cleared of any wrongdoing. Hazen then countercharged Arnold with the plundering of the Montreal merchants; Arnold was not cleared of these charges until a higher-level inquiry in 1777.
Building his regiment
Hazen's regiment, which was significantly reduced in size by the retreat from Quebec, was assigned first to Ticonderoga, and then to AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, in the summer and fall of 1776, before being ordered to winter quarters at Fishkill, New York
Fishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
. During this time, Hazen continued recruiting, receiving permission from Congress to recruit anywhere in the United States. In the northern states he ran into difficulties, as those states were having trouble filling their own regimental lines; he was often outbid by other recruiters. Antill, who recruited in the central states (primarily New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania), had greater success. By June 1777, the regiment reached about 700 members, out of an authorized strength of 1,000. The cultural differences between the original Quebec enlistees and the new recruits from the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
was a regular source of friction within the regiment, and Hazen consequently kept the French-speakers in companies separated from the English-speakers.
Hazen also submitted to Congress a claim for damages to his estate in Quebec. The original bill was for $11,363; Congress paid $2,595 in October 1776.
Philadelphia campaign
In May 1777, Hazen's regiment was ordered to join the main army at Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, where it was active in the Philadelphia campaign
Philadelphia campaign
The Philadelphia campaign was a British initiative in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress...
as part of John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
's brigade. Some of Hazen's companies (but not Hazen himself) participated in the Battle of Staten Island
Battle of Staten Island
The Battle of Staten Island was a raid by Continental Army troops under Major General John Sullivan against British forces on Staten Island on August 22, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War...
; in this action, Antill was captured. Hazen's command during the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
included the northern (right) end of the American line; this position was one of those flanked by the British in their attack. Hazen made an early report indicating the presence of British troops on the American flank that turned out to be the main British thrust. His report was dismissed by General Sullivan, who wrote, after receiving other reports, that "Colo. Hazen's Information must be wrong." To Sullivan's detriment, the other reports were wrong, and Hazen's was correct; the British flanking maneuver was instrumental in the American loss of the battle. Hazen's regiment lost 4 officers and 73 men in the battle. In the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
, Hazen commanded a brigade that included in addition to his own regiment, the 2nd
2nd Maryland Regiment
For the American Civil War regiment, see 2nd Maryland Infantry.-Summary:The 2nd Maryland Regiment origins were authorized on 14 January 1776 in the Maryland State Troops as seven independent companies.From 7 to 14 March 1776 the companies were organized from various counties from the eastern region...
, 4th
4th Maryland Regiment
The 4th Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 with eight companies from Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Somerset counties in the colony of Maryland. It was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army and assigned to the main on 27 December 1776. It was assigned to...
, and 6th Maryland Regiment
6th Maryland Regiment
The 6th Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 composed of eight companies of volunteers from Prince Georges, Queen Anne's, Frederick, Cecil, Harford, and Anne Arundel counties in the colony of Maryland.It was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army and was...
s. They formed part of Sullivan's column when it marched on the town; his regiment lost 3 officers and 19 men in the engagement.
Bayley-Hazen Road proposed
Hazen, ever since his return to the United States in 1776, had maintained a constant stream of communications with Congress, primarily on the subject of Canada. In January 1778, these communications bore some fruit, when, with French assistance, planning for an invasion of Canada began. Hazen was assigned the job of deputy quartermaster for this operation. However, the planning was hampered by supply and staffing difficulties, and never got off the ground. It was ultimately cancelled by Congress in March 1778.This failure did not deter Hazen from offering a new route for invading Canada. This route went from Newbury, where Hazen owned land and knew the area, to Saint Francis, Quebec
Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec
Saint-François-du-Lac is a community in the Nicolet-Yamaska Regional County Municipality of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,002...
. On July 12, Hazen departed Newbury to scout the route. By July 25, he had returned to White Plains; the effort was abandoned for the time being because the manpower was needed in the New York area. Plans for possible attacks against Quebec based on routes departing from the Newbury area were again contemplated in the fall of 1778, but Washington continued to resist the idea.
Construction work on the road
In the spring and summer of 1779, Hazen's regiment and that of Timothy Bedel worked on construction of the Bayley Hazen Military RoadBayley Hazen Military Road
The Bayley–Hazen Military Road was a military road that was originally planned to run from Newbury, Vermont to St. John's, Quebec, not far from Montreal. , running from Newbury to Hazens Notch near the Canadian border, were constructed between 1776 and 1779 during the American Revolutionary War...
, once again with the eventual goal of launching an invasion. Part of the road, between Newbury and Peacham
Peacham, Vermont
Peacham is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.7 square miles , of which 46.7 square miles is land and 0.9 square mile is...
had been constructed in 1776 by Jacob Bayley. Hazen supervised the development of the road up to what is now called Hazens Notch
Hazens Notch
Hazen's Notch is a mountain pass in Westfield, in the northern Green Mountains of Vermont. Hazen's Notch was named after Moses Hazen who in 1779 led the construction of the Bayley Hazen Military Road as far as this point on a route which started at Newbury, Vermont and was originally planned to...
in northern Vermont. Work was discontinued on the road in August after word was received that the British were preparing a military force at Saint-Jean to attempt capture of the construction crew. General Washington had never intended to send an invasion along this route; the entire works was a ruse to divert British attention, and deter them from launching an invasion. Washington wrote to Congress that the work "was for the purpose of exciting jealousies at Quebec and at the Enemy's posts on the St. lawrence, and of making a diversion in favor of the late expedition under general Sullivan
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
... this very happily succeeded".
Service around New York
Hazen and his regiment spent the winter at Washington's main encampment in Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
. There Hazen was again involved in litigation; he was rejected for service on a court martial considering charges against Benedict Arnold due to their previous confrontations, and he also opened complaints of supply mismanagement during the summer's roadbuilding activities. A detailed review of the army in the spring of 1780 by Baron von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben , also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general and Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
led to the recommendation that the regiments of Hazen and Livingston be merged, as Livingston's had shrunk to 103 men. Hazen and Livingston had a political tussle over seniority; although Hazen lost the claim to seniority, he ended up in command of the combined regiment.
In January 1780 the regiment was involved in a failed attack on Staten Island; word of the operation leaked to the British. Hazen's regiment was then transferred to the brigade of Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor was a brigadier general in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He was a ship builder and merchant from Exeter, New Hampshire.-Biography:...
. By the time the transfer was effected, Hazen was given command of the entire brigade, although repeated requests he had made for promotion to brigadier general were rejected. During the summer the brigade was relocated to the West Point area. While en route, Hazen allowed his men to stop for water, breaking the army column. Von Steuben ordered Hazen's arrest for this transgression of military discipline. Hazen was acquitted, and promptly countercharged von Steuben with behavior unbecoming an officer and gentleman; von Steuben apologized.
Hazen's regiment was garrisoned opposite West Point that fall when British 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...
was captured and General Arnold defected. One hundred of Hazen's men, including his nephew, Benjamin Mooers
Benjamin Mooers
General Benjamin Mooers was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He was a lieutenant in the New York militia and the 2nd Canadian Regiment during the American Revolutionary War....
, witnessed André's hanging.
Yorktown
On June 29, 1781, Hazen was finally promoted to Brigadier General and assigned command of a brigadeBrigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
under Lafayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...
during the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
. Hazen's brigade served on the right of the line, and was deeply involved in the October 14 battles for the redoubts.
Following the British surrender, Hazen and his unit were given prisoner guard duty at Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. While on this duty, a misstep by Hazen caused a minor diplomatic incident, known as the "Asgill Affair". The British accused an American soldier of spying, and were threatening to hang him. George Washington threatened to hang a British soldier if this happened, and instructed Hazen to choose an officer whose rank was similar to that of the accused American. The man he chose by lot, Charles Asgill
Sir Charles Asgill, 2nd Baronet
Sir Charles Asgill 2nd Baronet GCH was a career soldier in the British Army. Asgill enjoyed a long military career, eventually rising to the rank of General...
, should have been ineligible for selection due to the terms of the Yorktown surrender. The accused American was eventually acquitted, but Asgill's plight drew the attention of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
; Washington received a letter from the French foreign minister asking for a pardon.
During the winter of 1781–2 Hazen also took time off for personal business. Among his dealings was a partnership with Timothy Bedel to acquire land along the military road they had built in Vermont.
After the war
After the war, General Hazen, unable to return to Quebec, received a grant of land in northern New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was active for many years on behalf of the men who served under him and their families, especially those that originally came from Quebec, in their quest for compensation for their losses. He also continued his litigious ways—he was involved in an ongoing string of legal actions until his death in 1803. He died in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
where he was buried. His nephew, Benjamin Mooers, was ultimately responsible for untangling many of Hazen's affairs.
On May 26, 1828, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
authorized a payment of $3,998.81 to Hazen's heirs in compensation for the half-pay lost to him when he joined the American forces.
External links
- Hazen at the Battle of Sainte-Foy
- Moses Hazen with the Rogers' Rangers
- Moses Hazen Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online (by Allan Everest)