Peter Gansevoort (1749-1812) [lot 1, sec 55]
Brig. Gen. Peter Gansevoort. Hero of the defense of Fort Stanwix in the Revolutionary War. Commanded troops at Battle of Oriskany turning St. Ledger’s troops back and preventing him from assisting British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.
Peter Gansevoort was born into the Dutch aristocracy of Albany, New York. He was the son of Harme and Magdalena (Douw) Gansevoort, born in Albany on July 17th, 1749. His younger brother was Leonard Gansevoort, active politically, serving in the state assembly senate, and Continental Congress. His father was the third of his family's generation in America, who were prominent brewers and merchants in Albany. The house he was born in was destroyed by fire in 1832 and is on the site of the present Leo W. O’Brien Federal building.
As the American Revolution grew closer, Peter Gansevoort joined the Albany County militia. While he lacked the experience of many older officers, he was a tactful and persuasive leader. Even at his young age, he was over six feet tall, and had a commanding presence. This, along with his family connections, caused Gen. Philip Schuyler to give him a commission.
At the start of the American Revolution, Gansevoort joined the Continental Army. He was commissioned as a Major on June 30, 1775 and served as a field commander in the 2nd New York Regiment. Major Gansevoort led much of the regiment north with Richard Montgomery's forces for the invasion of Quebec.
Gansevoort led the regiment during the siege of Fort St. Jean located on the Richelieu River North of Lake Champlain. In late October, to improve the effect of the siege, Montgomery sent Gansevoort and his men down river (North of St. Jean) to seize Fort Chambly. At Chambly, they captured over 120 barrels of needed gunpowder and a huge mortar, which they nicknamed the Old Sow. They also took about 100 prisoners including their young Lieutenant, John André., André, later attaining the rank of Major, would be hanged in 1780 as a spy involved in the Bennedict Arnold affair with West Point.
Gansevoort took part in the capture of Montreal but became ill during that attack. He started on the advance to Quebec City, but by the time the force reached Trois-Rivières, he was being carried on a stretcher.
Returning to Montreal he spent the winter as one of the sick with the occupation force. By the spring of 1776, the invasion fell apart at Quebec; Montgomery had been killed, and Benedict Arnold was wounded. Gansevoort had recovered to the point where he led the remaining New York forces south in a fighting withdrawal that stopped the British advance at Lake Champlain. He was thereafter promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel because of his service in Canada, and later to full Colonel of the 3rd New York Regiment.
In April, 1777, he took command of Fort Stanwix (later called Fort Schuyler in Rome, New York), and successfully defended the Fort against the British attack commanded by Colonel Barry St. Leger. This attack began the first phase of General John Burgoyne's plan to divide America. By denying Burgoyne his Western flanking movement he helped with the victory at Saratoga.
In spite of his being away from his Albany home, Peter Gansevoort managed to continue his courting of Catherine (Catrina) Van Schaick, the daughter of Wessel Van Schaick. They were married on January 12th, 1778.
On March 26th, 1781 the State of New York appointed him Brigadier ¬ General of the State Militia. The following year he was again promoted to Major General of Militia.
After the war he held a number of important offices, among which was that of commissioner of Indian affairs and building the frontier's forts.
He served as Sheriff of Albany County from 1790 to 1792, and a regent of the University of the State of New York from 1808 until the time of his death.
In 1809 Congress promoted him to Brigadier-General in the United States Army.
Peter and Catherine Gansevoort had 6 children. Their daughter Maria, married Allan Melville in 1814. Their son, Herman was the famous American author, making Peter the maternal grandfather of Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick.
General Gansevoort was chosen to serve as a member of the Court Martial of General James Wilkerson, accused of being involved in the Aaron Burr conspiracy. Burr wanted to start a war with Spain, and create a new country from the Allegheny Mountains to the West Coast including Mexico - obviously the plot failed. The Court Marital was unable to convict Wilkerson and he was acquitted. Enroute to his Albany home from the Court Martial, Gansevoort contracted a "cold" from which he never recovered. He died in his native city, July 2nd, 1812, at the age of sixty¬ three years. His wife Catherine followed him on December 30th, 1830.